Diagnostic and managing distributed processor system

• US 9,348,722 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2013
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Inventors: Johnson, Karl S., Wallach, Walter A., Nguyen, Ken, Amdahl, Carlton G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suryawanshi, Suresh
• Application Number:
  US14/059,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20140115404A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0772 Means for error signaling, e.g. using interrupts, exception flags, dedicated error registers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0784 Routing of error reports, e.g. with a specific transmission path or data flow
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0793 Remedial or corrective actions recovery from an exception in an instruction pipeline G06F9/3861; by retry G06F11/1402; for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity H04L69/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2015 Redundant power supplies power supply failure G06F1/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2736 using a dedicated service processor for test
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3027 where the computing system component is a bus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3051 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3055 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the status of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring if the computing system is on, off, available, not available error or fault processing without redundancy G06F11/0703; error detection or correction by redundancy in data representation G06F11/08; error detection or correction by redundancy in operation G06F11/14; error detection or correction by redundancy in hardware G06F11/16
• 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 11/3065 Monitoring arrangements determined by the means or processing involved in reporting the monitored data error or fault reporting or logging G06F11/0766
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3466 Performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4027 : using bus bridges G06F13/4022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 : Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/305 : by remotely controlling device operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 : User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/86 : Event-based monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 : Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0673 : Single storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 : Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44521 : Dynamic linking or loading; Link editing at or after load time, e.g. Java class loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 7/285 : controlling armature supply only
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 : Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 : Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 : Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 : Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 : comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 : Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 : Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 : related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 : Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 : in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A network of microcontrollers for monitoring and diagnosing the environmental conditions of a computer is disclosed. The network of microcontrollers provides a management system by which computer users can accurately gauge the health of their computer. The network of microcontrollers provides users the ability to detect system fan speeds, internal temperatures and voltage levels. The invention is designed to not only be resilient to faults, but also allows for the system maintenance, modification, and growth—without downtime. Additionally, the present invention allows users to replace failed components, and add new functionality, such as new network interfaces, disk interface cards and storage, without impacting existing users. One of the primary roles of the present invention is to manage the environment without outside involvement. This self-management allows the system to continue to operate even though components have failed.

Claims

1. A computer monitor and diagnostic system, comprising:

a computer system, having a computing device and a computer bus operatively coupled to the computing device;

a plurality of sensors, located within the computer, capable of sensing conditions within the computer;

a microcontroller network having a microcontroller bus, the microcontroller network located within the computer system, the microcontroller network comprising a plurality of interconnected microcontrollers located on the microcontroller bus, at least a portion of the microcontrollers coupled to respective sensors, wherein the microcontroller network processes requests for conditions from the computing device and responsively provides sensed conditions to the computing device; and

a system interface resident between the computer bus and the microcontroller bus, the system interface configured to facilitate the requests for conditions and the provision of the sensed conditions.

2. The computer monitor and diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the computer bus operates according to a different communication protocol than the microcontroller bus.

3. The computer monitor and diagnostic system of claim 2, wherein the microcontroller bus operates according to the I²C protocol.

4. The computer monitor and diagnostic system of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the microcontroller network receives operating power from a power source that is independent from a computer system power source.

5. The computer monitor and diagnostic system of claim 4, further comprising a data storage apparatus, the data storage apparatus operatively coupled to the system interface;

wherein the data storage apparatus is further configured to receive operating power from the power source that is independent from the computer system power source.

6. The computer monitor and diagnostic system of claim 5, wherein the data storage apparatus is configured to store at least a portion of the sensed conditions.

7. The computer monitor and diagnostic system of claim 6, wherein the independently powered data storage apparatus enables remote access to the sensed conditions after the computer system loses operating power from the computer system power source.

8. The computer monitor and diagnostic system of claim 2, further comprising a data storage apparatus, the data storage apparatus being configured to store at least a portion of the sensed conditions.

9. The computer monitor and diagnostic system of claim 2, wherein the system interface is configured to forward one or more stored sensed conditions to the computer system in response to one or more received requests for conditions.

10. The computer monitor and diagnostic system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of interconnected microcontrollers comprises an independently functional system recorder microcontroller.

18. The computer monitor and diagnostic system of claim 10, further comprising a data storage apparatus, the data storage apparatus configured to store at least a portion of the sensed conditions.

19. The computer monitor and diagnostic system of claim 18, wherein the system interface is configured to forward one or more stored sensed conditions to the computer system via the computer bus in response to one or more received requests for conditions received via the computer bus.

11. A computer monitor and diagnostic system, comprising:

a computer system having a computing device and a computer bus operatively coupled to the computing device;

a plurality of sensors, located within the computer system, capable of sensing conditions within the computer;

a diagnostic system including a diagnostic bus, the diagnostic bus being in operative communication with the plurality of sensors, the diagnostic system also being located within the computer system; and

a system interface resident between the computer bus and the diagnostic bus;

wherein the diagnostic system processes requests for conditions from the computing device and responsively provides sensed conditions to the computing device.

12. The computer monitor and diagnostic system of claim 11, wherein the computer bus operates according to a different communication protocol than the diagnostic bus.

13. The computer monitor and diagnostic system of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the diagnostic system receives operating power from a power source that is independent from a computer system power source.

14. The computer monitor and diagnostic system of claim 13, further comprising a data storage apparatus, the data storage apparatus operatively coupled to the system interface.

15. The computer monitor and diagnostic system of claim 14, wherein the data storage apparatus is further configured to receive operating power from the power source that is independent from the computer system power source.

16. The computer monitor and diagnostic system of claim 15, wherein the data storage apparatus is configured to store at least a portion of the sensed conditions.

17. The computer monitor and diagnostic system of claim 16, wherein the independently powered data storage apparatus enables remote access to the sensed conditions after the computer system loses operating power from the computer system power source.

20. A computer monitor and diagnostic system, comprising:

a computer system having a computing device and a computer bus operatively coupled to the computing device;

wherein the computer system is located within an external enclosure;

a plurality of sensors, located within the external enclosure, capable of sensing conditions of one or more operative components of the computer system;

a diagnostic system including a diagnostic bus and a data storage apparatus, the diagnostic bus being in operative communication with the plurality of sensors, the diagnostic system also being located within the external enclosure; and

a system interface resident between the computer bus and the diagnostic bus;

wherein the diagnostic system processes requests for conditions from the computing device and responsively provides sensed conditions to the computing device.