Debug

11.1Debug systems

The Cortex-R4 processor is one component of a debug system. Figure 11-1shows a typical system.

Debug

host

Host computer running RealView Debugger

Protocol

converter

For example, RealView ICE

Debug

target

Development system containing Cortex-R4 processor

Figure 11-1 Typical debug system

This typical system has three parts, described in the following sections:

Debug host

Protocol converter

Debug target.

11.1.1Debug host

The debug host is a computer, for example a personal computer, running a software debugger such as RealViewDebugger. The debug host enables you to issue high-level commands such as setting breakpoint at a certain location, or examining the contents of a memory address.

11.1.2Protocol converter

The debug host connects to the processor development system using an interface such as Ethernet. The messages broadcast over this connection must be converted to the interface signals of the debug target. A protocol converter performs this function, for example, RealView ICE.

11.1.3Debug target

The debug target is the lowest level of the system. An example of a debug target is a development system with a Cortex-R4 test chip or a silicon part with a Cortex-R4 macrocell.

The debug target must implement some system support for the protocol converter to access the processor debug unit using the Advanced Peripheral Bus (APB) slave port.

The debug unit enables you to:

stall program execution

examine the internal state of the processor and the state of the memory system

resume program execution.

ARM DDI 0363E

Copyright © 2009 ARM Limited. All rights reserved.

11-2

ID013010

Non-Confidential, Unrestricted Access

 

Page 271
Image 271
ARM R4F, r1p3 manual Debug systems, Debug host Protocol converter Debug target