WO2016101411A1

WO2016101411A1 - Server display method and device

Info

Publication number: WO2016101411A1
Application number: PCT/CN2015/073653
Authority: WO
Inventors: 李春青
Original assignee: 中兴通讯股份有限公司
Priority date: 2014-12-25
Filing date: 2015-03-04
Publication date: 2016-06-30
Also published as: CN105786421A; CN105786421B

Abstract

A server display method and device. The server display device comprises a bridge chip PCH (2), a board management controller (BMC) (3), and a newly added display unit connected to both the PCH and the BMC. When the newly added display unit detects that the PCH (2) sends a starting state signal before the BMC (3) starts up, the newly added display unit outputs prestored information to a display screen, and when the newly added display unit detects that a display module of the BMC has been initialized, the newly added display unit switches, to the display screen, a video graphics array (VGA) signal output by the display module of the BMC (3). By means of the solution, display during power on self test is enabled, the user experience of the product is improved, and error indications during self test can be output to the display screen so it is convenient to fast locate the product faults.

Description

Server display method and device

Technical field

The present invention relates to the field of server display technology, and in particular to a quick display solution of a server.

Background technique

With the development of server technology, more and more devices are integrated into the server products, resulting in a longer and longer battery power self-test phase, which cannot be ignored. The power-on self-test is performed before the system display module is initialized. During the self-test period, the display has no black screen output, and the user experience is poor. If the device encounters an abnormality during the self-test, there is no intuitive means to obtain the abnormal information, which increases the difficulty of server fault location.

Summary of the invention

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a server display method and apparatus for solving the problem of a black screen of a display screen in a BISO power-on self-test phase in the related art.

In order to solve the above technical problems, the following technical solutions are adopted:

A server display device includes a bridge PCH and a board management controller BMC, and further includes a new display unit connected to the PCH and the BMC, where

The newly added display unit is configured to: when the PMC sends the startup status signal, when the BMC is not started, output the pre-stored information to the display screen, and after detecting that the display module of the BMC has been When the initialization is completed, the video graphics array VGA signal output by the display module of the BMC is switched to the display screen.

Optionally, the newly added display unit is further configured to: when the BMC has been started, but the display module of the BMC is not initialized, output the pre-stored information to the display according to the control of the BMC. Screen.

Optionally, the newly added display unit comprises at least an erasable programmable logic device EPLD and a switching device, wherein:

The EPLD is connected to the PCH, the BMC, and the switching device, and is configured to: when the BMC is sent to start the state signal when the BMC is not started, the input selection signal of the control switching device is an EPLD output. a VGA signal, and when detecting that the display module of the BMC has been initialized, the input selection signal of the control switching device is a VGA signal output by the display module of the BMC;

The switching device is connected to the BMC and the EPLD, and is configured to: when the EPLD or the BMC controls the input selection signal to be a VGA signal output by the EPLD, output information pre-stored in the EPLD to the display screen, And when the EPLD control input selection signal is a VGA signal output by the display module of the BMC, switching the middle VGA signal output by the display module of the BMC to the display screen.

Optionally, the newly added display unit further includes a voltage dividing resistor, and the voltage dividing resistor is configured to: adjust an EPLD output voltage such that the voltage conforms to a VGA signal standard.

Optionally, a first register of an input selection signal of the switching device is disposed in the EPLD, and the EPLD controls an input selection signal of the switching device by reading and writing the first register.

Optionally, the BMC reads and writes a first register in the EPLD through a bus, and controls an input selection signal of the switching device.

Optionally, a second register of the startup status signal of the PCH is disposed in the EPLD, and the EPLD reads the second register to detect an activation status signal sent by the PCH.

Optionally, the newly added display unit is configured to output the pre-stored information to the display screen if the EPLD detects the PCH sending start status signal when the BMC is not activated according to the following manner:

Reading, by the EPLD, a value of the second register;

The EPLD determines, according to the read value, scenario information indicated by the startup state signal sent by the PCH, and outputs pre-stored information corresponding to the determined scenario information to the display screen;

The scenario information indicated by the startup status signal sent by the PCH includes at least one or more of the following information:

Basic input and output BIOS code at which stage of power-on self-test, with or without error indication, BIOS Whether the code power-on self-test has been completed.

A server display method, the method comprising:

When the board management controller BMC on the main board of the server is not started, if the bridge PCH sending start status signal on the main board is detected, the information stored in the display unit on the main board is output to the display until the detection is detected. The display module of the BMC has been initialized, and then the video graphics array VGA signal output by the display module of the BMC is switched to the display screen.

Optionally, the method further includes:

After the BMC has been started, but the display module of the BMC is not initialized, the newly added display unit outputs the pre-stored information to the display screen according to the control of the BMC.

Optionally, when the BMC on the mainboard of the server is not started, if the new display unit on the main board detects the PCH sending start status signal on the main board, the information of the newly added display unit is pre-stored. Outputting to the display screen, until the new display unit detects that the display module of the BMC has been initialized, and the newly added display unit switches the video graphics array VGA signal output by the display module of the BMC to the display. The steps of the screen include:

When the BMC is not started, if the erasable programmable logic device EPLD of the newly added display unit detects the PCH sending start status signal, the EPLD controls the switching device of the newly added display unit to The pre-stored information in the EPLD is output to the display screen;

When the EPLD detects that the display module of the BMC has been initialized, the EPLD controls the switching device to switch the VGA signal output by the display module of the BMC to the display screen.

Optionally, the method further includes: the voltage dividing resistor in the newly added display unit adjusts the EPLD output voltage such that the voltage conforms to the VGA signal standard.

Optionally, the step of the EPLD controlling the switching device outputting the information pre-stored in the EPLD to the display screen comprises:

The EPLD controls an input selection signal of the switching device by reading and writing of a first register, wherein the first register is configured to set an input selection signal of the switching device.

Optionally, the newly added display unit outputs pre-stored information according to the control of the BMC. The steps to the display include:

The BMC reads and writes a first register in the EPLD through a bus, and controls an input selection signal of the switching device.

Optionally, the step of detecting, by the newly added unit, the PCH sending start state signal on the main board includes:

The EPLD detects an activation state of the PCH by reading a second register, wherein the second register is configured to store an activation state signal of the PCH.

Optionally, when the BMC on the main board of the server is not started, if the PCH sending start status signal on the main board is detected, the step of outputting the information of the newly added display unit on the main board to the display screen includes:

Reading, by the EPLD, a value of the second register;

The scenario information indicated by the startup status signal sent by the PCH includes at least one or more of the following information: at which stage of the basic input/output BIOS code power-on self-test, whether there is an error indication, and the BIOS code power-on self-test Has it been completed?

A computer program comprising program instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform any of the server display methods described above.

A carrier carrying the computer program.

The technical solution of the application fills the display blank of the power-on self-test period, improves the user experience of the product, and can output the error indication of the self-test phase to the display screen, so as to conveniently locate the product fault quickly.

BRIEF abstract

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a server display device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

Preferred embodiment of the invention

The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted, The features of the embodiments and the embodiments of the present application may be combined with each other arbitrarily without conflict.

Example 1

The embodiment provides a server display device, which mainly adds a display unit independent of the original system on the server motherboard, and solves the problem that the original system has no output during the power-on self-test phase, and can output the error indication to the stage. Display.

The server display device provided in this embodiment includes at least a platform control unit (PCH), a baseboard management controller (BMC), and a new display unit connected to both the PCH and the BMC.

The newly added display unit outputs the pre-stored information to the display screen if the startup status signal of the PCH is detected when the BMC is not started, and displays the BMC when the display module of the BMC is detected to be initialized. The video graphics array (VGA, Video Graphics Array) output from the module is switched to the display.

Among them, the new display unit is added to the BMC, but when the display module of the BMC is not initialized, the pre-stored information can be output to the display screen according to the control of the BMC.

Optionally, the newly added display unit includes at least an Erasable Programmable Logic Device (EPLD) and a switching device.

The EPLD is connected to the PCH, the BMC, and the switching device. When the BMC is not activated, if the PCH is sent to the startup state signal, the input selection signal of the control switching device is the VGA signal output by the EPLD, and the display of the BMC is detected. When the module has been initialized, the input selection signal of the control switching device is the VGA signal output by the display module of the BMC;

The switching device is connected to both the BMC and the EPLD. When the EPLD or BMC controls the input selection signal to be the VGA signal output by the EPLD, the pre-stored information in the EPLD is output to the display screen, and the display module of the EPLD control input selection signal is the BMC output module. When the VGA signal is used, the VGA signal output from the display module of the BMC is switched to the display.

Specifically, the EPLD can control the input selection signal of the switching device through the register, that is, the first register of the input selection signal of the switching device is set in the EPLD, and the input selection signal of the switching device can be controlled by reading and writing the first register. Similarly, BMC can read through the LocalBus bus. The first register in the EPLD is written to control the input selection signal of the switching device.

When the EPLD detects the startup status signal sent by the PCH, it can also be implemented by a register. That is, the second register of the PCH start state signal is set in the EPLD, and the EPLD reads the second register to detect the start state signal sent by the PCH.

It should be noted that the startup status signal sent by the PCH is a set of signals, according to which the specific scene in which the PCH startup state is located can be determined, for example, at which stage of the BIOS code power-on self-test, whether the BIOS code power-on self-test is Has been completed and so on. Therefore, the optional solution proposes that after reading the value of the second register, the EPLD determines the scene information indicated by the startup state signal sent by the PCH according to the read value, and outputs the pre-stored information corresponding to the determined scene information to the display. Screen.

The scenario information indicated by the startup status signal sent by the PCH in this embodiment includes at least one or more of the following information:

At what stage is the BIOS code power-on self-test, whether there is an error indication, and whether the BIOS code power-on self-test has been completed.

In addition, the above-mentioned newly added display unit may further include a voltage dividing resistor, which is mainly used for adjusting the EPLD output voltage to conform to the VGA signal standard.

The specific implementation of the server display device provided by the alternative is described in detail below with reference to FIG. 1 :

At present, the normal display circuit of the motherboard 7 of the server is that the CPU1 is connected to the PCH2 through a direct media interface (DMI) bus, and the PCH2 and the BMC3 are interconnected via a PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) bus, on the BMC3. Integrated display module, BMC3 leads VGA signal to the motherboard VGA socket, which is connected to the display VGA cable to illuminate the display.

In this embodiment, a display unit independent of the original system is added to the server motherboard 7, that is, the EPLD4, the voltage dividing resistor 5, and the switching device 6 are added to the main board 7, and the information to be displayed is pre-stored on the EPLD4 chip. Storage space, EPLD4 provides a VGA signal to form a set of system-independent display circuits. The switching device 6 selects the VGA signal of the EPLD4 output to be connected to the VGA socket by default.

Among them, BMC3 and EPLD4 have different control rights for switching devices. Before BMC3 is started, it is controlled by EPLD4. After BMC3 is started, BMC3 controls the input selection signal of switching device 6.

Specifically, the BMC3 startup status signal can be connected to the EPLD 4. For example, the EPLD4 detects that the startup status signal of the BMC3 is low, indicating that the BMC3 is not started, and if the high level is detected, the BMC3 startup is completed.

The complete working process of the above device is when the server power switch is pressed:

If the EPLD4 detects that the BMC3 has not been started yet, the EPLD4 detects the startup status signal sent by the PCH2, and outputs the information pre-stored on the EPLD4 on-chip storage space to the display screen according to the startup status signal. When it is detected that the display module of the BMC3 has been initialized, the control switching device 6 is switched to the VGA signal output by the BMC3 integrated display module.

If EPLD4 detects that BMC3 has started up, the switching device 6 is controlled by BMC3. Before the display module is not initialized, select the VGA signal output by the EPLD4 to the VGA socket, and output the information stored in the EPLD4 on-chip storage space to the display screen. After the initialization of the display module is completed, select the VGA signal of the integrated display module of the BMC3 to the VGA socket, thereby realizing Quick display of server products.

Example 2

The embodiment provides a server display method, which mainly solves the problem that the display has no output during the power-on self-test phase of the related server, and the method includes:

When the BMC on the mainboard of the server is not started, if the PCH sending start status signal on the main board is detected, the information stored in the display unit on the main board is output to the display until the display module of the BMC is initialized, and then The VGA signal output from the display module of the BMC is switched to the display.

In addition, the BMC has been started, but when the display module of the BMC is not initialized, the new display unit in the above server can output the pre-stored information to the display screen according to the control of the BMC.

Since the above new display unit includes at least an EPLD and a switching device, the specific display The process includes the following operations:

When the BMC is not started, if the EPLD detects that the PCH sends a start status signal, the control switch device outputs the pre-stored information in the EPLD to the display screen;

When the EPLD detects that the display module of the BMC has been initialized, the EPLD control switching device switches the middle VGA signal outputted by the display module of the BMC to the display screen.

Wherein, when the input selection signal of the EPLD control switching device outputs the information pre-stored in the EPLD to the display screen, it is realized by reading and writing of the first register, and the first register is used for setting the input selection signal of the switching device.

When the BMC controls the input selection signal of the switching device, it is realized by reading and writing the first register in the EPLD through the LocalBus bus.

The above method further relates to the newly added unit detecting the start state signal sent by the PCH on the main board, wherein the operation is to detect the start state signal of the PCH by reading the second register by the EPLD, wherein the second register is used for storing the PCH. Start status signal.

It should be noted that the startup status signal of the PCH includes a set of signals. When the EPLD detects the startup status signal sent by the PCH on the main board, the specific scene can be determined according to different values of the second register, thereby selecting and outputting different information. The process includes:

The EPLD reads the value of the second register;

Determining, according to the read value, scenario information indicated by the startup state signal sent by the PCH, and outputting the pre-stored information corresponding to the determined scenario information to the display screen;

The scenario information indicated by the startup status signal sent by the PCH includes at least one or more of the following:

Optionally, the method further includes adjusting the EPLD output voltage to conform to the VGA signal standard, specifically, by adding a voltage dividing resistor to the newly added display unit.

The method of the present embodiment can be implemented by the server display device provided in the foregoing embodiment 1. For the detailed description of the foregoing method, refer to the corresponding content of the foregoing embodiment 1, and details are not described herein again.

The embodiment of the invention also discloses a computer program, comprising program instructions, which when executed by a computer, enable the computer to execute any of the above server display methods.

The embodiment of the invention also discloses a carrier carrying the computer program.

It can be seen from the above embodiments that the technical solution of the present application forms a display circuit by adding an EPLD and a switch on the main board, and provides a display display function when the BMC integrated display module has not been initialized. The server product presses the power switch. The first step of the BIOS code is to perform the power-on self-test. The duration is a few seconds, and the time is ten minutes, depending on the complexity of the server product configuration. The power-on self-test is no output of the black screen of the display during the self-test period before the display module is initialized. The solution can fill the display blank of the power-on self-test period, improve the user experience of the product, and output the error indication of the self-test phase to the display screen, which is convenient for quickly locating the product fault.

One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that all or a portion of the steps described above can be accomplished by a program that instructs the associated hardware, such as a read-only memory, a magnetic or optical disk, and the like. Alternatively, all or part of the steps of the above embodiments may also be implemented using one or more integrated circuits. Correspondingly, each module/unit in the foregoing embodiment may be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of a software function module. This application is not limited to any specific combination of hardware and software.

The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and scope of the present invention are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.

Industrial applicability

The technical solution of the application fills the display blank of the power-on self-test period, improves the user experience of the product, and can output the error indication of the self-test phase to the display screen, so as to conveniently locate the product fault quickly. Therefore, the present invention has strong industrial applicability.

Claims

A server display device includes a bridge PCH and a board management controller BMC, and further includes a new display unit connected to the PCH and the BMC, where

The newly added display unit is configured to: when the PMC sends the startup status signal, when the BMC is not started, output the pre-stored information to the display screen, and after detecting that the display module of the BMC has been When the initialization is completed, the video graphics array VGA signal output by the display module of the BMC is switched to the display screen.
The server display device according to claim 1, wherein

The newly added display unit is further configured to: when the BMC has been started, but the display module of the BMC is not initialized, output the pre-stored information to the display screen according to the control of the BMC.
The server display device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said newly added display unit comprises at least an erasable programmable logic device EPLD and a switching device, wherein:

The EPLD is connected to the PCH, the BMC, and the switching device, and is configured to: when the BMC is sent to start the state signal when the BMC is not started, the input selection signal of the control switching device is an EPLD output. a VGA signal, and when detecting that the display module of the BMC has been initialized, the input selection signal of the control switching device is a VGA signal output by the display module of the BMC;

The switching device is connected to the BMC and the EPLD, and is configured to: when the EPLD or the BMC controls the input selection signal to be a VGA signal output by the EPLD, output information pre-stored in the EPLD to the display screen, And when the EPLD control input selection signal is a VGA signal output by the display module of the BMC, switching the middle VGA signal output by the display module of the BMC to the display screen.
The server display device according to claim 3, wherein said newly added display unit further comprises a voltage dividing resistor, said voltage dividing resistor being arranged to: adjust an EPLD output voltage such that the voltage conforms to a VGA signal standard.
The server display device according to claim 3, wherein said EPLD is provided with a first register of an input selection signal of said switching device, said EPLD by said first register Read and write of the device controls the input selection signal of the switching device.
The server display device according to claim 5, wherein said BMC reads and writes a first register in said EPLD via a bus, and controls an input selection signal of said switching device.
The server display device according to claim 3, wherein said EPLD is provided with a second register of said PCH start state signal, said EPLD reads said second register, and detects said PCH sent start state signal.
The server display device according to claim 7, wherein the newly added display unit is configured to pre-store the PCH if the EPLD detects the PCH sending start status signal when the BMC is not started. The information is output to the display:

Reading, by the EPLD, a value of the second register;

The EPLD determines, according to the read value, scenario information indicated by the startup state signal sent by the PCH, and outputs pre-stored information corresponding to the determined scenario information to the display screen;

The scenario information indicated by the startup status signal sent by the PCH includes at least one or more of the following information:

Basic input and output BIOS code at which stage of power-on self-test, with or without error indication, whether the BIOS code power-on self-test has been completed.
A server display method, the method comprising:

If the board management controller BMC on the main board of the server is not started, if the new display unit on the main board detects the bridge PCH sending start status signal on the main board, the new display unit is pre-stored. The information is output to the display screen, until the new display unit detects that the display module of the BMC has been initialized, and the newly added display unit switches the video graphics array VGA signal output by the display module of the BMC to the Display.
The server display method according to claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

After the BMC has been started, but the display module of the BMC is not initialized, the newly added display unit outputs the pre-stored information to the display screen according to the control of the BMC.
The server display method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein when the BMC on the main board of the server is not started, if the new display unit on the main board detects the PCH sending start status signal on the main board , the information pre-stored by the newly added display unit is output to the display screen. Until the new display unit detects that the display module of the BMC has been initialized, the step of the new display unit switching the video graphics array VGA signal output by the display module of the BMC to the display screen includes:

When the BMC is not started, if the erasable programmable logic device EPLD of the newly added display unit detects the PCH sending start status signal, the EPLD controls the switching device of the newly added display unit to The pre-stored information in the EPLD is output to the display screen;

When the EPLD detects that the display module of the BMC has been initialized, the EPLD controls the switching device to switch the VGA signal output by the display module of the BMC to the display screen.
The server display method according to claim 11, further comprising the voltage dividing resistor in the newly added display unit adjusting the EPLD output voltage such that the voltage conforms to the VGA signal standard.
The server display method according to claim 11, wherein the step of the EPLD control switching device outputting the information pre-stored in the EPLD to the display screen comprises:

The EPLD controls an input selection signal of the switching device by reading and writing of a first register, wherein the first register is configured to set an input selection signal of the switching device.
The server display method according to claim 13, wherein the step of outputting the pre-stored information to the display screen by the newly added display unit according to the control of the BMC comprises:

The BMC reads and writes a first register in the EPLD through a bus, and controls an input selection signal of the switching device.
The server display method according to claim 11, wherein the step of detecting the PCH sending start status signal on the main board by the adding unit comprises:

The EPLD detects an activation state of the PCH by reading a second register, wherein the second register is configured to store an activation state signal of the PCH.
The server display method according to claim 15, wherein when the BMC on the main board of the server is not started, if the PCH sending start status signal on the main board is detected, the information of the newly added display unit on the main board is output to the The steps of the display screen include:

Reading, by the EPLD, a value of the second register;

Determining, by the read value, the start state signal sent by the PCH according to the read value Scene information, and outputting the pre-stored information corresponding to the determined scene information to the display screen;

The scenario information indicated by the startup status signal sent by the PCH includes at least one or more of the following information: at which stage of the basic input/output BIOS code power-on self-test, whether there is an error indication, and the BIOS code power-on self-test Has it been completed?