Real time terminal for debugging embedded computing systems

摘要

One or more circular debug buffers can allow terminal output data to be provided from the target system to a host without halting the target system or causing significant delays. One or more circular debug buffers may also allow input (such as keyboard input) to be provided from the host to the target without halting the target system or causing significant delays. Accordingly, communications between the target and host may be performed in real time or near real time. These communications may be used for debugging purposes or more generally, for any purpose, including purposes unrelated to debugging.

主权项

1. A method of debugging a target embedded system, the method comprising:
under control of a hardware processor of a target embedded system:
creating one or more circular debug buffers in a random access memory device of the target embedded system, the one or more circular debug buffers comprising a first circular debug buffer configured to store debug messages;invoking, from a program executing in the hardware processor of the target embedded system, a debug subroutine;in response to said invoking the debug subroutine, writing a first debug message from the program to the first circular buffer stored in the random access memory device; andreturning flow of control from the debug subroutine to the program;wherein said creating the one or more circular debug buffers comprises creating a plurality of circular debug buffers corresponding to a plurality of channels; andwherein each of the channels comprise two of the debug buffers, the two debug buffers comprising an up debug buffer for receiving communications from a debug probe and a down debug buffer for writing communications for the debug probe.