Reducing power consumption in a remote receiver

A wireless communication system e.g. for sending and receiving remote control function signals for controlling functions of a vehicle, has a remote wake-up feature. The system includes a remote device comprising logic to generate a preamble signal comprising a plurality of pre-determined signal pulses (18) sequentially varied throughout a pre-amble period (20) and to generate a main message signal (26) after a wake-up time-period (28). A receiver system comprises logic adapted to poll for the signal pulses (18), the receiver system polling comprising an on-state (32) having a on-state length (34) sufficient for receiving at least two of the sequentially varied signal pulses (18); determine the wake-up time-period (28) using at least two of the signal pulses (18); place the receiver system into a low-power sleep state (38) during the remaining portion of said wake-up time-period (28); reactivate (40) the receiver system at the end of the wake-up time-period (28) and receive the main message (26). The receiver on-state can thus be reduced to below 50% of the time during polling, and quiescent current can be reduced accordingly.