System and method for controlling a target device

• US 9,720,805 B1
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Ogami, Kenneth, Best, Andrew, Zhaksilikov, Marat
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Kamini S
• Assistant Examiner(s): OCHOA, JUAN CARLOS
• Application Number:
  US12/058,534
• Time in Patent Office: 3,413 Days
• Field of Search: 703 23, 703 20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3013 where the computing system is an embedded system, i.e. a combination of hardware and software dedicated to perform a certain function in mobile devices, printers, automotive or aircraft systems testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof G05B23/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3058 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring environmental properties or parameters of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring of power, currents, temperature, humidity, position, vibrations thermal management in cooling arrangements of a computing system G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3065 Monitoring arrangements determined by the means or processing involved in reporting the monitored data error or fault reporting or logging G06F11/0766
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3656 using a specific debug interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/805 Real-time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/34 for reconfigurable circuits, e.g. field programmable gate arrays [FPGA] or programmable logic devices [PLD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Target device monitoring systems and methods are presented. In one embodiment, a host emulation target device control method includes receiving high level express interface direction to change a design element value. The design element values are associated with an operating target device. Design element values corresponding to the direction are created. The design element values are also forwarded to the operating target device in real time.

Claims

1. A target device control method comprising:

receiving high level express interface direction to change one or more design element values of a set of user-selectable design element values, wherein said one or more design element values are associated with an application operating on a target device during said receiving;

creating the one or more design element values corresponding to said direction;

analyzing said direction to determine if another design element value of the set of user-selectable design element values is impacted by said change, wherein the another design element value affects operation of the application on the target device;

in response to determining that said another design element value of the application is impacted by said change, automatically updating the target device in real time by forwarding an updated value for said another design element value to said target device during operation of the application on the target device.

2. A target device control method of claim 1 further comprising presenting a user friendly intuitive graphics user interface for initiating said direction.

3. A target device control method of claim 2 wherein changes to said one or more design element values are symbolically initiated.

4. A target device control method of claim 1 wherein said creating includes updating widget information corresponding to changes in said one or more design element values.

5. A target device control method of claim 4 wherein the one or more design element values are associated with an input, transfer function valuators or an output.

6. A target device control method of claim 1 wherein update data is received from communication registers of said target device.

7. A target device control method of claim 3 further comprising comparing said changes in said one or more design element values associated with an operating target device to one or more design element values associated with a simulation of a target device.

8. A target device control method of claim 1 wherein said receiving includes directing monitoring of design element value information alteration feedback from said target device.

9. An express design system comprising:

a target device for implementing a design definition for an application;

a host computer system for creating said design definition based on a direction to change one or more design element values of a set of user-selectable design element values and in response to determining that another design element value is impacted by said change, automatically updating the target device in real time by forwarding an updated value for said another design element value to said target device during operation of the application on the target device, wherein the another design element value affects operation of the application on the target device; and

a board monitor component for interfacing between said host computer system and said target device in real time.

10. An express design system of claim 9 wherein said board monitor component comprises:

a USB interface for interfacing with said host computer system; and

an I2C interface for interfacing with said target device.

11. An express design system of claim 9 wherein said board monitor is working on a hex file as said hex file is executing on said target device.

12. An express design system of claim 11 wherein said hex file is static.

13. An express design system of claim 9 wherein said host computer system comprises a graphical user interface presentation in a user friendly intuitive configuration for inputting design element changes.

14. An express design system of claim 9 wherein said one or more design element values include symbolically indicated inputs.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium for storing instructions directing processor operations, wherein said instructions comprise:

interpreting a design element value alteration indication for a first value associated with an application operating on an operating target device;

formulating target update information corresponding to said design element value alteration indication, wherein said formulating comprises examining if a second value of the set of user-selectable design element values associated with the application is affected by a change in the first value, wherein the second value affects operation of the application on the target device; and

in response to determining that the second value is affected by the change in the first value, automatically forwarding target update information for the second value to the operating target device in real time during operation of the application on the operating target device.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein said formulating comprises:

incorporating information associated with said examining into express interface information.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 further comprising directing of presentation of said express interface information and information associated with said design element value alteration indication.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein said presentation is a user friendly symbolic graphical user interface that reflects said altering of said express interface information symbolically.

19. A computer readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein said values include states of said operating target device in real time.