Patent ID: 8237447

Claim:
An apparatus for detecting state of a storage device, comprising: a measurement unit for measuring a voltage of the storage device; a low-level control unit for controlling operation of the measurement unit; a first switch for switching a connected state/a disconnected state between the storage device and the low-level control unit; a second switch that is connected in parallel with the first switch and that switches a connected state/a disconnected state between the storage device and the measurement unit; and a high-level control unit for controlling the first switch, wherein the low-level control unit is connected to the storage device as a result of closing of the first switch, to thus shift to an operating state by means of power from the storage device, and the low-level control unit connects the storage device to the measurement unit by closing the second switch; the high-level control unit controls the first switch, thereby supplying the low-level control unit with a control signal for controlling operation of the measurement unit; the low-level control unit is connected to the storage device by closing the second switch, to thus maintain the operating state achieved by means of power from the storage device; the high-level control unit supplies, as the control signal, a measurement signal for defining timing at which the measurement unit measures a voltage of the storage device and a synchronous signal for defining output timing of measurement data; and wherein the measurement unit includes: a voltage/frequency conversion unit for converting a voltage of the storage device into a frequency; a count unit for counting number of pulses of the frequency; and a register for storing the measurement data acquired by means of counting, wherein the voltage/frequency conversion unit and the count unit operate in response to the measurement signal; and the register sequentially stores and outputs the measurement data in response to the synchronous signal.