JPH0847181A - Failure diagnostic system of battery power supply - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a failure diagnostic system which diagnoses whether the failure of a battery power supply exists or not by a method wherein, at a point of time when an AC power supply and a DC power supply are cut off from a load apparatus at every constant time, the output-voltage level of the battery power supply is compared with a threshold value which is set in advance so as to correspond to the load apparatus. CONSTITUTION:An MPU 5 changes over changeover switches 7-1, 7-2 according to a timing signal 103 from a timer 8-1, and, at a point of time when an AC power supply 1 and a DC power supply 2 are cut off, it compares the output- voltage level signal 107, of a battery power supply 3, detected by a voltage-level detection means 6 with a threshold value which is set in advance so as to correspond to a load apparatus 9. When the output-voltage level signal 107 is lower than the threshold value, the MPU 5 sends out an alarm signal 108, it turns on a display element 11, and it generates an alarm sound by a loudspeaker 12 so that an operator can clearly recognize that a failure has been generated in the battery power supply 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus equipped with a battery power source for supplying power to a load device, and in particular, detecting the output voltage level of the battery power source in advance to detect the presence or absence of a fault in the battery power source. The present invention relates to a battery power failure diagnosis system for diagnosis.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a conventional information processing apparatus equipped with a load device for storing important data and the like, a battery power source is provided in addition to a power supply means such as an AC power source or a DC power source. Backup was performed by supplying the output voltage from the power supply to this load device.

In the conventional information processing apparatus, various measures have been taken in order to promote the extension of the life of the battery power source. For example, a plurality of power supply batteries, switching means for selectively switching the connection relationship between the batteries and the load equipment, and selective switching of the connection between the battery and the load equipment by the switching means are periodically controlled. And a switching control means for controlling the number of batteries, and using only one battery periodically selected from a plurality of batteries to prolong the replacement cycle of the entire battery and extend its life.

[0004]

However, in the above-described conventional information processing apparatus, one battery is simply selected from a plurality of batteries and periodically connected to the load device. If the battery whose output voltage level is below the threshold value for the load device is selected due to the cause, the operation of the load device becomes unstable and the reliability of the data is significantly reduced. In particular,
If a completely failed battery is selected, it will be impossible to back up the load device, and all important data stored in advance will be lost.

The main object of the present invention is to solve the above problems, disconnect the connection between the AC power supply and the DC power supply and the load device at a certain cycle, and output the level of the output voltage from the battery power supply at the time of disconnection. Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery power supply failure diagnosis system that performs failure diagnosis of a battery power supply in advance based on a comparison result between a threshold value set in advance corresponding to a load device.

[0006]

In the battery power failure diagnosis system of the present invention, the detection means for detecting the output voltage level from the battery power supply and the connection between the DC power supply and the AC power supply and the load are disconnected at regular intervals. And a control means for comparing the output voltage level from the detection means with a preset threshold value corresponding to the load at the time point and outputting an alarm signal when the output voltage level is equal to or lower than the threshold value. And notification means for notifying that a failure has occurred in the battery power source based on the alarm signal from the control means.

[0007]

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

Referring to FIG. 1, a battery power failure diagnosis system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an AC power source 1, a DC power source 2, a battery power source 3, multi-stage changeover switches 4-1 and 4-2. Microprocessor (MPU) 5, voltage level detection means 6, and changeover switches 7-1 and 7-
2, timers 8-1 and 8-2, load device 9, diodes 10-1 and 10-2, display element 11,
And a speaker 12.

The battery power source 3 is composed of a plurality of batteries 3-1, 3-2 and 3 having the same power source capacity.
-3.

The multistage changeover switch 4-1 responds to the changeover control signal 101 from the microprocessor 5 to the battery 3
One battery is selected from -1 to 3-3, and the battery supplies power to the load device 9.

The multistage switch 4-2 switches the alarm signal 108 from the microprocessor 5 according to the switching control signal 102 from the microprocessor 5 and sends it to the display element 11 or the speaker 12.

The microprocessor 5 changes the switch 7-1 in response to the timing signal 103 from the timer 8-1.
Control signal 105 and changeover switch 7-2
For sending the switching control signal 106 to the timer 8
-2, the function of sending the changeover control signal 101 to the multi-stage changeover switch 4-1 in response to the timing signal 104, and the output voltage level signal 1 from the voltage level detecting means 6.
When 07 is lower than a threshold value set in advance corresponding to the load device 9, it has a function of transmitting the changeover control signal 102 to the multistage changeover switch 4-2 and outputting the alarm signal 108.

The voltage level detecting means 6 is a battery power source 3
Detects the level of the output voltage supplied to the load device 9, and notifies the microprocessor 5 of the output voltage level signal 107 representing the level.

The changeover switches 7-1 and 7-2 respond to the changeover control signals 105 and 106 sent from the microprocessor 5, respectively, to the DC power source 2 and the load device 9.
And the connection between the AC power supply 1 and the load device 9 are switched.

The timer 8-1 outputs a timing signal 103 for the microprocessor 5 to periodically send the switching control signals 105 and 106 to the switching switches 7-1 and 7-2 at regular time intervals.

The timer 8-2 outputs a timing signal for the microprocessor 5 to periodically send the changeover control signal 101 to the multistage changeover switch 4-1, at regular time intervals.

As the load device 9, for example, a non-volatile memory or a hard disk device can be used. Further, for example, a light emitting diode or the like can be used as the display element 11.

In the normal operation, the microprocessor 5 receives the timing signal 103 output from the timer 8-2 at regular time intervals, whereby the multi-stage changeover switch 4 is operated.
The switching control signal 101 is sent to -1. At this time, the multi-stage changeover switch 4-1 receives the changeover control signal 101 supplied from the microprocessor 5 at regular time intervals, and sequentially from the battery 3-1 to the battery 3-2 and from the battery 3-2 to the battery 3-3. , The output voltage is supplied to the load device 9 by periodically switching from the battery 3-3 to the battery 3-1.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the control operation of the microprocessor 5 shown in FIG.

Now, according to the changeover control signal 101 from the microprocessor 5, the multistage changeover switch 4-1 is changed to the battery 3
It is assumed that -1 is selected to supply the output voltage to the load device 9.

First, the microprocessor 5 has the timing signal 10 issued by the timer 8-1 at regular intervals.
3 is received (step S21 in FIG. 2).

Subsequently, the microprocessor 5 responds to this timing signal 103 to change over the switches 7-1 and 7
-2 for switching control signals 105 and 106, respectively.
Is output (FIG. 2, step S21).

At this time, the changeover switches 7-1 and 7-
2 disconnects the connection between the DC power supply 2 and the load device 9 and the connection between the AC power supply 1 and the load device 9 according to the switching control signals 105 and 106, respectively.

At the same time, the microprocessor 5 receives the output voltage level signal 107 indicating the level of the output voltage supplied from the battery 3-1 to the load device 9 detected by the voltage level detecting means 6 (see FIG. 2, step S23).

Next, the microprocessor 5 presets a threshold value corresponding to the load device 9 (corresponding to the lowest threshold voltage V at which the load device 9 can operate stably) and the output voltage level. The signal 107 is compared (FIG. 2, step S24). At this time, when the output voltage level signal 107 is larger than the threshold value, the microprocessor 5 recognizes that the battery 3-1 has not failed and returns to the processing step S21, and the timing from the timer 8-1 again. Wait until signal 103 is received.

On the other hand, when the output voltage level signal 107 is smaller than the threshold value, the microprocessor 5 recognizes that the battery 3-1 has a failure and changes the switch 7
-1, the switching control signal 105 is sent to connect the DC power supply 2 and the load device 9 again, and the multi-stage switch 4-2 is connected.
To the switch control signal 102 and an alarm signal 108 for notifying that the battery 3-1 has a failure (FIG. 2, step S2).
5).

The multi-stage switch 4-2 supplies the alarm signal 108 received from the microprocessor 5 to the display element 11 or the speaker 12 according to the switch control signal 102. Here, the display element 11
When the alarm signal 108 is received, the display element 11 itself lights up to make the operator recognize that the battery 3-1 has a failure. When the speaker 12 receives the alarm signal 108, the speaker 12 itself sounds to let the operator recognize that the battery 3-1 has a failure.

Finally, the microprocessor 5 sends the changeover control signal 101 to the multi-stage changeover switch 4-1 in order to disconnect the faulty battery 3-1 and select the next battery 3-2. (FIG. 2, step S2
6).

Therefore, in this embodiment, when the microprocessor 5 disconnects the AC power source 1 and the DC power source 2 at regular intervals, the output voltage level from the battery power source 3 and the load device 9 are set. By comparing with a threshold value and outputting an alarm signal to the display element 11 or the speaker 12 when the output voltage level is lower than the threshold value, the battery power source 3 is driven before the load device 9 is driven by the battery power source 3. It is possible to clearly inform and recognize the operator that the failure occurs in item 3. as a result,
The backup operation for the load device 9 can be accurately performed, the operation of the load device 9 can be stabilized, the reliability of important data can be significantly improved, and the loss of important data can be prevented. .

Although the two timers 8-1 and 8-2 individually output the timing signals in this embodiment, one timer may generate the timing signals. That is, the timing of switching the multistage selector switch 4-1 may be synchronized with the timing of switching the selector switches 7-1 and 7-2. Here, the timers 8-1 and 8-1 may be realized by hardware, or may be realized by a timer based on firmware or software inside the microprocessor 5.

Further, the microprocessor 5 may control to switch the changeover switches 7-1 and 7-2 by generating a changeover control signal by executing a specific microinstruction of firmware. Further, the microprocessor 5 stores the device number of the battery 3-1 in which a failure has occurred, and when outputting the switching control signal 101 for switching the multi-stage switching switch 4-1, this battery 3
-1 may be controlled to jump over -1 to select the next battery 3-2, or the stored device number of the battery 3-1 may be displayed on a display device such as a CRT display to indicate which battery to the operator. It may be controlled so as to directly notify whether or not there is an obstacle.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, the output voltage level from the battery power supply and the load device are set in advance when the AC power supply and the DC power supply are disconnected from the load device at regular intervals. It compares with the threshold value and outputs an alarm signal when the output voltage level is smaller than the threshold value to clearly inform the operator that the battery power supply has failed for some reason. be able to. As a result, the backup operation for the load device can be accurately performed, the operation of the load device is stabilized, the reliability of the data is significantly improved, and the loss of the data can be prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a control operation of a microprocessor 5 shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 AC power supply 2 DC power supply 3 Battery power supply 3-1 to 3-3 Battery 4-1 and 4-2 Multistage changeover switch 5 Microprocessor 6 Voltage level detection means 7-1 and 7-2 Changeover switch 8-1 and 8- 2 timer 9 load equipment 10-1 and 10-2 diode 11 display element 12 speaker 101 switching control signal 102 switching control signal 103 timing signal 104 timing signal 105 switching control signal 106 switching control signal 107 output voltage level signal 108 alarm signal

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A detection means for detecting an output voltage level from a battery power source, and the output voltage level and the load from the detection means at the time point when the connection between the DC power source and the AC power source and the load is disconnected at regular intervals. Corresponding to the threshold value set in advance and outputting an alarm signal when the output voltage level is equal to or lower than the threshold value, and the battery based on the alarm signal from the control means. A battery power failure diagnosis system, comprising: a notification means for notifying that a power failure has occurred. 2. The control means includes a first timer that outputs a timing signal at regular time intervals, and a DC power source, an AC power source, and a load at regular time intervals according to a switching control signal output in response to the timing signal. 2. The battery power failure diagnosis system according to claim 1, further comprising a changeover switch for disconnecting the connection with. 3. The control means generates a switching control signal by executing a specific micro instruction in the firmware to disconnect the connection between the DC power supply and the AC power supply and the load. Battery power failure diagnosis system. 4. The notification means is lit in response to the alarm signal to indicate that a failure has occurred in the battery power supply, and the notification means sounds in response to the alarm signal to cause a failure in the battery power supply. And a first multistage changeover switch for supplying the alarm signal to the display means or the voice output means based on a changeover control signal from the control means. The battery power source failure diagnosis system according to claim 1. 5. The battery power source responds to a plurality of batteries, a second timer that outputs a timing signal at regular time intervals, and a switching control signal sent from the control means in response to the timing signal. 2. The battery power failure diagnosis system according to claim 1, further comprising a second multi-stage changeover switch that sequentially and periodically switches the connection between the battery and the load. 6. The battery power failure diagnosis system according to claim 2, wherein the first timer comprises a software timer realized by a software program executable by the control means. 7. The battery power failure diagnosis system according to claim 4, wherein the second timer comprises a software timer realized by a software program executable by the control means.