Patent ID: 7468682

Claim:
A method of conserving power in an electronic device reading digital data from a rotating disk storing digital data in order to display visual images and/or produce audible sounds from the read data, the method comprising: rotating a disk storing digital data in order to concurrently first-read digital data from the disk via a disk memory into a buffer memory, whereupon the buffer memory becomes filled the rotating of the disk by a motor and the first-reading of the disk via the disk memory are both stopped and the motor and the disk memory powered off; and, to the extent digital data then exists within the buffer memory, second-reading digital data from the buffer memory so that, concurrently with the second-reading, visual images are displayed and/or audible sounds are produced from the second-read digital data; wherein the second-reading, and the concurrent displaying of visual images and/or producing of audible sounds, transpire during intervals when both the motor causing disk rotation and the disk memory are stopped and powered off because the buffer memory is filled from the rotating disk much faster than the buffer memory is second-read.