Method and apparatus for inhibiting computer interface clocks during diagnostic testing

• US 5,581,693 A
• Filed: 12/01/1995
• Issued: 12/03/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Pecone, Victor
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoa T.
• Application Number:
  US08/566,278
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• Field of Search: 395/183.01, 395/183.1, 395/183.18, 395/183.19, 395/183.2, 395/183.22
• US Class Current: 714/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/267 Reconfiguring circuits for testing, e.g. LSSD, partitioning

Abstract

An apparatus and method for a computer system that selectively disables expansion peripheral interface devices so that they do not interfere with diagnostic testing of related computer system peripheral interface devices. The present invention selectively disables the peripheral interface devices by control of the clock signals thereto. The clock signals may be selectively controlled by means of a software test program that may also be used to automate the diagnostic testing of the computer system. In addition, the computer system may be remotely tested and diagnosed because the present invention makes it unnecessary for the physical removal of devices that may cause false signal responses during the diagnostic tests.

Claims

1. A method for testing a selected peripheral interface device connected to a local bus in a computer system that includes a CPU, a clock control circuit, and a plurality of peripheral interface devices including said selected peripheral interface device connected to the local bus, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a system clock signal to the selected peripheral interface device;

executing a software command in said CPU to cause said clock control circuit to inhibit the system clock signal from being received by the other peripheral interface devices to thereby prevent a clocked operation of the other peripheral interface devices; and

initiating a diagnostic program in said selected peripheral device for testing the selected peripheral interface device after providing the system clock signal to the selected peripheral interface device while inhibiting the clock signal from others of said plurality of peripheral interface devices.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of executing a software command includes the further step of programming a configuration register of said clock control circuit, wherein said configuration register controls which of said plurality of interface devices receives said system clock signal.

3. The computer system of claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of peripheral devices has a control bit in said configuration register.

4. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the configuration register comprises a plurality of flip-flops.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said diagnostic program in said selected peripheral device is initiated by a diagnostic test program in said CPU.