Interface device for peripherals and priority control method thereof

1. A hard disc interface device, comprising:

a plurality of ports which receive respective first signals appropriate to a plurality of respective first interface methods;

a plurality of interface converters which are connected to respective ports, of the plurality of ports, and convert the respective first signals of the respective first interface methods into respective second signals of a second interface method appropriate to the hard disc drive, the interface converters including converters each corresponding to one of an IEEE 1394 bus and a USB bus;

a priority determining unit which identifies at least one of the first interface methods corresponding to respective ports such that when at least two ports are connected to external interfaces a priority among the respective interface converters for the at least two ports is determined in response to the identification of the at least one of the first interface methods and a predetermined priority setting between the at least two ports, wherein the priority setting has at least three levels of priority for assigning priority between at least three respective ports;

a port selection unit to selectively control supply of power to the interface converters based upon the priority determination of the priority determining unit, wherein the port selection unit controls the supply of the power provided to the interface converters appropriate to the IEEE 1394 bus and the USB bus in response to a USB power signal of the USB bus; and

a connection unit connected to the interface converters to transmit and receive the second signals of the second interface method appropriate to the hard disc drive.

2. The hard disc interface device of claim 1 , wherein the ports comprises a USB port, and the port selection unit comprises:

a buffer which generates an enable signal (ENB) indicating whether the USB port is connected to one of the interfaces, and an inversed enable signal ( ENB ) having an inverse logic state of the enable signal according to a state of the USB power signal.

3. The hard disc interface device of claim 1 , wherein the port selection unit controls the power provided to the interface converters appropriate to the IEEE1394 bus and the USB bus in response to an IEEE1394 power signal of the IEEE1394 bus.

4. A peripheral interface device, comprising:

a plurality of ports, each of which supports at least one interface method;

a plurality of interface converters which are connected to respective ports and convert first signals of interface methods corresponding to the ports into second signals of a second interface method appropriate to the peripheral device, the plurality of interface converters comprising converters that each correspond to one of an IEEE 1394 bus and a USB bus;

a priority determining unit to receive the first signals of the respective interface methods from the ports, and when the two or more interfaces are connected, determine a priority among the interface converters based on a predetermined priority setting between at least two ports, wherein the priority setting has at least three levels of priority for assigning priority between at least three respective ports;

a port selection unit to, according to a result of priority determination by the priority determining unit, selectively control a supply of power in order to selectively operate one of the interface converters, wherein the port selection unit controls the power provided to the interface converters corresponding to the IEEE 1394 bus and the USB bus, respectively, in response to a USB power signal of the USB bus; and

a connection unit connected to the interface converters to transmit and receive the second signals of the second interface method appropriate to the peripheral device.

5. The peripheral interface device of claim 4 , the ports comprises a USB port, and the port selection unit comprises:

a buffer which generates an enable signal (ENB) indicating that a USB port is connected, and an inverse enable signal ( ENB ) having an inverse logic state of the enable signal, according to a state of the USB power signal of the USB bus.

6. The peripheral interface device of claim 4 , wherein the port selection unit in response to an IEEE1394 signal of the IEEE1394 bus, controls the power provided to the converters corresponding to the IEEE1394 bus and the USB bus.