Wireless communication enabled meter and network
First Claim
1. A wireless communication enabled meter comprising:
- a metering device generating meter data; and
an interface facilitating communication between the metering device and a self-configuring wireless communication system, wherein the meter data can be read out via a wireless network.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A meter enabled for wireless communication and a wireless communication network are disclosed. A meter enabled for wireless communication comprises a metering device, a wireless communication system and an interface between the two. Meter data can be read, and the meter can be controlled via communication with a wireless network using, e.g., the Bluetooth™ protocol A self-configuring wireless network is also disclosed. The wireless network includes a number of vnodes, and one or more VGATES. The vnodes are devices that are enabled for wireless communication using, e.g., the Bluetooth™ protocol. Vnodes are operative to form ad hoc piconet connections. The one or more VGATES comprise computer network gateways that are enabled for wireless communication using, e.g., the Bluetooth™ protocol. Thus, the VGATES enable the wireless array of vnodes to communicate with a private or public computer network to transmit data or receive commands. The network may also communicate with a VNOC system. VNOC is a universal communications adapter that enables the wireless array of vnodes to communicate (either directly or through a VGATE) with a central control facility via various wireless or wired communication media.
-
Citations
65 Claims
-
1. A wireless communication enabled meter comprising:
-
a metering device generating meter data; and
an interface facilitating communication between the metering device and a self-configuring wireless communication system, wherein the meter data can be read out via a wireless network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A self-configuring wireless network comprising:
-
a first piconet including at least one self-configuring virtual node; and
a virtual gate providing a communication point between the first piconet and at least one external network. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
-
-
41. A method of confirming a first virtual node comprising:
-
periodically poling other virtual nodes of a first piconet of which the first virtual node is a member;
performing a self-configuration cycle to look for a second piconet to join if the first piconet is not intact; and
performing a self-configuration cycle to look for second piconet to join if the first piconet is not connected to the first virtual node. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
-
-
45. A method of configuring a network comprising:
-
broadcasting a request for a virtual gate;
storing a route to a designated virtual gate in a routing table based on a response from a configured virtual node if a valid response is received from the configured virtual node;
storing transport-agent parameters for access to the designated virtual gate in the routing table if a message is received from the designated virtual gate; and
configuring a metric indicating proximity to the designated virtual gate.
-
-
51. A method of data propagation through a network comprising:
-
configuring a path including intermediate virtual nodes to a destination specified in a data packet; and
transmitting the data packet. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
-
-
61. A self-configuring network comprising:
-
a first sub-network including a first self-configuring virtual node;
a second sub-network including a second self-configuring virtual node, and connected to the first sub-network, through a communication link between the first self-configuring virtual node and the second self-configuring virtual node, to form a network cluster; and
a virtual gate having a connection with a third self-configuring virtual node in the first sub-network, and providing a communication point between the network cluster and at least one external network. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65)
-
Specification