System and method for communicating with an integrated circuit

• US 6,591,369 B1
• Filed: 10/01/1999
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics Limited (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics Limited (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Edwards, David Alan, Rich, Anthony Willis
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): DU, THUAN N
• Application Number:
  US09/410,638
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 375/1, 375/354, 375/362, 395/281, 395/750, 395/550, 710/52, 710/65, 713/501, 713/400, 713/600, 713/1, 713/2, 713/100, 711/114, 600/520, 327/39-42, 327/44-47
• US Class Current: 713/400
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31903 tester configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3636 by tracing the execution of the program
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3656 using a specific debug interface

Abstract

A system and method for communicating with an integrated circuit is provided that allows an integrated circuit to communicate debugging information and system bus transaction information with an external system. The system may include an interface protocol that provides flow control between the integrated circuit and the external system. The system may include a high-speed link and/or a JTAG link for communicating information. A link may be automatically selected by a debug circuit, or selected by an on-chip device or external system. The high-speed link enables real-time collection of trace information. Links may be memory-mapped, such that on-chip devices and other devices attached to the system bus may access the external system. The high-speed link may also operate at a rate which is integrally coupled with a rate of the processor or system bus. Further, the high-speed link may be adapted to change speeds in response to a change in operating speed of the system bus or processor. The JTAG interface may utilize standard JTAG components and instructions such that external devices such as debug adaptors adopting these components and instructions may be re-used for different integrated circuit types. Information transmitted over the JTAG or high-speed link may be compressed to optimize available bandwidth of the links. Also, processor control signals can be transferred through links that allow an external system to manipulate and monitor operation of the processor and its associated modules.

Claims

1. A method for communicating between an integrated circuit and an off-chip device, the method comprising steps of:

transmitting a message off-chip at a transmission frequency proportional to an on-chip system bus transmission frequency;

automatically adjusting the transmission frequency in response to a change in bus transmission frequency.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmission frequency is proportional to the bus transmission frequency by a whole number.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a degree of proportionality may be changed by manipulating a register associated with a programmable divider circuit.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the register is manipulated by at least one of an external system and an on-chip device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a value of a receive frequency depends upon a value of the transmission frequency.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmission frequency is determined by a divider circuit, wherein the divider circuit determines the transmission frequency based on the bus transmission frequency and a divider value stored in a register associated with the integrated circuit.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the divider value is a default value upon a reset of the integrated circuit device.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the off-chip device initiates the reset, and changes its reception frequency to adapt to the default value.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the divider circuit resets the transmission frequency to a default value upon a reset of the integrated circuit.

10. An integrated circuit comprising:

a system bus having a system bus frequency;

a communication circuit for transmitting messages at a transmission frequency between the integrated circuit and an off-chip device; and

a divider circuit, operatively coupled to the system bus and the communication circuit, the divider being configured to adjust the transmission frequency in response to a change in system bus frequency.

11. The integrated circuit according to claim 10, wherein the transmission frequency is kept proportional to the system bus frequency.

12. The integrated circuit according to claim 11, wherein the transmission frequency is proportional to the bus transmission frequency by a whole number.

13. The integrated circuit according to claim 10, the integrated circuit further comprising a register, and data stored within the register determines a degree of proportionality between the transmission frequency and the system bus frequency.

14. The integrated circuit according to claim 13, wherein the communication circuit includes an interface to the off-chip device, and the communication circuit is adapted to receive a request message from the off-chip device to write a data value in the register which determines the degree of proportionality.

15. The integrated circuit according to claim 10, wherein a receive frequency of the communication circuit depends upon the transmission frequency.

16. The integrated circuit according to claim 10, wherein the divider circuit determines the transmission frequency based on the bus transmission frequency and a divider value stored in a register associated with the integrated circuit.

17. The integrated circuit according to claim 16, wherein the divider value is a default value upon a reset of the integrated circuit device.

18. The integrated circuit according to claim 17, wherein the off-chip device initiates the reset, and changes its reception frequency to adapt to the default value.

19. The integrated circuit according to claim 16, wherein the divider circuit resets the transmission frequency to a default value upon a reset of the integrated circuit.