Memory Organization for Low-Energy Embedded Systems | 33

Memory design for multi-processor and embedded systems has always been a crucial problem, because
system-level performance depends strongly on memory organization.

The proliferation of embedded systems, and the corresponding new chip and chip-set designs, have
brought additional attention to storage units. Indeed, the heterogeneity of components and structures
within embedded systems and the possibility of using application-specific storage systems have added a
new dimension to memory design. Moreover, new degrees of freedom have been opened since the
introduction of embedded memory arrays in different technologies, such as SRAMs, DRAMs, EEPROMs,
and FLASH, and their realization on the same silicon substrate hosting the processing units.