A fault-injection methodology for the system-level dependability analysis of multiprocessor embedded systems

This paper presents a methodology for the system-level dependability analysis of multiprocessor embedded systems. The methodology is based on fault injection and features an error analysis approach offering to the designer the possibility to specify custom monitoring and classification actions at both application and architecture levels. In particular, a debug-like mechanism offers the possibility to interpret architectural raw data observed during the simulation at application level with a function call/return granularity, thus offering the possibility to analyze the propagation of the errors in the various functionalities of the executed application. A framework for automating the proposed methodology has been implemented within a state-of-the-art SystemC/TLM simulation platform for multiprocessor specifications provided with a fault injection engine. The effectiveness of the methodology has been demonstrated in two different case studies, showing how the proposed approach is able to produce an accurate dependability report highlighting the criticalities in both the architecture and the application of the system under design.