Peak detecting shock gauge and damage diagnostic for mobile and handheld computers

• US 6,453,266 B1
• Filed: 01/29/1999
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chainer, Timothy Joseph, Etzold, Karl-Friedrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Charioui, Mohamed
• Application Number:
  US09/239,831
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 702/187, 702/141, 702/56, 702/79, 702/182, 702/184, 736/49, 736/58, 340/521, 340/506, 340/588, 340/517, 340/524, 340/870.03, 340/870.09, 340/870.17
• US Class Current: 702/184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675

Abstract

A method and structure for preventing damage to an electronic device. The structure includes a sensor outputting signals indicating environmental conditions experienced by the electronic device, a non-volatile memory storing ones of the signals that exceed a limit, and an output device outputting signals stored in the non-volatile memory, thereby providing a history of the environmental conditions experienced by the electronic device that exceed the limit.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a sensor outputting signals indicating environmental conditions experienced by said electronic device;

a non-volatile memory storing ones of said signals that exceed a limit; and

an audible output device outputting signals stored in said non-volatile memory, thereby providing feedback of said environmental conditions experienced by said electronic device that exceed said limit;

wherein said sensor and said non-volatile memory operate when said electronic device is off and, when said electronic device is turned on, said non-volatile memory provides said history through said output device, and

wherein, when said environmental conditions exceed an alert threshold, said audible output device immediately sounds an alert, both when said device is off and when said device is on.

2. The electronic device in claim 1, wherein said output device comprises a display device.

3. The electronic device in claim 1, wherein said signals indicate when said environmental conditions occurred and a magnitude of said environmental conditions.

4. The electronic device in claim 1, wherein said non-volatile memory initiates a diagnostic program after said electronic device experiences an environmental condition that exceeds said limit, wherein said diagnostic program evaluates whether said environmental condition has damaged said electronic device.

5. The electronic device in claim 1, further including a connection to a network, said signals stored in said non-volatile memory being transmitted to said network.

6. A portable computing device comprising:

an acceleration sensing unit outputting signals indicating accelerations experienced by said portable computing device;

a non-volatile memory storing ones of said signals that exceed a limit; and

an audible output device outputting signals stored in said non-volatile memory, thereby providing immediate feedback of said accelerations experienced by said portable computing device that exceed said limit, both when said device is on and when said device is off.

7. The portable computing device in claim 6, wherein said output device comprises a display device.

8. The portable computing device in claim 6, further comprising a direct access storage device wherein said signals indicate when said accelerations occurred, a magnitude of said accelerations, and a position of a slider of said direct access storage device when said accelerations occurred.

9. The portable computing device in claim 8, wherein said non-volatile memory initiates a diagnostic program after said computer experiences acceleration that exceeds said limit, wherein said diagnostic program evaluates whether said acceleration has damaged said direct access storage device.

10. The portable computing device in claim 6, further including a connection to a network, said signals stored in said non-volatile memory being transmitted to said network.

11. The portable computing device in claim 6, wherein said acceleration sensing unit and said non-volatile memory operate when said portable computing device is off and, when said portable computing device is turned on, said non-volatile memory displays said history on said output device.

12. A method for protecting an electronic device comprising:

detecting environmental conditions experienced by said electronic device;

generating signals indicating said environmental conditions experienced by said electronic device;

storing ones of said signals that exceed a limit;

outputting signals stored in said non-volatile memory, thereby providing feedback of said environmental conditions experienced by said electronic device that exceed said limit; and

performing said detecting, said generating, and said storing when said electronic device is off and, when said electronic device is turned on, performing said outputting,

wherein, when said environmental conditions exceed an alert threshold above said limit, said device immediately sounds an alert, both when said device is off and when said device is on.

13. The method in claim 12, wherein said outputting comprises generating a display.

14. The method in claim 12, wherein said signals indicate when said environmental conditions occurred and a magnitude of said environmental conditions.

15. The method in claim 12, further comprising initiating a diagnostic program after said electronic device experiences an environmental condition that exceeds said limit, wherein said diagnostic program evaluates whether said environmental condition has damaged said electronic device.

16. The method in claim 12, further comprising transmitting said signals in said non-volatile memory to an external network.

17. An electronic device comprising:

a sensor outputting signals indicating environmental conditions experienced by said electronic device;

a non-volatile memory storing ones of said signals that exceed a limit;

an output device outputting signals stored in said non-volatile memory, thereby providing a history of said environmental conditions experienced by said electronic device that exceed said limit; and

a peak detection unit storing a largest one of said signals said non-volatile memory periodically sampling said peak detection unit,

wherein said sensor and said non-volatile memory operate when said electronic device is off and, when said electronic device is turned on, said non-volatile memory provides said history through said output device.

18. A portable computing device comprising:

an acceleration sensing unit outputting signals indicating accelerations experienced by said portable computing device;

a non-volatile memory storing ones of said signals that exceed a limit;

an audible output device outputting signals stored in said non-volatile memory, thereby providing a history of said accelerations experienced by said portable computing device that exceed said limit; and

a peak detection unit storing a largest one of said signals, said non-volatile memory periodically said peak detection unit.

19. A method for protecting an electronic device comprising:

detecting environmental conditions experienced by said electronic device;

generating signals indicating said environmental conditions experienced by said electronic device;

storing ones of said signals that exceed a limit;

outputting signals stored in said non-volatile memory, thereby providing a history of said environmental conditions experienced by said electronic device that exceed said limit;

performing said detecting, said generating, and said storing when said electronic device is off and, when said electronic device is turned on, performing said outputting;

periodically storing a largest signal of said signals; and

periodically sampling and resetting said largest signal.