In one embodiment, a stylus includes a receiver for receiving signals wirelessly transmitted by a device. The stylus can alternate, during a first period of time, power supplied to the receiver between a first power for a first duration and a second power for a second duration. The first power is greater than the second power. The stylus can determine how many events exceeding an event criteria occurred the each first duration, and if the events exceed a threshold, the stylus can initiate wakeup components in the stylus for communicating with the device by initiating a provision of third power to those components. The third power is greater than the first power. When the first period of time expires, the stylus can provide low power to the receiver for a second period of time.