Design of a Low-Power, High-Performance VLSI Architecture for IoT Applications

Abstract

The proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices necessitates the development of VLSI (Very-Large-Scale Integration) architectures that achieve a delicate balance between low power consumption and high performance. This paper presents a novel design methodology for such architectures, tailored specifically for IoT applications. We address critical design considerations including processor core design, memory optimization, communication interfaces, and power management. The proposed architecture employs energy-efficient RISC processor cores, dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS), and custom instructions to enhance performance while minimizing power usage. Memory architecture is optimized with small, on-chip SRAM caches to reduce access time and power consumption. Low-power communication protocols like Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and LoRa are integrated to handle data efficiently. Power management strategies such as power and clock gating are employed to further reduce energy consumption. The architecture is implemented as a system-on-chip (SoC) and evaluated through simulation and prototype testing, demonstrating effective power and performance optimization. The results indicate that the proposed VLSI design meets the demanding requirements of modern IoT devices, paving the way for more efficient and sustainable IoT solutions.