Concurrent Error Detection in Vlsi Systems Through Structure Encoding (Fault Tolerance, Self-Checking)
This thesis concerns the detection of errors caused by physical failures in digital systems. As an alternative to explicit testing, the method of detection proposed in this thesis is concurrent error detection which is accomplished by means of a concept introduced as structure encoding. Concurrent error detection guarantees the detection of transient and intermittent error producing faults in contrast to testing. It also allows early error detection before system corruption by erroneous data and therefore facilitates ease in recovery. Strategies for concurrent error detection by means of structure encoding are developed in the thesis for a variety of system hardware modules including highly structured logic arrays and multistage interconnection networks. Practical application of the techniques has been demonstrated through several designs and mask-level layouts of a microprogram control unit incorporating structure encoding for CED as described in the thesis. Structure encoding is also applied in the thesis to software structures and methods of concurrent error detection are proposed for a variety of linked data structures.
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign