Method and apparatus for providing multiple power and performance status for a spinning media

• US 20040109255A1
• Filed: 12/10/2002
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Walz, Michael C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,068,456 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 360/73.03
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/12 Disposition of constructional parts in the apparatus, e.g. of power supply, of modules

Abstract

A method and device for controlling power consumption in a computer having a storage device including a motor and a storage medium is disclosed. The method comprises supplying a first power level to the motor of the storage device to spin the storage medium at a first rotational velocity, detecting a first predetermined condition and responsive to the detection of the first predetermined condition, supplying a second power level to the motor of the storage device to spin the storage medium at a second rotational velocity. A number of user defined preferences and system conditions in the computer may be taken into account in determining the second power level to the storage medium.

Claims

1. A storage device comprising:

a storage medium;

a motor to spin the storage medium;

a data reading device to read data from the storage medium; and

a control circuit responsive to a first predetermined condition to;

(a) change a level of power delivered to the motor to change a speed of rotation of the storage medium from a first speed to a second speed, and (b) to synchronize operation of the data reading device to the second speed of rotation of the storage medium.

2. A storage device as defined in claim 1 wherein the control circuit is responsive to a second predetermined condition to:

(a) change the level of power delivered to the motor to change the speed of rotation of the storage medium from the second speed to the first speed, and (b) to synchronize operation of the data reading device to the first speed of rotation of the storage medium.

3. A storage device as defined in claim 1 wherein the storage medium comprises at least one of a magnetic medium and an optical medium.

4. A storage device as defined in claim 1 wherein the data reading device comprises at least one of:

a magnetic head, an optical sensor, and an optical transmitter.

5. A storage device as defined in claim 1 wherein the control circuit changes the level of power by changing a level of voltage supplied to the motor.

6. A storage device as defined in claim 1 wherein the control circuit synchronizes the operation of the data reading device by changing a reading rate of the data reading device to correspond to the speed of rotation of the storage medium.

7. A storage device as defined in claim 1 wherein the first predetermined condition comprises at least one of:

(a) an adverse condition associated with the storage device;

(b) a usage pattern associated with the storage device;

(c) availability of a commercial power source;

(d) a battery condition; and

(e) a user preference.

8. A storage device as defined in claim 7 wherein the adverse condition comprises temperature above a predetermined level.

9. A storage device as defined in claim 2 wherein the second predetermined condition comprises removal of the first predetermined condition.

10. A storage device as defined in claim 1 further comprising a data writing device, wherein the control circuit is responsive to the first predetermined condition to synchronize operation of the data writing device to the second speed of rotation of the storage medium.

11. A storage device a defined in claim 1 wherein the data reading device comprises a data writing device.

12. A storage device as defined in claim 11 wherein the control circuit is responsive to a second predetermined condition to:

(a) change the level of power delivered to the motor to change the speed of rotation of the storage medium from the second speed to the first speed, and (b) to synchronize operation of the data writing device to the first speed of rotation of the storage medium.

13. A method of controlling power consumption in a computer having a storage device including a motor and a storage medium, the method comprising:

supplying a first power level to the motor of the storage device to spin the storage medium at a first rotational velocity;

detecting a first predetermined condition; and

responsive to the detection of the first predetermined condition, supplying a second power level to the motor of the storage device to spin the storage medium at a second rotational velocity.

14. A method as defined in claim 13 further comprising synchronizing operation of a data reading device to the second rotational velocity of the storage medium.

15. A method as defined in claim 14 wherein the data reading device comprises a data writing device.

16. A method as defined in claim 14 wherein the storage device comprises at least one of a magnetic medium and an optical medium.

17. A method as defined in claim 14 wherein the data reading device comprises at least one of:

a magnetic head, an optical sensor, and an optical transmitter.

18. A method as defined in claim 13 wherein supplying a second power level comprises supplying a second level of voltage to the motor of the storage device to spin the storage medium at the second rotational velocity.

19. A method as defined in claim 13 wherein the first predetermined condition comprises at least one of:

(a) an adverse condition associated with the storage device;

(b) a usage pattern associated with the storage device;

(c) availability of a commercial power source;

(d) a battery condition; and

(e) a user preference.

20. A method as defined in claim 19 wherein the adverse condition comprises temperature above a predetermined level.

21. A method as defined in claim 15 further comprising:

detecting a second predetermined condition;

in response to the detection of the second predetermined condition, supplying the first power level to the motor of the storage device to change the rotational velocity of the storage medium from the second rotational velocity to the first rotational velocity; and

synchronizing operation of the data reading device to the first rotational velocity of the storage medium.

22. A method as defined in claim 21 wherein the data reading device comprises a data writing device.

23. A computer comprising:

a storage device having a storage medium, a motor to spin the storage medium, and a data reading device; and

a control circuit in communication with the storage device to control power delivery to the motor to control power consumption based on at least one predetermined condition.

24. A computer as defined in claim 23 wherein the storage medium comprises at least one of a magnetic medium and an optical medium.

25. A computer as defined in claim 23 wherein the data reading device comprises at least one of:

a magnetic head, an optical sensor, and an optical transmitter.

26. A computer as defined in claim 23 wherein the control circuit controls delivery of power to the motor by controlling a level of voltage supplied to the motor.

27. A computer as defined in claim 23 wherein the control circuit synchronizes a reading rate of the data reading device with a speed of rotation of the storage medium.

28. A computer as defined in claim 23 wherein:

the predetermined condition comprises at least one of;

(a) an adverse condition associated with the storage device;

(b) a usage pattern associated with the storage device;

(c) availability of a commercial power source;

(d) a battery condition; and

(e) a user preference.

29. A computer as defined in claim 28 wherein the adverse condition comprises temperature above a predetermined level.

30. A computer as defined in claim 23 wherein the data reading device comprises a data writing device.

31. A computer as defined in claim 30 wherein the control circuit synchronizes operation of the data writing device with a speed of the rotation of the storage medium.

32. A computer as defined in claim 23 further comprising a data writing device, wherein the control circuit synchronizes operation of the data writing device with a speed of rotation of the data storage medium.

33. For use with a storage device having a motor for rotating a storage medium and a data reading device, a computer program embodied on a tangible medium comprising:

first software to detect a first predetermined condition;

second software responsive to the detection of the first predetermined condition to set a level of power delivered to the motor to change a speed of rotation of the storage medium; and

third software responsive to the detection of the first predetermined condition to adjust a rate of operation of the data reading device.

34. A computer program as defined in claim 33 wherein the first predetermined condition comprises at least one of:

(a) an adverse condition associated with the storage device;

(b) a usage pattern associated with the storage device;

(c) availability of a commercial power source;

(d) a battery condition; and

(e) a user preference.

35. A computer program as defined in claim 34 wherein the adverse condition comprises temperature above a predetermined level.

36. A computer program as defined in claim 33 further comprising:

fourth software to detect a second predetermined condition;

fifth software responsive to detection of the second predetermined condition to;

(a) change the level of power delivered to the motor to change the speed of rotation of the storage medium, and (b) to synchronize operation of the data reading device to the speed of rotation of the storage medium.

37. For use with a storage device having a motor for rotating a storage medium and a reading device, an apparatus comprising:

a condition monitor to detect a first predetermined condition;

a power manager responsive to the condition monitor to set a level of power delivered to the motor to change a speed of rotation of the storage medium; and

a first rate controller responsive to the power manager to adjust a rate of operation of the data reading device.

38. An apparatus as defined in claim 37, wherein the first predetermined condition comprises at least one of:

(a) an adverse condition associated with the storage device;

(b) a usage pattern associated with the storage device;

(c) availability of a commercial power source;

(d) a battery condition; and

(e) a user preference.

39. An apparatus as defined in claim 38, wherein the adverse condition comprises temperature above a predetermined level.

40. An apparatus as defined in claim 38 wherein the rate controller is responsive to the power manager to adjust a rate of operation of a data writing device.

41. An apparatus as defined in claim 38 wherein the power manager sets the level of power delivered to the motor by changing a voltage level delivered to the motor.

42. An apparatus as defined in claim 38 wherein the condition monitor comprises at least one of:

(a) a power monitor to monitor the availability of a commercial power source, (b) an adverse condition monitor to monitor an adverse condition associated with the storage device, (c) a preference monitor to monitor one or more user preferences, and (d) a usage pattern monitor to monitor the storage device usage patterns.