Patent ID: 7721125

Claim:
A computer system comprising: a plurality of computers each having at least one processor and an activity monitor identifying a level of activity indicator for said at least one processor; each of said computers being configured to operate in a plurality of modes wherein each mode has a respective maximum performance level and a respective maximum power consumption rate; and a power manager: (i) coupled to each of said computers and receiving said level of activity information from each of said plurality of computers; (ii) analyzing said plurality of received level of activity information; (iii) determining an operating mode for each of said computers selected from said plurality of modes based on said analyzed plurality of activity information and predetermined policies; and (iv) generating commands to each of said plurality of computers directing each of said plurality of computers to operate in said determined operating mode; and wherein power (or energy) is conserved by controlling the plurality of computers in aggregate based on a control procedure algorithm and said policy to enter selected levels of power (energy) saving by adjusting the performance of the processors within the computers among said plurality of modes to substantially match the aggregate computer processor loading demands.