Methods and apparatuses for supplying power to processors in multiple processor systems
View Patent ↗Methods and apparatuses for supplying power to processors in multiple processor systems are disclosed. Embodiments comprise a method of monitoring a parameter that is related to a first voltage potential coupled to the processor. When the parameter or condition monitored indicates that the first voltage is bad or faulty, the method generally involves isolating the voltage from the processor, disabling or resetting the processor, and coupling a second voltage potential to the processor. The method may also allow the computer system to continue operating with the processor disabled. Other embodiments comprise an error detection circuit for detecting an error related to a first voltage regulator, a disabling circuit to disable the first voltage regulator in response to the error, a processor isolating circuit, and a voltage switching circuit to supply voltage from a second voltage regulator to the processor.
1. An apparatus for supplying voltage to a processor in a computer system with multiple processors, the apparatus comprising:
an error detection circuit, to detect an error condition related to a first voltage regulator module supplying voltage to the processor;
a disabling circuit to disable the first voltage regulator module upon the error detection circuit detecting the error;
a processor isolating circuit to place the processor in an isolation state upon the error detection circuit detecting the error, wherein one or more of the processor inputs and outputs are isolated from a bus in the computer system while in the isolation state; and
a voltage switching circuit to supply voltage from a second voltage regulator module to the processor upon the error detection circuit detecting the error, wherein the error detection circuit, the disabling circuit, the processor isolating circuit, and the voltage switching circuit comprise a service processor.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a disable output coupled to the disabling circuit to disable the first voltage regulator module.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a voltage switching output coupled to the voltage switching circuit to activate a transistor that couples the second voltage regulator module to the processor.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the error detection circuit is adapted to detect absence of voltage from the first voltage regulator module.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the disabling circuit comprises a transistor to electrically isolate the first voltage regulator module from the processor.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor isolating circuit is adapted to hold the processor in a reset state.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the voltage switching circuit comprises a transistor to couple the second voltage regulator to the processor.
8. An apparatus for supplying voltage to a processor in a computer system with multiple processors, the apparatus comprising:
an error detection circuit, to detect an error condition related to a first voltage regulator module supplying voltage to the processor;
a disabling circuit to disable the first voltage regulator module upon the error detection circuit detecting the error, wherein the disabling circuit comprises a transistor to electrically isolate the first voltage regulator module from the processor;
a processor isolating circuit to place the processor in an isolation state upon the error detection circuit detecting the error, wherein one or more of the processor inputs and outputs are isolated from a bus in the computer system while in the isolation state; and
a voltage switching circuit to supply voltage from a second voltage regulator module to the processor upon the error detection circuit detecting the error.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a disable output coupled to the disabling circuit to disable the first voltage regulator module.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a voltage switching output coupled to the voltage switching circuit to activate a transistor that couples the second voltage regulator module to the processor.
11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the error detection circuit is adapted to detect absence of voltage from the first voltage regulator module.
12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor isolating circuit is adapted to hold the processor in a reset state.
13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the voltage switching circuit comprises a transistor to couple the second voltage regulator to the processor.
14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor isolating circuit is arranged to cause the processor to tri-state at least one of its outputs.
15. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the error condition comprises one of an absence of voltage, a voltage below an acceptable value, and a status signal from the first voltage regulator module.
16. An apparatus for supplying voltage to a processor in a computer system with multiple processors, the apparatus comprising:
an error detection circuit, to detect an error condition related to a first voltage regulator module supplying voltage to the processor;
a disabling circuit to disable the first voltage regulator module upon the error detection circuit detecting the error;
a processor isolating circuit to place the processor in an isolation state upon the error detection circuit detecting the error, wherein one or more of the processor inputs and outputs are isolated from a bus in the computer system while in the isolation state; and
a voltage switching circuit to supply voltage from a second voltage regulator module to the processor upon the error detection circuit detecting the error, wherein the voltage switching circuit comprises a transistor to couple the second voltage regulator to the processor.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising a disable output coupled to the disabling circuit to disable the first voltage regulator module.
18. The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising a voltage switching output coupled to the voltage switching circuit to activate a transistor that couples the second voltage regulator module to the processor.
19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the error detection circuit, the disabling circuit, the processor isolating circuit, and the voltage switching circuit comprise a service processor.
20. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the error detection circuit is adapted to detect absence of voltage from the first voltage regulator module.
21. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the disabling circuit comprises a transistor to electrically isolate the first voltage regulator module from the processor.
22. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the processor isolating circuit is adapted to hold the processor in a reset state.