Patent ID: 7073081

Claim:
A method of reducing power consumption by an electronic shelf label (ESL) comprising the steps of: (a) wirelessly receiving a message by a receiver in the ESL, wherein the message includes a time period during which the receiver does not receive any additional messages, and a command to enter a reduced power consumption mode at a beginning of the time period and to leave the reduced power consumption mode at an end of the time period; (b) storing the time period in a memory of the ESL by control circuitry in the ESL; (c) turning off a switch in the ESL at the beginning of the time period by the control circuitry to remove battery power from the receiver to enter the reduced power consumption mode in accordance with the command while other ESL components remain powered; (d) timing the time period by the control circuitry; and (e) turning on the switch at the end of the time period by the control circuitry to reapply the battery power to the receiver and facilitate reception of the additional messages in accordance with the command.