"We're now able to offer levels of connectivity that befit the advanced features of UltraDebug," said Rupert Baines, pictured, UltraSoC's CEO. "And USB is just the beginning. In a world of 50billion connected devices, being able to optimise an embedded system remotely is a very powerful capability."
The company explains that, traditionally, designers have relied on debug specific interfaces – typically Jtag – to analyse chip behaviour. UltraDebug allows this to be done via the USB interface found in many devices. The approach is said to bring many benefits, including: doing away with the need for dedicated debugging pins; faster data transfer; and an interface that remains accessible.
UltraDebug is delivered as silicon IP for integration into the chip design. It is said to be compatible with IP and processor blocks from any vendor and to be 'particularly powerful' when used in systems that include IP from multiple sources. Advanced security features are also integrated.
Future developments will support other standard interfaces, such as Ethernet or PCIe.
