System and method for selecting and executing a task based upon a measured amount of energy

A method of controlling execution of a plurality of predetermined signal processing tasks, wherein the method comprises:

• measuring, using electronic circuitry, an amount of energy currently available from an energy source, the energy source being operative to supply the amount of energy with a magnitude that varies over a service life of the energy source;
• connecting the energy source with a signal processing system if the amount of energy that is currently available from the energy source is greater than a first predetermined amount;
• selecting for the execution a specific one of the pre-determined signal processing tasks based on the amount of energy that is currently available from the energy source being greater than a second predetermined amount;
• and
• disconnecting the energy source from the signal processing system if the amount of energy that is currently available from the energy source is less than a third predetermined amount;
• wherein the first predetermined amount is greater than the third predetermined amount, and the third predetermined amount is an amount of energy large enough to run housekeeping tasks in preparation to being turned off.

An apparatus comprising:

• electronic circuitry with a signal processing system for executing a plurality of pre-determined signal processing tasks;
• and
• an energy source configured to power the electronic circuitry, wherein the energy source supplies an amount of energy that increases and decreases over a service life of the energy source;
• wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to:
• determine the amount of energy currently available from the energy source at a first time;
• cause the energy source to be connected to the electronic circuitry when the electronic circuitry determines that the amount of energy currently available at the first time is greater than a first predetermined amount, wherein the energy source is initially disconnected from the electronic circuitry;
• determine the amount of energy currently available from the energy source at a second time;
• and
• select a specific one of the plurality of pre-determined signal processing tasks to be executed when the amount of energy that is determined to be currently available at the second time is greater than a second predetermined amount, wherein the second predetermined amount is greater than the first predetermined amount;
• and disconnecting the energy source from the signal processing system if the amount of energy that is currently available from the energy source is less than a third predetermined amount;
• wherein the first predetermined amount is greater than the third predetermined amount, and the third predetermined amount is an amount of energy large enough to run housekeeping tasks in preparation to being turned off.