Method and apparatus for operating a radiotelephone in an extended stand-by mode of operation for conserving battery power

A radiotelephone, comprising:

• means for receiving at least a Word Synchronization pattern during a frame that is transmitted over a control channel;
• means for receiving a first repeat of a control message that follows the Word Synchronization pattern within the frame;
• means for determining if the first repeat was correctly received;
• means, responsive to the first repeat being correctly received, for determining if at least one reception-related criterion is met, wherein the at least one reception-related criterion is indicative of a characteristic of a received signal during a period of time that precedes the reception of at least the Word Synchronization pattern during the transmitted frame;
• and
• means, responsive to the at least one reception-related criterion being determined to be met, for selectively removing operating power from one or more portions of a receiver of the radiotelephone for a predetermined time period during a remainder of the frame.

A method for reducing the power consumption of a radiotelephone, comprising the steps of:

• receiving with a radiotelephone at least a Word Synchronization pattern from a frame that is transmitted over an RF link;
• receiving a first repeat of a message that follows the Word Synchronization pattern within the frame;
• determining if the first repeat was correctly received;
• if the first repeat was correctly received, determining if a predetermined criterion is met, the predetermined criterion being a function of at least a quality of the RF link over a period of time that precedes the reception of the Word Synchronization pattern;
• and
• if the predetermined criterion is determined to be met, selectively removing operating power from one or more portions of the radiotelephone for a predetermined time period during a remainder of the frame.