Understanding JTAG and Its Alternatives

This article mainly introduces the terms related to JTAG that are easily confused:

EJTAG (Enhanced Joint Test Action Group): A specification developed by MIPS based on the basic structure and functionality of the IEEE 1149.1 protocol, it is a hardware/software subsystem that implements a set of hardware-based debugging features internally within the processor to support on-chip debugging. It uses the IEEE 1149.1 JTAG test access port (TAP) to input or output test data from the processor core. All MIPS microprocessors or SoC chip components containing MIPS cores support EJTAG debugging.

Figure1 Setup of Debug System with EJTAG

XJTAG products are a boundary scan software and hardware suite used for boundary scan work, an innovative boundary scan software and hardware suite that can quickly test, debug, and program complex embedded electronic devices.

XJTAG products use the JTAG test access protocol (built into FPGA, CPLD, and most CPU devices), which can test interconnections on printed circuit boards, designed to help engineers quickly and easily complete PCB debugging and testing, enabling customers to focus on developing better products faster and manufacturing them in a more cost-effective manner. It is a boundary scan solution that provides a universal platform for design and development engineers, test engineers, contract manufacturers, and field test engineers, capable of testing not only JTAG-supported devices but also non-JTAG devices.

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