Configurable integrated logic analyzer
AssigneeMarvell Asia Pte Ltd
InventorsAvi Haimzon, Ruven Torok
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Abstract
Methods and systems for collecting operational data from a target digital system are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method includes determining a test configuration to be used to configure a probe circuit. Determining the test configuration may include selecting one or more signal sources, defining one or more signal patterns within the selected signal sources, and defining one or more trigger events associated with the one or more signal patterns. Based on the test configuration, the probe circuit selects input/output (I/O) channels for a test cycle and captures one or more traces from the selected I/O channels during the test cycle.
Claims26
A method for analyzing operation of a target circuit within an integrated circuit, the integrated circuit comprising the target circuit and a probe circuit, the method comprising:
- determining a test configuration for analyzing operation of the target circuit comprising
- selecting one or more signal source input points within the target circuit to monitor,
- defining one or more signal patterns of the one or more signal source input points to detect, and
- defining one or more trigger events in association with the one or more signal patterns and in response to which to trigger capturing one or more signal traces from the one or more signal source input points;
- transmitting a test configuration signal indicating the test configuration to the probe circuit to select one or more channels, disposed between the probe circuit and the target circuit, from which to capture the one or more signal traces for a test cycle of the target circuit;
- receiving the captured one or more signal traces from the probe circuit;
- and
- analyzing operation of the target circuit based on the captured one or more signal traces.
A logic analyzer comprising:
- a memory configured to store an analyzer application;
- and
- a processor configured to
- execute the analyzer application to provide a user interface comprising user interface objects, and generate a test configuration signal based on the user interface objects indicating a test configuration including i) a selected one or more signal source input points of an integrated circuit;
- ii) a defined one or more signal patterns of the selected one or more signal source input points to detect;
- and iii) a defined one or more trigger events in association with the one or more signal patterns in response to which to trigger capturing one or more signal traces from the one or more signal source input points,
- transmit the test configuration signal including the test configuration to a probe circuit implemented in the integrated circuit, to select one or more channels, disposed between the probe circuit and a target circuit, from which to capture the one or more signal traces for a test cycle of the target circuit,
- receive the captured one or more signal traces from the probe circuit, and
- analyze operation of the target circuit based on the one or more signal traces.
An integrated circuit comprising:
- a target circuit comprising a plurality of circuit elements and having a target configuration of signal source input points, the target configuration preconfigured for remote and selective capturing of signal traces of the plurality of circuit elements;
- and
- a probe circuit configured to i) generate a target configuration signal indicative of the target configuration, ii) transmit the target configuration signal to a logic analyzer separate from the integrated circuit, iii) receive a test configuration signal from the logic analyzer indicating a) which selected ones of the signal source input points from which to monitor signals, b) patterns of states of the signals to detect, and c) definitions of conditional trigger events in response to which traces of the signals are to be captured, iv) detect the patterns of states of the signals at the signal source input points and in response to the conditional trigger events, capture the traces of the signals according to the test configuration signal, and v) transmit trace data of the captured traces to the logic analyzer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.