Yuri
Thank you for responding. Since I originally posted the question I was able to find this and some of the other terms I've been struggling with at www.techtarget.com:
IP core (intellectual property core)
An IP (intellectual property) core is a block of logic or data that is used in making a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for a product. As essential elements of design reuse , IP cores are part of the growing electronic design automation (EDA) industry trend towards repeated use of previously designed components. Ideally, an IP core should be entirely portable - that is, able to easily be inserted into any vendor technology or design methodology. Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UARTs), central processing units (CPUs), Ethernet controllers, and PCI interfaces are all examples of IP cores.
IP cores fall into one of three categories: hard cores, firm cores, or soft cores. Hard cores are physical manifestations of the IP design. These are best for plug-and-play applications, and are less portable and flexible than the other two types of cores. Like the hard cores, firm (sometimes called semi-hard) cores also carry placement data but are configurable to various applications. The most flexible of the three, soft cores exist either as a netlist (a list of the logic gate s and associated interconnections making up an integrated circuit or hardware description language (HDL) code.
A number of organizations, such as the Free IP Project and Open Cores, have formed to promote open sharing of IP cores.
I guess it serves a purpose but it's unfortunate that it needed yet another buzzword. As if the tech world is not already overflowing with buzzwords!
Thanks again for your help.
Rob
