Fault-tolerant building-block computer study

The development of ultra-reliable core computers is a starting point for improving the reliability of complex military systems. Such computers can provide reliable fault diagnosis, failure circumvention, and, in some cases serve as an automated repairman for their host systems. This report describes a small set of building-block circuits which can be implemented as single VLSI devices, and which can be used with off-the-shW microprocessors and memories to build Self Checking Computer Modules (SCCM). Each SCCM is a microcomputer which is capable of detecting its own faults during normal operation and is designed to communicace with other identical modules over one or more Mil Standard 1553A buses. Several SCC!1s can be connected into a network with backup spares to provide fault-tolerant operation, i.e. automated recovery from faults. Alternative fault-tolerant SCCM configurations are discussed along with the cost and reliability associated with their implementation.