Patent ID: 7277737

Claim:
A method for performing a power saving operation for communication terminals in a communication system corresponding to a wireless system providing a packet switching with a master station that may be a communication terminal, that sends out messages for the communication terminals in a frame-structured announcement channel, and that receives messages from the communication terminal in a return channel, the method comprising the steps of: allocating to the communication terminals at least a first operating mode and a second operating mode, the first operating mode defining an active phase, each one of the communication terminals placed in the active phase monitoring each announcement on the announcement channel, and the second operating mode defining a sleep phase in which the announcement channel is monitored only at intervals; causing the master station to send synchronization information including at least one frame symbol in order to synchronize the communication terminals; causing the communication terminals to analyze the synchronization information including the at least one frame symbol at least in intervals in the first operating mode, the synchronization information correcting respective time bases of the communication terminals; and causing the communication terminals to analyze the synchronization information in at least the second operating mode; wherein: a third operating mode defines a standby phase in which the announcement channel is periodically monitored in previously defined time windows and at least one system component of one of the communication terminals is deactivated, and the announcement channel is monitored more frequently in the third operating mode than in the second operating mode, and in the second operating mode at least one more system component is deactivated, and a reactivation time in the second operating mode is longer than a reactivation time in the third operating mode.