An Algorithmic-Based Fault Detection Technique for the 1-D Discrete Cosine Transform

Abstract

The discrete cosine transform (DCT) is a key building block for many applications in communications and signal processing. Likewise, it is also popular in space applications such as those that perform audio or image compression. The problem with space applications is that they usually have to work in a high radiation environment that affects electronic components and distorts their correct functionality. Therefore, it is usual to devise alternative implementation of the designs that can detect the presence of errors and discard the affected samples. In this brief, we explore the use of algorithmic-based fault tolerance (ABFT) techniques, which exploit certain algorithmic properties to detect errors. In particular, an ABFT technique for the Arai DCT is proposed and compared to standard protection schemes based on modular redundancy. Experimental results show that important savings in terms of resource overhead can be obtained with our approach while still maintaining the error detection rate at a reasonable level.