IP Library Granted Patent US 8,726,223
Granted Patent B2
US 8,726,223 · App. 13/624,706 · Granted May 13, 2014

Hot-plugging debugger architectures

Inventors: Sylvain Garnier (Nantes, FR); Anthony Rouaux (Mauves sur Loire, FR); Sebastien Jouin (La Chapelle-Launay, FR); Frode Milch Pedersen (Trondheim, NO)
Assignee: Atmel Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,726,223
App. No.
13/624,706
Granted
May 13, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and techniques for hot-plugging debugger capabilities are described. A described integrated circuit device includes a processor, a first pad interface, a detector configured to detect a clock signal via the first pad interface, one or more second pad interfaces, two or more components including a debug system that is communicatively coupled with the processor, a multiplexer communicatively coupled with the one or more second pad interfaces and the two or more components, and configured to selectively interconnect the one or more second pad interfaces with a selected component of the two or more components. The multiplexer can be configured to cause the debug system to be the selected component when the clock signal is detected via the first pad interface.

Claims (56)

1. An integrated circuit apparatus comprising:

a processor,

a first pad interface;

a detector configured to detect a clock signal via the first pad interface;

one or more second pad interfaces;

two or more components including a debug system that is communicatively coupled with the processor; and

a multiplexer communicatively coupled with the one or more second pad interfaces and the two or more components, and configured to selectively interconnect the one or more second pad interfaces with a selected component of the two or more components,

wherein the multiplexer is configured to cause the debug system to be the selected component when the clock signal is detected via the first pad interface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

circuitry to detect an override event associated with a reassignment of the first pad interface, wherein the override event causes the detector to suspend detection of the clock signal on the first pad interface such that the first pad interface becomes usable as a general purpose input interface, output interface, or both.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more second pad interfaces include two or more pad interfaces.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the two or more components includes a general purpose input/output (GPIO) controller that is communicatively coupled with the processor.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising:

circuitry configured to generate an override signal to change an assignment of the first pad interface from the debug system to the GPIO controller; and

circuitry configured to register the override signal to maintain the assignment to the GPIO controller.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

circuitry configured to determine a protection status of a non-volatile memory that is communicatively coupled with the processor; and

circuitry configured to cause a generation of the selection signal when the protection status indicates an unprotected state.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first pad interface is connectable with a debug clock signal interface of a debug probe that provides the clock signal, and wherein the debug system is responsive to a connection of the debug probe that occurs after the apparatus has transitioned to an active state.

8. A system comprising:

a processor,

a first pad interface;

a detector configured to detect a clock signal via the first pad interface;

one or more second pad interfaces;

a debug system communicatively coupled with the processor;

a general purpose input/output (GPIO) controller communicatively coupled with the processor;

a multiplexer communicatively coupled with the one or more second pad interfaces and a group of resources including the debug system and the GPIO controller, wherein the multiplexer is configured to selectively interconnect the one or more second pad interfaces with a selected resource of the group of resources based on a selection signal; and

a selector configured to produce the selection signal such that the multiplexer interconnects the one or more second pad interfaces with the debug system when the clock signal is detected via the first pad interface.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:

circuitry to detect an override event associated with a reassignment of the first pad interface, wherein the override event causes the detector to suspend detection of the clock signal on the first pad interface such that the first pad interface becomes usable as a general purpose input interface, output interface, or both.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the GPIO controller generates the override event.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first pad interface is connectable with a debug clock signal interface of a debug probe that provides the clock signal, and wherein the debug system is responsive to a connection of the debug probe that occurs after the system has transitioned to an active state.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more second pad interfaces include two or more pad interfaces.

13. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:

circuitry configured to generate an override signal to change an assignment of the first pad interface from the debug system to the GPIO controller; and

circuitry configured to register the override signal to maintain the assignment to the GPIO controller.

14. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:

a non-volatile memory configured to store instructions for execution on the processor;

circuitry configured to determine a protection status of the non-volatile memory; and

circuitry configured to cause a generation of the selection signal when the protection status indicates an unprotected state.

15. A method comprising:

causing a processor-chip to start-up and transition to an active state without a debug probe attached to a first pad interface of the processor-chip;

operating a multiplexer of the processor-chip to selectively interconnect one or more second pad interfaces with two or more components of the processor-chip, the components including a debug system;

detecting, when the processor-chip is in the active state, an attachment of the debug probe to the first pad interface by observing a clock signal from the debug probe via the first pad interface; and

generating, in response to the attachment, a selection signal that causes the multiplexer to interconnect the one or more second pad interfaces with the debug system.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

generating an override signal to prevent further detection of a debug probe on the first pad interface.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

operating, in response to the override signal, the multiplexer to interconnect the first pad interface with a general purpose input/output (GPIO) controller; and

registering the override signal to maintain the assignment to the GPIO controller.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

operating the GPIO controller to generate the override signal.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

determining a protection status of a non-volatile memory that is communicatively coupled with the processor, and

causing the generating of the selection signal when the protection status indicates an unprotected state.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first pad interface is connectable with a debug clock signal interface of a debug probe that provides the clock signal, and wherein the debug system is responsive to a connection of the debug probe that occurs after the processor-chip has transitioned to the active state.

Assignments (19)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060894/0437 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059363/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059863/0400 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059262/0105 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059333/0222 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057935/0474 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055671/0612 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053468/0705 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053466/0011 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0305 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047103/0206 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 046426/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2017
From: ATMEL CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 041715/0747 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL Recorded Apr 7, 2016
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038376/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 3, 2014
From: ATMEL CORPORATION
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC. AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 031912/0173 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 9, 2013
From: ATMEL NANTES S.A.S.
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 030181/0767 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 28, 2012
From: PEDERSEN, FRODE MILCH
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 029367/0471 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 28, 2012
From: GARNIER, SYLVAIN; ROUAUX, ANTHONY; JOUIN, SEBASTIEN
To: ATMEL NANTES S.A.S.
Reel/Frame 029367/0495 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140089748A1 · Mar 27, 2014