Application Platform

Abstract

Two steps are encountered in any design process: "planning" and "making." Certain procedures are followed when we want to perform meaningful tasks towards building a target structure. As the target structure takes on more complexity, well-established design procedures are essential. This applies in SoC design, which is strongly driven by its target applications such as multimedia and mobile communications. SoC engineers have to consider factors like quality, cost and delivery (QCD). In that sense, their design procedures naturally seek the reuse of previously developed techniques and materials at every possible design step.In a popular English dictionary, a "system" is defined as a set and a way of working in a fixed plan with networks of components. In addition to this, SoC requires one more idea, which is the integration of components on a single semiconductor chip. So it follows that we need to focus on two concepts: the fixed plan, and integration. We can catch the concept of predetermined architecture from the fixed plan; and integration involves the network and component-based design. Considering that modern digital gadgets require not only hardware (HW) components but also software (SW) programs, we can begin to see what the "platform" means in SoC design.The platform is a set of standalone modules that become the basis of the system. These standalone modules are pre-integrated and combine HW and SW componentswe call them the "reference architectures." They are also well-verified and have welldefined external interfaces. The platform guides what designers do, and this guidance determines the design flow. The platform concept helps us to design a more complicated and less buggy system within limited QCD factors by reusing and upgrading prebuilt HW and SW components.