System level integration, intellectual property, and the education of a new generation of system designers

Much of the future success of system level integration (SLI) is predicated on the emergence of a market for intellectual property cores (or virtual cores, as they are also known). Several factors contribute to the pressing need for a thriving market in intellectual property. While silicon capacity continues to increase exponentially, the productivity of designers, even when equipped with the most sophisticated computer aided design tools, falls dramatically short of what would be required to fully exploit the opportunities of SLI. The situation is exacerbated by a global shortage of experienced designers, and several other factors including the enormous cost of state-of-the-art fabrication facilities, the consumerisation of electronics, and the continuous pressure to reduce design cycle time. Design re-use, via a global market in intellectual property, is the perceived technical solution to these problems. This paper addresses some of the issues in educating and training undergraduates and postgraduate students to help fill the manpower shortfall. (5 pages)