Debugging of hardware and software requires a fast and accurate connection
As systems on chip (SoC) become increasingly complex, SoC designers and software developers require advanced control and visibility into these complicated platforms. With powerful debug features such as ARM’s CoreSight™ technology, the ability to download, run, and debug software on ARM-based devices at processor speed is critical to ensuring the validation of changes made to system and software.
Solution: Run-control unit with advanced debug functionality over a JTAG connection
The RealView ICE run control unit from ARM connects to single and multi-core systems over JTAG and serial wire. With features such as Virtual Ethernet for mounting of remote files systems without additiona drivers or I/O ports, accelerated hardware bring-up for many development platforms, and open debug interface for use with third-party tools, RealView ICE is a comprehensive solution for development and debug of complex SoCs.
Features of the RealView ICE run control unit
- USB and Ethernet interface allows direct and remote connections from the host PC
- Code download at speeds of up to 1450 Kbytes per second allow for fast software download to target
- JTAG clocks of up to 50MHz provide fast trace upload over the existing debug port
RealView Trace 2
The ARM® RealView® Trace 2 data capture unit introduces an innovative data streaming capability to the RealView tools that directly enables hardware platform profiling by the new RealView Profiler product from ARM.
The RealView Trace 2 unit, combined with the RealView ICE run control unit and the RealView Profiler, provides innovative streaming profiling from hardware targets. This streaming profiling technique removes the usual trace capture module dependence on the size of the on-board buffer, thus enabling profiling for as long as is needed.
Using its own dedicated USB2 connection to the host PC, the unit is currently capable of streaming the profiling data of targets running at clock frequencies of up to 250 MHz.
Other significant changes and improvements to trace data capture capabilities include:
- Supported trace clock speed increased to 480 MHz (from 250MHz)
- Double Data Rate clocking up to 240 MHz
- Trace data width support increased to 32-bit (from 16-bit)
- Optional new Dual-Mictor probe required
- Flexible trace clock positioning (relative to trace data)
- Memory buffer size doubled
Huge buffering potential on host platforms The RealView Trace 2 unit is an optional plug-in unit to the RealView ICE run control unit, replacing the original, highly successful RealView Trace product. The unit maintains full compatibility with the debug trace tools of the RealView Development Suite , for the visualization and analysis of the non-invasive, real-time execution of instructions and data transactions.
