FAULT DETECTION

• US 20130159792A1
• Filed: 01/24/2011
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Brooks, Robert, Wright, Scott, Nguy, Ted
• Application Number:
  US13/818,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20130159792A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• 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 11/3051 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3058 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring environmental properties or parameters of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring of power, currents, temperature, humidity, position, vibrations thermal management in cooling arrangements of a computing system G06F1/206

Abstract

Embodiments provide methods, apparatuses, and systems for monitoring and communicating power faults. In various embodiments, a first voltage and a second voltage, both associated with an adapter, are monitored. The first voltage may provide system power and the second voltage may identify a capacity of the adapter. In response to detecting a voltage change, a power failure event may be communicated.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a detection circuit configured to monitor a first voltage associated with an adapter and a second voltage associated with the adapter, wherein the first voltage provides system power and the second voltage identifies a capacity of the adapter; and

an output coupled to the detection circuit, wherein the output is configured to indicate a power failure in response to the detection circuit detecting a change in the second voltage.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the output is further configured to indicate the power failure in response to the detection circuit detecting a change in the first voltage.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the output is further configured to indicate the power failure in response to the detection circuit determining that the first voltage is below a threshold voltage.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the threshold voltage is approximately fifteen volts.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the output is further configured to set a flag associated with power management logic to communicate the power failure.

6. A system, comprising:

a power rail configured to distribute power;

power management logic, coupled to the power rail, wherein the power management logic is configured to control a transition of the system between states; and

a detection circuit, coupled to the power management logic, wherein the detection circuit is configured to communicate a power failure to the power management logic based on a change in an identification voltage associated with an adapter, the identification voltage indicating a capacity of the adapter.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the detection circuit is configured to communicate the power failure to the power management logic prior to the power rail indicating the power failure.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the detection circuit is further configured to communicate the power failure in response to a change in an adapter voltage, the adapter voltage supplying the power rail with the power.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the detection circuit is configured to communicate the power failure in response to the adapter voltage falling below a voltage threshold.

10. The system or claim 9, wherein the voltage threshold is approximately fifteen volts.

11. The system or claim 6, wherein the power rail is a three-point-three volt power rail.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the power management logic comprises a bit configured to indicate the power failure;

and

wherein the detection circuit is configured to set the bit to communicate the power failure.

13. A method, comprising:

monitoring, by a detection circuit, a first voltage provided by an adapter and a second voltage associated with an identification pin of the adapter, wherein the first voltage provides system power and the second voltage identifies a capacity of the adapter; and

communicating, by the detection circuit, a power failure event to power management logic in response to detecting a change in either the first voltage or the second voltage.

14. The method or claim 13, wherein said communicating comprises communicating the power failure event in response to detecting a decrease in the second voltage.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said communicating comprises communicating the power failure event in response to detecting a decrease in the first voltage.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein monitoring the first voltage comprises determining whether the first voltage drops below a voltage threshold.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein monitoring the first voltage comprises determining whether the first voltage drops below fifteen volts.

18. The method of claims 13, wherein said communicating comprises coupling a bit in the power management logic to a ground voltage.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving, by a controller, system power and the power failure event; and

determining, by the controller, the system power is residual system power based on the power failure event.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

transitioning, by the power management logic, system to boot state in response to receipt of the power failure event.