Power saving method for optical disk drive of rugged electronic device

• US 8,102,737 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitac Technology Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Mitac Technology Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Kang, Wen Shih
• Primary Examiner(s): Young, Wayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pendleton, Dionne
• Application Number:
  US12/204,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20100054095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: 369/75.11, 369/77.21, 369/78, 369/79, 369/29.02, 369/30.28, 369/30.42, 369/30.46, 369/30.48, 369 3051- 3053, 369/30.58, 369/30.6, 206/470, 206/467, 206/775, 206/472, 206/521
• US Class Current: 369/30.36
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/10 by sensing presence or absence of record in accessible stored position or on turntable
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/165 by closing the cover
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/027 Covers G11B33/022 takes precedence; with means for guiding the record carrier G11B17/34

Abstract

A power saving method for an optical disk drive of a rugged electronic device is described. In the method, whether a watertight lid outside the optical disk drive is in open/closed state is detected by a sensor. When the watertight lid is in the closed state, whether an optical disk exists in the optical disk drive is detected by a read/write head of the optical disk drive. When no optical disk exists, a controller in the rugged electronic device begins to time. When a predetermined time is reached and no optical disk drive start command is received, the controller turns off an electrical connection between a power supply and the optical disk drive. When an optical disk drive start command is received, the controller enables the electrical connection between the power supply and the optical disk drive.

Claims

1. A power saving method for an optical disk drive of a rugged electronic device, wherein the rugged electronic device having a watertight lid openably connected to the rugged electronic device and disposed outside the optical disk drive, the optical disk drive being electrically connected to a power switch, the power switch being electrically connected to a power supply, and the rugged electronic device having a controller for confirming whether an optical disk drive start command is received, the method comprising:

detecting, by a sensor, whether the watertight lid is in an open state or a closed state, wherein, when the lid is closed, the sensor generates and sends to the controller a first detection signal corresponding to a closed state of the watertight lid;

detecting, upon the closed state of the watertight lid, whether an optical disk exists in the optical disk drive with a read/write head of the optical disk drive;

timing a predetermined time by the controller when the read/write head confirms that no optical disk exists; and

sending out a first control signal to the power switch by the controller to turn off an electrical connection between the power supply and the optical disk drive after the predetermined time is reached.

2. The power saving method as claimed in 1, wherein when the controller confirms that the optical disk drive start command is received, the controller sends out a second control signal to the power switch to enable the electrical connection between the power supply and the optical disk drive.

3. The power saving method as claimed in 1, wherein when the sensor detects that the watertight lid is in the closed state and the read/write head detects that the optical disk exists in the optical disk drive, the controller enables the electrical connection between the power supply and the optical disk drive.

4. The power saving method as claimed in 1, wherein the sensor is disposed on the rugged electronic device and located in a movement range of the watertight lid.

5. The power saving method as claimed in 1, wherein the sensor is a micro switch, an optical sensing switch, or an electromagnetic switch.

6. The power saving method as claimed in 1, wherein the predetermined time is set by a user through a basic input output system of the rugged electronic device.

7. The power saving method as claimed in 1, wherein when the predetermined time is not reached and it is confirmed that the optical disk drive start command is received, the controller enables the electrical connection between the power supply and the optical disk drive.

8. A power saving system for an optical disk drive of a rugged electronic device, comprising:

an optical disk drive, disposed on one side of the rugged electronic device, and selectively electrically connected to a power supply of the rugged electronic device, wherein the optical disk drive comprises a read/write head for detecting whether an optical disk exists in the optical disk drive;

a watertight lid openably connected to the rugged electronic device and disposed outside the optical disk drive;

a sensor, detecting a position state of the watertight lid and generating a first detection signal corresponding to a closed state of the watertight lid or a second detection signal corresponding to an open state of that the watertight lid;

a controller, electrically connected to the sensor for confirming an optical disk drive start command, wherein upon receipt of the first detection signal from the sensor and upon confirmation that no optical disk exists in the optical disk drive, the controller starts to time and generates a first control signal after a predetermined time is reached; and

a power switch, electrically connected between the optical disk drive, the power supply, and the controller, wherein the power switch turns off an electrical connection between the power supply and the optical disk drive according to the first control signal.

9. The power saving system as claimed in claim 8, wherein when the read/write head confirms that the optical disk exists in the optical disk drive, the controller generates a second control signal to the power switch to enable the electrical connection between the power supply and the optical disk drive.

10. The power saving system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the sensor is disposed on the rugged electronic device and located in a movement range of the watertight lid.

11. The power saving system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the sensor is a micro switch, an optical sensing switch, or an electromagnetic switch.

12. The power saving system as claimed in claim 8, comprising a basic input output system electrically connected to the controller and enabling a user to set the predetermined time at will.

13. The power saving system as claimed in claim 8, wherein when the predetermined time is not reached and the controller confirms that an optical disk drive start command is received, the controller enables the electrical connection between the power supply and the optical disk drive.