System on Chip, or SoC, also known as system on chip. From the narrow point of view, it is the integration of the core chip of the information system, which is the integration of the key components of the system on a chip; From a broad perspective, an SoC is a micro-miniature system, if the central processing unit (CPU) is the brain, then the SoC is a system that includes the brain, heart, eyes and hands. The academic community at home and abroad generally tends to define SoC as the integration of microprocessor, analog IP core, digital IP core and memory (or off-chip storage control interface) on a single chip, which is usually customized by customers, or a standard product for a specific purpose.
The basic content of SoC definition is mainly in two aspects: one is its composition, and the other is its formation process. The composition of system-level chip can be system-level chip control logic module, microprocessor\/microcontroller CPU core module, digital signal processor DSP module, embedded memory module, interface module for external communication, analog front-end module containing ADC \/DAC, power supply and power management module. For a wireless SoC, there are RF front-end modules, user defined logic (which can be implemented by FPGA or ASIC) and microelectromechanical modules, and more importantly, an SoC chip has embedded basic software (RDOS or COS and other application software) modules or loadable user software. The system-level chip formation or generation process includes the following three aspects:
1) Hardware and software co-design and verification based on monolithic integrated system;
2) Effectively improve the utilization of logical area technology and the proportion of production capacity, that is, develop and research IP core generation and reuse technology, especially the repeated application of large-capacity storage module embedment;
3) Design theory and technology of ultra-deep submicron (VDSM) and nano integrated circuits.