Dynamic Lockstep Processors for Applications with Functional Safety Relevance

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel on-demand lockstep synchronization method for multi-core processors that enhances functional safety while allowing resource sharing and modular redundancy.

Contribution

It proposes a new on-demand lockstep synchronization technique enabling resource release and modular redundancy in multi-core processors for safety-critical applications.

Findings

Design fundamentals discussed

Implementation progress presented

Resource release mechanism demonstrated

Abstract

Lockstep processing is a recognized technique for helping to secure functional-safety relevant processing against, for instance, single upset errors that might cause faulty execution of code. Lockstepping processors does however bind processing resources in a fashion not beneficial to architectures and applications that would benefit from multi-core/-processors. We propose a novel on-demand synchronizing of cores/processors for lock-step operation featuring post-processing resource release, a concept that facilitates the implementation of modularly redundant core/processor arrays. We discuss the fundamentals of the design and some implementation notes on work achieved to date.