Patent ID: 6590730
Filing Date: 2003-07-08
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A method, implemented by a processor in a digital music player that stores audio tracks on a hard disk drive, for managing the modes of the hard disk drive, said method comprising the acts of:while the disk is spinning, reading a block of audio data from the disk and storing the block in a buffer; subsequent to reading the block, spinning down the disk to a resting state and playing the block from the buffer; while the block is being played from the buffer, monitoring the amount of the block left to be played; when the amount the block left to be played drops to or below a low threshold level, transitioning the disk from the resting state back to a spinning mode so that data can be read from the disk before the block is finished being played from the buffer; monitoring a battery voltage level in the digital music player; and if the battery voltage level is below a selected level, keeping the disk in the spinning state subsequent to reading the block from the disk to avoid a large current drain required to spin the disk up from the resting state.