8542.31.00 - Processors and controllers, whether or not combined with memories, converters, logic circuits, amplifiers, clock and timing circuits, or other circuits

This HTS category, 8542.31.00, encompasses electronic integrated circuits that function primarily as processors and controllers. These are the "brains" of electronic devices, responsible for executing instructions, managing operations, and making decisions. This classification includes circuits that may be combined with other components like memory, logic circuits, or amplifiers, as long as their core function remains processing or control.

Distinguishing this category from its siblings, 8542.32.00 covers integrated circuits specifically designed as memories for storing data. Similarly, 8542.33.00.01 focuses on integrated circuits whose primary function is amplification. The "Other" category (8542.39.00) serves as a residual for integrated circuits not otherwise specified. Therefore, 8542.31.00 is precisely for those integrated circuits whose defining characteristic is their processing or control capability.

Within this classification, further subdivisions exist to provide greater specificity. Categories like "Controllers (including microcontrollers)" and "Processors (including microprocessors)" highlight distinct functional roles. "Programmable logic devices (PLDs)" represent a subset of circuits capable of being configured for specific logic functions. The subcategories "System on chip (SoCs)" and "Other" allow for the classification of integrated systems-on-a-chip that consolidate multiple functions, including processing and control, and other specialized processor/controller circuits not fitting the more specific subdivisions.