Information processing equipment and power consumption control method

A power consumption control method associated with an information storing means, carried out in information processing equipment comprising an information storing means that records or reproduces data according to a plurality of power consumption modes and an information processing means that controls the information storing means with respect to at least recording or reproducing of the data, the method comprising:

• a step in which the information processing means produces command information for changing the power consumption mode of the information storing means to a target power consumption mode based on a state of control;
• a step in which the information storing means changes the power consumption mode of the information storing means based on the command information;
• a step in which the information processing means forms instruction information for instructing whether to change the power consumption mode;
• and
• a step in which when change of the power consumption mode is not instructed by the instruction information, the information storing means makes a selection and changes the power consumption mode based on the state of control from the information processing means.