Patent Application
20080080083
For a detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular system components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, computer companies may refer to a component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name but not functions. In the following discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . .” Also, the term “couple” or “couples” is intended to mean either an indirect, direct, optical or wireless electrical connection. Thus, if a first device couples to a second device, that connection may be through a direct electrical connection, through an indirect electrical connection via other devices and connections, through an optical electrical connection, or through a wireless electrical connection. Also, the term “reader/writer” is intended to mean a device that only reads data from a storage medium, a device that only writes data to a storage medium and/or a device that reads data from and writes data to a storage medium.
Embodiments provide a reader/writer that is selectively stored within a device chassis or housing. The reader/writer may be, for example, an optical drive that reads/writes optical disks such as CD-ROMs or DVD-ROMs. As needed, the reader/writer is positionable external to the device chassis to perform read/write operations. For example, the reader/writer could pivot between an internal storage position (within the chassis) and an external operational position (outside the chassis). Additionally or alternatively, the reader/writer could slide between an internal storage position and an external operational position. In at least some embodiments, the device implementing the reader/writer does not allocate space within the chassis for the storage medium associated with the reader/writer (e.g. an optical disk is associated with an optical drive). Also, the reader/writer can be sized and shaped to diminish the amount of space which the reader/writer occupies within the chassis while in the internal storage position.
As shown, the device 100 further comprises a reader/writer 120 coupled to the processor 102. In at least some embodiments, the reader/writer 120 is an optical drive that reads or writes optical disks. Alternatively, the reader/writer 120 may be, for example, a hard drive, a tape drive or some other reader/writer 120 now known or later developed.
As shown in
The reader/writer 120 also comprises read/write hardware (HW) 124. The read/write HW 124 corresponds to hardware components involved with reading from a storage medium or writing to a storage medium. In at least some embodiments, the read/write HW 124 comprises read/write control logic that directs hardware components to perform read or write operations based on control signals. The control signals could be user-activated (e.g. if a user enters a read or write request via the user input device 106) or device-activated (erg, if an application being executed requests a read or write operation). In response to the control signals, the read/write control logic operates hardware that reads from or writes to a storage medium. For example, if the reader/writer 120 is an optical drive, the read/write control logic is able to operate a laser lens, a spindle motor, an optical pickup unit, a damper, or other hardware involved with reading from or writing to an optical disk.
The reader/writer 120 also comprises a hold/release mechanism 126. The hold/release mechanism 126 corresponds to hardware involved with holding and releasing a storage medium. While the storage medium is “held,” the reader/writer 120 is able to perform read or write operations. Also, removal of the storage medium or disruption of the storage medium during a read or write operation is prevented or is otherwise made difficult. While the storage medium is “released,” the reader/writer 120 cannot perform read or write operations. Also, a user is able to remove a storage medium from the reader/writer 120. Another storage medium can then be placed in the reader/writer or the reader/writer 120 can be placed in the internal storage position. In at least some embodiments, the hold/release mechanism 126 comprises hold/release control logic that directs hardware components to hold or release a storage medium based on control signals. The control signals could be user-activated (e.g., if a user presses a button, touches a lever, requests a hold function or requests a release function) or device-activated (e.g., if an application being executed requests a hold function or a release function). In response to the control signals, the hold/release control logic operates hardware that holds a storage medium or releases a storage medium. As an example, if the hold/release mechanism 126 comprises at least one support arm that selectively holds and releases an optical disk, the hold/release control logic may move the at least one support arm to selectively hold or release the optical disk. In different embodiments, the hold/release mechanism 126 can be operated based on manual force, electro-mechanical force or a combination of both.
In at least some embodiments, the reader/writer 120 comprises at least one support arm without a reader/writer housing (i.e. other than the computer system chassis, the support arm lacks another housing or enclosure). In this manner, the reader/writer 120 is sized and shaped to diminish the amount of space which the reader/writer 120 occupies within the chassis while in the internal storage position.
As shown in
When executed, the read/write instructions 110 cause the reader/writer 120 to read from or write to a storage medium. In at least some embodiments, the read/write instructions 110 support a predetermined read protocol or a predetermined write protocol compatible with the reader/writer 120 and the storage medium. As an example, if the reader/writer 120 receives a request to read data from a storage medium, the read/write instructions 110 enable verification and activation of the read/write HW 124. In some embodiments, the read/write instructions 110 enable some or all of the control signals to be provided to the read/write control logic previously mentioned. For example, the read/write instructions 110 may cause the processor 102 to monitor and process input signals (user-controlled, application-controlled or both) and to generate control signals for the read/write control logic accordingly.
In some embodiments, the read/write instructions 110 enable a file or memory space to be prepared in the storage 108 for receiving data read from the storage medium via the reader/writer 120. The read/write instructions 110 also enable the processor 102 to determine when a read operation is completed or interrupted. In response to a completed or interrupted read operation, the read/write instructions 110 enable additional functions such as reads, writes, interrupt handling, error logging, error correction, re-starting a read, de-activating the read/write HW 124 or other operations.
If the reader/writer 120 receives a request to write data to a storage medium, the read/write instructions 110 may enable verification and activation of the read/write HW 124. Again, the read/write instructions 110 enable some or all of the control signals to be provided to the read/write control logic previously mentioned. The read/write instructions 110 also access a file or memory space in the storage 108 and transfer data from the file or memory space to the storage medium via the reader/writer 120. The read/write instructions 110 also enable the processor 102 to determine when a write operation is completed or interrupted. In response to a completed or interrupted write operation, the read/write instructions 110 enable additional functions such as reads, writes, interrupt handling, error logging, error correction, re-starting a write, de-activating the read/write HW 124 or other operations.
When executed, the positioning instructions 112 enable the reader/writer 120 to position itself in an external operational position or in an internal storage position. In some embodiments, the positioning instructions 112 enable some or all of the control signals to be provided to the positioning control logic previously mentioned. For example, the positioning instructions 112 may cause the processor 102 to monitor and process input signals (user-controlled, application-controlled, or both) and to generate control signals for the positioning control logic accordingly. The positioning instructions 122 also may enable functions such as determining if the reader/writer 120 is unable to be placed in the external operational position or in the internal storage position and determining if the reader/writer 120 has successfully been placed in the external operational position or in the internal storage position.
When executed, the hold/release instructions 114 cause the reader/writer 120 to hold or release a storage medium. In some embodiments, the hold/release instructions 114 enable some or all of the control signals to be provided to the positioning control logic previously mentioned. For example, the hold/release instructions 114 may cause the processor 102 to monitor and process input signals (user-controlled, application-controlled or both) and to generate control signals for the hold/release control logic accordingly.
As no longer needed, the reader/writer 220 is pivoted to the internal storage position within the chassis or housing 230 of the laptop computer 202. In such case, the storage medium 210 is released before the reader/writer 220 is pivoted to the internal storage position.
As no longer needed, the reader/writer 320 is retracted to the internal storage position within the chassis or housing 330 of the laptop computer 302. In such case, the storage medium 310 is released before the reader/writer 320 is retracted to the internal storage position.
The optical drive 420 also comprises read/write hardware (HW) 124. The read/write HW 124 corresponds to hardware components involved with reading from a storage medium or writing to a storage medium. The read/write HW 124 shown in
The optical drive 420 also comprises a hold/release mechanism 126. The hold/release mechanism 126 enables the optical drive 420 to selectively hold and release an optical disk 410. As shown, the hold/release mechanism 126 may enable a support arm 406 to open (releasing the optical disk 410) or close (holding the optical disk 410). The hold/release mechanism 126 shown in
As shown in
The method 500 further comprises waiting for a request to store the reader/writer (determination block 508). The request to store the reader/writer may be user-controlled, application-controlled, or both. For example, the request to store the reader/writer may involve manual force, signals from a user input device, or signals from an application being executed by the device (e.g., the laptop) associated with the reader/writer. If a request to store the reader/writer is received (determination block 508), the method 500 positions the reader/writer within the device chassis or housing (block 502). In at least some embodiments, the storage medium is released from the reader/writer before positioning the reader/writer within the device chassis or housing.
The above discussion is meant to be illustrative of the principles and various embodiments of the present invention. Numerous variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated. For example, a reader/writer could be manually stored within a compartment or slot of a device chassis and placed into the external operational position by plugging the reader/writer into a corresponding port. It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such variations and modifications.
