INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING POWER THEREOF

• US 20080250256A1
• Filed: 04/08/2008
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hagiwara, Yuichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,555,090 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1441 Resetting or repowering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2015 Redundant power supplies power supply failure G06F1/30

Abstract

Backup control means controls processing for backing up data in storage means. In a state in which the storage means is not being supplied with power from the main power supply, a backup power supply supplies power to the storage means in order that backup processing by the backup control means will be performed. A timer measures power-supply time, which is the length of time the backup power supply supplies a voltage equal to or greater than a rated voltage to the storage means in order that backup processing will be performed. Determination means determines whether the power-supply time counted by the timer is shorter than length of a reference backup time. Notification of result of backup processing is given by alert means in accordance with the result of the determination made by the determination means.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a backup control unit configured to control processing for backing up data that has been stored in storage means;

a backup power supply charged by a main power supply, said backup power supply supplying power to the storage means, in a state in which the storage means is not supplied with power from the main power supply, in order that backup processing by said backup control unit will be performed;

a timer configured to count power-supply time, which is a length of time a voltage equal to or greater than a prescribed voltage for assuring operation of the storage means is supplied by said backup power supply in order that backup processing will be performed;

a determination unit configured to determine whether the power-supply time counted by said timer is shorter than length of a reference backup time for assuring completion of the backup processing; and

an alert unit configured to notify of result of the backup processing in accordance with result of the determination made by said determination unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage means includes a volatile storage medium and a non-volatile storage medium;

and

said backup control unit writes data from said volatile storage medium to said non-volatile storage medium.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said alert unit notifies of failure of the backup processing as a result of the backup processing in a case where said determination unit has determined that the power-supply time is shorter than the reference backup time.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said timer starts counting the power-supply time at the moment a voltage supplied from the main power supply to the storage means falls below a reference value higher than the prescribed voltage.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said timer starts counting the power-supply time at the moment external supply of power to the main power supply is interrupted.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sensing unit configured to sense completion of charging of said backup power supply;

wherein in a case where said determination unit has determined that the power-supply time counted by said timer is shorter than the reference backup time and said sensing unit has not sensed completion of charging, then said alert means gives notification of the fact that backup processing has not been completed because charging of said backup power supply is inadequate.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sensing unit configured to sense completion of charging of said backup power supply;

wherein in a case where said determination unit has determined that the power-supply time counted by said timer is shorter than the reference backup time and said sensing unit has sensed completion of charging, then said alert means gives notification of the fact that backup processing has not been completed because of deterioration of said backup power supply.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein supply of power from said backup power supply to the storage means is halted at the moment a voltage supplied from said backup power supply to the storage means falls below the prescribed voltage.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein supply of power from said backup power supply to the storage means is halted at the moment the power-supply time reaches a predetermined length of time.

10. A method of controlling power of an information processing apparatus having a backup control unit configured to control processing for backing up data that has been stored in storage means, and a backup power supply charged by a main power supply, the backup power supply supplying power to the storage means, in a state in which the storage means is not supplied with power from the main power supply, in order that backup processing by the backup control unit will be performed, said method comprising:

counting power-supply time, which is a length of time a voltage equal to or greater than a prescribed voltage for assuring operation of the storage means is supplied by the backup power supply in order that backup processing will be performed;

determining whether the power-supply time measured at said power-supply time counting step is shorter than length of a reference backup time for assuring completion of the backup processing; and

notifying of result of the backup processing in accordance with result of the determination made at said determining step.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the storage means includes a volatile storage medium and a non-volatile storage medium;

and

in said backup control step, data is read out from said volatile storage medium and written to said non-volatile storage medium.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein in said notifying step, the failure of backup processing is notified as a result of the backup processing in a case where in said determining step it has been determined that the power-supply time is shorter than the reference backup time.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein in said counting step, counting the power-supply time is started at the moment a voltage supplied from the main power supply to the storage means falls below a reference value higher than the prescribed voltage.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein in said counting step, counting the power-supply time is started at the moment external supply of power to the main power supply is interrupted.

15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising a sensing step of sensing completion of charging of said backup power supply;

wherein in a case where it has been determined in said determining step that the power-supply time counted in said counting step is shorter than the reference backup time and completion of charging has not been sensed in said sensing step, then it is notified that backup processing has not been completed because charging of said backup power supply is inadequate.

16. The method according to claim 10, further comprising a sensing step of sensing completion of charging of said backup power supply;

wherein in a case where in said determining step it has been determined that the power-supply time counted in said counting step is shorter than the reference backup time and completion of charging has been sensed in said sensing step, then it is notified that backup processing has not been completed because of deterioration of said backup power supply.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein supply of power from said backup power supply to the storage means is halted at the moment a voltage supplied from said backup power supply to the storage means falls below the prescribed voltage.

18. The method according to claim 10, wherein supply of power from said backup power supply to the storage means is halted at the moment the power-supply time reaches a predetermined length of time.