Exception handling in microprocessors using assertion libraries

ABSTRACT

In complex System-on-a-Chip (SoC) designs, designers often need to add new features into an original processor core, such as to extend the exception handling mechanism to consider exceptions in the remaining portion of the SoC design. We present in this paper a scalable architecture that can be used to add complex exception handling mechanisms in processor cores and how it can be used to extend the fixed set of exceptions found in microprocessor cores. This mechanism is based on the use of assertion libraries linked by an assertion processor to incorporate these new functionalities.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  B. Hardware
  B.8 Performance and Reliability
      B.8.1 Reliability, Testing, and Fault-Tolerance

General Terms:
Design, Management, Reliability, Verification

Keywords:
assertions, exceptions handling