Dynamically managing power consumption of a computer with graphics adapter configurations

1. A method of dynamically managing power consumption of a computer, the computer comprising two or more graphics adapters, each graphics adapter configured to process graphics for display on a computer display, the computer having a plurality of graphics adapter configurations, each graphics adapter configuration comprising one or more of the graphics adapters, the method comprising:

monitoring, by a graphics driver, operation of a current graphics adapter configuration, the monitored operation characterized by a graphics processing load;

determining, by the graphics driver in dependence upon the graphics processing load of the current graphics adapter configuration, whether operation of the current graphics adapter configuration conforms to predefined graphics processing criteria, the predefined graphics processing criteria having graphics adapter configurations that are each associated with particular graphics processing loads;

if operation of the current graphics adapter configuration conforms to the predefined graphics processing criteria, processing graphics, by the graphics adapter, for display with the one or more graphics adapters of the current graphics adapter configuration; and

if operation of the current graphics adapter configuration does not conform to the predefined graphics processing criteria, processing graphics, by the graphics adapter, for display with the one or more graphics adapters of another graphics adapter configuration.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

upon startup and during initial boot procedures of the computer, activating only a default graphics adapter configuration including a least power consuming graphics adapter of the computer.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the least power consuming graphics adapter of the computer comprises a graphics adapter integrated with the computer's main motherboard.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein outputs of the two or more graphics adapters of the computer are connected, external to a computer enclosure, to a same input port of a computer display.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein outputs of the two or more graphics adapters of the computer are connected, inside a computer enclosure, to a same output port of the computer, the output port connecting the computer to a computer display.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

monitoring operation of a current graphics adapter configuration further comprises monitoring an instantaneous display frame rate of the current graphics adapter configuration;

determining, in dependence upon the graphics processing load of the current graphics adapter configuration, whether operation of the current graphics adapter configuration conforms to predefined graphics processing criteria further comprises determining whether the instantaneous display frame rate of the current graphics adapter configuration falls within a range of frame rates specified by the predefined graphics processing criteria for the current graphics adapter configuration.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein:

monitoring operation of a current graphics adapter configuration further comprises detecting a launch of an application program; and

determining, in dependence upon the graphics processing load of the current graphics adapter configuration, whether operation of the current graphics adapter configuration conforms to predefined graphics processing criteria further comprises identifying, in accordance with the predefined graphics processing criteria, a graphics adapter configuration for the launched application program.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein:

monitoring operation of a current graphics adapter configuration further comprises detecting a system-wide change in graphics quality settings; and

determining, in dependence upon the graphics processing load of the current graphics adapter configuration, whether operation of the current graphics adapter configuration conforms to predefined graphics processing criteria further comprises identifying, in accordance with the predefined graphics processing criteria, a graphics adapter configuration for the changed system-wide graphics quality settings.

9. Apparatus for dynamically managing power consumption of a computer, the computer comprising two or more graphics adapters, each graphics adapter configured to process graphics for display on a computer display, the computer having a plurality of graphics adapter configurations, each graphics adapter configuration comprising one or more of the graphics adapters, the apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions capable of:

monitoring, by a graphics driver, operation of a current graphics adapter configuration, the monitored operation characterized by a graphics processing load;

determining, by the graphics driver in dependence upon the graphics processing load of the current graphics adapter configuration, whether operation of the current graphics adapter configuration conforms to predefined graphics processing criteria, the predefined graphics processing criteria having graphics adapter configurations that are each associated with particular graphics processing loads;

if operation of the current graphics adapter configuration conforms to the predefined graphics processing criteria, processing graphics, by the graphics adapter, for display with the one or more graphics adapters of the current graphics adapter configuration; and

if operation of the current graphics adapter configuration does not conform to the predefined graphics processing criteria, processing graphics, by the graphics adapter, for display with the one or more graphics adapters of another graphics adapter configuration.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

upon startup and during initial boot procedures of the computer, activating only a default graphics adapter configuration including a least power consuming graphics adapter of the computer.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein outputs of the two or more graphics adapters of the computer are connected, external to a computer enclosure, to a same input port of a computer display.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein outputs of the two or more graphics adapters of the computer are connected, inside a computer enclosure, to a same output port of the computer, the output port connecting the computer to a computer display.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein:

monitoring operation of a current graphics adapter configuration further comprises monitoring an instantaneous display frame rate of the current graphics adapter configuration;

determining, in dependence upon the graphics processing load of the current graphics adapter configuration, whether operation of the current graphics adapter configuration conforms to predefined graphics processing criteria further comprises determining whether the instantaneous display frame rate of the current graphics adapter configuration falls within a range of frame rates specified by the predefined graphics processing criteria for the current graphics adapter configuration.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein:

monitoring operation of a current graphics adapter configuration further comprises detecting a launch of an application program; and

determining, in dependence upon the graphics processing load of the current graphics adapter configuration, whether operation of the current graphics adapter configuration conforms to predefined graphics processing criteria further comprises identifying, in accordance with the predefined graphics processing criteria, a graphics adapter configuration for the launched application program.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein:

monitoring operation of a current graphics adapter configuration further comprises detecting a system-wide change in graphics quality settings; and

determining, in dependence upon the graphics processing load of the current graphics adapter configuration, whether operation of the current graphics adapter configuration conforms to predefined graphics processing criteria further comprises identifying, in accordance with the predefined graphics processing criteria, a graphics adapter configuration for the changed system-wide graphics quality settings.

16. A computer program product for dynamically managing power consumption of a computer, the computer comprising two or more graphics adapters, each graphics adapter configured to process graphics for display on a computer display, the computer having a plurality of graphics adapter configurations, each graphics adapter configuration comprising one or more of the graphics adapters, the computer program product disposed in a computer readable, signal bearing medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions capable of:

monitoring, by a graphics driver, operation of a current graphics adapter configuration, the monitored operation characterized by a graphics processing load;

determining, by the graphics driver in dependence upon the graphics processing load of the current graphics adapter configuration, whether operation of the current graphics adapter configuration conforms to predefined graphics processing criteria, the predefined graphics processing criteria having graphics adapter configurations that are each associated with particular graphics processing loads;

if operation of the current graphics adapter configuration conforms to the predefined graphics processing criteria, processing graphics, by the graphics adapter, for display with the one or more graphics adapters of the current graphics adapter configuration; and

if operation of the current graphics adapter configuration does not conform to the predefined graphics processing criteria, processing graphics, by the graphics adapter, for display with the one or more graphics adapters of another graphics adapter configuration.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

upon startup and during initial boot procedures of the computer, activating only a default graphics adapter configuration including a least power consuming graphics adapter of the computer.

18. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein:

monitoring operation of a current graphics adapter configuration further comprises monitoring an instantaneous display frame rate of the current graphics adapter configuration;

determining, in dependence upon the graphics processing load of the current graphics adapter configuration, whether operation of the current graphics adapter configuration conforms to predefined graphics processing criteria further comprises determining whether the instantaneous display frame rate of the current graphics adapter configuration falls within a range of frame rates specified by the predefined graphics processing criteria for the current graphics adapter configuration.

19. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein:

monitoring operation of a current graphics adapter configuration further comprises detecting a launch of an application program; and

determining, in dependence upon the graphics processing load of the current graphics adapter configuration, whether operation of the current graphics adapter configuration conforms to predefined graphics processing criteria further comprises identifying, in accordance with the predefined graphics processing criteria, a graphics adapter configuration for the launched application program.

20. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein:

monitoring operation of a current graphics adapter configuration further comprises detecting a system-wide change in graphics quality settings; and

determining, in dependence upon the graphics processing load of the current graphics adapter configuration, whether operation of the current graphics adapter configuration conforms to predefined graphics processing criteria further comprises identifying, in accordance with the predefined graphics processing criteria, a graphics adapter configuration for the changed system-wide graphics quality settings.