SEU Wrapper Fault Injection for Memory Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining the impact of single event upsets (SEUs) on electronic circuits are time-consuming and costly, requiring neutron lab tests to simulate SEUs and assess system resilience.
Innovation Solution
A pattern scheme for fault injection is implemented using an SEU wrapper and controller to emulate SEUs in electronic devices, allowing controlled injection of faults into memory elements, monitoring errors, and recording statistics on error detection and correction within operational modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If neutron lab tests are used to determine SEU impact on electronic circuits, then measurement precision of SEU effects is improved, but loss of time and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a wrapper circuit that copies the functionality of the target circuit and introduces artificial faults into this copy. By monitoring the wrapper's response to injected faults, the system can determine SEU impact without exposing the actual circuit to neutron radiation, thus achieving precise measurement without the time and cost penalties of neutron lab testing.
Solution Approach 2:
The wrapper circuit acts as an intermediary between the fault injection mechanism and the target circuit. It receives control signals, injects faults into intermediate nodes, and returns monitoring information about the circuit's response. This intermediary layer enables indirect measurement of SEU effects without requiring direct neutron exposure.
2Measurement precision
If neutron lab tests are used to determine SEU impact on electronic circuits, then measurement precision of SEU effects is improved, but loss of money increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a wrapper circuit that copies the functionality of the target circuit and introduces artificial faults into this copy. By monitoring the wrapper's response to injected faults, the system can determine SEU impact without exposing the actual circuit to neutron radiation, thus achieving precise measurement without the time and cost penalties of neutron lab testing.
Solution Approach 2:
The wrapper circuit provides a low-cost alternative to expensive neutron lab testing. By using software-controlled fault injection and standard monitoring circuits, the system achieves SEU impact assessment at a fraction of the cost of neutron radiation facilities, making the testing process economically viable.
3Device complexity
If fault injection is performed without a wrapper, then device complexity is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates due to lack of controlled fault injection capability
Solution Approach 1:
The wrapper circuit serves multiple functions: it provides controlled fault injection into the target circuit, monitors the circuit's response to faults, and communicates results back to the control system. This multi-functional design enables comprehensive SEU impact assessment without requiring separate dedicated circuits for each function, thereby managing complexity while enhancing operational capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method that determines the system impact of single event upset (SEU) and a single event upset (SEU) wrapper that controls a SEU controller is disclosed. The method injects faults into a component (e.g. FPGA, ASIC) of an operational system that is carrying live traffic and monitors the system's response to the faults to determine the impact of SEU on the system. The SEU wrapper sends the SEU controller a pattern scheme that includes information indicating when, where, how often, and/or how long to inject bursts of one or more faults into memory of the component of the system. A burst of faults contains faults that are consecutively injected into the array of memory blocks. After each fault in a burst is injected, one or more errors in one or more memory elements are detected and/or corrected. Information regarding the detection and/or the correction of an error is updated using registers that store counters. After injecting a burst of faults, the SEU controller waits for a predetermined amount of time. While waiting for a predetermined amount of time, the system monitors the system response to the burst of faults, such as monitoring the system for failures. After waiting, the SEU controller determines whether to inject another burst of faults. Bursts of faults are injected into the plurality of memory blocks until a system failure is detected or until the pattern scheme indicates to no longer inject bursts of faults into the memory.