ECC Circuit Self-Diagnosis for Incorrect Correction Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing error correction circuits in ECC technology fail to self-diagnose errors, leading to potential data corruption and compromised functional safety, especially in high-level applications.

Innovation Solution

A two-stage error correction code circuit system that includes a first error correction code circuit for data correction and a second error correction code circuit for self-diagnosis, with a comparison circuit to verify the correctness of the first circuit's output, ensuring functional safety by preventing incorrect data correction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If ECC technology is used to correct data errors, then data reliability is improved, but the risk of incorrect correction increases without self-diagnosis capability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata reliabilityVSAvoidincorrect correction risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the second ECC circuit verifies the correction results produced by the first ECC circuit. The verification circuit generates verification check bits from the corrected data and compares them with expected values, providing feedback on whether the correction was successful or if the correction circuit itself has failed, thus preventing propagation of incorrect corrections

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary verification mechanism between the data correction process and the final output. The second ECC circuit acts as an intermediary that independently verifies the correctness of corrections made by the first ECC circuit, serving as a mediator to detect and flag potential correction errors before they affect the final data output

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If a single ECC circuit is used for error correction, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to detect correction failures is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecircuit structureVSAvoidcorrection failure detection

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the error correction function into two distinct circuits: a first ECC circuit responsible for data correction and a second ECC circuit dedicated to verification. This segmentation allows each circuit to have specialized functions, with the first circuit focusing on correction and the second on detection, thereby achieving both correction capability and failure detection without excessive complexity in each individual component

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4312380B1Error correction code circuit and error correction method including self-diagnosis of error correction faults

Publication Date: 2025.07.16 BEIJING SEMIDRIVE TECHNOLOGY LTD

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AI summary

An error correction code circuit includes a first error correction code circuit configured to generate correction data and a first correction check bit according to received source data and a source check bit corresponding to the received source data, a second error correction code circuit connected to the first error correction code circuit, and configured to, according to the correction data and at least one of the first correction check bit or the source check bit, determine whether the correction data is wrong and generate a second correction check bit, and a comparison circuit connected between the first error correction code circuit and the second error correction code circuit, and configured to compare the first correction check bit with the second correction check bit and determine whether the first correction check bit is wrong.