System for conserving battery life in a battery operated device

A system for conserving battery life in a battery operated device comprising:

• a receiver for receiving a repeated transmission that comprises a forward link packet (FLP), the FLP includes a data portion and a postamble;
• a transmitter that includes a phase locked loop (PLL);
• and
• a microprocessor coupled to the receiver, the microprocessor periodically partially awakening to determine whether the repeated transmission is likely a FLP by turning ON the receiver only long enough to determine if the transmission includes a predetermined number of transitions, the microprocessor reads the data portion, if the repeated transmission is determined to likely be the FLP, to determine whether a response from the battery operated device is requested, and the microprocessor turns ON the PLL only after the microprocessor determines from the data portion that the response is requested, wherein the PLL locks onto an appropriate return link channel during a time period while the postamble is received by the receiver.

A method for conserving battery life in a battery operated device comprising:

• receiving a repeated wireless transmission;
• periodically partially awakening;
• while partially awakened, determining if the repeated wireless transmission is likely a forward link packet (FLP) by determining if the repeated transmission includes a valid postamble;
• when the repeated wireless transmission is determined to include the valid postamble, fully awakening to determine from a data portion of the FLP whether a response from the battery operated device is requested;
• and
• turning a transmitter of the battery operated device ON only after determining that the response is requested from the data portion, wherein the transmitter stabilizes on an appropriate return link channel during a time period while the postamble is received.

A method for conserving battery life in a battery operated device comprising:

• receiving a repeated transmission that comprises a forward link packet (FLP), the FLP includes a data portion and a postamble;
• awakening to a first state to determine whether the repeated transmission is likely a FLP by examining the postamble;
• awakening to a second state if the transmission is likely a FLP;
• reading the data portion when in the second state to determine whether a response from the battery operated device is requested;
• and
• turning ON a phase locked loop (PLL) included in a transmitter of the battery operated device only after the response is determined to be requested, wherein the PLL locks onto an appropriate return link channel during a time period while the postamble is received.