Abstract :
The term hardware/software codesign, coined about 10 years ago, describes a confluence of problems in integrated circuit design. By the 1990s, it became clear that microprocessor-based systems would be an important design discipline for IC designers as well. Large 16- and 32-bit microprocessors had already been used in board-level designs, and Moore´s law ensured that chips would soon be large enough to include both a CPU and other subsystems. Multiple disciplines inform hardware/software codesign. Computer architecture tells us about the performance and energy consumption of single CPUs and multiprocessors. Real-time system theory helps analyze the deadline-driven performance of embedded systems. Computer-aided design assists hardware cost evaluation and design space exploration.
Keywords :
circuit CAD; hardware-software codesign; integrated circuit design; real-time systems; 16 bit; 16-bit microprocessors; 32 bit; 32-bit microprocessors; CAD; CPU; computer-aided design; deadline-driven performance; embedded systems; energy consumption; hardware/software codesign; integrated circuit design; microprocessor-based systems; multiprocessors; real-time system theory; Computer architecture; Design automation; Embedded system; Energy consumption; Hardware; Integrated circuit synthesis; Microprocessors; Moore´s Law; Performance analysis; Real time systems;
