Drop Sensor Power Control for Hard Disc Drive Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable recording/reproducing devices with hard disc drives are susceptible to damage from drops, leading to potential data loss and malfunction, with insufficient troubleshooting information and risk of false drop detection.
Innovation Solution
A device with a hard disc drive, drop sensor, power supply control, and memory that disconnects power to the hard disc drive after a predetermined drop time, writes a flag indicating power disconnection, and displays the status, while also protecting the imaging lens by controlling the lens cover.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a drop sensor is used to detect drops and move the magnetic head to a home position, then damage to the magnetic head and disc can be prevented, but users cannot understand the device status or troubleshoot effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by recording drop detection information, drop time, and power supply disconnection status in memory, then displaying this information to users through a display section. This allows users to understand what happened during a drop event and troubleshoot effectively while maintaining the protective function of moving the magnetic head to the home position.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces memory and display section as intermediaries between the drop sensor and the user. These components translate the raw drop detection signal into meaningful information that users can understand, bridging the gap between the protective mechanism and user awareness without compromising the magnetic head protection function.
2Reliability
If the device is designed to detect drops and respond automatically, then damage can be prevented, but false detection occurs when the device is moved intentionally or unintentionally
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a time counting section to count for a predetermined time period before triggering the power supply disconnection. This preliminary counting action filters out brief movements that are not actual drops, reducing false detection while maintaining effective protection when a real drop occurs.
3Reliability
If power is forcibly disconnected during a drop to prevent damage, then the magnetic head is protected, but data recording is interrupted and may be lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by counting for a predetermined time before disconnecting power, which allows the system to distinguish actual drops from normal movements. This delayed response minimizes unnecessary interruptions to data recording while still protecting the magnetic head when a real drop occurs.
4Reliability
If the device responds to all detected drops by disconnecting power, then protection is maximized, but normal operation is interrupted during intentional device movement
Solution Approach 1:
The time counting section serves as a preliminary filter that counts for a predetermined time period before triggering protection actions. This delays the response until it's certain that a real drop has occurred, preventing premature interruption of normal operation during intentional device movement while maintaining maximum protection when actual drops occur.
Data Source
AI summary
A drop sensor detects a drop of a device. When the drop of the device is detected, a sub CPU allows a counter to count a drop time. When the device drops for a predetermined time or more, the sub CPU controls a regulator so that the regulator forcibly disconnects an electric power to be supplied to a hard disc, and writes a drop occurrence flag into a nonvolatile memory. When the power supply is again turned on, a main CPU allows a display section to display information indicating that the power supply is disconnected due to the drop of the device.