Granted Patent B1

US 9,372,529 · App. 13/923,301 · Granted Jun 21, 2016

Abstract

Claims (55)

1. A storage device comprising:

a first switch unit configured to selectively allow power to be received by the storage device from an AC adapter, and to prevent power from being received by the storage device from the AC adapter;

a first DC to DC converter, coupled to a host and to the first switch unit and configured to convert power from the host from a first voltage to a second voltage different than the first voltage;

a second DC to DC converter configured to convert power from the AC adapter from a third voltage to a fourth voltage different than the third voltage and to selectively couple and decouple the fourth voltage to and from the first DC to DC converter; and

a storage controller coupled to the first DC to DC converter and configured to:

receive data and a first amount of power from the host;

place the storage device in a first operating mode or a second operating mode, wherein the second operating mode is a reduced power state relative to the first operating mode; and

control the first switch unit to allow power to be received by the storage device from the AC adapter when the storage device is in the first operating mode, and to prevent power from being received by the storage device from the AC adapter when the storage device is in the second operating mode,

wherein the storage device is configured to:

receive the first amount of power from the host when the storage device is in the second operating mode, and

receive power from the AC adapter and a second amount of power from the host when the storage device is in the first operating mode, the second amount of power being less than the first amount of power, and

wherein, in the first operating mode;

when the fourth voltage is higher than a voltage of the first amount of power, the first DC to DC converter is configured to draw more power from the second DC to DC converter than from the host,

when the fourth voltage is similar to the voltage of the first amount of power, the first DC to DC converter is configured to draw power from both the second DC to DC converter and from the host, and

when the fourth voltage is less than the voltage of the first amount of power, the first DC to DC converter is configured to draw more power from the host than from the second DC to DC converter.

2. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the storage controller is further configured to place the storage device in the first operating mode or the second operating mode based on the data received from the host.

3. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein an output of the second DC to DC converter is connected to an input of the first DC to DC converter.

4. The storage device of claim 1 , further comprising a second switch unit configured to connect an output of the second DC to DC converter to an input of the first DC to DC converter, and to disconnect the output of the second DC to DC converter from the input of the first DC to DC converter.

5. The storage device of claim 4 , wherein the storage controller is further configured to control the second switch unit to connect the output of the second DC to DC converter to the input of the first DC to DC converter when the first switch unit allows power to be received by the storage device from the AC adapter, and to disconnect the output of the second DC to DC converter from the input of the first DC to DC converter when the first switch unit prevents power from being received by the storage device from the AC adapter.

6. The storage device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a media configured to store data; and

a media access unit configured to store the data on the media, wherein the media access unit is configured to be powered by the power from the AC adapter.

7. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the second operating mode comprises at least one of a standby mode or an off mode.

8. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the storage device does not receive any power from the AC adapter when the first switch unit prevents power from being received by the storage device from the AC adapter.

9. A method for powering a storage device comprising:

receiving data and a first amount of power from a host;

placing the storage device in a first operating mode or a second operating mode using a storage controller in the storage device, wherein the second operating mode is a reduced power state relative to the first operating mode;

controlling a first switch unit in the storage device to allow power to be received by the storage device from an AC adapter when the storage device is in the first operating mode, and to prevent power from being received by the storage device from the AC adapter when the storage device is in the second operating mode, using the storage controller;

providing a first DC to DC converter, coupled to the host and to the first switch unit and configured to convert power from the host from a first voltage to a second voltage different than the first voltage;

providing a second DC to DC converter configured to convert power from the AC adapter from a third voltage to a fourth voltage different than the third voltage and to selectively couple and decouple the fourth voltage to and from the first DC to DC converter;

receiving the first amount of power at the storage device from the host when the storage device is in the second operating mode; and

receiving power at the storage device from the AC adapter and a second amount of power from the host when the storage device is in the first operating mode, the second amount of power being less than the first amount of power, such that the first DC to DC converter draws:

more power from the second DC to DC converter than from the host when the fourth voltage is higher than a voltage of the first amount of power,

power from both the second DC to DC converter and from the host when the fourth voltage is similar to the voltage of the first amount of power, and

more power from the host than from the second DC to DC converter when the fourth voltage is less than the voltage of the first amount of power.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising placing the storage device in the first operating mode or the second operating mode based on data received from the host.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising controlling a second switch unit in the storage device to connect an output of the second DC to DC converter to an input of the first DC to DC converter when the first switch unit allows power to be received by the storage device from the AC adapter, and to disconnect the output of the second DC to DC converter from the input of the first DC to DC converter when the first switch unit prevents power from being received by the storage device from the AC adapter, using the storage controller.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising powering a media access unit in the storage device using the power from the AC adapter, wherein the media access unit is configured to store data in a media on the storage device.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second operating mode comprises at least one of a standby mode or an off mode.

14. A network attached storage device comprising:

a switch unit configured to selectively allow power to be received by the network attached storage device from an AC adapter, and to prevent power from being received by the network attached storage device from the AC adapter;

a first DC to DC converter, coupled to a network device and to the switch unit and configured to convert power from the network device from a first voltage to a second voltage different than the first voltage;

a second DC to DC converter configured to convert power from the AC adapter from a third voltage to a fourth voltage different than the third voltage and to selectively couple and decouple the fourth voltage to and from the first DC to DC converter; and

a storage controller configured to:

receive data and a first amount of power from the network device;

place the network attached storage device in a first operating mode or a second operating mode, wherein the second operating mode is a reduced power state relative to the first operating mode; and

control the switch unit to allow power to be received by the network attached storage device from the AC adapter when the network attached storage device is in the first operating mode, and to prevent power from being received by the network attached storage device from the AC adapter when the network attached storage device is in the second operating mode,

wherein the network attached storage device is configured to:

receive the first amount of power from the network device when the network attached storage device is in the second operating mode, and

receive power from the AC adapter and a second amount of power from the network device when the network attached storage device is in the first operating mode, the second amount of power being less than the first amount of power, and

wherein, in the first operating mode;

when the fourth voltage is higher than a voltage of the first amount of power, the first DC to DC converter is configured to draw more power from the second DC to DC converter than from the network device,

when the fourth voltage is similar to the voltage of the first amount of power, the first DC to DC converter is configured to draw power from both the second DC to DC converter and from the network device, and

when the fourth voltage is less than the voltage of the first amount of power, the first DC to DC converter is configured to draw more power from the network device than from the second DC to DC converter.

15. The network attached storage device of claim 14 , wherein the storage controller is further configured to place the network attached storage device in the first operating mode or the second operating mode based on the data received from the network device.

Assignments (8)