Semiconductor device and power monitoring method therefor

A semiconductor device comprising:

• a first power wiring;
• a second power wiring;
• a first power monitoring device including a first power circuit that generates, based on external power, first operating power to be outputted to the first power wiring;
• a second power monitoring device including a second power circuit that generates, based on the external power, second operating power to be outputted to the second power wiring;
• a first control section that operates based on the second operating power and gives a first setting to a register in the first power monitoring device, the first setting defining the operation of the first power monitoring device;
• and
• a second control section that operates based on the first operating power and gives a second setting to a register in the second power monitoring device, the second setting defining the operation of the second power monitoring device,
• wherein the first power monitoring device periodically monitors at least one of the voltage and current of the second operating power in accordance with the first setting stored in a register in the local device, and if a monitored parameter is outside a preset reference range, the first power monitoring device outputs first error information to the second control section,
• wherein the second power monitoring device periodically monitors at least one of the voltage and current of the first operating power in accordance with the second setting stored in a register in the local device, and if a monitored parameter is outside a preset reference range, the second power monitoring device outputs second error information,
• wherein the first control section detects an abnormality in the first operating power in accordance with the second error information, and
• wherein the second control section detects an abnormality in the second operating power in accordance with the first error information.

A power monitoring method that detects an abnormality in operating power supplied to a first control section and a second control section in a system for monitoring the operation of the same monitoring target circuit by using the first control section and the second control section, the power monitoring method comprising the steps of:

• disposing a first power monitoring device and a second power monitoring device;
• generating, by the first power monitoring device, first operating power to be supplied from an external power source to the second control section;
• generating, by the second power monitoring device, second operating power to be supplied from the external power source to the first control section;
• monitoring, by the first power monitoring device, abnormality in the second operating power;
• monitoring, by the second power monitoring device, abnormality in the first operating power;
• autonomously and periodically transmitting, by the first power monitoring device, the result of the monitoring to the second control section in accordance with a first setting given from the first control section;
• and
• autonomously and periodically transmitting, by the second power monitoring device, the result of the monitoring to the first control section in accordance with a second setting given from the second control section.