Automatic adjustment of bubble up rate

• US 20060255965A1
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Osterloh, Christopher L., Nagy, Christopher J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,298,288 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.20
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• 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

A method of operating an RF communicator adapted for an automatic meter reading (AMR) system includes maintaining the communicator in a low-power standby mode and automatically responding to bubble-up events that are spaced apart by time durations. The step of responding includes initiating the RF communicator to exit the standby mode and enter into an active operating mode, and thereafter return to the standby mode. A time duration between successive bubble-up events is automatically adjusted. One method of automatically adjusting a bubble up rate includes automatically setting the bubble-up rate to a relatively higher rate during a time of relatively high expectation of an occurrence of a communication attempt, and automatically setting the bubble-up rate to a relatively lower rate during a time of relatively low expectation of an occurrence of a communication attempt.

Claims

1. A method of operating an RF communicator adapted for an automatic meter reading (AMR) system, the method comprising:

maintaining the communicator in a low-power standby mode;

automatically responding to bubble-up events that are spaced apart by time durations, wherein the step of responding includes initiating the RF communicator to exit the standby mode and enter into an active operating mode, and thereafter return to the standby mode; and

automatically adjusting a time duration between successive bubble-up events.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the active operating mode includes operating in a mode that is receptive to communications directed at the communicator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the active operating mode includes transmitting information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF communicator is a radio transceiver.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicator is part of an endpoint device operatively coupled to a utility meter.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically adjusting of the time duration is based on an occurrence/nonoccurrence of an event.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the event is a reception by the communicator of a valid wakeup signal.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the event is a successful communication involving the communicator.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically adjusting of the time duration between bubble-up events is included in the active operating mode.

10. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

automatically adapting a bubble-up rate profile to approximately correspond to an automatic meter reading practice, wherein the automatically adjusting of the time duration is included as part of the automatically adapting.

11. A method of automatically adjusting a bubble up rate, the method comprising:

automatically setting the bubble-up rate to a relatively higher rate during a time of relatively high expectation of an occurrence of a communication attempt; and

automatically setting the bubble-up rate to a relatively lower rate during a time of relatively low expectation of an occurrence of a communication attempt.

12. The method of claim 11, and further comprising:

defining maximum and minimum bubble-up rate limits for the bubble-up rate; and

increasing and decreasing the bubble-up rate towards the maximum and minimum limits, respectively.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the increasing and decreasing is respectively performed within limits of maximum and minimum increase and decrease steps.

14. The method of claim 11, and further comprising:

estimating a time of occurrence of a future communication attempt.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the estimating is based on a record of past communication events.

16. The method of claim 11, and further comprising:

computing an expectation level of an occurrence of a communication attempt.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the computed expectation level is based on a time until a future communication attempt.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the computed expectation level is based on a passage of time since a previous communication attempt.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the computed expectation level is based on a passage of time since a previous communication.

20. The method of claim 11, and further comprising:

computing a representation of an expectation level of an occurrence of a communication attempt.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the computed representation of the expectation level includes a representation of time until a next communication attempt.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the computed representation of the expectation level is based on a set of measured time durations between communication attempts.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the computed representation of the expectation level is based on a passage of time since a previous communication attempt.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the computed representation of the expectation level is based on a passage of time since a previous communication.

25. The method of claim 11, wherein the expectation of an occurrence of a communication attempt is based on a passage of time since a previous communication attempt.

26. The method of claim 11, wherein the expectation of an occurrence of a communication attempt is based on a passage of time since a previous communication.

27. The method of claim 11, wherein the expectation of an occurrence of a communication attempt is computed by applying a set of rules for characterizing an AMR system communications cycle based on past communications events with an endpoint.

28. The method of claim 11, wherein the expectation of an occurrence of a communication attempt is based on a fixed profile representing a cyclical expectation function over time.

29. A method of automatically adjusting a bubble-up rate, the method comprising:

detecting a communication attempt during a first time duration;

automatically reducing the bubble-up rate during a second time duration following the first time duration; and

automatically increasing the bubble-up rate during a third time duration following the second time duration.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the first and third time durations overlap.

31. The method of claim 29, and further comprising:

automatically maintaining the bubble-up rate at a maximum rate during a fourth time duration following the first time duration and preceding the second time duration.

32. The method of claim 29, and further comprising:

automatically adjusting at least one of the first, second, and third time durations.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the automatically adjusting is based on at least one past communication event.

34. A utility meter endpoint comprising:

a communication circuit;

a processor operatively coupled to the communication circuit;

memory operatively coupled to the processor and storing a set of instructions for operating the communication circuit, wherein the set of instructions includes;

activation instructions adapted to cause the processor to activate and deactivate the communication circuit according to a time interval; and

adjustment instructions adapted to cause the processor to vary the time interval.

35. The utility meter endpoint of claim 34, wherein the activation instructions are adapted to cause the utility meter endpoint to operate in a low power-consuming standby mode between activations of the communication circuit.

36. The utility meter endpoint of claim 34, wherein the time interval is an interval between successive activations of the communication circuit.

37. The utility meter endpoint of claim 34, wherein the adjustment instructions are adapted to vary the time interval according to a preconfigured profile of at least two values.

38. The utility meter endpoint of claim 34, wherein the set of instructions include setting instructions adapted to determine at least one value to which the time interval can be set by the adjustment instructions.

39. The utility meter endpoint of claim 34, wherein the set of instructions include statistics instructions adapted to maintain a record of communication activity, wherein the determining instructions are adapted to determine a time interval setting based on the maintained record.