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This section provides an overview for jtag emulators as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 8 jtag emulator manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked jtag emulator companies as of December, 2024: 1.Signalogic Inc., 2.Blackhawk, 3.H-JTAG.
Table of Contents
A JTAG emulator is a type of on-chip emulator used for debugging during CPU software development.
In contrast to an in-circuit emulator (ICE), which emulates the operation of a CPU by replacing the CPU on the board with a probe. A JTAG emulator allows debugging without removing the CPU from the board, but with the CPU still mounted.
This has the advantage of enabling evaluation under the same electrical characteristics as the product board, thereby contributing to early commercialization.
JTAG is an industry standard for testing LSIs and boards. Based on this technical standard, CPU manufacturers design test access ports (TAPs) and conduct boundary scan tests (Boundary Scan Test).
As a result, the specifications of JTAG emulators differ from one CPU manufacturer to another. Since specifications that differ from one manufacturer to another cannot be called JTAG, an interface standard has been established based on the original specifications as JTAG compliance, and JTAG emulators are made based on this standard.
The JTAG standard was standardized in 1990 as IEEE 1149.1. The reason behind this is that as CPUs and LSIs became more powerful and sophisticated, the pitch between pins became narrower and narrower, making it difficult to debug and test by applying test probes directly to the pins of CPUs and LSIs.
To solve this problem, a boundary scan method was devised to analyze the state of internal circuits by connecting circuits inside the chip in a dependent manner and sequentially reading out the state of the circuits.
This method allows us to check the internal state of the CPU or LSI without having to put a test probe on each pin of the CPU or LSI.
The JTAG standard was originally invented as a method for testing CPUs and LSIs, and was later used as a debugging method in CPU software development.
JTAG has five signal pins: TCK (clock), TDI (data input), TDO (data output), TMS (state control), and TRST, but the technical standards do not define the electrical characteristics of these signals. They are individually specified by the manufacturer.
The JTAG emulator can be used for CPU debugging, board inspection, communication between the internal circuitry of the IC and the host PC, and data writing to FPGAs.
This section introduces the methods used to check the operation of the designed programming, identify defects, and improve performance.
Step Execution
This is the basic, and most commonly used debugging method. To perform step execution, it is necessary to stop the running program once. The method of stopping the program includes setting conditions called breakpoints and using the forced break function. Once the program is stopped, you can check the status of memory, registers, and variables while executing the source code line by line or function, or method by method.
Real-Time Tracing
This method is used for debugging when unexpected conditions occur. Even if branching conditions are thoroughly considered when designing a program, unexpected failures often occur when the program is combined with hardware or linked with other systems. In step execution, it is not possible to analyze failures caused by unknown conditions. Therefore, the program execution history, data access address and type (read/write), and interrupt status are stored in trace memory for failure analysis.
Time Measurement
The maximum, minimum, and average execution times (between two points from start to end) of a specified function unit module can be measured. It is also possible to measure the relationship between the called function (child function) and the calling function (parent function), as well as the frequency of calls. By improving the variation of execution time and reviewing the structure of functions, you can improve the performance of your system.
Data can be written directly to the FPGA or to the configuration memory via the FPGA. The configuration memory, on the other hand, is written to the FPGA's volatile memory (RAM). On the other hand, configuration memory is nonvolatile memory (ROM), so the program is never lost once it is written.
Choose the writing method that best suits the reduction in the number of connectors and the stage of product development (during design or mass production).
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Renesas Electronics Corporation was established in 2002 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Renesas is a global research, design, and manufacturer of semiconductors used in industries spanning automotive, consumer electronics, the internet of things, power & energy, and industrial sectors. Renesas manufactures both analog and digital products. Analog products include amplifiers, audio & video devices, data converters, PLC, and switches & multiplexers. Digital products include microcontrollers, memory components, sensors, wireless connectivity products, and others. Renesas also offers design resources such as kits, development tools, partner programs, and design tools.
Kyoto Microcomputer Co., Ltd. (KMC), founded in 1985, and based in Kyoto, Japan, is a manufacturer of high-speed JTAG-ICE, high-performance ROM in-circuit emulator, and processor board products. The company also provides software development to offer a development environment providing its flagship debugger "PARTNER". The company designs and supplies development tools for embedded microcontrollers in the industrial control, communications, computer, and consumer electronic industries. It also supplies hardware and software debugging tools by continuing to provide debugging solutions.
ST Micro Electronics is a global semiconductor company serving customers with innovations to have a positive impact on people's lives. Their product line is micro electronic systems, such as switches, controllers, sensors and drivers. The main selling point of ST Micro Electronics is its provision of sustainable products, and introducing their electronics to create a more sustainable world. The company, as well as providing the electronic devices, also provides software and support, ensuring that all fields are covered to provide a fully provide a supported and strong relationship with their customer base. ST Micro Electronics believe that technology plays a key role in helping to solve environmental and social challenges, which is why their semiconductor technologies start with their employees, their customers and partners.
DTS INSIGHT CORPORATION., founded in 2001, and based in Tokyo, Japan, is a supplier of system development support products in the automotive & embedded systems fields. The company’s products also include hardware, firmware, and software development systems in the healthcare field. The company’s microcomputer development environment system products are used in cell phones, intelligent home appliances, automobiles, industrial equipment, and more. Its flash microcomputer programmer called NET IMPRESS is used as a flash programmer for development, production lines, and support.
Sohwa & Sophia Technologies Inc., established in 1983 and headquartered in Fukushima, Japan, is a manufacturer of products for R&D engineers. The company provides a range of products and services, including printed circuit board design, electronic equipment prototyping and development, and system development. It also offers embedded development solutions for Toshiba microcontrollers, such as Flash writers and emulators for the TX03 Series. It has developed a hand-held device for train navigation that does not require the remodeling of cars to install the units. It serves various industries such as the automotive, aerospace, and telecommunications industries.
Ranking as of December 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Signalogic Inc. |
27.8%
|
| 2 | Blackhawk |
22.2%
|
| 3 | H-JTAG |
16.7%
|
| 4 | DTS INSIGHT CORPORATION |
11.1%
|
| 5 | Renesas Electronics Corporation. |
11.1%
|
| 6 | STMicroelectronics |
11.1%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the jtag emulator page as of December 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
Japan
|
4 | 57.1% |
United States of America
|
2 | 28.6% |
China
|
1 | 14.3% |
3 products found
3 products
Prime Systems Co., Ltd.
330+ people viewing
Last viewed: 23 hours ago
■ Characteristics ･ Necessary when using the JTAG cable "Platform Cable USB II". ･ Convert a 2mm pitch 14 -pin JTAG connector to a half pitch.
Special Electronic Circuit Co., Ltd.
80+ people viewing
Last viewed: 10 hours ago
MITOUJTAG BASIC is an entry version for those using JTAG boundary scan for the first time. By using this software, you will be able to view the sta...
Special Electronic Circuit Co., Ltd.
70+ people viewing
Last viewed: 9 hours ago
A fun tool for electronic circuit engineers that changes FGPA prototyping and board inspection MITOUJTAG Pro is a high-grade version with all the ...
