Fault tolerant computing system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for tolerating a single event fault in an electronic circuit, comprising:
- a main processor that controls the operation of the system;
a fault detection processor responsive to the main processor;
three or more programmable logic devices responsive to the fault detection processor; and
wherein the three or more programmable logic devices periodically issue independent input signals to the fault detection processor for determination of one or more single event fault conditions.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for tolerating a single event fault in an electronic circuit is disclosed. The system includes a main processor that controls the operation of the system, a fault detection processor responsive to the main processor, and three or more programmable logic devices responsive to the fault detection processor. The three or more programmable logic devices periodically issue independent input signals to the fault detection processor for determination of one or more single event fault conditions.
-
Citations
29 Claims
-
1. A system for tolerating a single event fault in an electronic circuit, comprising:
-
a main processor that controls the operation of the system;
a fault detection processor responsive to the main processor;
three or more programmable logic devices responsive to the fault detection processor; and
wherein the three or more programmable logic devices periodically issue independent input signals to the fault detection processor for determination of one or more single event fault conditions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A circuit for detecting one or more sufficient single event fault conditions, the circuit comprising:
-
means for generating a decision based on one or more logic readings provided by each of the one or more input signals;
means, responsive to the means for generating, for indicating whether at least one of the one or more input signals is affected by the one or more sufficient single event fault conditions; and
means, responsive to the means for indicating, for automatically reconfiguring the means for generating affected by the one or more sufficient single event fault conditions. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A device for comparing one or more electronic signals, comprising:
-
voter logic that provides a first output signal to a multiplexer and a second output signal to one or more fault counters;
three or more word synchronizers that receive the one or more electronic signals and provide three or more adjusted outputs to the voter logic whereby the three or more adjusted outputs each provide a reading that the voter logic determines to be sufficiently in agreement; and
if one of the three or more adjusted outputs is not sufficiently in agreement with two or more remaining adjusted outputs, the device automatically reconfigures a source of the one of the three or more adjusted outputs not sufficiently in agreement. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method for tolerating a single event fault in an electronic circuit, comprising the steps of:
-
periodically receiving a logic reading from each of three or more programmable logic devices;
identifying a suspect device when the logic reading from the suspect device is no longer sufficiently in agreement with at least two logic readings that correspond to at least two remaining programmable logic devices;
comparing an adjustable threshold level to a number of times the three or more programmable logic devices have not been sufficiently in agreement; and
if the adjustable threshold level is exceeded, automatically reconfiguring the suspect device within a minimum amount of time. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A method for synchronizing data during one or more single event fault conditions, comprising the steps of:
-
routing one or more original input signals through a voter logic circuit;
aligning each of the one or more original input signals with a frame signal;
transferring an aligned input signal into a known time domain within the voter logic circuit; and
determining if the aligned input signal has been substantially modified by the one or more single event fault conditions. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
-
Specification