A Novel Approach for Providing Fault Tolerance to FPGA-Based Reconfigurable Systems

Abstract

Abstract-Thedynamically reconfigurable Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are most frequently employed for developing adaptive embedded systems. They are also being increasingly used as co-processors in high performance computing applications. For these systems to be fielded in harsh environments such as those encountered in space, extra-terrestrial locations and regions of extreme conditions on the earth, one must adopt fault tolerant design techniques to ensure uninterrupted and reliable operation despite the occurrence of faults. Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) FPGA components offer a cost effective design trajectory where the designer can choose among a rich variety of FT approaches and techniques. This paper compares the various FT techniques and proposes a novel method in which these techniques can work together to provide a synergetic approach for fault tolerant FPGA design.