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Cutting your cloth
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08/08/2006
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The programmable system chip (PSC) promises to be the next step towards system level integration. Analogue suppliers, microcontroller makers and asic houses are all converging towards the approach, which integrates multiple technologies on the same die.
However, it is fpga makers who are, perhaps, best placed to bring the concept to fruition. This is partly because they have already developed a solution for the most challenging part of the PSC implementation: the programmable fabric. Just as importantly, fpga companies are used to going beyond process technology to provide the system design organisation and tools support that will be required.
Of course, process technology is important: PSCs require a cmos logic process with integrated flash and analogue capabilities. High voltage support is also valuable, to allow direct interfacing with real world analogue signals. And the process must provide isolation between digital and analogue domains to ensure signal integrity and good noise characteristics, as well as supporting high performance ram and logic.
One of the main advantages of the PSC approach is better time to market than mixed signal asics and multi chip solutions. This advantage can only be secured if the system design is well organised and allows users to develop and design at the level of abstraction with which they are comfortable.
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Author
Martin Mason
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