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US 10,095,567 B2Granted
Micro controller unit including an error indicator module
AssigneeNXP USA, Inc.
InventorsNorbert Pickel, Axel Bahr, Derek Beattie, Andrew Birnie, Carl Culshaw
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Abstract
A micro controller unit including an error indicator hardware module, the error indicator module being arranged to respond to event signals representative of internal and external fault and error events perturbing the micro controller unit function by registering in non-volatile memory a record of the nature of each of the events, wherein the record of the events is inaccessible to alteration.
Claims20
An automotive system comprising:
- a programmable microcontroller unit (MCU) configured to execute instructions to implement an automotive electronics control system;
- and
- an error indicator module configured to operate independently from the MCU, the error indicator module implemented in hardware and comprising:
- a sensor to generate an event signal, the event signal representative of an occurrence of an event having a potential to interfere with correct functionality of the MCU;
- a non-volatile memory, the non-volatile memory inaccessible by the MCU;
- and
- control logic configured to respond to the event signal by storing in the non-volatile memory a record of the event.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- receiving an event signal at an error indicator module included at an automotive electronics control system, the event signal representative of an event having a potential to interfere with correct functionality of a programmable microcontroller unit (MCU) included at the automotive electronics control system;
- storing at a non-volatile memory included at the error indicator module a record of the event, the non-volatile memory inaccessible by the MCU;
- and
- determining a cause for a failure at the MCU based on the record stored at the non-volatile memory.
1 more element
An error indicator module comprising:
- a sensor to monitor a first operating parameter;
- a capture module to generate an event signal based on the monitoring, the event signal indicating occurrence of an event having a potential to interfere with correct functionality of a programmable microcontroller unit (MCU), the MCU configured to implement an automotive electronics control system;
- a non-volatile memory;
- control logic configured to respond to the event signal by storing in the non-volatile memory a record of the event;
- and
- an assert module selectively responsive to the event signal to provide an output command signal as a function of the nature of the event,
- wherein the error indicator module is configured to operate independently from the MCU, and the non-volatile memory is inaccessible by the MCU.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.