Remote monitor module for power initialization of computer system
View Patent ↗A remote monitor module for power initialization of a computer system includes a monitor logic and a BMC (Baseboard Management Controller). The monitor logic is in circuit connection with a power-up sequence controller and several basic voltage domains on a system board of the computer system. The monitor logic also defines a monitor power-up sequence to perform a basic power-up sequence defined in the power-up sequence controller and allow system changes in power initialization. Extra voltage domain(s) may be enabled and monitored according to the monitor power-up sequence. Eventually, multiple power initialization event/state signals are transmitted by the monitor logic to a remote management host through the BMC.
1. A remote monitor module for monitoring a plurality of power initialization events/state signals on a system board of a computer system, comprising:
a BMC (Baseboard Management Controller) for connecting with a remote management host; and
a monitor logic in circuit connection with the BMC, and a power-up sequence controller and a plurality of basic voltage domains of the system board, transmitting a plurality of basic enable signals received from the power-up sequence controller to enable the basic voltage domains, and transmitting a plurality of basic valid signals received from the basic voltage domains to the power-up sequence controller, and generating and transmitting a plurality of power initialization event/state signals to the remote management host through the BMC,
wherein a basic power-up sequence is defined in the power-up sequence controller and a monitor power-up sequence is defined in the monitor logic, the basic power-up sequence being included in the monitor power-up sequence, and the monitor logic configured to transmit the basic enable and valid signals and the power initialization event/state signals according to the monitor power-up sequence, and
wherein the monitor logic further comprises at least one condition checker and at least one event latch, the condition checker configured to confirm whether at least one extra state signal from at least one extra state signal source is at a designed voltage level, and the event latch configured to latch and keep the checked extra state signal at a specific voltage level and transmit to the BMC.
2. The remote monitor module of claim 1 , wherein the monitor logic is in circuit connection with at least one extra voltage domain, the monitor logic transmitting at least one extra enable signal according to the monitor power-up sequence to enable the extra voltage domain, and receiving at least one extra valid signal from the extra voltage domain.
3. The remote monitor module of claim 1 , wherein the monitor logic comprises an extra state machine to define the monitor power-up sequence.
4. The remote monitor module of claim 1 , wherein the condition checker or the event latch comprises at least one flip-flop.
5. The remote monitor module of claim 1 , wherein the power-up sequence controller is embedded in system chipset or South Bridge.
6. The remote monitor module of claim 1 , wherein the basic voltage domain comprises a DC-DC converter and a plurality of electrical components.
7. The remote monitor module of claim 1 , wherein the BMC is implemented as a dedicated local management controller configured on the system board or on a SMDC (System Management Daughter Card), or as a centralized system-level local management controller for the whole computer system.
8. The remote monitor module of claim 1 , wherein the monitor logic is implemented by a plurality of on-board monitor circuits, CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device), SPLD (Simple Programmable Logic Device) or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).
9. The remote monitor module of claim 1 , wherein the monitor logic comprises a plurality of extra state monitors and a memory unit to define the monitor power-up sequence.
10. The remote monitor module of claim 9 , wherein the memory unit comprises a shift register or a counter for recording the current state of the monitor power-up sequence.
11. The remote monitor module of claim 9 , wherein the extra state monitor comprises a condition checker for confirming whether the basic enable signal or the basic valid signal is at a designed voltage level, and then transmitting to the memory unit for recording the current state of the monitor power-up sequence.
12. The remote monitor module of claim 11 , wherein the extra state monitor further comprises a synchronizer for synchronizing the basic enable signal or the basic valid signal with a system clock and transmitting to the condition checker.
13. The remote monitor module of claim 1 further comprising a GPIO (General Purpose Input/Output) device to provide a plurality of GPIO pins for receiving the power initialization event/state signals.
14. The remote monitor module of claim 13 , wherein both the BMC and the GPIO device connect to a SMBus (System Management Bus), the power initialization event/state signals being accessed by the BMC through the SMBus.
15. The remote monitor module of claim 1 further comprising a bus multiplexer configured between the BMC and the monitor logic to select and transmit one or more of the power initialization event/state signals to the BMC.
16. The remote monitor module of claim 15 , wherein the bus multiplexer selects the power initialization event/state signals according to at least one selection signal from the BMC.
17. The remote monitor module of claim 1 , wherein the monitor logic is in circuit with a power source domain of the computer system, transmitting the basic enable signals received from the power-up sequence controller to enable the power source domain, and transmitting the basic valid signals received from the power source domain to the power-up sequence controller.
18. The remote monitor module of claim 17 , wherein the power source domain comprises at least one AC-DC power supply.