National Technical Reports Library

The National Technical Information Service acquires, indexes, abstracts, and archives the largest collection of U.S. government-sponsored technical reports in existence. The NTRL offers online, free and open access to these authenticated government technical reports. Technical reports and documents in its repository may be available online for free either from the issuing federal agency, the U.S. Government Publishing Office’s Federal Digital System website, or through search engines.

Details

Microprocessor Evaluations for Safety-Critical, Real-Time Applications: Authority for Expenditure No. 43 Phase 3 Report.

PB2010103425

Publication Date	2009
Personal Author	Mahapatra, R. N.; Bhojwani, P.; Lee, J.; Kim, Y.
Page Count	43
Abstract	This report discusses the findings concerning safety issues in using todays commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) microprocessors on aircraft. The report addresses the applicability of RTCA/DO-254 to microprocessors, documents potential safety concerns when using modern COTS microprocessors on aircraft, and proposes potential approaches for addressing these safety concerns. The research was performed in multiple phases with participation from avionic system developers (BAE Systems, The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin, and Smiths Aerospace) and Federal Aviation Administration organizations responsible for aircraft safety research and development. Phase 1 established the project scope and identified the research parameters, as well as reviewed the available literature and surveyed microprocessor users to identify the issues and potential solutions associated with the use of COTS microprocessors in regulated, safety-critical applications. Phase 2 developed the project objectives and found an approach to work toward the solution of these issues and the achievement of these objectives. Phase 3, documented in this report, evaluated the proposed approach and continued the development of processes, services, and prototype tool development. Phase 4, depending heavily on industry experience, will attempt to determine if new approaches can be developed to ensure system safety and provide more effective methods to accumulate safety evidence for certification while reducing the time and cost to develop and certify complex systems. These results will be documented in a Microprocessor Selection and Evaluation Handbook to facilitate application to real-time, safety-critical applications.
Keywords	Critical systems Avionics Certification Tests Validation Evaluation Guidelines System on a chip Criticality levels
Source Agency	Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration
Corporate Authors	Texas A and M Univ., College Station. Dept. of Computer Science.; Federal Aviation Administration, Washington, DC. Aviation Research and
Supplemental Notes	Sponsored by Federal Aviation Administration, Washington, DC. Aviation Research and Development.
Document Type	Technical Report
Title Note	Final rept.
NTIS Issue Number	201006

Microprocessor Evaluations for Safety-Critical, Real-Time Applications: Authority for Expenditure No. 43 Phase 3 Report.

Microprocessor Evaluations for Safety-Critical, Real-Time Applications: Authority for Expenditure No. 43 Phase 3 Report.
PB2010103425

Publication Date	2009
Personal Author	Mahapatra, R. N.; Bhojwani, P.; Lee, J.; Kim, Y.
Page Count	43
Abstract	This report discusses the findings concerning safety issues in using todays commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) microprocessors on aircraft. The report addresses the applicability of RTCA/DO-254 to microprocessors, documents potential safety concerns when using modern COTS microprocessors on aircraft, and proposes potential approaches for addressing these safety concerns. The research was performed in multiple phases with participation from avionic system developers (BAE Systems, The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin, and Smiths Aerospace) and Federal Aviation Administration organizations responsible for aircraft safety research and development. Phase 1 established the project scope and identified the research parameters, as well as reviewed the available literature and surveyed microprocessor users to identify the issues and potential solutions associated with the use of COTS microprocessors in regulated, safety-critical applications. Phase 2 developed the project objectives and found an approach to work toward the solution of these issues and the achievement of these objectives. Phase 3, documented in this report, evaluated the proposed approach and continued the development of processes, services, and prototype tool development. Phase 4, depending heavily on industry experience, will attempt to determine if new approaches can be developed to ensure system safety and provide more effective methods to accumulate safety evidence for certification while reducing the time and cost to develop and certify complex systems. These results will be documented in a Microprocessor Selection and Evaluation Handbook to facilitate application to real-time, safety-critical applications.
Keywords	Critical systems Avionics Certification Tests Validation Evaluation Guidelines System on a chip Criticality levels
Source Agency	Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration
Corporate Authors	Texas A and M Univ., College Station. Dept. of Computer Science.; Federal Aviation Administration, Washington, DC. Aviation Research and
Supplemental Notes	Sponsored by Federal Aviation Administration, Washington, DC. Aviation Research and Development.
Document Type	Technical Report
Title Note	Final rept.
NTIS Issue Number	201006