Essential Electronic Design Automation (EDA)

System-on-Chip

With the increase in chip density, we can fit most of an electronic system on a single IC. A chip of this type is called a System-on-Chip (SoC).

Actually, SoCs rarely include the whole system. A system may have attached input devices (e.g., keyboard, microphone, or temperature sensor). It may have attached output devices (e.g., display, speakers, or mechanical controller). It needs power sources (e.g., batteries or power converter). But most of the electronics may fit on one chip.

A SoC may be just one of the “one or more ICs.” Figure F.3 shows the technology migration over time from a rack of equipment to a SoC.

Figure F.3. Migration to System-on-Chip

Looking at Figure F.3 from top to bottom, we see that a system (car, game, ...