KR100658485B1 - Microprocessor development system - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for developing an MCU(Micro Control Unit) is provided to implement a debugging function without using any EVA(EVAluation) chip, process the debugging function implemented by the EVA chip with software by interrupt control, and apply for an integrated debugging device shared to a hardware and software developer. A program storing part(210) stores a user application program and an MDS(MCU Development System) program. An MDS controller(204) controls mode switchover from the user application program to the MDS program by an interrupt. An MDS mode setting part(202) receives host input from a host(230) and is connected to the MDS controller. If the real-time debugging function is requested during execution of the user application program, an MCU core(220) executes the MDS program by switching a program mode according to the MDS controller. The MDS controller includes an interrupt generator(208) generating the interrupt for stopping the user application program and an interrupt vector recorder(206) storing address information of an extended interrupt processing routine for processing the generated interrupt.

Description

Microprocessor Development System {MICROPROCESSOR DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM}

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an MDS support environment using an EVA chip according to the prior art.

2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration for supporting the functions of an MDS in a single chip according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3A is a flow diagram illustrating a process for performing an interrupt processing routine in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

3B is a flowchart for performing debugging instructions such as reading / writing an internal register value, reading a desired user code and sending it externally, sending an internal PC value to an outside, etc. in an interrupt processing routine.

3C is a flowchart for performing debugging instructions such as reading / writing internal memory values and adding / deleting new breakpoints in an interrupt processing routine;

* Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings

100: Microprocessor development system support environment using EVA chip

110: Eva chip 122: FPGA

124: code memory 126: interface

120, 200: Microprocessor Development System (MDS)

130: host 140: I / O module

202: MDS mode setting unit 204: MDS control unit

206: interrupt vector recorder 207: MDS register file

208: interrupt generator 210: program storage unit

211: user application storage

212: MDS program storage unit 214: Multiplexer (MUX)

220: MCU core 230: host

The present invention relates to a microprocessor development system, and more particularly to a microprocessor development system that provides a debugging function in real time without using a separate EVA chip.

A micro-controller unit (MCU) is an integrated circuit device composed of memory and I / O devices such as ROM and RAM in addition to registers. It is used to control arithmetic, control, and special purpose devices. Do this. As the development of semiconductor technology improves the integration of a VLSI, most chips have a large program ROM having a certain amount of memory therein.

Generally, in a system with a built-in microprocessor, a program is stored in a program ROM as described above. If an error occurs in a program written by a developer, a complicated and cumbersome task of modifying and storing the program in a ROM and executing the system must be repeated. . To simplify these cumbersome tasks, program developers employ a Microprocessor Development System (MDS), which includes the hardware, software, and the like necessary to develop a system with a built-in microprocessor.

In MDS, the most important factor is the ability to verify whether the program you've run is correct, that is, the ability to debug program errors. In general, when designing a system employing a microcontroller unit, it is designed using a target system equipped with an EVA chip (EVA chip) further including an input / output terminal for measuring signals inside the MCU.

Eva chip is a chip that performs the same function as the MCU actually used. It can be called MCU without memory. It communicates with the debugger of the computer and transmits various data in the target system to the computer and sends the debugger commands. Control by converting as appropriate. Without these EVA chips, every time a program developer debugs, the computer must download a modified program to the MCU's internal or external memory each time.

That is, MDS used to develop a system related to MCU with memory requires separate EVA chip suitable for development purpose. EVA chip fetches program to be stored in MCU program ROM from external ROM or RAM. Enable debugging, or provide data state inside MCU. As described above, in the related art, a program has been used to store a program in a microcontroller unit using a ROM writer and to develop a program using an emulator composed of a separate integrated circuit device called an EVA chip.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an MDS support environment 100 using an EVA chip according to the prior art.

As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional MDS support environment 100 includes an EVA chip 110 that fetches code via a fetch bus FET_BUS, an MDS 120 having an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) 122. , The host 130 connected to the MDS 120, and the input / output module 140 connected to the EVA chip 110. The EVA chip 110 receives a control signal from the input / output module 140 through the address bus ADR_BUS or the data bus DATA_BUS.

The MDS 120 receives a code data fetched from the EVA chip 110 while being synchronized with an internal clock signal, and generates an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) 122 to generate a program code, and an external ROM or RAM code. A memory 124 and an interface unit 126 that performs connection with the EVA chip 110. The FPGA 122 is connected to the interface unit 126 through the control bus CTR_BUS, and the interface unit 126 is connected to the EVA chip 110 through the control bus. The FPGA 122 communicates with the host 130 via the host bus HOST_BUS. In the MDS using the EVA chip 110, the EVA chip 110 fetches a program to be stored in the ROM of the MCU chip from an external ROM or RAM, and the code memory 124 such as the ROM or RAM has a predetermined bit. Send the command code to the Eva chip (110).

However, conventional MDSs additionally require pin configurations for address buses, data buses, and control signals in addition to existing input / output pins. In addition, since the EVA chip has to be designed separately after system development, there is a problem in that time delay and economic cost are increased according to the EVA chip design.

Korean Patent Publication No. 2003-77475 filed on March 26, 2002 (hereinafter, referred to as Reference 1) discloses an on-chip function microcomputer. This on-chip functional microcomputer discloses a structure for embedding an EVA chip. However, the on-chip function referred to in this reference 1 is a simple trace function. That is, the function of the microprocessor to store and output the registers, memory, PC values, etc. associated with the program execution, there is still a hassle that the program developer has to analyze the stored trace to debug the program.

In addition, the ideal development environment for a program developer is to use the same device as the hardware developer. Ideally, support groups such as manufacturing, testing and evaluation services could use the same devices. However, hardware and software developers use different devices, which makes it difficult to determine which debugging device to use when a hardware / software problem occurs.

In order to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a microprocessor development system for implementing a debugging function without a separate EVA chip.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a microprocessor development system for processing a debugging function implemented by the EVA chip in software by control by an interrupt.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a microprocessor development system that can be used as an integrated debugging device that can be shared by both hardware and software developers.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an MCU core, a program storage unit for storing a user's application program and an MDS program, an MDS control unit for controlling mode switching from the user's application program to the MDS program by interrupt, and a host from the host. It receives an input, and includes an MDS mode setting unit connected to the MDS control unit, the MCU core, if the real-time debugging function is required during the execution of the user program, to execute the MDS program through the mode switching of the program under the control of the MDS control unit A microprocessor development system is provided.

In another aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, mode switching of a program under the control of an MDS controller is performed by executing an extended interrupt processing routine corresponding to the interrupt in response to an interrupt occurrence of the MDS controller. It is also possible to provide the above-described microprocessor development system.

In another aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, the MDS control unit stores an interrupt generation unit for generating an interrupt for stopping a user application program, and address information of an extended interrupt processing routine for processing an interrupt generated from the interrupt generation unit. And an extended interrupt vector recorder, wherein when an interrupt occurs to stop the user application, the MCU core stops program fetch from the application and starts program fetch from the MDS program. You can also provide a development system.

In another aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, the extended interrupt processing routine may provide the above-described microprocessor development system, which is formed by extending the interrupt processing routine embedded in the MCU core.

In another aspect of the present invention, the interrupt may be provided by the MDS mode setting unit according to the host bus input to generate the microprocessor development system described above.

In another aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, an interrupt may be provided by the microprocessor development system described above, wherein the interrupt is generated by setting a breakpoint on a predetermined portion of the user application program.

In another aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, the MCU core may provide the above-described microprocessor development system, wherein the user application program is executed again when the interrupt processing ends.

In order to achieve the above object, another aspect of the present invention may provide the above-described microprocessor development system, further comprising a multiplexer for selecting one of a user-use program and an MDS program.

In another aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, in the extended interrupt processing routine, according to a user's command, the debugging instructions for reading / writing internal register values, reading / writing internal memory values, and adding / deleting new breakpoints are performed. A microprocessor development system may be provided.

The microprocessor development system described above may be a microprocessor development system characterized in that it is implemented as a single chip without a separate EVA chip.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. This embodiment is described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention.

2 is a block diagram showing a configuration for supporting the functions of an MDS in a single chip according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, in the embodiment of the present invention, a mode in which a user application program to be developed is executed (hereinafter referred to as a 'user mode') and a mode for debugging a program to be developed (hereinafter, 'MDS') are described. Mode ”, and the switching between the two modes is controlled by interrupts. Specifically, in the MDS mode, an MDS program is executed instead of a user application program by an interrupt generated by the MDS controller, thereby providing a data state inside the MCU desired by the system developer during debugging.

The microprocessor development system 200 according to the present invention is responsible for controlling the mode change between the MDS mode setting unit 202, MDS mode and user mode, which receives an input by the host bus (HOST_BUS) and sets the MDS mode. The MDS control unit 204, a program storage unit 210 in which an application program of a user running in a user mode and an MDS program stored in an MDS mode are stored, and a multiplexer (MUX) for selecting one of a user application program and an MDS program. ), And the MCU core 220.

The MDS control unit 204 also includes an extended interrupt vector recording unit 206, an MDS register file 207, and an interrupt generation unit 208. The program storage unit 210 also includes a user application program storage unit 211 in which a user's application program is stored, and an MDS program storage unit 212 in which an MDS program is stored. The microprocessor development system 200 is connected by the host 230 and the host bus, the host 230 is configured as a personal computer or workstation as a system for debugging the microprocessor.

The MDS control unit 204 in charge of MDS-related control is connected to the MDS mode setting unit 202 through the control bus CTR_BUS or the data bus DATA_BUS. The multiplexer 214 selects whether to execute an application program or an MDS program under the control of the MDS control unit 204.

In the microprocessor development system according to the present invention, a switch from the user mode to the MDS mode is performed by an interrupt requested during program execution. Specifically, the MCU core 220 switches from the user mode to the MDS mode in response to the occurrence of the interrupt, stops the instruction currently being processed, and performs an interrupt processing routine corresponding to the requested interrupt. In addition, when the interruption process ends, the process returns to the user mode and returns to the user application that was being executed.

An interrupt capable of switching the state of the MCU core 220 to the MDS mode may be generated in the MDS controller 204 by two methods. The first method is forcing the user to stop the microprocessor, and the second method is for stopping the microprocessor at the desired location on the program. That is, the first method is a method of generating an interrupt when a user performs an unexpected program part, and the second method is a method of generating an interrupt when a user intends to.

In more detail, the first method is used to determine which part of a program is being executed when a user performs an unexpected process such as a program infinite loop. When the user gives the "stop" command, the microprocessor stops at the currently running program. This interrupt is determined by the MDS mode setting unit 202 by the input by the host bus from the host 230, and is transmitted to the MDS control unit 204 to be generated.

On the other hand, the second method is used when the user wants to see debugging information. In this case, for example, the C language program "a = b + 1;" If a breakpoint is placed on a portion of the program, the microprocessor stops before executing the portion of the program. This interrupt is generated by a program counter (PC) value or a breakpoint in the memory device.

When an interrupt is generated by the first method and the second method described above, the MCU core 220 automatically branches to the address of the MDS interrupt to perform an interrupt processing routine. Table 1 shows the interrupt source of the interrupt processing routine according to the present embodiment.

Referring to Table 1, the table on the left shows the interrupt source of the existing MCU, that is, the interrupt source before extending the interrupt handling routine, and the table on the right shows the extended interrupt source that adds "MDS interrupt" to the interrupt handling routine of the existing MCU. . When an interrupt occurs that switches to MDS mode, the microprocessor automatically branches to address 002Bh to perform the interrupt handling routine.

The above-described process is controlled by the MDS control unit 204 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the MDS control unit 204 includes an extended interrupt vector recording unit 206, an MDS register file 207, and an interrupt generation unit 208. The extended interrupt vector recording unit 206 stores address information of the interrupt processing routine generated by the interrupt generator 206 in addition to the interrupt processing routine of the conventional MCU. The MDS register file 207 temporarily stores data stored in the status register and the general purpose register file, which are used while the MDS program is executed in the MDS mode. The interrupt generator 208 generates an interrupt to stop the application program by a predetermined PC value or by a breakpoint when accessing data.

 Once an interrupt is generated that causes the transition to MDS mode, MCU core 220 stops program fetch from user application store 210 and changes the PC value to an extended interrupt vector. The MCU core 220 then starts fetching the program from the MDS program store 212. The MDS program store 212 includes an extended interrupt processing routine. After the operation in the MDS mode is completed, the internal values of the MCU core 220, such as "return interrupt" in the extended interrupt handling routine, change the PC value to the PC value prior to switching to the MDS mode to continue the application. Will be performed.

3A-3C are flow diagrams illustrating a process for performing an interrupt processing routine in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

As shown in FIG. 3A, when an interrupt is generated by the first method and the second method described above (S100), the method automatically branches to the address of the MDS interrupt, enters the interrupt processing routine, and backs up the register values (S120). ).

The interrupt processing routine executes debugging commands such as reading / writing internal register values, reading / writing internal memory values, and adding / deleting new breakpoints according to user instructions.

3B shows a process for performing debugging commands such as reading / writing an internal register value, reading a desired user code and transmitting it to the outside, and sending an internal PC value to the outside. For example, save the register value by the instruction of "command = resume / start" and end the MDS interrupt routine, save the register value by the instruction of "command = STEP" and set breakpoint in the next program code. The MDS interrupt routine is then terminated. In case of the command of "command = Write SFR", it updates by receiving the register value to update from the outside, and in case of the command of "command = Read SFRs", it transmits the internal register value to the outside. In addition, when a command of "command = Read CODE" is received, a desired user program code is read and transmitted to the outside. When a command of "command = Read PC" is received, the internal PC value is transmitted to the outside.

3C illustrates a process of performing debugging commands such as reading / writing internal memory values and adding / deleting new breakpoints. For example, a command of "command = Read IRAM" transmits a desired internal memory value to the outside, and a command of "command = Read XRAM" transmits a desired external memory value to the outside. The command of "command = Write IRAM" and "command = Write XRAM" receives and updates the internal memory and the external memory value to be updated from the outside, respectively. In addition, a command of "command = Reset" generates a reset inside the chip, "command = Set S / W BP" specifies a software breakpoint at a desired location, and "command = Clear S / W BP" is a specified location. Remove S / W breakpoints.

As described above, in the MDS system according to the present invention, the debugging function implemented by the EVA chip can be processed in software by controlling the interrupt.

Although described above with reference to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, those skilled in the art will be variously modified and changed within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described in the claims below I can understand that you can.

According to the present invention as described above, since the debugging function required by the microprocessor development system is implemented in a single chip instead of an EVA chip, a separate EVA chip is not required to be purchased, so that the microprocessor development system for debugging the microprocessor is required. Can be implemented at low cost, and the development period can be reduced.

In addition, according to the present invention, since the debugging function previously implemented by the EVA chip is software-processed by the control by interrupt, unlike the trace method, hardware resource consumption can be reduced, and a significant cost reduction effect is obtained.

In addition, according to the present invention, by separating the application program running in the user mode and the MDS program running in the MDS mode, in the MDS mode by performing the MDS program instead of the application program by the interrupt generated in the MDS controller, program developers want The modification of the program can be performed easily and quickly.

Therefore, by providing a debugging function performed in real time, the program developer can easily obtain the desired debugging information, and provides a faster data state inside the MCU desired by the program developer, thereby communicating between the microprocessor and the host. The amount of data is reduced, thus saving hardware resources.

In addition, software debugging can be executed on the host computer to provide debugging functions such as reading / writing internal register values, reading / writing internal memory values, and adding / deleting new breakpoints. It is possible to provide an integrated microprocessor development system that can be shared.

Claims (10)

MCU core; A program storage unit for storing a user's application program and MDS program; An MDS controller for controlling mode switching from the application program of the user to the MDS program by an interrupt; And Receiving a host input from a host and including an MDS mode setting unit connected to the MDS control unit; And the MCU core executes the MDS program by switching a mode of the program under the control of the MDS controller when a real time debugging function of the user is required during execution of the user application program. The method of claim 1, Mode switching of the program under the control of the MDS control unit is performed by performing an extended interrupt processing routine corresponding to the interrupt in response to the interrupt generated by the MDS control unit. The method of claim 1, The MDS control unit, An interrupt generator for generating an interrupt to stop the user application program; And An extended interrupt vector recording unit for storing address information of an extended interrupt processing routine for processing interrupts generated by the interrupt generator; And if an interrupt occurs to stop the user application, the MCU core stops program fetch from the application and initiates a program fetch from the MDS program. The method of claim 2 or 3, The extended interrupt processing routine is a microprocessor development system, characterized in that by extending the interrupt processing routine embedded in the MCU core. The method of claim 2 or 3, The interrupt generated by the MDS control unit is a microprocessor development system implemented with a single chip, characterized in that generated by the determination in the MDS mode setting unit according to the host bus input. The method of claim 2 or 3, The interrupt generated by the MDS controller is generated by setting a breakpoint in a predetermined portion on the user application program. The method of claim 2 or 3, And the MCU core executes the user application again when the interrupt processing generated by the MDS controller is completed. The method of claim 1, And a multiplexer for selecting one of the user-use program and the MDS program. The method of claim 2, The extended interrupt handling routine performs a debugging command according to a user's command, The debugging command may include an internal register value read / write, an internal memory value read / write, and a new breakpoint add / delete command. The method of claim 1, The microprocessor development system is a microprocessor development system, characterized in that implemented as a single chip without a separate EVA chip.

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