Patent ID: 8103238

Claim:
A method for wireless communication between a base station and a plurality of devices, each of the devices having a limited energy supply, the base station having a search mode with a plurality of communication channels as well as a normal operating mode for communication with the devices, wherein synchronization signals are transmitted in a fixed time pattern via one of the communication channels, the method comprising: sending a sequence of synchronization signals by the base station via one of the communication channels to establish a connection with the devices; listening to the sequence of synchronization signals by the devices via the communication channel within a listening period set for each device with a repetition frequency; switching the devices to a energy-saving mode in at least some time intervals outside the listening period; and synchronizing the length of the listening period, the repetition frequency and a energy consumption in the energy-saving mode with each other for the devices such that a energy consumption up to the connection setup averaged over time does not exceed a energy consumption during normal operation, wherein the devices have a specific energy consumption in the normal operating mode by communicating with the base station.