System and method for monitoring remote devices with a dual-mode wireless communication protocol

• US 20050195775A1
• Filed: 03/03/2004
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Statsignal IPC LLC (Statsignal)
• Original Assignee: Statsignal IPC LLC (Statsignal)
• Inventors: Stevens, Candida, Huff, Richard, Aldoretta, David P., Petite, Thomas D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,031,650 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

The present invention is generally directed to systems and device for monitoring remote device with a wireless, dual-mode communication protocol. As such, a representative embodiment is a system for monitoring and controlling remote devices. The system includes a first- and a second remote device; and a first and a second wireless transceiver integrated with the respective remote devices. The wireless transceivers are configured to communicate with at least one of a spread-spectrum communication protocol and a fixed-frequency communication protocol.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring and controlling remote devices, said system comprising:

a first and a second remote device; and

a first and a second wireless transceiver integrated with said respective remote devices, wherein said wireless transceivers are configured to communicate with at least one of a spread-spectrum communication protocol and a fixed-frequency communication protocol.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third wireless transceiver, and wherein said first wireless transceiver is configured to communicate with said third wireless transceiver with said spread-spectrum communication protocol.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said first wireless transceiver is further configured to communicate with said second wireless transceiver with said fixed-frequency communication protocol.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said first wireless transceiver is configured to communicate in said spread-spectrum communication protocol by being configured to:

either transmit or receive a first portion of a communication frame at a first frequency channel, wherein the first portion of the communication frame comprises a data channel index that indicates a second frequency channel;

switch to the second frequency channel; and

either transmit or receive the second portion of the communication frame at the second frequency channel.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said first wireless transceiver is configured to switch between communicating in said spread-spectrum communication protocol and said fixed-frequency communication protocol.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said first wireless transceiver switches between communication protocols based upon the communication protocol in which an intended wireless transceiver communicates.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said first wireless transceiver switches between said communication protocols after traversing through a first set of designated channels for communicating in one of said communication protocols and not receiving a communication frame in one of said designated channels.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said wireless transceivers are further configured to communicate with a first modulation scheme when communicating in said spread-spectrum communication protocol and to communicate with a second modulation scheme when communicating in said fixed-frequency communication protocol.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said first modulation scheme is the same as the second modulation scheme.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said first modulation scheme is a frequency modulation scheme.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said second modulation scheme is an amplitude modulation scheme.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said wireless transceivers are further configured to communicate at a first radiating-power level when communicating in said spread-spectrum communication protocol and to communicate at a second radiating-power level when communicating in said fixed-frequency communication protocol.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said first radiating-power level is higher then said second radiating-power level.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second remote devices are utility meters, and wherein said wireless transceivers are configured to communicate at least data corresponding to the measurements made by said utility meters.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a local area network (LAN) of wireless transceivers, wherein said first and second wireless transceivers are part of said LAN; and

at least a first gateway in communication with said LAN.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a back-end system in communication with said at least first gateway via a wide area network (WAN), such that data is passed from each wireless transceiver in said LAN to said back-end system via said at least first gateway and WAN.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said back-end system comprises:

a network server configured to remotely control communication functions of said wireless transceivers in said LAN.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said network server is configured to remotely control a modulation scheme in which any of said wireless transceivers communicate in either communication protocol.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein said network server is configured to remotely control a radiating-power level at which any of said wireless transceivers communicate in either communication protocol.

20. A system for monitoring the utility consumption measured by a plurality of utility meters, said system comprising:

a plurality of utility meters;

a network of wireless RF transceivers for communicating utility consumption data, wherein said network of wireless RF transceivers is comprised of at least a first dual-mode transceiver, at least a first fixed-frequency transceiver, and at least a first spread-spectrum transceiver; and

at least a first gateway in communication with each wireless RF transceiver either directly or via other wireless RF transceivers, the at least first gateway relaying data from said network of wireless RF transceivers to a back-end system.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein a first portion of said network of wireless RF transceivers are integrated with individual ones of said plurality of utility meters and a second portion of said network of wireless RF transceivers are stand-alone RF transceivers.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein said at least first spread-spectrum transceiver is configured to communicate in a spread-spectrum communication protocol by:

either transmitting or receiving a first portion of a communication frame at a first frequency channel, wherein the first portion of the communication frame comprises a data channel index that indicates a second frequency channel;

switching to the second frequency channel; and

either transmitting or receiving the second portion of the communication frame at the second frequency channel.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said first frequency channel is one of a subset of acquisition channels, and the second frequency channel is one of a subset of data channels, wherein the acquisition and data channels are subsets of channels designated for spread-spectrum communication, and wherein said at least first spread-spectrum transceiver is further configured to communicate in said spread-spectrum communication protocol by cycling through the subset of acquisition channels until synchronizing with a transmitting transceiver, whereupon the channel at which synchronization occurs is the first frequency channel.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein said at least first fixed-frequency transceiver is configured to communicate in a fixed-frequency communication protocol by:

either transmitting or receiving a first and second portion of a communication frame at a third frequency channel.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said at least first dual-mode transceiver is configured to communicate in either of said fixed-frequency communication protocol or said spread-spectrum communication protocol, depending on the protocol in which an intended other transceiver communicates.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said at least first dual-mode transceiver is configured to switch between communicating in said communication protocols.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein said at least first gateway is a dual-mode gateway and thus is configured to communicate in either of said communication protocols, depending on the protocol in which an intended transceiver communicates.

28. A wireless transceiver used within a system for monitoring remote devices, said wireless transceiver comprising:

an RF transceiver for communicating in at least one of a spread-spectrum communication protocol and a fixed-frequency communication protocol;

a data controller coupled to said RF transceiver for processing data to be either transmitted by or received from said RF transceiver; and

memory for storing various logic to be performed by said data controller and said RF transceiver for communicating in at least one of said communication protocols.

29. The transceiver of claim 28, wherein said RF transceiver comprises a spread-spectrum communication protocol (SS) chipset for communicating in a first modulation scheme at a first radiating-power level.

30. The transceiver of claim 29, wherein said memory further comprises:

logic configured to communicate in said spread-spectrum communication protocol, said logic comprising;

logic configured to prepare a preamble portion and a data portion of a communication frame, the preamble portion comprising a data channel index indicating a data channel frequency for communicating the data portion of the communication frame;

logic configured to transmit the preamble portion at a first frequency channel;

logic configured to switch to the data channel frequency; and

logic configured to transmit the data portion at the data channel frequency.

31. The transceiver of claim 30, wherein said memory further comprises:

an acquisition channels table for storing a first set of frequency channels designated for communicating the preamble portion of a communication frame; and

a data channels table for storing a second set of frequency channels designated for communicating the data portion of a communication frame.

32. The transceiver of claim 31, wherein said logic configured to communicate in said spread-spectrum communication protocol further comprises:

logic configured to receive a preamble portion of a communication frame at a first frequency channel;

logic configured to detect a data channel index in said preamble portion;

logic configured to switch to a data channel frequency as indicated by said data channel index; and

logic configured to receive a data portion of said communication frame at said data channel frequency.

33. The transceiver of claim 32, wherein said logic configured to receive a preamble portion further comprises:

logic configured to traverse through said frequency channels in said acquisition channels table until synchronizing with a transmitting transceiver, whereupon the channel at which synchronization occurs is the first frequency channel.

34. The transceiver of claim 29, wherein said RF transceiver further comprises a fixed-frequency communication protocol (FF) chipset for communicating in a second modulation scheme at a second radiating-power level.

35. The transceiver of claim 34, wherein said memory further comprises logic configured to change said modulation scheme for either of said communication protocols in accordance with a received remote command.

36. The transceiver of claim 34, wherein said memory further comprises logic configured to change said radiating-power levels for either of said communication protocols in accordance with a received remote command.

37. The transceiver of claim 34, wherein said first radiating-power level is higher then said second radiating-power level.

38. The transceiver of claim 34, wherein said first modulation scheme is the same as said second modulation scheme.

39. The transceiver of claim 34, wherein said first modulation scheme is a frequency modulation scheme;

and said second modulation scheme is an amplitude modulation scheme.

40. The transceiver of claim 34, wherein said memory further comprises:

a receiver address table comprising;

identification of other devices with which said transceiver may communicate; and

the communication protocol in which other devices communicate.

41. The transceiver of claim 40, wherein said receiver address table further comprises:

the modulation scheme in which other devices communicate; and

the radiating-power level at which other devices communicate.

42. The transceiver of claim 41, wherein said memory further comprises logic configured to change said receiver address table in accordance with a received remote command.

43. The transceiver of claim 34, wherein said memory further comprises:

logic configured to communicate in said fixed-frequency communication protocol, said logic comprising;

logic configured to prepare a preamble portion and a data portion of a communication frame; and

logic configured to transmit said preamble portion and said data portion at a fixed-frequency designated channel frequency.

44. The transceiver of claim 43, wherein said memory further comprises:

a fixed-frequency channels table for storing a third set of frequency channels designated for communicating a communication frame.

45. The transceiver of claim 28, further comprising:

a data interface coupled to said data controller for communicating data to and from at least a first integrated remote device.

46. The transceiver of claim 45, wherein said at least first integrated remote device is a sensing device.

47. The transceiver of claim 45, wherein said at least first integrated remote device is a control actuator.

48. The transceiver of claim 45, wherein said at least first integrated remote device is a utility meter, and wherein said data communicated is utility consumption data.

49. The transceiver of claim 45, wherein said at least first integrated remote device is a pipe leakage sensor, and wherein said data communicated is leakage data.

50. The transceiver of claim 45, wherein said at least first integrated remote device is a water quality sensor, and wherein said data communicated is water quality data.

51. The transceiver of claim 45, wherein said at least first integrated remote device is an identification tag, and wherein said data communicated is identification data.

52. The transceiver of claim 45, wherein said at least first integrated remote device is a power plant distribution sensor, and wherein said data communicated is generated power output data.

53. The transceiver of claim 45, wherein said at least first integrated remote device is a building HVAC control system sensor, and wherein said data communicated is HVAC monitoring and control data.

54. The transceiver of claim 45, wherein said at least first integrated remote device is a personal alarm key fob, and wherein said data communicated is security data to a remote security monitoring station.