IP Library Granted Patent US 8,405,513
Granted Patent B2
US 8,405,513 · App. 12/962,057 · Granted Mar 26, 2013

Connection confirmation system and main body device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,405,513
App. No.
12/962,057
Granted
Mar 26, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electrical connection confirmation system includes a cartridge type HDD 200 and a storage device main body 100 into which the cartridge type HDD 200 is inserted. The cartridge type HDD 200 includes a HDD connector 230 configured to comply with SATA standard, and having pins 210 a to 210 j and 210 l to 210 o that are internally shorted. The storage device main body 100 includes a main body connector 130 configured to comply with SATA standard, and having pins 110 a to 110 j and 110 l to 110 o provided in positions respectively opposite to the pins 210 a to 210 j and 210 l to 210 o . The electrical connection of the cartridge type HDD 200 to the storage device main body 100 is detected based on voltage states or electric current states of the specified pins 110 d, 110 g , and 110 m.

Claims (35)

1. An electrical connection confirmation system comprising:

an external device; and

a main body device into which the external device is inserted, wherein

the external device includes an external device connector configured to comply with a predetermined interface standard, the external device connector having a plurality of short-circuit pins that are internally shorted, and

the main body device includes:

a main body device connector configured to comply with the predetermined interface standard, the main body device connector having a plurality of opposite pins provided in positions respectively opposite to the plural short-circuit pins; and

a connection detector connected to a specific one of the plural opposite pins, and configured to detect the electrical connection of the external device connector to the main body device connector on the basis of the state of a voltage at or an electric current through the specific opposite pin.

2. The electrical connection confirmation system according to claim 1 , wherein

each of the plural short-circuit pins and the plural opposite pins is any one of a power supply pin used for power supply, a ground pin used for grounding, and a signal pin used for signal input/output.

3. The electrical connection confirmation system according to claim 1 , wherein

at least two of the plural opposite pins serve as the specific opposite pin, and

the connection detector detects the electrical connection of the external device connector to the main body device connector based on a combination of voltage states or electric current states of the specific opposite pins.

4. The electrical connection confirmation system according to claim 1 , wherein

the main body device includes a notification unit that performs notification to a user based on whether the electrical connection of the external device connector is detected by the connection detector.

5. The electrical connection confirmation system according to claim 1 , wherein

the predetermined interface standard is Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) standard.

6. The electrical connection confirmation system according to claim 1 , wherein

the external device is a removable storage medium, and

the main body device is a storage device main body that writes data to the storage medium and reads data from the storage medium.

7. The electrical connection confirmation system according to claim 1 , wherein

the main body device includes an operation confirmation unit configured to confirm whether the external device operates normally or not, when the connection detector detects the electrical connection of the external device connector to the main body device connector.

8. A main body device into which an external device is inserted, the external device including an external device connector configured to comply with a predetermined interface standard, the external device connector having a plurality of short-circuit pins that are internally shorted, the main body device comprising:

a main body device connector configured to comply with the predetermined interface standard, the main body device connector having a plurality of opposite pins provided in positions respectively opposite to the plural short-circuit pins; and

a connection detector connected to a specific one of the plural opposite pins, and configured to detect the electrical connection of the external device connector to the main body device connector based on a voltage state or an electric current state of the specific opposite pin.

9. The main body device according to claim 8 , wherein

each of the plural short-circuit pins and the plural opposite pins is any one of a power supply pin used for power supply, a ground pin used for grounding, and a signal pin used for signal input/output.

10. The main body device according to claim 8 , wherein

at least two of the plurality of opposite pins serve as the specific pin, and

the connection detector detects the electrical connection of the external device connector to the main body device connector based on a combination of voltage states or electric current states of specific opposite pins.

11. The main body device according to claim 8 , wherein

the main body device includes a notification unit that performs notification to a user based on whether the electrical connection of the external device connector is detected by the connection detector.

12. The main body device according to claim 8 , wherein the predetermined interface standard is Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) standard.

13. The main body device according to claim 8 , wherein

the external device is a removable storage medium, and

the main body device is a storage device main body that writes data to the storage medium and reads data from the storage medium.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 30, 2025
From: MELCO HOLDINGS INC.
To: BUFFALO INC.
Reel/Frame 072988/0847 →
MERGER Recorded Jul 23, 2025
From: BUFFALO INC.
To: MELCO HOLDINGS INC.
Reel/Frame 072191/0806 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 7, 2010
From: KOUYAMA, TOMOAKI; HASHIZUME, YASUNORI; GOTO, SATORU
To: BUFFALO INC.
Reel/Frame 025463/0658 →