Patent ID: 7146543
Filing Date: 2006-12-05
Classification: G06F,G11C,H01L

Abstract:
1. A semiconductor device comprising: a first chip as an object of tracing and having a data processing circuit mounted thereon; a second chip having a storage circuit storing data used by said first chip mounted thereon; and a third chip monitoring a signal between said first chip and said second chip and tracing an operation of said first chip, formed by a chip separate from said first and second chips, wherein said third chip includes a sample pad inserted between a wiring between said first and second chips, a trace circuit monitoring a signal flowing through the sample pad and controlling tracing of said first chip, a first storage circuit successively storing the signal flowing through the sample pad as trace information, and an external input/output port externally outputting the trace information stored in said first storage circuit and externally receiving data as an input for setting of said trace circuit, wherein said trace circuit includes a trace point register storing a memory address to be monitored, a comparing circuit comparing an address flowing through said sample pad with the memory address stored in said trace point register, and a control circuit controlling progress of tracing based on a result of comparison by said comparing circuit.