Abstract: A post-silicon validation technique is able to craft randomized executable code, with known final outcomes, as a verification test that is executable on a hardware, such as a prototype microprocessor. A verification device is able to generate the test, in the form of programs, in such a way that at the end of the execution, the initial state of the test hardware is restored. Therefore, the final state of such a reversible program is known a priori. The technique may use a program generation algorithm, agnostic to any particular instruction set on the test hardware. In some examples, that algorithm is executed on the test hardware to generate the verification test, which is then executed on that test hardware. In other examples, the verification test is generated on another processor coupled to the test hardware. In either case, the verification test may contain initial and inverse operations determined from the test hardware.

Abstract: A method for detecting microprocessor hardware faults includes sending at least one input signal to a logic block within the microprocessor, collecting an output response to the input signal from the logic block, and determining whether the output response matches an expected output response of the logic block.

Abstract: A state matcher for a logic circuit may detect at least one of a buggy state of the logic circuit, a precursor to a buggy state of the logic circuit and a verified state of the logic circuit based on a plurality of signal values indicative of a state of the logic circuit. A recovery controller for a microprocessor may reconfigure the microprocessor to a trusted feature mode in response to receiving a signal indicating that the microprocessor is in a predefined state and operate the microprocessor in the trusted feature mode for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A computer executable tool facilitates integrated circuit design and debugging by working directly at the Register Transfer Level, where most design activities take place. The tool determines when an integrated circuit design produces incorrect output responses for a given set of input vectors. The tool accesses the expected responses and returns the signal paths in the integrated circuit that are responsible for the errors along with suggested changes for fixing the errors. The tool may operate at the RTL, which is above the gate-level abstraction which means that the design errors will be much more readily understood to the designer, and may improve scalability and efficiency.