Fault detection method and processors

A processor configured to perform parallel processing, the processor comprising:

• at least two parallel processing units, each parallel processing unit comprising a respective scheduler;
• the respective schedulers being temporally synchronizable to issue a same processing task to each respective one of the at least two parallel processing units substantially simultaneously;
• the parallel processing units being configured to execute the same processing task to each generate a respective output;
• and
• comparison circuitry configured to compare the respective outputs to determine, responsive to a difference being detected between at least two of the respective outputs, that a fault is present in the processor.

A reconfigurable processor configured to perform parallel processing and operable to be reconfigured between a safety critical configuration and a non-safety critical configuration, the processor comprising:

• at least two parallel processing units, each parallel processing unit comprising a respective scheduler;
• wherein, in the non-safety critical configuration, the respective schedulers are configured to issue respective non-safety critical processing tasks to the respective parallel processing units for execution;
• and
• wherein, in the safety critical configuration:
• the respective schedulers are temporally synchronized to issue a same safety critical processing task to each respective one of the at least two parallel processing units substantially simultaneously;
• the parallel processing units are configured to execute the same processing task to each generate a respective output;
• and
• comparison circuitry is configured to compare the respective outputs to determine, responsive to a difference being detected between at least two of the respective outputs, that a fault is present in the reconfigurable processor.