JP2003177841A - Method for controlling information processor and program for executing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for controlling an information processor capable of extending an operating time as a whole system and a program for executing this. <P>SOLUTION: A residual operation monitoring program 109 calculates an operation time by a storage battery, and a power saving control program 108 changes the executable environment of its own processor from the operation time of its own processor and the operation time of another information processor. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for managing a limited power source and extending the operating time of the entire system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Information processing devices such as computers are used in various environments. For example, a notebook computer can be driven by electric power supplied from a power company, or can be driven by a secondary battery such as a battery provided inside or outside.

Further, even in a large-sized computer, a method is adopted in which power is supplied from a power company and, when power is no longer supplied from the outside due to a failure or the like, it is driven by a secondary battery.

Such a secondary battery is a limited resource, and it is necessary to manage how much it can be driven even when it is used in a computer or the like. For example,
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-265470 discloses a method of managing a battery of a data processing system.

[0005]

However, the above-mentioned prior art describes the management of the power supply of a single computer, and does not describe a system composed of a plurality of computers.

In other words, in a system composed of a plurality of computers, when operating with a secondary battery, it is necessary to perform optimum operation as the entire system.

An object of the present invention is to provide a power management method, device and system in a system composed of a plurality of computers.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The operating time by a power source provided in each of a plurality of computers is obtained, and the operating environment of the information processing apparatus is changed from this operating time to prolong the operating time of the entire system.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention is a system constituted by a computer such as a plurality of computers or an information processing apparatus, and when a system is operated by a secondary battery such as a battery or a storage battery, the optimum processing is performed for the entire system. It is controlled to do.

A description will be given below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an information processing system having a plurality of information processing devices.

The information processing system includes a plurality of information processing devices 101, 121, 141 and 161, and a plurality of power supply control units 110 and 13 for supplying power to the respective information processing devices.
1, 151, and 171. The information processing devices 101, 121, 141, and 161 are connected to the network. Since each information processing device and each power supply control unit have the same configuration, only the information processing device 101 and the power supply control unit 110 will be described here.

The power supply controller 110 includes a power flow monitor 1
11, a remaining power monitoring unit 112, and a storage battery 113. The power flow rate monitoring unit 111 measures the power consumption when the information processing apparatus 101 is operating with the storage battery 113. The remaining power monitoring unit 112 measures the remaining power of the storage battery 113. Here, the remaining power is obtained by using an approximate expression that shows the characteristics of the storage battery, using the charging time, the charging current, the discharging time, and the discharging current as parameters. When the storage battery 113 is charged, the remaining power monitoring unit 112 measures the charging current and the charging time, and obtains the remaining power of the storage battery by an approximate expression. On the other hand, when the storage battery 113 is used, the discharge time and the discharge current are measured, and the residual power of the storage battery is obtained by an approximate expression.

Further, the information processing apparatus 101 performs C for processing.
It has a PU 102, a memory 103 such as a RAM, and a hard disk device 104 such as a magnetic disk device. Further, the hard disk device 104 includes the information processing device 10
Operating system (O
S) 105, an application program 107 for the information processing apparatus 101 to perform processing, and a file system 1
06, a power saving control program 108, and a remaining operating time monitoring program 109 are stored. The CPU 102 performs processing according to a program stored in the hard disk device 104.

The CPU 102 is constructed so that the number of operating clocks can be switched. File system 106
Monitors the free space of the hard disk drive,
The information read / write destination of the information processing apparatus 101 is switched. The power saving control program 108
The remaining drive time and the free space of the hard disk device are received from each information processing device connected via a network, and control is performed to level the power consumption of each information processing device. The remaining operating time monitoring program 109 monitors whether the information processing apparatus 101 is operating on the main power source or the storage battery, and activates the power saving control program 107 when switching from the main power source to the storage battery. , Notify when switching from storage battery to main power supply. The operating time monitoring program 108 also calculates the remaining drive time of the storage battery 113 based on the remaining power and the power flow rate sent from the power supply control unit 110. Specifically, the remaining drive time is obtained by dividing the remaining power detected by the remaining power monitoring unit 112 by the power consumption monitored by the power flow rate monitoring unit 111. For example, the remaining power monitoring unit 112
20 / (10 ×), assuming that the remaining power detected in step 20 is 20 Wh and the flow rate detected by the power flow monitoring unit 111 is 10 A (12 V).
12) × 60 = 10 minutes, and the remaining drive time is 10 minutes.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the characteristic table. This characteristic table is used in the power saving control program 10
It is used for the processing of No. 8 and is stored in the memory 103 or the hard disk device 105.

This characteristic table is for each information processing device, the name 201 of the information processing device for identification, the IP address 202 for routing and identification, the remaining drive time 203 acquired from each information processing device, and the free space of the hard disk device. 204 and operating state 205 are registered. The free space 204 of the hard disk device is obtained by the file system of each information processing device.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the migration file table. The migration file table is stored in the memory 10
3 or the hard disk device 104.

An application name 301, a file name 302, and a difference 303 from the average value of the remaining drive time are registered in the migration file table. The migration file table is used by the power saving control program 108 to determine a file to be migrated to another information processing device based on the difference 303 from the average value of the remaining drive time. In this table, the file name 302 and the difference 303 from the average value of the remaining drive time are registered, and the file system 106 sets C
The application program 107 being processed by the PU 102 is monitored, and the application name is registered when the corresponding file is generated.

In this migration table, the data is rearranged so that the file in which the application is registered is registered in the higher rank. For example, when the application A is registered only in the log file, the set of the application A and the log file is registered in the highest level. In this case, the difference from the average value of the remaining drive time is not changed.

The processing of the information processing apparatus will be described below. Here, the processing of the information processing apparatus 101 will be described, but the operations of other information processing apparatuses are also the same.

FIG. 4 shows the remaining operating time monitoring program 109.
This shows the processing of.

The remaining operating time monitoring program 109 monitors whether the information processing apparatus 101 is operating on the storage battery (step 401), and if it is not operating on the storage battery, registers "main power supply" in the operating state of the characteristic table. Yes (Step 4
07). After starting the operation with the storage battery, the power control unit 110
The remaining drive time is calculated based on the remaining power and the power flow rate sent from the device and registered in the characteristic table (step 40).
2). At this time, "storage battery" is registered in the operating state of the characteristic table. Next, the obtained remaining drive time is compared with the threshold value (step 403). This predicts that the information processing device will stop, and performs processing so that no problem occurs even if the information processing device stops. That is, when the remaining drive time is smaller than the threshold value, the fact that the stop processing of the information processing apparatus has started is displayed as a message on the screen (step 4).
08). Next, for the file transferred to another information processing apparatus, the program is stopped (step 409), the information processing apparatus to which the file is transferred is notified that the stop processing has been performed (step 410), and the processing is executed. finish. The information processing device that has received the notification of the stop processing closes the file by the file system. The file migration described here will be described later.

When the remaining drive time is longer than the threshold value in step 403, the free space of the hard disk device 104 managed by the file system 106 is registered in the characteristic table (step 404). Next, the power saving control program 109 is activated (step 40).
5). Then, after waiting for a fixed time (step 406), the process returns to step 401.

FIG. 5 shows the flow of processing by the power saving control program.

When the power saving control program 108 is activated by the remaining drive time monitoring program 109, the power saving control program 108 sets each item of the characteristic table for another information processing apparatus (step 501). That is, the power saving control program 108 requests another information processing device to send the remaining drive time and the free space of the hard disk device based on the IP address registered in the characteristic table. The power saving control program 108, when receiving the remaining drive time and the free space of the hard disk device from another information processing device, registers it in the characteristic table. As a result, the remaining drive time of each information processing device and the free space of the hard disk device when the information processing device 101 is switched to the operating state by the storage battery are registered in the characteristic table.
The remaining drive time of the information processing apparatus, the free space of the hard disk drive, and the operating state are registered by the remaining operating time monitoring program 109 as described above.

Next, the average of the remaining drive times registered in the characteristic table is obtained, and the average value of the remaining drive times is compared with the remaining drive time of the information processing apparatus 101 (step 50).
2). From the characteristic table shown in FIG. 2, the average value of the remaining drive time is 12.5 minutes, and the remaining drive time of the information processing apparatus 101 is 10 minutes. Here, the name of the information processing apparatus 101 is “A”.

As a result of comparison, if the remaining drive time of the information processing apparatus 101 is smaller than the average value of the remaining drive time, the power saving control program 108 causes the operating system 105 to operate.
The CPU usage rate is acquired from the CPU 102 and this CPU usage rate is compared with a predetermined threshold value (step 50).
3). When the CPU usage rate is higher than a predetermined threshold value, the power saving control program is the CPU 102.
Operating system 1 to reduce the number of clocks
Give instructions to 05. On the other hand, if the usage rate of the CPU 102 is larger than the threshold value, the number of clocks is left unchanged.

Next, of the files accessed by the information processing apparatus 101, a file that can be transferred to another information processing apparatus is searched based on the table shown in FIG. For example,
Files that can be moved include work files, page files, cache files, and log files. The power saving control program 108 identifies, from the characteristic table, the information processing device having the largest available hard disk space among the computers whose remaining drive time is equal to or longer than the average value. Next, the average value of the remaining drive time and the information processing device 10
The difference with the remaining drive time of 1 is obtained, and the file to be transferred is determined from the difference with the average value of the remaining drive time shown in FIG. For example,
If the difference from the average value of the remaining drive time is within 2 minutes, the work file is transferred, and if it is within 3 minutes, the work file and the cache file are transferred.

Next, if the specified file has already been generated in the hard disk 103 of the information processing apparatus 101, the power saving control program 108 specifies the information processing specified to copy the data of this file. Send to device (step 506).

Further, the power saving control program 108 notifies the file system 106 of the specified file and the specified information processing device. As a result, the specified file is subsequently accessed to the hard disk of the specified information processing device.

As described above, since access to the hard disk device is accompanied by a physical operation such as seek of the head, the power consumption of the information processing apparatus 101 can be suppressed by suppressing the operation.

Next, the power saving control program 107 waits for a certain period of time, and then returns to step 501 when the operating state of the characteristic table of the self information processing apparatus is the storage battery.

When the operating state of the characteristic table is the main power source, a recovery process is performed (step 508). The recovery process is
When the number of operating clocks of the CPU 102 is returned to the initial value, and the hard disk device of another information processing device is used, it is copied to the hard disk device of its own information processing device and the path is switched by the file system, then another information processing device. Issue an instruction to release the occupied area of the hard disk device. In addition, a message is displayed on the screen to inform the administrator of the progress of these processes accompanying the power recovery.

As described above, the information processing apparatus operating on the storage battery reduces power consumption by changing the number of clocks or migrating files to be used.
The operating time can be lengthened by changing the execution environment of the information processing apparatus at predetermined intervals. Further, since the change of the execution environment is determined by the remaining drive time of another information processing device and the free space of the hard disk, the operating time of the entire system is lengthened.

In some cases, all of the information processing devices registered in the characteristic table shown in FIG. 2 are not operated by the storage battery. In that case, the remaining drive time is always constant, or changes during charging so that the remaining drive time becomes longer. Even in this case, the execution environment is changed so as to reduce the power consumption of the information processing device having the short remaining drive time.

If the difference from the average value of the remaining drive time in steps 505 and 506 becomes smaller than the difference from the average value of the remaining drive time obtained previously, the number of files to be transferred may decrease. In other words, the difference from the average value of the remaining drive time is 3 minutes, and the difference from the average value of the remaining drive time is 2 minutes. In this case, the power saving control program 107
Requests the specified information processing device to transmit the file so that the file excluded from the target is transferred to its own processing device. By doing so, it is possible to suppress the power consumption of the information processing device to which the file is transferred.

Although a case has been described here where the software programs such as the power saving control program and the remaining operating time monitoring program are used, each may be configured with a dedicated processor.

[0039]

The operating time of the entire system can be extended.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an entire system.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a characteristic table.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a file migration table.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a process of a remaining operating time monitoring program.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing processing of a power saving control program.

[Explanation of symbols]

101: Information processing device 102: CPU 103: memory 104: Hard disk device 105: Operating system 106: File system 107: Application program 108: Power saving control program 109: Remaining operating time monitoring program 110: Power supply control unit 111: Power flow monitoring unit 112: Remaining power monitoring unit 113: Storage battery

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A method for controlling an information processing device in a system to which a plurality of information processing devices are connected, wherein one of the information processing devices supplies power from a secondary power supply connected to the information processing device. The information processing device, which is supplied from the secondary power source when the state is changed, acquires the operating time from another connected information processing device,
A feature is that the operating time of the self-information processing device by the supply from the secondary power supply is obtained, and the execution environment of the information processing device supplied from the secondary power supply is controlled based on the acquired operating time and the obtained operating time. And a method for controlling the information processing apparatus. 2. The information processing apparatus control method according to claim 1, wherein the execution environment is a clock frequency of a processor,
A method of controlling an information processing apparatus, comprising changing a clock frequency of a processor from a time when the first information processing apparatus can be operated and a time when the second information processing apparatus can be operated before. 3. A method of controlling an information processing device connected to a plurality of information processing devices, wherein each of a plurality of second information processing devices connected to the first information processing device The time when the information processing apparatus can be operated and the free space of the storage device are taken in, and the time when the first information processing apparatus can be operated by the power supplied to the first information processing apparatus is calculated, and the first information processing apparatus Of the first information processing apparatus to the storage apparatus of the second information processing apparatus based on the time when the second information processing apparatus can be operated, the time when each second information processing apparatus can be operated, and the free space. A method for controlling an information processing apparatus, comprising: 4. A program for controlling an information processing device connected to a plurality of information processing devices, wherein the second information processing device is connected to a second information processing device connected to the first information processing device. Processing for obtaining the operating time of the first information processing apparatus, processing for obtaining the operating time of the first information processing apparatus by the power supplied to the first information processing apparatus, and the operating time of the first information processing apparatus A program for controlling an information processing device, comprising: a process for changing an execution environment of the first information processing device based on a time when the second information processing device can be operated. 5. A program for controlling an information processing device connected to a plurality of information processing devices, wherein each of the second information processing devices from the plurality of second information processing devices connected to the first information processing device A process for fetching an available time of the information processing device and a free space of the storage device; a process for obtaining a time during which the first information processing device can be operated by a power source supplied to the first information processing device; Of the first information processing device based on the available time of each of the second information processing devices and the respective available time of each of the second information processing devices, and the storage capacity of the second information processing device. A control program for an information processing apparatus, comprising: a process of shifting to an apparatus.