Application of FMEA procedure for ALU unit testing

Arithmetic-logic unit (ALU) is an important part of each microprocessor and its main purpose is to process arithmetical and logical operations. Correct results of these calculations are crucial for performance of the entire processor unit. Thus thorough testing of all functions before deployment is necessary. Also thorough testing of whole system is crucial for correct system performance during the life cycle. Following article describes proposal of algorithm to test basic arithmetical-logical instructions and analysis of each gate by the FMEA (Failure mode and effect analysis) method.