Diagnostic procedures in an integrated circuit device
US6134652A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 19, 1997 |
| Grant date | Oct 17, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 19, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F11/3648
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An on-chip breakpoint unit of an integrated circuit device is connected to receive the contents of an instruction pointer register via an address communication path. The breakpoint unit has a breakpoint register configured to hold a breakpoint address at which the normal operation of the CPU is to be interrupted for diagnostic purposes, and a comparator circuit operative to compare the breakpoint address with the contents of the instruction pointer register and to issue a breakpoint signal on a breakpoint signal path when there is a match. The on-chip breakpoint unit also has circuitry configured to inhibit generation of the breakpoint signal for a next instruction to be executed upon resumption of normal operation of the CPU after it has been interrupted.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.