SYSTEM AND METHOD TO CONTROL SPIN-UP OF STORAGE DEVICE

1 . A storage device spin-up control system comprising:

a storage device to store data;

a host to selectively control a spin-up mode of the storage device; and

an interface to link the storage device and the host,

wherein the host controls the spin-up mode of the storage device based on a level of a signal output from a power connector of the interface.

2 . The storage device spin-up control system of claim 1 , wherein the host comprises:

a power connector signal level detection unit that detects the level of the signal output from the power connector and outputs a corresponding signal.

3 . The storage device spin-up control system of claim 2 , wherein the host comprises:

a current control unit that controls the spin-up mode of the storage device based on the level of the signal detected by the power connector signal level detection unit.

4 . The storage device spin-up control system of claim 3 , wherein the current control unit spins up the storage device in a normal current mode if the signal output from the power connector level detection unit is at a first logic level and spins up the storage device in a low current mode if the signal output from the power connector level detection unit is at a second logic level.

5 . The storage device spin-up control system of claim 2 , wherein the power connector signal level detection unit comprises:

a first detection unit to detect a maximum current that can be supplied from the host to spin up the storage device;

a second detection unit to detect a threshold current required for the storage device to spin up;

a comparison unit to compare the maximum current detected by the first detection unit and the threshold current detected by the second detection unit; and

an output unit to output a signal corresponding to the level of the signal of the power connector at a first logic level if the maximum current is greater than the threshold current and outputting a signal corresponding to the level of the signal of the power connector at a second logic level if the maximum current is less than the threshold current.

6 . The storage device spin-up control system of claim 1 , wherein the host comprises an automatic mode switching unit that determines whether the storage device has been successfully spun up by using a current supplied from a power supply unit of the host and performs controlling on the spin-up mode of the storage device based on the level of the signal output from the power connector exclusively when the storage device fails to spin up.

7 . The storage device spin-up control system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a manual mode switching unit,

wherein the host controls the spin-up mode of the storage device based on the level of a signal output from the power connector of the interface only when the manual mode is selected via the manual mode switching unit.

8 . The storage device spin-up control system of claim 7 , wherein the host spins up the storage device in a normal current mode if the manual mode switching unit is not selected by the user, and the host spins up the storage device in a low current mode if the manual mode switching unit is selected by the user.

9 . The storage device spin-up control system of claim 7 , wherein the manual mode switching unit comprises:

an external switch located outside the host.

10 . The storage device spin-up control system of claim 1 , wherein the interface comprises:

a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) interface, and

the power connector comprises a power pin 11 of the SATA interface.

11 . A storage device spin-up control system comprising:

N storage devices to store data, where N is a natural number of 2 or greater;

a host to selectively control spin-up modes of the N storage devices; and

an interface to link the N storage devices and the host,

wherein the host comprises a staggered spin-up (SSU) control unit to sequentially control spinning up of the N storage devices, and

the host controls the spin-up modes of the N storage devices based on a level of a signal output from a power connector of the interface.

12 . The storage device spin-up control system of claim 11 , wherein the host comprises:

a power connector signal level detection unit that detects the level of the signal output from the power connector and outputs a corresponding signal.

13 . The storage device spin-up control system of claim 12 , wherein the host comprises:

a current control unit that controls a spin-up mode of an n th storage device based on the level of the signal detected by the power connector signal level detection unit,

wherein n is a natural number from 1 to N used to denote one of the N storage devices.

14 . The storage device spin-up control system of claim 13 , wherein the current control unit spins up the n th storage device in a normal current mode if the signal output from the power connector level detection unit is at a first logic level and spins up the n th storage device in a low current mode if the signal output from the power connector level detection unit is at a second logic level.

15 . A storage device spin-up control method comprising:

linking a host and a storage device;

detecting a level of a signal output from a power connector of an interface linking the host and the storage device; and

controlling a spin-up mode of the storage device based on the detected level of the signal.

16 . The storage device spin-up control method of claim 15 , wherein the controlling of the spin-up mode of the storage device comprises:

spinning up the storage device in a normal current mode if the signal output from the power connector is at a first logic level; and

spinning up the storage device in a low current mode if the signal output from the power connector is at a second logic level.

17 . The storage device spin-up control method of claim 15 , wherein the detecting of the level of the signal comprises:

detecting a maximum current that can be supplied from the host to spin up the storage device;

detecting a threshold current required for the storage device to spin up;

comparing the maximum current and the threshold current; and

outputting a signal corresponding to the level of the signal output from the power connector at a first logic level if the maximum current is greater than the threshold current and outputting a signal corresponding to the level of the signal output from the power connector at a second logic level if the maximum current is less than the threshold current.

18 . A storage device spin-up control method comprising:

controlling sequential spinning up of N storage devices, where N is a natural number of 2 or greater;

linking a host and an n th storage device, where the n th storage device is one of the N storage devices and n is a natural number from 1 to N;

detecting a level of a signal output from a power connector of an interface linking the host and the N storage devices; and

controlling a spin-up mode of the n th storage device based on the detected level of the signal.

19 . The storage device spin-up control method of claim 18 , wherein the controlling of the spin-up mode of the n th storage device comprises:

spinning up the nth storage device in a normal current mode if the signal output from the power connector is at a first logic level and spinning up the n th storage device in a low current mode if the signal output from the power connector is a second logic level.

20 . The storage device spin-up control method of claim 18 , wherein the detecting of the level of the signal comprises:

detecting a maximum current that can be supplied from the host to spin up the N storage devices;

detecting a threshold current required for the n th storage device of the N storage devices to spin up;

comparing the maximum current and the threshold current of the n th storage device; and

outputting a signal corresponding to the level of the signal output from the power connector at a first logic level if the maximum current is greater than the threshold current required for the n th storage device to spin up and outputting a signal corresponding to the level of the signal of the power connector at a second logic level if the maximum current is less than the threshold current required for the n th storage device to spin up.

21 . A data storage device, comprising:

a hard disk drive; and

a hard disk drive control unit to control a spin-up operation of the hard disk drive,

wherein the hard disk drive control unit supplies a first current to the hard disk drive to perform a first spin-up operation when a detected power level to the hard disk drive is a first level, and

the hard disk drive control unit supplies a second current less than the first current to the hard disk drive to perform a second spin-up operation when a detected power level to the hard disk drive is a second level less than the first level.

22 . The data storage device according to claim 21 , wherein the hard disk drive control unit comprises:

a power supply unit to supply power to the hard disk drive to perform the spin-up operation;

a current control unit to supply the first and second current to the hard disk drive; and

a power level detection unit to detect the power level supplied to the hard disk drive.

23 . The data storage device according to claim 22 , wherein the power level detection unit comprises:

a first detection unit to detect a threshold current level required by the hard disk drive to perform the first spin-up operation;

a second detection unit to detect the power level supplied to the hard disk drive;

a comparison unit to compare a power level corresponding to the current level detected by the first detection unit and the power level supplied to the hard disk drive; and

an output unit to output a power level detection signal to the current control unit.

24 . The data storage device according to claim 23 , wherein the output unit outputs the power level detection signal on a connection pin of the hard disk drive control unit that is used to control a staggered spin-up of the hard disk drive.

25 . A computing device, comprising:

a hard disk drive;

a hard disk drive control unit to control a spin-up operation of the hard disk drive;

wherein the hard disk drive control unit supplies a first current to the hard disk drive to perform a first spin-up operation when a detected power level to the hard disk drive is a first level, and

the hard disk drive control unit supplies a second current less than the first current to the hard disk drive to perform a second spin-up operation when a detected power level to the hard disk drive is a second level less than the first level.

26 . The computing device according to claim 25 , further comprising:

a controller to control operation of the hard disk drive and the hard disk drive control unit; and

at least one interface to cause the controller to control operation of the hard disk drive and the hard disk drive control unit,

27 . The computing device according to claim 26 , wherein the at least one interface includes a user interface to receive a user input to access the hard disk drive.