Patent ID: 8493394

Claim:
A method for enhancing the graphics capability of a mobile computing device, comprising: detecting the presence of an external graphics subsystem after the external graphics subsystem is attached to the mobile computing device, wherein the external graphics subsystem includes a video bridge coupled to a first mobile graphics module and a second mobile graphics module and configured to establish a connection to a corresponding video bridge in the mobile computing device; determining that a workload of the mobile computing device is above a threshold value; in response to determining that the workload is above the threshold value, then: transmitting a power enable signal to the external graphics subsystem, and activating PCIe signaling channels after having received a ready signal from the external graphics subsystem to enable data communications between the mobile computing device and the external graphics subsystem; and receiving an indication from a software application that a three-dimensional (3D) mode is not needed, switching to a two-dimensional (2D) mode, and disabling the external graphics subsystem.