A fault propagation model for embedded software system

Abstract

With the development of electronic information technology, the embedded software becomes more and more complex, which makes it difficult for fault propagation analysis while understanding the fault propagation in the embedded software is important in improving the reliability of the whole system. There are a lot of works about fault propagation analysis from the aspects of architecture, which is effective in establishing fault propagation model. But with the increase in complex interactions among components, we need to consider the data interaction between components more accurately, which needs to study the types of data interaction, such as control data or value data. Because of the comprehensive effect of fault-tolerant and defects in software, the behavior of embedded system becomes more and more unpredictable. Based on the factors above, we will study the fault propagation from the perspective of data signal and control signal, construct our signal-component fault propagation model based on Signal-component graph. On the basis of our analysis to the fault propagation in signal level, we will derive state transition matrix between signals to characterize the relationship between signals and components in the process of fault propagation. At last, we simulate a mobile robot software with signal-component fault propagation model and give quantitative analysis to our fault propagation model.