System co-processor

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide assigning two different class identifiers to a device to allow loading to an operating system as different devices. The device may be a graphics device. The graphics device may be integrated in various configurations, including but not limited to a central processing unit, chipset and so forth. The processor or chipset may be associated with a first identifier associated with a graphics processor and a second device identifier that enables the processor or chipset as a co-processor.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a circuit representing a first component having graphics functionality;   a second component having graphics functionality; and   a processor coupled to said circuit to automatically perform a selection step in which the processor selects either the first component or the second component to handle a graphics processing task, thereby defining a selected component and a non-selected component,   wherein:
 the non-selected component, after the selection step has been performed, is responsive to a command from the processor directing the non-selected component to achieve a state other than one in which it handles the graphics processing task. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said circuit is a chipset. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the processor to automatically power down the non-selected component. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the state achieved by the non-selected component comprises performance of non-graphics processing. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the state achieved by the non-selected component comprises an idle condition wherein no processing is performed. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the state achieved by the non-selected component comprises a reduced power condition. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the reduced power condition comprises a condition in which the non-selected component is powered off. 
     
     
         8 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions to enable a processor to:
 perform a selection step in which the processor automatically selects a particular one of a plurality of components having graphics functionality that are present on a platform, thereby defining a selected component and at least one non-selected component;   automatically configure the platform such that the selected component handles the graphics processing task; and   generate a command, after the selection step has been performed, directing the non-selected component to achieve a state other than one in which it handles the graphics processing task, the non-selected component being responsive to said command.   
     
     
         9 . The medium of  claim 8  further storing instructions to determine if a co-processor mode is enabled if a graphics processing capability is resident on said platform. 
     
     
         10 . The medium of  claim 8  further storing instructions to automatically power down a non-selected one of the plurality of components. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 determining a graphics processing requirement of a system configuration of a platform having a plurality of components having graphics functionality; and   automatically configuring a particular one of the plurality of components on said platform to be used for graphics processing based on the graphics processing requirement, thereby defining a selected component and at least one non-selected component, after which the non-selected component is responsive to a command directing the non-selected component to achieve a state other than one in which it handles the graphics processing task.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  including determining if a co-processor mode is enabled if a graphics processing capability is resident on said platform. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the graphics processing requirement is determined based at least in part upon whether the system configuration uses an advanced graphics framework. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the system configuration comprises a first workload. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the system configuration comprises a first condition. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the system configuration comprises a first power budget. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising automatically powering down a second particular one of the plurality of components on said platform based on the graphics processing requirement. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the state achieved by the non-selected component comprises one of:
 performance of non-graphics processing; 
 an idle condition wherein no processing is performed; and 
 a reduced power condition.