Patching Processor Design Errors with Programmable Hardware

Equipping processors with programmable hardware to patch design errors lets manufacturers release regular hardware patches, avoiding costly chip recalls and potentially speeding time to market. For each error detected, the manufacturer creates a fingerprint, which the customer uses to program the hardware. The hardware watches for error conditions; when they arise, it takes action to avoid the error. Overall, our scheme enables an exciting new environment where hardware design errors can be handled as easily as system software bugs, by applying a patch to the hardware