Designing SOCs with Configured Cores

13.4. NoC

Once you accept that complex, 21st-century SOC designs must incorporate large numbers of processors, the next logical step is to think about efficiently connecting those on-chip processors together. NoCs do not attempt to replicate the deep, multilayer, protocol-heavy schemes used for macro-level, Ethernet-style networking amongst computer systems. Instead, NoCs attempt to create lightweight, high-bandwidth networks that are agile enough to serve as links amongst on-chip processor cores. NoC designs and concepts vary widely, but there are some common NoC characteristics:

• They are more than a single, shared medium (like a bus). They are truly networks.

• They provide point-to-point connections between any two hosts attached to the network ...