Method and apparatus for signaling on-line failure detection
First Claim
1. A method of signaling failures and their causality by built-in test apparatus for a digital type electrical system including at least one signal processing unit subject to different types of failures, comprising the steps of:
- signaling operational status of said signal processing unit to first level status collector means by way of a plurality of two wire digital signaling paths, each of which respectively provides an initial two state status report of failure or no failure of a different one of said types of failure to said first level status collector means; and
converting said two wire digital signaling paths, upon the signaling of a failure, into two wire digital signaling paths providing to said first level status collector means respective secondary plural state status reports conveying information as to the type and therefore the cause of failure initially reported.
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Abstract
Method and apparatus permitting a multi-module digital system, such as a puter, having built-in test hardware associated with each module, including a plurality of signal processing units to communicate over two wire circuitry not only the existence of a failure of a particular module, but also its causality. This is accomplished by means of a four state signaling circuit interposed between each signal processing unit of a particular module and a module built-in test circuit which operates once an error output is reported by a signal processing unit to provide a further four state indication of the details of the failure.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of signaling failures and their causality by built-in test apparatus for a digital type electrical system including at least one signal processing unit subject to different types of failures, comprising the steps of:
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signaling operational status of said signal processing unit to first level status collector means by way of a plurality of two wire digital signaling paths, each of which respectively provides an initial two state status report of failure or no failure of a different one of said types of failure to said first level status collector means; and converting said two wire digital signaling paths, upon the signaling of a failure, into two wire digital signaling paths providing to said first level status collector means respective secondary plural state status reports conveying information as to the type and therefore the cause of failure initially reported. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Apparatus for signaling on-line failures and their causality in a digital type electrical system comprising;
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at least one signal processing unit in said electrical system and having internal built-in test apparatus operable to detect selected types of failures related to the operation of said signal processing unit; first level status collector means; a plurality of two wire digital signaling paths coupled between said signal processing unit and said first level status collector means for signaling the operational status of said signal processing unit, each of said paths providing an initial two state status report of a failure or no failure of a different one of said selected types of failure of said signal processing unit to said first level status collector means; and circuit means coupled between said signal processing unit and said first level status collector means for converting said two wire digital signaling paths, upon the signaling of a failure, into two wire digital signaling paths providing to said first level status collector means respective secondary plural state status reports conveying information as to the type and therefore the cause of failure initially reported by said two state status report. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification