Node communication with unknown network ID

• US 10,267,652 B1
• Filed: 01/23/2018
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Inventors: Magley, Dale McLeod, Meaney, Jr., Edward J., Splitz, David Edwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Leon Viet Q
• Application Number:
  US15/877,548
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• Field of Search: 34087002-87003
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/43 Identification of a specific meter
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/006 Remote reading of utility meters to a non-fixed location, i.e. mobile location
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/008 Modifications to installed utility meters to enable remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/026 Details of "hello" or keep-alive messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/50 using a mobile data collecting device, e.g. walk by or drive by
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/04 Arrangements for synchronous operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method includes sending, by a node, a beacon at a regular time interval, the beacon comprising at least an associated utility device identification (ID) and communication channel information; receiving, at the node, a message from a network device on the communication channel beginning within a time window after a defined delay after the beacon was sent; determining, by the node, if the message comprises the associated utility device ID; and initiating, by the node, temporary two-way communication by sending a response to the network device.

Claims

1. A method comprising steps of:

sending, by a node, a beacon at a regular time interval, the beacon comprising an associated utility device identification number (ID) and communication channel information;

receiving, at the node, a message from a network device on the communication channel that is beginning within a time window after a predefined delay after the beacon was sent;

determining, by the node, whether the message comprises the utility device ID; and

initiating, by the node, temporary two-way communication by sending a response to the network device responsive to determining the message comprises the utility device ID.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the beacon is an advanced meter reading (AMR) beacon, wherein the utility device ID is a water meter register ID, wherein the communication channel information includes hailing channel information, and wherein the response is sent on a data channel that is different from a hailing channel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step includes initially evaluating whether the message is directed to a broadcast network address prior to determining if the message comprises the utility device ID.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the node, if a mobile command is received from the network device; and

subsequent to a determination the mobile command is received, executing, by the node, the mobile command.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the mobile command comprises a disconnect valve command.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the node, if a data request is received from the network device; and

responsive to a determination the data request is received, sending, by the node, a data communication.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the data communication comprises a log of stored data by the node for a predetermined time period.

8. A node, comprising:

a processor; and

logic processed by the processor to

send a beacon at a regular time interval, the beacon comprising a utility device identification (ID) and communication channel information;

receive a message from a network device on the communication channel beginning within a time window after a predefined delay after the beacon was sent;

determine if the message comprises the utility device ID; and

initiate temporary two-way communication by sending a response to the network device.

9. The node of claim 8, wherein the beacon is an advanced meter reading (AMR) beacon, wherein the utility device ID is a water meter register ID, wherein the communication channel information includes hailing channel information, and wherein the response is sent on a data channel distinct from a hailing channel.

10. The node of claim 8, wherein the logic to determine if the message comprises the utility device ID includes logic to initially evaluate whether the message is directed to a broadcast network address prior to determining if the message comprises the utility device ID.

11. The node of claim 8, wherein the logic is further processed by the processor to:

determine if a mobile command is received from the network device; and

subsequent to a determination the mobile command is received, execute the mobile command.

12. The node of claim 11, wherein the mobile command comprises a disconnect valve command.

13. The node of claim 8, wherein the logic is further processed by the processor to:

determine if a data request is received from the network device; and

subsequent to a determination the data request is received, send a data communication.

14. The node of claim 13, wherein the data communication comprises a log of stored data by the node for a predetermined time period.