- 2070 Bhadra · 2+2 marks
Processor types and revenue loss
Short answer
Single-purpose processors are custom hardware for one program, offering highest performance and lowest power but no flexibility; general-purpose processors run any program; application-specific processors are programmable but optimized for a domain. Revenue loss for a delayed product is D(3W−D)/(2W²) × 100%, independent of rise angle.
Differentiate between single-purpose processors, general-purpose processors, and application-specific processors. Using the simplified revenue model, derive the percentage revenue loss equation for any rise angle, rather than just for 45 degrees.
Processor types
| Point | Single-purpose processor (SPP) | General-purpose processor (GPP) | Application-specific processor (ASIP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Function | Performs exactly one program (custom digital circuit) | Runs any program (microprocessor) | Optimised for a class of applications (DSP, microcontroller) |
| Design | Custom datapath + FSM; no program memory | Standard datapath, program memory, generic ALU | Programmable, with special datapath/instructions for the domain |
| Performance and power | Fastest, lowest power, small | Moderate, higher power | Good for its domain |
| Flexibility | None | Highest | Medium |
| NRE / unit cost | High NRE, low unit cost for large volume | Low NRE, higher unit cost | Medium |
| Time-to-market | Long | Short | Medium |
| Example | Fibonacci hardware, JPEG codec | Intel/ARM CPU | DSP, microcontroller, network processor |
Percentage revenue loss (simplified model)
Assume a market window of total length 2W with peak revenue at time W. The product's revenue rises linearly with rise angle θ and falls to zero at 2W.
- On-time product: triangle, base 2W, peak height W·tanθ, area = ½ × 2W × W·tanθ = W²·tanθ.
- Product delayed by D: starts at D, peak at W with height (W − D)·tanθ (same slope), ends at 2W. Area = ½ × (2W − D) × (W − D)·tanθ.
Loss = (on-time area − delayed area) / on-time area:
Loss = 1 - (2W - D)(W - D) / (2W²)
= (2W² - (2W² - 3WD + D²)) / (2W²)
= D(3W - D) / (2W²)
Answer: percentage revenue loss = D(3W − D) / (2W²) × 100 %. tanθ appears in both areas and cancels, so the loss is the same for any rise angle, not just 45° (for 45°, tanθ = 1 and the heights equal W and W − D). Example: W = 26 weeks, D = 4 weeks gives 4(78 − 4)/(2 × 676) = 21.9 %.
✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)
Related questions
- ASIP versus general purpose processor · Embedded System, chapter 2
- Optimization of single-purpose processors · Embedded System, chapter 2 · asked 6×
- Fibonacci single-purpose processor · Embedded System, chapter 2 · asked 2×
- Single-purpose processor for power · Embedded System, chapter 2 · asked 2×
- Factorial single-purpose processor · Embedded System, chapter 2
- Design LCM single-purpose processor · Embedded System, chapter 2
- T/F: more circuits rather than higher voltage · Transmission and Distribution System Design, chapter 2
- Complex power and why VI* rather than V*I · Power System Analysis I, chapter 3
- Vertical curve with horizontal curve, 45 degrees · Transportation Engineering I, chapter 3
- Percentage energy loss of 25 kVA transformer · Transmission and Distribution System Design, chapter 7