System for reducing standby power in an AC adapter that supply power to a USB device

• US 8,166,317 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2009
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Buffalo Incorporated (Melco Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Buffalo Incorporated (Melco Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ito, Tsukasa, Ishii, Suguru, Ejiri, Taichi, Horibe, Masahiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Vincent
• Application Number:
  US12/422,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20090259866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/310, 713/320, 713/323, 713/324, 713/340
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips

Abstract

An electronic device has: an operation unit; a power supply unit; an input changeover switch; and a controller. The power supply unit is supplied commercial power and supplies the operating power to the operation unit. The input changeover switch switches between supplying or not supplying the commercial power to the power supply unit. The controller controls the input changeover switch. The controller includes: a power input portion; a control signal input portion; and a switching signal output portion. When the device power is being supplied from a master electronic device to the power input portion and the control signal from the master electronic device is received by the control signal input portion, the switching signal output portion outputs to the input changeover switch a signal instructing to switch and supply the commercial power to the power supply unit.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

an operation unit that is supplied with operating power and operates;

a power supply unit that is supplied with commercial power from a commercial power supply and supplies the operating power to the operation unit;

an input changeover switch that switches between supplying or not supplying the commercial power from the commercial power supply to the power supply unit; and

a controller that controls the input changeover switch, wherein

the controller includes;

a power input portion that is supplied device power from a master electronic device;

a control signal input portion that receives a control signal from the master electronic device; and

a switching signal output portion that, when the device power is being supplied to the power input portion and the control signal is received by the control signal input portion, outputs to the input changeover switch a commercial power input signal instructing the input changeover switch to switch and supply the commercial power to the power supply unit.

2. The electronic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein

the power input portion includes a power supply changeover switch that switches between supplying the device power to the operation unit as the operating power or supplying the operating power from the power supply unit to the operation unit;

and

the controller switches the power supply changeover switch to supply the operating power from the power supply unit to the operation unit, when the commercial power input signal is output to the input changeover switch by the switching signal output portion.

3. The electronic device in accordance with claim 2 wherein

the controller switches the power supply changeover switch to supply the device power to the operation unit as the operating power, when the control signal input portion does not receive the control signal for a prescribed time interval after the commercial power input signal has been output to the input changeover switch by the switching signal output portion.

4. The electronic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein

the controller outputs to the input changeover switch a commercial power disconnect signal instructing the input changeover switch to switch and disconnect the commercial power to the power supply unit, when the control signal input portion does not receive the control signal for a prescribed time interval after the commercial power input signal has been output to the input changeover switch by the switching signal output portion.

5. The electronic device in accordance with claim 4 wherein

the power input portion includes a power supply changeover switch that switches between supplying the device power to the operation unit as the operating power or supplying the operating power from the power supply unit to the operation unit;

and

the controller switches the power supply changeover switch to supply the operating power from the power supply unit to the operation unit, when the commercial power input signal is output to the input changeover switch by the switching signal output portion.

6. The electronic device in accordance with claim 5 wherein

the controller switches the power supply changeover switch to supply the device power to the operation unit as the operating power, when the control signal input portion does not receive the control signal for a prescribed time interval after the commercial power input signal has been output to the input changeover switch by the switching signal output portion.

7. The electronic device in accordance with any of claim 1 wherein

the operation unit is a hard disk drive unit, and

the master electronic device is a personal computer.

8. The electronic device in accordance with any of claim 1 wherein

the controller and the master electronic device are connected by a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable,

the device power is supplied by USB bus power from the master electronic device via the USB cable, and

the control signal includes an SOF (Start of Frame) packet in a header.

9. An electronic device comprising:

an operation unit that is supplied with operating power and operates; and

a controller, wherein the electronic device is electrically connected with a power supply unit that is supplied with commercial power from a commercial power supply and configured to switch between being supplied or not being supplied with the commercial power from the commercial power supply, wherein

the controller includes;

a power input portion that is supplied with device power from a master electronic device;

a control signal input portion that receives a control signal from the master electronic device; and

a switching signal output portion that, when the device power is being supplied to the power input portion and the control signal is received by the control signal input portion, outputs to the power supply unit a commercial power input signal instructing to be supplied with the commercial power.