Defining the Integration Platform An integration platform is an SOC design environment for a specific product application. The platform includes both an architectural specification for the frame and a collection of prequalified IP to assemble within it. Specifying a particular application for the integration platform is a key to enhanced productivity, because it facilitates long-term reuse of both the IP and the surrounding architecture. Therefore, applications must be carefully chosen, based on market objectives, and focused to permit a high probability of platform reuse. In addition, the system-level constraints for performance, power, and area are accounted for.
Integration platforms provide numerous design and manufacturing benefits.
Taken together, these will result in massive productivity gains for the semiconductor and electronic products industry in the very near future. Prequalifying IP provides enormous advantages. Since the same blocks will be used in standard, predefined ways, continual reverification is eliminated. Another plus with prequalified blocks is that system designers have access to fully characterized IP behavior without hidden implementation guardbands. Additional benefits accrue in both design and manufacturing.