Patent ID: 7519863
Filing Date: 2009-04-14
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of detecting a malfunction in a hardware module, said hardware module comprising a functional hardware adapted to provide a defined function and a diagnosis component including a logic and a status register, wherein said logic has access to said functional hardware and wherein a value of said at least one status register is readable by a software external to said hardware module, said method comprising at said logic: receiving a check status command from an external software; checking, in response to said check status command, a status of said functional hardware by comparing prestored initialization values of said functional hardware to current register values of said functional hardware; and updating a value of said at least one status register depending on a result of said status check wherein said value of said at least one status register is updated inasmuch that it is changed only in case a checked status of said functional hardware is in good order for enabling said software to detect a malfunction in said hardware module by detecting a same value in said at least one status register.