Executable Assertions for Detecting Data Errors in Embedded Control Systems

In order to be able to tolerate the effects of faults, we must first detect the symptoms of faults, i.e. the errors. This paper evaluates the error detection properties of an error detection scheme based on the concept of executable assertions aiming to detect data errors in internal signals. The mechanisms are evaluated using error injection experiments in an embedded control system. The results show that using the mechanisms allows one to obtain a fairly high detection probability for errors in the areas monitored by the mechanisms. The overall detection probability for errors injected to the monitored signals was 74%, and if only errors causing failure are taken into account we have a detection probability of over 99%. When subjecting the target system to random error injections in the memory areas of the application, i.e., not only the monitored signals, the detection probability for errors that cause failure was 81%.