Optimal design of RTCs in digital circuit fault self-repair based on global signal optimization

Abstract

Since digital circuits have been widely and thoroughly applied in various fields, electronic systems are increasingly more complicated and require greater reliability. Faults may occur in electronic systems in complicated environments. If immediate field repairs are not made on the faults, electronic systems will not run normally, and this will lead to serious losses. The traditional method for improving system reliability based on redundant fault-tolerant technique has been unable to meet the requirements. Therefore, on the basis of (evolvable hardware)-based and (reparation balance technology)-based electronic circuit fault self-repair strategy proposed in our preliminary work, the optimal design of rectification circuits (RTCs) in electronic circuit fault self-repair based on global signal optimization is deeply researched in this paper. First of all, the basic theory of RTC optimal design based on global signal optimization is proposed. Secondly, relevant considerations and suitable ranges are analyzed. Then, the basic flow of RTC optimal design is researched. Eventually, a typical circuit is selected for simulation verification, and detailed simulated analysis is made on five circumstances that occur during RTC evolution. The simulation results prove that compared with the conventional design method based RTC, the global signal optimization design method based RTC is lower in hardware cost, faster in circuit evolution, higher in convergent precision, and higher in circuit evolution success rate. Therefore, the global signal optimization based RTC optimal design method applied in the electronic circuit fault self-repair technology is proven to be feasible, effective, and advantageous.