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Analytic Redundancy for Software Fault-Tolerance In Hard Real-Time Systems

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Foundations of Dependable Computing

Abstract

This chapter develops a new methodology for the design of reliable control systems. The impressive capabilities of modern computers have enabled the implementation of highly sophisticated intelligent control methods even in relatively modest applications. However, the risk of software errors and the potential of failures due to unanticipated algorithmic behavior and modes of operation may increasingly exclude the use of such technologies in applications where timing or safety is critical. We present a new approach to software fault-tolerance that will ensure that high-performance intelligent control will be achievable together with high-reliability. The idea is based on redundancy of the controller software with a complementary reliable/high-performance structure that exploits a significant disparity between the two systems. We discuss various software error types and review current methods of software fault-tolerance. We present the new methodology, discuss issues that arise in its use and present experimental results for a particular control systems.

Research supported in part by Office of Naval Research under Contract N00014-92-J-1524

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© 1994 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Bodson, M., Lehoczky, J., Rajkumar, R., Sha, L., Stephan, J. (1994). Analytic Redundancy for Software Fault-Tolerance In Hard Real-Time Systems. In: Koob, G.M., Lau, C.G. (eds) Foundations of Dependable Computing. The Springer International Series in Engineering and Computer Science, vol 284. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-585-27316-7_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-585-27316-7_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

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