Claims
- 1. A debug subsystem for testing a system-on-a-chip including an embedded processor and memory comprising:
at least one sub-block operable to:
monitor a bus between the processor and the memory to detect selected triggering events; count the number of triggering events detected; and when the number of triggering events reaches a predetermined threshold, generating a debugging signal.
- 2. The debug subsystem of claim 1 wherein the triggering events comprise memory accesses.
- 3. The debug subsystem of claim 2 wherein the memory accesses are selected from the group including reads and writes.
- 4. The debug subsystem of claim 2 wherein the triggering events comprise memory accesses within a selected address range.
- 5. The debug subsystem of claim 1 wherein the debugging signal is operable to freeze a clock timing the operation of the processor.
- 6. The debug subsystem of claim 1 wherein the debugging signal comprises an interrupt to the processor.
- 7. The debug subsystem of claim 1 wherein the triggering events comprise predetermined data values appearing on a data bus.
- 8. A system on a chip comprising:
at least one processor; a plurality of memory spaces accessible by said processor via address and data buses; and a debug block comprising a plurality of independently programmable debug sub-blocks each for monitoring accesses to selected one of said memories and detecting triggering events, each sub-block comprising:
a first register for setting triggering event parameters; a second register for setting a threshold number of triggering events; a counter for maintaining a count of detected triggering events; and circuitry for generating a control signal when the count reaches the threshold.
- 9. The system of claim 8 wherein said triggering event parameters set in said first register select the selected one of the memories, select a memory access type and select an address range for detecting the access.
- 10. The system of claim 8 wherein said triggering event parameters set in said first register select a value of data accessed from the selected one of the memories.
- 11. The system of claim 9 wherein said control signal freezes a clock driving said processor.
- 12. The system of claim 8 wherein said control signal comprises an interrupt to said processor.
- 13. The system of claim 8 further comprising a second processor and said control signal comprises an interrupt to at least one of said processors.
- 14. The system of claim 8 wherein said second processor can access said memories and generate trigger events.
- 15. The system of claim 8 wherein said processor comprises a digital signal processor and said second processor comprises a microprocessor.
- 16. A method of debugging a single-chip system including an embedded processor and memory comprising the steps of:
selecting triggering event parameters; monitoring transactions between the processor and the memory to detect triggering events corresponding to the selected triggering parameters; counting the number of triggering events detected; and when the number of triggering events reaches a predetermined threshold, generating a debugging signal.
- 17. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of selecting triggering event parameters comprises the substeps of:
selecting a triggering memory access type; and selecting a triggering address range.
- 18. The method of claim 16 wherein the memory comprises a plurality of memory spaces and said step of selecting triggering event parameters comprises the step of selecting one of the memory spaces for monitoring.
- 19. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of monitoring comprises the step of monitoring an address bus to the memory for memory accesses meeting the triggering event parameters.
- 20. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of selecting triggering event parameters comprises the step of selecting triggering events to step through code being run by the processor.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The following co-pending and co-assigned application contains related information and is hereby incorporated by reference:
[0002] Ser. No. 09/______ (Attorney Docket No.1124-CA [2836-P124US]), by North entitled “A SYSTEM-ON-CHIP WITH SOFT CACHE AND SYSTEMS AND METHODS USING THE SAME”, filed Mar. ______, 2001;
[0003] Ser. No. 09/______-(Attorney Docket No. 1125-CS [2836-P139US] by Luo and North entitled “A SYSTEM ON A CHIP WITH MULTIPLE POWER PLANES AND ASSOCIATE POWER MANAGEMENT METHODS”, filed Mar. ______ 2001.