Patent Publication Number: US-2011072186-A1

Title: Portable computer capable of converting internal storage device into external storage device

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to portable computers, and more particularly, to a portable computer capable of converting an internal storage device into an external storage device. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,459,629B2, entitled “Extension box of storage media”, discloses an extension box for accommodating storage media therein such that, for example, the storage media function as a portable hard disk drive. According to U.S. Pat. No. 7,459,629B2, the extension box disclosed therein improves on the prior art in that the extension box of U.S. Pat. No. 7,459,629B2 features enhanced heat dissipation. 
     A notebook computer is always provided therein with a high-capacity storage device, such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state hard disk drive (SSD). To enable another computer to access data on the high-capacity storage device of the notebook computer, the notebook computer has to run in a window environment while the user is using Ethernet, USB communication, FTP protocol, and an online hard disk drive. 
     Having noted that a high-capacity storage device provided inside a conventional portable computer is less efficient than a portable hard disk drive in reading and writing data, the inventor of the present invention endeavors to improve the prior art and eventually devises a portable computer for turning an internal storage device into an external storage device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The objective of the present invention is to provide a portable computer capable of functioning as the external storage device without being booted up and thereby making good use of a storage device (such as a SATA hard disk drive) inside the portable computer. 
     To achieve the above and other objectives, the present invention provides a portable computer capable of converting an internal storage device into an external storage device, comprising: an external interface connector; a switcher with an end connected to an internal storage device and another end connected to a south bridge chip and an interface converter so as for the switcher to switch between the south bridge chip and the interface converter and thereby allow one of the south bridge chip and the interface converter to be electrically conducted to the internal storage device; the interface converter with an end connected to the switcher and another end connected to an external interface controller to thereby allow an interface of the external interface controller to be changed and thus be fit for use with the internal storage device; and the external interface controller with an end connected to the interface switcher and another end connected to the external interface connector to thereby at least process signals from the external interface connector. 
     Furthermore, to achieve the above and other objectives, the present invention provides a portable computer capable of converting an internal storage device into an external storage device, comprising: an external interface connector; a switcher with an end connected to an internal storage device and another end connected to a south bridge chip and an external interface controller so as for the switcher to switch between the south bridge chip and the external interface controller and thereby allow one of the south bridge chip and the external interface controller to be electrically conducted to the internal storage device; and the external interface controller with an end connected to the switcher and another end connected to the external interface connector to thereby at least process signals from the external interface connector. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       To enable persons skilled in the art to gain insight into the structures, features, and effects of application of the present invention, the present invention is illustrated with preferred embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of the framework of a first embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of specific implementation of the framework of the first embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of the framework of a second embodiment according to the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of specific implementation of the framework of the second embodiment according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a schematic view of the framework of a first embodiment according to the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a block diagram of specific implementation of the framework of the first embodiment according to the present invention. The present invention provides a portable computer  10 . Where hardware components of the portable computer  10  are directly related to the present invention, the hardware components are shown in the drawings. The drawings omit a component of the portable computer  10  when the component is not directly related to the present invention. The portable computer  10  of the present invention is capable of converting an internal storage device into an external storage device. In practice, an internal storage device  20  (such as a SATA hard disk drive or a SATA solid-state hard disk drive) inside the portable computer  10  is converted into an external storage device, such that the portable computer  10  functions as an external SATA hard disk drive. According to the present invention, the portable computer  10  comprises an external interface connector  101 , a switcher  103 , an interface converter  107 , and an external interface controller  105  as described below. 
     The external interface connector  101  is electrically connected to another electronic device (such as a desktop computer). In practice, the external interface connector  101  is a USB connector, for example. A user may use a USB cable (not shown) to link up another electronic device and the portable computer  10 . 
     The switcher  103  has one end connected to the internal storage device  20  and the other end connected to a south bridge chip  10   a  and the interface converter  107 . The switcher  103  switches between signals of the south bridge chip  10   a  and signals of the interface converter  107  to allow one of the south bridge chip  10   a  and the interface converter  107  to be electrically conducted to the internal storage device  20 . In practice, the switcher  103  is a related conventional circuit. In general, after the portable computer  10  starts to function as an external storage device, the south bridge chip  10   a  does not generate any signals; meanwhile, the switcher  103  allows the interface converter  107  to be electrically conducted to the internal storage device  20  as soon as the switcher  103  detects a signal from the interface converter  107 . After the portable computer  10  boots and executes a window operating system, the interface converter  107  does not generate any signals; meanwhile, the switcher  103  allows the south bridge chip  10   a  to be electrically conducted to the internal storage device  20  as soon as the switcher  103  detects a signal from the south bridge chip  10   a.    
     The interface converter  107  has one end connected to the switcher  103  and the other end connected to the external interface controller  105 . The interface converter  107  allows an interface of the external interface controller  105  to be changed and thus be fit for use with the internal storage device  20 . In practice, the interface converter  107  is a conventional USB to SATA chip. 
     The external interface controller  105  has one end connected to the interface switcher  107  and the other end connected to the external interface connector  101 . The external interface controller  105  at least processes signals from the external interface connector  101 . In practice, the external interface controller  105  is a conventional USB controller comprising a USB engine, for example. 
     The switcher  103 , the interface converter  107 , and the external interface controller  105  are integrated in a single chip. 
     An external power source  40  (such as an AC/DC adaptor) or an internal power source  10   b  (such as a rechargeable lithium-ion battery) of the portable computer  10  supplies power to the internal storage device  20 , the switcher  103 , the interface converter  107 , and the external interface controller  105 . Take a USB external interface connector as an example, where the external power source  40  is in use, the external power source  40  supplies power via a power terminal of the USB external interface connector  101 . 
     In the first embodiment of the present invention, a USB interface and a SATA interface are disclosed. However, persons skilled in the art and well informed of the technical spirit embodied in the first embodiment of the present invention can readily turn a SATA interface into another interface (such as IDE interface) and select a conventional USB to IDE chip to be a means of specific implementation of the interface converter  107 . The changes should fall within the equivalent scope of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a schematic view of the framework of a second embodiment according to the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 4 , there is shown a block diagram of specific implementation of the framework of the second embodiment according to the present invention. The present invention provides a portable computer  30 . Where hardware components of the portable computer  30  are directly related to the present invention, the hardware components are shown in the drawings. The drawings omit a component of the portable computer  30  when the component is not directly related to the present invention. 
     Where an interface (such as SATA) for use with an internal storage device  20  of the portable computer  30  can directly function as an external interface (such as E-SATA), the second embodiment of the present invention is applicable to the internal storage device  20 . According to the present invention, the portable computer  30  comprises an external interface connector  301 , a switcher  303 , and an external interface controller  305  as described below. 
     The external interface connector  301  is electrically connected to another electronic device (such as a desktop computer). In practice, the external interface connector  301  is an E-SATA connector for example. A user may use an E-SATA cable (not shown) to link up another electronic device and the portable computer  30 . 
     The switcher  303  has one end connected to the internal storage device  20  and the other end connected to a south bridge chip  30   a  and the external interface controller  305 . The switcher  303  switches between signals of the south bridge chip  30   a  and signals of the external interface controller  305  to allow one of the signal of the south bridge chip  30   a  and the signal of the external interface controller  305  to be electrically conducted to the internal storage device  20 . In practice, the switcher  303  is a related conventional circuit. In general, after the portable computer  30  starts to function as an external storage device, the south bridge chip  30   a  does not generate any signals; meanwhile, the switcher  303  allows the external interface controller  305  to be electrically conducted to the internal storage device  20  as soon as the switcher  103  detects signals of the external interface controller  305 . After the portable computer  30  boots and executes a window operating system, the external interface controller  305  does not generate any signals; meanwhile, the switcher  303  allows the south bridge chip  30   a  to be electrically conducted to the internal storage device  20  as soon as the switcher  303  detects signals from the south bridge chip  30   a.    
     The external interface controller  305  has one end connected to the switcher  303  and the other end connected to the external interface connector  301 . The external interface controller  305  at least processes signals from the external interface connector  101 . In practice, the external interface controller  305  is a conventional E-SATA controller, for example. 
     The switcher  303  and the external interface controller  305  are integrated in a single chip. 
     The external power source  40  (such as an AC/DC adaptor) or an internal power source  30   b  (such as a rechargeable lithium-ion battery) of the portable computer  30  supplies power to the internal storage device  20 , the switcher  303 , and the external interface controller  305 . The portable computer  30  is always equipped with a USB connector for connection with an external USB electronic device (such as a USB flash drive). Where the external power source  40  is in use, the external power source  40  supplies power via a power terminal of the USB connector, and the power terminal of the USB connector is electrically connected to the internal storage device  20 , the switcher  303 , and the external interface controller  305 . 
     The portable computers  10 ,  30  are each a notebook computer, for example. 
     The present invention provides a portable computer capable of functioning as an external storage device without being booted up and thereby increasing the value-add of the portable computer. The above technical features embody the advantages of the present invention. 
     The foregoing embodiments are provided to illustrate the present invention and are not intended to be restrictive of the scope of implementation of the present invention. It should be understood by those in the art that obvious variations and modifications can be made to the foregoing embodiments without departing from the substantive disclosure of the present invention.