Patent ID: 7656853

Claim:
A method for operating a first device in wireless communication with a second device using a communication protocol having polling periods, each polling period having an associated subsequent supplemental period, each supplemental period being at least reserved for reduction of power consumption of the first device or retransmission of data transmitted during a previous polling period, the method comprising the steps of: receiving at the first device a first transmission in a first time slot of a first polling period; transmitting a first response in a second time slot of the first polling period, the first response being responsive to receiving the first transmission; reducing power consumption of the first device during a first supplemental period associated with and subsequent to the first polling period, substantially following transmitting the first response; receiving a second transmission in a first time slot of a second polling period, the second transmission indicating that the first response was not properly received; transmitting a second response during a second time slot of the second polling period, the second response being responsive to receiving the second transmission; receiving a third transmission in a first time slot of a third polling period, the third transmission indicating that a prior response was not properly received; transmitting a third response in a second time slot of the third polling period, the third response being responsive to receiving the third transmission; maintaining power during a third supplemental period associated with the third polling period if each of a predetermined number of prior consecutive transmissions indicated that a response was not properly received; and reducing power consumption in a supplemental period after another predetermined number of polling period transmissions indicating that a prior response was properly received.