Jump to content

System on module

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Typical SoC use in a system on a module circuit board
SoM block diagram example

A system on a module (SoM) is a board-level circuit that integrates a system function in a single module. It may integrate digital and analog functions on a single board. A typical application is in the area of embedded systems. Unlike a single-board computer, a SoM serves a special function like a system on a chip (SoC). The devices integrated in the SoM typically requires a high level of interconnection for reasons such as speed, timing, bus width, etc. There are benefits in building a SoM, as for SoC; one notable result is to reduce the cost of the base board or the main PCB. Two other major advantages of SoMs are design-reuse and that they can be integrated into many embedded computer applications.[further explanation needed]

History

[edit]

The acronym SoM has its roots in the blade-based modules. In the mid 1980s, when VMEbus blades used M-Modules,[1] these were commonly referred to as system On a module (SoM).[citation needed] These SoMs performed specific functions such as compute functions and data acquisition functions. SoMs were used extensively by Sun Microsystems, Motorola, Xerox, DEC, and IBM in their blade computers.

Design

[edit]

A typical SoM consists of:

See also

[edit]
  • CompactPCI – Computer bus interconnect for industrial computers
  • Futurebus – Universal computer bus standard
  • PCI Mezzanine Card – Printed circuit board assembly manufactured to the IEEE P1386.1 standard
  • VPX – Standards for connecting components of a computer
  • VXS – VMEbus performance improvement standard

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "IEEE 1386-2001 - IEEE Standard for a Common Mezzanine Card Family: CMC". IEEE.