Data communication protocol in an automatic meter reading system

• US 20050068193A1
• Filed: 08/10/2004
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Osterloh, Christopher L., Nagy, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 7,336,200 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.20
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/006 Remote reading of utility meters to a non-fixed location, i.e. mobile location
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/026 arrangements for monitoring a plurality of temperatures, e.g. by multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

An automatic meter reading (AMR) system includes a fixed or mobile reader and an endpoint. The endpoint is interfaced to a utility meter and the fixed or mobile reader is capable of communicating with the endpoint via RF communication. In this system the fixed or mobile reader sends a message to the endpoint that includes a response mode direction; the response mode direction from the reader tells the endpoint to respond to the reader either in a mobile network mode or a fixed network mode.

Claims

1. An automatic meter reading (AMR) system, comprising:

a fixed or mobile reader

an endpoint interfaced to a utility meter, wherein said fixed or mobile reader is capable of communicating with said endpoint via RF communication; and

wherein said fixed or mobile reader sends a message to said endpoint that includes a response mode direction for said endpoint to respond to said reader in either a mobile or a fixed network mode.

2. The AMR system of claim 1, wherein the mobile response mode direction directs said endpoint to respond to said reader at a low power and in a dynamically randomized slot.

3. The AMR system of claim 1, wherein the fixed network response mode direction directs said endpoint to respond to said reader at a high power and in an assigned slot.

4. The AMR system of claim 2, wherein the fixed network response mode direction directs said endpoint to respond to said reader at a high power and in an assigned slot.

5. An automatic meter reading (AMR) system, comprising:

a reader;

an endpoint interfaced to a utility meter, wherein said reader is capable of communicating with said endpoint via RF communication; and

wherein said reader uses a single RF communication protocol in communicating with said endpoint via one-way communication or two-way communication.

6. The AMR system of claim 5, wherein one-way communication enables said endpoint to communicate with said reader and deliver a specified message type.

7. The AMR system of claim 5, wherein two-way communication enables said reader to communicate with said endpoint, command said endpoint, and enable said endpoint to respond to said reader.

8. The AMR system of claim 6, wherein two-way communication enables said reader to communicate with said endpoint, command said endpoint, and enable said endpoint to respond to said reader.

9. An automatic meter reading (AMR) system, comprising

a reader;

an endpoint interfaced to a utility meter, wherein said reader is capable of communicating with said endpoint via RF communication;

wherein said RF communication occurs through the use of a communication protocol, and wherein said communication protocol includes a data link layer directing all outbound data transmissions from said reader to said endpoint to be Manchester encoded and directing all inbound transmissions from said endpoint to said reader to be either Manchester encoded or transmitted as non-return to zero data.

10. The AMR system of claim 9, wherein said data link layer provides a sequence inversion keyed (SIK) countdown timer.

11. An automatic meter reading (AMR) system, comprising

a reader;

an endpoint interfaced to a utility meter, wherein said reader is capable of communicating with said endpoint via RF communication;

wherein said RF communication occurs through the use of a communication protocol, and wherein said communication protocol includes a transport layer, wherein said transport layer provides a slotting control for all data transferred between said reader and endpoint.

12. The AMR system of claim 11, wherein said slotting control includes slot assignments, timing, and packetization of said data.

13. The AMR system of claim 12, wherein a packet of packetized data includes a packet number, an ID, a flag, a message type, a message, and an endpoint type.

14. An automatic meter reading (AMR) system, comprising

a reader;

an endpoint interfaced to a utility meter, wherein said reader is capable of communicating with said endpoint via RF communication;

wherein said RF communication occurs through the use of a communication protocol, and wherein said communication protocol includes a command and control frame.

15. The AMR system of claim 14, wherein command and control frame issues commands to said endpoint.

16. The AMR system of claim 14, wherein said command and control frame issues realigns a real-time clock within said endpoint.

17. The AMR system of claim 14, wherein said command and control frame includes a command set field.

18. The AMR system of claim 15, wherein said command set includes universal commands and type specific commands.

19. The AMR system of claim 14, wherein said command and control frame includes a command body, wherein said command body provides a command selected from a group consisting of:

reporting a status of said endpoint;

changing a system number of said endpoint;

changing a group number of said endpoint;

changing a system slot number of said endpoint;

changing a cell ID of said endpoint;

providing a reporting slot number to said endpoint;

requesting resending of identified packets of data from said endpoint;

setting a bubble-up channel of said endpoint;

configuration a transmission power of said endpoint;

or

setting a channel frequency of said endpoint.

20. The AMR system of claim 14, wherein said command and control frame includes a command body, wherein said command body provides a command selected from a group consisting of:

requesting a report of consumption data from said endpoint;

requesting a report of time of use data from said endpoint;

requesting a report of logged data from said endpoint;

requesting a report of tamper data from said endpoint;

setting a configuration flag within said endpoint;

initializing consumption within said endpoint;

request a report of an event summary from said endpoint;

performing an endpoint diagnostic check; and

requesting a report of memory content of said endpoint.

21. The AMR system of claim 14, wherein said command and control frame includes a plurality of fields, and wherein said plurality of fields are selected from:

a frame ID field, a cell ID, a real-time clock field, a command flag field, a slot offset field, an unsolicited message field, an endpoint ID field, a security field, a command set field, a command body field, or a response frequency field.

22. The AMR system of claim 14, wherein said command and control frame designates a response frequency for said endpoint.

23. The AMR system of claim 14, wherein said command and control frame comprises a one-way programming frame or a two-way command and control frame.

24. The AMR system of claim 14, wherein said command and control frame provides a test command to said endpoint.

25. An automatic meter reading (AMR) system, comprising:

a plurality of readers

a plurality of endpoints, wherein each endpoint is interfaced to a utility meter, wherein said plurality of readers are capable of communicating with said plurality of endpoints via RF communication; and

wherein said plurality of readers are quasi-synchronized in time to provide a control frame to at least one of said plurality of endpoints.