Towards application-specific architecture platforms: embedded systems design automation technologies

Architectural platforms can be defined as a domainor application-specific base design which is easily configured to the specific needs of a given market. This configuration can be done before fabrication, i.e. at the design level, supported by hardware configuration and synthesis tools. The configuration can also be done after chip fabrication, by programming portions of logic on the chip implemented as embedded FPGA (eFPGA). Alternatively, configuration can be done more simply by downloading new S/W program code for on-board embedded processors, assuming embedded reprogrammable memory is used (for example, embedded Flash or one-time programmable memories).