Course syllabus - Fail-safe Design Concepts

Objectives

The purpose is to give engineers and students a toolbox of fail-safe design concepts for industrial and embedded systems. 

Learning outcomes

After completing the course the student shall be able to: 

1. compare different fault tolerant concepts and their ability to mitigate failure effects, 
2. implement existing methods for fail-safe designs, and  
3. argue for redundancy concepts in fault tolerant architectures. 

Course content

The course covers different types of faults and possible error sources (technology, human and environment).  Different types of faults are addressed with fault tolerance mechanisms for systems, hardware and software components. This gives a solid base for understanding the design of fail-safe systems. 

Specific requirements

At least 160 credits of which at least 15 credits within Computer Science and 20 credits within Electronics. In addition, Swedish B/Swedish 3 and English A/English 6 are required. For courses given in entirely in English exemption is made from the requirement in Swedish B/Swedish 3.

Examination

Exercise (OVN1), online exercise where methods for fault tolerant concepts are compared with respect to their ability to mitigate failure effects, 1.5 credits, examines the learning outcome 1, marks Fail (U) or Pass (G). 
Assignment (INL1), home assignment where existing methods for fail-safe designs are realized, and redundancy concepts in fault tolerant architectures are argumented for, 1 credit, examines the learning outcomes 2-3, marks Fail (U) or Pass (G). 

A student who has a certificate from MDU regarding a disability has the opportunity to submit a request for supportive measures during written examinations or other forms of examination, in accordance with the Rules and Regulations for Examinations at First-cycle and Second-cycle Level at Mälardalen University (2020/1655). It is the examiner who takes decisions on any supportive measures, based on what kind of certificate is issued, and in that case which measures are to be applied.

Suspicions of attempting to deceive in examinations (cheating) are reported to the Vice-Chancellor, in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance, and are examined by the University’s Disciplinary Board. If the Disciplinary Board considers the student to be guilty of a disciplinary offence, the Board will take a decision on disciplinary action, which will be a warning or suspension.

Grade

Two-grade scale

Interim Regulations and Other Regulations

The course overlaps with 2,5 credits with FLA432 Design of Fault Tolerant Systems.