US5878377A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Environmental and power error handling extension and analysis
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1997-04-10
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Granted: 1999-03-02
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Expires: 2017-04-10
Abstract
Abstract One aspect of the invention relates to an apparatus for detecting environmental faults in a computer system. In one version of the invention, the apparatus includes a means for measuring a physical parameter with a sensor coupled to the computer system, the sensor being associated with a sensor type and identification code; a means for transmitting a signal from the sensor to the computer system, the signal being responsive to the measurement; a means for determining whether an environmental fault condition exists by comparing the signal to a pre-determined threshold; means for determining an error type, identification code and sensor type; and a means for writing fault data to an environmental warning register, the fault data comprising the sensor type, identification code and error type.
Inventors
- 👤 II Rick Allen Hamilton
- 👤 Steven Paul Hartman
- 👤 Alongkorn Kitamorn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 06:24
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/30; G06F11/3058; G06F11/3051; G06F11/3089; G06F11/3093; G06F11/004; G06F11/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
An apparatus for detecting environmental faults in a computer system containing at least one processor, the apparatus comprising: means for measuring a physical parameter with a sensor coupled to the computer system, the sensor associated with a sensor type and identification code; a service processor running concurrently with the processor for transmitting a signal from the sensor to the computer system, the signal being responsive to the measurement; means for determining whether an environmental fault condition exists by comparing the signal to a pre-determined threshold; means for determining an error type, an identification code and a sensor type; means for writing fault data to an environmental warning register, the fault data comprising the sensor type, identification code and error type.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
120 words
An apparatus for detecting environmental faults in a computer system containing at least one processor, the apparatus comprising: means for measuring a physical parameter with a sensor coupled to the computer system, the sensor associated with a sensor type and identification code; a service processor running concurrently with the processor for transmitting a signal from the sensor to the computer system, the signal being responsive to the measurement; means for determining whether an environmental fault condition exists by comparing the signal to a pre-determined threshold; means for determining an error type, an identification code and a sensor type; means for writing fault data to an environmental warning register, the fault data comprising the sensor type, identification code and error type.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the signal from the sensor comprises a digitized sensor value representative of the measurement.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the service processor retrieves the sensor value from a data bus.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the means for determining whether an environmental fault condition exists comprises a memory which stores data representing a warning threshold for the sensor value, the memory being accessible by the service processor which compares the sensor value to the data representing the warning threshold.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the means for determining a sensor type comprises a memory which stores data representing a classification for a sensor which is indicating a fault condition, the memory being accessible by the service processor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the means for determining an error type comprises a memory which stores data representing a cause of the fault condition, the memory being accessible by the service processor which determines the classification in response to the sensor value.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the means for writing the fault data to an environmental warning register comprises a service processor which retrieves the sensor type, identification code and error type from a memory if an environmental fault condition exists.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising means for generating a signal to a main processor if an environmental fault condition exists.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus as in claim 8 wherein the means for generating a signal to a main processor comprises a service processor which writes to the environmental warning register, whereby an interrupt to the main processor is generated.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
112 words
A method for detecting environmental faults in a computer system containing at least one processor, the apparatus comprising: measuring a physical parameter with a sensor coupled to the computer system, the sensor associated with a sensor type and identification code; transmitting a signal from the sensor to the computer system with a service processor running concurrently with the processor, the signal being responsive to the measurement; determining whether an environmental fault condition exists by comparing the signal to a pre-determined threshold; determining an error type, an identification code and a sensor type; writing fault data to an environmental warning register, the fault data comprising the sensor type, identification code and error type.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
112 words
A method for detecting environmental faults in a computer system containing at least one processor, the apparatus comprising: measuring a physical parameter with a sensor coupled to the computer system, the sensor associated with a sensor type and identification code; transmitting a signal from the sensor to the computer system with a service processor running concurrently with the processor, the signal being responsive to the measurement; determining whether an environmental fault condition exists by comparing the signal to a pre-determined threshold; determining an error type, an identification code and a sensor type; writing fault data to an environmental warning register, the fault data comprising the sensor type, identification code and error type.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as in claim 10 wherein the signal from the sensor comprises a digitized sensor value representative of the measurement.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as in claim 10 wherein the means for transmitting a signal from the sensor comprises retrieving the sensor value from a data bus with the service processor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method as in claim 12 wherein the step of determining whether an environmental fault condition exists comprises retrieving data representing a warning threshold for the sensor value from a memory, the memory being accessible by the service processor which compares the sensor value to the data representing the warning threshold.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method as in claim 12 wherein the step of determining a sensor type comprises retrieving data from memory which represents the classification of a sensor which is indicating a fault condition, the memory being accessible by the service processor.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method as in claim 12 wherein the step of determining an error type comprises retrieving data from memory which represents a classification of the fault condition, the memory being accessible the service processor which determines the classification in response to the sensor value.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as in claim 10 wherein the step of writing the fault data to an environmental warning register comprises retrieving the sensor type, identification code and error type from a memory if an environmental fault condition exists.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as in claim 10 further comprising the step of generating a signal to a main processor if an environmental fault condition exists.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as in claim 17 wherein the step of generating a signal to a main processor comprises writing to the environmental warning register from the service processor, whereby an interrupt to the main processor is generated.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-03-01 | 2002-08-31 | 2003-03-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-03-01 | 2006-08-31 | 2007-03-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-03-01 | 2010-08-31 | 2011-03-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |