Power delivery network degradation detection in a computing device

A system for detecting automotive vehicle control system-on-a-chip (SoC) power delivery network degradation, comprising:

• at least one voltage sensor in the SoC coupled to a signal path in logic circuitry of the SoC powered by the SoC power delivery network;
• clock modulation circuitry in the SoC configured to modulate a clock signal and provide a modulated clock signal to the logic circuitry in response to a modulation signal, including being configured to gate the clock signal alternately on and off at a duty cycle of the modulation signal;
• and
• test control circuitry in the SoC configured to, when booting the SoC when the automotive vehicle is readied for operation:
• provide the modulation signal to the clock modulation circuitry;
• vary a modulation frequency of the modulation signal over a range;
• receive a plurality of voltage droop values from the at least one voltage sensor in response to each of a corresponding plurality of modulation frequencies in the range;
• determine a plurality of impedance values, including being configured to determine a value of an odd harmonic of each of the plurality of voltage droop values;
• compare each of the plurality of impedance values with a corresponding threshold;
• and
• provide an indication when at least one of the impedance values exceeds the corresponding threshold.

An apparatus for detecting automotive vehicle control system-on-a-chip (SoC) power delivery network degradation, comprising:

• means for, when booting the SoC when an automotive vehicle is readied for operation, modulating a clock signal provided to logic circuitry supplied by the SoC power delivery network, including means for gating the clock signal alternately on and off at a duty cycle of a modulation signal, the modulation signal having a modulation frequency;
• means for, when booting the SoC when the automotive vehicle is readied for operation, varying the modulation frequency over a range;
• means for, when booting the SoC when the automotive vehicle is readied for operation, measuring a plurality of voltage droop values of a signal in the logic circuitry in response to each of a corresponding plurality of modulation frequencies in the range;
• means for, when booting the SoC when the automotive vehicle is readied for operation, determining a plurality of impedance values, including determining a value of an odd harmonic of each of the plurality of voltage droop values;
• means for, when booting the automotive SoC when the automotive vehicle is readied for operation, comparing each of the plurality of impedance values with a corresponding threshold;
• and
• means for, when booting the SoC when the automotive vehicle is readied for operation, providing an indication when at least one of the impedance values exceeds the corresponding threshold.

A computer-readable medium for detecting automotive vehicle control system-on-a-chip (SoC) power delivery network degradation, the computer-readable medium comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon in computer-executable form, the instructions when executed by a processing system of the SoC configuring the processing system to, when booting the SoC when an automotive vehicle is readied for operation:

• control modulation of a clock signal provided to logic circuitry of the SoC powered by the SoC power delivery network using a modulation signal, including configuring the processing system to control gating the clock signal alternately on and off at a duty cycle of the modulation signal, and to vary a frequency of modulation of the clock signal over a range;
• receive a plurality of voltage droop values from a voltage sensor in the SoC in response to each of a corresponding plurality of modulation frequencies in the range;
• determine a plurality of impedance values, including being configured to determine a value of an odd harmonic of each of the plurality of voltage droop values;
• compare each of the plurality of impedance values with a corresponding threshold;
• and
• provide an indication when at least one of the impedance values exceeds the corresponding threshold.