SOC

<p>Most <strong>SoC</strong> manufacturers license a (soft or hard) IP core for a certain CPU design from a licensor like MIPS or ARM, then combine this with other (self-developed or licensed) (soft or hard) IP cores for DSP-, wireless-, VoIP-, Sound-, Switch-, etc-functionality and commission the manufacturing of Chips at some semiconductor foundry. These Chips, SoCs, are acquired by different manufacturers of Routers. The latter design PCBs for whatever purpose and solder the purchased chips (SoC, RAM, Flash) onto them.</p>