Installation of processor and power supply modules in a multiprocessor system

• US 6,289,467 B1
• Filed: 05/08/1998
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Mara, James F., Pappas, Alex N., Lewis, Quentin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Rupal
• Application Number:
  US09/075,026
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 710/101, 710/102, 710/103, 713/300-340, 327/142, 700/295, 714/11, 714/14, 714/46, 370/219, 340/541, 340/661, 340/660
• US Class Current: 713/340
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for checking an installation of a plurality of power supply modules in a multiprocessor system having a plurality of processor modules. A detector detects if one of the processor modules is present. A voltage monitor monitors the voltage level of one of the power supply modules which corresponds to the processor module. A control circuit generates a control signal to turn off the power if the processor module is present and the voltage level is outside an operating range.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting if one of a plurality of processor modules is present based on signals from the processor modules;

monitoring a voltage level of one of a plurality of power supply modules, said one of the power supply modules corresponding to said one of the processor modules; and

generating a control signal to turn off power if said one of the processor modules is present and said voltage level is outside an operating range.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting if one of the processor modules is present includes determining if a frequency select state of the processor is non-zero.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the monitoring of the voltage level includes comparing said voltage level to a predetermined threshold voltage.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein before monitoring the voltage level, the method further comprises:

detecting if said one of the power supply modules is present; and

activating an indicator if said one of the processor modules is present and said one of the power supply modules is not present.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the indicator is one of a visual indicator and an audible indicator.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said voltage level is outside said operating range when said one of the power supply modules is not present.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a detector to detect if one of a plurality of processor modules is present based on signals from the processor modules;

a voltage monitor to monitor a voltage level of one of a plurality of power supply modules, said one of the power supply modules corresponding to said one of the processor modules; and

a control circuit coupled to the detector and the voltage monitor, the control circuit to generate a control signal to turn off power if said one of the processor modules is present and said voltage level is outside an operating range.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the voltage monitor further comprises a comparator to compare said voltage level with a predetermined threshold voltage.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the control circuit is implemented in a programmable logic device.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprises

a power module detector to detect if said one of the power supply modules is present; and

an activating circuit to activate an indicator if said one of the processor modules is present and said one of the power supply modules is not present.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the indicator is one of a visual indicator and an audible indicator.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said voltage level is outside said operating range when said one of the power supply modules is not present.

13. A system comprising:

a plurality of processor modules;

a plurality of power supply modules for providing power to said plurality of processor modules; and

a checking circuit for checking an installation of the plurality of power supply modules, the checking circuit including;

a detector to detect if one of the processor modules is present based on signals from the processor modules,

a voltage monitor to monitor a voltage level of one of the power supply modules, said one of the power supply modules corresponding to said one of the processor modules, and

a control circuit coupled to the detector and the voltage monitor, the control to generate a control signal to turn off power if said one of the processor modules is present and said voltage level is outside an operating range.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the voltage monitor further comprises a comparator to compare said voltage level with a predetermined threshold voltage.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the control circuit is implemented in a programmable logic device.

16. The system of claim 13 further comprises

a power module detector to detect if said one of the power supply modules is present; and

an activating circuit to activate an indicator if said one of the processor modules is present and said one of the power supply modules is not present.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the indicator is one of a visual indicator and an audible indicator.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein said voltage level is outside said operating range when said one of the power supply modules is not present.