System and method for debugging a target computer using SMBus

• US 8,010,843 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Megatrends International, LLC
• Original Assignee: American Megatrends Incorporated
• Inventors: Javeed, Ashraf, Righi, Stefano
• Primary Examiner(s): Baderman; Scott T
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, JIGAR P
• Application Number:
  US11/300,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20070168746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,085 Days
• Field of Search: 714/32
• US Class Current: 714/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3656 using a specific debug interface

Abstract

Methods and systems for debugging a software program, such as BIOS is provided. The methods and systems make use of a debugger application executing on a host computer and configured to communicate with a debugger module executing on a target computer via serial/parallel/USB port of host computer, an adapter and the SMBus of the target computer.

Claims

1. A system for software debugging, said system comprising:

a target computer comprising a system management bus coupled to an adapter, said adapter configured to (a) receive debugging commands in a first format from a debugger application executed on a host computer via an interface corresponding to the first format and (b) convert the debugging commands in the first format compatible with the interface to debugging commands in a second format compatible with the system management bus, said target computer configured to execute a basic input/output system (BIOS), the BIOS including a debugger module configured to receive and respond to the debugging commands in the second format from the adapter via the system management bus, the debugger module being stored inside the BIOS; and

the host computer comprising an input/output port coupled to the adapter, said host computer configured to execute the debugger application for transmitting the debugging commands in the first format compatible with the interface via the input/output port to the debugger module.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the debugging commands comprise a command to program the BIOS.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface to the host computer comprises a USB interface;

wherein the debugging commands in the first format comprises debugging commands in the first format compatible with the USB interface; and

wherein the adapter is configured to convert the debugging commands in the first format compatible with the USB interface to the debugging commands in the second format compatible with the system management bus.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface to the host computer comprises a parallel communication interface;

wherein the debugging commands in the first format comprises debugging commands in the first format compatible with the parallel communication interface; and

wherein the adapter is configured to convert the debugging commands in the first format compatible with the parallel communication interface to the debugging commands in the second format compatible with the system management bus.

5. The system of claim 1, the interface to the host computer comprises a serial communication interface;

wherein the debugging commands in the first format comprises debugging commands in the first format compatible with the serial communication interface; and

wherein the adapter is configured to convert the debugging commands in the first format compatible with the serial communication interface to the debugging commands in the second format compatible with the system management bus.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the target computer is further configured with no operating system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the system management bus further operates as an interface device to the host computer.

8. A computer-implemented method for software debugging, the computer-implemented method comprising computer-implemented operations for:

providing a basic input/output system (BIOS) for controlling the operation of a target computer comprising a system management bus and an adapter, said adapter configured to (a) receive debugging commands in a first format from a debugger application executed on a host computer via an interface corresponding to the first format and (b) convert the debugging commands in the first format to debugging commands in a second format compatible with the system management bus, said BIOS including a debugger module configured to receive and respond to the debugging commands in the second format from the adapter, the debugger module being stored inside the BIOS; and

providing the debugger application for execution on the host computer and configured to transmit the debugging commands in the first format to the debugger module via an input/output port on the host computer coupled to the adapter, the input/output port on the host computer coupled to the adapter in the target computer via a locally-connected cable.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said debugging commands comprise a command to program the BIOS.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the interface to the host computer comprises a USB interface;

wherein the debugging commands in the first format comprises debugging commands in the first format compatible with the USB interface; and

wherein the adapter is configured to convert the debugging commands in the first format compatible with the USB interface to the debugging commands in the second format compatible with the system management bus.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the interface to the host computer comprises a parallel communication interface;

wherein the debugging commands in the first format comprises debugging commands in the first format compatible with the parallel communication interface; and

wherein the adapter is configured to convert the debugging commands in the first format compatible with the parallel communication interface to the debugging commands in the second format compatible with the system management bus.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the interface to the host computer comprises a serial communication interface;

wherein the debugging commands in the first format comprises debugging commands in the first format compatible with the serial communication interface; and

wherein the adapter is configured to convert the debugging commands in the first format compatible with the serial communication interface to the debugging commands in the second format compatible with the system management bus.

13. A system for software debugging, the system comprising:

a target computer comprising a system management bus coupled to an adapter, said adapter configured to (a) receive a request for debugging-related information from a debug application executed on a host computer via an interface, and (b) convert the request from a format compatible with the interface to a format compatible with the system management bus, (c) receive debugging-related information from a debugger module via the system management bus, and (d) convert the debugging-related information from the format compatible with the system management bus to the format compatible with the interface, said target computer configured to execute a basic input/output system (BIOS), said BIOS including the debugger module configured to receive the request in the format compatible with the system management bus from the adapter via said system management bus, the debugger module further configured to transmit, in response to receiving the request, the debugging-related information in the format compatible with the system management bus to the adapter via said system management bus, the debugger module being stored inside the BIOS; and

the host computer comprising an input/output port connectable to the adapter, said host computer configured to execute the debugger application for transmitting the request for debugging-related information in the format compatible with the interface to the adapter and for receiving the debugging-related information in the format compatible with the interface from the adapter via the input/output port.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said adapter further configured to (a) receive debugging commands in a first format from a debugger application executed on a host computer via the interface corresponding to the first format and (b) convert the debugging commands in the first format compatible with the interface to debugging commands in a second format compatible with the system management bus;

and wherein said debugger module further configured to receive and respond to the debugging commands in the second format from the adapter.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the debugging commands comprise a command to program said BIOS.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the interface to the host computer comprises a USB interface;

wherein the debugging commands in the first format comprises debugging commands in the first format compatible with the USB interface; and

wherein the adapter is configured to convert the debugging commands in the first format compatible with the USB interface to the debugging commands in the second format compatible with the system management bus.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the interface to the host computer comprises a parallel communication interface;

wherein the debugging commands in the first format comprises debugging commands in the first format compatible with the parallel communication interface; and

wherein the adapter is configured to convert the debugging commands in the first format compatible with the parallel communication interface to the debugging commands in the second format compatible with the system management bus.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the interface to the host computer comprises a serial communication interface;

wherein the debugging commands in the first format comprises debugging commands in the first format compatible with the serial communication interface; and

wherein the adapter is configured to convert the debugging commands in the first format compatible with the serial communication interface to the debugging commands in the second format compatible with the system management bus.

19. A method for software debugging, the method comprising:

providing an adapter connectable to a system management bus in a target computer, said adapter configured to (a) receive a request for debugging-related information from a debug application executed on a host computer via an interface, and (b) convert the request from a format compatible with the interface to a format compatible with the system management bus, (c) receive debugging-related information from a debugger module via the system management bus, and (d) convert the debugging-related information from the format compatible with the system management bus to the format compatible with the interface;

providing a basic input/output system (BIOS) for controlling the operation of the target computer, the BIOS including the debugger module configured to receive the request for debugging-related information in the format compatible with the system management bus from the adapter via the system management bus in said target computer, the debugger module further configured to transmit, in response to receiving the request, the debugging-related information in the format compatible with the system management bus to the adapter via said system management bus, the debugger module being stored inside the BIOS; and

providing the debugger application executable on the host computer, said debugger application configured to transmit the request for debugging-related information in the format compatible with the interface to said adapter and to receive the debugging-related information in the format compatible with the interface from said adapter via an input/output port coupled to said adapter.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said adapter further configured to (a) receive debugging commands in a first format from a debugger application executed on a host computer via the interface corresponding to the first format and (b) convert the debugging commands in the first format compatible with the interface to debugging commands in a second format compatible with the system management bus;

and wherein said debugger module further configured to receive and respond to the debugging commands in the second format from the adapter.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the debugging commands comprise a command to program said BIOS.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the interface to the host computer comprises a USB interface;

wherein the debugging commands in the first format comprises debugging commands in the first format compatible with the USB interface; and

wherein the adapter is configured to convert the debugging commands in the first format compatible with the USB interface to the debugging commands in the second format compatible with the system management bus.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the interface to the host computer comprises a parallel communication interface;

wherein the debugging commands in the first format comprises debugging commands in the first format compatible with the parallel communication interface; and

wherein the adapter is configured to convert the debugging commands in the first format compatible with the parallel communication interface to the debugging commands in the second format compatible with the system management bus.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the interface to the host computer comprises a serial communication interface;

wherein the debugging commands in the first format comprises debugging commands in the first format compatible with the serial communication interface; and

wherein the adapter is configured to convert the debugging commands in the first format compatible with the serial communication interface to the debugging commands in the second format compatible with the system management bus.

25. A method for software debugging, said method comprising:

configuring a debugger application on a host computer for debugging software via input/output port;

configuring a debugger module included in a BIOS on a target computer for debugging software via a system management bus and an adapter, the debugger module being stored inside the BIOS;

transmitting, via an interface, debug commands in a first format compatible with the interface from the debug application on the host computer to the adapter on the target computer;

converting the debug commands in the first format compatible with the interface to debug commands in a second format compatible with the system management bus;

transmitting, via the system management bus, the debug commands in the second format compatible with the system management bus from the adapter to the debugger module;

transmitting, via the interface, a request for debugging-related information in the first format compatible with the interface from the debug application on the host computer to the adapter on the target computer;

converting the request for debugging-related information in the first format compatible with the interface to a request for debugging-related information in the second format compatible with the system management bus;

transmitting, via the system management bus, the request for debugging-related information in the second format compatible with the system management bus from the adapter to the debugger module;

in response to receiving the request for debugging-related information in the second format compatible with the system management bus, transmitting, via the system management bus, debugging-related information in the second format compatible with the system management bus from the debugger module included in the BIOS on the target computer to the adapter;

converting the debugging-related information in the second format compatible with the system management bus to debugging-related information in the first format compatible with the interface;

transmitting, via the interface, the debugging-related information in the first format compatible with the interface from the adapter to the debug application on the host computer; and

establishing a communication session between said debugger application and said debugger module.