High priority notification system and method

A method for consuming high priority content at a battery-powered device while conserving battery power, comprising:

• transitioning from an idle state to an acquisition state, wherein the acquisition state is a transient state between the idle state and an active state;
• receiving a high priority broadcast signal comprising a high priority identifying symbol, a high priority indication symbol, and a timing symbol, wherein the timing symbol includes a minimum time period until a next expected high priority broadcast signal;
• upon successfully decoding the high priority identifying symbol, inspecting the high priority indication symbol to determine whether high priority content is present;
• transitioning from the acquisition state to the active state to consume the high priority content in response to determining that high priority content is present;
• inspecting the timing symbol to determine the minimum time period until the next expected high priority broadcast signal;
• and
• returning to the idle state until the minimum time period until the next expected high priority broadcast signal has expired.

A battery-powered device, comprising:

• a memory that stores instructions;
• and
• a processor, upon executing the instructions, configured to:
• transition the battery-powered device from an idle state to an acquisition state, wherein the acquisition state is a transient state between the idle state and an active state;
• receive a high priority broadcast signal comprising a high priority identifying symbol, a high priority indication symbol, and a timing symbol, wherein the timing symbol includes a minimum time period until a next expected high priority broadcast signal;
• upon successfully decoding the high priority identifying symbol, inspect the high priority indication symbol to determine whether high priority content is present;
• transition the battery-powered device from the acquisition state to the active state to consume the high priority content in response to determining that high priority content is present;
• inspect the timing symbol to determine the minimum time period until the next expected high priority broadcast signal;
• and
• return the battery-powered device to the idle state until the minimum time period until the next expected high priority broadcast signal has expired.