Reducing energy consumption in ICT by implementing dynamic bus voltage architecture

Early in 2000, the telecoms & datacomms industry introduced a board-level power architecture based on a master DC/DC converter that powers a number of point-of-load regulators. Termed `intermediate bus architecture´, the scheme is easy to implement but it is not specifically designed to minimize energy consumption. With its core commitment to saving energy, Ericsson AB has developed a methodology that allows system designers to monitor each load´s energy consumption and actively manage the power supply to optimize the system´s energy usage. Dynamic Bus Voltage technology is based on a digitally-controlled Advanced Bus Converter, and is foreseen as one of the most significant technological breakthroughs for the ICT industry - because saving a single Watt at board level results in an average 3 Watt saving at system level, the benefits are obvious. This paper explores the technology´s background, its prerequisites, and a Dynamic Bus Voltage case study for a datacomms application.