Fault Analysis

Overview

The software components CMSIS-View:Fault provide infrastructure and API function calls to store, record, and analyze the Cortex-M Exception Fault information.

Arm Cortex-M processors raise an exception fault on critical system failures such as illegal memory write or read, access to an disabled peripheral, execution of an invalid instruction, or division by zero:

• The component CMSIS-View:Fault:Storage can be used to save an exception fault information for later analysis.
• The component CMSIS-View:Fault:Record decodes a saved exception fault information and records this information using the Event Recorder.

A typical execution flow is shown in the diagram below.

Exception Fault Analysis

• Theory of operation explains in details how the Fault component stores fault information and how it can be used for further analysis.
• Using Fault component provides instructions on how to enable Fault component in a project.

An application note is available that describes the Cortex-M fault exceptions from the programmers view and explains their usage during the software development cycle: KAN209 - Using Cortex-M3/M4/M7 Fault Exceptions.