Patent Application
20090193176
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a data storage device, more particularly to a data storage device having a built-in display.
2. Description of the Related Art
In such a configuration, only when the conventional computer main module 1 is activated, the hard disk 12 can be managed. Therefore, when the conventional computer main module 1 is deactivated or when the hard disk 12 is separated from the conventional computer main module 1, searching and viewing of data files stored in the hard disk 12 cannot be performed, thereby resulting in inconvenience during use.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a data storage device that can achieve independent and improved data management with relatively low power consumption.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data storage device for a computing apparatus. The data storage device comprises:
a data storage module for storing a plurality of pieces of data, and a plurality of file names corresponding to the pieces of data;
an input/output interface module adapted to be connected electrically to the computing apparatus for data and power transmission between the data storage device and the computing apparatus therethrough when the computing apparatus is activated;
a display;
a controller connected electrically to the data storage module, the input/output interface module and the display, and operable so as to search for the file names stored in the data storage module by displaying a search result including a searched one of the file names on the display; and
a power supply unit for supplying electric power to the data storage module, the display and the controller to enable the data storage device to conduct a search of the file names when the computing apparatus is deactivated.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data storage device for an electronic device. The data storage device comprises:
a hard disk for storing a plurality of pieces of data;
a nonvolatile memory for storing a plurality of file names corresponding to the pieces of data;
a display; and
a controller connected electrically to the hard disk, the nonvolatile memory and the display unit, and operable so as to permit viewing of the file names stored in the nonvolatile memory by displaying a viewing result including a viewed one of the file names on the display.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.
Referring to
The casing 30 is adapted to be assembled to and is separate from a housing 20 of the computer main module 2.
The hard disk 31 is disposed in the casing 30, and stores a plurality of pieces of data that are divided into at least one data cluster.
The nonvolatile memory 32 is disposed in the casing 30, is mounted on a circuit board 38, and stores a plurality of file names corresponding to the pieces of data. In this embodiment, the nonvolatile memory 32 is a flash RAM, and is configured with at least one directory corresponding to the data cluster therein and under which the file names are stored.
The display 33 is mounted on a front plate 301 of the casing 30.
The controller 34 is disposed in the casing 30, is mounted on the circuit board 38, and is connected electrically to the hard disk 31, the nonvolatile memory 32 and the display 33. The controller 34 is operable so as to permit viewing of the file names stored in the nonvolatile memory 32 by displaying a viewing result on the display 33. The viewing result includes a viewed one of the file names, and the directory storing the viewed one of the file names.
The input/output interface module 35 is mounted on a rear plate 302 of the casing 30, is connected electrically to the controller 34, and is adapted to be connected electrically to the computer main module 2 for data and power transmission between the data storage device 3 and the computer main module 2 when the computer main module 2 is activated. In this embodiment, as shown in
The power supply unit 36 is disposed in the casing 30 for supplying electric power to the nonvolatile memory 32, the display 33 and the controller 34 to enable the data storage device 3 to permit viewing of the file names when the computer main module 2 is deactivated or when the data storage device 3 is separated from the computer main module 2. In this embodiment, the power supply unit 36 includes a rechargeable battery that is adapted to be charged by electric power from the computer main module 2 through the input/output interface module 35 when the computer main module 2 is activated.
The operating unit 37 includes a plurality of control keys 371, 372, is mounted on the front plate 301 of the casing 30, and is connected electrically to the controller 34. The operating unit 37 is operable so as to output a control signal to the controller 34 such that the controller 34 permits the viewing of the file names in response to the control signal from the operating unit 37.
The data storage module is a solid state disk 31′ that includes a plurality of NAND flash memories 310 that store the pieces of data and the file names. The pieces of data stored in the NAND flash memories 310 are divided into at least one data cluster. The NAND flash memories 310 are configured with at least one directory corresponding to the data cluster therein and under which the file names are stored.
The controller 34 is operable so as to search for the file names stored in the solid state disk 31′ by displaying a search result including a searched one of the file names on the display 33.
The power supply unit 36 supplies electric power to the solid state disk 31′, the display 33 and the controller 34 to enable the data storage device 3′ to conduct a search of the file names when the computing apparatus is deactivated.
The operating unit 37 is operable so as to output a control signal to the controller 34 such that the controller 34 performs the search in response to the control signal from the operating unit 37.
It is noted that the controller 34 is further operable to perform one of data copying, data deleting and data moving operations on the search result in response to user operation of the operating unit 37 using the electric power from the power supply unit 36 when the computing apparatus is deactivated.
In sum, due to the presence of the nonvolatile memory 32 and the solid state disk 31′, the display 33 and the power supply unit 36, the data storage device 3, 3′ of the present invention can achieve independent and improved data management with relatively low power consumption.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what are considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
