Patent ID: 7237054
Filing Date: 2007-06-26
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. In an external disk drive system comprising a disk drive, a bridge controller comprising a plurality of Bridge Controller Host (BCH) interfaces adapted to establish communication between the external disk drive system and an external device via a plurality of different communication mediums, a method for switching from a first BCH interface communicating with the external device via a first communication medium to a second BCH interface during the operation of the external disk drive system, the method comprising: sensing a connecting of a second communication medium to the external disk drive system via the second BCH interface; determining an interface priority of the second communication medium relative to an interface priority of the first communication medium; communicating a request for dismounting the disk drive from the external device via the first BCH interface; dismounting the disk drive from the first communication medium if a valid response is received from the external device via the first BCH interface; and mounting the disk drive to the second communication medium wherein the external disk drive system remains operational during the dismounting and mounting.