System and method for utility data collection

• US 20050238044A1
• Filed: 04/26/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Osterloh, Christopher L., Hovelsrud, Neil R.
• Application Number:
  US11/114,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20050238044A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/460
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• 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

Abstract

An automatic meter reading fixed communication network for collecting data generated by a plurality of metering devices located within a geographic area, and a method for collecting data generated by a plurality of metering devices located within a geographic area. The network includes a plurality of endpoint devices, at least one relay device, a central radio device, and a head-end station for effecting wirelessly collection and communication of consumption data. A method of optimizing communications between network devices is also disclosed.

Claims

13-1. The network of claim 1, wherein the ring network is geographically positioned generally adjacent a plurality of other similar ring networks, all of which have a central radio device operably connected to the head end station.

15. An automatic meter reading fixed communication network for collecting data generated by a plurality of metering devices located within a geographic area, comprising:

a plurality of ring networks defined in the geographic area, each ring network located generally adjacent to at least one other ring network and comprising;

a plurality of fixed-location metering devices, each metering device comprising a regenerative receiver to receive wake-up signals, a second receiver, and a transmitter to transmit signals representative of at least a portion of the data generated by the metering device and signals representative of a state of the metering device in an assigned time slot;

at least one fixed relay device located within the geographic area, there being fewer relay devices than metering devices, each relay device comprising a regenerative receiver to receive wake-up signals, a second receiver to receive signals transmitted from at least one metering device, and a transmitter to transmit signals representative of the data generated by the metering device, signals representative of a state of the metering device, and wake-up signals; and

a fixed central radio device generally centrally located within the geographic area and comprising at least one transceiver to receive signals transmitted by at least one of a metering device and a relay device and to transmit signals representative of data generated by a metering device, signals related to a status of at least one metering device, signals related to a status of at least one relay device, wake-up signals, or any combination thereof; and

a head-end station operably coupled to communicate with the central radio device of each ring network.

16. In an automatic meter reading communication network, a method for collecting data generated by a plurality of metering devices located within a geographic area comprising:

for each of a plurality of fixed endpoint device coupled to a respective metering device, transitioning from a low-consumption mode to an active mode in an assigned time slot and wirelessly transmitting signals representative of at least a portion of the data generated by the metering device for that endpoint device in an assigned time slot;

for at least one of a plurality of relay devices, transitioning from a low-consumption mode to an active mode in an assigned time slot and wirelessly receiving signals transmitted by at least one endpoint device;

for a central radio device, wirelessly receiving the signals transmitted by at least one relay device and the signals transmitted by at least one endpoint device, and wirelessly transmitting signals representative of at least a portion of the data generated by the metering device for that endpoint device to a head-end station; and

for a head-end station, receiving the signals transmitted by the central radio device, decoding the signals, and storing data representative of at least a portion of the decoded signals in a database.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

initiating a command by transmitting a signal from the head-end station to the central radio device;

wirelessly transmitting a wake-up signal by the central radio device to at least one of an endpoint device and a relay device responsive to the signal transmitted by the head-end station;

wirelessly transmitting a signal responsive to the wake-up signal by an endpoint device;

detecting, by a relay device, the signal transmitted by the endpoint device and determining from the signal an identification of the endpoint device;

transmitting the identification of the endpoint device to the head-end station via the central radio device by the relay device;

determining, by the head-end station, an optimum communication path to the endpoint device via at least one of the central radio device and a relay device; and

transmitting the optimum communication path from the head-end station to the central radio device.