A power-saving control device for a battery-operated operating table, and related tables and methods. The control device can include two microprocessors for controlling the operating table. An input device may send instructions the microprocessors via an input channel. The control device may have at least a sleep state, a check state, and an active state. Typically, in the sleep state, the first microprocessor monitors an input channel of the input device, and the second microprocessor is off. Upon receipt of an instruction, the control device switches from the sleep state to the check state in order to check whether the instruction includes a valid wake-up signal. This may include determining whether the instruction includes an address of the battery-operated operating table. When a valid wake-up signal has been received, the control device to an active state where, typically, both microprocessors are active.
