Predictive failure analysis and failure isolation using current sensing

• US 7,003,409 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2003
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Uniloc 2017 LLC (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Walls, Andrew D., Hepner, David F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, JOHN H
• Application Number:
  US10/643,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20050043925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 702/60, 702/63, 702/64, 702/118, 340/267, 340/471, 340/563, 340/648, 340/654, 340/662, 340/664, 324/73, 324/427, 324/763, 361/21, 361/90, 361/93.8
• US Class Current: 702/60
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/24 Marginal checking or other specified testing methods not covered by G06F11/26, e.g. race tests

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program for predicting the failure of an electronic circuit. One embodiment of the invention monitors the current utilization, environment conditions, and operating conditions of the electronic circuit. A system manager is altered if the current utilization of the electronic circuit is outside a pass range at the measured environmental conditions and the measured operating conditions of the electronic circuit. The invention may also be configured such that if the electronic circuit fails, the electronic circuit is isolated from among a plurality of potentially failed electronic circuits using the measured current utilization, environment conditions, and operating conditions of the electronic circuit.

Claims

1. A method for predicting the failure of an electronic circuit in an electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving a measured value for current draw of the electronic circuit from at least one voltage supply;

receiving at least one measured value for an environmental condition, wherein the environmental condition includes an environment temperature;

monitoring at least one operating condition of the electronic circuit, wherein the operating condition includes a CPU utilization level;

determining if the measured current draw is outside a pass range for the measured environmental condition and for the operating condition of the electronic circuit; and

alerting of a potential failure of the electronic circuit if the measured current draw is outside the pass range.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording the current draw and environmental condition of the electronic circuit in a circuit log.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein if the electronic circuit fails, isolating the electronic circuit from among a plurality of potentially failed electronic circuits in the electronic device using the recorded current draw and environmental condition of the electronic circuit.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring the current draw of significant circuit functions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wherein the at least one environmental condition includes an environment humidity.

6. A method for predicting the failure of an electronic circuit in an electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving a measured value for current draw of the electronic circuit from at least one voltage supply;

receiving at least one measured value for an environmental condition, wherein the environmental condition includes an environment temperature;

monitoring at least one operating condition of the electronic circuit, wherein the operating condition includes a clock frequency;

determining if the measured current draw is outside a pass range for the measured environmental condition and for the operating condition of the electronic circuit; and

alerting of a potential failure of the electronic circuit if the measured current draw is outside the pass range.

7. A system for predicting the failure of an electronic circuit, the system comprising:

a current monitor configured to receive a measured value for a current draw to the electronic circuit from at least one voltage source;

an environment monitor configured to receive a measured value for at least one environmental condition of the electronic circuit, wherein the at least one environmental condition includes an environment temperature;

a circuit state monitor configured to determine at least one operating condition of the electronic circuit, wherein the at least one operating condition includes a CPU utilization level; and

a failure alert unit configured to provide an alert notification when the current draw to the electronic circuit is outside a pass range at the measured environmental condition and the measured operating condition of the electronic circuit.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one operating condition includes a clock frequency.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a circuit log configured to record the current draw, environmental condition and operating condition in computer readable memory.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the current monitor is further configured to measure the current draw of significant circuit functions.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one environmental condition includes an environment humidity.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the operating condition is an operating condition which the electronic circuit was designed to operate at.

13. A method for manufacturing an electronic circuit, the method comprising:

assembling the electronic circuit;

measuring a current draw of the electronic circuit at different environment conditions and operating conditions, wherein the different environmental conditions include an environment temperature;

monitoring the current draw of significant circuit functions; and

recording the current draw in an operating matrix, the operating matrix configured to be used during normal operation of the electronic circuit to alert when the current draw to the electronic circuit is outside a pass range at the measured environmental condition.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein recording the current draw in an operation matrix further comprises recording the current draw in nonvolatile memory.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising placing the assembled electronic circuit in a controlled environment.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the different environmental conditions include environment humidity.

17. A computer program product embodied in a tangible media comprising:

computer readable program codes coupled to the tangible media for predicting the failure of an electronic circuit in an electronic device, the computer readable program codes configured to cause the program to;

measure a current draw of the electronic circuit from at least one voltage supply;

measure at least one environmental condition at the electronic circuit, wherein the at least one environmental condition includes an environment temperature;

monitor at least one operating condition of the electronic circuit, wherein the operating condition includes a clock frequency;

determine if the measured current draw is outside a pass range for the measured environmental condition and the operating condition of the electronic circuit; and

alert of a potential failure of the electronic circuit if the measured current draw is outside the pass range.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the operating condition includes a CPU utilization level.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising computer readable program code configured to cause the program to record the current draw and environmental condition of the electronic circuit in a circuit log.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising computer readable program code configured to cause the program to monitor the current draw of significant circuit functions.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the different environmental conditions include environment humidity.

22. A system for predicting the failure of an electronic circuit in an electronic device, the the system comprising:

means for receiving a measured value for current draw of the electronic circuit from at least one voltage supply;

means for receiving at least one measured value for an environmental condition, wherein the at least one environmental condition includes an environment temperature;

means for monitoring at least one operating condition of the electronic circuit, wherein the operating condition includes a clock frequency;

means for determining if the measured current draw is outside a pass range for the measured environmental condition and the operating condition of the electronic circuit; and

means for alerting of a potential failure of the electronic circuit if the measured current draw is outside the pass range.