In-circuit emulation system with a programming function

• US 7,711,540 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2007
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd
• Original Assignee: Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd
• Inventors: Yang, Tui-Yi, Chen, Wu-Shin, Yiu, Wen-Sheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Paul L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chad, Aniss
• Application Number:
  US11/727,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20070236995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 703/24, 703/23, 703/28, 365/185.18
• US Class Current: 703/28
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/102 External programming circuits, e.g. EPROM programmers; In-circuit programming or reprogramming; EPROM emulators

Abstract

An in-circuit emulation system with a programming function includes a system power supply, a DC/DC converter, a processing device, a programmer socket and a connector. The system power supply produces a first DC voltage. The DC/DC converter converts the first DC voltage into a second DC voltage and a third DC voltage. The processing device has a processor and a parallel/serial converter. For executing a programming function, the processor uses the parallel/serial converter to convert programming codes into corresponding programming signals. The programmer socket receives the programming signals, the second DC voltage and the third DC voltage to accordingly execute a programming function on an IC plugged in the socket. The connector has one end connected to the processing device and the other end connected to a target board to thereby drive and receive electrical signals of the target board on performing an in-circuit emulation.

Claims

1. An in-circuit emulation (ICE) system with a programming function, comprising:

a system power supply, which produces a first direct current (DC) voltage for use as a system power;

a DC/DC converter, which is connected to the system power supply in order to change the first DC voltage into a second DC voltage and a third DC voltage that are provided for programming an integral circuit, wherein both the second voltage and the third DC voltage are higher than the first DC voltage;

a processing device, which has a processor and a parallel/serial converter, the processor performing an in-circuit emulation and executing a programming function, wherein the processor uses the parallel/serial converter to convert programming codes into corresponding programming signals for executing the programming function;

a programmer socket, which is connected to the DC/DC converter and the parallel/serial converter in order to receive the programming signals, the second DC voltage and the third DC voltage to accordingly execute the programming function on the integrated circuit plugged in the socket; and

a connector, which has a first end connected to the processing device and a second end connected to a target board to thereby drive and receive electrical signals of the target board on performing the in-circuit emulation.

2. The in-circuit emulation system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a timing generator, which is connected to the processing device in order to provide a clock to the in-circuit emulation system.

3. The in-circuit emulation system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a transmission module, which is connected to the processing device and a personal computer in order to download the programming codes or program codes of the in-circuit emulation from the personal computer to the processing device or upload the electrical signals of the target board on performing the in-circuit emulation from the processing device to the personal computer.

4. The in-circuit emulation system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the processing device further comprises an internal storage to temporarily store the programming codes, the program codes or the electrical signals.

5. The in-circuit emulation system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the processing device further comprises a set of control registers such that the processor performs a write operation on the set of control registers when the in-circuit emulation system executes the programming function, to thereby set a programming timing and activate the parallel/serial converter.

6. The in-circuit emulation system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the timing generator is a crystal or an oscillator.

7. The in-circuit emulation system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the transmission module is a USB or a printer port transmission module.

8. The in-circuit emulation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first DC voltage is 5V, the second DC voltage is 6V, and the third DC voltage is 13V.

9. The in-circuit emulation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the programmer socket is a dual in-line package (DIP).

10. The in-circuit emulation system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the programming signals produced by the parallel/serial converter include a serial clock and a serial data when the programming function is executed, and the programmer socket outputs the second DC voltage, the third DC voltage, the serial clock and the serial data, to thereby execute the programming function on the IC plug therein.

11. The in-circuit emulation system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the programmer socket has N pins, where the second DC voltage, the third DC voltage, the serial clock and the serial data are arranged at the N-th, (N−

4)-th, (N−

2)-th and (N−

3)-th pins respectively.