Abstract: Disclosed herein is hardware for easing the process of changing the execution mode of a virtual machine and its associated resources. By adopting the hardware, it is possible to trigger a change in the execution mode in an automatic way, without software intervention, and without interfering with the execution of other virtual machines. In addition, in case an error has occurred for a virtual machine and it is detected, the hardware can be used to disable the resources associated with that virtual machine and generate notification of the completion this operation to other hardware, which will complete the reset of the virtual machine. By adopting the hardware, the execution mode change is simplified and offers configurability and flexibility for a system running multiple virtual machines.

Abstract: A processor-based system employing a safety island architecture for fail-safe operation and related methods are disclosed. The processor-based system includes a main domain for controlling a device. The main domain receives and processes vehicle information from a vehicle network. The main domain communicates with vehicle modules to control operation of the vehicle. Such operation may include different autonomous driving use cases. The processing system includes a safety island domain that includes less hardware circuits as in the main domain. The safety island domain is configured to checkpoint vehicle information processed by both the main and safety island domains and to monitor errors originating in both the main and safety island.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes: receiving, with a first buffer of a first error compactor unit (ECU), a first error packet associated with a first circuit; receiving, with the first buffer, a second error packet associated with a second circuit; transmitting a first reading request for reading the first error packet; receiving the first reading request with an arbiter of an error aggregator unit (EAU) of a central error management circuit; in response to receiving the first reading request, reading the first error packet from the first buffer, transmitting the first error packet to a controller of the central error management circuit, and transmitting a first acknowledgement to the first ECU; receiving the first acknowledgement with the first ECU; and in response to receiving the first acknowledgement, transmitting a second reading request for reading the second error packet.

Abstract: A communication system couples a plurality of processing cores together, each having an associated register storing a virtual machine ID, which is inserted into requests sent by the respective processing core. A master circuit has associated a master interface circuit, wherein the master interface circuit has associated register for storing a second virtual machine ID, which is inserted into requests sent by the master circuit. A slave circuit has associated a slave interface circuit configured to selectively forward read or write requests addressed to an address sub-range. The slave interface circuit has associated a third register storing a third virtual machine ID associated with the address sub-range and is configured to receive a request addressed to the address sub-range, extract from the request a virtual machine ID, determine whether the extracted virtual machine ID corresponds to the third virtual machine ID, and then either forwards or rejects the request.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is hardware for easing the process of changing the execution mode of a virtual machine and its associated resources. By adopting the hardware, it is possible to trigger a change in the execution mode in an automatic way, without software intervention, and without interfering with the execution of other virtual machines. In addition, in case an error has occurred for a virtual machine and it is detected, the hardware can be used to disable the resources associated with that virtual machine and generate notification of the completion this operation to other hardware, which will complete the reset of the virtual machine. By adopting the hardware, the execution mode change is simplified and offers configurability and flexibility for a system running multiple virtual machines.

Abstract: An embedded system includes a peripheral and system-on-a-chip executing virtual machines and a hypervisor. The peripheral includes a crossbar circuit receiving digital sensor signals and selectively outputting the digital sensor signals to different outputs, queue circuits each receiving a different one of the digital sensor signals from the crossbar circuit, and queue protection circuits associated with the queue circuits and selectively permitting access to one of the queue circuits by the virtual machines. The hypervisor controls the queue protection circuits to set which of the virtual machines may access which queue circuits. A sensor protection circuit selectively permits reading of the digital sensor signals from the crossbar circuit by the queue circuits. The hypervisor controls the sensor protection circuit to set which of the queue circuits may access each of the digital sensor signals from the crossbar circuit.

Abstract: A testing tool includes a clock generation circuit generating a test clock and outputting the test clock via a test clock output pad, data processing circuitry clocked by the test clock, and data output circuitry receiving data output from the data processing circuitry and outputting the data via an input/output (IO) pad, the data output circuitry being clocked by the test clock. The testing tool also includes a programmable delay circuit generating a delayed version of the test clock, and data input circuitry receiving data input via the IO pad, the data input circuitry clocked by the delayed version of the test clock. The delayed version of the test clock is delayed to compensate for delay between transmission of a pulse of the test clock via the test clock output pad to an external computer and receipt of the data input from the external computer via the IO pad.

Abstract: A testing tool includes a clock generation circuit generating a test clock and outputting the test clock via a test clock output pad, data processing circuitry clocked by the test clock, and data output circuitry receiving data output from the data processing circuitry and outputting the data via an input/output (IO) pad, the data output circuitry being clocked by the test clock. The testing tool also includes a programmable delay circuit generating a delayed version of the test clock, and data input circuitry receiving data input via the IO pad, the data input circuitry clocked by the delayed version of the test clock. The delayed version of the test clock is delayed to compensate for delay between transmission of a pulse of the test clock via the test clock output pad to an external computer and receipt of the data input from the external computer via the IO pad.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes: receiving, with a first buffer of a first error compactor unit (ECU), a first error packet associated with a first circuit; receiving, with the first buffer, a second error packet associated with a second circuit; transmitting a first reading request for reading the first error packet; receiving the first reading request with an arbiter of an error aggregator unit (EAU) of a central error management circuit; in response to receiving the first reading request, reading the first error packet from the first buffer, transmitting the first error packet to a controller of the central error management circuit, and transmitting a first acknowledgement to the first ECU; receiving the first acknowledgement with the first ECU; and in response to receiving the first acknowledgement, transmitting a second reading request for reading the second error packet.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes: receiving, with a first buffer of a first error compactor unit (ECU), a first memory error packet associated with a first memory; receiving, with the first buffer, a second memory error packet associated with a second memory; transmitting a first reading request for reading the first memory error packet; receiving the first reading request with an arbiter of an error aggregator unit (EAU) of a central memory error management unit (MEMU); in response to receiving the first reading request, reading the first memory error packet from the first buffer, transmitting the first memory error packet to a controller of the central MEMU, and transmitting a first acknowledgement to the first ECU; receiving the first acknowledgement with the first ECU; and in response to receiving the first acknowledgement, transmitting a second reading request for reading the second memory error packet.

Abstract: A device for a system on a chip (SOC), the device includes: a comparator that includes a first input port, a second input port, and an output port. A first input signal and a second input signal are split into N bit pairs that include one bit from the first input signal and one bit from the second input signal. The comparator is configured so a mismatch between the first input signal and the second input signal causes an output signal to assume a first expected state. The device further comprises a test controller to perform a first operability test by mismatching the N bit pairs and verifying that the output signal assumes the first expected state.

Abstract: An embedded system includes a peripheral and system-on-a-chip executing virtual machines and a hypervisor. The peripheral includes a crossbar circuit receiving digital sensor signals and selectively outputting the digital sensor signals to different outputs, queue circuits each receiving a different one of the digital sensor signals from the crossbar circuit, and queue protection circuits associated with the queue circuits and selectively permitting access to one of the queue circuits by the virtual machines. The hypervisor controls the queue protection circuits to set which of the virtual machines may access which queue circuits. A sensor protection circuit selectively permits reading of the digital sensor signals from the crossbar circuit by the queue circuits. The hypervisor controls the sensor protection circuit to set which of the queue circuits may access each of the digital sensor signals from the crossbar circuit.

Abstract: A safety system monitors faults in an embedded control system. The embedded control system is modeled to produce one or more model check values by calculating how many clock cycles will pass between an initialization time point and at least one event time point for a specific event. The initialization time point is a certain point in an initialization function of a scheduler in the embedded control system. The at least one event time point is an expected number of clock cycles to pass before a specific event occurs. In operation, the embedded control system is initialized, a current clock cycle counter value is retrieved at a certain point in the initialization, and either an occurrence or an absence of an occurrence of a scheduled event is recognized. A current clock cycle value is recorded upon the recognition, and a mathematic check value is produced from the clock cycle value stored at the certain point in the initialization and the clock cycle value recorded upon the recognition.

Abstract: A safety system monitors faults in an embedded control system. The embedded control system is modeled to produce one or more model check values by calculating how many clock cycles will pass between an initialization time point and at least one event time point for a specific event. The initialization time point is a certain point in an initialization function of a scheduler in the embedded control system. The at least one event time point is an expected number of clock cycles to pass before a specific event occurs. In operation, the embedded control system is initialized, a current clock cycle counter value is retrieved at a certain point in the initialization, and either an occurrence or an absence of an occurrence of a scheduled event is recognized. A current clock cycle value is recorded upon the recognition, and a mathematic check value is produced from the clock cycle value stored at the certain point in the initialization and the clock cycle value recorded upon the recognition.

Abstract: An embodiment of a manager includes at least one input node configured to receive information regarding a region of an integrated circuit, and a determiner configured to determine, in response to the information, a likelihood that the region will cause an error. For example, the region may include a memory, and contents of the memory may be transferred to another, more reliable memory, if the likelihood that the memory will cause an error in the data that it stores equals or exceeds a likelihood threshold.

Abstract: An embodiment of a manager includes at least one input node configured to receive information regarding a region of an integrated circuit, and a determiner configured to determine, in response to the information, a likelihood that the region will cause an error. For example, the region may include a memory, and contents of the memory may be transferred to another, more reliable memory, if the likelihood that the memory will cause an error in the data that it stores equals or exceeds a likelihood threshold.

Abstract: A low pin interface module is provided for testing an integrated circuit. The interface module includes an input-output module, a controlling module, a processing module and a storage module specific to the integrated circuit to be tested. The interface module reduces the required number of hardware pins in the integrated circuit for a standalone testing without limiting the integrated circuit testing features. A methodology and a control mechanism achieved with the interface module can be used for the standalone testing of any integrated circuit without using a Joint European Test Action Group test logic interface JTAG implemented following the IEEE Standard 1149.1-1990. The interface module is not limited by a particular debugging platform and allows access to all test features in the integrated circuit with a reduced number of hardware pins and thereby leading to enhanced testing speeds on a tester in parallel and a shorter time-to-a market cycle and a lower development cost.

Abstract: A low pin interface module is provided for testing an integrated circuit. The interface module includes an input-output module, a controlling module, a processing module and a storage module specific to the integrated circuit to be tested. The interface module reduces the required number of hardware pins in the integrated circuit for a standalone testing without limiting the integrated circuit testing features. A methodology and a control mechanism achieved with the interface module can be used for the standalone testing of any integrated circuit without using a Joint European Test Action Group test logic interface JTAG implemented following the IEEE Standard 1149.1-1990. The interface module is not limited by a particular debugging platform and allows access to all test features in the integrated circuit with a reduced number of hardware pins and thereby leading to enhanced testing speeds on a tester in parallel and a shorter time-to-a market cycle and a lower development cost.

Abstract: A system and method for multiplexing an integrated circuit pin include a plurality of registers for storing bit values; a plurality of functions to be multiplexed on receiving the bit values; a decoding logic for decoding the bit values for selecting at least one of the functions; a plurality of pads connected to the plurality of functions and the decoding logic; and external pin/pins acting as inputs/outputs for the selected functionality depending upon the bit values.

Abstract: A system and method for multiplexing an integrated circuit pin include a plurality of registers for storing bit values; a plurality of functions to be multiplexed on receiving the bit values; a decoding logic for decoding the bit values for selecting at least one of the functions; a plurality of pads connected to the plurality of functions and the decoding logic; and external pin/pins acting as inputs/outputs for the selected functionality depending upon the bit values.