Information processing apparatus and control method for information processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11520495-B2
Application number	US-202016938410-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2020
Priority date	Aug 28, 2019
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a solid state drive (SSD) that stores information, a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) controller that reads information from the SSD, writes information to the SSD, and transmits a device sleep (DEVSLP) signal for shifting the SSD to a DEVSLP state, and a power source control unit that can stop power to the SATA controller and transmits the DEVSLP signal for shifting the SSD to the DEVSLP state during a period in which the power to the SATA controller is stopped.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:
a storage device configured to store information;
a storage device controller configured to read information from the storage device and to write information to the storage device, wherein the storage device controller controls, during a first time period, a power state of the storage device between a power on state and a power saving state, the first time period being a period in which the information processing apparatus is in a first state, the first state being a state in which the storage device controller is being supplied with power; and
a power control unit configured to:
stop supply of power to the storage device controller without stopping supply of power to the storage device, during a second time period, wherein the second time period is a period in which the information processing apparatus is in a second state, the second state being a state in which the storage device controller is not being supplied with power; and
directly control the power state of the storage device between the power on state and the power saving state, during the second time period,

wherein the power state of the storage device is controlled by the storage device controller during the first time period and by the power control unit during the second time period.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the storage device controller transmits a signal for shifting the storage device from the power on state to the power saving state during the first time period in which power is supplied to the storage device controller.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a signal output unit configured to receive a signal transmitted from the storage device controller and a signal transmitted from the power control unit, and to output one of these signals to the storage device.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the signal output unit is a switch, and
wherein the power control unit transmits a switching signal to the switch, and the switch is connected so that the signal transmitted from the storage device controller is input to the storage device or so that the signal transmitted from the power control unit is input to the storage device, depending on the switching signal received from the power control unit.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the storage device controller is a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment controller.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising another Serial Advanced Technology Attachment controller configured to communicate with the Serial Advanced Technology Attachment controller,
wherein the Serial Advanced Technology Attachment controller is a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment-Serial Advanced Technology Attachment bridge that is arranged between the another Serial Advanced Technology Attachment controller and the storage device.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the storage device is a solid state drive.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a power source unit configured to supply first power to a first power source domain including the storage device and the power control unit, and to supply second power to a second power source domain including the storage device controller,
wherein the power control unit is able to stop the supply of power to the first power source domain and/or the second power source domain.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a printer unit configured to print an image on a recording medium.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a scanner unit configured to scan an image on a document.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the storage device is non-volatile drive.

12. A method for controlling an information processing apparatus including (i) a storage device configured to store information, (ii) a storage device controller configured to read information from the storage device and to write information to the storage device, wherein the storage device controller controls, during a first time period, a power state of the storage device between a power on state and a power saving state, the first time period being a period in which the information processing apparatus is in a first state, the first state being a state in which the storage device controller is being supplied with power, and (iii) a power control unit, the method comprising:
causing the power control unit to stop supply of power to the storage device controller without stopping supply of power to the storage device, during a second time period,
wherein the second time period is a period in which the information processing apparatus is in a second state, the second state being a state in which the storage device controller is not being supplied with power; and
causing the power control unit to directly control the power state of the storage device between the power on state and the power saving state between the power on state and the power saving state, during the second time period,
wherein the power state of the storage device is controlled by the storage device controller during the first time period and by the power control unit during the second time period.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the storage device controller transmits a signal for shifting the storage device from the power on state to the power saving state during the first time period in which power is supplied to the storage device controller.

14. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising receiving a signal transmitted from the storage device controller and a signal transmitted from the power control unit, and to output one of these signals to the storage device.

15. The method according to claim 14 ,
wherein the signal output unit is a switch, and
wherein the power control unit transmits a switching signal to the switch, and the switch is connected so that the signal transmitted from the storage device controller is input to the storage device or so that the signal transmitted from the power control unit is input to the storage device, depending on the switching signal received from the power control unit.

16. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the storage device controller is a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment controller.

17. The method according to claim 16 ,
wherein the information processing apparatus further comprises another Serial Advanced Technology Attachment controller configured to communicate with the Serial Advanced Technology Attachment controller,
wherein the Serial Advanced Technology Attachment controller is a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment-Serial Advanced Technology Attachment bridge that is arranged between the another Serial Advanced Technology Attachment controller and the storage device.

18. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the storage device is a solid state drive.

19. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising supplying first power to a first power source domain including the storage device and the power control unit, and supplying second power to a second power source domain including the storage device controller,
wherein the power control unit is able to stop the supply of power to the first power source domain and

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Hashimoto Minoru

Classifications

• G06F3/0679 Primary

  Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP] · CPC title

• G06F1/3287

  by switching off individual functional units in the computer system · CPC title

• G06F1/3284

  Power saving in printer · CPC title

• G06F3/0655

  Vertical data movement, i.e. input-output transfer; data movement between one or more hosts and one or more storage devices · CPC title

• Y02D10/00

  Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management · CPC title