Granted Patent B2

US 9,524,015 · App. 14/256,693 · Granted Dec 20, 2016

Abstract

Claims (50)

1. A data storage system comprising:

memory configured to store content;

a host configured to determine time to next data information based on the content stored in the memory; and

a data storage device comprising a controller configured to:

receive the time to next data information from the host;

select a power mode for the data storage device from a plurality of power modes for the data storage device based on the time to next data information and based on an impact of the selected power mode on a longevity of electromechanical components of the data storage device; and

place the data storage device in the selected power mode,

wherein the host is further configured to transmit the time to next data information to the data storage device.

2. The data storage system of claim 1 wherein:

the plurality of power modes comprises at least a first power mode, a second power mode, and a third power mode;

the third power mode comprises a reduced power mode relative to the second power mode; and

the second power mode comprises a reduced power mode relative to the first power mode.

3. The data storage system of claim 2 wherein the plurality of power modes comprises at least an active power mode and a standby power mode.

4. The data storage system of claim 1 further comprising a network connection unit configured to wirelessly connect to one or more electronic devices.

5. The data storage system of claim 4 wherein the host is further configured to provide one or more streams of the content to the one or more electronic devices.

6. The data storage system of claim 5 wherein the host is further configured to determine the time to next data information further based on a number of streams provided to the one or more electronic devices.

7. The data storage system of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to provide power mode data for the selected power mode to the host.

8. The data storage system of claim 7 wherein the power mode data comprises recovery time information for the selected power mode.

9. The data storage system of claim 7 wherein the host is further configured to wake up the data storage device to refresh the content stored in the memory based on the power mode data.

10. The data storage system of claim 1 wherein the data storage device comprises a hard disk drive.

11. A method for operating a data storage system comprising:

determining time to next data information based on content stored in a memory in the data storage system using a host in the data storage system;

transmitting the time to next data information to a data storage device in the data storage system;

receiving the time to next data information at a controller in the data storage device;

selecting, using the controller, a power mode for the data storage device from a plurality of power modes for the data storage device based on the time to next data information and based on an impact of the selected power mode on a longevity of electromechanical components of the data storage device; and

placing the data storage device in the selected power mode using the controller.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the plurality of power modes comprises at least a first power mode, a second power mode, and a third power mode;

the third power mode comprises a reduced power mode relative to the second power mode; and

the second power mode comprises a reduced power mode relative to the first power mode.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the plurality of power modes comprises at least an active power mode and a standby power mode.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the host is further configured to provide one or more streams of the content to one or more electronic devices wirelessly connected to the data storage system.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the host is further configured to determine the time to next data information further based on a number of streams provided to the one or more electronic devices.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing power mode data for the selected power mode to the host using the controller.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the power mode data comprises recovery time information for the selected power mode.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising waking up the data storage device to refresh the content stored in the memory based on the power mode data using the host.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the data storage device comprises a hard disk drive.

20. A data storage device comprising:

a controller configured to:

receive time to next data information from a host connected to the data storage device;

select a power mode for the data storage device from a plurality of power modes for the data storage device based on the time to next data information and based on an impact of the selected power mode on a longevity of electromechanical components of the data storage device; and

place the data storage device in the selected power mode.

21. The data storage device of claim 20 wherein:

the plurality of power modes comprises at least a first power mode, a second power mode, and a third power mode;

the third power mode comprises a reduced power mode relative to the second power mode; and

the second power mode comprises a reduced power mode relative to the first power mode.

22. The data storage device of claim 21 wherein the plurality of power modes comprises at least an active power mode and a standby power mode.

23. The data storage device of claim 20 wherein the controller is further configured to provide power mode data for the selected power mode to the host.

24. The data storage device of claim 23 wherein the power mode data comprises recovery time information for the selected power mode.

25. The data storage device of claim 20 wherein the data storage device comprises a hard disk drive.

Assignments (9)