Error signal handling unit, device and method for outputting an error condition signal

Error signal handling system comprising:

• a device configured to output in response to an error condition in the device an error signal indicating the error condition and to output in response to a mitigation of the error condition or if a mitigation of the error condition is possible a recovery signal indicating the mitigation or the possibility of mitigation of the error condition;
• and
• an error signal handling unit comprising a circuitry configured to receive the error signal and the recovery signal from the device;
• and
• wherein the circuitry is further configured to output an error condition signal based on the error signal in response to a reception of the error signal if within a given delay time from the reception of the error signal, the circuitry does not receive the recovery signal and otherwise to omit outputting the error condition signal.

Error signal handling unit comprising:

• a first input terminal;
• a second input terminal;
• an output terminal;
• and
• an error signal delay stage coupled between the first input terminal, the second input terminal and the output terminal;
• and
• wherein the error signal delay stage is configured to provide, in response to a reception of an error signal from an external device at the first input terminal indicating an error condition in the external device, an error condition signal based on the error signal at the output terminal if within a given delay time, the error signal delay stage does not receive a recovery signal from the external device at the second input terminal indicating a mitigation of the error condition in the external device or indicating that a mitigation of the error condition in the external device is possible and otherwise to omit outputting the error condition signal.

Means for outputting an error condition signal, wherein the means is configured to receive an error signal from an external device indicating an error condition in the external device;

• and
• wherein the means is further configured to receive a recovery signal indicating a mitigation of the error condition in the external device or indicating that a mitigation of the error condition in the external device is possible;
• and
• wherein the means is further configured to output an error condition signal based on the error signal in response to a reception of the error signal if within a given delay time from the reception of the error signal, the means does not receive the recovery signal and otherwise to omit outputting the error condition signal.

Error signal handling unit comprising:

• an error signal decoding stage configured to receive an error signal from an external device indicating an error condition in the external device, to decode the error signal and to generate a decoded error signal;
• a recovery signal protocol detection stage configured to receive a recovery signal indicating a mitigation of the error condition in the external device or indicating that a mitigation of the error condition in the external device is possible, to decode the recovery signal according to a given communication protocol decoding rule and to generate a decoded recovery signal;
• and
• an error condition signal generation stage configured to generate a fail safe mode request signal based on the decoded error signal, the fail safe mode request signal indicating a request to a further external device to enter a fail safe mode, and to output the fail safe mode request signal as an error condition signal if within a given delay time from a reception of the decoded error signal, the error condition signal generation stage does not receive the decoded recovery signal and otherwise to omit outputting the fail safe mode request signal.