Computer having reconfigurable field programmable gate array

• US 8,015,395 B1
• Filed: 04/09/2008
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black Diamond Advanced Technology, LLC (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: RHT Incorporated (Jacuzzi Brands Corporation)
• Inventors: Stimpson, Michael, Phillips, Layne N., Dyster, Justin, Lewis, Shane
• Primary Examiner(s): Stoynov; Stefan
• Application Number:
  US12/100,298
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/2, 713/100, 713/300, 713/320, 360/75, 360/101, 361/88, 361/93.1, 361/103, 361/140, 700/28, 700/79, 702/57, 702/130, 702/141, 702/182, 710/10, 710/62, 710/104, 710/305, 711/102, 711/170, 714/2, 714/25, 714/47, 714/47.1, 716/101, 716/136
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/305 in the event of power-supply fluctuations
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/34 for reconfigurable circuits, e.g. field programmable gate arrays [FPGA] or programmable logic devices [PLD]

Abstract

A personal computer and methods of reconfiguration are described. An implementation of a personal computer may comprise a processor portion running a diagnostic application. A field programmable gate array in communication with the processor portion may be provided. A configurable non-volatile computer memory in communication with the field programmable gate array and wherein the field programmable gate array is programmed to reconfigure the non-volatile computer memory may be provided. Methods of reconfiguration of a personal computer are provided.

Claims

1. A personal computer, comprising:

a processor portion running a diagnostic application;

a field programmable gate array interconnected with the processor portion;

a battery;

a system voltage;

at least one analog to digital converter associated with the system voltage;

and

a configurable non-volatile computer memory interconnected with the field programmable gate array;

wherein the field programmable gate array is programmed to reconfigure the non-volatile computer memory; and

wherein the diagnostic application monitors an output of at least one other component of the personal computer through the field programmable gate array and

wherein the non-volatile computer memory is configured to store a first predetermined voltage level and a second predetermined voltage level;

wherein the field programmable gate array is programmed to receive an output from the at least one analog to digital converter, monitor the system voltage and command the personal computer to receive power from a backup battery if the system voltage falls below the first predetermined voltage level, and command the personal computer to shut down if the system voltage falls below the second predetermined voltage level.

2. The personal computer of claim 1, wherein the non-volatile computer memory comprises Flash memory.

3. The personal computer of claim 1, further comprising:

an accelerometer coupled to the personal computer and associated with the field programmable gate array, the accelerometer configured to monitor gravity induced reaction forces and generate an output; and

at least one hard drive inside a housing of the personal computer, the at least one hard drive having at least one hard drive head;

wherein the field programmable gate array is programmed to monitor the output of the accelerometer for a free fall condition and issue a command to the at least one hard drive to park the at least one hard drive head.

4. The personal computer of claim 3, wherein the field programmable gate array is programmed to save accelerometer data on the configurable non-volatile computer memory when the accelerometer data exceeds a predetermined criteria boundary.

5. The personal computer of claim 3, further comprising at least one software application and at least one diagnostic application running on the processor portion, wherein the at least one diagnostic application is configured to receive the accelerometer data and provide the accelerometer data to the at least one software application.

6. The personal computer of claim 1, wherein the field programmable gate array is programmed with a first set of hardware parameters, the personal computer further comprising:

an environmental characteristic sensor configured to monitor a characteristic of the environment inside or outside of a housing of the personal computer and generate an output indicative of the characteristic; and

at least one diagnostic application running on the processor portion, wherein the at least one diagnostic application is configured to monitor the output of the environmental characteristic sensor through the field programmable gate array and reprogram the field programmable gate array with a second set of hardware parameters different from the first set of hardware parameters to add new functionality to the field programmable gate array in response to a need indicated by the environmental characteristic sensor output.

7. The personal computer of claim 6, wherein the field programmable gate array is programmed to save environmental characteristic sensor data on the configurable nonvolatile computer memory when the environmental characteristic sensor data exceeds a predetermined criteria boundary.

8. The personal computer of claim 6, the personal computer further comprising a wireless communication device, wherein the second set of hardware parameters is received by the personal computer through the wireless communication device.

9. A personal computer, comprising:

a processor portion running a diagnostic application;

a field programmable gate array interconnected with the processor portion; and

a configurable non-volatile computer memory interconnected with the field programmable gate array;

wherein the field programmable gate array is programmed to reconfigure the non-volatile computer memory; and

wherein the diagnostic application monitors an output of at least one other component of the personal computer through the field programmable gate array and

wherein the non-volatile computer memory is configured to store a first set of processor operating thresholds, the personal computer further comprising;

an environmental characteristic sensor configured to monitor a characteristic of the environment inside or outside of a housing of the personal computer and generate an output indicative of the characteristic; and

at least one diagnostic application running on the processor portion, wherein the at least one diagnostic application is configured to receive the output of the environmental characteristic sensor and turn off the personal computer if the output exceeds the first set of processor operating thresholds;

wherein the field programmable gate array is programmed to monitor the output of the environmental characteristic sensor and operation of the processor portion and turn off the personal computer if the output exceeds the first set of processor operating thresholds and the diagnostic application failed to turn off the personal computer.

10. The personal computer of claim 9, wherein the field programmable gate array is programmed with a first set of hardware parameters and the at least one diagnostic application is configured to reprogram the field programmable gate array with a second set of hardware parameters different from the first set of hardware parameters and replace the first set of processor operating thresholds with a second set of processor operating thresholds different from the first set of processor operating thresholds to add new functionality to the field programmable gate array through the processor portion and modify the operating conditions under which the field programmable gate array is programmed to turn off the personal computer.

11. A personal computer, comprising:

a processor portion running a diagnostic application;

a field programmable gate array interconnected with the processor portion; and

a configurable non-volatile computer memory interconnected with the field programmable gate array;

wherein the field programmable gate array is programmed to reconfigure the non-volatile computer memory; and

wherein the diagnostic application monitors an output of at least one other component of the personal computer through the field programmable gate array and

wherein the non-volatile computer memory is configured to store a set of temperature thresholds, the personal computer further comprising;

a temperature sensor configured to monitor a temperature inside a housing of the personal computer and generate an output indicative of the temperature; and

a system cooling fan;

wherein the field programmable gate array is programmed to monitor the output of the temperature sensor and;

turn on the fan if the temperature exceeds a first threshold of the set of temperature thresholds; and

turn off the personal computer if the temperature exceeds a second threshold of the set of temperature thresholds.

12. A method of reconfiguring a personal computer, the method comprising:

storing a first set of processor operating thresholds in a non-volatile computer memory;

monitoring a characteristic of an environment inside or outside of a housing of a personal computer with an environmental characteristic sensor and generating an output indicative of the characteristic monitored;

monitoring the output of the environmental characteristic sensor with a diagnostic application running on the processor;

instructing the processor through the diagnostic application to turn off the personal computer if the output exceeds the first set of processor operating thresholds;

monitoring the output of the environmental characteristic sensor and the operation of the processor through a field programmable gate array within the personal computer; and

instructing the processor through the field programmable gate array to turn off the personal computer if the diagnostic application failed to turn off the personal computer and the output exceeds the first set of processor operating thresholds.