Patent ID: 7072975

Claim:
An information distributor, comprising: a processor; a battery connected to the processor; a network receiver connected to the processor, wherein the network receiver is switchable between a sleep mode with reduced battery power consumption and an active mode with increased battery power consumption; a transceiver system connected to the processor; and a memory connected to the processor, wherein the memory includes: a first module configured to switch the network receiver from the sleep mode to the active mode to receive a the first scheduled transmission from a structuring system via a system communication network, wherein the first scheduled transmission incorporates information; a second module configured to switch the network receiver from the active mode to the sleep mode after receiving the first scheduled transmission; a third module configured to direct the transceiver system to transmit the information received from the structuring system on demand to a portable computing device located within transmission range of the transceiver system; an initial schedule, wherein the initial schedule indicates a start of transmission time of the first scheduled transmission, wherein the first module is configured to switch the network receiver from the sleep mode to the active mode in accordance with the initial schedule; wherein the first scheduled transmission further incorporates an updated schedule indicating a start of transmission time of a second scheduled transmission from the system communication network; and wherein the first module is configured to switch, in accordance with the updated schedule, the network receiver from the sleep mode to the active mode to receive the second scheduled transmission.