System on a chip (SoC) devices are semiconductor chips with embedded components that enable the chip to function as standalone system. They incorporate a microprocessor or microcontroller, memory, and interface. System on a chip (SoC) products are used in cell phones for radio frequency (RF) and wireless communications. They are also used to provide multimedia, text messaging, Internet access, and input/output (I/O) logic control. Manufacturers of system on a chip (SoC) products are located around the world. They conform to a variety of regulatory requirements and quality standards.

System on a chip (SoC) devices are reliable, customizable, and relatively cost-effective. The heart of systems on a chip technology is a microprocessor core or microcontroller core. System on a chip (SoC) products are relatively small, but used widely in network access and security systems; heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems; home automation applications; and CNC program control. Microprocessor cores or microcontroller cores contain programmable memory technology in memory blocks that communicate through channels. Because system on a chip (SoC) devices are programmable, they are suitable for intelligent applications and application specific integrated circuits (ASIC).

Timing Sources

Timing sources are directly embedded into system on a chip (SoC) devices. Timing source examples include closed-loop feedback systems and oscillators, circuits that are designed to produce RF signal outputs. When timing signals are initialized, small converters called analog interfaces convert the output from digital to analog and the input from analog to digital. This is what permits system on a chip (SoC) devices to communicate with other integral systems, and with external systems.

Microcontroller manufacturers and network interface card (NIC) manufacturers supply many types of system on a chip (SoC) devices. The use of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) is commonplace in aerospace applications because ASICs can monitor, control, and report on other systems.