External disk drive compatible with a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) standard including a SATA compatible shielded cable capable of receiving power signals from a host

An external disk drive compatible with a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) standard for attachment to a host having a conductive enclosure including a conductive back-panel, the external SATA compatible disk drive comprising:

• a disk for rotation within the disk drive;
• a moveable head for writing and reading data to and from the disk;
• a disk controller system for controlling operations in the disk drive;
• a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) for mounting the disk controller system;
• a SATA device connector coupled to the PCB;
• a conductive enclosure surrounding the external SATA compatible disk drive;
• a SATA compatible cable having a disk drive end coupled to the SATA device connector of the disk drive and a host end for coupling to the host, the SATA compatible cable to deliver power signals to the external SATA compatible disk drive from the host;
• and
• a conductive shield surrounding the SATA compatible cable, wherein the conductive shield surrounding the SATA compatible cable at the disk drive end of the SATA compatible cable contacts and is electrically coupled to the conductive enclosure of the disk drive thereby forming a continuous electro-magnetic interference (EMI) shield about the external SATA compatible disk drive and the cable.

A system for connecting an external disk drive compatible with a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) standard to a host, the host having a conductive enclosure including conductive back-panel, the system comprising:

• an external SATA compatible disk drive having a SATA device connector;
• an enclosure surrounding the external SATA compatible disk drive;
• a SATA compatible cable having a disk drive end including a SATA cable connector coupled to the SATA device connector of the disk drive and a host end having a SATA cable connector for coupling to the host;
• a shield surrounding the SATA compatible cable, the shield being coupled to the enclosure of the external SATA compatible disk drive;
• and
• a SATA host connector attachable to a slot of the conductive back-panel of the host, the SATA cable connector of the SATA compatible cable at the host end to mate with the SATA host connector of the host such that SATA data signals and power signals are deliverable from the host to the external SATA compatible disk drive through the SATA compatible cable.