Processor capable of alerting its life expectancy and method thereof

Abstract

The present invention discloses a processor capable of alerting its life expectancy and its method. The processor is installed in an electronic device having a control circuit, a frequency divider circuit and a time counter. The control circuit is connected to the frequency divider circuit and the time counter. The frequency divider circuit receives a plurality of high frequencies from the control circuit and converts the high frequencies into a time unit. The time counter adds the time units one by one to obtain a use time. If the use time has reached a predetermined use time, the control circuit will issue a warning to indicate that the life expectancy of the processor is reached, so as to reflect the actual use time of the processor, prevent a change of use time by software, and allow users to timely take proper preventive measures before the processor exceeds its life cycle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an apparatus for alerting the life expectancy of a processor in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a method for alerting the life expectancy of a processor in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a method for alerting the life expectancy of a processor in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a method for alerting the life expectancy of a processor in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method for alerting the life expectancy of a processor in accordance with a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A processor capable of alerting its life expectancy, comprising: a frequency divider circuit, for receiving a plurality of high frequencies, and converting said high frequencies one by one into a time unit separately;a time counter, coupled to said frequency divider circuit, for adding said time units converted by said frequency divider circuit to obtain a use time; anda control circuit, coupled separately to said frequency divider circuit and said time counter, for issuing said high frequencies to said frequency divider circuit continuously, and receiving a use time from said time counter, and said control circuit issues a warning signal when said use time has reached a predetermined use time.

2. The processor of claim 1, further comprising a comparator coupled to said control circuit, for comparing said use time and said predetermined use time.

3. The processor of claim 2, further comprising a memory unit coupled separately to said control circuit and said time counter, and said memory unit is provided for storing said use time.

4. The processor of claim 3, wherein said buffer is coupled to said time counter and provided for said time counter to access said time unit and said use time.

5. The processor of claim 4, wherein said memory unit further includes a booting setup program, so that said booting setup program can send said use time in said memory unit to said buffer, after said electronic device is turned on.

6. The processor of claim 4, wherein said memory unit further includes a booting setup program, such that said booting setup program adds a time unit to said use time in said memory unit and sends the result to said buffer, after said electronic device is turned on.

7. The processor of claim 4, wherein said frequency divider circuit converts said high frequencies sequentially into a second unit by one square wave per second.

8. The processor of claim 7, wherein said time counter comprises: a second counter, installed in said time counter, for receiving and adding said second units one by one to said buffer, and issuing a minute unit when a minute is accumulated;a minute counter, installed in said time counter and coupled to said second counter, for receiving and adding said minute units one by one to said buffer, and issuing an hour unit when an hour is accumulated; andan hour counter, installed in said time counter and coupled to said minute counter, for receiving and adding said hour units to said use time, and said hour counter stores and records said use time into said memory unit and said buffer.

9. The processor of claim 8, wherein said buffer comprises: a second buffer area, disposed in said buffer and coupled to said second counter, and provided for said second counter to access said second unit;a minute buffer area, disposed in said buffer and coupled to said minute counter, and provided for said minute counter to access said minute unit; andan hour buffer area, disposed in said buffer and coupled to said hour counter, and provided for said hour counter to access said hour unit.

10. The processor of claim 4, wherein said predetermined use time is a mean time between failures (MTBF) of said memory unit.

11. A method for alerting the life expectancy of a processor, which is applied to a processor, and said processor processes a procedure comprising the steps of: issuing a plurality of high frequencies continuously;converting said high frequencies separately into a time unit;adding said time units to obtain a use time, and storing and recording said use time; andissuing a warning, when said use time is detected to be reaching a predetermined use time.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said processor further includes a booting setup program, such that when said booting setup program is executed, said processor will process a procedure comprising the steps of: reading said previously recorded use time by said booting setup program; andconverting said high frequencies into said time units continuously, and adding said time units one by one to obtain said use time, and storing and recording said use time.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said processor further includes a comparator and a mean time between failures (MTBF), and said comparator processes a procedure comprising the steps of: reading said use time;comparing said use time based on said mean time between failures (MTBF) to determine whether or not said use time falls within the range of said mean time between failures (MTBF); andissuing a warning signal, when said use time is determined to be falling within the range of said mean time between failures (MTBF).

14. A method for alerting the life expectancy of a processor, which is applied in a processor having a predetermined use time, and said processor processes a procedure comprising the steps of: issuing a plurality of high frequencies continuously;converting said high frequencies separately into a time unit;deducing said time units from said predetermined use time one by one, and storing and recording a result; andissuing a warning, when the remaining predetermined use time is detected and determined as not a positive integer.