System and method for creating a boot file utilizing a boot template

• US 6,898,703 B1
• Filed: 11/19/2001
• Issued: 05/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Ogami, Kenneth Y., Pleis, Matthew A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elamin, A.
• Application Number:
  US09/989,819
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: 713/2, 713/100, 702/120, 326/39
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/447 Target code generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

The present invention is a system and method of facilitating automatic generation of the source code in a convenient and efficient manner. In one embodiment of the present invention, a programmable system on a chip (PSoC) boot file generation method is utilized to create a boot file. A boot template file is created comprising special symbolic variable names that point to configuration registers within a programmable system on a chip (PSoC). User module selections are received with delineation of preferred configurations and functions associated with components of said programmable system on a chip (PSoC). Application files are automatically generated based upon user selections of PSoC configurations and functions. The special symbolic variable names are substituted or replaced with actual configuration register names. In one embodiment, a present invention programmable system on a chip (PSOC) boot file generation method also facilitates providing interrupt processing routines to the appropriate vector.

Claims

1. A boot file generation method comprising:

creating a boot template file comprising symbolic variable names that point to configuration registers within a programmable device;

receiving user module selections with delineation of preferred configurations and functions associated with components of said programmable device;

generating application files automatically based upon user selected configurations and functions; and

substituting said symbolic variable names with actual configuration register names.

2. A boot file generation method of claim 1 further comprising automatic interrupt vector mapping which assigns the appropriate providing interrupt processing routine vector.

3. A boot file generation method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing an interface for selecting applicable user modules;

facilitating programming of desired functionality into the programmable device; and

executing an assembler process.

4. A boot file generation method of claim 3 wherein said user module is a preconfigured function that may be based on more than one lock that work as a peripheral on the programmable device.

5. A boot file generation method of claim 3 further comprising:

viewing and modifying user module parameters including setting global parameters;

specifying interconnections between the selected user modules; and

delineating a pin-out for each functional block making a connection between the software configuration and the hardware of the programmable device.

6. A boot file generation method of claim 1 further comprising emulating the programmable device using an in-circuit emulator for debugging.

7. A boot file generation method of claim 6 wherein the emulator allows the programmable device to be tested in a hardware environment while device activity is viewed and debugged in a software environment.

8. A boot file generation method of claim 3 further comprising:

updating existing assembly source and C compiler code for device configurations; and

generating application program interfaces (APIs) and interrupt service routines (ISRs).

9. A boot file generation method of claim 3 wherein the assembler process comprises operating on an assembly-language source code to produce executable code.

10. A boot file generation method of claim 9 further comprising compiling and building code into an executable file.

11. A boot file generation method of claim 9 further comprising linking programmed functionalities including device configuration.

12. A circuit comprising:

a bus for communicating data;

a microprocessor for processing data, said microprocessor coupled to said bus;

a functional component coupled to said bus, wherein said functional component includes a plurality of functional blocks programmable to provide a plurality of functions and configurations; and

a memory for storing configuration information including information associated with a boot file, wherein said boot file is created utilizing a template comprising symbolic register names that are substituted by the actual register name, said memory coupled to said bus.

13. The circuit of claim 12, wherein a component of said circuit is programmable according to a configuration information stored in said memory.

14. A boot file creation method comprising:

assigning variable symbolic register names to a user module;

establishing an association between the variable symbolic register names and actual configuration register names; and

replacing the variable symbolic register names with actual configuration register names.

15. The boot file creation method of claim 14 further comprising loading the boot file on a target device.

16. A boot file creation method of claim 14 further comprising utilizing a boot template to establish the association between the variable symbolic registers names and actual configuration register names.

17. A boot file creation method of claim 16 further utilizing the boot template to replace the variable symbolic register names with the actual configuration register names.

18. A boot file creation method of claim 14 further comprising regenerating the boot file is when a device configuration changes.

19. A boot file creation method of claim 14 wherein the boot file is created and loaded on a target device by a design tool.