Nios® V Processor: Lockstep Implementation

ID 833274
Date 10/07/2024
Public
Document Table of Contents

6.7.2. UC_02: False Positive Avoidance

Self-diagnostic is specialized logic that detects faults from the fRSmartComp comparator. It is provided inside the fRSmartComp itself, with the aim of discriminating comparator true errors from the CPUs or the comparator itself.

You can detect “false positive” signaling flagged by fRSmartComp and decide, according to the specific applications, whether to continue running the application software for a certain time, using the primary CPU, or guarantee some basic functionality to the system.

The discrimination of a false error from a true error is achieved by means of ALARM3 and ALARM4 provided by the fRSmartComp:

  • ALARM3 – Categorized as a WARNING due to the faults being determined as a false positive (false error). It originated from fRSmartComp.
  • ALARM4 – Categorized as ERROR due to the faults is determined as true positive (true error). It originated from either fRSmartComp or CPUs.

As described in the topic Functionality of Self-Checking Comparator, the fRSmartComp generates both ALARM1 and ALARM2 before the self-diagnostic begins. The System Supervisor manages these alarms to decide which level of failure control to apply with respect to the specific application safety requirements.

Altera recommends to introduce an INTREQ-driven routine for the System Supervisor alarm management. Example of the INTREQ-driven routine:

  1. Upon INTREQ, the System Supervisor polls for the fRSmartComp self-diagnostic results (ALARM3 and ALARM4).
  2. If ALARM3 is activated:
    1. The fault is in fRSmartComp.
    2. The System Supervisor restarts the fRSmartComp.
    3. The Host CPU can proceed with its application.
  3. If ALARM4 is activated:
    1. The fault is in both CPUs and fRSmartComp.
    2. The fault is categorized as ERROR by fRSmartComp.
    3. fRSmartComp sets the primary OKNOK output to NOT_OK.
    4. System Supervisor uses the NOT_OK status to put the system in safe state.
    5. The system is permanently kept in safe state mode.

To simplify the flow diagram, the following fRSmartComp configurations are grouped and labeled as CONF_2:

  • To configure ALARM severity:
    1. Set ALARM1 to WARNING
    2. Set ALARM2 to WARNING
    3. Set ALARM3 to WARNING
    4. Set ALARM4 to ERROR
    5. Set ALARM16 to ERROR
    6. Set ALARM18 to ERROR
  • If INTREQ signal is used, set INTREQ configuration as 6’b011001 to generate interrupt upon WARNING.
Figure 26. False Positive Avoidance Flowchart Diagram