Method and device for recording cumulative use time of equipment

Abstract

The application discloses a device cumulative use time recording method and recording device, the method comprises the following steps: starting to count the use time of the device when the device is powered on; automatically adjusting the maximum unit counting value according to the working voltage of the device; updating the cumulative use time of the device according to the current counting value when the counting value is greater than or equal to the maximum unit counting value. The application can avoid missing time recording, is beneficial to stable compensation mechanism, and prolongs product life.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of computer technology, and more specifically to a method and apparatus for recording the cumulative usage time of a device. Background Technology

[0002] In practical engineering applications, it is often necessary to statistically analyze the operating time of a product. This time information is typically achieved through the time recorder (TR) function within the chip and stored in fixed-line memory or non-volatile memory (NVM), such as flash memory. This time information is of great significance for assessing product aging compensation, performance, and the overall or individual critical component lifespan.

[0003] refer to Figure 2 The traditional method for recording the cumulative usage time of a device involves the application processor (AP) 100 controlling the control unit 220, which is set within the chip 200, to calculate the product's start time (after power-on) and end time (before power-off). In this time recording method, the maximum unit timing value max_T is set to a maximum value. After power-on, the timing unit 210 starts timing. Before power-off, the application processor 100 controls the timing unit 210 to stop timing, simultaneously sending back an acknowledgment signal ok and the current recorded time value ok_T. The value of ok_T is not fixed each time. Then, the previously written time recording value pr_T is read from the memory 300, and the addition unit 230 accumulates it to obtain the latest time recording value cu_T (cu_T = ok_T + pr_T). Finally, cu_T is rewritten into the memory 300 for recording, so that it can be read and used as pr_T the next time the device is powered on.

[0004] However, if this timing method encounters an abnormal power outage or operates in a high-risk low-power mode, it may cause some periods to be missed and not recorded. The missed records will lead to errors in the compensation mechanism, which in turn will affect the product's lifespan.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide improved technical solutions to overcome the above-mentioned technical problems existing in the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a method and device for recording the cumulative usage time of a device. By detecting changes in the power supply voltage, it achieves self-predictive protection, avoids missing time recordings, facilitates a stable compensation mechanism, and extends product lifespan.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for recording the cumulative usage time of a device is provided, comprising: starting to count the usage time of the device when the device is powered on;

[0008] The maximum unit timing value is automatically adjusted according to the equipment's operating voltage;

[0009] When the timing value is greater than or equal to the maximum unit timing value, the cumulative usage time of the device is updated based on the current timing value.

[0010] Optionally, automatically adjusting the maximum unit timing value based on the device's operating voltage includes:

[0011] The voltage range of the current operating voltage of the device is determined based on multiple voltage thresholds;

[0012] Based on the judgment result, one of the preset multiple timing thresholds is selected as the maximum unit timing value.

[0013] Optionally, when the operating voltage of the device is greater than or equal to the first voltage threshold, a preset first timing threshold is selected as the maximum unit timing value, and the first timing threshold can meet the timing of the device's usage time from power-on to power-off.

[0014] When the operating voltage of the device is less than the first voltage threshold, the smaller the voltage threshold corresponding to the current operating voltage range of the device, the smaller the selected timing threshold.

[0015] Optionally, the multiple timing thresholds are stored in a lookup table and correspond one-to-one with multiple voltage ranges.

[0016] Optionally, when the operating voltage of the device is greater than or equal to a third voltage threshold, the application processor is used to control the timing of the device's usage time and the update of the accumulated usage time.

[0017] When the operating voltage of the device is less than the third voltage threshold, the slave chip is used to control the timing of the device's usage time and the update of the accumulated usage time, wherein the third voltage threshold is less than or equal to the first voltage threshold.

[0018] Optionally, updating the device's cumulative usage time based on the current timing value when the timing value is greater than or equal to the maximum unit timing value includes:

[0019] When the timing value is greater than or equal to the maximum unit timing value, the previously stored cumulative usage time of the device is read from the memory;

[0020] The current time value is added to the read cumulative usage time, and the added cumulative usage time is written to the memory to update the cumulative usage time of the device.

[0021] Optionally, it also includes: restarting the timing from zero when the timing value is greater than or equal to the maximum unit timing value.

[0022] Optionally, it also includes: stopping the timing when the device's operating voltage is lower than the second voltage threshold for a preset time.

[0023] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a device for recording cumulative usage time of a device is provided, comprising: a timing unit for timing the usage time of the device based on a maximum unit timing value;

[0024] The maximum unit timing value adjustment unit is used to adjust the maximum unit timing value according to the operating voltage of the device;

[0025] The control unit is used to control the timing process of the timing unit and update the cumulative usage time of the device based on the timing results of the timing unit.

[0026] Optionally, the maximum unit timing value adjustment unit includes:

[0027] The voltage detection unit is used to determine the current operating voltage range of the device based on multiple voltage thresholds.

[0028] The timing threshold selection unit is used to select one of a plurality of preset timing thresholds as the maximum unit timing value based on the judgment result of the voltage detection unit.

[0029] Optionally, when the operating voltage of the device is greater than or equal to a third voltage threshold, the control unit is controlled by the application processor;

[0030] When the operating voltage of the device is less than the third voltage threshold, the control unit is controlled by the slave chip.

[0031] The beneficial effects of the present invention include at least the following:

[0032] This invention utilizes the detection of the device's operating voltage to achieve self-predictive protection. When a drop in operating voltage is detected, the maximum unit timing value of the time record is automatically adjusted, which can avoid missing time records, facilitate a stable compensation mechanism, and extend product life.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment, when the system is determined to be prone to power failure by detecting the device's operating voltage, the control of time recording can be transferred to the chip, thereby saving the application processor's resources and power consumption during low power conditions.

[0034] It should be noted that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit the present invention. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating a method for recording cumulative device usage time according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0036] Figure 2 This diagram illustrates the structure of an existing device for recording cumulative usage time.

[0037] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the device for recording cumulative usage time of an equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0038] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, a more complete description will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention can be implemented in various forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of the invention.

[0039] Figure 1 This diagram illustrates a flowchart of a method for recording cumulative device usage time according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a device for recording cumulative usage time according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 3 The device shown can record the cumulative usage time of the equipment according to Figure 1 The steps shown are designed to avoid missing time records when recording the cumulative usage time of the equipment, which helps to stabilize the compensation mechanism and extend the product life.

[0040] refer to Figure 3 The device cumulative usage time recording device disclosed in this embodiment of the invention is disposed within a slave chip 200, specifically including: a timing unit 210, a maximum unit timing value adjustment unit 240, a control unit 220, and an addition unit 230. The timing unit 210 is used to time the device's usage time according to the maximum unit timing value max_T. The maximum unit timing value adjustment unit 240 is used to adjust the maximum unit timing value max_T according to the device's operating voltage VDD. The control unit 220 is used to control the timing process of the timing unit 210 and update the device's cumulative usage time based on the timing results of the timing unit 210.

[0041] In this example, the maximum unit timing value adjustment unit 240 further includes a voltage detection unit 241 and a timing threshold selection unit 242. The voltage detection unit 241 is used to determine the voltage range of the current operating voltage VDD of the device based on multiple voltage thresholds. The timing threshold selection unit 242 is used to select one of the preset multiple timing thresholds as the maximum unit timing value max_T based on the determination result of the voltage detection unit 241.

[0042] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3The device cumulative usage time recording method provided in this embodiment of the invention includes the following steps:

[0043] In step S1, the usage time of the device is started when the device is powered on.

[0044] The status of a device can be determined by its operating voltage VDD and / or operating indication signal. For example, when the operating voltage VDD is detected to rise to a specific threshold, or when the operating indication signal is detected to switch from an invalid state to an active state, it can be determined that the device has been powered on.

[0045] When the device is detected to be powered on, for example, the application processor 100 may control the timing unit 210, which is set in the slave chip (hereinafter referred to as the chip) 200, to start timing the usage time of the device from zero. In some examples, the timing unit 210 may start timing based on a system clock signal with a fixed frequency.

[0046] In step S2, the maximum unit timing value is automatically adjusted according to the operating voltage of the device.

[0047] In step S3, the cumulative usage time of the device is updated based on the current timing value when the timing value is greater than or equal to the maximum unit timing value.

[0048] Step S2 further includes: determining the voltage range of the current operating voltage of the device based on multiple voltage thresholds; and selecting one of the preset multiple timing thresholds as the maximum unit timing value based on the determination result.

[0049] In one example, multiple timing thresholds are stored in a lookup table and correspond one-to-one with multiple voltage ranges.

[0050] After the device is powered on, the voltage detection unit 241 can detect the device's operating voltage VDD in real time and compare it with multiple preset voltage thresholds to determine the voltage range of the device's current operating voltage VDD.

[0051] Among multiple voltage thresholds, when the device's operating voltage VDD is greater than or equal to the largest first voltage threshold, it indicates that the device is currently in a normal operating state. At this time, the timing threshold selection unit 242 can select a preset first timing threshold from the lookup table as the maximum unit timing value max_T for recording time. Optionally, the first timing threshold can be set large enough to satisfy the timing of the device's usage time from power-on to power-off in one go, or it can satisfy the timing of the device's usage time from power-on to power-off through a finite number of accumulations.

[0052] Among multiple voltage thresholds, when the device's operating voltage VDD is less than the first voltage threshold, it indicates that the device's operating voltage VDD is in a decreasing state. In this invention, the smaller the voltage threshold corresponding to the voltage range of the device's current operating voltage VDD, the smaller the selected timing threshold as the maximum unit timing value max_T. It can be understood that when a decrease in the device's operating voltage is detected, the maximum unit timing value is reduced accordingly based on the decreasing operating voltage, so that the adjusted maximum unit timing value can continuously approach the current timing value. Thus, when it is determined that the device is prone to power failure, regardless of the current timing value, the current timing result can be recorded before power failure, i.e., updated to the memory 300, avoiding missed time records, which is beneficial for a stable compensation mechanism and extends product lifespan. For example, the memory 300 is, for example, an NVM memory.

[0053] Among multiple voltage thresholds, when the device's operating voltage VDD is less than the second lowest voltage threshold for a preset period of time, it indicates that the device has reached a shutdown state. At this point, the device's cumulative usage time is updated based on the current timing results, and then the timing stops.

[0054] For the confirmed maximum unit timing value max_T, when the timing value ok_T of timing unit 210 is greater than or equal to the maximum unit timing value max_T, timing unit 210 will transmit a confirmation signal ok and the current timing value ok_T to control unit 220. Under the trigger of the confirmation signal ok, control unit 220 reads the previously stored cumulative usage time pr_T of the device from memory 300; then, the addition unit 230 adds the current timing value ok_T to the read cumulative usage time pr_T, and writes the added cumulative usage time cu_T into memory 300 to update the cumulative usage time of the device.

[0055] For example, taking a first voltage threshold of 3.2V and a second voltage threshold of 1V, with a difference of 0.2V between adjacent voltage thresholds, the timing unit 210 starts timing from zero when the device is powered on. During the timing process, when the voltage detection unit 241 detects that the device's operating voltage VDD is greater than or equal to 3.2V, it can determine that the device is in normal working condition. At this time, the voltage detection unit 241 outputs a signal representing the current comparison result to the timing threshold selection unit 242, and triggers the timing threshold selection unit 242 to select the largest first timing threshold as the maximum unit timing value max_T and transmit it to the timing unit 210, so that the timing unit 210 can continue timing according to the maximum unit timing value max_T.

[0056] When the voltage detection unit 241 detects that the device's operating voltage VDD is less than 3.2V and greater than or equal to 3.0V, it can be determined that the device is currently in a state of declining operating voltage (or power failure state, such as during shutdown or abnormal power outage). At this time, the voltage detection unit 241 outputs a signal representing the current comparison result to the timing threshold selection unit 242, and triggers the timing threshold selection unit 242 to select a smaller second timing threshold (such as 1h) from a pre-set lookup table as the maximum unit timing value max_T and transmit it to the timing unit 210, thereby adjusting the maximum unit timing value max_T of the timing unit 210.

[0057] When the voltage detection unit 241 detects that the device's operating voltage VDD is less than 3.0V and greater than or equal to 2.8V, it can be determined that the device is still in a state of decreasing operating voltage (or power failure state, such as during shutdown or abnormal power outage). At this time, the voltage detection unit 241 outputs a signal representing the current comparison result to the timing threshold selection unit 242, and triggers the timing threshold selection unit 242 to select a smaller third timing threshold (such as 0.5h) from a pre-set lookup table as the maximum unit timing value max_T and transmit it to the timing unit 210, thereby adjusting the maximum unit timing value max_T of the timing unit 210. Similarly, when the operating voltage VDD of the device is greater than or equal to 1V, the smaller the voltage threshold corresponding to the voltage range of the operating voltage VDD detected by the voltage detection unit 241, the smaller the timing threshold (e.g., 0.25h→5min→1min→30s→10s→...) is selected from the pre-set lookup table as the maximum unit timing value max_T and transmitted to the timing unit 210, thereby realizing the continuous adjustment of the maximum unit timing value max_T of the timing unit 210.

[0058] Specifically, whenever the maximum unit timing value max_T of the timing unit 210 changes, if the current timing value of the timing unit 210 is greater than or equal to the adjusted maximum unit timing value max_T, the timing unit 210 sends the current timing value ok_T and an acknowledgment signal ok to the control unit 220, triggering the control unit 220 to start reading the previously stored cumulative usage time pr_T of the device from the memory 300, and transmits the timing value ok_T and the read cumulative usage time pr_T to the addition unit 230. The addition unit 230 adds the timing value ok_T and the read cumulative usage time pr_T to obtain the latest cumulative usage time cu_T, and transmits the added cumulative usage time cu_T to the control unit 220. The control unit 220 writes the added cumulative usage time cu_T into the memory 300 so that it can be read and used as pr_T in the next update of the cumulative usage time, thus completing one update of the device's cumulative usage time.

[0059] This invention uses voltage detection to predict when the device's operating voltage VDD drops to a preset voltage threshold, indicating a higher likelihood of power failure. It then continuously reduces the maximum unit timing value max_T of the timing unit 210 to ensure that the current usage time of the device is recorded without omission, thus achieving a self-predictive protection function. This is beneficial for a stable compensation mechanism and extends product lifespan.

[0060] Furthermore, whenever the maximum unit timing value max_T of the timing unit 210 changes, if the current timing value of the timing unit 210 is greater than or equal to the adjusted maximum unit timing value max_T, the timing unit 210 is controlled to restart timing from zero while transmitting the timing value to the control unit 220. This is to avoid timing interruptions caused by short-term abnormalities in the device's operating voltage VDD (automatic recovery after voltage drop / rise), and to ensure accurate recording of device usage time.

[0061] When the voltage detection unit 241 detects that the device's operating voltage VDD is less than 1V for a preset time, it can determine that the device is in a power-off state. At this time, the timing unit 210 can be controlled to stop timing.

[0062] Furthermore, when the device's operating voltage VDD is greater than or equal to a third voltage threshold, the present invention utilizes the application processor 100 to control the timing of the device's usage time and the update of the accumulated usage time. When the device's operating voltage VDD is less than the third voltage threshold, the slave chip 200 utilizes the slave chip 200 to control the timing of the device's usage time and the update of the accumulated usage time. In other words, when the device's operating voltage VDD is greater than or equal to the third voltage threshold, the control unit 220 is controlled by the application processor 100; when the device's operating voltage VDD is less than the third voltage threshold, the control unit 220 is controlled by the slave chip 200. The third voltage threshold is less than or equal to the first voltage threshold and greater than or equal to the second voltage threshold. Thus, when the system is prone to power failure based on the detection of the power supply voltage, by transferring the control of time recording to the chip, the application processor's resources and power consumption can be saved during low power conditions.

[0063] It is understood that the technical solution of the present invention can be applied to any product that requires a time recorder, or any product that needs to store accumulated usage time information.

[0064] It should be noted that in describing the various embodiments in this specification, the focus is on the differences from other embodiments, while the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be understood by referring to each other. For system / device embodiments, since they are basically similar to method embodiments, relevant parts can be referred to the description of the method embodiments. Furthermore, it should be pointed out that in the apparatus and method of the present invention, it is obvious that the various parts or steps can be decomposed and / or recombined. These decompositions and / or recombinations should be considered equivalent solutions of the present invention. Moreover, the steps of performing the above system processing can naturally be executed in the order described and in chronological order, but are not necessarily required to be executed in chronological order; some steps can be executed in parallel or independently of each other. Those skilled in the art will understand that all or any steps or components of the method and apparatus of the present invention can be implemented in any computing device (including processors, storage media, etc.) or network of computing devices, in hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof, which can be achieved by those skilled in the art using their basic programming skills after reading the description of the present invention.

[0065] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention and are not intended to limit the implementation. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations. However, obvious variations or modifications derived therefrom are still within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A method for recording the cumulative usage time of a device, wherein, include: The device's usage time is recorded starting when it is powered on. The maximum unit timing value is automatically adjusted according to the equipment's operating voltage; When the timing value is greater than or equal to the maximum unit timing value, the cumulative usage time of the device is updated according to the current timing value; The automatic adjustment of the maximum unit timing value based on the equipment's operating voltage includes: Determine the current operating voltage range of the device based on multiple voltage thresholds; Based on the judgment result, one of the preset multiple timing thresholds is selected as the maximum unit timing value.

2. The method for recording cumulative usage time of equipment according to claim 1, wherein, When the operating voltage of the device is greater than or equal to the first voltage threshold, a preset first timing threshold is selected as the maximum unit timing value. The first timing threshold can meet the timing of the device's usage time from power-on to power-off. When the operating voltage of the device is less than the first voltage threshold, the smaller the voltage threshold corresponding to the current operating voltage range of the device, the smaller the selected timing threshold.

3. The method for recording cumulative usage time of equipment according to claim 1, wherein, The multiple timing thresholds are stored in a lookup table and correspond one-to-one with multiple voltage ranges.

4. The method for recording cumulative usage time of equipment according to claim 2, wherein, When the operating voltage of the device is greater than or equal to the third voltage threshold, the application processor is used to control the timing of the device's usage time and the update of the accumulated usage time. When the device's operating voltage is lower than the third voltage threshold, the slave chip controls the timing of the device's usage time and updates the accumulated usage time. Wherein, the third voltage threshold is less than or equal to the first voltage threshold.

5. The method for recording cumulative usage time of equipment according to claim 1, wherein, When the time value is greater than or equal to the maximum unit time value, updating the device's cumulative usage time based on the current time value includes: When the timing value is greater than or equal to the maximum unit timing value, the previously stored cumulative usage time of the device is read from the memory; The current time value is added to the read cumulative usage time, and the added cumulative usage time is written to the memory to update the cumulative usage time of the device.

6. The method for recording cumulative usage time of equipment according to claim 1, wherein, Also includes: If the timing value is greater than or equal to the maximum unit timing value, the timing restarts from zero.

7. The method for recording cumulative usage time of equipment according to claim 6, wherein, Also includes: The timing stops when the device's operating voltage is lower than the second voltage threshold for a preset period of time.

8. A device for recording the cumulative usage time of an equipment, wherein, include: The timing unit is used to time the usage time of the device based on the maximum unit timing value; The maximum unit timing value adjustment unit is used to adjust the maximum unit timing value according to the operating voltage of the device; The control unit is used to control the timing process of the timing unit and update the cumulative usage time of the device based on the timing results of the timing unit. The maximum unit timing value adjustment unit includes: The voltage detection unit is used to determine the current operating voltage range of the device based on multiple voltage thresholds. The timing threshold selection unit is used to select one of a plurality of preset timing thresholds as the maximum unit timing value based on the judgment result of the voltage detection unit.

9. The device for recording cumulative usage time of equipment according to claim 8, wherein, When the operating voltage of the device is greater than or equal to the third voltage threshold, the control unit is controlled by the application processor; When the operating voltage of the device is less than the third voltage threshold, the control unit is controlled by the slave chip.

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