Architecting computer systems to meet unique requirements

Every device containing a digital processor is designed to perform a particular function or collection of functions. This includes general-purpose devices such as personal computers. A comprehensive list of the required and desired features and capabilities for a particular device or computer system provides the raw information to begin designing the architecture of its digital components.

The list that follows identifies some of the considerations a computer architect must weigh in the process of organizing the design of a digital system:

• The types of processing required: Does the device need to process audio, video, or other analog information? Is a high-resolution graphics display included in the design? Will extensive floating-point or integer mathematics be required? Will the system support multiple, simultaneously running applications? Are special algorithms, such as neural network processing, going to...