What Is MCU-Based Power Management – and Why Does Your Vision System Need It?

Vision systems involve multiple components – cameras, processors, sensors-that need to work in harmony and respond in real-time. The MCU in the vision box acts as a central controller controlling power distribution to achieve high performance while maintaining low power consumption. Unlike high-end processors that require OS boot-up, MCUs enable smart, instant wake-up and real-time operations.

MCUs also include integrated memory, I/O controllers, and timers, enabling intelligent power control and precise sequencing of system components. This ensures that each device powers up and down in the correct order and at the right time.

Unlike standard power management approaches that simply regulate voltage levels or switch power rails on and off, an MCU-driven architecture actively monitors system states and enforces controlled, condition-based power transitions. Without such coordinated sequencing, sudden power fluctuations or improper startup/shutdown order can result in data corruption, communication failures, or even long-term system instability.

By leveraging MCUs, the vision box achieves reliable, efficient, and well-orchestrated power management—ensuring stable real-time operation.

But first, let’s better understand e-con System’s Darsi Pro.

What is e-con Systems’ Darsi Pro?

Darsi Pro is an edge AI vision box designed for mobility and AI vision applications. It is powered by the NVIDIA® Jetson Orin NX™ module, delivering up to 100 TOPS (Tera Operations Per Second) of AI performance for real-time edge inference.

e-con Systems’ vision box supports multi-sensor connectivity, including LiDAR, radar, and cameras. It provides cloud-based device management via e-con Systems’ CloVis Central™, enabling scalable intelligent mobility solutions.

Darsi Pro is also compatible with e-con Systems’ broad camera ecosystem and supports up to 8 GMSL cameras simultaneously. Built for rugged environments, it ensures continuous operations under dust and vibration conditions.

How Darsi Pro’s MCU-Based Smart Power Management Works

The MCU acts like a smart power control center for the vision box, providing efficient and flexible operations. It serves as the bridge between the vehicle’s power source and the sensitive AI computing module. The MCU consists of a memory and I/O ports dedicated to managing the state of the Electronic Control Unit (ECU).

In the autonomous vehicle architecture, Darsi Pro powers on when it receives an ignition trigger signal from the MCU. The MCU is also responsible for powering and controlling other onboard peripherals.

In low-power mode, the MCU can wake and power on the Edge AI vision box either through a timer-based trigger or via a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus message.

The image below illustrates a block diagram of an MCU-based power management architecture within the vision box.

Typically, the MCU determines the power state based on the vehicle’s status:

• Ignition ON (high state): In response to the detection of the vehicle ignition trigger by the MCU, the vision box is awakened to operate in a high-performance state by switching to maximum power in the Jetson Orin NX module.
• Ignition OFF (low state): On the other hand, when there is no ignition trigger, the MCU communicates with the module to start a safe shutdown or low-power suspension.

This communication is performed by the CAN Bus, which acts as a messenger in the vision box to ensure stability.

Key Benefits of MCU-Based Power Management

Darsi Pro’s integrated MCU offers distinct advantages for mission-critical deployments:

1. Controlled Power Sequencing

Darsi Pro’s MCU manages the ON/OFF control of the Jetson Orin NX module.

• Safe Shutdowns: It enforces shutdowns safely rather than abruptly cutting power and avoids data corruption.
• Soft Reboot: Based on specific application logic, the system automatically restarts, ensuring high availability.

2. Intelligent Low-Power Mode (Entry and Exit)

Through the CAN interface, the MCU intelligently switches the Jetson Orin NX to low-power modes during the system’s idle time and instantly awakens the system to full functionality when needed.

3. Thermal Monitoring

Darsi Pro’s MCU processes on-board sensor signals to maintain the hardware within its safe operating temperature limit. The ECU triggers an alert if the temperatures exceed thresholds defined for pre-boot temperature validation to prevent hardware damage.

4. IMU-Based Governance

Darsi Pro uses an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to assess the vehicle’s physical state, whether it is accelerating, decelerating, turning, or braking. So, its MCU can detect sharp movements and flag these events by cloud connectivity using CloVis Central™, which can be used for remote governance.

e-con Systems’ Vision Box with Smart Power Management Capabilities

Since 2003, e-con Systems has been designing, developing, and manufacturing embedded vision solutions—from custom OEM cameras to complete ODM platforms.  Our comprehensive understanding of industry requirements allows us to anticipate and meet the most demanding standards in edge AI vision box solutions.

Our expertise ensures that every product integrates seamlessly while meeting the demands of advanced Edge AI applications.

Connect with our vision solutions experts at camerasolutions@e-consystems.com to help you bridge the gap between concept and deployment.

FAQs

1. What is the role of an MCU in Darsi Pro?
   The MCU serves as a dedicated system controller, managing power sequencing, real-time monitoring, and safety-critical operations. It controls how power is delivered to the NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX module, ensuring reliable start-up, safe shutdown, and optimal energy usage based on vehicle conditions.

2. How does the MCU manage power modes?
   The MCU communicates and dynamically switches the module between high-performance, low-power, suspend, or shutdown states to balance performance and energy efficiency based on vehicle ignition status and system activity.

3. How does the MCU enable instant wake-up in the vision box?
   Unlike high-end processors that require OS boot-up, the MCU remains active in low-power states. It can instantly wake the Jetson Orin NX within milliseconds when triggered by ignition signals, CAN messages, or predefined events.

4. How does MCU-based power management benefit Edge AI applications?
   MCU-based control enables:
   • Lower power consumption during idle periods
   • Faster response times
   • Improved system longevity
   • High availability for mission-critical AI workloads

   This makes it ideal for autonomous vehicles and advanced mobility systems.

5. Does the MCU support fault detection and recovery?
   Yes. The MCU can detect boot failures, system hangs, and abnormal operating conditions. Based on predefined logic, it can reset the system or initiate recovery actions without human intervention.