US 12,242,886 B2
Buffer checker for task processing fault detection
Wei Shao, Hertfordshire (GB); Christopher Wilson, Hertfordshire (GB); and Damien McNamara, Hertfordshire (GB)
Assigned to Imagination Technologies Limited, Kings Langley (GB)
Filed by Imagination Technologies Limited, Kings Langley (GB)
Filed on Apr. 3, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/626,000.
Application 18/626,000 is a continuation of application No. 17/867,635, filed on Jul. 18, 2022, granted, now 11,977,913.
Application 17/867,635 is a continuation of application No. 16/702,823, filed on Dec. 4, 2019, granted, now 11,409,557.
Claims priority of application No. 1819809 (GB), filed on Dec. 4, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0248750 A1, Jul. 25, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06F 9/48 (2006.01); G06F 9/30 (2018.01); G06F 9/38 (2018.01); G06F 11/10 (2006.01); G06F 11/14 (2006.01); G06F 11/16 (2006.01); G06F 21/62 (2013.01); G06F 21/64 (2013.01)
CPC G06F 9/4843 (2013.01) [G06F 9/30043 (2013.01); G06F 9/3877 (2013.01); G06F 11/1004 (2013.01); G06F 11/1497 (2013.01); G06F 11/1641 (2013.01); G06F 21/6245 (2013.01); G06F 21/64 (2013.01); G06F 2009/3883 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A graphics processing system for operation with a data store, comprising:
one or more processing units for processing tasks;
a check unit operable to form a signature which is characteristic of an output from processing a task; and
a fault detection unit operable to compare signatures formed at the check unit;
wherein the graphics processing system is operable to process each task first and second times at the one or more processing units so as to, respectively, generate first and second processed outputs, the graphics processing system being configured to:
write out the first processed output to the data store,
read back the first processed output from the data store,
form at the check unit a first signature which is characteristic of the first processed output as read back from the data store,
form at the check unit a second signature which is characteristic of the second processed output, wherein the second signature is formed prior to the second processed output being written to the data store,
compare the first and second signatures at the fault detection unit, and
raise a fault signal if the first and second signatures do not match.