Electronic system with improved power management and method for operating such an electronic system

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic system (100) comprising: - a controller module (3), with a core (31), peripheral (33) and memory (32) mapped on a memory bus (36), configured for executing instructions, - a supply module (1), with one or more power inputs (11) such as an energy harvester input, one or more power outputs (12) such as a load output, one or more ports (13) for connecting a storage element, configured for of supplying energy to different elements of the system, - a power and energy monitoring module (2), the power and energy monitoring module (2) being coupled to the controller module (3) by a first communication channel, the power and energy monitoring module (2) being coupled to the supply module 1) by a second communication channel. According to the invention, the supply module (1) is configured to collect information on the source, load and / or storage element, and the power and energy monitoring module (2) is configured for further processing the power and energy information received from the supply module and to allow the microcontroller module (3) to modify the order of execution of its instructions as a function of the information collected by the supply module (1).

Description

Electronic system with improved power management and method for operating such an electronic system

[0001] Description

[0002] The present patent application relates to the technical field of electronic systems. In particular, the invention relates to an electronic system with improved power management and methods of operating such electronic systems. Such electronic systems are particularly useful for loT devices.

[0003] Prior art

[0004] Electronic systems have long been the cornerstone of loT devices, providing essential processing power for a wide range of connected applications. Historically, these electronic systems have been designed with a fundamental assumption: that the power supply is either entirely present or completely absent, and when present, it is stable, continuous, and virtually infinite. This assumption has driven the design of these electronic systems and their associated software, which typically schedule tasks based solely on time intervals. For example, this is the main purpose of real-time operating systems (RTOS) that can run on such electronic systems.

[0005] In this traditional model, these electronic systems operate under the expectation that power is always available when needed, allowing them to execute any task at any moment without any shutdown caused by empty batteries or too high instantaneous power demand for example. The design does not take into account variations in power supply, such as those caused by fluctuations in battery levels or the intermittent nature of harvested energy.Consequently, the software is developed and executed with zero knowledge of that power / energy environment, the scheduling of the task being not optimized.

[0006] As loT devices proliferate, they are increasingly deployed in environments where reliable and stable power sources are not guaranteed. Many of these devices rely on small batteries or energy harvesting techniques, such as solar or kinetic energy, which introduce significant variability in power availability. The traditional electronic systems design, with its assumption of a stable and infinite power supply, is ill-suited to these new contexts.

[0007] This mismatch between power assumptions and reality leads to several critical problems:- Reduced autonomy (by not executing tasks when battery is full and / or power is abundant), - Unwanted shutdown (by executing a task that consumes more energy than available), - Impossibility to execute anything (if the first task which is always executed is demanding more power than what can be delivered),- Delayed or random execution of some tasks.Reduced autonomy is particularly problematic for remote or hard-to-reach loT devices, where replacing batteries can be costly and labor-intensive. Frequent battery replacements not only increase maintenance costs but also contribute to environmental waste. The reliance on disposable batteries in millions of loT devices exacerbates ecological issues, adding to thegrowing concern over electronic waste and the environmental footprint of loT ecosystems. In addition, these other problems lead to limited scalability for energy-harvesting systems: for devices powered by harvested energy, such as those using solar panels or vibration-based generators, the traditional electronic systems model cannot effectively scale. These devices require more sophisticated power management strategies to ensure continuous operation, especially when energy sources are intermittent or weak.

[0008] It would be advantageous to develop an electronic system that could overcome these issues.

[0009] Summary of the invention

[0010] According to the invention, an electronic system is provided. This electronic system comprises a controller module, with a core, peripheral and memory mapped on a memory bus, configured for executing instructions, a supply module, with one or more power inputs such as an energy harvester input, one or more power outputs such as a load output, one or more ports for connecting a storage element, configured for supplying energy to different elements of the system and a power and energy monitoring module. The power and energy monitoring module being coupled to the controller module by a first communication channel and the power and energy monitoring module being coupled to the supply module by a second communication channel. According to the invention, the supply module is configured to collect information on the power input, power output and / or storage element and the power and energy monitoring module is configured for further processing the power and energy information received from the supply module and to allow the controller module to modify the order of execution of its instructions as a function of the information collected by the supply module.

[0011] Advantageously, the supply module is configured to collect a plurality of items of information relating to the power input, the power output and / or the storage element, and the power and energy monitoring module is configured to further process the plurality of power and energy information items received from the supply module and to enable the controller module to modify an order of execution of its instructions as a function of the plurality of information items collected by the supply module. Unexpectedly, by collecting and processing a plurality of power- and energy-related information items associated with the power input, power output and storage element, the system is able to anticipate energy availability and consumption patterns, thereby reducing premature shutdown events and improving overall task completion reliability under fluctuating energy conditions. The processing of a plurality of energy-related information items enables predictive assessment of energy availability and load behavior, resulting in proactive modification of the execution order of instructions and improved energy utilization efficiency. In contrast to systems based on a single voltage threshold, the use of multiple power- and energy-related information items permits refinedenergy state characterization, leading to improved robustness and reduced energy waste in intermittently powered environments.

[0012] US-A1-2002 / 043877 relates to an improved power supply unit (PSU) controller designed for rack enclosures where multiple devices communicate through a backplane. As these systems grow in complexity, ensuring continuous operation and diagnosing potential faults become critical. This document addresses these challenges by introducing a PSU controller capable of monitoring and storing signals indicative of the power supply's output levels. This controller can communicate the stored data to devices within the enclosure and receives its own power from the backplane. The controller is supplied by the grid and definitely not optimized for power / energy management. The purpose is to make sure the devices on the rack can react properly in case the power supply unit is faulty.

[0013] US-B2-10559874 concerns a miniaturized (mobile) electronic device designed for wearable applications, such as a ring worn on a finger, integrating communication and sensing functionalities. It addresses challenges related to space constraints, antenna placement, and heat dissipation while maintaining a compact form. The device features a conductive main body with a loop shape, a communication module, and a feeding line across a narrow gap that also serves as an antenna. Electronic components such as a battery, sensors, and a microcontroller are arranged along the ring's circumference, optimizing space usage. Heat dissipation is improved through metal fins and airflow-enhancing structures, ensuring stable operation and enhanced comfort for the wearer. The design enables wireless communication while maintaining a lightweight and ergonomic structure.

[0014] The present invention relates thus to a microcontroller system that has all the required hardware for the microcontroller core to be able to define the order of execution of its tasks depending on its available power and energy environment, rather than solely based on time as in the prior art. This allows the microcontroller to use its power / energy as efficiently as possible. This is especially important for system relying on tiny batteries and / or energy harvesting.

[0015] Advantageously, the supply module of the system of the invention comprises one or more power converters. The system is thus able to convert voltage level between its power inputs and its power outputs. For example, to increase the voltage between the harvester input and the storage element, or to decrease the voltage between the storage element and the load.

[0016] In another advantageous embodiment, the information received by the power and energy monitoring module from the supply module through the second communication channel comprises one or more of the following: power available at the source, lost power at the source, type of storage element, effective capacity of the storage element, energy stored in the storage element, temperature of the storage element, defect on the storage element,charge history of the storage element, power transferred from the source, type of load, power consumed by the load, defect on the load and peak current on the load. It is to be noted that the list is not exhaustive. Thereby, the microcontroller core can receive enough information about its power and energy environment to make proper decisions for the order of execution of its tasks.

[0017] In an advantageous version of the previous embodiment, the power and energy monitoring module is configured for continuously processing the information received from the supply module to extract meaningful information comprising one or more of the following: energy stored in the storage element, aging of the storage element, charge level as percentage of the effective capacity of the storage element, energy consumed by the system for a given task, power / energy availability prediction, storage end of life prediction, unusual consumption profile. It is to be noted that the list is not exhaustive. Thereby, the microcontroller core is able to access the information, collected or processed, at any time, required to make proper decisions for the order of execution of its tasks.

[0018] Preferably, the power and energy monitoring module is configured to store the information received or the extracted meaningful information in registers or other data storage such as memories accessible by the controller module through the first communication channel. Thereby, the microcontroller core is able to sleep, or to handle unrelated tasks, while waiting for a change in its power or energy environment, without having to continuously poll one or more locations to be informed about that change.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the invention, the controller module and the power and energy monitoring module are integrated on a semiconductor die to form a microcontroller unit and the power and energy monitoring module is mapped on the memory bus and the supply module is integrated on a semiconductor die to form a power management integrated circuit. Further, the second communication channel is a digital synchronous or asynchronous communication bus.

[0020] According to a different embodiment of the invention, the controller module is integrated on a semiconductor die to form a microcontroller unit. The supply module and the power and energy monitoring module are integrated on a semiconductor die to form a power management integrated circuit. The first communication channel is a digital synchronous or asynchronous communication bus.

[0021] These two embodiments allow to conveniently implement the different modules of the invention on the most appropriate semiconductor technology. More advanced nodes are better for microcontrollers while less advanced nodes are better for power management functions. Power and energy monitoring module can be adequately integrated with one or the other die, or eventually partially in both. The two dies may be integrated in a single package to form aSystem in Package. Thereby integrating all the elements of the invention in a single component that can be considered as a "power-aware microcontroller" or "energy-aware microcontroller".

[0022] In yet another embodiment, the controller module, the power and energy monitoring module and the supply module are integrated on a single semiconductor die to form a System on Chip. Thereby integrating all the elements of the invention in a single component that can be considered as a "power-aware microcontroller" or "energy-aware microcontroller".

[0023] It is also to be noted that the present invention is not concerned with high power demanding system relying on large batteries or systems supplied by the grid.

[0024] Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for operating a system as described hereabove. A first method according to the invention comprises the following steps : a) the power and energy monitoring module receives information such as : power available at the source, lost power at the source, type of storage element, effective capacity of the storage element, energy stored in the storage element, temperature of the storage element, defect on the storage element, charge history of the storage element, power transferred from the source, type of load, power consumed by the load, defect on the load and peak current on the load b) optionally, the power and energy monitoring module continuously processes the information received from the supply module to extract meaningful information comprising one or more of the following: energy stored in the storage element, aging of the storage element, charge level as percentage of the effective capacity of the storage element, energy consumed by the system for a given task, power / energy availability prediction, storage end of life prediction, unusual consumption profile;c) the power and energy monitoring module forwards interruption request on event such as, but no limited to, low instantaneous harvested power, high instantaneous harvested power, low stored energy, high stored energy, power / energy availability prediction, storage end of life prediction, unusual consumption profile, low instantaneous load power and high instantaneous load power, to the controller moduled) the controller module wakes up and / or executes specific instructions based on the interruption request.

[0025] A second method for operating a system as described hereabove comprises the following steps :a) the power and energy monitoring module receives information such as : power available at the source, lost power at the source, type of storage element, effective capacity of the storage element, energy stored in the storage element, temperature of the storage element, defect on the storage element, charge history of the storage element, power transferred from the source, type of load, power consumed by the load, defect on the load and peak current on the load b) optionally, the power and energy monitoring module continuously processes the information received from the supply module to extract meaningful information comprisingone or more of the following: energy stored in the storage element, aging of the storage element, charge level as percentage of the effective capacity of the storage element, energy consumed by the system for a given task, power / energy availability prediction, storage end of life prediction, unusual consumption profile;c) the controller module read the information received or the extracted meaningful information in the power and energy monitoring module registersd) the controller module wakes up and / or executes specific instructions based on the information read.

[0026] Brief description of the figures

[0027] Embodiments of the invention will now be presented with reference to the appended figures. Said embodiments and figures have no other purpose than illustrating an embodiment of the invention and have, no limiting function. In the following drawings, the same references represent the same elements.

[0028] Fig. 1 depicts a typical application of the system according to the invention.

[0029] Fig. 2-5 are block diagrams representing several embodiments of the invention.

[0030] Detailed description of an embodiment of the invention

[0031] Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a typical application of the present invention that includes an electronic device 101 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. This figure represents an electronic system, such as what one can find in remote controls, smart home sensors, electronic shelf labels, watches, tracking devices or any small non-grid connected electronic systems. The electronic device 101 may be seen as a microcontroller unit that has built-in power management. It is able to harvest energy from a photovoltaic cell 7, or any other harvester such as a thermoelectric generator, a piezoelectric generator or an antenna. The electronic device stores energy in a storage element 8, such as a NiMH battery, Li-ion battery, Sodium-ion battery, LiPo battery, solid-state battery, a capacitor or a supercapacitor. It is able to supply the different loads 9a, 9b of the system, such as a sensor 9a, a radio transceiver 9b, a camera, a microcontroller, an electrical motor or a display. Thanks to the advantageous features of the invention, the electronic device 101 is able to use the energy of the system as efficiently as possible by ordering the execution of its tasks depending on the power and energy environment it is evolving in.

[0032] Fig. 2 is a block diagram of an electronic system 100 according to the present invention. This system may be composed of single or multiple semiconductor components, such as integrated circuits.

[0033] The system has a supply module 1 that provides power supply and power conversion functionalities to the system. The supply module 1 has one or more power inputs 11, one or more power outputs 12, one or more ports 13 for connecting to one or more storage elements and a communication port 14 to connect with a power and energy monitoring module 2.Power inputs 11 may be connected to a primary battery, an auxiliary battery, an energy harvester, or any other power supply. Examples of energy harvesters are a photovoltaic cell, a thermoelectric generator, a piezoelectric generator or an antenna. Power outputs 12 may be used to supply the components of the system -or loads-, such as the power and energy monitoring module 2 and the controller module 3 or other additional components such as sensors, cameras, microcontrollers, electrical motors, displays or radio transceivers. The supply module 1 may provide power outputs at different voltage levels. The supply module 1 may include one or more DC-to-DC power converters such as linear low drop out (LDO) converters, switching converters like Buck or Boost converters or switched capacitors converters. Those power converters can be fully integrated converters or converters making use of discrete components. The supply module 1 may also include rectifiers to perform AC-to-DC conversion, for example in the case of harvesting energy from piezoelectric generators or RF antennas. Examples of storage elements to be connected on ports 13 are NiMH batteries, Li-ion batteries, Sodium-ion batteries, LiPo batteries, solid-state batteries, capacitors or super-capacitors.Supply module 1 may include one or more control units and additional circuitry to handle various tasks such as maximum power point tracking, undervoltage detection, overvoltage detection, cold-starting, voltage levels configuration, battery charging control, temperature monitoring or communication. The supply module 1 may also have the additional circuitry and ports required to collect various information about the power and energy environment of the system such as the power available at the power inputs 11, the lost power at the power inputs 11 (for example when an energy harvester provides more power than the maximum power that the supply module 1 can handle, or if the storage element is full), the type of storage element connected on ports 13, the effective capacity of the storage element, the energy stored in the storage element connected on ports 13, the temperature of the storage element connected on ports 13, the defects of the storage element connected on ports 13, the charge history of the storage element connected on ports 13, the power transferred from the power inputs 11 to the storage element connected on ports 13 and the loads connected on ports 12, the type of load connected at the power outputs 12, the power consumed by the load connected on power outputs 12, the defects of the load connected to power outputs 12 or the peak current drawn by the load through power outputs 12. The communication with the power and energy monitoring module 2 through port 14 may be using a dedicated connection following a standard protocol such as UART, SPI or I2C or a custom, synchronous or asynchronous, serial or parallel, digital communication protocol or it may be a direct connection with one or more wires to a control unit inside the supply module 1. This is the second communication channel.

[0034] The system has a power and energy monitoring module 2 that provides power and energy monitoring functionalities to the system. Power and energy monitoring module 2 has apower input 21, a communication port 22 to connect with a supply module 1 and a communication port 23 to connect with a controller module 3. Power and energy monitoring module 2 is supplied by the supply module 1 through power input 21. The supply module 1 may provide multiple power supplies at different voltage levels through multiple power inputs 21. The power and energy monitoring module 2 is connected to the supply module 1 through port 22. The communication with the supply module 1 through port 22 (the second communication channel) may be using a dedicated connection following a standard protocol such as UART, SPI or I2C or a custom, synchronous or asynchronous, serial or parallel, digital communication protocol or it may be a direct connection with one or more wires to the control unit inside the supply module 1. The communication with the controller module 3 through port 23 may be a bus connection using bus 36 or it may be a dedicated connection with a peripheral 33 of the controller module 3, such as a communication unit or a general purposes inputs / outputs controller, following a standard protocol such as UART, SPI or I2C or a custom, synchronous or asynchronous, serial or parallel, digital communication protocol. This is the first communication channel. The power and energy monitoring module 2 may also have the additional circuitry, digital and / or analog, required to process information received from the supply module 1 and extract new information such as: energy stored in the storage element, aging of the storage element, charge level as percentage of the effective capacity of the storage element, energy consumed by the system for a given task, power / energy availability prediction, storage end of life prediction, unusual consumption profile. The power and energy monitoring module 2 may also have registers or other data storage such as memories to store the information received or extracted and accessible by the controller module 3 through communication port 23.

[0035] The system has a controller module 3 that provides software execution functionality to the system. The controller module 3 has one or more power inputs 30 and a communication port 30b to connect with a power and energy monitoring module 2, one or more cores 31, one or more memories 32, one or more peripherals 33 and one or more buses 36. The controller module 3 is supplied by the supply module 1 through power input 30. The supply module 1 may provide multiple power supplies at different voltage levels through multiple power inputs 30 of the controller module 3. The core 31 is a processor unit capable of executing instructions. It has one or more ports 311 for communication on one or more buses 36 with the memory 32 or the peripheral 33. Typically, the core 31 has registers, an arithmetic logic unit and a control unit. The instruction set and address bus width may vary and is commonly 8-, 16-, 32- or 64-bit large. The core 31 is able to fetch and execute instructions from one our more memories 32 through one or more buses 36. Examples of cores are ARM Cortex-MO or RISC V. The memory 32 is a volatile or non-volatile memory for storing data or instructions. It has one or more ports 321 for communication on one or more buses 36 with the core 31 or the peripheral 33.Examples of memories are ROM, SRAM or Flash memories. The peripheral 33 is a logic or analog module providing additional functionalities such as communication, security or sensing. It has one or more ports 331 for communication on one or more buses 36 with the core 31 or the memory 32. Examples of peripherals are UART communication unit, SPI communication unit, I2C communication unit, I2S communication unit, analog-to-digital converter, digital-to-analog converter, random number generator, comparator, timer, real time counter, watchdog, encryption / decryption unit, clock distribution unit, oscillator, direct memory access unit, general purposes inputs / outputs controller, digital signal processor, bus bridge or memory controller. The bus 36 is a communication means for addresses and data exchanges. The bus allows communication between all the components of the controller module 3. Example of buses are AXI, AHB, APB or Wishbone. The controller module 3 is connected to the power and energy monitoring module 2 through port 30b. This connection may be a bus connection using bus 36 or it may be a dedicated connection with a peripheral 33, such as a communication unit or a general purposes inputs / outputs controller.

[0036] Fig. 3 is a block diagram of an electronic system according to an embodiment of the invention. The supply module 1 is included in a semiconductor device such as a Power Management Integrated Circuit (PMIC) 5a. This device has one or more power inputs 51, one or more power outputs 52, one or more ports 53 for connecting to one or more storage elements and a communication port 54 to connect with a power and energy monitoring module 2. Power inputs 11 of the supply module 1 are directly or indirectly connected to power inputs 51. Power inputs 51 may be connected to a primary battery, an auxiliary battery, an energy harvester, or any other power supply. Power outputs 12 of the supply module 1 are directly or indirectly connected to power outputs 52. Power outputs 52 may be used to supply the components of the system -or loads-, such as the device 4a or other additional components such as sensors, cameras, microcontrollers, electrical motors, displays or radio transceivers. Ports 13 of the supply module 1 are directly or indirectly connected to ports 53 to connect to storage elements. Communication port 14 of the supply module 1 is directly or indirectly connected to port 54 for communication with the power and energy monitoring module 2 through port 42 of the device 4a. For the sake of clarity, in figures 3-5, the ports 11, 12, 13, 14, 22, 23, 30, 30b have not been represented.

[0037] The controller module 3 and the power and energy monitoring module 2 are included in a semiconductor device such as a Micro-Controller Unit (MCU) 4a. This device has one or more power inputs 41 and a communication port 42 to connect with a supply module 1. Power inputs 30 of the controller module 3 are directly or indirectly connected to power inputs 41. Power inputs 41 may be connected to power outputs 52 of the device 5a. In this embodiment, the power and energy monitoring module 2 is similar to a peripheral 33 and is advantageously connected to the bus 36 of the controller module 3 through port 23. In this case,communication port 30b of controller module 3 is a bus connection. Power inputs 21 are connected directly or indirectly to power inputs 41. Communication port 22 is connected directly or indirectly to port 42 for communication with the device 5a. The communication link between port 42 and port 54 may be a dedicated connection following a standard protocol such as UART, SPI or I2C or a custom, synchronous or asynchronous, serial or parallel, digital communication protocol.

[0038] This embodiment allows to conveniently implement the different modules of the invention on the most appropriate semiconductor technology. More advanced nodes are better for microcontrollers while less advanced nodes are better for power management functions. Power and energy monitoring module is adequately integrated with the controller module. Both semiconductor devices of this embodiment may be integrated in a single package to form a System in Package. Such a component can be considered as a "power-aware microcontroller" or "energy-aware microcontroller".

[0039] Fig. 4 is a block diagram of an electronic system according to an embodiment of the invention. The supply module 1 and the power and energy monitoring module 2 are included in a semiconductor device such as a Power Management Integrated Circuit (PMIC) 5b. This device has a communication port 54b to connect with a controller module 3. Communication port 23 of the power and energy monitoring module 2 is directly or indirectly connected to port 54b for communication with the controller module 3 through port 42b of the device 4b.

[0040] The controller module 3 is included in a semiconductor device such as a Microcontroller Unit (MCU) 4b. This device has a communication port 42b to connect with a power and energy monitoring module 2. Communication port 30b is connected directly or indirectly to port 42b for communication with the device 5b. The communication link between port 42b and port 54b may be a dedicated connection following a standard protocol such as UART, SPI or I2C or a custom, synchronous or asynchronous, serial or parallel, digital communication protocol.

[0041] This embodiment allows to conveniently implement the different modules of the invention on the most appropriate semiconductor technology. More advanced nodes are better for microcontrollers while less advanced nodes are better for power management functions. Power and energy monitoring module is adequately integrated with the supply module. Both semiconductor devices of this embodiment may be integrated in a single package to form a System in Package. Such a component can be considered as a "power-aware microcontroller" or "energy-aware microcontroller".

[0042] Fig. 5 is a block diagram of an electronic system according to an embodiment of the invention. The supply module 1, the power and energy monitoring module 2 and the controller module 3 are conveniently included in a semiconductor device such as a Micro-Controller Unit (MCU) 4c. The device has one or more power inputs 44, one or more power outputs 45 andone or more ports 43 for connecting to one or more storage elements. Power inputs 11 of the supply module 1 are directly or indirectly connected to power inputs 44. Power inputs 44 may be connected to a primary battery, an auxiliary battery, an energy harvester, or any other power supply. Power outputs 12 of the supply module 1 are directly or indirectly connected to power outputs 45. Power outputs 45 may be used to supply other additional components such as sensors, cameras, microcontrollers, electrical motors, displays or radio transceivers. Ports 13 of the supply module 1 are directly or indirectly connected to ports 43 to connect to storage elements. This embodiment presented on Fig. 5 can be considered as a "power-aware microcontroller" or "energy-aware microcontroller".List of drawing references:1 Supply module11 Power input12 Power output13 Port for connecting to one or more storage elements14 Communication port (with 2)2 Power and energy monitoring module21 Power input22 Communication port (with 1)23 Communication port (with 3)3 Controller module30 Power input30b Communication port (with 2)31 Core311 Bus communication port32 Memories321 Bus communication port33 Peripherals331 Bus communication port36 Memory bus4a MCU4b MCU4c MCU41 Power input42 Communication port (with 5a)42b Communication port (with 5b)43 Port for connecting to one or more storage elements44 Power input45 Power output5a PMIC5b PMIC51 Power input52 Power output53 Port for connecting to one or more storage elements 54 Communication port (with 4a)54b Communication port (with 4b)7 Photovoltaic cell8 Storage element9a Sensor9b Radio transceiver100 Electronic system101 Electronic device

Claims

Claims1. An electronic system (100) comprising:- a controller module (3), with a core (31), peripheral (33) and memory (32) mapped on a memory bus (36), configured for executing instructions,- a supply module (1), with one or more power inputs (11) such as an energy harvester input, one or more power outputs (12) such as a load output, one or more ports (13) for connecting a storage element, configured for supplying energy to different elements of the system,- a power and energy monitoring module (2),the power and energy monitoring module (2) being coupled to the controller module (3) by a first communication channel, the power and energy monitoring module (2) being coupled to the supply module (1) by a second communication channel, characterized in that the supply module (1) is configured to collect information on the power input, power output and / or storage element, and in that the power and energy monitoring module (2) is configured for further processing the power and energy information received from the supply module (1) and to allow the controller module (3) to modify the order of execution of its instructions as a function of the information collected by the supply module (1).

2. Electronic system according to claim 1, wherein the supply module (1) is configured to collect a plurality of items of information relating to the power input (11), the power output (12) and / or the storage element (8), and the power and energy monitoring module (2) is configured to further process the plurality of power and energy information items received from the supply module (1) and to enable the controller module (3) to modify an order of execution of its instructions as a function of the plurality of information items collected by the supply module (1).

3. Electronic system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the supply module (1) comprises one or more power converters.

4. Electronic system according to any one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the information received by the power and energy monitoring module (2) from the supply module (1) through the second communication channel comprises one or more of the following: power available at the source, lost power at the source, type of storage element, effective capacity of the storage element, energy stored in the storage element, temperature of the storage element, defect on the storage element, charge history of the storage element, power transferred from the source, type of load, power consumed by the load, defect on the load, peak current on the load.

5. Electronic system according to claim 4, wherein the power and energy monitoring module (2) is configured for continuously processing the information received from the supply module (1) to extract meaningful information comprising one or more of the following: energy stored in the storage element, aging of the storage element, charge level as percentage of the effective capacity of the storage element, energy consumed by the system for a given task, power / energy availability prediction, storage end of life prediction, unusual consumption profile.

6. Electronic system according to any one of claims 4 or 5, wherein the power and energy monitoring module (2) is configured to store the information received or the extracted meaningful information in registers or other data storage such as memories accessible by the controller module (3) through the first communication channel.

7. Electronic system according to any one of the claims 4 to 6, wherein the power and energy monitoring module (2) is configured for forwarding interruption request on event such as, but no limited to, low instantaneous harvested power, high instantaneous harvested power, low stored energy, high stored energy, power / energy availability prediction, storage end of life prediction, unusual consumption profile, low instantaneous load power, high instantaneous load power, to wake up the controller module (3) and / or to trigger execution of specific instructions on the controller module (3).

8. Electronic system according to any one of the claims 1 to 7, wherein the controller module (3) and the power and energy monitoring module (2) are integrated on a semiconductor die to form a microcontroller unit (4a) and the power and energy monitoring module (2) is mapped on the memory bus (36), wherein the supply module (1) is integrated on a semiconductor die to form a power management integrated circuit (5a) and wherein the second communication channel is a digital synchronous or asynchronous communication bus.

9. Electronic system according to any one of the claims 1 to 7, wherein the controller module (3) is integrated on a semiconductor die to form a microcontroller unit (4b), wherein the supply module (1) and the power and energy monitoring module (2) are integrated on a semiconductor die to form a power management integrated circuit (5b) and wherein the first communication channel is a digital synchronous or asynchronous communication bus.

10. Electronic system according to any one of the claims 1 to 7 , wherein the controller module (3), the power and energy monitoring module (2) and the supply module (1) are integrated on a single semiconductor die to form a System on Chip (4c).

11. Method for operating a system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising the steps ofa) the power and energy monitoring module (2) receives information such as : power available at the source, lost power at the source, type of storage element, effective capacity of the storage element, energy stored in the storage element, temperature of the storage element, defect on the storage element, charge history of the storage element, power transferred from the source, type of load, power consumed by the load, defect on the load and peak current on the loadb) optionally, the power and energy monitoring module (2) continuously processes the information received from the supply module (1) to extract meaningful information comprising one or more of the following: energy stored in the storage element, aging of the storage element, charge level as percentage of the effective capacity of the storage element, energy consumed by the system for a given task, power / energy availability prediction, storage end of life prediction, unusual consumption profile;c) the power and energy monitoring module (2) forwards interruption request on event such as, but no limited to, low instantaneous harvested power, high instantaneous harvested power, low stored energy, high stored energy, power / energy availability prediction, storage end of life prediction, unusual consumption profile, low instantaneous load power and high instantaneous load power, to the controller module (3)d) the controller module (3) wakes up and / or executes specific instructions based on the interruption request.

12. Method for operating a system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising the steps ofa) the power and energy monitoring module (2) receives information such as : power available at the source, lost power at the source, type of storage element, effective capacity of the storage element, energy stored in the storage element, temperature of the storage element, defect on the storage element, charge history of the storage element, power transferred from the source, type of load, power consumed by the load, defect on the load and peak current on the loadb) optionally, the power and energy monitoring module (2) continuously processes the information received from the supply module (1) to extract meaningful information comprising one or more of the following: energy stored in the storage element, aging ofthe storage element, charge level as percentage of the effective capacity of the storage element, energy consumed by the system for a given task, power / energy availability prediction, storage end of life prediction, unusual consumption profile;c) the controller module (3) read the information received or the extracted meaningful information in the power and energy monitoring module (2) registersd) the controller module (3) wakes up and / or executes specific instructions based on the information read.

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