數位相框單晶片IC通路管理方法之研究

Abstract

每年歐美的聖誕節，是禮品市場最重要的大事。除傳統的禮品外，近年來電子式的禮品愈來愈多，手機、數位相機、可攜式DVD播放器、移動電視…等，都是近年來很重要的電子禮品。從2006年起，數位相框漸漸成為電子禮品的新寵，無須專利費用的負擔，為消費性電子產業提供了新的應用市場。

數位相框系統開發，除了工業設計機構、及主要元件TFT-LCD面板之外，電子系統板的開發最為重要。數位相框單晶片功能及價格，主導著數位相框系統操作、功能及整體成本。

數位相框單晶片整合硬體，如數位相機所拍攝JPEG及Motion JPEG的圖片解碼、儲存裝置介面(讀卡機、USB Host/Device、NOR/NAND快閃記憶體)、16/32位元中央處理單元(CPU)、記憶體(SDRAM)控制介面、TFT-LCD面板控制單元、音頻輸出單元…等，也整合軟體核心、輕量化作業系統、驅動程式、中間介面層、應用程式及使用者介面。

數位相框單晶片設計公司，除了整合上述的設計技術外，還必須協同其通路，一同為客戶做系統設計。單晶片通路，擁有為數不少的技術應用工程師，針對所代理的單晶片，對其應用及規格有詳細了解，能針對客戶的需求，提供展示機、參考線路圖、PCB線路佈局、參考程式碼、甚至幫客戶做電子系統板全方案設計。另外透過業務員，維持客戶關係，打通採購、技術及關鍵決策高層的管道，取得訂單，然後一直周而復始的做方案開發、降價、搞關係。

單晶片通路能力的強弱，直接影響到IC設計原廠30%~70%左右的獲利，通路的客戶，往往是由中小客戶集合而成，對原廠而言，是相對較高利潤的來源。單晶片通路管理，涉及技術、商務、激勵、衝突、策略等管理議題，為本研究所要探討的。

A great event for the gift market is annual Christmas. Beside conventional gifts, there are many electronic gifts like celluar phones, digital cameras, portable DVD players, portable TVs… etc. Those are very important electronic gifts in recent years. Since 2006, the digital photo frame generally became the new one of popular electronic gifts. It’s no loyalty fee and forms a new application market for customer electronic industries.

Besides of the industry design, TFT-LCD panel, electric board design is the most important issue of the digital photo frame system development. The features and prices of the digital photo frame SOC influence the system operations, functions and total BOM cost of digital photo frames.

Digital photo frame SOC integrates hareware like JPEG, Motion JPEG decode of digital camera photographing, storage device interface (card reader, USB Host/Device, NOR/NAND Flash), 16/32 bit CPU, SDRAM control interface, TFT-LCD panel control unit, audio output unit…etc. It also integrates kernel, compact operation system, driver, middleware, and application as well as user interface design.

Besides of integrating above technologies, digital photo frame SOC design house must do customers’ system design with its distributors. The SOC agents own many FAEs (Field Application Engineer) who understand IC spec and application well and could provide the demo system, reference circuit, PCB layout, reference code and do the total solution of electronic boards by customer request. Their sales keep good customer relationships with purchasers, research and development persons and key decision-makers to get the orders. The FAEs help customers’ projects develop and sales keep the relationship and do business and promotion over and over.

The capability of the SOC distributors influences directly to its IC design company about 30 to 70 percent revenue. The customers of agents comprise middle and small size ones and are sources of higher profit of the IC design company. The SOC distributor management that involves the management subjects like technology, business, inspiration, conflict and strategy…etc is the main topic of this research.