Stmicroelectronics S.a.

Xavier Robert

Renaud Ayrignac

Catherine Robert

Jehan-Philippe Barbiero

The systems and methods disclosed relate to a processor comprising a processing unit and a debugging that which can be connected to an external emulator for debugging a program executed by the processor, the debugging interface including internal resources at least partially accessible to the external emulator. According to one embodiment, the debugging interface includes a selecting circuit for selecting an internal resource of the debugging interface, according to a reference supplied by the processing unit, and an access circuit that transfers a datum between the resource selected and a data field accessible by the processing unit.

Processor comprising an integrated debugging interface controlled by the processing unit of the processor

A method for the transmission of digital messages by the output terminals of a monitoring circuit which is integrated into a microprocessor, the digital messages being representative of first specific events which are dependent on the execution of a series of instructions by the microprocessor. The method includes transmitting the following signals to the monitoring circuit by dedicated access points, namely (i) a request signal for the sending of a message that is associated with a specific event from second specific events which are independent of the execution of the series of instructions by the microprocessor and (ii) a signal comprising characteristic data which are associated with the aforementioned specific event; forcing the monitoring circuit to read the request message and, if the resource management conditions are fulfilled, sending an acknowledgement message and storing said characteristic data signal and transmitting a digital message which is representative of the stored characteristic data signal.

Circuit for monitoring a microprocessor and analysis tool and inputs/outputs thereof

The invention concerns a monitoring device () integrated to a microprocessor chip () executing a series of instructions comprising: device () for producing simultaneously several types of monitoring messages of the microprocessor, a buffer () divided into several blocks (A, B, C, D, E) each of which is designed to store only messages of one of the types capable of being produced simultaneously, the size of each block depending on the maximum frequency at which the messages can be stored, and device () for, each time one or more messages are simultaneously stored in the blocks (A, B, C, D, E) of the buffer (), storing in a predetermined block (F) of the buffer a coded value representing said block(s) of the buffer.

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Saint Georges de Commiers, France

Xavier Robert