Patent ID: 6845422

Claim:
A device for storing data, comprising: an interfacing circuit that comprises a data communication path through which said data can be bilaterally communicated between said device for storing data and an external device, which is coupled to said device for storing data with a first interface cable, and a first power-supplying path through which a power current can be bilaterally supplied between said device for storing data and said external device, wherein said first interface cable also comprises said data communication path and said first power-supplying path, and wherein a peripheral device can be also coupled to said device for storing data through a second interface cable; a data-storing unit to store said data sent from said interfacing circuit; a plurality of interface connecting ports serving as input/output terminals of said interfacing circuit, wherein said first interface cable can be connected to a first interface connecting port being one of said plurality of interface connecting ports, and wherein said second interface cable can be connected to a second interface connecting port being another one of said plurality of interface connecting ports; and a power-supply section to supply a first power current for driving said data-storing unit, wherein a second power current, being a part of said first power current output by said power-supply section, is also supplied to said peripheral device through a second power-supplying path included in said second interface cable connected to said second interface connecting port; and a power controller to control said interfacing circuit in such a manner that a third power current, supplied from said external device through said first interface connecting port, is further supplied to said peripheral device through said second interface connecting port, only when said power controller detects that said power-supply section is deactivated.