A platform for system-on-a-chip design prototyping

System prototyping is an important step in embedded system design, it can be used to validate the system functionality, performance and real time response to environment. A platform containing a microcomputer and a prototyping board is built for system-on-a-chip prototyping. A simple system-on-a-chip prototype reacting with its environment is built demonstrating the usage of the platform. The on chip system is built on prototyping board. The system environment is modeled with SystemC running on microcomputer. SystemC is a simulation environment that can be used to model hardware and software system. Some problems encountered during system prototyping is discussed. Further research on system-on-a-chip prototyping platform is presented.