Patent ID: 7996698

Claim:
A method comprising: measuring a level of supply voltage provided to a powered device by a remote source; and automatically altering functionality of the powered device by using the measured supply voltage to determine (i) a measured power supply and (ii) if the measured power supply is greater than an amount of power needed to power a first logic unit, the first logic unit being circuitry for controlling a first radio frequency (RF) circuit to receive and transmit signals over a first frequency, activating the first logic unit if the measured power supply is greater than the amount of power needed to power the first logic unit, wherein activating the first logic unit includes transmitting a first enable signal to the first logic unit, re-measuring the supply voltage for use in computing a resistance of an interconnect coupling the powered device and the remote source, the resistance being used for determining whether a second logic unit is to be powered, the second logic unit being circuitry for controlling a second radio frequency (RF) circuit to receive and transmit signals over a second frequency, and refraining from activating the second logic unit if the supply voltage is less than a voltage needed to power at least the first logic unit and the second logic unit.