Power-Down Mode and Its Impact on Energy Savings

Apr 22, 2026 AdminQUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Find out how to implement power-down mode in LPC microcontrollers for efficient energy saving during inactive periods.

* Question

What power saving modes are supported by LPC2114/2124/2210/2220/2212/2214 microcontrollers?

* Answer

The LPC2114/2124/2210/2220/2212/2214 microcontrollers, based on the ARM7TDMI-S core, support a power-down mode to minimize energy consumption during periods of inactivity.

1. Idle Mode

In this mode, the CPU clock is stopped while peripheral functions and interrupt logic remain active.

Advantage: allows peripherals (timers, UARTs, etc.) to continue operating while reducing core power usage.

Typical use: when the processor is waiting for external events or peripheral activity.

2. Power-Down Mode

In this deeper sleep mode, both the CPU and peripheral clocks are stopped.

The on-chip oscillator is disabled, dramatically lowering power consumption.

Wake-up is possible via external interrupts or reset.

Typical use: when the system can remain inactive for extended periods.

Summary

The LPC2114/2124/2210/2220/2212/2214 microcontrollers support Idle Mode and Power-Down Mode as their two main power-saving states. Together, they provide flexibility between maintaining peripheral activity and achieving maximum energy reduction.

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