SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPROVING RECEPTION OF DATA IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION ENVIRONMENTS

• US 20100188254A1
• Filed: 01/29/2009
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Johnson, Matthew, Cornwall, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,248,267 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.20
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/45 Utility meters networked together within a single building
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/06 Reselecting a communication resource in the serving access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• 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

Generally described, the disclosed subject matter is directed to improving the reception of data in wireless communication environments. In accordance with one embodiment, a method is provided for improving the reception of meter data in an AMR system. In particular, the method includes obtaining a sample of data indicative of channel quality for each transmission channel in the operational frequency band of the endpoint device. Then, the data is analyzed and a determination is made as to whether the reception of data by the collection system can be improved. If the reception of data by the collection system can be improved, a command is generated for reprogramming the endpoint device. In one embodiment, the command includes channel reprogramming data for reprogramming the endpoint device.

Claims

1. In a wireless communication environment that includes an endpoint device having a plurality of transmission channels within an operational frequency band, a collection system, and a host computing system, a method of improving the reception of data transmitted from the endpoint device, comprising:

obtaining a sample of data indicative of channel quality for each transmission channel in the operational frequency band of the endpoint device;

analyzing said data indicative of channel quality;

determining if reception of data by the collection system can be improved; and

generating a command for reprogramming the endpoint device if it is determined that the reception of data can be improved, wherein the command includes channel reprogramming data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining a sample of data indicative of channel quality for each transmission channel in the operational frequency band of the endpoint device comprises

collecting data indicative of channel quality at the collection system for each transmission channel in the operational frequency band of the endpoint device over a select period of time;

and

forwarding the data indicative of channel quality to the host processing system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing said data indicative of channel quality includes

calculating average channel quality values for each channel in the operational frequency band.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining if reception of data by the collection system can be improved includes

comparing the average channel quality values of each channel in the operational frequency band with channels of a default frequency-hopping table of the endpoint device, the default frequency hopping table having a subset of the transmission channels of the operation frequency band, the subset defined by first and second continuous blocks of channels;

and

calculating an offset value for the first and/or second block of channels.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein determining if reception of data by the collection system can be improved includes

comparing the average channel quality values of each channel in the operational frequency band with channels of a default frequency-hopping table of the endpoint device and other frequency hopping tables of the endpoint device;

and

selecting a frequency-hopping table from the default frequency hopping table and the other frequency hopping tables that improves reception of data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the channel reprogramming data includes data selected from a group consisting of at least one offset value and a frequency-hopping table number.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the endpoint device includes a frequency hopping table utilized to transmit data to the collection system, wherein the frequency hopping table includes a subset of the transmission channels within the operation frequency band.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the subset includes first and second continuous blocks of channels.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising

transmitting the command to the endpoint device;

and

reprogramming, at the endpoint device, the frequency-hopping table based on the transmitted command.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein reprogramming of the frequency hopping table includes

shifting the first and/or second blocks of channels according to the channel reprogramming data contained in the command.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the data indicative of channel quality is selected from the group consisting of signal strength data, RSSI data, interference/noise data, read coefficient data, data representative of a number of bad packets received, data representative of a ratio of bad packets received to good packets received, data representative of a ratio of preamble detections to good packets received, and combinations thereof.

12. A system for improving reception of data by a collection system in a frequency-hopping spread spectrum environment, comprising:

an endpoint device operable over a preselected set of transmission channels, the endpoint device comprising a frequency-hopping table having a subset of the preselected set of transmission channels;

a collection system capable of monitoring the preselected set of transmission channels, receiving and storing meter data transmitted by the endpoint device, and measuring channel quality data for each channel of the preselected set of transmission channels contemporaneously with receiving the meter data from the endpoint device; and

a host computing system capable of storing the meter data and the measured channel quality data, analyzing a sample of the channel quality data, generating a reprogramming command if it is determined by the analysis that reception of data at the collection system can be improved, and transmitting the generated command to the endpoint device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the frequency-hopping table stores the subset of transmission channels as first and second contiguous blocks of channels.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the endpoint device is programmed for reprogramming the frequency-hopping table in response to receiving the generated command.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the channel quality data is selected from the group consisting of signal strength data, RSSI data, interference/noise data, read coefficient data, data representative of a number of bad packets received, data representative of a ratio of bad packets received to good packets received, data representative of a ratio of preamble detections to good packets received, and combinations thereof

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the command includes one or more offset values, and wherein the endpoint device, upon receiving the command, uses the one or more offset values to modify the frequency-hopping table.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the endpoint device further comprises a set of frequency hopping tables, and upon reception of the command, the endpoint device is further operable to select a specific frequency-hopping table from the set of frequency hopping tables.

18. An endpoint device, comprising:

a communication device for receiving data and for transmitting data over an operational frequency band;

a memory storing at least one frequency-hopping table and frequency-hopping table reprogramming instructions;

a processor capable of executing the channel reprogramming instructions for

obtaining channel reprogramming data from a command received by the communication device;

modifying the frequency channel table in accordance with the channel reprogramming data; and

storing the modified frequency channel table in the memory.

19. The endpoint device of claim 18, wherein the frequency hopping table includes first and second blocks of channels, and wherein the modification of the frequency hopping table includes shifting the first and/or second block of channels along the operational frequency band.

20. The endpoint device of claim 18, wherein the memory stores a set of frequency hopping tables, and wherein the modification of the frequency hopping table includes selecting one of the frequency hopping tables from the set of frequency hopping tables.