Configurable IC Trigger Circuits for Selective Trace Debugging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional debug networks in ICs consume resources unnecessarily, are inflexible, and fail to provide meaningful data to users, often requiring extensive regression testing and manual data parsing.
Innovation Solution
A secondary circuit structure within the IC that is separate from the primary circuit structure, allowing users to selectively monitor resources, define trigger events, and capture relevant data with customizable filtering and storage in an on-chip trace buffer, enabling efficient and targeted debugging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed-function debug network is implemented, then debugging functionality is provided, but resources are wasted when debug functionality is not needed
Solution Approach 1:
The debug network transitions from a static fixed-function implementation to a dynamic reconfigurable system. The debug circuits can be dynamically enabled or disabled based on whether debugging is needed, and can be reconfigured to monitor different signals and resources. This allows the system to adapt its debug functionality to match actual needs, eliminating wasted resources while maintaining reliable debugging capability when required.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a configurable debug network sharing circuits with primary structure is implemented, then resource utilization is improved, but design complexity and regression testing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separate functional segments: the primary circuit structure implementing user design and the secondary debug network implementing debugging functionality. These segments are independently configurable and can be modified without affecting each other. The secondary network uses dedicated debug resources rather than sharing with primary logic, eliminating the need for extensive regression testing while maintaining high resource utilization through independent configuration.
3Loss of information
If traditional debug networks report all data points, then complete monitoring is provided, but users must manually parse extensive data wasting time
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of reporting all possible data points (excessive action), the debug network is configured to monitor and report only the specific signals and resources relevant to the debugging task at hand (partial action). Users can selectively enable monitoring of particular registers, buses, or circuit nodes, receiving only the subset of data needed for their specific debug objectives. This eliminates the time-wasting manual parsing of irrelevant data while maintaining complete monitoring of the selected targets.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments provide an integrated circuit (‘IC’). The IC includes multiple configurable circuits that configurably perform operations of a user design based on configuration data. The IC also includes a configurable trigger circuit that receives a set of configuration data that specifies an operational event. The configurable trigger circuit also determines whether the operational event has occurred during implementation of the user design of the IC. Additionally, the operational trigger event outputs a trigger signal upon determining that the operational trigger event has occurred.