High speed microcomputer in-circuit emulator
US5321828A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 7, 1991 |
| Grant date | Jun 14, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 7, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF02B2075/027
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An in-circuit emulator (ICE) for hardware/software development and debugging microprocessors. Program execution reconstruction is extracted from an on-board cache memory. An external ICE enclosure interfaces to a target system microprocessor via a cable and a buffer/interface pod. A control program directs a non-intrusive emulation and a monitor program resides in a personal computer host and supports ICE commands. The monitor program allows a user to follow a target system's program flow, to capture related processor information, to make program modifications, and allows the user to restart programs. An on-line disassembler presents a display so as to allow the designer to examine memory, using instruction mnemonics rather than hexadecimal values, thus improving the designer's ability to read program memory. A bit trace buffer records the state of each the microprocessor's signals during each cycle of each instruction. Multiple breakpoints allow a system developer to control a program in ROM, as well as one resident in RAM. An external-range hardware breakpoint and up to sixteen software breakpoints are provided and these allow a designer to display, set and reset breakpoint addre…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.