ACPI

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
Advanced Configuration and Power Interface
ACPI

   <hardware, standard> (ACPI) An open industry standard
   developed by {Intel}, {Microsoft}, and {Toshiba} for
   configuration and {power management}.

   The key element of the standard is power management with two
   important improvements.  First, it puts the {OS} in control of
   power management.  In the currently existing {APM} model most
   of the power management tasks are run by the {BIOS}, with
   limited intervention from the OS.  In ACPI, the BIOS is
   responsible for the dirty details of communicating with
   hardware equipment but the control is in the OS.

   The other important feature is bringing power management
   features now available only in {portable computers} to
   {desktop computers} and {servers}.  Extremely low consumption
   states, i.e., in which only memory, or not even memory is
   powered, but from which ordinary interrupts (real time clock,
   keyboard, modem, etc.) can quickly wake the system, are today
   available in portables only.  The standard should make these
   available for a wider range of systems.

   For ACPI to work the operating system, the {motherboard}
   chipset, and for some functions even the {CPU} has to be
   designed for it.  Microsoft is heavily driving a move toward
   ACPI, both {Windows NT 5.0} and {Windows 98} will support it.
   It remains to be seen how much hardware manufacturers will
   embrace the technology and whether other operating system
   vendors will support it.

   ACPI Information Page (http://teleport.com/~acpi/).

   (1998-03-27)