SoC平台式設計(Platform SoC)的技術與市場展望-個案研究

Competitiveness of Taiwan’s Platform SoC Industry: a case study

王遠樵(George Wang)

指導教授 ： 陳鴻基

國立清華大學/科技管理學院/高階主管經營管理碩士在職專班/碩士(2006年)

https://doi.org/10.6843/NTHU.2006.00098

摘要

在製程持續進步的過程中， IC電路的系統面整合在一個單晶片的概念 (SoC)已經成為事實了，但是任何一個高整合度的SoC設計都需要在專業技術、自動化設備、與工程上做大量的投資，為了克服這些技術上的問題，利用矽智財(Silicon Intellectual Property)已經成為SoC得以量產的關鍵因素。
但是整合市面上的矽智財在一顆晶片上並不是一件簡單的事，設計人員不僅需要了解每單一設計方塊是如何運作，更要知道在一個IC 電路設計中各種設計方塊彼此是如何整合。要解決這些問題，許多設計公司已經將他們設計的方法轉向利用將標準化的矽智財與軟體整合在一個共通的設計平台架構中，各式的產品設計只要架構在這平台上就可以設計出自己的功能特色，這就是所謂的「平台式SoC設計方案」。
這份論文報告源起於IC 產業價值鏈群中對各主要廠家的研究，他們彼此間如何互動而造就了平台式SoC的實現；同時此這份論文報告亦以智原科技 (Faraday Technology Corp.)為例，探討台灣市場「平台式SoC」的發展。目前智原科技是業界唯一提出完整平台式SoC設計方案的 IC設計服務公司。最後，這份論文報告根據麥克波特的「五力分析」工具，導入SWOT的運用來對智原分別在商業模式、市場、技術發展各方面提出一些建議，另也訪問了智原員工，蒐集其見解以作為佐證與建議。

關鍵字

矽智財 ； 虛擬元件 ； 重複使用工程 ； 系統單晶片 ； 平台式架構系統單晶片設計 ； 電路設計服務 ； 垂直分工 ； 半導體業價值鏈 ； SIP ； SoC ； IP

並列摘要

Recent advances in semiconductor process technology have made it possible to fit an entire system in a single chip (SoC). However, the design of highly integrated, design requires enormous investments in technical expertise, automated design equipment, and engineering effort. To overcome the technical and organizational issues impeding the development of SoC, the use of pre-designed block (IP) emerged as an approach to greatly boost design productivity.
Unfortunately, integrating third party IPs from different vendors is no easy task; an engineer must understand how the block works and how it integrates with other components within the design. To overcome this design issue, several companies have shifted its design approach by standardizing their own sets of IP and software in a fully integrated common architecture from which products with common features can be built, resulting what is referred to as the platform SoC.
This thesis began by studying the individual players in IC industry value chain and how they interact to make platform-based design possible. The thesis further investigates the platform SoC developments in Taiwan by examine Faraday Technology Corporation, the only company with commercially available platform SoC solutions to date. The thesis concludes with author’s personal suggestions to Faraday in term of business, market, and technology, utilizing Michael Porter’s five forces analysis in conjunction with SWOT. Informal interview were also conducted with employees of Faraday to further strengthen the conclusive remark.

並列關鍵字

Silicon intellectual property ； SIP ； virtual component ； IP ； reuse methodology ； System-in-a-chip ； SoC ； platform SoC ； design service ； vertical disintegration ； semiconductor value chain

參考文獻

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12. Kelly, Fary, Ingram, Scott, Ph.D, and Barr, John O., (December 19, 2000) ‘An introduction to semiconductor intellectual property.’ Robertson Stephens International. Ltd.

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