CLEAR-CHANNEL SYSTEM AND RELATED APPLICATIONS

• US 20070274373A1
• Filed: 05/26/2006
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Cornwall, Mark K., Ronalds, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,243,773 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/141
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/715 Interference-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/7154 with means for preventing interference

Abstract

A wireless spread-spectrum communication system for transmitting data includes a plurality of end point transmitters and at least one receiver. The end point transmitters transmit data via a frequency-hopped spread-spectrum signal where the transmitting signal is sent without the benefit of frequency stabilization. The receiver is responsive to the frequency-hopping spread-spectrum signals and includes a correlator and a signal processor. The correlator samples at least a first portion of a preamble of the signal and correlates the portion of the preamble with a known preamble pattern to determine a probability of correlation. The signal processor applies a Fast Fourier Transform algorithm to the signal in response to the probability of correlation to track a narrowband frequency of the signal based on at least a second portion of the preamble and to decode data encoded within the signal subsequent to the preamble.

Claims

1. A frequency-hopping spread-spectrum (FHSS) system for enhancing communications in a given location by collecting information corresponding to power levels in frequency bins and in response transmitting an optimized band profile for the location, the system comprising:

a radio including a first receiver, a first transmitter, and a microprocessor;

a second receiver including a second transmitter and a data-storage device, the second receiver being operably connected to an endpoint operably connected to a utility meter;

wherein the first receiver measures power levels in the frequency bins of a shared band, the microprocessor analyzes the results of measurements taken over time and creates a band profile from the measurements, the transmitter sends the band profile to the second receiver, and the second receiver stores the band profile in a data-storage device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the second receiver is spaced from the endpoint and wherein the endpoint includes a third transmitter that sends FHSS signals to the second receiver.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the second receiver stores the band profile in a lookup table.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the second transmitter transmits FHSS signals to the radio over optimized channels identified by the band profile.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the band profile comprises a lookup table.

6. A method of identifying optimized bands in a frequency-hopping spread-spectrum (FHSS) system for a given location, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a radio including a receiver, a transmitter, and a microprocessor;

using the radio to measure power levels in the frequency bins for a given location;

taking a plurality of measurements of the power levels over time;

using the microprocessor to derive a band profile from the measurements;

transmitting the band profile to a FHSS device having a data-storage device.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the band profile is transmitted to a FHSS device in the form of a lookup table.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the band profile is a first band profile and the plurality of measurements are first measurements, further comprising the steps of:

repeating the step of using the radio to measure power levels in the frequency bins;

taking a plurality of second measurements over time;

using the microprocessor to derive a second band profile from the second measurements;

transmitting the second band profile to the FHSS device.

9. A method of using a receiver including a data-storage device and a FHSS transmitter, operably connected to an endpoint operably connected to a utility meter, to process data derived from measurements of power levels in frequency bins by a radio in a frequency-hopping spread-spectrum (FHSS) system for a given location, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving data including a list of channels from a radio including a transmitter;

storing the data in the data-storage device;

adjusting the FHSS transmitter to transmit FHSS signals over the received channels;

transmitting FHSS signals to the radio over the channels received from the radio.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the data is stored in the form of a lookup table.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the data received is first data and the list of channels is a first list of channels, further comprising the steps of:

receiving second data including a second list of channels;

adjusting the FHSS transmitter to transmit FHSS signals to the radio using the second list of channels.