Trace Message Request Module for Page Crossing Debug
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Real-time debugging of pre-compiled software modules, such as OS cells and library functions, is challenging due to the inability to translate virtual addresses to physical addresses, which hinders the generation of debug messages.
Innovation Solution
A data processing system that generates program trace messages with physical address information during page crossings, using a trace message request module to determine when to generate messages based on comparisons of virtual and physical page addresses, and storing previous virtual page addresses to filter redundant messages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If virtual address translation is performed for pre-compiled software modules, then debug message generation capability is improved, but system complexity increases due to lack of program listings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a trace message request module as an intermediary component that sits between the debug tool and the data processing system. This module receives trace message requests from external debug tools and generates appropriate trace messages by comparing virtual page addresses with stored previous virtual page addresses, enabling debug message generation for pre-compiled modules without requiring program listings.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by storing previous virtual page addresses in advance in the trace message request module. This allows the system to have translation information ready before debug operations are performed, enabling real-time debug message generation without requiring program listings to be available beforehand.
2Loss of information
If trace messages are generated for every page crossing, then instruction tracing completeness is improved, but message processing bottleneck increases
Solution Approach 1:
The trace message request module implements a feedback mechanism by comparing each current virtual page address with previously stored virtual page addresses. This feedback loop allows the system to determine whether a trace message should be generated based on whether the current page crossing represents new information, thereby reducing redundant messages while maintaining tracing completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system discards redundant trace messages by comparing current virtual page addresses with stored previous addresses and only generating messages for unique page crossings. This filtering approach maintains instruction tracing completeness while reducing the volume of messages that need to be processed, thereby improving message processing throughput.
3Productivity
If real-time debug messaging is enabled, then debugging efficiency is improved, but system operation intrusion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The trace message request module enables the system to serve its own debugging needs by autonomously generating trace messages based on page crossing events. The module self-manages the comparison of virtual page addresses and determines when trace messages should be generated, allowing real-time debugging without requiring external intervention or system operation changes.
Data Source
AI summary
A data processing system has a trace message filtering circuit. A method includes: receiving a current page address corresponding to a current instruction in a sequence of instructions; determining that the current page address is for a different page of memory than a previous page address corresponding to a previous instruction in the sequence of instructions; comparing the current page address with a plurality of page addresses stored in a message filtering circuit; and when the current page address is determined to be different than any of the plurality of page addresses, storing the current page address in the message filtering circuit.