Patent ID: 8112651

Claim:
A method for conserving power comprising: determining break-even periods associated with a plurality of power saving states, wherein the break-even period is a minimum time a computer system is to remain in a power saving state to compensate for a power consumed by the computer system to enter and exit the power saving state, determining the power saving state for the computer system to enter, wherein the power saving state is determined using a break-even period associated with the power saving state and an expected idle duration, if a first saving policy is selected, wherein the expected idle duration is determined using a running average of idle durations over a time period prior to a recent sample and the recent sample, wherein the expected idle duration represents network activity, determining the power saving state for the computer system to enter, wherein the power saving state is determined using the break even period and an actual idle duration, if a second saving policy is selected, wherein the actual idle duration is the difference between a first time point and a second time point, wherein the first time point represents a point at which the computer system transitioned to a low state and a second time point represents a point at which the computer system woke-up from the low power state, and transitioning the computer system to the power saving state, wherein the power saving state is a minimum of a first candidate and a second candidate, wherein the first candidate for the power saving state is equal to a first power saving state if the expected idle duration is more than the break-even period and a second candidate for the power saving state is equal to a highest power saving state within maximum allowable resume latency, wherein the power saving state is equal to the first power saving state if the actual idle duration is greater than a next break-even period and less than a reference duration value and to a next higher power saving state if the actual idle duration is greater than the next break-even period and greater than the reference duration value.