Signal Processing Apparatus Error Detection Circuit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Programmable semiconductor devices are prone to soft errors due to cosmic rays, leading to data inversion and errors in output signals, which can be mitigated by redundancy but increases space, weight, cost, power consumption, and reduces operating temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A signal processing apparatus with recording, operation, processing, and abnormality detection means that acquires and outputs signals based on abnormality detection results, preventing erroneous outputs without requiring redundancy, by using a programmable logic device with configuration recording and error detection capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If redundancy is configured in programmable semiconductor devices to prevent soft errors, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing abnormality detection on configuration data before the soft error actually affects the output. The system detects abnormalities in the circuit configuration state in advance and prevents erroneous data from being output, rather than relying on redundant components to correct errors after they occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary abnormality detection mechanism that mediates between the configuration data and the output data. This detection layer identifies configuration abnormalities and prevents them from propagating to the output, serving as a protective intermediary without requiring full redundancy of the processing components.
2Reliability
If redundancy is configured in programmable semiconductor devices to prevent soft errors, then reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs configuration abnormality detection in advance before erroneous data is generated and output. By detecting configuration errors early in the processing flow, the system prevents the need for power-intensive redundant processing of already-corrupted data, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the error detection function as a separate, lightweight operation from the main data processing flow. By isolating the abnormality detection to configuration data validation rather than duplicating entire processing paths, the system achieves error prevention with minimal additional power consumption.
3Reliability
If redundancy is configured in programmable semiconductor devices to prevent soft errors, then reliability is improved, but operating temperature decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs configuration abnormality detection before soft errors affect data processing. By detecting and preventing configuration errors in advance, the system avoids the heat generation that would result from processing erroneous data through redundant circuits, thereby maintaining higher maximum allowable operating temperatures while ensuring reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the error prevention function to a separate configuration validation stage rather than implementing it through heat-generating redundant processing circuits. This separation allows the main processing units to operate without the thermal burden of redundancy while still achieving error prevention through preliminary configuration checking.
4Reliability
If redundancy is configured in programmable semiconductor devices to prevent soft errors, then reliability is improved, but space increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs configuration abnormality detection in advance before data processing occurs. By validating configuration data upfront, the system prevents soft errors without requiring redundant processing units, logic blocks, or memory elements, thereby maintaining compact device space while achieving error prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the error detection function to operate on configuration data separately from the main data processing path. This extraction allows error prevention without duplicating the physical processing components, thus avoiding the space increase that would result from traditional redundancy configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
A signal processing apparatus includes a recording unit, an operation unit, a processing unit and an abnormality detector. The recording unit records configuration data therein. The operation unit performs arithmetic and logical operations on an input signal and outputs an operation signal indicative of the result of the operations. The operation unit has a circuit configuration defined by the configuration data recorded in the recording unit. The processing unit acquires the operation signal outputted from the operation unit, produces an output signal based on the acquired operation signal and outputs the produced output signal. The abnormality detector detects an abnormality of the circuit configuration of the operation unit. Moreover, in the signal processing apparatus, the processing unit is configured to further acquire an abnormality detection result from the abnormality detector after the acquisition of the operation signal and output the output signal depending on the abnormality detection result.