Definition: SoC

(1) (Service Organization Control) A service organization audit. A SOC Type I report covers a point of time; for example, June 30, whereas Type II covers a period such as one year.

(2) (Security Operations Center) A facility SOC monitors human and vehicle access. An IT SOC monitors hardware, software and networks. See NOC.

(3) (System-On-Chip) Pronounced "S-O-C." An electronic system on a single chip. A system-on-chip (SoC) typically includes a CPU along with graphics and other processing components. They are used in many computing platforms, including video game consoles, Internet of Things devices and smartphones.

For example, a smartphone SoC would include the processor cores, graphics processing unit (GPU), memory caches and a neural processing unit (NPU). In this case, NAND flash storage, RAM, camera, audio, power and numerous small ICs are on the device's motherboard outside the SoC. See GPU and neural processing unit.

The more functions contained within a single chip, the more systems can be miniaturized for handheld use with an ancillary reduction in power. See PSoC, mobile platform, microcontroller, system in package and package on package.

Smartphone System-on-Chip

A phone SoC can have as many as eight CPUs and many more components, including memory caches that are staging areas between the RAM and CPU. The SoC may also include image and neural processing engines, which speed up rendering and AI operations respectively. While each block in this diagram indicates a separate chip, the phone also has chips for the camera, battery, power management and external charging port. There are dozens more for auxiliary functions.