Development of a debug module for a FPGA-Based microcontroller

Description of the development of a debug system for a PICTM-compatible SoC microcontroller implemented in a FPGA. The debug module comprises a hardware interface in VHDL, which communicates with the respective microcontroller components and a software application to present the relevant information to the user and to allow for convenient control of microcontroller functions. Communication between front-end and back-end is accomplished via the JTAG port. The debug module allows easy non-interfering debugging of software for the SoC microcontroller.