Reconfigurable power modes

A mobile personal emergency response service (MPERS) device with reconfigurable power modes, the MPERS device comprising:

• a microcontroller unit (MCU);
• a processor communicatively coupled to the MCU;
• a communication interface communicatively coupled to the processor;
• and
• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the processor and having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that are executable by the processor to perform or control performance of operations comprising:
• operating the MPERS device in a first power mode in which the communication interface of the MPERS device is continuously powered;
• receiving a power mode reconfiguration command from a server that instructs the MPERS device to operate in a second power mode that is different than the first power mode, wherein in the second power mode, the communication interface of the MPERS device is intermittently powered;
• and
• in response to receiving the power mode reconfiguration command, terminating operation of the MPERS device in the first power mode and operating the MPERS device in the second power mode in which the communication interface is intermittently powered, including powering down the communication interface for an interval of time during operation of the MPERS device in the second power mode and powering the communication interface for another interval of time during operation of the MPERS device in the second power mode:
• wherein when the communication interface is powered down, the communication interface does not draw any power.

A method to reconfigure power modes of a mobile personal emergency response service (MPERS) device, the method comprising:

• operating the MPERS device in a first power mode, wherein operating the MPERS device in the first power mode includes:
• continuously powering a processor of the MPERS device;
• and
• continuously powering a communication interface of the MPERS device;
• receiving a power mode reconfiguration command from a server that instructs the MPERS device to operate in a second power mode that is different than the first power mode;
• and
• in response to receiving the power mode reconfiguration command, terminating operation of the MPERS device in the first power mode and operating the MPERS device in the second power mode, wherein operating the MPERS device in the second power mode includes:
• continuously powering the processor of the MPERS device;
• and
• intermittently powering the communication interface of the MPERS device wherein intermittently powering the communication interface comprises:
• powering on the communication interface according to a predetermined schedule to communicate with the server;
• powering on the communication interface from an off state to report an emergency event in response to actuation of an emergency button of the MPERS device by a user of the MPERS device;
• and
• powering down the communication interface at other times.