JPH04344946A - Initial diagnosing method for information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To find out more surely the abnormality of the operation of an information processor by initial diagnosis by the initial diagnostic part of the information processor. CONSTITUTION:A diagnostic pattern table 4 to store initial diagnostic programs to operate respectively under each condition of the predetermined upper and lower limit values of supply voltage and the upper and lower limit values of clock frequency at the time of operation as coordinating them with item numbers different from each other is provided previously in the information processor. Besides, a random number generating part 3 controlled by a diagnosis control part 1 is provided. The random number generating part 3 is made to operate by a diagnosis control part 1 started by a power supply switch-on signal, and the initial diagnostic program having a numerical value the random number generating part 3 generates as the item number is read out by the diagnostic pattern table 4, and the initial diagnosis conforming to this program is executed for the information processor.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an initial diagnosis method for an information processing apparatus, and more particularly to an initial diagnosis method for an information processing apparatus for diagnosing the operational state of the components of the information processing apparatus when the information processing apparatus is started up.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an initial diagnosis circuit section in an information processing apparatus to which a conventional initial diagnosis method for this type of information processing apparatus is applied.

When an information processing apparatus (not shown) having such an initial diagnosis circuit section is powered on, a power-on signal 101 is applied to a diagnosis control section 10 provided within the information processing apparatus. The diagnostic control unit 10 has a built-in program that causes each component in the information processing device (not shown) described above to perform a predetermined operation in a normal state, that is, at a standard power supply voltage and a standard clock frequency. ing. When the above-mentioned power-on signal 101 is applied to the diagnostic control section 10, the diagnostic control section 10 outputs the built-in program to the diagnostic execution section 2. The diagnosis execution unit 2 outputs an execution command 103 to each of the above-mentioned components according to the input program, performs an initial diagnosis, and if the operation of each component is normal, the above-mentioned information processing device is normalized. If there is any abnormal operation in any of the components, the results of the initial diagnosis are displayed on the display unit (not shown) of the information processing device, using a predetermined display method. do.

0004

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the above-described conventional initial diagnosis method for an information processing device, a condition is supplied to each component as a condition for performing an initial diagnosis on each component of the information processing device that performs this initial diagnosis. The power supply voltage and clock frequency for operating this component are standard.
However, in actual information processing equipment, if it does not operate normally in the range from a specified voltage higher than the standard voltage to a specified voltage lower than the standard voltage, the externally supplied power supply voltage A slight fluctuation in the value will cause a malfunction. Similarly, if the above-mentioned information processing device does not operate normally in the range from a specified frequency higher than the standard clock frequency to a specified frequency lower than the standard clock frequency, with the standard clock frequency in between,
If the clock frequency slightly fluctuates from the standard clock frequency due to the aforementioned external power supply or other factors, malfunctions may occur.

However, as explained above, in the conventional initial diagnosis method, standard voltage and standard clock frequency are applied to each component as conditions for diagnosing each component of the information processing device. Since we are diagnosing the operation of the above-mentioned information processing device in the condition where Therefore, if a fluctuation in the power supply voltage or a fluctuation in the operating clock frequency occurs while using an information processing device determined to be normal by such an initial diagnosis method, the operation of this information processing device may become abnormal. The disadvantage is that it cannot be prevented.

An object of the present invention is to use one of a predetermined upper limit or lower limit voltage, a predetermined upper limit clock frequency, or a predetermined lower limit clock frequency as a condition when initially diagnosing an information processing device. By selecting one of the four conditions and executing the initial diagnosis, the information processing device described above can operate normally even if the power supply voltage or clock frequency fluctuates to some extent from the standard value. An object of the present invention is to provide an initial diagnosis method for an information processing device, which can be discovered through initial diagnosis and can reduce the probability that the information processing device becomes abnormal during use.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] An initial diagnosis method for an information processing device according to the present invention includes executing a predetermined program by a diagnostic control unit included in the information processing device that is activated by a power-on signal of the information processing device. In the initial diagnosis method for an information processing apparatus, the initial diagnosis of the information processing apparatus is performed by a diagnosis execution unit provided in the information processing apparatus that is activated and diagnoses the operation of the components of the information processing apparatus according to the program. A random number generation unit that is activated by a random number activation signal generated when the diagnosis control unit is activated and generates and outputs random numbers, and a power supply voltage supplied to each of the components of the information processing device to be diagnosed are predetermined. an initial diagnostic program for diagnosing the operation of the component at the highest voltage in the range; and a low voltage diagnostic program for diagnosing the operation state of the component at the lowest power supply voltage in the predetermined range. A maximum clock frequency program that operates the component at the maximum clock frequency within a predetermined range of clock frequencies and a minimum clock frequency program that initially diagnoses the component at the minimum clock frequency within the predetermined range are set to the random number. A diagnostic pattern table is provided in the information processing device, and the diagnostic pattern table is stored in association with different values among random numbers generated by the unit, and the diagnostic control unit is activated by the power-on signal. and the diagnostic control unit outputs the random number generation signal to generate a random number, reads a diagnostic program in the diagnostic pattern table corresponding to the random number, gives the read diagnostic program to the diagnostic execution unit, and The diagnostic execution unit outputs an execution signal according to the read diagnostic program to perform an initial diagnosis of the operation of the component.

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an initial diagnosis section provided in an information processing section (not shown) to which the initial diagnosis method for an information processing apparatus of the present invention is applied, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of an initial diagnosis section provided in an information processing device (not shown) to which another initial diagnosis method of the present invention is applied.

The initial diagnosis section includes a diagnosis pattern table 4 storing an initial diagnosis program to be described later, a diagnosis control section 1 that starts operating when a power-on signal 101 is applied from an information processing device (not shown), and a diagnosis control section. The random number generating section 3 is controlled by the diagnostic control section 1 and generates random numbers and outputs them to the diagnostic control section 1, and the diagnostic execution section 2 outputs execution instructions in accordance with a program applied from the diagnostic control section 1. This initial diagnosis section is provided in the aforementioned information processing device (not shown).

When the information processing device starts up, the information processing device generates a power-on signal 101 and sends it to the diagnostic control section 1 . When the diagnostic control section 1 receives this signal, it generates a random number activation signal and adds it to the random number generation section 3. When the random number generation section 3 receives this random number activation signal, it generates one random number and outputs the value of the random number to the diagnostic control section 1. The diagnostic control unit 1 extracts a program having the input random number value as an item number from the diagnostic pattern table 4 and adds this program to the diagnostic execution unit 2. The diagnosis execution unit 2 outputs an execution command 102 converted into a code executable by each component of the information processing device corresponding to the input program, and performs an initial diagnosis of each component in the information processing device.

The diagnostic pattern table 4 stores a plurality of programs for performing initial diagnosis in association with item numbers. These multiple programs will be explained below.

[0012] The first initial diagnosis program is a program that performs initial diagnosis at a predetermined value higher than the standard voltage of the power supply voltage of each component in the information processing apparatus to be subjected to initial diagnosis.

[0013] The second initial diagnosis program is a program that performs initial diagnosis at a predetermined value lower than the standard voltage of the power supply voltage of each component in the information processing apparatus to be subjected to initial diagnosis.

The third initial diagnosis program is a program that performs initial diagnosis at a predetermined value, in which the clock frequency of each component in the information processing apparatus to be subjected to initial diagnosis is higher than the standard clock frequency.

The fourth initial diagnosis program is a program that performs initial diagnosis using a predetermined clock frequency lower than the standard clock frequency of each component in the information processing apparatus that is to undergo initial diagnosis.

The above programs are stored in advance in the diagnostic pattern table 4 in association with different item numbers.

Note that the above-mentioned item numbers are associated with mutually different item numbers, for example, from 1 to 4, in this order from the first initial diagnosis program to the fourth initial diagnosis program.

Further, the random number generating section described above is provided with a function of generating one of the numerical values 1 to 4 as a random number when a random number activation signal is received.

[0019] By performing initial diagnosis every time the information processing apparatus is started up using the initial diagnosis method for an information processing apparatus of the present invention as described above, if the start-up is repeated four or more times, the above-mentioned first From then on, the fourth initial diagnosis program is executed. If the power supply voltage range in which the information processing device operates normally becomes narrower than the voltage value range set in the first and second initial diagnosis programs described above, or if the third and fourth initial diagnosis programs If the range of clock frequencies that allow normal operation is narrower than the range of clock frequencies set in the program, this information processing device may be in an abnormal state caused by fluctuations in power supply voltage and clock frequency during operation. You can know in advance.

The initial diagnosis section shown in FIG. 2 uses a cumulative number storage section 5 instead of the random number generation section 3 in the initial diagnosis section shown in FIG.
The diagnostic control unit 1A is used in place of the diagnostic control unit 1 shown in FIG.

When the above-described power-on signal 101 is applied to the diagnostic control section 1A, the diagnostic control section 1A outputs a cumulative number count signal to the cumulative number storage section 5. When the cumulative number count signal is applied to the cumulative number storage section 5, the cumulative number storage section 5 outputs a value obtained by adding 1 to the previously stored numerical value to the diagnostic control section 1A. At this time, if the value previously stored in the cumulative count storage section 5 is 3, it is set to 4 when the cumulative count signal is input. That is,
The above-mentioned cumulative number storage section 5 starts with the value 1, adds 1 each time the cumulative count signal is input, and sets the stored value to 1 when the added value reaches 5. Alternatively, when the cumulative count storage unit 5 stores a value from 0 to 3 and one cumulative count signal is input, it stores a value obtained by adding 1 to the previously stored value, and the added value If the value is 4, the value may be stored as a numerical value of 0.

As described above, when the cumulative count signal is input from the diagnostic control unit 1A to the cumulative count storage unit 5, the cumulative count storage unit 5 stores the above-mentioned value and also transmits the value to the diagnostic control unit 1A. Output. The diagnostic control unit 1A reads out the diagnostic program stored in the diagnostic pattern table 4 which has the numerical item number output from the cumulative number storage unit 5, and outputs it to the diagnostic execution unit 2. The subsequent operation is similar to that described with reference to FIG.

Therefore, the item number associated with the diagnostic program stored in the diagnostic pattern table 4 may be given a value corresponding to the range of numerical values stored in the cumulative number storage section 5 mentioned above.

The cumulative number storage section 5 is provided with a function of retaining the stored contents even when the power of the information processing apparatus including the cumulative number storage section 5 is turned off.

[0025]

As explained above, the initial diagnosis method for an information processing device of the present invention performs initial diagnosis for a predetermined range of power supply voltage and clock frequency at which the components of the information processing device should operate normally. In order to do this, compared to the conventional initial diagnosis of only standard conditions, information processing is performed to determine whether or not the operating margin for the power supply voltage and clock frequency of the information processing device operates within the range determined in advance by the initial diagnosis program. Immediately after starting up the device, if the information processing device does not operate normally within the range of power supply voltage and clock frequency diagnosed by the initial diagnosis program, we will find the abnormality before the information processing device performs normal operation. Since repairs and adjustments can be made, this has the effect of reducing the probability that an abnormality will occur during operation of the information processing device.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an initial diagnosis section in an information processing device to which an initial diagnosis method for an information processing device of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an initial diagnosis section in an information processing apparatus to which another initial diagnosis method of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of an initial diagnosis section in an information processing apparatus to which a conventional initial diagnosis method of this type is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Diagnosis control section 2 Diagnosis execution part 3 Random number generator 4 Diagnosis pattern table

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. Diagnosis of the operation of the components of the information processing device by starting a predetermined program by a diagnostic control unit included in the information processing device that is started by a power-on signal of the information processing device, and diagnosing the operation of the components of the information processing device according to the program. In the initial diagnosis method for an information processing apparatus, the diagnosis execution unit provided in the information processing apparatus performs an initial diagnosis of the information processing apparatus, the diagnosis control unit being activated by a random number activation signal generated when the diagnosis control unit is activated. an initial stage in which the power supply voltage supplied to each of the components of the information processing device to be diagnosed is set to the highest voltage in a predetermined range, and the operation of the components is diagnosed; a diagnostic program; a low voltage diagnostic program for diagnosing the operating state of the component under a minimum power supply voltage within a predetermined range; A maximum clock frequency program for operating the component and a minimum clock frequency program for initially diagnosing the component at a minimum clock frequency within a predetermined range correspond to mutually different values among the random number values generated by the random number section. A diagnostic pattern table is provided in the information processing device, and when the diagnostic control unit is activated by the power-on signal, the diagnostic control unit outputs the random number generation signal to generate random numbers. generate a diagnostic program in the diagnostic pattern table corresponding to the random number, give the read diagnostic program to the diagnostic execution unit, and output an execution signal according to the read diagnostic program by the diagnostic execution unit. An initial diagnosis method for an information processing apparatus, characterized in that an initial diagnosis of the operation of the component is performed. 2. Diagnosis of the operation of the components of the information processing device according to the program by starting a predetermined program by a diagnostic control unit included in the information processing device that is started by a power-on signal of the information processing device. In the initial diagnosis method for an information processing device, in which the diagnosis execution unit provided in the information processing unit performs an initial diagnosis of the information processing device, a cumulative count signal generated when the diagnosis control unit is activated is input. Each time the value is stored, 1 is added to the value stored until then, and if the result exceeds 4, 1 is stored. Otherwise, the stored value is added by 1 to the value stored until then. A power supply voltage supplied to each of the components of the information processing apparatus and a cumulative number storage unit that outputs the value to the diagnostic control unit and stores the value even if the information processing unit is powered off is determined in advance. A high voltage diagnostic program that diagnoses the operation of the component at the highest voltage within a predetermined range, and a low voltage diagnostic program that diagnoses the operation state of the component at the lowest power supply voltage within a predetermined range. a voltage diagnostic program and a maximum clock frequency program for operating said component at a maximum clock frequency within a predetermined range of clock frequencies; and said configuration at a minimum clock frequency within said predetermined range of clock frequencies. A diagnosis pattern table is provided in the information processing device in which a minimum clock frequency program for operating elements and performing initial diagnosis is stored in association with mutually different values among the values output by the cumulative storage section. Then, when the diagnostic control unit is activated by the power-on signal, the diagnostic control unit outputs the cumulative number count signal and outputs it to the cumulative number storage unit to correspond to the output value of the cumulative number storage unit. reads out a diagnostic program in the diagnostic pattern table, provides the read diagnostic program to the diagnostic execution unit, and outputs an execution signal according to the read diagnostic program by the diagnostic execution unit to initiate the operation of the component. An initial diagnosis method for an information processing device, the method comprising performing a diagnosis.