Texas Instruments Corporation

Texas Instruments Incorporated Deutschland, Gmbh

Ralph Ledwa

Christian Wiencke

Armin Stingl

Shrey Bhatia

Wolfgang Lutsch

Matthias Arnold

Ruediger Kuhn

Adolf Baumann

Oliver Nehrig

Norbert Reichel

Ronald Nerlich

Christian Sichert

Adi Baumann

A processor includes execution circuitry, within an execution power domain, to process an instruction; and a debug system, within a separate debug power domain, to selectively operate to perform debugging operations on the processor. The processor further includes power control circuitry coupled to the debug system; and detection circuitry coupled to the power control circuitry. The power control circuitry causes power to be supplied to the debug system when the detection circuitry indicates that a debug tool is coupled to the processor, and disables power supply to the debug system when the detection circuitry indicates that the debug tool is not coupled to the processor.

Processor with debug pipeline

A processor includes an execution pipeline that includes a plurality of execution stages, execution pipeline control logic, and a debug system. The execution pipeline control logic is configured to control flow of an instruction through the execution stages. The debug system includes a debug pipeline and debug pipeline control logic. The debug pipeline includes a plurality of debug stages. Each debug pipeline stage corresponds to an execution pipeline stage, and the total number of debug stages corresponds to the total number of execution stages. The debug pipeline control logic is coupled to the execution pipeline control logic. The debug pipeline control logic is configured to control flow through the debug stages of debug information associated with the instruction, and to advance the debug information into a next of the debug stages in correspondence with the execution pipeline control logic advancing the instruction into a corresponding stage of the execution pipeline.

A method and apparatus for executing program loops. A processor, includes an execution unit and an instruction fetch buffer. The execution unit is configured to execute instructions. The instruction fetch buffer is configured to store instructions for execution by the execution unit. The instruction fetch buffer includes a loop buffer configured to store instructions of an instruction loop for repeated execution by the execution unit. The loop buffer includes buffer control logic. The buffer control logic includes pointers, and is configured to predecode a loop jump instruction, identify loop start and loop end instructions using the predecoded loop jump instruction and pointers; and to control non-sequential instruction execution of the instruction loop. The width of the pointers is determined by loop buffer length and is less than a width of an address bus for fetching the instructions stored in the loop buffer from an instruction memory.

Processor loop buffer

The invention is an electronic device including a ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM), a first supply voltage domain, a second supply voltage domain and a low drop output voltage regulator (LDO) receive a first supply voltage of the first supply voltage domain and providing a second supply voltage of the second supply voltage domain. The second supply voltage domain supplies the FRAM. The LDO switches between a first state providing and maintaining the second supply voltage of the second supply voltage domain and a second state providing a high impedance output to the second supply voltage domain. The electronic device switches the LDO from the first state to the second state in response to a failure of the first supply voltage domain.

Electronic device and method for FRAM power supply management

An electronic device is provided, which includes a current supplying stage which is adapted to supply a first compensation current and a second compensation current to a first wire or a second wire, wherein the first compensation current is determined during a first clock period, when the first wire and the second wire are connected. The second compensation current is determined during a second clock period while the first wire and the second wire are not connected and the magnitude of the second current represents a ratio of a resistance value of the first wire and a resistance value of the second wire.

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Buching, Germany

Ralph Ledwa