Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery – Data processing system error or fault handling – Reliability and availability
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-26
2001-05-22
Hua, Ly V. (Department: 2131)
Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery
Data processing system error or fault handling
Reliability and availability
C714S033000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237112
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a small computer system interface (SCSI) device capable of breakdown prediction and self-examination, and further relates to a breakdown prediction and self-examination method by this SCSI device. More specifically, the invention relates to a SCSI device capable of breakdown prediction and self-examination, and further relates to a breakdown prediction and self-examination method by this SCSI device which increases overall system performance by reducing the load of a master processor and SCSI bus, by reporting to the master processor only when necessary, after an I2C processor reads the status of the SCSI device.
2. Description of the Related Art
According to increased system speed and emphasis on service availability of a system, the stability of the SCSI device has an important effect upon the overall system performance. Generally, monitoring the operation environment, such as the driving status of the SCSI device, temperature, power, etc. in the SCSI back panel is performed by two methods. One method is to report to a main processor the predictable mechanical failure of the SCSI device, having a Self-Monitoring Analysis and Report Technology (SMART) function, through the SCSI bus. The other method is to poll, periodically, the SCSI device status by the use of a SCSI command (diagnosis command transmission).
An exemplary SCSI back panel comprises a temperature sensor, which monitors the SCSI device temperature, a power sensor, which monitors the SCSI device power, an I2C controller, which accesses the temperature and power information from the temperature sensor and power sensor, an I2C master processor, to which is reported the information about the temperature and power through the I2C bus from the I2C controller, and which sends the command to control the temperature and power of the temperature and power sensor to the I2C controller through the I2C bus. Since the temperature sensor, the power sensor, I2C controller, etc., are not contained within the SCSI device, all monitoring for the operation environment and the operation status about the SCSI device within the SCSI back panel is performed outside the SCSI device. In other words, a prior art method of monitoring the SCSI device status is not the analysis of SCSI device itself but the environment analysis around the SCSI device, and the monitoring accuracy is therefore low. Also this method decreases the system performance if monitoring time for the SCSI device status increases. This causes a decrease in efficiency of monitoring the SCSI device status, because this method limits the amount of monitoring time.
Because the SCSI device doesn't contain the temperature and the power sensor, and because it has limitation in its ability to find the hardware problem in the SCSI device, this method makes the system performance low by adding the load of the SCSI bus and the processor. Because there is no I2C interface within the SCSI device, the SCSI device status can be reported through the SCSI bus only.
Examples of known systems for performing diagnosis on a SCSI device are provided by U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,049 to Don S. Keener et al. entitled
On
-
Board Diagnostic Sub
-
System For SCSI Interface
and U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,814 to Yasuham Tomimitsu entitled
Self Diagnosis Of A SCSI Controller Through An I/O Port For Data Transmission/Data Reception Modes Of Operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Consequently, in order to solve the problems, the object of the invention is to improve overall system performance by reducing the load of the master processor because the I2C processor within the SCSI device monitors the operation status and environment, such as the temperature power, power, etc. and reports, in only needful cases, to the master processor through the SCSI bus or the I2C bus.
Another object of the invention is to provide to diagnose the SCSI device fault and report to the SCSI bus or I2C bus more precisely than a prior art method.
In conclusion, the further object of this invention is to improve the system serviceability and decrease the system fault and the system down to a minimum.
In one preferred mode, in accordance with the invention, it is preferable that a SCSI device available for breakdown prediction and self-examination includes a temperature and motor driving sensor, which monitors the temperature and monitor driving status of the SCSI device; a power sensor, which monitors the SCSI device power and receives a command from the master I2C processor through the I2C processor and monitors the power switch and power on/off switch to switch on/off the SCSI device power; a self monitoring analysis and report technology (SMART) sensor, which monitors the SCSI device status; a device control logic, which reports all the previous status reports, error reports and SMART functions to the master I2C processor through the SCSI controller; an I2C processor, which reports to the master I2C processor through a SCSI channel or I2C channel, when it is needed, by analyzing all information detected by the temperature, motor driving sensor, power sensor, power on/off switch and SMART sensor.
In another preferred mode, in accordance with the invention, it is preferable that a breakdown prediction and self-examination method by the device includes a process, which monitors the temperature and motor driving status of the SCSI device; a process which monitors the SCSI device power; a process, which switches on/off the SCSI device power; a process, which monitors the SCSI device status; a process, which reports all the previous statuses; a process, which reports all the previous errors; a process, which reports the SMART function; a process, which analyzes all information about the SCSI device; a process, which checks if the I2C processor has a fault that it is beyond its limits to process by itself; a process, which reports the information analysis result to the master I2C processor if a fault is detected in the checking process.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5033049 (1991-07-01), Keener et al.
patent: 5361346 (1994-11-01), Panesar et al.
patent: 5475814 (1995-12-01), Tomimitsu
patent: 5835700 (1998-11-01), Carbonneau et al.
patent: 5966510 (1999-10-01), Carbonneau et al.
patent: 6009535 (1999-12-01), Halligan et al.
Kim Chan-soo
Kim Hyung-Sun
Lee In-Ho
Lee Moon-Young
Yoo Seung-Wha
Bushnell , Esq. Robert E.
Hua Ly V.
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
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