A Novel Framework for Testing High-Speed Serial Interfaces in Multiprocessor Based Real-Time Embedded System

Abstract

Recent years has seen a tremendous increase in processing requirements of present-day embedded system applications. Embedded systems consist of multiple processing elements (PEs) connected to each other using different types of interfaces. Many complicated tasks are accomplished by embedded systems in varied settings, which may introduce errors during inter-processor communication. Testing such systems is tremendously difficult and challenging from testing non-real time systems. A major part of testing real time embedded systems involves ensuring accuracy and timing in synchronous inter-process communication More specifically, the synchronization and inter-processor communication of real-time applications makes testing a challenging task and due to the demand for higher data rate increases, day-by-day, making testing of such systems even more complex. This paper presents a novel frame work that uses multiple instances of simulators with physical high-speed serial interfaces to emulate any real time embedded system communication. The framework presents a testing technique that detects all faults related to synchronization of high-speed synchronous serial interfaces in a systematic manner. The novelty of our approach is to simulate communication across multiple processors in a simulation environment for detecting and localizing bugs. We verify this framework using a case study consisting of an embedded software defined radio (SDR) system. The test results show the applicability of our approach in fixing bugs that relates to synchronization issues that otherwise are very hard to find and fix in very complicated systems, such as SDR.