An SoC architecture and its design methodology using unifunctional heterogeneous processor array

We propose a heterogeneous processor architecture and its design methodology to shorten the design period of the SoC. It enables fast implementation of a system LSI including an embedded CPU and peripheral functional blocks. Each functional block of the system under design is implemented to a customized processor, instead of a peripheral hardwired logic. We customize processors by deleting unneccesarry functionalities, without adding new features. This eables rapid and bug-free design. Although area, power and performance of the proposed architecture are a little bit inferior to those of hardwired logics, the design period of the processor is considerably minimized, since the ROM pattern (software) and the layout pattern (customized processor, i.e. hardware) can be independently designed in parallel.