Patent ID: 7721267
Filing Date: 2010-05-18
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of tracing software pipelined loops comprising the steps of: inhibiting an output of trace data at start of a software pipelined loop (SPLOOP); indicating a skip in an output trace packet if the SPLOOP is skipped; indicating the SPLOOP at a first cycle of an epilog state in an output trace packet if the SPLOOP is not skipped; maintaining an iteration count indicating a selected one of a last time SPLOOP information was sent, or a position within the SPLOOP if it is part of a sync point; outputting a periodic SPLOOP marker (PerSP) coinciding with the sync point if the SPLOOP is active, where PerSp contains an absolute iteration count while the SPLOOP is in a prolog; if the SPLOOP is in a kernel, indicate kernel only, with an iteration count of 000; and sending an end packet on exit from the SPLOOP.