Patent ID: 8185759
Filing Date: 2012-05-22
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of interfacing an external device with a host device through a bus, the method comprising: receiving a first power level at the external device from the host device through the bus, wherein the bus is configured to provide electrical power from the host device to the external device and further configured to provide data communications between the host device and the external device, wherein a hard drive of the external device does not operate while the first power level is received by the external device; retrieving a set of device parameters from a nonvolatile memory of the external device, wherein the device parameters identify the hard drive; providing the device parameters from the external device to the host device through the bus to register the external device with the host device, wherein said providing the device parameters is performed after said receiving the first power level and after said retrieving the set of device parameters, wherein said providing the device parameters allows the external device to receive a second power level that is higher than the first power level; and receiving the second power level at the external device from the host device through the bus to operate the hard drive after the external device is registered with the host device using the device parameters.