Detecting electrostatic discharge events in a computer system
View Patent ↗Detecting electrostatic discharge (“ESD”) events in a computer system, includes: determining, from an ESD detector installed in the computer system, that an ESD event has occurred; identifying a component of the computer system within a predefined proximity to the ESD detector as possibly affected by the ESD event; and notifying a user of the computer system of the component possibly affected by the ESD event.
1. A method comprising:
determining, from an electrostatic discharge (“ESD”) detector installed in a computer system, that an ESD event has occurred;
identifying a component of the computer system as possibly affected by the ESD event based on detection region information that specifies the component is within a predefined proximity to the ESD detector; and
notifying a user of the computer system of the component possibly affected by the ESD event.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the ESD detector is installed at a location within the computer system predetermined to be susceptible to ESD events.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
after identifying the component possibly affected by the ESD event, determining that the component possibly affected by the ESD event is experiencing a malfunction;
wherein notifying the user of the component possibly affected by the ESD event further comprises notifying the user of the malfunction.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
after identifying the component possibly affected by the ESD event, determining that the component possibly affected by the ESD event is experiencing a malfunction; and
taking an action to correct the malfunction;
wherein notifying the user of the component possibly affected by the ESD event further comprises notifying the user of the malfunction, the action taken to correct the malfunction, and the outcome of the action.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
storing in memory of the ESD detector, a predefined value usable to initialize the ESD detector;
wherein determining that an ESD event has occurred further comprises detecting a change in the predefined value.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein determining that an ESD event has occurred further comprises receiving an interrupt from the ESD detector upon a change in the predefined value.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein determining that an ESD event has occurred further comprises periodically polling the memory of the ESD detector to detect a change in the predefined value.
8. An apparatus comprising a computer processor and a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, wherein the computer memory includes computer program instructions configured to:
determine, from an electrostatic discharge (“ESD”) detector installed in a computer system, that an ESD event has occurred;
identify a component of the computer system as possibly affected by the ESD event based on detection region information that specifies the component is within a predefined proximity to the ESD detector; and
notify a user of the computer system of the component possibly affected by the ESD event.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein:
the ESD detector is installed at a location within the computer system predetermined to be susceptible to ESD events.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising computer program instructions configured to:
after identifying the component possibly affected by the ESD event, determine that the component possibly affected by the ESD event is experiencing a malfunction;
wherein notifying the user of the component possibly affected by the ESD event further comprises notifying the user of the malfunction.
11. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising computer program instructions configured to:
after identifying the component possibly affected by the ESD event, determine that the component possibly affected by the ESD event is experiencing a malfunction; and
take an action to correct the malfunction;
wherein notifying the user of the component possibly affected by the ESD event further comprises notifying the user of the malfunction, the action taken to correct the malfunction, and the outcome of the action.
12. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising computer program instructions configured to:
store in memory of the ESD detector, a predefined value usable to initialize the ESD detector;
wherein determining that an ESD event has occurred further comprises detecting a change in the predefined value.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein determining that an ESD event has occurred further comprises receiving an interrupt from the ESD detector upon a change in the predefined value.
14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein determining that an ESD event has occurred further comprises periodically polling the memory of the ESD detector to detect a change in the predefined value.
15. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising computer program instructions configured to:
determine, from an electrostatic discharge (“ESD”) detector installed in a computer system, that an ESD event has occurred;
identify a component of the computer system as possibly affected by the ESD event based on detection region information that specifies the component is within a predefined proximity to the ESD detector; and
notify a user of the computer system of the component possibly affected by the ESD event.
16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein:
the ESD detector is installed at a location within the computer system predetermined to be susceptible to ESD events.
17. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising computer program instructions configured to:
after identifying the component possibly affected by the ESD event, determine that the component possibly affected by the ESD event is experiencing a malfunction;
wherein notifying the user of the component possibly affected by the ESD event further comprises notifying the user of the malfunction.
18. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising computer program instructions configured to:
after identifying the component possibly affected by the ESD event, determine that the component possibly affected by the ESD event is experiencing a malfunction; and
take an action to correct the malfunction;
wherein notifying the user of the component possibly affected by the ESD event further comprises notifying the user of the malfunction, the action taken to correct the malfunction, and the outcome of the action.
19. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising computer program instructions configured to:
store in memory of the ESD detector, a predefined value usable to initialize the ESD detector;
wherein determining that an ESD event has occurred further comprises detecting a change in the predefined value.
20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein determining that an ESD event has occurred further comprises receiving an interrupt from the ESD detector upon a change in the predefined value.