Transaction-Based Online Debug for NoC-Based Multiprocessor SoCs

Abstract—As complexity and size of Systems-on-Chip (SoC) grow, debugging becomes a bottleneck for designing IC products. In this paper, we present an approach for online debug of NoC-based multiprocessor SoCs. Our approach utilizes monitors and filters implemented in hardware. Monitors and filters observe and filter transactions at run-time. They are connected to a Debug Unit (DU). Transaction-based programmable Finite State Machines (FSMs) in the DU check assertions online to validate the correct relation of transactions at run-time. The experimental results show efficiency and performance of our approach. Keywords—transaction-based online debug, system-on-chip (SoC), network-on-chip (NoC) I