Notebook optical disc drive capable of generating a pseudo eject signal
View Patent ↗A optical disc drive is disclosed. The optical disc drive includes a housing and a tray configured to accommodate a disc therein. The optical disc drive also includes an automatic return-type eject switch, a drive controller, and an eject controller. Mounted in the housing, the automatic return-type eject switch is configured to generate an eject signal. In response to the eject signal, the drive controller ejects the tray. In response to the eject signal, the eject controller supplies an electric power to the optical disc drive, and transmits a pseudo eject signal to the drive controller to eject the tray by way of a line through which the eject signal has been transferred after a predetermined time period from the supply of the electric power has lapsed.
1. An optical disc drive comprising:
a housing;
a tray configured to accommodate a disc therein;
an eject switch, mounted on said housing, for generating an eject signal in response to said eject switch being pressed by a user;
an eject controller for supplying electric power to said optical disc drive in response to said eject signal, and for transmitting a pseudo eject signal, after a predetermined time period has lapsed since the supply of said electric power, via a line through which said eject signal was transferred; and
a drive controller for ejecting said tray in response to said eject pseudo signal.
2. The optical disc drive of claim 1 , wherein said predetermined time period is the time required for the completion of drive initialization after said electric power has been supplied to said optical disc drive.
3. The optical disc drive of claim 1 , wherein said pseudo eject signal is a one-shot pulse signal.
4. The optical disc drive of claim 3 , wherein said eject controller transmits a plurality of said one-shot pulse signals.
5. The optical disc drive of claim 1 , wherein said drive controller instructs a computer to stop supplying said electric power to said optical disc drive when no disc is detected in said tray.
6. The optical disc drive of claim 5 , wherein said computer communicates with said optical disc drive via a serial ATA interface.
7. The optical disc drive of claim 6 , wherein said eject signal and said pseudo eject signal are transmitted via a line connected to an MD pin of said serial ATA interface.
8. The optical disc drive of claim 1 , wherein said eject controller is configured by an embedded controller.
9. The optical disc drive of claim 1 , wherein said eject controller is configured by a south bridge.
10. The optical disc drive of claim 1 , wherein said optical disc drive includes a spindle motor.
11. A method comprising:
stopping supply of electric power to an optical disc drive installed within a computer system;
providing an eject signal in response to an eject switch being pressed by a user, wherein said eject switch is located on a housing of said optical disc drive;
supplying electric power to said optical disc drive in response to said eject signal;
transmitting, after a predetermined period of time has lapsed since the supply of said electric power to said optical disc drive, a pseudo eject signal to said optical disc drive via a line through which said eject signal was received; and
ejecting said tray in response to said pseudo eject signal.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said stopping further includes determining whether or not a disc is loaded onto said tray.