Circuit and method for software tracing

摘要

A circuit for software tracing in a system on chip is described as including a plurality of components, each component having at least one local processor connected to a first communication bus; and each component being connected to a second communication bus. The circuit may further include a separate trace data bus being configured to transmit trace data generated by code running on the components. A method associated with software tracing on such a circuit is also disclosed.

主权项

1. Circuit for software tracing in a system on chip, comprising:
a plurality of components,
each component comprising at least one local processor connected to a local communication bus;each component being connected to a global communication bus; wherein the circuit further comprises a separate trace data bus being configured to transmit trace data generated by code running on the components; wherein each component further comprises a trace slave module configured to store, receive and transmit software trace data generated on the component and being connected to the local bus of the component; wherein the circuit further comprises a trace master module being configured to store, receive software trace data transmitted by a plurality of trace slave modules and being configured to transmit the software trace data to an external trace data interface; wherein the trace slave modules and the trace master module being connected by the trace data bus; wherein the trace data bus is ring shaped, preferably implemented as packet based SSL bus; and wherein each of the trace slave modules comprises
a ring input interface being connected to the ring shaped trace data bus;a ring output interface being connected to the ring shaped trace data bus a trace data;a trace data first in first out storage means being connected to the local communication bus;a multiplexer and a control unit;the ring input interface and the trace data first in first out storage means being connected to the data input port of the multiplexer;the ring output interface being connected to the data output port of the multiplexer;the control unit being connected to the control port of the multiplexer and to the ring input interface;the control unit being configured:
to detect a trace data transmission authorization token within received trace data;in case the trace data transmission authorization token is detected, to enable the multiplexer to pass trace data from the trace data first in first out storage means to the ring output interface in case the trace data transmission authorization token is detected; andto enable the multiplexer to pass trace data from the ring input interface to the ring output interface otherwise.