Patent Publication Number: US-2015082071-A1

Title: Smart Monitoring Apparatus

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a smart monitoring apparatus and a monitoring method using the apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a smart monitoring apparatus, in which when a power failure is detected in the power supplied to a PC-based embedded controller, a log for grasping a cause of the power failure is provided, and since a battery is separately provided, a system state can be continuously monitored, stored and confirmed even when the power supplied to the system is cut off or an error occurs in an operation of the OS. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A PC-based embedded controller is generally configured of hardware (H/W) (a CPU, memory, an interface chipset, various function boards, a power and the like) and an operating system (OS, e.g., Microsoft Windows series). A general PC system is embedded with a smart IC therein and monitors a system state in real-time. 
     That is, such a smart IC is connected to a temperature sensor for measuring temperature of the CPU or temperature of the case in the system and monitors temperature of the CPU or the case in the system in real-time. In addition, the smart IC monitors speeds and operation states of a CPU fan, a case fan and the like and monitors a system power. 
     Accordingly, a user may confirm a current system state by confirming information on the monitored states. However, since a conventional monitoring apparatus may confirm only the current state information and may not figure out why a problem has been occurred in the system, it is difficult to grasp a cause of the problem occurred in the system. 
     In addition, although a user may confirm the current state information when the OS operates, if the OS does not operate or the system power has a problem, a host PC may not confirm the current state information, and, furthermore, a cause of a system error cannot be analyzed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, required is a smart monitoring apparatus, in which when a problem occurs in the system, a user may analyze a cause of the system problem by confirming log information as well as the current state information, and even when the system power is cut off or the OS has an error, the user may confirm the current state information and the log information and analyze a cause the error. 
     Technical Problem 
     Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a smart monitoring apparatus, which may sense a state of a PC-based embedded controller in real-time through a monitoring block and store information for grasping an abnormal symptom, anticipate possibility of occurrence of the abnormal symptom and allow a corrective action, provide a log for grasping a cause of a power failure when an error occurs in the power supplied to the PC-based embedded controller, and continuously monitor, store and confirm a system state even when the power supplied to the system is cut off or an error occurs in an operation of the OS since a battery is separately provided. 
     The other objects, specific advantages and new features of the present invention will be clarified further more from the following detailed descriptions and preferred embodiments in relation to the accompanying drawings. 
     Solution to the Problem 
     To accomplish the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a smart monitoring apparatus provided in a PC system to monitor a state of a PC-based embedded controller, the apparatus including: a monitoring block for monitoring a state in the system and creating state information; a logging block for receiving the state information created by the monitoring block and storing the state information in a form of a log in real-time so that the stored log and current state information may be confirmed; and a battery for supplying power to the logging block when an operating system in the system does not operate or power supplied to the system is cut off. 
     The smart monitoring apparatus further includes a configuration block for setting a speed of at least a fan provided in the system and setting a temperature profile for the fan. 
     The monitoring block includes a temperature monitoring block connected to at least a temperature sensor provided in the system to create temperature state information of the system; a fan monitoring block for monitoring an operation state of at least a fan provided in the system and creating fan state information; and a power monitoring block for monitoring the power supplied to the system and creating power state information. 
     The smart monitoring apparatus further includes an alarm block connected to the monitoring block to execute an alarm function when a fan does not operate, or a temperature is higher than a preset temperature, or input power is in an abnormal state, based on the state information created by the monitoring block. 
     The smart monitoring apparatus further includes a battery control block provided between the logging block and the battery to control the battery to supply the power of the battery to the logging block when the system power is cut off. 
     The logging block is supplied with power from the battery and stores the state information transmitted from the monitoring block in nonvolatile memory in the form of a log when the power supplied to the system is cut off or the operating system does not operate. 
     The smart monitoring apparatus includes a USB serial connected to the logging block, and when a confirmation command is received, the USB serial transmits the log stored in the logging block and the current state information to a USB port provided in a host PC so that the log and the current state information may be confirmed through the host PC. 
     The smart monitoring apparatus includes a serial port connected to the logging block, and if the serial port receives the confirmation command when the operating system does not operate, the serial port transmits the log stored in the logging block and the current state information to an external serial port of an external PC so that the log and the current state information may be confirmed through the external PC. 
     The battery is a lithium secondary battery. 
     The smart monitoring apparatus further includes a configuration block for setting a monitoring interval of the monitoring block and a storage interval of the logging block. 
     The configuration block sets a speed of a fan or sets a temperature profile for an automatic fan speed mode, and the smart monitoring apparatus further includes a control block for controlling the speed of the fan based on the value set by the configuration block. 
     Advantageous Effects of the Invention 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, the smart monitoring apparatus may sense a state of a PC-based embedded controller in real-time through a monitoring block and store information for grasping an abnormal symptom, anticipate possibility of occurrence of the abnormal symptom and allow a corrective action, provide a log for grasping a cause of a power failure when an error occurs in the power supplied to the PC-based embedded controller, and continuously monitor, store and confirm a system state even when the power supplied to the system is cut off or an error occurs in an operation of the OS since a battery is separately provided. 
     Although the present invention is described in relation to a preferred embodiment as described above, those skilled in the art may easily recognize that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is apparent that the modifications and changes are within the scope of the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram mimetically showing a smart monitoring apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram further specifically showing a smart monitoring apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of a smart monitoring apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS  
       1 : Host PC  2 : External PC 
       10 : Monitoring block  11 : Fan monitoring block 
       12 : Temperature monitoring block 
       13 : Power monitoring block 
       20 : Fan  21 : First fan 
       22 : Second fan  23 : Third fan 
       30 : Temperature sensor  31 : First temperature sensor 
       32 : Second temperature sensor  33 : Third temperature sensor 
       40 : Power supply block  41 : 5V power 
       42 : 12V power  50 : Logging block 
       55 : Battery  56 : Battery control block 
       60 : Configuration block  70 : Control block 
       80 : Alarm block  81 : Alarm means 
       91 : USB serial  92 : Serial port 
       100 : Smart monitoring apparatus 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, the configuration and functions of a smart monitoring apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. First,  FIG. 1  is a block diagram mimetically showing the smart monitoring apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 2  is a block diagram further specifically showing the smart monitoring apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the smart monitoring apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted inside a PC system and includes a monitoring block  10 , a configuration block  60 , a logging block  50 , a control block  70  and a serial port  90 . 
     The monitoring block  10  is connected to a plurality of temperature sensors  30 , a plurality of fans  20  and a power supply block  40 , monitors temperature values in the system, operation states of the fans  20  and power supplied to the system in real-time and creates state information. 
     Further specifically, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the monitoring block  10  includes a temperature monitoring block  12  for receiving a temperature value from each of the temperature sensors  30  in real-time, monitoring temperature in the system and creating temperature state information, a fan monitoring block  11  for monitoring an operation state and a speed value of each of the fans  20  installed in the system and creating fan state information, and a power monitoring block  13  for monitoring power supplied to the system and creating power state information. 
     For example, as shown in  FIG. 2 , if it is assumed that a first temperature sensor  31  and a second temperature sensor  32  for measuring temperature of the CPU and a third temperature sensor  33  for measuring temperature of a system case are installed in the system, the temperature monitoring block  12  receives temperature values from the first temperature sensor  31 , the second temperature sensor  32  and the third temperature sensor  33  in real-time and creates the temperature state information. Although three temperature sensors  30  are provided in the system in an embodiment of the present invention, this is merely an embodiment, and a specific configuration, the number of temperature sensors or the like will not affect the scope of the present invention as long as the temperature monitoring block  12  may create the temperature state information. 
     In addition, as shown in  FIG. 2 , if it is assumed that a first fan  21  and a second fan  22  for cooling down the CPU and a third fan  23  for lowering temperature of the system case are installed in the system, the fan monitoring block  11 , which is a component of the monitoring block  10 , receives and monitors operation states of the fans  20  and current speed values of the fans  20  in real-time and creates the fan state information. In addition, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the power monitoring block  12 , which is a component of the monitoring block  10 , is connected to two powers supplied to the system, i.e., a 5V power  41  and a 12V power  42 , monitors voltages of the supplied powers in real-time and creates the power state information. 
     Since the technical spirit of the monitoring block  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention lies in a monitoring work itself for monitoring the states of devices installed the system, the scope of the present invention will not be affected by the types and numbers of the devices installed in the system, and the present invention should not be interpreted by limiting the scope of claims to the embodiment and the drawings described above. 
     In addition, the smart monitoring apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the logging block  50 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the logging block  50  receives the state information created by the monitoring block  10  and stores the state information in nonvolatile memory in real-time in the form of a log. That is, the logging block  50  receives the temperature state information created by the temperature monitoring block  12  and stores the temperature state information in the nonvolatile memory in the form of a log, receives the fan state information created by the fan monitoring block  11  and stores the fan state information in the nonvolatile memory in the form of a log, and receives the power state information created by the power monitoring block  13  and stores the power state information in the nonvolatile memory in the form of a log, in real-time at regular intervals. 
     In addition, the smart monitoring apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an alarm block  80 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the alarm block  80  also receives the current state information from the monitoring block  10  in real-time. In addition, the alarm block  80  determines whether or not the current temperature is higher than a preset threshold temperature based on the temperature state information, whether or not the power is normal based on the power state information, and whether or not operation of the fans  20  has been stopped based on the fan state information, and when the temperature is higher than the preset threshold temperature, or the power is in an abnormal state, or operation of the fans  20  has been stopped, the alarm block  80  transmits an alarm signal to an alarm means  81  to inform a user of the problems. In a specific embodiment, the alarm means may be configured as a buzzer to inform the user of the abnormal state as a sound or may be configured as a display unit formed of LEDs to visually inform the user of the abnormal state. 
     In addition, the smart monitoring apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention is embedded with a battery  55  separated from an external power supply which supplies power into the system. The battery  55  is preferably formed as a lithium secondary battery as shown in an embodiment of the present invention. Accordingly, when the power is normally supplied to the system from the external power supply, the battery  55  is recharged using the supplied power. 
     In addition, a battery control block  56  is provided between the battery  55  and the logging block  50 , and when an error occurs in the operating system (OS) or the power supplied to the system is cut off in the system, the battery control block  56  supplies power of the battery  55  to the logging block  50 . Accordingly, although the operating system (OS) does not operate or the power supplied to the system is cut off in the system, the logging block  50  may receive the state information and store the received state information in the nonvolatile memory in the form of a log. In a specific embodiment, although the power supplied to the system is cut off, logging the state information can be continued for about three hours. 
     In addition, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the smart monitoring apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the configuration block  60  and the control block  70 . The configuration block  60  may manually set a speed of each of the fans  20  installed in the system and may set a temperature profile for an automatic fan speed mode. That is, the configuration block  60  sets a threshold temperature value for the temperature of the CPU or the case of the system and sets a speed for each of the fans  20  to lower the temperature below the threshold temperature value. Accordingly, these set values are transmitted to the control block  70 , and the control block  70  controls each of the fans  20  based on the set values. 
     In addition, the configuration block  60  may set an interval of the monitoring block  10  for inputting and creating state information and an interval of the logging block  50  for receiving and storing the state information in the nonvolatile memory in the form of a log, as well as manually setting a speed of each of the fans  20  or setting a temperature profile for an automatic fan speed mode. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the logging block  50  is set to store the received state information in the form of a log at intervals of one minute. 
     In addition, the smart monitoring apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention supports a user confirmation function, i.e., a log backup function. Specifically, since the smart monitoring apparatus  100  is provided with a USB serial  91 , when a confirmation command is issued by a host PC  1 , the confirmation command is transmitted to the USB serial  91  through a USB port mounted on the host PC  1 , and the USB serial  91  transmits the log stored in the logging block  50  and the current state information to the host PC 1  through the USB serial  91  and the USB port, and thus the host PC  1  may confirm the current state information and the stored log information. Accordingly, the user may confirm temperature in the system, speeds of the fans  20 , operation states of the fans  20  and an abnormal state of the power through the host PC  1  in real-time, and thus when a problem occurs due to an abnormal state of the system, the user may analyze a cause of the problem. 
     In addition, the smart monitoring apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention supports the user confirmation function, i.e., the log backup function, even when the OS does not operate. Further specifically, since power of the battery  55  is supplied to the logging block  50  by the battery control block  56  even when the OS does not operate, the logging block  50  may continuously store the state information in the nonvolatile memory in the form of a log. 
     In addition, since the smart monitoring apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided with a serial port  92  in addition to the USB serial  91 , the current state information and the stored log can be transmitted to the serial port  92  even when the OS does not operate. Accordingly, when a confirmation command is issued from an external PC  2  separately existing at the outside, the confirmation command is transmitted to the serial port  92  provided in the smart monitoring apparatus  100  through an external serial port provided in the external PC  2 , and the serial port  92  receiving the confirmation command transmits the current state information and the stored log received from the logging block  50  to the external PC  2 , and thus the user may confirm the current state information and the stored log through the external PC  2 . Accordingly, the user may determine a cause by confirming the stored log when a problem occurs due to an abnormal state of the system power. 
     Hereinafter, an operation method of the smart monitoring apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The operation method described below is proposed as an embodiment which operates in an operation method of the smart monitoring apparatus  100  described above, and since the present invention specifies the scope of claims of an object itself, if an apparatus including all the configurations specified in the claims is used although some of the sequences are changed or omitted, it should be interpreted as being included within the scope of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of a smart monitoring apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. First, the configuration block  60  of the smart monitoring apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention sets a storage interval of the logging block  50  S 1 . Then, the monitoring block  10  monitors operation states of a plurality of fans  20  installed in the system in real-time, monitors temperature in the system by receiving temperature values from the temperature sensors  30  and monitors power supplied to the system. 
     That is, as described above, the temperature monitoring block  12  receives temperature values from the temperature sensors  30  and create temperature state information based on the system temperature, and the fan monitoring block  11  creates fan state information based on the operation states of the fans  20 , and the power monitoring block  13  creates power state information by monitoring the power S 2 . Then, the logging block  50  receives the state information from the monitoring block  10  at regular intervals (one minute in a specific embodiment) set by the configuration block  60  and stores the state information in nonvolatile memory in the form of a log S 3 . 
     Then, when the speed of the fans  20  needs to be controlled S 4 , a user may manually adjust the speed of the fans  20  through the configuration block  60  and may set a temperature profile for an automatic fan speed mode in the automatic fan speed mode S 5 . Then, the control block  70  controls the speed of the fans  20  based on the set value S 6 . 
     Then, when the user issues a confirmation command S 8 , the confirmation command is transmitted to the USB serial  91  provided in the smart monitoring apparatus  100  through the USB port of the host PC  1 , and the USB serial  91  transmits the log stored in the logging block  50  and the current state information through the USB port of the host PC  1  S 9 . Accordingly, the user may confirm the current state information and the log of the system through the host PC  1 , and when the system is in an abnormal state, the user may analyze a cause of the abnormal state by confirming the current state information and the log. 
     In addition, when the system is in an abnormal state S 7 , i.e., when the temperature is higher than a set threshold temperature, or the fans  20  do not operate, or the system power is cut off, or the operating system does not operate, the alarm block  80  receiving the state information transmits an alarm signal to the alarm means  81  to inform the user that an abnormal state has been occurred in the system S 10 . 
     Then, when the system power is cut off or the operating system does not operate, the battery control block  56  supplies power stored in the battery  55  to the logging block  50  S 11 . Accordingly, the logging block  50  may continuously store the state information created by the monitoring block  10  even in such a situation S 12 . 
     In addition, even when the system power is cut off or the operating system does not operate, if a user of the external PC  2  issues a confirmation command through the external PC  2 , the confirmation command is transmitted to the serial port  92  provided in the smart monitoring apparatus  100  through an external serial port provided in the external PC  2 , and the serial port  92  transmits the log stored in the logging block  50  and the current state information to the external serial port S 13 . Accordingly, the user of the external PC  2  may confirm the log and the current state information even when the system power is cut off or the operating system does not operate, and when a problem such as an abnormal state of the system power occurs, the user may analyze a cause of the problem. 
     While the present invention has been described with reference to the particular illustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by the embodiments but only by the appended claims. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.