A method for protecting a reconfigurable digital integrated circuit includes multiple parallel processing channels each comprising an instance of a functional logic block and an error detection unit, the method comprising the successive steps of: activating the error detection unit in order to detect an error in at least one processing channel, executing the data replay mechanism, and then activating the error detection unit in order to detect an error in at least one processing channel, if an error is detected again, executing a self-test on each processing channel, for each processing channel, if the self-test does not detect any error, executing the data replay mechanism for this processing channel, if the self-test detects an error, reconfiguring that part of the configuration memory associated with this processing channel.

Disclosed herein is a single integrated circuit chip with a main logic that operates a vehicle component such as a valve driver. Isolated from the main logic within the chip is a safety area that operates to verify proper operation of the main logic. The safety area is internally powered by an internal regulated voltage generated by an internal voltage regulator that generates the internal regulated voltage from an external voltage while protecting against shorts of the external line delivering the external voltage. The safety area includes protection circuits that level shift external analog signals downward in voltage for monitoring within the safety area, the protection circuits serving to protect against shorts of the external line delivering the external analog signals.

A trim/test interface in a packaged integrated circuit device prevents high through-current between pins of the IC device and trim/test interface digital logic within the IC device using a floating-pin-tolerant always-on CMOS input buffer. The always-on buffer uses a coupling capacitor at its input to block signals at DC and a weak-latch feedback path to ensure that intermediate or floating inputs are provided through the buffer only at one of two digital levels (e.g., those provided by a ground pin GND and by a high supply voltage pin VDD). The described interfaces and methods provide for false-entry-free test mode activation for IC devices with a low pin count, where there are a limited number of pins to cover all test/trim functions, or in which only analog, no-connect, or failsafe pins are available for trim or test mode entry control or trim or test data input.

A trim/test interface in a packaged integrated circuit device prevents high through-current between pins of the IC device and trim/test interface digital logic within the IC device using a floating-pin-tolerant always-on CMOS input buffer. The always-on buffer uses a coupling capacitor at its input to block signals at DC and a weak-latch feedback path to ensure that intermediate or floating inputs are provided through the buffer only at one of two digital levels (e.g., those provided by a ground pin GND and by a high supply voltage pin VDD). The described interfaces and methods provide for false-entry-free test mode activation for IC devices with a low pin count, where there are a limited number of pins to cover all test/trim functions, or in which only analog, no-connect, or failsafe pins are available for trim or test mode entry control or trim or test data input.

A digital value obtained from a preceding circuit element is temporarily stored and made available for a subsequent circuit element at a controlled moment of time. The digital value is received through a data input. A triggering signal is also received, a triggering edge of which defines an allowable time limit before which a digital value must be available at said data input to become available for said subsequent circuit element. Between first and second pulse-enabled subregister stages, an internal digital value from the first pulse-enabled subregister stage and information of the changing moment of said digital value at the data input in relation to said allowable time limit are used to ensure passing a valid internal digital value to the second pulse-enabled subregister stage. Said second pulse-enabled subregister stage makes said valid internal digital value available for said subsequent circuit element. A timing event observation signal is output as an indicator of said digital value at said data input having changed within a time window that begins at said allowable time limit and is shorter than one cycle of said triggering signal.

Microelectronic circuit com-prises a plurality of logic units and register circuits, arranged into a plu-rality of processing paths, and a plu-rality of monitoring units associated with respective ones of said processing paths. Each of said monitoring units is configured to produce an observation signal as a response to anomalous opera-tion of the respective processing path. Each of said plurality of logic units belongs to one of a plurality of delay classes according to an amount of delay that it is likely to generate. Said de-lay classes comprise first, second, and third classes, of which the first class covers logic units that are likely to generate longest delays, the second class covers logic units that are likely to generate shorter delays than said first class, and the third class covers logic units that are likely to generate shorter delays than said second class. At least some of said plurality of pro-cessing paths comprise logic units be-longing to said second class but are without monitoring units. At least some of said plurality of processing paths comprise logic units belonging to said third class but have monitoring units associated with them.

Various implementations described herein are related to a device having an output pad that is configured to supply an output pad voltage. The device may include tracking circuitry that is configured to receive a first voltage, receive a second voltage that is different than the first voltage, receive the output pad voltage as a feedback voltage, and provide a first tracking voltage and a second tracking voltage based on the first voltage, the second voltage and the feedback voltage. The device may include output circuitry that is configured to receive the first tracking voltage and the second tracking voltage from the tracking circuitry and provide the output pad voltage to the output pad based on the first tracking voltage and the second tracking voltage.

The excitation of processing paths in a microelectronic circuit is organized by providing one or more pieces of input information to a decision-making software, and executing the decision-making software to decide, whether one or more of said processing paths of the microelectronic circuit are to be excited with test signals. Deciding that said processing paths are to be excited with said test signals results in proceeding to excite said one or more of said processing paths with said test signals and monitoring whether timing events occur on such one or more excited processing paths. A timing event is a change in a digital value at an input of a respective register circuit on an excited processing path, which change took place later than an allowable time limit defined by a triggering signal to said respective register circuit.

An item of electrical equipment has a preprocessing device for digital measured values. The preprocessing device has an integrated circuit and an electronic memory chip that contains a configuration of a logic circuit. If a fault of the preprocessing device is identified, an operation of the preprocessing device is interrupted until the configuration of the logic circuit has been loaded from a configuration memory chip into the electronic memory chip. There is also described a method for rectifying device faults, such as by reloading a configuration of a logic circuit into an electronic memory chip of a preprocessing device.

Various implementations described herein are directed to a device having a scan chain that receives a multi-bit input, provides a multi-bit output, and provides a multi-bit multiplexer output based on the multi-bit input and the multi-bit output. The device may have an error-bit generator that receives the multi-bit multiplexer output, receives a portion of the multi-bit input, receives a portion of the multi-bit output, and provides an error-bit output based on the multi-bit multiplexer output, the portion of the multi-bit input, and the portion of the multi-bit output.