Freezing mechanism for debugging

• US 6,389,557 B1
• Filed: 09/16/1998
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Dwork, Jeffrey, Yu, Ching, Tsai, Din-I, Kuo, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, TIM T
• Application Number:
  US09/154,077
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 714/25, 714/31, 714/34-35, 714/56
• US Class Current: 714/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2236 to test CPU or processors

Abstract

A system for freezing a communication device in a debug mode has a clock control circuit arranged to produce an internal clock signal in response to an external clock signal. When a stop signal is asserted, the internal clock signal is fixed in its off state. As a result, operations of internal registers supplied with the internal clock signal freeze in a chosen state. A scan test may be performed to examine the internal registers in the chosen state. A bypass clock signal is supplied to control the internal clock signal so as to move the internal registers from one state to another. Thus, an event that causes an error may be recreated.

Claims

1. A system for debugging a data processing device, comprising:

an internal clock generating circuit responsive to an external clock signal for producing an internal clock signal supplied to internal circuitry of said data processing device,

a freezing circuit responsive to a stop signal for fixing said internal clock signal in an off state to freeze operation of said internal circuitry,

a bypass circuit responsive to a bypass clock signal supplied from a logic device external with respect to said data processing device for controlling said internal clock signal in accordance with said bypass clock signal in a debug mode, and

a bypass mode control circuit responsive to a bypass mode control signal supplied from said external logic device,

wherein said internal clock signal is controlled in accordance with said bypass clock signal when said bypass mode control signal is in a first state to enable operation in the debug mode, and

said internal clock signal is controlled in accordance with said external clock signal when said bypass mode control signal is in a second state.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a multiplexer coupled to the internal clock generating signal and controlled by the bypass mode control signal for allowing the external clock signal to pass to the internal circuitry when the bypass mode control signal is in the second state.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said multiplexer is arranged to receive said bypass clock signal.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said multiplexer allows said bypass clock signal to pass to said internal circuitry when said bypass mode control signal is in the first state.

5. A system for testing a data processing device, comprising:

a gate circuit responsive to an external clock signal for producing an internal clock signal supplied to internal circuitry of said data processing device,

a freezing circuit responsive to a stop signal for producing a freezing signal supplied to said gate circuit to set said internal clock signal into an inactive state, and

a multiplexer responsive to a bypass clock signal supplied from a testing device external with respect to said data processing device and to said external clock signal, and controlled by a bypass mode control signal supplied from said external testing device for allowing said external clock signal to pass to said internal circuitry when said bypass mode control signal is in an inactive state, and for allowing said bypass clock signal to pass to said internal circuitry when said bypass mode control circuit is in an active state.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said freezing circuit comprises a first flip-flop having a data input supplied with said stop signal.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said first flip-flop has a clock input supplied with said external clock signal.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said freezing circuit further comprises a second flip-flop having a data input coupled to an output of said first flip flop, and a clock input supplied with said external clock signal.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said gate circuit has a first input supplied with said external clock signal, and a second input coupled to an output of said second flip-flop.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said multiplexer has a first input coupled to an output of said gate circuit, and a second input supplied with said bypass clock signal.

11. A method of testing a data processing device, comprising the steps of:

producing an internal clock signal for said data processing device in response to an external clock signal,

supplying a stop signal to set said internal clock signal into an off state to freeze operation of said data processing device,

supplying a bypass clock signal from an external testing device to control said internal clock signal when operation of said data processing device is frozen, and

controlling a multiplexer by a bypass mode control signal supplied from said external testing device for allowing the bypass clock signal to pass to internal circuitry of said data processing device when the bypass mode control signal is in a first mode, and for allowing the external clock signal to pass the internal circuitry when the bypass mode control signal is in a second mode.

12. A data communication device comprising:

multiple internal registers, and

a scan test access port interface for performing a scan test on the internal registers,

said scan test access port interface including;

an internal clock generating circuit responsive to an external clock signal for producing an internal clock signal supplied to the internal registers,

a freezing circuit responsive to a stop signal for fixing said internal clock signal in an off state to freeze the internal registers in a chosen state, and

a bypass circuit controlled by a bypass mode signal and responsive to a bypass clock signal for controlling said internal clock signal in accordance with said bypass clock signal in a debug mode.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the bypass clock signal is supplied to the internal registers when the bypass mode signal is in an active state.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the external clock signal is supplied to the internal registers when the bypass mode signal is in an inactive state.