What is Intellectual Property Module?
· IP (Intellectual property) modules represent an assembly plan to implement complete function blocks in hardware.
· IP modules allow chipmakers to quickly adopt complete ranges of functions in standard products such as microcontrollers, FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Array) and automotive ASSPs (Application Specific Standard Product) and help to significantly reduce development times and costs.
· Written in VHDL language, IP modules describe precisely the behaviour of a logical function block.
· For example, a protocol controller IP for CAN communication describes all specification-conformal reactions of the module on any kind of input data.
· Chipmakers transfer these VHDL descriptions into a hardware block of their product – without having to develop this part by themselves.
BENEFITS FOR CHIP MANUFACTURERS
- IP modules allow chipmakers to quickly adopt complete ranges of functions in standard products such as microcontrollers, FPGAs and ASSPs
- IP modules are a smart way of adding important hardware functions – using them saves time and development cost.
