Patent ID: 7752470

Claim:
A device controller for coupling one or more controlled devices to one or more processors in a processing system, comprising: a command unit for sending commands to said one or more devices; at least one usage evaluator having an input coupled to an output of said command unit for evaluating a frequency of use of an associated controlled device; control logic coupled to said usage evaluator and further coupled to an input of said command unit for sending power management commands in response to said usage evaluator detecting that a usage level of said associated device has fallen below a threshold level, whereby said device controller power manages said controlled device without intervention by said one or more processors; an output port coupled to said at least one usage evaluator for reading a state of said at least one usage evaluator, whereby a state of said at least one usage evaluator may be stored external to said device controller; and an input port coupled to said at least one usage evaluator for setting a state of said at least one usage evaluator, whereby said state of said at least one usage evaluator may be restored from information stored external to said device controller.