Texas Instruments Corporation

Robert W Milhaupt

James Bridgwater

James J Walsh

Joseph Joe

Ling Cen

Kazumi Haijima

Osvaldo Franco

Jonathan H Shiell

Merril Ray Newman

Ian Chen

James Bridgewater

Daniel J Cooper

One embodiment of the present invention includes a system for managing power to a plurality of devices-under-test (DUTs). The system comprises a DUT test system configured to perform at least one test associated with operation of the DUTs and to monitor current associated the at least one test of the plurality of DUTs. The DUT test system can communicate an instruction to a subset of the plurality of DUTs to cancel the at least one test if the monitored current is greater than a predetermined threshold. Each of the plurality of DUTs can comprise restart logic configured to restart the at least one test of the subset of the plurality of DUTs after being cancelled in response to the instruction.

Device-under-test power management

A system comprises a multi-core silicon-on-chip (SOC) device. The SOC device includes a core module, a test data shift path, a core power control module, and an emulation control module. The core module includes a TAP controller and a plurality of data registers. The test data shift path is operable to transport data shifted out of one or more of the data registers. The core power control module is operable to control the power status of the core module. The emulation control module includes a plurality of alternative registers operable to shift data into the test data shift path in the event that the core module is powered down by the core power control module such that the shift path continues uninterrupted. The emulation control module remains powered on regardless of the power status of the core module.

Preserving emulation capability in a multi-core system-on-chip device

A microprocessor-based data processing system (2) in which asynchronous bus transactions are performed is disclosed. The disclosed embodiments include one or more microprocessors (5) of the x86-architecture type, compatible with the P54C bus protocol, preferably Pentium-compatible microprocessors, as the central processing units (CPUs) of the system. A CPU (5.sub.r) requests an asynchronous bus transaction, in a first disclosed embodiment, by presenting a combination of control signals that is unused in conventional x86-architecture systems; the controller chipset (27) determines whether the transaction may be performed in an asynchronous manner, and later returns an acknowledge or non-acknowledge code to the requesting CPU (5.sub.r). The microprocessors (5) include certain pins, in this first embodiment, corresponding to conventional Pentium-compatible output pins but which now have receiver circuitry for receiving the acknowledge and non-acknowledge codes, along with the transaction identifier. If the transaction is accepted as asynchronous, the identifier is used to later identify the transaction when access is granted. A second disclosed embodiment provides an immediate indication of the acceptability of the requested transaction as of the asynchronous type, so that unacceptable transactions may be immediately processed in synchronous fashion. A third disclosed embodiment uses an additional terminal to indicate the acknowledge or non-acknowledge response.

Microprocessor system with capability for asynchronous bus transactions

A computer system (6,7) includes first and second I/O circuits (932, 934, 51, 97), first and second buses (904, 83) respectively coupled to the first and second I/O circuits (932, 934, 51, 97), a memory (106), a third bus (104) coupled to the memory (106), and first and second bus interface circuits (902, 6920) connected between the third bus (104) and the first and second buses (904, 83) respectively. A direct memory access (DMA) controller (910) is coupled to the first bus (904) and to the first bus interface circuit (902), and a serial communications circuit (7010, 6910, 7020) is connected between the DMA controller (910) and the second bus interface circuit (6920). As an example, in the present invention a single DMA controller may be used to provide DMA capability to both a notebook computer and a docking station, using an interface between the notebook computer and the docking station to transfer DMA related information between the DMA controller and a requesting device in the docking station. Other devices, systems and methods are also disclosed.

Structure and method of performing DMA transfers between memory and I/O

A single-chip integrated circuit device (110) includes an on-chip bus (904) and a plurality of integrated circuit functional blocks (934, 932) having respective clock inputs connected to the on-chip bus (904). An address decoder (in 1210) is provided responsive to particular addresses to supply an output of a differing character (IDE/NON-IDE) depending on whether or not the particular addresses are received. A clock generating circuit (1201) having a control input (IDE/NON-IDE) fed by the output of the address decoder (in 1210) and a clock output (SYSCLK) connected to the on-chip bus (904) supplies a clock signal that depends in rate on whether or not the particular addresses are received. Other circuits, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Dynamic system clocking and address decode circuits, methods and systems

A computer system (6,7) includes first and second I/O circuits (932, 934), first and second buses (904, 83) respectively coupled to the first and second I/O circuits (932, 934), a memory (106), a third bus (104) coupled to the memory (106), and first and second bus interface circuits (902, 6920) connected between the third bus (104) and the first and second buses (904, 83) respectively. A direct memory access (DMA) controller (910) is coupled to the first bus (904) and to the first bus interface circuit (906), and a serial communications circuit (7010, 6910, 7020) is connected between the DMA controller (910) and the second bus interface circuit (6920). As an example, in the present invention a single DMA controller may be used to provide DMA capability to both a notebook computer and a docking station, using an interface between the notebook computer and the docking station to transfer DMA station. Other devices, systems and methods are also disclosed.

Computer system and an electronic circuit utilizing a single DMA

A computer system (6,7) includes first and second I/O circuits (932, 934), 51, 97 first and second buses (904, 83) respectively coupled to the first and second I/O circuits (932, 934), 51, 97 a memory (106), a third bus (104) coupled to the memory (106), and first and second bus interface circuits (902, 6920) connected between the third bus (104) and the first and second buses (904, 83) respectively. A direct memory access (DMA) controller (910) is coupled to the first bus (904) and to the first bus interface circuit (902), and a serial communications circuit (7010, 6910, 7020) is connected between the DMA controller (910) and the second bus interface circuit (6920). As an example, in the present invention a single DMA controller may be used to provide DMA capability to both a notebook computer and a docking station, using an related information between the DMA controller and a requesting device in the docking station. Other devices, systems and methods are also disclosed.

Method and apparatus for implementing a single DMA controller to perform

A computer system has an integrated circuit including a single-chip integrated circuit including an external-to-internal bus interface circuit coupled to external pins for connection to an external bus, and an on-chip internal bus coupled to the external-to-internal bus interface circuit and having a plurality of at-least-sixteen bit data paths including first and second such data paths. A parallel port on-chip is coupled to the on-chip internal bus and to both the first and second data paths therein. An interface circuit is coupled between the first and second data paths, wherein the first data path is connected to reflect the state of external inputs to the on-chip internal bus and of any internally generated second data path outputs to be sent externally, and wherein when the second data path carries internally generated signals to internal destinations, the states of the first and second data paths differ. Other circuits, systems and methods are also disclosed.

Split data path fast at-bus on chip circuits systems and methods

An electronic device (PPU 110) includes a data source (7201) supplying data and successive control signals indicative of valid-data, wherein transitions occur in the data during intervals between the signals indicative of valid-data, and a selector (7205) having a first input connected to the data source (7201), and a second input (7214), and an output. A circuit (7207) is connected to the output of the selector (7205) to receive data from the data source (7201) via the selector (7205). A source of a quieting signal (7220) is connected to the second input (7214), and the selector (7205) is responsive to the control signals (7206) to select the quieting signal (7220) during at least a portion of the interval between the signals indicative of valid data, and to select the data source in response to at least some of the successive control signals indicative of valid-data. Other devices, systems and methods are also disclosed.

System management mode circuits systems and methods

System management mode circuits, systems and methods

An electronic device (PPU 110) includes a data source (7201) supplying data and successive control signals indicative of valid-data, wherein transitions occur in the data during intervals between the signals indicative of valid-data, and a selector (7205) having a first input connected to the data source (7201), and a second input (7214), and an output. A circuit (7207) is connected to the output of the selector (7205) to receive data from the data source (7201) via the selector (7205). A source of a quieting signal (7220) is connected to the second input (7214), and the selector (7205) is responsive to the control signals (7206) to select the quieting signal (7220) during at least a portion of the interval between the signals indicative of valid data, and to select the data source in response to at least some of the successive control signals indicative of valid-data. Other devices, systems and methods are also described.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Robert W Milhaupt