ABSTRACT
Block-based design strategies, where existing Intellectual Property (IP) is reused in new designs, are reaching prominence as designers start to examine how best to take advantage of the capacity available on silicon. A block-based approach offers the possibility of reusing existing design modules in a new design by trading off the design optimization benefits of custom design work against the time and cost savings offered by reusing existing components. Each standard that emerges makes block-based design more compelling for both IP creators and designers who want to buy and deploy that IP. The use of standard interfaces, wherever possible, is a key strategy for IP reuse and deployment, and enables the automation of block-based design. IP supplied with standard system-on-a-chip bus interfaces ready for integration into a design; configurators to help designers to choose valid options. Standards are important for IP providers because that increases the potential market for their products.
