Method and apparatus for providing a user selectable start-up current in a disk drive
AssigneeMaxtor Corporation
InventorsErhard Schreck, Mark Heimbaugh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing a user selectable start-up current in a disk drive are provided. A user may select a relatively high start-up current to provide a relatively fast start-up time in a disk drive. Alternatively, the user may select a relatively low maximum current draw by the hard drive to enable a relatively low power, low cost power supply to be used in connection with the hard drive, for use with applications in which a relatively long start-up time is acceptable. In connection with applications in which a low cost power supply is to be used, the maximum current drawn by the disk drive may be limited to the amount of current required by the disk drive during seek operations.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- providing a disk drive operable to be used with a first power supply and a second power supply, wherein the first power supply has a lower power capacity than the second power supply, and wherein the disk drive has a maximum current draw that is selectable by a user;
- receiving a maximum current draw first selection, selected by said user, without the user making a second selection in order to select said maximum current draw;
- selecting between the first power supply and the second power supply based upon the maximum current draw first selection;
- and
- limiting an actual current draw of said disk drive to said selected maximum current draw.
A method for reducing the current supply requirements of a power supply interconnected to a disk drive, comprising:
- providing a power supply;
- providing a disk drive comprising:
- at least a first storage disk;
- a spindle motor;
- an actuator;
- and
- at least a first transducer head;
- determining a maximum normal operating current draw of said disk drive, wherein said maximum normal operating current does not include an amount of current drawn by said disk drive during start-up;
- selecting, by a user, a maximum disk drive supply current;
- supplying from said power supply said maximum disk drive supply current to said disk drive during start-up of said disk drive;
- loading said transducer head onto said storage disk,
- wherein said power supply is sized to provide said maximum normal operating current draw of said disk drive, plus an amount of current required by at least a first power consumer in addition to said disk drive, and wherein said power supply is not sized to provide an amount of current equal to said maximum current draw of said disk drive multiplied by a value equal to or greater than two.
A method for providing a disk drive having a maximum current draw which is selectable by a user, comprising:
- receiving a maximum current draw first selection, selected by said user, without the user to make a second selection in order to select said maximum current draw;
- and
- limiting an actual current draw of said disk drive to said selected maximum current draw, wherein said selected maximum current draw is selected from a plurality of current amounts, wherein said plurality of current amounts comprise a first amount equal to about a steady state spin current of said disk drive plus an amount of current drawn by an actuator of said disk drive during seek operations, and wherein a selection of said first amount results in a disk drive start-up time that is greater than a disk drive start-up time resulting from a selection of a second amount that is greater than said first amount.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.