Hardware Diagnostics Circuitry for High Frequency Event-Based Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Complex electronic systems, such as network devices, face challenges in efficiently diagnosing malfunctions and performance degradation due to the complexity of inter-dependent digital sub-units, making it difficult to locate the root cause of issues.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a Hardware Diagnostics Circuitry (HDC) that receives trigger rules and logging definitions, logs pre-trigger and post-trigger data sources, and evaluates trigger events to efficiently monitor and diagnose operational circuitry, allowing for flexible and coherent data logging and analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If comprehensive data logging from multiple data sources is implemented to improve diagnostic capability, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the diagnostic data collection process into distinct functional modules: trigger event detection module, pre-trigger data logging module, post-trigger data logging module, and data source selection module. Each module handles specific aspects of diagnostics independently, allowing comprehensive monitoring while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary data logging of selected data sources before trigger events occur (pre-trigger logging). This prepares diagnostic data in advance so that when a trigger event is detected, the system can immediately capture and analyze relevant information without delay, improving diagnostic precision while avoiding the need for continuous comprehensive logging of all system parameters.
2Loss of information
If continuous logging of all data sources is performed to capture complete diagnostic information, then loss of information is reduced, but loss of time increases due to processing overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements partial logging by selecting only specific data sources relevant to particular trigger events rather than continuously logging all possible data sources. The data source selection module determines which data sources to monitor based on the trigger event type, capturing sufficient diagnostic information while minimizing processing overhead and time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from trigger event detection to dynamically control data logging. When a trigger event is detected, the system activates post-trigger logging for relevant data sources. This feedback mechanism ensures complete diagnostic information is captured at critical moments while avoiding continuous logging of unrelated data, thus reducing processing time without losing essential diagnostic information.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple data sources are monitored simultaneously to improve diagnostic coverage, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a universal data logging architecture where the same hardware and software infrastructure handles multiple data sources and various trigger event types. The data source selection module and logging modules can adapt to different diagnostic scenarios by selecting appropriate data sources, providing comprehensive diagnostic coverage without requiring separate specialized systems for each monitoring task.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes operational circuitry and Hardware Diagnostics Circuitry (HDC). The HDC is configured to receive a definition of multiple trigger rules, each trigger rule specifying a respective trigger event as a function of trigger data sources in the operational circuitry, to receive a definition of (i) a pre-trigger logging set selected from among a plurality of diagnostics data sources in the operational circuitry, and (ii) for each trigger rule, a respective post-trigger logging set including a set of one or more of the diagnostics data sources, and, during operation of the operational circuitry, to log the diagnostics data sources in the pre-trigger logging set, to log the trigger data sources and to repeatedly evaluate the trigger rules, and, in response to triggering of a given trigger event by a given trigger rule, to start logging the diagnostics data sources in the post-trigger logging set of the given trigger rule.