Drive activity sampling and notification
AssigneeGateway, Inc.
InventorMichael G. Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A data storage device activity state is sampled and used to control a remote data storage device activity indicator. A disk drive activity signal is sampled by hardware either based on an edge transition of the activity signal, or on a periodic basis. If the state of the activity signal changes, state change data is sent via a controller to a keyboard. A disk drive status light on the keyboard is controlled by the change data. The controller is a USB host controller that sends the state change data to a USB function that controls the status light.
Claims25
An information handling system comprising:
- a data storage device;
- a sampler that detects storage device activity at selected intervals;
- and
- a controller that provides an activity signal to a remote activity indicator.
A method of providing a remote indication of storage device activity, the method comprising:
- sampling activity of a storage device;
- providing a signal representative of the sampled activity to a controller;
- and
- generating commands for a remote activity indicator to control the activity indicator in accordance with the sampled activity.
A keyboard that provides input to an information handling system, the keyboard comprising:
- a housing;
- a plurality of keys disposed on the housing;
- and
- an activity indicator disposed on the housing, the activity indicator responsive to sampled activity of an electronic data storage device in the information handling system.
An input device that provides input to an information handling system, the input device comprising:
- means for enabling a user to provide input to the information handling system;
- means for indicating activity of a data storage device in the information handling system;
- means for sampling activity of the data storage device;
- and
- means for communicating with the input device.
A cursor control device, comprising:
- a housing;
- a cursor input device, the cursor input device suitable for providing an output indicating movement of a cursor to an information handling system;
- a key disposed on the housing, the key suitable for enabling a user to select a cursor position;
- and
- an activity indicator disposed on the housing, the activity indicator suitable for indicating activity of an electronic data storage device disposed in an information handling system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.