Semiconductor device and method of operating the same

A method of operating a semiconductor device including first and second processors, first and second non-shared resources, first and second buses, and first to third selectors, in which the first processor is coupled with the first bus, the method comprising:

• setting either a first or a second mode of operation;
• executing a same instruction stream in the first mode of operation by the first and second processors;
• and
• executing a different instruction stream in the second mode of operation by the first and second processors,
• wherein the executing a same instruction stream comprises:
• selecting the first bus by the first selector and coupling the second processor with the first bus;
• selecting the first bus by the second selector and coupling the first non-shared resource with the first bus;
• selecting the first bus by the third selector and coupling the first bus with the second non-shared resource;
• accessing the first non-shared resource and the second non-shared resource by the first processor via the first bus and the second selector;
• transferring a group of interface signal through the first bus to the second processor via the second selector;
• and
• comparing outputs of the first and second processors, and
• wherein the executing a different instruction stream comprises:
• selecting the second bus by the first selector and coupling the second processor with the second bus;
• selecting the first bus by the second selector and coupling the first non-shared resource with the first bus;
• selecting the second bus by the third selector, and coupling the second bus with the second non-shared resource;
• accessing the first non-shared resource by the first processor via the first bus and the second selector;
• and
• accessing the second non-shared resource by the second processor via the second bus and the third selector.

A semiconductor device comprising:

• a first processor;
• a second processor that monitors operation of the first processor in a first mode;
• a shared resource commonly utilized by the first and second processor;
• a non-shared resource dedicated to the second processor in a second mode,
• a first bus with which the first processor, the second processor, the shared resource, the non-shared resource are coupled;
• a second bus with which the second processor, the shared resource, the non-shared resource are coupled;
• a first selector;
• and
• a second selector,
• wherein the first selector selects either the first bus or the second bus, and a group of interface signal is transferred between the second processor and a bus selected by the first selector,
• wherein the second selector selects either the first bus or the second bus, and the non-shared resource is accessed from the first processor and the second processor via a bus selected by the second selector,
• wherein the first selector selects the first bus, and transfer a first group of interface signal included in the group of interface signal to the second processor in the first mode where the first processor and the second processor perform a same instruction stream,
• wherein the first selector selects the second bus, and the second selector selects the second bus, and transfer a second group of interface signal included in the group of interface signal to the second processor in the second mode where the first processor and the second processor perform a different instruction stream.