How to Build a Deadlock-Free Multi-cores SoC?

By SemiWiki

January 19, 2016

We will precisely explain the meaning of deadlock in a modern, complex multi-core SoC. First, let’s take a look at the crash of the Air France 296, when a brand new Airbus A320 crashed during a demo flight on the June 26, 1988. This Airbus 320, the first plane being completely automated, thanks to the FADEC flight system, was running a demo flight. The pilot decided to mimic a landing just above the airport, without effectively landing. The goal was to demonstrate how brilliant the plane was. Unfortunately, such a maneuver was not recognized by the FADEC and the flight system, being blocked, decided to reset itself. The problem was that in 1988, the reset/restart took 7 seconds, and during the reset time, the pilot was trying to put the gas on and climb (as he would have done with no problem on a plane from the previous generation). The result is printed on the picture below… At that time (1988) there was no SoC but just a 68020 processor, but what has happened is the equivalent to deadlock in modern SoC: the system becomes blocked, and there is no other way to escape this state except going to reset.

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