Signal integrity parameters for health monitoring of digital electronics

Signal integrity parameters associated with signal distortion, power plane integrity and signal transmission quality (jitter) are consider for prognostics and health monitoring (PHM) in high-speed digital applications. A key benefit of utilizing signal integrity parameters for PHM is that uncertainty is reduced as the very signals, their return paths, and their power and ground networks are used for monitoring deviations from expected normal behavior. Utilizing signal integrity parameters in a PHM implementation enables the health of system to be monitored from a signal point of view at the device, interconnect and transmission level. Utilizing jitter measurements, high-frequency losses are captured, and jitter (with respect to operational functions) is deterministic and bounded, thus reducing the complexity of PHM algorithms and enabling remaining useful life estimation. By selecting deterministic parameters for health monitoring, a fault signature and prognostics framework is considered to be achievable. Health monitoring of failure mechanisms, such as electromigration and electrostatic discharge, are discussed from a notional perspective.