METHODS AND SYSTEMS OF SIMULTANEOUSLY COMMUNICATING UTILITY DATA AND VOICE DATA

• US 20100176966A1
• Filed: 01/09/2009
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Littrell, Nathan Bowman, Fujita, Lincoln Mamoru, Caird, Kenneth James
• Granted Patent: US 8,698,648 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: H04M 11/002 with telemetering systems telemetering in general G08C
• 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 for communicating utility data includes receiving a voice signal and a data signal via a utility network, combining the voice signal and the data signal to form a communication signal, and transmitting the communication signal to a plurality of utility asset controllers and handheld devices via the utility network.

Claims

1. A method for communicating utility data, said method comprising:

receiving a voice signal and a data signal via a utility network;

combining the voice signal and the data signal to form a communication signal; and

transmitting the communication signal to a plurality of utility asset controllers and handheld devices via the utility network.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the voice signal is a digital voice signal, said receiving a voice signal and a data signal comprises converting an analog voice signal to the digital voice signal.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein receiving a voice signal and a data signal comprises receiving at least one of the voice signal and the data signal at a data aggregator via a wireless link.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein receiving a voice signal and a data signal comprises receiving at least one of the voice signal and the data signal at a data aggregator via a physical connection.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein receiving a voice signal and a data signal comprises:

receiving at least one of an encrypted voice signal and an encrypted data signal; and

decoding the at least one of the encrypted voice signal and the encrypted data signal.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein receiving a voice signal and a data signal comprises receiving at least one of utility substation control data and utility meter data.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein transmitting the communication signal comprises transmitting the communication signal via at least one of a wireless link and a physical connection.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein transmitting the communication signal comprises:

encrypting the communication signal; and

transmitting the encrypted communication signal to the plurality of utility asset controllers and operators.

9. A system for communicating utility data across a utility network, said system comprising:

a handheld device;

a utility asset controller; and

a data aggregator communicatively coupled to said handheld device and said utility asset controller via the utility network, said data aggregator configured to;

receive a voice signal and a data signal from at least one of said handheld device and said utility asset controller;

combine the voice signal and the data signal to form a utility communication signal; and

transmit the utility communication signal across the utility network for reception by at least one of said handheld device and said utility asset controller.

10. A system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the voice signal is a digital voice signal, said handheld device is configured to convert an analog voice signal to the digital voice signal.

11. A system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said data aggregator is configured to receive at least one of the voice signal and the data signal via a wireless link.

12. A system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said data aggregator is configured to receive at least one of the voice signal and the data signal via a physical connection.

13. A system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the voice signal and the data signal are encrypted, said data aggregator configured to decode the encrypted voice signal and the encrypted data signal.

14. A system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the data signal includes at least one of utility substation control data and utility metering data.

15. A system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said data aggregator is configured to transmit the communication signal to the utility network via at least one of a wireless link and a physical connection.

16. A system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said data aggregator is configured to encrypt the communication signal prior to transmitting the communication signal to the utility network.

17. A data aggregator configured to communicate utility data over a utility network, said data aggregator comprising:

a network interface configured to receive a voice signal and a data signal from the utility network; and

a processor coupled to said network interface, said processor programmed to combine the voice signal and the data signal to form a utility communication signal, said network interface further configured to transmit the communication signal to the utility network.

18. A data aggregator in accordance with claim 17, wherein said network interface is configured to receive the voice signal and the data signal via at least one of a wireless link and a physical connection.

19. A data aggregator in accordance with claim 17, wherein said network interface is configured to transmit the communication signal to the utility network via at least one of a wireless link and a physical connection.

20. A data aggregator in accordance with claim 17, wherein said processor is programmed to decode the received voice signal and data signal and to encode the communication signal for transmission by said network interface.