Abstract :
PivotPoint is a blended synchronous-asynchronous system on chip (SoC). That is, designers employed synchronous and asynchronous methodologies in the design, using whichever was most advantageous for a given region of the circuit. A generally available commercial product, PivotPoint primarily contains high-performance asynchronous logic. Although the technology´s promise motivated the design effort, many architecture and methodology innovations occurred along the way in creating a commercially viable clockless IC. Synchronous systems dedicate a significant percentage of the clock period to margin during which there is no useful logical computation. Design margin can be the largest; it is the difference between the worst-case paths in the clock domain, which define the clock period, and the average-case paths. Shrinking this difference requires considerable engineering and/or methodology work.
Keywords :
asynchronous circuits; design for testability; embedded systems; logic design; system buses; system-on-chip; SoC; asynchronous circuits; asynchronous logic; clockless IC; design for testability; embedded systems; logic design; system buses; system on chip; Algorithm design and analysis; Circuits; Clocks; Delay effects; Delay systems; Embedded system; Logic devices; Logic testing; Switches; Timing;
