Multi-media computer diagnostic system

Abstract

Multi-media computer system diagnostic system for fault isolation in a multi-tasking hard, real-time task environment is described. Hard, real-time multi-tasking operations, particularly those unique to signal processing tasks may be monitored without creating a task processing overload and without delaying the results beyond hard, real-time task deadlines by insertion of a branch instruction in the task execution instructions being examined which cause execution of the task to branch to a diagnostic program. The diagnostic program executes a diagnostic instruction set and captures one or more digital samples characteristic of the operation of the hard, real-time task at the point in its program execution where the branch instruction was located. The digital data samples so obtained may be queued and graphically plotted on the screen of a display associated with the computer system to generate a graphical representation of the performance of the algorithm or signal processing task under examination in order to quickly isolate task malfunctions without having to review a mass of digital data samples. Alternatively, pre-selected samples may be injected into the task execution by loading task registers with predetermined data by executing a branch to a diagnostic function which inserts the samples.