Abstract:
A method for indicating storage capacity is applied in a storage device. The storage device includes a main storage unit, a capacity indicator, a driver, and a secondary storage unit. The second storage unit stores a preset storage capacity value and a drive table recording relationship between storage capacity difference ranges and rotation angles of the driver. The method includes: periodically obtaining a storage capacity value from a computer connected to the storage device; computing a difference between the obtained storage capacity value and the preset storage capacity value; determining the storage capacity difference range the difference falls within and the rotation angle the determined storage capacity difference range corresponds to in the drive table; and controlling the driver to rotate the determined rotation angle to drive the capacity indicator to indicate the obtained storage capacity value. A related storage device is also provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to storage devices and, particularly, to a portable storage device and a method for indicating storage capacity of the portable storage device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Commonly, if a user wants to know available or used storage capacity of a portable storage device, he or she often connects the portable storage device to a computer to get the current storage capacity. However, after a period of time, the user may forget the storage capacity, and has to use a computer again to get the storage capacity, which is troublesome. Attaching a label on a portable storage device to indicate storage capacity may solve the problem. However, the labels may easily fall off from the storage device. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The components of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of a portable storage device and a method for indicating storage capacity. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views. 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a portable storage device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a driver and a capacity indicator of the portable storage device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a method for indicating storage capacity in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a portable storage device  100  is illustrated. The device  100  includes a main storage unit  10  and a communication unit  20 . The main storage unit  10  stores data, such as images, videos, and the like. The device  100  is connected to a computer  200  through the communication unit  20 . The communication unit  20  may be a universal serial bus (USB) port, a BLUETOOTH unit, an infrared unit, or the like. 
         [0010]    The device  100  further includes a capacity indicator  30 , a driver  40 , and a secondary storage unit  50 . The capacity indicator  30  is configured to indicate a current storage capacity value of the main storage unit  10 . In this embodiment, the current storage capacity value is the current available storage capacity value. In an alternative embodiment, the current storage capacity value is the current used storage capacity value. The driver  40  is configured to drive the capacity indicator  30  to indicate the current storage capacity value. 
         [0011]    The secondary storage unit  50  stores a preset storage capacity value and a drive table recording relationship between storage capacity difference ranges and rotation angles of the driver  40 . As described below, in the drive table, each storage capacity difference range corresponds to one rotation angle. In this embodiment, the preset storage capacity value is the current available storage capacity value of the main storage unit  10 . In an alternative embodiment, the preset storage capacity value is the current used storage capacity value of the main storage unit  10 . When the storage capacity of the main storage unit  10  is changed, the preset storage capacity value is correspondingly updated. Therefore, the preset storage capacity value always represents the current available or used storage capacity value of the main storage unit  10 . 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Drive Table 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Storage capacity difference range 
                 Rotation angle 
               
               
                   
               
               
                   
                   0 G~0.2 G 
                 1 degrees 
               
               
                   
                 0.2 G~0.4 G 
                 2 degrees 
               
               
                   
                 . . . 
                 . . . 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0012]    The device  100  further includes a processing unit  60 . The processing unit  60  includes a storage capacity obtaining module  62 , a determining module  64 , and a driver control module  66 . 
         [0013]    The storage capacity obtaining module  62  is configured to periodically obtain a current storage capacity value of the main storage unit  10  from the computer  200  when the device  100  is connected to the computer  200 . 
         [0014]    The determining module  64  is configured to determine a difference between the obtained storage capacity value and the preset storage capacity value. If the difference is greater than zero, the determining module  64  determines the storage capacity difference range the difference falls within and the rotation angle the determined storage capacity difference range corresponds to in the drive table, and replaces the preset storage capacity value with the obtained storage capacity value. In this embodiment, a difference falling within one storage capacity difference range includes that the difference is equal to the upper threshold of the storage capacity difference range. 
         [0015]    The driver control module  66  is configured to control the driver  40  to rotate the determined rotation angle in clockwise or counterclockwise direction to drive the capacity indicator  30  to indicate the obtained storage capacity value. 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , in this embodiment, the capacity indicator  30  includes a transparent glass tube  32 , an elastic capsule  34 , and colored liquid  36 . The tube  32  and the capsule  34  cooperatively form an enclosed space to receive the liquid  36 . The tube  32  defines a storage capacity graduation on its surface. The driver  40  includes a motor  402  and a cam  404  connected to the motor  402 . The motor  402  may be a servo motor. The motor  402  can drive the cam  404  to rotate. The rotation of the cam  42  can contract the capsule  34 , which causes the liquid  36  to flow in the enclosed space. The graduation value aligned with the liquid  36  thus changes, that is, the storage capacity value indicated by the capacity indicator  30  changes. 
         [0017]    In this embodiment, the graduation values gradually increase from a top of the tube  32  to the capsule  34 , and the graduation values represent different available storage capacity values of the main storage unit  10 . Initially, the main storage unit  10  has the greatest available storage capacity, the capsule  34  is in a normal state, and the liquid  36  is aligned with the graduation value representing the greatest available storage capacity. If the device  100  is connected to the computer  200 , and some data is stored in the main storage unit  10 , the available storage capacity of the main storage unit  10  correspondingly decreases, and the obtained available storage capacity value is less than the preset storage capacity value. The determining module  64  then determines the rotation angle corresponding to the obtained available storage capacity value and replaces the preset storage capacity value with the obtained storage capacity value. The driver control module  66  controls the motor  402  to rotate the cam  404  the determined rotation angle clockwise. The rotation of the cam  404  contracts the capsule  34 , causing the liquid  36  to rise to a position aligned with the graduation value representing the obtained available storage capacity value. Correspondingly, if some data is deleted from the main storage unit  10 , the obtained available storage capacity value is greater than the preset storage capacity value. The driver control module  66  then controls the motor  402  to rotate the cam  404  the rotation angle corresponding to the obtained available storage capacity value counterclockwise, causing the liquid  36  to drop to a position aligned with the graduation value representing the obtained available storage capacity value. 
         [0018]    In an alternative embodiment, the graduation values gradually increase from a top of the tube  32  to the capsule  34 , and the graduation values represent different used storage capacity values of the main storage unit  10 . Initially, the main storage unit  10  has the least used storage capacity, the capsule  34  is in the normal state, and the liquid  36  is aligned with the graduation value representing the least used storage capacity. If the device  100  is connected to the computer  200 , and some data is stored in the main storage unit  10 , the used storage capacity of the main storage unit  10  increases, and the obtained used storage capacity value is greater than the preset storage capacity value. The determining module  64  then determines the rotation angle corresponding to the obtained used storage capacity value and replaces the preset storage capacity value with the obtained used storage capacity value. The driver control module  66  controls the motor  402  to rotate the cam  404  the determined rotation angle clockwise. The rotation of the cam  404  contracts the capsule  34 , causing the liquid  36  to rise to a position aligned with the graduation value representing the obtained used storage capacity value. Correspondingly, if some data is deleted from the main storage unit  10 , the used available storage capacity value is less than the preset storage capacity value, the driver control module  66  controls the motor  402  to rotate the cam  404  the rotation angle corresponding to the obtained used storage capacity value counterclockwise, causing the liquid  36  to drop to a position aligned with the graduation value representing the obtained used storage capacity value. 
         [0019]    In an another alternative embodiment, the graduation values gradually decrease from a top of the tube  32  to the capsule  34 , and the graduation values represent different available or used storage capacity values of the main storage unit  10 . Initially, the capsule  34  is in a contracted state, causing the liquid  36  to be aligned with the graduation value representing the greatest available or the least used storage capacity. When the device  100  is connected to the computer  200 , and some data is stored in the main storage unit  10 , the capsule  34  is less contracted, and the liquid  36  drops to a position aligned with the graduation value represent the current available or used storage capacity. 
         [0020]    In this embodiment, when the device  100  and the computer  200  are disconnected, the cam  404  keeps in a position where the cam  404  contracts the capsule  34  to cause the liquid  36  to stay in a position aligned with the graduation value representing the current storage capacity value. Therefore, a user can know storage capacity of the device  100  through viewing the liquid  36  being aligned with which of the graduation values. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , a flowchart of a method for indicating storage capacity in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is illustrated. 
         [0022]    In step S 301 , the storage capacity obtaining module  62  periodically obtains a current storage capacity value of the main storage unit  10  from the computer  200  when the device  100  is connected to the computer  200 . In this embodiment, the current storage capacity value is the current available storage capacity. In an alternative embodiment, the current storage capacity value is the current used available storage capacity. 
         [0023]    In step S 302 , the determining module  64  determines a difference between the obtained storage capacity value and the preset storage capacity value. If the difference is zero, the procedure returns to step S 301 , otherwise, the procedure goes to step S 303 . 
         [0024]    In step S 303 , the determining module  64  determines the storage capacity difference range the difference falls within and the rotation angle the determined storage capacity difference range corresponds to in the drive table, and replaces the preset storage capacity value with the obtained storage capacity value. 
         [0025]    In step S 304 , the driver control module  66  controls the driver  40  to rotate the determined rotation angle clockwise or counterclockwise to drive the capacity indicator  30  to indicate the obtained storage capacity value. 
         [0026]    Although the present disclosure has been specifically described on the basis of the exemplary embodiment thereof, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure.