JP3085198B2 - Power-on system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a power-on system, and more particularly to a power-on system for powering on a plurality of devices in response to an external command.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional power-on timing control method for a plurality of devices, a master device controls the power-on timing of each device so as to turn on the power sequentially so that the power-on of a plurality of devices does not overlap. It is common. Also, in an information processing system that does not control the power-on timing, it is general to provide a sufficient margin for the power supply capacity of the power supply device to cope with an excessive rush current of the entire system.

A configuration for shifting the power-on timing of a plurality of devices is described in JP-A-3-154913.

[0004]

In an information processing system or the like composed of a plurality of devices, when power is turned on to each device in order to start the system, an inrush current is generated when the devices are simultaneously turned on. Therefore, there is a problem that an excessively large load is momentarily applied to power supply equipment for supplying power to the system.

[0005] Therefore, there is a problem that power supply equipment having sufficient capacity must be prepared in anticipation of the occurrence of inrush current, and the load of the power supply equipment is repeated every time power is turned on. This may result in shortening the life of the power supply equipment.

Further, in order to disperse the load due to the rush current, it is necessary to sequentially turn on the power to each device at an appropriate delay interval as described in the above publication. To this end, it is necessary to connect the devices with some information transmission means and control the power-on sequence. Alternatively, it is necessary to temporarily consolidate the power supply in the master device and control the power-on in the master device. In any case, when the distance between the devices is large or when the number of devices is large, there is a disadvantage that the control method and the devices become complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a power-on system capable of powering on a plurality of devices at different timings with a simpler configuration. It is to be.

[0008]

Power up the system according to the present invention SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION can be a power-on system to power a plurality of devices in response to an external command, the power-on of the apparatus Thailand
Power supply means for preventing the same timing from being provided in each of the plurality of devices; the power supply means comprising: a timer for measuring a random time in response to the input of the external command; Power-on control means for turning on the power of the own device later, further comprising current measuring means for measuring the current supplied to the own device after the timer counts, and the current measuring means When the current value measured is smaller than a predetermined value, the power of the own device is turned on, and when the measured current value is equal to or more than the predetermined value, the current measurement by the current measuring unit is performed again after the timer measures time. It is characterized by performing.

That is, a configuration is provided in each of a plurality of devices constituting the system, in which the power is turned on after a random waiting time. As a result, even if information transmission means is not provided between the devices, the power-on timings of the devices do not become the same, and the occurrence of an excessive rush current can be dispersed.

[0010] Each of the devices constituting the system is provided with a device for measuring the current of the supplied power. When turning on the power, each device first measures the current value and senses whether an excessive current due to the rush current of another device is flowing. If an excessive current is detected, the power is turned off once, and the side current is measured after a certain waiting time. The length of the waiting time to wait for the power-on at this time is set to be a random length for each device and for each trigger so that the waiting time does not compete with other devices.

[0011]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a connection configuration of each of the devices 4 to 7 constituting a power-on system according to an embodiment of the present invention, a power supply equipment 1, and a main switch 3 for turning on / off current transmission to each device. It is. The current supplied from the power supply equipment 1 is guided to the main switch 3 through the power supply line 2.
A current is supplied from the operated main switch 3 to each of the devices 4, 5, 6 and 7 in a branched manner.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of each device. Each device includes a relay contact 8 for turning on / off the current supply to the own device, a current measuring device 9 for measuring the supplied current, and a timer device 10 having a function of setting a random waiting time.

It is assumed that current is constantly supplied from the power supply equipment 1. In order to activate this information processing system, it is necessary to operate the main switch 3 to supply current to each device.

In each device, the relay contact 8 is always in a disconnected position, and the current is transmitted only to the current measuring device 9 and the timer device 10 in the initial stage. When the current measuring device 9 detects from the change in the current that the current is supplied to itself, it notifies the timer device 10 and waits for a certain time. Here, the timer device 10 has a function of randomly generating a waiting time at each opportunity. Therefore, the waiting time takes a different value for each device.

When a certain waiting time elapses, the current measuring device 9 measures the current and determines whether an excessive rush current is flowing through the current supply line 2. If it is determined from the current value that there is no excessive inrush current, the relay contact 8
To start supplying current to the device. On the other hand, when it is detected from the result of the current measurement that there is an excessive rush current, the timer device 10 is notified again, and the current measurement is performed again after the elapse of a randomly set waiting time.

As described above, by repeating the current measurement and random waiting in each device and connecting the relay contacts, power is finally supplied to all the devices, and the information processing system and the like are started. It is.

In the current measuring device 9, it is sufficient to compare a predetermined current value with the measured current value in accordance with a rush current value when the power is turned on. The predetermined current value may be about several times the current value normally supplied to the present system.

In the timer device 10, a random number may be generated in response to a command from the current measuring device 9, and a time corresponding to the random number may be measured. A well-known random number generation circuit;
A timer circuit in which the generated random numbers are preset may be used.

The above power-on operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In the figure, when the power is turned on by the main switch 3, each device waits for a random time (step 31).

After the elapse of the waiting time, the current is measured by the current measuring device 9 in each device (step 3).
2). The measured current value is compared with a predetermined level (step 33). If the current value is not higher than the predetermined level, power is turned on in each device as it is (steps 33 → 34). On the other hand, if the measured current value is higher than the predetermined level, each device waits for a random time again (steps 33 → 31), and the same operation is repeated thereafter.

In short, the system is powered on after a random time has elapsed after the input of the external command. In this case, a timer is provided to measure a random time in response to the input of the external command, and the power of the own device is turned on after the timer measures the time. As a result, the occurrence of an excessive rush current can be dispersed.

By the way, an embodiment in which current measurement is performed first before waiting for a random time is also conceivable. The power-on operation in this case will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In the figure, first, when the power is turned on by the main switch 3, the current measuring device 9 is provided in each device.
(Step 41). The measured current value is compared with a predetermined level (step 42),
If the current value is not higher than the predetermined level, the power is turned on in each device as it is (steps 42 → 4).
3).

On the other hand, when the measured current value is higher than the predetermined level, each device waits for a random time (steps 42 to 44). After the elapse of the waiting time, the current is measured again (step 41). The measured current value is compared with a predetermined level (step 4).
2) Thereafter, the same operation is repeated.

Also in this case, the occurrence of an excessive rush current can be dispersed.

The present invention can take the following aspects in connection with the description of the claims.

(4) The timer includes means for generating a random number in response to the input of the external command, and means for counting time according to the value of the generated random number. A power-on system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

(5) The power-on system according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the predetermined value is determined according to a rush current value upon power-on.

(6) A power-on system for turning on power to a plurality of devices in response to an external command, current measuring means for measuring a current supplied to the own device in response to the external command; Means for turning on the power of the apparatus when the current value measured by the current measuring means is smaller than a predetermined value; and means for measuring the current after a random time has elapsed when the measured current value is equal to or more than the predetermined value. Means for measuring current by the means.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention, the determination of the power-on timing is performed independently by each device, so that even when a plurality of devices turn on at the same time, an excessive rush current is generated. It is possible to disperse and reduce the load on the power supply equipment. As a result, there is an effect that the power supply equipment can be smaller than before.

Further, since the information transmission means necessary for sequentially turning on the power supply, which is conventionally required, is not required, even if each device is dispersed and the number of devices is large, the entire system is not required. There is an effect that the configuration of is not complicated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a power-on system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of each device in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a power-on operation.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing another example of the power-on operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 power supply equipment 3 main switch 4 to 7 device 8 relay contact 9 current measuring device 10 timer device

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] We claim: 1. In response to the external command a power-on system for applying power to multiple devices, power-on of the device
Power supply means for preventing timings from being the same is provided in each of the plurality of devices, the power supply means includes a timer for measuring a random time in response to the input of the external command, and a timer for measuring the time by the timer. Power-on control means for turning on the power of the own device later, further comprising current measuring means for measuring the current supplied to the own device after the timer counts, and the current measuring means When the measured current value is smaller than a predetermined value, the power of the own device is turned on, and when the measured current value is equal to or larger than the predetermined value, the current measurement by the current measuring means is performed again after the timer measures time. A power-on system characterized by performing.