Abstract: An electronic tag (10) receives a data message (18) that has a wake-up section (20) followed by a session section (22). The interrogation signal which carries the data message encodes the wake-up section (20) differently from the session section (22). A power manager (28) decodes the wake-up section (20) using a very low power decoder (34) that remains energized during a standby state. When the power manager (28) detects a predetermined identification code (26), it controls a switching circuit (32) to energize a controller (30). The controller (30) may then decode, process, and respond to information conveyed during the session section (22). If the power manager (28) does not detect the identification code (26), the controller (30) remains de-energized. The power manager (28) also includes a synchronizer (38) which determines when a preamble (24) is detected, and an ID decoder (40) that determines when the wake-up section (20) conveys the predetermined identification code (26).