Keyboard controlled diagnostic system

• US 6,006,344 A
• Filed: 01/21/1997
• Issued: 12/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell USA LP A Texas Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Bell, Joseph W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DIEU MINH T
• Application Number:
  US08/784,573
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 395/183.13, 395/183.01, 395/183.06, 395/183.22, 364/488, 364/489, 364/491, 714/37, 714/25, 714/27, 714/30, 714/46, 714/43, 714/56, 710/13, 710/36, 710/52, 710/65
• US Class Current: 714/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2289 by configuration test

Abstract

A personal computer system is discloses which includes a diagnostic system which uses an input/output controller to perform diagnostic functions. Such a system advantageously allows diagnostic functions to be performed on the computer system including the system processor of the computer system. The diagnostic program may be stored within nonvolatile memory which is coupled to the I/O controller, thus allowing diagnostic functions to be performed without the need for the computer system memory of the computer system.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a system processor;

system memory coupled to the system processor;

an input/output (I/O) controller coupled to the system processor, the I/O controller including an I/O controller processor and signature analysis logic coupled to the I/O controller processor, the I/O controller processor in conjunction with the signature analysis logic providing a diagnostic system executing independent of the system processor, wherein;

the signature analysis logic captures signals provided by the components including the system processor external to the I/O controller, the signature analysis logic providing the captured signals to the I/O controller processor for analysis; and

a nonvolatile memory coupled to the I/O controller, the nonvolatile memory including a diagnostic program, the diagnostic system executing the diagnostic program to test the computer system, including the system processor.

2. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the I/O controller includes:

an I/O controller memory, the I/O controller memory receiving and storing the diagnostic program; and

an I/O controller processor coupled to the I/O controller memory, the I/O controller processor executing the diagnostic program to test components including the system processor external to the I/O controller.

3. The computer system of claim 2 wherein the I/O controller processor includes the I/O controller memory.

4. The computer system of claim 2 wherein the I/O controller includes:

signature analysis logic coupled to both the I/O controller processor and the system processor, the signature analysis logic capturing signals provided by the components including the system processor external to the I/O controller apparatus, the signature analysis logic providing the captured signals to the I/O controller processor for analysis.

5. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the signature analysis logic is coupled to the I/O controller processor and to the system processor.

6. An input/output (I/O) controller apparatus coupled to receive a diagnostic program from a nonvolatile memory, the I/O controller apparatus comprising:

an I/O controller memory, the I/O controller memory receiving and storing the diagnostic program;

an I/O controller processor coupled to the I/O controller memory, the I/O controller processor executing the diagnostic program to test components including the system processor external to the I/O controller apparatus; and

a signature analysis logic coupled to the I/O controller processor, the I/O controller processor in conjunction with the signature analysis logic providing a diagnostic system, wherein;

the signature analysis logic captures signals provided by the components including the system processor external to the I/O controller, the signature analysis logic providing the captured signals to the I/O controller processor for analysis.

7. The I/O controller apparatus of claim 6 wherein:

the I/O controller processor includes the I/O controller memory.

8. A method of performing diagnostics on a computer system having a processor and an I/O controller processor comprising:

providing an input/output (I/O) controller, the (I/O) controller including a diagnostic system, the diagnostic system including baseline signal states;

capturing signals provided by the processor with the diagnostic system to provide a set of states representing the captured signals;

in the I/O controller processor, comparing the set of states representing the captured signals with the baseline signal states to generate comparison results; and

determining whether the processor is functioning properly based upon the comparison results.

9. A computer system comprising:

a system processor;

system memory coupled to the system processor;

a diagnostic system executable independent of the system processor, wherein the diagnostic system is embedded in a controller apparatus, the controller apparatus including;

a controller memory, the controller memory receiving and storing a diagnostic program;

a controller processor coupled to the controller memory, the controller processor executing the diagnostic program to test components including the system processor that are external to the controller; and

signature analysis logic coupled to the system processor and coupled to the controller processor, the signature analysis logic capturing signals provided by the components including the system processor external to the apparatus, the signature analysis logic providing the captured signals to the controller processor for analysis; and

a nonvolatile memory distinct from the system memory, the nonvolatile memory including the diagnostic program, the diagnostic system running the diagnostic program independent from the system memory to test the system processor.

10. The computer system of claim 9 wherein the controller processor includes the controller memory.

11. An apparatus that includes a diagnostic system executable independent of a system processor, the apparatus coupled to receive a diagnostic program from a nonvolatile memory, the apparatus comprising:

a memory receiving and storing the diagnostic program;

an apparatus processor coupled to the apparatus, the apparatus processor executing the diagnostic program to test system components; and

signature analysis logic coupled to the system processor and to the apparatus processor, the signature analysis logic capturing signals provided by the components including the system processor external to the apparatus, the signature analysis logic providing the captured signals to the apparatus processor for analysis.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein:

the apparatus processor includes the memory.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the memory includes bootstrap read only memory (ROM).

14. A method of performing diagnostics on a computer system having a system processor and a second processor comprising:

providing a diagnostic system executable via the second processor independent of the system processor, the diagnostic system including baseline signal states;

capturing signals provided by the system processor with the diagnostic system to provide a set of states representing the captured signals;

using the second processor to compare the set of states representing the captured signals with the baseline signal states to generate comparison results; and

determining whether the system processor is functioning properly based upon the comparison results.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

permitting the system processor to initialize if the comparison results show that the system processor is functioning properly.