The definitions of ESL—Electronic System-Level design—a successor to the venerable and still-used term System-Level Design (SLD), are numerous and confusing. For example, a July 5, 2006 search of Wikipedia [Wikipedia 2006] defines ESL as:

Electronic System Level design, or “ESL,” is an emerging electronic design methodology which focuses on the higher abstraction level concerns first and foremost. Electronic System Level is now an established approach at most of the world’s leading System-on-a-chip (SoC) design companies, and is being used increasingly in system design. From its genesis as an algorithm modeling methodology with “no links to implementation,” ESL is evolving into a set of complementary methodologies that enable embedded system design, verification, and debugging through to the hardware and software implementation of custom SoC, system-on-FPGA, system-on-board, and entire multi-board systems. ESL can be accomplished through the use of SystemC as an abstract modeling language.

This chapter explores the definition of ESL as provided by a number of people in the industry and provides an overview of the layout for the rest of the book.

1.1 So, What Is ESL?
1.2 Who Should Read This Book
1.3 Structure of the Book and How to Read It
1.4 Chapter Listing
1.5 The Prescription

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