Patent ID: 7461271

Claim:
A portable device comprising: a data interface for transmitting and receiving data; a battery unit for providing power to the portable device in a first power supply mode; a power interface for connecting to an external power supply unit for providing the power in a second power supply mode; a power switch configured to switch between the battery unit and the external power supply unit; an optical recording apparatus having a drive data interface, a drive power interface and a drive mode interface, wherein the drive data interface is configured for data access to and from an optical record carrier of the optical recording apparatus, the drive power interface is configured for receiving power from the power switch, and the drive mode interface is configured for receiving a mode signal; and a mode switch configured to detect a voltage level of the power supplied to the drive power interface through the power switch and to provide the mode signal to the drive mode interface for switching the optical recording apparatus into a first accessing mode having a lower data rate than a second accessing mode when the voltage level at the drive power interface falls below a predetermined value; wherein the mode switch is external to the optical recording apparatus and internal in the portable device for being switched by an application running on the optical recording apparatus.