Data Sheet

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Intelligent Platforms

Features

• HighCoverageInitializationTestfor

PowerPCSBC

• FunctionallyVerifiableCoverageFigures

• FieldDiagnosticCapability

• BackgroundTeststoco-existwithCOTS

OperatingSystem

• Non-VolatileStorageofResultsandTest

Configurations

WiththeincreasinguseofCOTS(commercial

off-the-shelf)boardsbasedonmainstream

siliconformission-criticalapplications,

andtheincreasinguseofCOTSoperating

systemsontheseboards,newchallenges

arebeingpresentedinthecriticalarenaof

DeployedTest.

Suchchallengesinclude:adecreasing

qualityoffailureratedatafromchipvendors

whofocusonstandardcommercialmarkets;

anecessityfortestfunctionstonotintrude

upontheoperatingsystem(OS)orhigher

levelsoftwarecomponentsobtainedfrom

theopenmarket;anincreasingneedto

supplytestsoftwaresthatcaneasily

beadaptedtotheevolvingarchitectures

promotedbytechnologyinsertionand

COTSinteroperability.

DeployedTestSolutions

Overview

Leadingtheevolutionofthesetrends,

GEIntelligentPlatformhasaddressed

thechallengesandhastheproducts

andthemethodologiesthatcandeliver

appropriatedeployedtestroutinesforthis

environment,whilemaintainingthefull

benefitsofCOTSusage.

GEIntelligentPlatform’sDeployedTest

philosophyissupportedbytwoproducts

formaximumconfidenceinallscenarios.

OurBIT(built-intest)productprovidesa

highconfidenceinitializationtestwith

visualandOS-reportedresultsforLine

ReplacementUnit(LRU)failure.

OurBCS(BackgroundConditionScreening)

providescontinuoushealthmonitoring

thatisco-operativewith,andnotintrusive

upon,standardCOTSoperatingsystems.

System BIT

Internal Nodes

Edge Nodes

n=N/((Nd

P(100-P))+1)

Summary of content (4 pages)

PAGE 1
GE Intelligent Platforms Deployed Test Solutions Features • High Coverage Initialization Test for PowerPC SBC • Functionally Verifiable Coverage Figures • Field Diagnostic Capability • Background Tests to co-exist with COTS Operating System • Non-Volatile Storage of Results and Test Configurations With the increasing use of COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) boards based on mainstream silicon for mission-critical applications, and the increasing use of COTS operating systems on these boards, new chal
PAGE 2
Deployed Test Solutions Test Solution Components BIT Coverage BIT is an initialization test, running at any power-up or re-initialization cycle. This means it can achieve very high test confidence levels (or test ‘coverage’) by assuming complete ownership of all board resources, utilizing these in the manner best suited to the purpose of testing, right down to the intimate register level. Very high coverage levels with a detailed error resolution can only be achieved in this way.
PAGE 3
Deployed Test Solutions Configuration Options Once MPE has executed, instructions for further tests, both locally and system-wide, are taken from a list of system descriptor items stored in non-volatile memory. This list can be manipulated from the interactive System Description Environment (SDE). System descriptor items can be inserted or deleted, or existing items modified.
PAGE 4
Deployed Test Solutions tendency towards system upgrades and/ or maintenance in-situ. The opportunity for human error exists. GE Intelligent Platform has implemented a program which does provide an objective measure of BIT software effectiveness. On each particular hardware product, a large number of nodes are chosen randomly, then each is individually ‘stuck’ high or low (by connecting to power or ground) on a real board on which BIT is executed.