Renesas Power Profiler — User Manual

This manual helps you measure and analyze your device power consumption using the Renesas Power Profiler extension and the Power Measurement Module (PMM).

Note

Before starting, confirm you have all items listed in Section 2 — Hardware Requirements.

1. Overview

1.1. Introduction

The Renesas Power Profiler shows live current and voltage behavior of your target board in one place.

From the Data Logger screen, you can connect to PMM, capture a waveform, inspect key values, set trigger conditions, and save your session data. The built-in Peak Detection feature lets you define a current threshold range and automatically locate all current spikes that exceed it — marking each peak on the graph and listing the timestamp and amplitude in the Peaks panel.

1.2. Key Features

📈 Live Current & Voltage

View current (mA) and voltage (V) as your device runs.

📊 Interactive Graph

Zoom and pan to inspect startup peaks, sleep current, and events.

🎯 Trigger Capture

Start and stop capture automatically when a condition is met.

💾 Export Data

Save captured data as CSV or JSON for reports and sharing.

📋 Measurements

Draw a time-range window on the graph to instantly see Min, Max, Average, RMS, charge (Q), and duration for that selection.

📷 Markers

Place markers to compare timing and energy between two points.

🔺 Peak Detection

Set a Min / Max (mA) detection range, click Scan for Peaks, and the profiler automatically marks every current spike within that range on the graph and lists each peak with its timestamp and amplitude.

📊 Statistics

Check minimum, maximum, average, RMS, and energy values quickly from the statistics overlay or panel.

2. Hardware Requirements

You need the following hardware to perform measurements:

Component	Specification	Status	Notes
PMM	Power Measurement Module (PMM)	Required	Main measurement hardware
USB Cable	USB Type-A to Type-C	Required	Connects PMM to your PC
Device Under Test	Your target board/device	Required	Device being measured
Host PC	Windows 10/11, macOS 12+, Linux	Required	Runs VS Code and the extension
VS Code	Version 1.75 or later	Required	Extension host application

⚠ Warning

Do not unplug PMM while capture is running. Stop capture first to avoid incomplete data.

3. Getting Started

3.1. Install the Extension

Open the Extensions Panel

Press Ctrl+Shift+X or go to View > Extensions.

Enter Renesas Power Profiler in the search box.

Install

Select the extension and click Install.

3.2. Connect the PMM

Connect PMM

Connect PMM to your PC with the USB cable.

Open the Extension UI

Open Renesas Power Profiler from the Activity Bar, then go to Data Logger.

Choose the Port

In the Data Logger connection area, select the PMM serial port.

✓ Tip

If the PMM port does not appear, reconnect the cable and try another USB port.

3.3. Run Calibration

Before your first capture, run calibration to remove the PMM's zero-offset error and ensure accurate current readings.

Disconnect the target

Make sure no target device is connected and no current is flowing through the PMM.

Open Configuration

In the Data Logger drawer, open the Configuration section and go to Calibration.

Run Calibration

Click Run Calibration. The PMM samples for about 10 seconds and updates the CH1 and CH2 offset values automatically.

⚠ Warning

No current must flow through the PMM during calibration. Disconnect your target device first, otherwise the offsets will be inaccurate.

3.4. Start Measuring

Go to Data Logger

From Home, open Data Logger.

Connect

Click Connect after selecting your PMM port.

Start

Click Start to begin live capture. Current and voltage traces will appear in the graph.

4. Data Logger

The Data Logger page is your main workspace for measurement and analysis.

It includes:

Connection controls to connect or disconnect PMM.
Graph area to view live traces and inspect events.
Drawer sections for Device, Configuration, Triggers, Markers, Measurements, and Peaks.
Action buttons for Start, Stop, Reset, and Export.

4.1. Graph Controls

Control	Action
Mouse Wheel	Zoom in or out along the time axis
Click + Drag	Move left or right through captured data
Axis Lock	Keep Y-axis scaling fixed during live updates
Reset Zoom	Return to default graph view
Marker	Add marker points for timing and value comparison
Measurements	Click and drag a range on the graph to create a measurement window. Statistics for the selected window (Min, Max, Avg, RMS, Q, ΔT) appear in the Measurements drawer.
Peaks (dashed lines)	After a Scan for Peaks, orange dashed vertical lines mark each detected current spike on the graph. Hover a line to see the exact timestamp and amplitude value in a tooltip.

4.2. Statistics Panel

The statistics panel summarizes the data currently visible in the graph. Values update as you zoom or pan.

Statistic	Description
Min	Lowest value in the selected range
Max	Highest value in the selected range
Average	Average value in the selected range
RMS	RMS value for the selected range
Energy	Estimated energy over the selected time window

Note

For long sessions, export data regularly to avoid losing older samples.

5. Configuration Settings

Open the left drawer in Data Logger and select Configuration to set up measurement parameters before starting capture.

5.1. Sampling Rate

The sampling rate controls how often the PMM reads current and voltage values per second.

Setting	Description
Sampling Rate	Drop-down selector. Higher rates capture fast current spikes and brief events. Lower rates suit longer sessions where fine timing detail is not needed.

5.2. Voltage Channels

Two voltage input channels are available. Each has an independent range selector and a visibility toggle.

Setting	Description
Input 1	Drop-down. Select the voltage range for channel 1.
Input 1 — Show	Toggle switch. When on, the Input 1 voltage trace appears in the graph.
Input 2	Drop-down. Select the voltage range for channel 2.
Input 2 — Show	Toggle switch. When on, the Input 2 voltage trace appears in the graph.

✓ Tip

If you only need current data, turn off both voltage channel Show switches to keep the graph less cluttered.

5.3. Calibration

Calibration removes zero-offset errors from the PMM hardware to ensure accurate current readings. Run it once per session with no load connected.

Field / Control	Description
CH1 Offset	Read-only. Shows the current offset correction value for channel 1. Updated automatically after each calibration run.
CH2 Offset	Read-only. Shows the current offset correction value for channel 2. Updated automatically after each calibration run.
Run Calibration	Button. Starts a short automatic calibration cycle. The PMM samples with no current flowing for approximately 10 seconds and computes the offsets.

⚠ Warning

Disconnect your target device before running calibration. No current must flow through the PMM during this step.

6. Measurements

A measurement is a time range you draw on the graph to see statistics for that specific window. Open the Measurements section in the Data Logger drawer.

6.1. Adding a Measurement

Start selection mode

Click Add Measurement in the Measurements drawer, or click the Add Measurement icon in the graph toolbar. The cursor changes to a horizontal resize arrow.

Drag a range

Click and drag left-to-right over the graph to highlight the time window you want to analyse.

Read the results

A coloured measurement card appears in the drawer with statistics for the selected range. Use the × button on a card to remove it.

6.2. Measurement Values

Value	Description
ΔT	Duration of the selected time range.
Min	Minimum current value within the range.
Max	Maximum current value within the range.
Avg	Average current over the range.
Q	Estimated charge consumed over the range (μC or mC).

✓ Tip

Add multiple measurements to compare different events side-by-side in the drawer.

7. Digital Channels

Digital channels overlay external digital signals (high / low) as timeline bands alongside the current and voltage traces. Open the Digital Channels section in the Data Logger drawer.

Control	Description
Enable checkbox	Tick to show that channel on the graph. Untick to hide it.
Channel name	Text field (max 6 characters). Enter a short label that appears on the graph, for example RDY, INT, or TX.

Eight digital channels D0–D7 are available. Only the channels you have ticked appear on the graph.

✓ Tip

Use short meaningful names so you can identify signals at a glance. Names longer than 6 characters are automatically trimmed.

The toolbar sits directly above the graph. Icons that are active (toggled on) show a blue background. All toolbar actions are disabled while a live capture is running.

✓ Tip

Use Visible Records when you only need a specific event window — it keeps the export file small and focused.

9. Peak Detection

The Peaks drawer section lets you define a current threshold range and automatically find every spike within that range across your captured data. Peaks are marked directly on the graph so you can correlate them with device activity.

9.1. Set Detection Range

Open the Peaks section in the Data Logger drawer. Before scanning, set the Min and Max current boundary that a spike must fall within to be counted as a peak.

Field	Description
Min (mA)	Lower threshold. Only spikes at or above this current value are detected. Enter a value that is clearly above your device's baseline current so normal background activity is excluded.
Max (mA)	Upper threshold. Only spikes at or below this value are detected. Leave at ∞ (or a very high value) to capture all spikes above the minimum without an upper limit.

✓ Tip

Start with a Min value just above your device's average idle current. For example, if the idle baseline is around 1.6 mA, set Min to 2.6 mA to capture only significant activity peaks.

9.2. Scan and Read Results

Stop capture

Peaks can be scanned on already-captured data. Stop the capture first, or use a completed capture session.

Set the range

Enter the Min (mA) value in the Detection Range fields inside the Peaks drawer. Set Max (mA) if you want an upper bound.

Click Scan for Peaks

Click the Scan for Peaks button (▲) in the graph toolbar. The profiler scans the entire capture buffer.

Review the graph

Orange dashed vertical lines appear on the graph at each detected spike. A tooltip shows the exact current value and timestamp when you hover over a line.

Read the results list

The Peaks panel shows a summary line such as "Found 6 peak(s) between 2.6–∞ mA" and lists each peak entry with its timestamp and amplitude value.

Clear peaks

Click the delete icon next to the found-peaks count to remove all markers and reset the results.

Each entry in the Peaks results list shows:

Column	Description
Timestamp	The time position of the peak within the capture (e.g. 0.343s). Click the entry in the list to navigate the graph to that position.
Amplitude	The peak current value at that point (e.g. 2.855 mA).

Note

Peak detection runs on the full capture buffer, not just the visible graph window. Zoom in to a specific peak marker to inspect the waveform shape around that event in more detail.

✓ Tip

If you get too many results, raise the Min (mA) value and re-scan. If you get too few, lower it. Adjust in small steps until only the events you care about are captured.

10. Trigger Configuration

Triggers help you capture exactly when an event happens. Configure them in the Trigger section of the Data Logger drawer. Turn on Enable Trigger, choose a source, set the condition, then press Apply Trigger.

10.1. Trigger Source

The Trigger Source selects which incoming signal the profiler watches to decide when to fire the trigger. Every source except None uses the same live data that is streamed to the graph, so the trigger reacts to exactly what you see.

Source	Watched Signal	Notes
None (Free Running)	—	No trigger is armed. Capture runs continuously until you stop it manually.
Current	Measured current (mA)	Fires on the current channel. The threshold is entered in mA.
Voltage 1	Voltage channel 1 (V)	Fires on the first voltage channel. The physical input that feeds channel 1 is whatever you selected for Input 1 in the Configuration → Voltage Channels section — the trigger follows that same selection.
Voltage 2	Voltage channel 2 (V)	Fires on the second voltage channel. Its source is determined by the Input 2 selection in the Configuration → Voltage Channels section, exactly like Voltage 1.
Digital Channel	Digital line D0–D6	Fires on a single digital line. Pick which line to watch in the Digital Channel drop-down that appears below the source.

Note

Because Voltage 1 and Voltage 2 mirror the Input 1 and Input 2 selections in Configuration, changing the voltage channel source or range there also changes what the voltage triggers monitor. Set up your voltage channels first, then configure the trigger.

10.2. Trigger Types & Conditions

The available Condition options change with the source you pick. Analog sources (Current, Voltage 1, Voltage 2) compare against a numeric threshold, while the digital source reacts to signal edges.

Trigger Type	Applies To	Condition	Description
Analog Rising	Current / Voltage 1 / Voltage 2	Above threshold	Capture starts when the selected signal rises above the threshold you set (mA for current, V for voltage).
Analog Falling	Current / Voltage 1 / Voltage 2	Below threshold	Capture starts when the selected signal drops below the threshold.
Digital Rising Edge	Digital Channel	Low → High	Capture starts when the watched digital line goes from low to high.
Digital Falling Edge	Digital Channel	High → Low	Capture starts when the watched digital line goes from high to low.
Post-Trigger Stop	All sources	Elapsed time	Capture stops automatically after your configured duration once the trigger has fired.

Note

The Threshold field is shown only for analog sources, and its unit adapts to the source — mA for Current and V for Voltage 1 / Voltage 2. For the digital source, a Digital Channel selector (D0–D6) replaces the threshold.

10.3. Trigger Timing

Two timing controls let you capture context around the trigger point:

Control	Description
Pre-Trigger Buffer	Slider (0 ms – 1 s). Keeps a window of samples recorded before the trigger fired, so you can see what led up to the event.
Auto-Stop After Trigger	Toggle. When on, capture stops automatically once the Post-Trigger Duration elapses. When off, capture keeps running after the trigger fires.
Post-Trigger Duration	Slider (1 s – 10 s). How long to keep capturing after the trigger fires. Only active when Auto-Stop is enabled.

✓ Tip

Use a start trigger plus Post-Trigger Stop to capture a consistent event window every time.

11. Data Export

Use Export in Data Logger to save captured data and reuse it later.

Format	Extension	Compatible With	Notes
CSV	`.csv`	Spreadsheet tools	Simple table format, easy to review and share
JSON	`.json`	Data tools and custom workflows	Includes richer structure and metadata

✓ Tip

Use clear file names such as project name + date + scenario so you can compare runs later.

12. Troubleshooting

If something does not work as expected, use the checks below.

⚠ PMM Port Not Listed

Reconnect PMM, try another USB port, then reopen the port list in Data Logger.

⚠ Connected But No Graph Activity

Verify your target device is powered and drawing current. Confirm capture is started.

⚠ Graph Looks Flat or Clipped

Adjust graph scale, reset zoom, and check channel configuration.

⚠ Export File Is Empty

Start a capture first, wait for data to populate, then export again.

⚠ Disconnections During Capture

Use a stable USB connection and avoid unplugging PMM during measurement.

⚠ No Peaks Found After Scan

Check that your Min (mA) value is below the actual spike level. Zoom the graph to confirm peaks are visually present above the threshold, then re-scan.

⚠ Too Many Peaks in Results

Raise the Min (mA) value to filter out lower-level noise, then click Scan for Peaks again.

Note

If the issue continues, check the Renesas Community Forums for guidance.

13. Best Practices

These habits help you get cleaner and more repeatable measurements:

Let the device stabilize for a few seconds before starting capture.
Capture one scenario at a time (for example: idle, advertising, transmit).
Use the memory plot tool to compare before and after a firmware or setting change.
Save important runs immediately with descriptive names.
When comparing runs, keep the same sampling and trigger settings.

Renesas Power Profiler — User Manual

1. Overview

1.1. Introduction

1.2. Key Features

2. Hardware Requirements

3. Getting Started

3.1. Install the Extension

3.2. Connect the PMM

3.3. Run Calibration

3.4. Start Measuring

4. Data Logger

4.1. Graph Controls

4.2. Statistics Panel

5. Configuration Settings

5.1. Sampling Rate

5.2. Voltage Channels

5.3. Calibration

6. Measurements

6.1. Adding a Measurement

6.2. Measurement Values

7. Digital Channels

8. Graph Toolbar

9. Peak Detection

9.1. Set Detection Range

9.2. Scan and Read Results

10. Trigger Configuration

10.1. Trigger Source

10.2. Trigger Types & Conditions

10.3. Trigger Timing

11. Data Export

12. Troubleshooting

13. Best Practices