Patent ID: 8880961

Claim:
A microcontroller, comprising: a processing unit configured to generate a plurality of trace signals, one or more trace signals of the plurality of trace signals comprising an input data, an input data address, one or more internal states of the processing unit, an output data and an output data address; a signature analysis unit coupled to the processing unit and to a second signature analysis unit of a second processing unit via a signature pipe, the signature analysis unit configured to: generate a first plurality of signatures comprising an input address signature based upon one or more trace signals of the plurality of trace signals, receive a second plurality of signatures via the signature pipe; compare a signature of the first plurality of signatures with a corresponding signature of the second plurality of signatures, and generate a first error signal if the comparison produces at least one mismatch; and receive a regeneration address signature from an external memory, compare the input address signature with the regeneration address signature, and generate a second error signal if the comparison produces a mismatch.