# US 11,113,136 B2 · Processing system, related integrated circuit and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,113,136 B2 - Document ID: US11113136B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/289,405 - Filed: 2019-02-28 - Published: 2019-09-05 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-02 - Assignees: Stmicroelectronics Application GmbH - Applicants: STMicroelectronics Application GMBH - Inventors: Roberto Colombo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11113136B2 ## CPC - G06F 11/0784: {Routing of error reports, e.g. with a specific transmission path or data flow} - G06F 11/0721: {within a central processing unit [CPU]} - G06F 11/0739: {in a data processing system embedded in automotive or aircraft systems} - G06F 11/0751: {Error or fault detection not based on redundancy (power supply failures G06F1/30; network fault management H04L41/06)} - G06F 11/0772: {Means for error signaling, e.g. using interrupts, exception flags, dedicated error registers} - G06F 11/1048: {using arrangements adapted for a specific error detection or correction feature} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A processing system includes a plurality of circuits configured to generate a plurality of error signals. The processing system further includes a plurality of error pads and a fault collection circuit configured to receive the plurality of error signals and to generate a respective combined error signal for each of the plurality of error pads. The fault collection circuit includes a combinational logic circuit configured to generate the combined error signal by selectively routing the plurality of error signals to the plurality of error pads as a function of a set of configuring bits. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A processing system, comprising: a plurality of circuits configured to produce a plurality of error signals, each of the plurality of circuits being configured to generate a respective error signal of the plurality of error signals; a first error pad; a second error pad; and a fault collection circuit configured to receive, at an input of the fault collection circuit, the plurality of error signals and configured to generate a combined error signal for the first error pad and a combined error signal for the second error pad, wherein the fault collection circuit comprises: a first combinational logic circuit configured to generate the combined error signal for the first error pad and the combined error signal for the second error pad, the combined error signal for the first error pad comprising a first selection of error signals and the combined error signal for the second error pad comprising a second selection of error signals, the first selection of error signals and the second selection of error signals being selected as a function of a first set of configuring bits. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The processing system according to claim 1, wherein the first combinational logic circuit comprises a first combinational sub-circuit and a second combinational sub-circuit the first combinational sub-circuit being configured to: receive, at an input of the first combinational sub-circuit, a first error signal from a first circuit of the plurality of circuits, and receive a first plurality of configuration bits, wherein the first set of configuring bits comprises the first plurality of configuration bits; and generate, a respective a first combinational sub-circuit output signal for the first error pad by performing a first logic operation between the first error signal and a first configuration bit of the first plurality of configuration bits and generate a first combinational sub-circuit output signal for the second error pad by performing a second logic operation between the first error signal and a second configuration bit of the first plurality of configuration bits; and the second combinational sub-circuit being configured to: receive, at an input of the second combinational sub-circuit, a second error signal from a second circuit of the plurality of circuits, and receive a second plurality of configuration bits, wherein the first set of configuring bits comprises the second plurality of configuration bits; and generate, a second combinational sub-circuit output signal for the first error pad by performing a third logic operation between the first error signal and a first configuration bit of the second plurality of configuration bits and generate a second combinational sub-circuit output signal for the second error pad by performing a fourth logic operation between the second error signal and a second configuration bit of the second plurality of configuration bits. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The processing system according to claim 2, wherein the first combinational logic circuit further comprises a third combinational sub-circuit and a fourth combinational sub-circuit, the third combinational sub-circuit being configured to: receive, at an input of the third combinational sub-circuit, the first combinational sub-circuit output signal for the first error pad and the second combinational sub-circuit output signal for the first error pad; and generate the combined error signal for the first error pad by combining the first combinational sub-circuit output signal for the first error pad the second combinational sub-circuit output signal for the first error pad; and the fourth combinational sub-circuit being configured to: receive, at an input of the fourth combinational sub-circuit, the first combinational sub-circuit output signal for the second error pad and the second combinational sub-circuit output signal for the second error pad; and generate the combined error signal for the second error pad by combining the first combinational sub-circuit output signal for the second error pad the second combinational sub-circuit output signal for the second error pad. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The processing system according to claim 3, wherein the first logic operation is an AND operation, and wherein the third logic operation is an OR operation. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The processing system according to claim 2, wherein the first set of configuring bits comprising a first plurality of configuration bits. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The processing system according claim 1, further comprising a safety-critical pad, wherein the safety-critical pad is associated with an interface circuit configured to set an electric level of the safety-critical pad as a function of a safety control signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The processing system according to claim 6, wherein the fault collection circuit is configured to generate the safety control signal for the safety-critical pad. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The processing system according to claim 7, wherein the fault collection circuit comprises a second combinational logic circuit configured to generate the safety control signal by selectively routing the combined error signal for the first error pad and the combined error signal for the second error pad to the safety-critical pad as a function of a second set of configuring bits. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The processing system according to claim 8, wherein the second combinational logic circuit comprises combinational sub-circuit for the safety-critical pad, wherein the combinational sub-circuit is configured to: receive the combined error signal for the first error pad and the combined error signal for the second error pad and a third plurality of configuration bits, the second set of configuring bits comprising the third plurality of configuration bits; generate a first output signal by performing a fifth logic operation between the combined error signal for the first error pad and a first configuration bit of the third plurality of configuration bits; generate a second output signal by performing a-sixth logic operation between the combined error signal for the second error pad and a second configuration bit of the third plurality of configuration bits; and generate a safety control signal for safety-critical pad by combining the first output signal and the second output signal via a seventh logic operation. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The processing system according to claim 9, wherein the third fifth logic operation is an AND operation, and wherein the seventh logic operation is an OR operation. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The processing system according to claim 9, wherein the second set of configuring bits comprising the third plurality of configuration bits is programmable. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The processing system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of circuits comprises at least one of: a memory supporting an error detection, correction function, or both, the memory configured to generate a first error signal when data read from the memory contains errors, when data cannot be written to the memory, or both; a processing unit configured to generate a second error signal in response to a hardware failure, a software failure, or both; and a communication interface configured to generate a third error signal corresponding to a hard error signal indicative of a hardware failure, a soft error signal indicative of a data transmission error, or both. ### Claim 13 An integrated circuit, comprising: a processing system, comprising: a plurality of circuits configured to produce a plurality of error signals, each of the plurality of circuits being configured to generate a respective error signal of the plurality of error signals; a first error pad; a second error pad; and a fault collection circuit configured to receive, at an input of the fault collection circuit, the plurality of error signals and configured to generate a combined error signal for the first error pad and a combined error signal for the second error pad, wherein the fault collection circuit comprises: a first combinational logic circuit configured to generate the combined error signal for the first error pad and the combined error signal for the second error pad, the combined error signal for the first error pad comprising a first selection of error signals and the combined error signal for the second error pad comprising a second selection of error signals, the first selection of error signals and the second selection of error signals being selected as a function of a first set of configuring bits. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The integrated circuit according to claim 13, wherein the integrated circuit comprises a microcontroller. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The integrated circuit according to claim 13, wherein the first combinational logic circuit comprises a first combinational sub-circuit and a second combinational sub-circuit the first combinational sub-circuit being is configured to: receive, at an input of the first combinational sub-circuit, a first error signal from a first circuit of the plurality of circuits, and receive a first plurality of configuration bits, wherein the first set of configuring bits comprises the first plurality of configuration bits; and generate a first combinational sub-circuit output signal by performing an AND operation between the first error signal and a first configuration bit of the first plurality of configuration bits and generate a first combinational sub-circuit output signal for the second error pad by performing a second logic operation between the first error signal and a second configuration bit of the first plurality of configuration bits; and the second combinational sub-circuit being configured to: receive, at an input of the second combinational sub-circuit, a second error signal from a second circuit of the plurality of circuits, and receive a second plurality of configuration bits, wherein the first set of configuring bits comprises the second plurality of configuration bits; and generate, a second combinational sub-circuit output signal for the first error pad by performing a third logic operation between the first error signal and a first configuration bit of the second plurality of configuration bits and generate a second combinational sub-circuit output signal for the second error pad by performing a fourth logic operation between the second error signal and a second configuration bit of the second plurality of configuration bits. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The integrated circuit according to claim 15, wherein the first combinational logic circuit further comprises a third combinational sub-circuit and a fourth combinational sub-circuit, the third combinational sub-circuit being configured to: receive, at an input of the third combinational sub-circuit, the first combinational sub-circuit output signal for the first error pad and the second combinational sub-circuit output signal for the first error pad; and generate the combined error signal for the first error pad by combining the first combinational sub-circuit output signal for the first error pad the second combinational sub-circuit output signal for the first error pad; and the fourth combinational sub-circuit being configured to: receive, at an input of the fourth combinational sub-circuit, the first combinational sub-circuit output signal for the second error pad and the second combinational sub-circuit output signal for the second error pad; and generate the combined error signal for the second error pad by combining the first combinational sub-circuit output signal for the second error pad the second combinational sub-circuit output signal for the second error pad. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The integrated circuit according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of circuits comprises at least one of: a memory supporting an error detection, correction function, or both, the memory configured to generate a first error signal when data read from the memory contains errors, when data cannot be written to the memory, or both; a processing unit configured to generate a second error signal in response to a hardware failure, a software failure, or both; and a communication interface configured to generate a third error signal corresponding to a hard error signal indicative of a hardware failure, a soft error signal indicative of a data transmission error, or both. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The integrated circuit according to claim 13, wherein the processing system further comprises a safety-critical pad, wherein the safety-critical pad is associated with an interface circuit configured to set an electric level of the safety-critical pad as a function of a safety control signal. ### Claim 19 A method of operating a processing system, the method comprising: providing a first set of configuring bits to the processing system; generating, via a plurality of circuits of the processing system, at least one error signal; receiving, at an input of a fault collection circuit of the processing system, the at least one error signal; and generating, via the fault collection circuit, a respective combined error signal for a first error pad of the processing system by selectively routing the at least one error signal to the first error pad as a function of a first set of configuring bits; and generating, via the fault collection circuit, a combined error signal for a second error pad of the processing system by selectively routing the at least one error signal to the second error pad as a function of the first set of configuring bits. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19, wherein the processing system further comprises a safety-critical pad, wherein the safety-critical pad is associated with a respective interface circuit configured to set an electric level of the safety-critical pad as a function of a safety control signal, the method further comprising: providing a second set of configuring bits to the processing system; and generating, via the fault collection circuit, a safety control signal for the safety-critical pad as a function of the second set of configuring bits.