Information processing apparatus and power supply controlling method

A power supply controlling method for an information processing apparatus comprising a shared connector configured to exclusively receive either a USB plug of a first external device or an eSATA plug of a second external device thereby either connecting the first external device to a buffer of a first controller or connecting the second external device to a buffer of a second controller, the method comprising:

• activating a BIOS of the information processing apparatus;
• activating an OS of the information processing apparatus;
• determining, by the BIOS directly or via the OS if it is activated, whether the USB plug is inserted into the shared connector or the eSATA plug is inserted into the shared connector or neither the USB plug nor the eSATA plug is inserted into the shared connector;
• controlling, by the BIOS directly or via the OS if it is activated, power supply to turn ON both the buffer of the first controller and the buffer of the second controller when neither the USB plug nor the eSATA plug is inserted into the shared connector,
• controlling, by the BIOS directly or via the OS if it is activated, power supply to turn OFF the buffer of the second controller while leaving the buffer of the first controller turning ON when the USB plug is inserted into the shared connector, and
• controlling, by the BIOS directly or via the OS if it is activated, power supply to turn OFF the buffer of the first controller while leaving the buffer of the second controller turning ON when the eSATA plug is inserted into the shared connector.

A notebook computer comprising:

• a processor configured to execute a BIOS and an OS;
• a display;
• a socket connector mounted on a circuit board and configured to exclusively receive an eSATA plug or a USB plug;
• an eSATA controller having a buffer configured to be electrically connectable with the eSATA plug upon insertion of the eSATA plug into the socket connector;
• a USB controller having a buffer configured to be electrically connectable with the USB plug upon insertion of the USB plug into the socket connector;
• a power circuit configured to respectively supply power to the buffer of the eSATA controller and the buffer of the USB controller;
• and
• a determination module configured to determine whether the USB plug is inserted into the socket connector or the eSATA plug is inserted into the socket connector or neither the USB plug nor the eSATA plug is inserted into the socket connector, wherein the BIOS:
• performs power supply to turn ON both the buffer of the USB controller and the buffer of the eSATA controller when neither the USB plug nor the eSATA plug is inserted into the shared connector,
• performs power supply to turn OFF the buffer of the eSATA controller while leaving the buffer of the USB controller turning ON when the USB plug is inserted into the shared connector, and
• performs power supply to turn OFF the buffer of the USB controller while leaving the buffer of the eSATA controller turning ON when the eSATA plug is inserted into the shared connector, and
• wherein the BIOS performs the power supply via the OS if the OS is activated.