System on a Module
Formal
A system on a module (SOM) is a board-level circuit that integrates a system function in a single module. It may integrate digital and analogue functions on a single board. A typical application is in the area of embedded systems.
Practical
The organism being an equivalent of a computer, robot, automotive etc. It may integrate digital and analog functions on a single board. A typical application is in the area of embedded systems. Unlike a Single Board computer, SOM serves a special function like a SoC. The device integrated on the SOM typically requires a high level of interconnection for reasons such as speed, timing, bus-width etc., in a highly integrated module. There are benefits in building an SOM, as for SoC, one notable result is to reduce the cost of the base board or the main PCB. A major advantage of SOM is design-reuse and that it can be integrated into many embedded computer applications.
