Cynthia Denise Armstrong

US Patent:

61822485, Jan 30, 2001

Filed:

Apr 7, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/056591

Inventors:

Cynthia Joan Armstrong - Austin TX
Scott Leonard Daniels - Cedar Park TX
Alongkorn Kitamorn - Austin TX
Brian Anthony Oehlke - Leander TX
Richard Martin Tonry - Austin TX

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

H02H 305

US Classification:

714 43

Abstract:

An error injection tool, connected to a bus to be tested in such a manner as not to interfere with normal operation, is employed for error detection and recovery design verification. The error injection tool is connected to the bus to be tested within a data processing system, the system is powered on, and applications simulating normal system loading are run. A desired error is then selected, and the error injection tool is actuated. The error injection tool monitors bus cycles and transactions through selected signals and, upon detecting an appropriate cycle or transaction, overdrives a selected conductor within the bus being tested to inject an error. The selected bus conductor is overdriven (forced) to a logic high or a logic low for a single clock cycle, simulating the intermittent nature of errors likely to occur during normal operation. Bus error signals are then monitored to ascertain whether the error was successfully injected. If not, subsequent attempts during appropriate bus cycles or transaction may continue until error injection is successful.