Patents by Inventor Ernest L. Edgar

Ernest L. Edgar has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240020216
    Abstract: A trace circuitry may be configured to receive a selection of one or more types of events possible in a processor core among multiple types of events. The trace circuitry may generate a message including trace information when an event corresponding to the selection occurs in the processor core. The trace information may include an address associated with the event and an indication of the type of event and/or cause for why the event occurred. In some implementations, the trace circuitry may use an event filter to pass events corresponding to the one or more types of events that are selected and block events corresponding to one or more types of events that are not selected. In some implementations, the trace circuitry may generate timestamps based on events to enable measurements between the events.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Bruce Ableidinger, Ernest L. Edgar
  • Patent number: 11675945
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for generation and testing of integrated circuit designs with clock crossings between clock domains and reset crossings between reset domains. These may allow for the rapid design and testing (e.g. silicon testing) of processors and SoCs. Clock crossings may be automatically generated between modules, inferring the values of design parameters, such as a signaling protocol (e.g. a bus protocol), directionality, and/or a clock crossing type (e.g., synchronous, rational divider, or asynchronous), of a clock crossing. Reset crossings may be automatically generated in a similar manner. For example, implicit classes may be used to generate clock crossings or reset crossings in a flexible manner. For example, these system and methods may be used to rapidly connect a custom processor design, including one or more IP cores, to a standard input/output shell for a SoC design to facilitate rapid silicon testing of the custom processor design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: SiFive, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry Cook, Ernest L. Edgar, Ryan Macdonald, Wesley Waylon Terpstra
  • Publication number: 20220308878
    Abstract: A trace encoder may be connected to a processor core. The trace encoder may be configured to maintain a count of branches that are consecutively taken when executed by the processor core and/or a count of branches that are consecutively not-taken when executed by the processor core. The trace encoder may be configured to send a message including the count.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Bruce Ableidinger, Ernest L. Edgar
  • Publication number: 20220261522
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for generation and testing of integrated circuit designs with clock crossings between clock domains and reset crossings between reset domains. These may allow for the rapid design and testing (e.g. silicon testing) of processors and SoCs. Clock crossings may be automatically generated between modules, inferring the values of design parameters, such as a signaling protocol (e.g. a bus protocol), directionality, and/or a clock crossing type (e.g., synchronous, rational divider, or asynchronous), of a clock crossing. Reset crossings may be automatically generated in a similar manner. For example, implicit classes may be used to generate clock crossings or reset crossings in a flexible manner. For example, these system and methods may be used to rapidly connect a custom processor design, including one or more IP cores, to a standard input/output shell for a SoC design to facilitate rapid silicon testing of the custom processor design.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Henry Cook, Ernest L. Edgar, Ryan Macdonald, Wesley Waylon Terpstra
  • Patent number: 11321511
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for generation and testing of integrated circuit designs with clock crossings between clock domains and reset crossings between reset domains. These may allow for the rapid design and testing (e.g. silicon testing) of processors and SoCs. Clock crossings may be automatically generated between modules, inferring the values of design parameters, such as a signaling protocol (e.g. a bus protocol), directionality, and/or a clock crossing type (e.g., synchronous, rational divider, or asynchronous), of a clock crossing. Reset crossings may be automatically generated in a similar manner. For example, implicit classes may be used to generate clock crossings or reset crossings in a flexible manner. For example, these system and methods may be used to rapidly connect a custom processor design, including one or more IP cores, to a standard input/output shell for a SoC design to facilitate rapid silicon testing of the custom processor design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: SiFive, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry Cook, Ernest L. Edgar, Ryan Macdonald, Wesley Waylon Terpstra
  • Publication number: 20210173987
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for generation and testing of integrated circuit designs with clock crossings between clock domains and reset crossings between reset domains. These may allow for the rapid design and testing (e.g. silicon testing) of processors and SoCs. Clock crossings may be automatically generated between modules, inferring the values of design parameters, such as a signaling protocol (e.g. a bus protocol), directionality, and/or a clock crossing type (e.g., synchronous, rational divider, or asynchronous), of a clock crossing. Reset crossings may be automatically generated in a similar manner. For example, implicit classes may be used to generate clock crossings or reset crossings in a flexible manner. For example, these system and methods may be used to rapidly connect a custom processor design, including one or more IP cores, to a standard input/output shell for a SoC design to facilitate rapid silicon testing of the custom processor design.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: Henry Cook, Ernest L. Edgar, Ryan Macdonald, Wesley Waylon Terpstra
  • Patent number: 8185879
    Abstract: A method for tracing a multi-tasking embedded pipelined processor includes executing compiled code including trace controls. Tracing is initiated when the execution of the compiled code is initiated. Tracing is stopped when execution of the compiled code is completed. A trace record is formed during tracing. The trace record includes a processor mode indication, application space identity value and an instruction architecture set mode indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: MIPS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Radhika Thekkath, Franz Treue, Ernest L. Edgar, Richard T. Leatherman
  • Patent number: 7886150
    Abstract: An embedded system or system on chip (SoC) includes a secure JTAG system and method to provide secure on-chip control, capture, and export of on chip information in an embedded environment to a probe. In one embodiment, the system comprises encryption logic associated with a JTAG subsystem and decryption logic in the probe for encrypted JTAG read traffic. Inverted encryption/decryption logic provides bi-directional encryption and decryption of JTAG traffic. Encrypted information includes both authentication of valid probe/target interface and encryption of debug data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: MIPS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal S. Stollon, Ernest L. Edgar
  • Patent number: 7702055
    Abstract: A method of tracing processor data includes receiving a first trace stream from a first processor operating in response to a first clock and a second trace stream from a second processor operating in response to a second clock. The first trace stream is routed to a first dual-port synchronous memory in accordance with the first clock and the second trace stream is routed to a second dual-port synchronous memory in accordance with the second clock. The first trace stream and the second trace stream are delivered to a memory in accordance with a third clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: MIPS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Ernest L. Edgar
  • Publication number: 20090037886
    Abstract: A system includes a processor to generate a free-running trace stream and a probe with a real-time decoder to dynamically detect a trigger included in the free-running trace stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: MIPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Scott M. MCCOY, Ernest L. EDGAR, Bruce J. ABLEIDINGER
  • Publication number: 20080282087
    Abstract: An embedded system or system on chip (SoC) includes a secure JTAG system and method to provide secure on-chip control, capture, and export of on chip information in an embedded environment to a probe. In one embodiment, the system comprises encryption logic associated with a JTAG subsystem and decryption logic in the probe for encrypted JTAG read traffic. Inverted encryption/decryption logic provides bi-directional encryption and decryption of JTAG traffic. Encrypted information includes both authentication of valid probe/target interface and encryption of debug data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: MIPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Neal S. Stollon, Ernest L. Edgar
  • Publication number: 20080155345
    Abstract: A method of monitoring bus transactions between masters and slaves includes generating simplified bus transaction descriptors to characterize bus transactions. Simplified bus transaction descriptors are consolidated to form a bus transaction trace stream. The bus transaction trace stream is routed to a probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: MIPS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Ernest L. EDGAR, Bruce ABLEIDINGER, Neal S. STOLLON
  • Publication number: 20080080651
    Abstract: A method of tracing processor data includes receiving a first trace stream from a first processor operating in response to a first clock and a second trace stream from a second processor operating in response to a second clock. The first trace stream is routed to a first dual-port synchronous memory in accordance with the first clock and the second trace stream is routed to a second dual-port synchronous memory in accordance with the second clock. The first trace stream and the second trace stream are delivered to a memory in accordance with a third clock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: MIPS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Ernest L. Edgar
  • Publication number: 20080082801
    Abstract: A method of tracing processor instructions includes characterizing processor state changes in accordance with simplified instruction state descriptors. The simplified instruction state descriptors are then traced with processor instructions, but processor data is not traced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: MIPS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ernest L. EDGAR, Radhika Thekkath
  • Patent number: 7134116
    Abstract: A system and method for program counter and data tracing is disclosed. The tracing mechanism of the present invention enables increased visibility into the hardware and software state of the processor core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: MIPS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Radhika Thekkath, Franz Treue, Ernest L. Edgar, Richard T. Leatherman
  • Patent number: 7043668
    Abstract: A system and method for program counter and data tracing is disclosed. Generated trace messages are included within a trace word format and stored in trace memory, thereby enabling a reduction in the amount of trace storage required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: MIPS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Franz Treue, Radhika Thekkath, Ernest L. Edgar, Richard T. Leatherman