Recovering a hardware module from a malfunction

• US 20060282711A1
• Filed: 05/20/2005
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Saarinen, Kaj, Nurmi, Juha
• Granted Patent: US 7,644,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/700
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The invention relates to a recovery of a hardware module of an electronic device from a malfunction state. The hardware module is connected via a signal line to a recovery component of the device, a state of the signal line being controlled by the hardware module. The recovery component monitors a state of the signal line. Whenever the signal line is detected not to assume a predetermined state during a predetermined period of time, the recovery component causes a hardware reset of the hardware module.

Claims

1. A method for recovering a hardware module of an electronic device from a malfunction state, wherein said hardware module is connected via a signal line to a recovery component of said electronic device, a state of said signal line being controlled by said hardware module, said method comprising at said recovery component:

monitoring a state of said signal line; and

causing a hardware reset of said hardware module whenever said signal line is detected not to assume a predetermined state during a predetermined period of time.

2. A recovery component for an electronic device,

said recovery component being adapted to be connected via a signal line to a hardware module of said electronic device;

and

said recovery component being adapted to monitor a state of said signal line and to cause a hardware reset of said hardware module whenever said signal line is detected not to assume a predetermined state during a predetermined period of time.

3. An electronic device comprising a hardware module and a recovery component connected to each other via a signal line,

said hardware module being adapted to set said signal line at regular intervals from a first predetermined state to a second predetermined state as long as no malfunction occurs in said hardware module;

and

said recovery component being adapted to monitor a state of said signal line and to cause a hardware reset of said hardware module whenever said signal line is detected not to assume said second predetermined state during a predetermined period of time.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein said hardware module is a display module comprising a display driver for a screen.

5. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein said signal line is further connected to a frame control portion, which frame control portion is adapted to detect said second predetermined state of said signal line as a synchronization signal for providing data to said hardware module.

6. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein said hardware module is adapted to stop setting said signal line at regular intervals from said first predetermined state to said second predetermined state in case at least one of a bit in a control register of said hardware module changed without cause within said hardware module, data in an internal bus of said hardware module is corrupted, and a powering circuit of said hardware module has been stopped.

7. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein said electronic device comprises a host, and wherein said recovery component is a part of said host.

8. A software program product storing a program code for recovering a hardware module of an electronic device from a malfunction state, wherein said hardware module is connected via a signal line to a recovery component of said electronic device, a state of said signal line being controlled by said hardware module, said program code realizing the following steps when running in said recovery component:

monitoring a state on said signal line; and

causing a hardware reset of said hardware module whenever said signal line is detected not to assume a predetermined state during a predetermined period of time.