Patent ID: 7705726

Claim:
A device suitable for wireless communication with a network entity, comprising: a main power source; an alternate power source; a first functional unit configured to monitor an operational state of the device and, in response to detecting that the device is in a de-powered operational state, to inform the network entity of an ability of the device to wirelessly communicate with the network entity during a future time interval while the device remains in a de-powered operational state; and a second functional unit capable of wireless communication with the network entity and configured to be selectably powered from either the main power source or the alternate power source; wherein the first functional unit is further configured to cause the second functional unit to be powered from the alternate power source during the future time interval and to become unpowered from the alternate power source after the future time interval, thereby to permit wireless communication between the second functional unit and the network entity during the future time interval while the device remains in a de-powered operational state.