Information processing apparatus, failure monitoring method and failure monitoring computer program

• US 20060173655A1
• Filed: 04/13/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Amano, Kazuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,212,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/185
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31721 Power aspects, e.g. power supplies for test circuits, power saving during test for scan test G01R31/318575
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/24 Marginal checking or other specified testing methods not covered by G06F11/26, e.g. race tests

Abstract

An information processing apparatus, a failure monitoring method and a failure monitoring computer program can prevent serious problems from arising by recognizing the increase in the electric current consumption that is caused by a change in the impedance of an electronic part and predicting the trouble that can occur in the related logic circuit and/or the power supply circuit or, if the trouble occurs, detecting it quickly. The information processing apparatus that monitors failures comprises a plurality of modules that are provided for each information processing feature, a plurality of switches that are provided respectively for the modules so as to turn on and off the power supply to the respective modules connected to them, at least a power supply metering section that meters the power supply to the modules, a memory section that stores a normal range of power supply in advance and a control section that controls the switches so as to turn off the power supply to a specific module when the outcome of the metering by the power supply metering section is out of the normal range of power supply as stored in the memory section.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus that monitors failures comprising:

a plurality of modules that are provided for each information processing feature;

a plurality of switches that are provided respectively for the modules so as to turn on and off the power supply to the respective modules connected to them;

at least a power supply metering section that meters the power supply to the modules;

a memory section that stores a normal range of power supply in advance; and

a control section that controls the switches so as to turn off the power supply to a specific module when the outcome of the metering by the power supply metering section is out of the normal range of power supply as stored in the memory section.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power supply metering section is provided for each of the modules or each group of modules formed by dividing the modules.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the memory section stores a normal range of power supply for each of the modules in advance;

and

the control section computes the normal range of power supply for the power supply metering section or each of the power supply metering sections on the basis of the normal range of power supply for each of the modules and the configuration of the modules in the information processing apparatus,

while the memory section stores the normal range of power supply for the power supply metering section or each of the power supply metering sections.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control section recognizes the configuration of the modules in the information processing apparatus by communicating with the modules.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the memory section stores a first normal range and a second normal range that is broader than the first normal range in advance as the normal range;

and

the control section turns off the power supply to all the modules when the metered power supply is out of the second normal range but identifies the abnormal module and turns off the power supply to the abnormal module when the metered power supply is out of the first normal range.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein,

when the power supply is out of the first normal range, the control section selects one of the modules operating under the power supply metering section for which the power supply is detected to abnormal, turns off the power supply to the selected module and repeats the selection of one of the modules until the abnormal power supply is no longer detected on the basis of the outcome of the metering by the power supply metering section and the normal range stored in the memory section.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the power supply metering section or each of the power supply metering sections meters the electric current consumption of the modules;

and

the memory section stores the normal range as current consumption.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the memory section further stores a normal range for the change in the power supply to the power supply metering section or each of the power supply metering sections and the outcome of the past metering operations of the power supply metering section or each of the power supply metering sections;

and

the control section controls the switches so as to turn off the power supply to a specific module when the change in the power supply as obtained from the outcome of the past metering operations of the power supply metering section or each of the power supply metering sections is out of the normal range for changes in the power supply as stored in the memory section.

9. A failure monitoring method of monitoring failures of an information processing apparatus having a plurality of modules, the method comprising:

a storing step that stores a normal range of power supply to the modules in advance;

at least a power supply metering step that meters the power supply to the modules; and

a control step that turns off the power supply to a specific module when the power supply to the module is out of the normal range as stored in the storing step as a result of metering in the power supply metering step or steps.

10. The failure monitoring method according to claim 9, wherein

the power supply metering step or each of the power supply metering steps is conducted for each of the modules or each group of modules formed by dividing the modules.

11. The failure monitoring method according to claim 9, wherein

the storing step is adapted to store a normal range of power supply for each of the modules in advance;

and

the control step is adapted to compute the normal range of power supply for the power supply metering step or each of the power supply metering steps on the basis of the normal range of power supply for each of the modules and the configuration of the modules in the information processing apparatus, while the storing step is also adapted to store the normal range of power supply for the power supply metering step or each of the power supply metering steps.

12. The failure monitoring method according to claim 11, wherein the control step is adapted to recognize the configuration of the modules in the information processing apparatus by communicating with the modules.

13. The failure monitoring method according to claim 9, wherein

the storing step is adapted to store a first normal range and a second normal range that is broader than the first normal range in advance as the normal range;

and

the control step is adapted to turn off the power supply to all the modules when the metered power supply is out of the second normal range but identify the abnormal module and turn off the power supply to the abnormal module when the metered power supply is out of the first normal range.

14. The failure monitoring method according to claim 13, wherein,

when the power supply is out of the first normal range, the control step is adapted to select one of the modules operating under the power supply metering step in which the power supply is detected to abnormal, turn off the power supply to the selected module and repeat the selection of one of the modules until the abnormal power supply is no longer detected on the basis of the outcome of the metering in the power supply metering step and the normal range stored in the storing step.

15. The failure monitoring method according to claim 9, wherein

the power supply metering step of each of the power supply metering steps is adapted to meter the electric current consumption of the modules;

and

the storing step is adapted to store the normal range as electric current consumption.

16. The failure monitoring method according to claim 9, wherein

the storing step is adapted to further store a normal range for the change in the power supply in the power supply metering step or each of the power supply metering steps and the outcome of the past metering operations of the power supply metering step or each of the power supply metering steps;

and

the control step is adapted to turn off the power supply to a specific module when the change in the power supply as obtained from the outcome of the past metering operations in the power supply metering step or each of the power supply metering steps is out of the normal range for changes in the power supply as stored in the storing step.

17. A failure monitoring computer program for causing a computer to execute a failure monitoring method of monitoring failures of an information processing apparatus having a plurality of modules, the method comprising:

a storing step that stores a normal range of power supply to the modules in advance;

at least a power supply metering step that meters the power supply to the modules; and

a control step that turns off the power supply to a specific module when the power supply to the module is out of the normal range as stored in the storing step as a result of metering in the power supply metering step or steps.