Infineon Technologies Ag

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Lantiq Deutschland Gmbh

Lantiq Beteiligungs Gmbh & Co. Kg

Thomas Zettler

Dirk Hammerschmidt

Friedrich Rasbornig

Wolfgang Georg Scheibenzuber

Georg Georgakos

Wolfgang Scherr

Bernhard Gstoettenbauer

Wolfgang Granig

Veit Kleeberger

Rafael Zalman

Ludwig Rossmeier

Michael Strasser

Akos Hegedus

Hans-Joerg Wagner

Wolfgang Werner

Axel Clausen

Umashankar Thyagarajan

Thomas Kern

Josef Winnerl

Wolfgang Pockrandt

Gunther Fenzl

Elias Bjarnason

Pidder Kassel

Charles Bry

Diether Sommer

Kirk Herfurth

Ritesh Banerjee

Ulrich Scheler

Olaf Wachendorf

Andreas Siggelkow

Stefan Kluwe

Heinz Endres

Raimar Thudt

In some examples, a circuit comprises a function unit configured to perform a circuit function, and one or more in situ monitors configured to measure internal data associated with the circuit. The circuit may further comprise a memory configured to store one or more limit values associated with the one or more in situ monitors, and a lifetime model unit configured to determine whether the circuit has reached an end-of-life threshold based on the measured internal data from the one or more in situ monitors and the limit values.

Circuits and techniques for predicting end of life based on in situ monitors and limit values defined for the in situ monitors

In some examples, a method of operating a circuit is described. The method may include performing a circuit function and estimating a probability of failure of the circuit based on one or more stress origination metrics, one or more stress victim events, and one or more initial state conditions.

Circuits and techniques for predicting failure of circuits based on stress origination metrics and stress victim events

In some examples, this disclosure describes a method of operating a circuit. The method may comprise performing a circuit function under normal operating conditions, wherein performing the circuit function under the normal operating conditions includes performing at least a portion of the circuit functions via a characteristic circuit, performing at least the portion of the circuit function under enhanced stress conditions via a characteristic circuit replica, and predicting a potential future problem with the circuit function under the normal conditions based on an evaluation of operation of the characteristic circuit relative to operation of the characteristic circuit replica.

Differential aging monitor circuits and techniques for assessing aging effects in semiconductor circuits

In some examples, a method of operating a circuit may comprise performing a circuit function under normal conditions, performing the circuit function under aggravated conditions, predicting a potential future problem with the circuit function under the normal conditions based on an output of the circuit function under the aggravated conditions, and outputting a predictive alert based on predicting the potential future problem.

Circuits and techniques for assessing aging effects in semiconductor circuits

A fault detection system includes a sensor configured to measure a physical quantity and generate a measurement of the physical quantity; a first processor configured to receive the measurement, execute a first firmware based on the measurement, and output a first result of the executed first firmware; a second processor configured to receive the measurement from the sensor, execute a second firmware based on the measurement, and output a second result of the executed second firmware, wherein the first firmware and the second firmware provide a same nominal function in a diverse manner for calculating the first result and the second result, respectively, such that the first result and the second result are expected to be within a predetermined margin; and a fault detection circuit configured to detect a fault when the first result and the second result are not within the predetermined margin.

Diverse integrated processing using processors and diverse firmware

In some examples, a circuit may be configured to perform a method that includes performing a circuit function via a circuit function unit of a circuit, receiving sensor data from one or more sensors associated with the circuit function unit, and estimating a remaining life of the circuit based on an accelerated reliability model and the sensor data, wherein the sensor data comprises input to the accelerated reliability model. The circuit itself may include a dedicated circuit unit that estimates the remaining life of the circuit based on an accelerated reliability model and the sensor data, and the circuit may output one or more predictive alerts or predictive faults when the remaining life is below a threshold, which may prompt the system for predictive maintenance on the circuit.

End-of-life prediction for circuits using accelerated reliability models and sensor data

An apparatus () for providing an joint error correction code () for a combined data frame () comprising first data () of a first data channel and second data () of a second data channel comprises a first error code generator () configured to provide, based on a linear code, information on a first error correction code () using the first data (). The apparatus further comprises a second error code generator () configured to provide, based on the linear code, information on a second error correction code () using the second data (). The apparatus is configured to provide the joint error correction code () using the information on the first error correction code () and the information on the second error correction code ().

Method and apparatus for providing a joint error correction code for a combined data frame comprising first data of a first data channel and second data of a second data channel and sensor system

Fault detection devices, systems, and methods are provided which implement identical processors. A first processor is configured to receive a first measurement, execute a first firmware based on the first measurement, and output a first result of the executed first firmware. A second processor is configured to receive a second measurement, execute a second firmware based on the second measurement, and output a second result of the executed second firmware. The first firmware and the second firmware provide a same nominal function in a diverse manner for calculating the first result and the second result, respectively, such that the first result and the second result are expected to be within a predetermined margin.

A method including feeding a test signal into a first end of a conductor track of a semiconductor chip, wherein the conductor track crosses an indentation of a substrate of the semiconductor chip; and detecting the test signal at a second ends of the conductor track, which wherein the detected test signal is indicative of fracture of the substrate of the semiconductor chip at the indentation.

Semiconductor chip with fracture detection

Various devices, systems and methods are disclosed where a noise signal component of a sensor signal is used to obtain information about a sensor device. A device may include an evaluation circuit that is configured to receive a sensor signal having a noise signal component, and the evaluation circuit is further configured to evaluate the noise signal component to obtain information about a sensor device generating the sensor signal.

Sensor device, evaluation device and corresponding systems and methods

Fault detection devices, systems and methods are provided which implement identical processors. A first processor is configured to receive a first set of variables, execute a first firmware based on the first set of variables, and output a first result of the executed first firmware. A second processor, identical to the first processor, is configured to receive a second set of variables, execute a second firmware based on the second set of variables, and output a second result of the executed second firmware. The first firmware and the second firmware provide a same nominal function in a diverse manner for calculating the first result and the second result, respectively, such that the first result and the second result are expected to be within a predetermined margin. Thus, a fault can be detected by comparing the first and the second results.

Apparatuses, systems and methods for communicating between a first device and a second device are provided. Distance control circuitry including at least one transceiver is used to transmit and receive distance control signals and to detect a distance between the first device and a remote object based on a transmitted distance control signal and a received distance control signal reflected by the remote object. Communication circuitry coupled to the transceiver is used to modulate user data of the first device onto a transmitted distance control signal and/or to extract user data from a distance control signal received from the second device.

CAR2X communication system, apparatus and method

The present disclosure teaches a sensor system comprising at least two sensor elements causing increased reliability of individual sensor signals due to increased diagnostic coverage using diverse signal paths, diverse signal representations of sensor signals, merging of individual sensor signals maintaining independence of individual sensor signals comprised in protocol representations thereof.

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Hoehenkirchen-Siegertsbrunn, Germany

Thomas Zettler