EnergyTrace User Guide

EnergyTrace™ technology is a power analyzer tool for CCS that measures the application’s current consumption. The tool can be used stand-alone as a power profiling tool, or in EnergyTrace++ mode within a debug session for code analysis to help optimize the application for ultra-low-power consumption.

For further information regarding the EnergyTrace Tool, see the EnergyTrace Tool page. Additionally, please visit further EnergyTrace documentation at EnergyTrace overview.

EnergyTrace stand-alone Instructions

The following discusses the necessary steps to use EnergyTrace in stand-alone-mode on CC13xx or CC26xx LaunchPad. In stand-alone mode (EnergyTrace mode), the debugger is not active and the displayed current consumption is what to expect for the final application. As opposed to EnergyTrace++ where the debug interface on the device is active and the current consumption from the debugger will be added to the displayed current.

1. Flash the target device with the application to be analyzed.

2. Make sure no debug session is active and click the EnergyTrace Button as seen in Figure 83.

   

   Figure 83. Start EnergyTrace

3. A dialog with instructions on how to use EnergyTrace Stand-alone Measurement Mode will pop-up. Click Proceed to continue.

4. The first time EnergyTrace is being used within a CCS Workspace some settings needs to be set. In the EnergyTrace Window, click on the Advanced Menu icon and select Preferences, as Figure 84. shows.

   

   Figure 84. EnergyTrace Preferences menu

5. Under Target Connection, set Connection to XDS110 and Voltage to 3300.0 mV. ET-HDR Range Selector shall be set to Low current, narrower range higher accuracy. If you want to save the captured data to a .cvs-file for further analysis, select Raw data to CSV file. You can also select the battery cell type the application will be using to get an estimated life time of the application. Click Ok to save the preferences.

   

   Figure 85. EnergyTrace Settings

6. Select how long you want to capture data by clicking the Select Measurement Duration button as in Figure 86.

   

   Figure 86. Select Measurement Duration

7. To start capturing data, click the green play button.

   

   Figure 87. Start trace collection

8. When EnergyTrace is finished capturing data, review the application’s power profile and have a closer look in the Current graph. Figure 88. shows a zoomed-in current graph of BLE advertising.

   

   Figure 88. EnergyTrace Current Graph

EnergyTrace++ Instructions

To run EnergyTrace++, which allows more detailed data regarding power consumption, the Target Configuration file must be configured to allow for a different debugging interface. Specifically, to use EnergyTrace++, the debugger must be set to 4-pin cJTAG mode. The following discusses the necessary steps to modify the Target Configuration file and view EnergyTrace++ data on CC13xx or CC26xx LaunchPad.

Warning

In EnergyTrace++ mode, the displayed current consists of the application current consumption AND the device debugger current consumption. Use EnergyTrace stand-alone mode to display only the application current consumption.

EnergyTrace++ Update Target Configuration Instructions

1. In the CCS, using the Project Explorer, navigate to the targetConfigs folder.

2. Double click on the *.ccxml file to open a configuration menu as seen in Figure 89.

   

   Figure 89. Open .ccxml file

3. On the bottom of the window, navigate to the Advanced tab as seen in Figure 90.

   

   Figure 90. Navigate to Advanced Settings Tab

4. In the All Connections windows pane, click on the highest level from the list tree as seen in Figure 91.

5. In the Connection Properties window pane, modify the JTAG/SWD/cJTAG Mode parameter to cJTAG (1149.7) 4-pin standard mode from the dropdown menu as seen in Figure 91.

   

   Figure 91. Configure 4-pin cJTAG Mode

6. After selecting this option, click Save in the previous All Connections window pane.

7. Close the .ccxml file.

Using EnergyTrace++ Instructions

This section assumes the user has already configured their Target Configuration settings to point use cJTAG (1149.7) 4-pin standard mode as described in the EnergyTrace++ Update Target Configuration Instructions section above.

1. After the Build has successfully completed, Debug the project.

2. Open the EnergyTrace Tool by clicking the button seen below in Figure 92.

   

   Figure 92. Enable EnergyTrace Tool

3. On the far right of the EnergyTrace Technology window, click the Switch to EnergyTrace++ button as seen in Figure 93.

   

   Figure 93. Switch to EnergyTrace++ Mode

4. You should see an additional States tab popup.

5. Run the Debug session, click the green arrow button (F8).

6. You should now be able to observe the enhanced EnergyTrace++ details in the EnergyTrace Technology and States tabs as seen in Figure 94. and Figure 95.

Figure 94. Sample EnergyTrace++ Tab

Figure 95. Sample EnergyTrace++ “States” Tab

Using EnergyTrace with an External Target

The power profile of an external target can be measured using EnergyTrace and a compatible debugger: an XDS110 ETHDR Debug Probe or a CC13xx or CC26xx LaunchPad Kit (the debug probe is embedded on the LaunchPad board). In this section, we will use a CC26x2R LaunchPad to measure the power profile of a CC2640R2F.

Note

Other types of LaunchPad that include a XDS110 ETHDR Debug Probe may be used instead of CC26x2R LaunchPad

Before getting started, make sure the external target is already flashed with the application firmware to be tested.

The following steps are required to use EnergyTrace with an external target:

1. Remove all the jumpers from the top row of both LaunchPads as shown in Figure 96..

2. Use jumper wires to supply power to the CC2640R2F from the CC26x2R LaunchPad as shown below.

3. At this point, connect only the CC26x2R LaunchPad to the PC via a USB cable. The external target will receive power from the CC26x2R LaunchPad.

4. Follow the steps in EnergyTrace stand-alone Instructions to measure the power profile of the external target.

Tip

Ensure that only one CC26x2R LaunchPad is connected to the PC at a time to ensure the correct LaunchPad is automatically selected by EnergyTrace.

Figure 96. External Target Hardware Configuration

The above diagram shows the hardware setup required to use EnergyTrace to measure the power profile of the CC2640R2F.

Note

With the jumpers removed, a 10-pin JTAG cable can be connected to the external target for debugging purposes. If UART is required, jumper wires should be placed to connect the TX/RX lines of the external target to the CC26x2R LaunchPad.

Troubleshooting

If EnergyTrace is not able to properly setup remote controls for the device, try closing CCS, resetting your Evaluation Board and starting again.