Application specific DSP at SGS Thomson

The author describes the first level of customization, wherein an application-specific digital signal processor (AS DSP) is built around an existing DSP core chip. A DSP core is a standard DSP where all input/output pads, buffers, and associated circuitry have been removed and replaced by smaller structures and specific functions dedicated to testability. This operation saves a large amount of silicon area that can be better used to implement clever and smart functions. This core is included in a library with the complete environment and resources to be user friendly on a standard engineering workstation