Trace Module Buffer Trigger Event Capture

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional trace capture systems in integrated circuits fail to collect system data generated prior to a trigger event and struggle to process multiple trigger events occurring in close temporal proximity, leading to a partial view of the system state and loss of temporal relationships between events.

Innovation Solution

A trace module that captures trace data by setting trigger and time marker bits within a trace buffer, defining a capture region, and outputting data to a separate memory device, allowing for continuous data collection before and after trigger events, and maintaining timing information across multiple events.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If conventional trace capture systems store trace data only after detecting a trigger event, then the trace buffer size can be reduced, but system data generated prior to the trigger event is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetrace buffer sizeVSAvoidsystem data prior to trigger event

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by continuously capturing and storing trace data in the trace buffer before a trigger event occurs. The capture region is defined to include a lower bound that extends prior to the trigger event, ensuring that system data generated before the trigger is preserved in the buffer for later analysis, thus resolving the information loss problem while maintaining reasonable buffer size

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the defined capture region with lower and upper bounds) that mediates between the continuous data stream and the trigger event. This intermediary structure allows selective capture of pre-trigger data without requiring the entire history to be stored, balancing buffer size constraints with information preservation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If conventional trace capture systems re-arm after each trigger event, then the device complexity is reduced, but temporal relationships between multiple close trigger events are lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetrace capture system complexityVSAvoidtemporal relationship between trigger events

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system maintains continuity of useful action by continuously monitoring for trigger events within the defined capture region without re-arming after each event. When multiple trigger events occur within the capture region, the system preserves all of them and their temporal relationships, allowing post-processing analysis of event sequences while keeping the capture mechanism simple and continuous

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies dynamics by making the capture region adaptable - it is defined relative to each trigger event's location in the buffer, allowing the region to dynamically adjust its position and bounds based on the trigger event timing. This dynamic approach enables the system to handle variable trigger event rates while maintaining temporal relationships

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If the trace buffer continuously overwrites old data, then the productivity is improved, but trace data prior to recent trigger events is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata overwrite efficiencyVSAvoidtrace data before recent events

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by treating different regions of the trace buffer differently based on their relevance to trigger events. The capture region with its lower and upper bounds identifies specific local areas that must be preserved, while other regions of the buffer can be overwritten. This selective preservation maintains necessary historical data while allowing continuous buffer operation and high productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS8042007B1Trace module for integrated circuit devices

Publication Date: 2011.10.18 XILINX INC

AI summary

A method of capturing trace data can include storing trace data from a circuit as entries within memory slots of a trace buffer. Responsive to detecting a first trigger event, a trigger bit and a time marker bit within a first trigger event entry are set, wherein the trigger bit and the time marker bit are correlated with the first trigger event. A capture region within the trace buffer having a defined range can be determined. A first time marker correlated with the time marker bit of the first trigger event entry can be stored. Content of the capture region from the trace buffer correlated time markers can be output.