DATA COMMUNICATION PROTOCOL IN AN AUTOMATIC METER READING SYSTEM
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An automatic meter reading (AMR) system, comprisinga reader;
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wherein in operation, said reader and said endpoint communicate with one another via radio frequency (RF) communication according to a communication protocol that includes a transport layer, wherein said transport layer provides slot assignments, timing, and packetization for all data transferred between said reader and said endpoint;
wherein said packetization defines packets to include;
a preamble field;
a preface following the preamble field, wherein the preface includes at least a message type field;
an endpoint type field following the message type field;
a message field following the endpoint type field; and
a validation field.
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Abstract
Automatic meter reading (AMR) systems and methods in which readers communicate with endpoints interfaced to utility meters. In operation, the reader and the endpoint communicate with one another via radio frequency (RF) communication according to a communication protocol. Aspects of the invention are directed to packetization, command and control, and messaging arrangements.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. An automatic meter reading (AMR) system, comprising
a reader; - and
an endpoint interfaced to a utility meter; wherein in operation, said reader and said endpoint communicate with one another via radio frequency (RF) communication according to a communication protocol that includes a transport layer, wherein said transport layer provides slot assignments, timing, and packetization for all data transferred between said reader and said endpoint; wherein said packetization defines packets to include; a preamble field; a preface following the preamble field, wherein the preface includes at least a message type field; an endpoint type field following the message type field; a message field following the endpoint type field; and a validation field. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An automatic meter reading (AMR) system, comprising:
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a reader; and an endpoint interfaced to a utility meter; wherein in operation, said reader transmits a command and control frame to said endpoint via radio frequency (RF) communication, wherein the command and control frame includes; a system ID that indicates a specific AMR system with which said endpoint is associated; a frame ID that indicates a position in a wake-up sequence of said reader; and a cell ID that indicates at least one subset of said specific AMR system. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An automatic meter reading (AMR) system, comprising
a reader; -
an endpoint interfaced to a utility meter, wherein said reader transmits a RF communication to said endpoint; wherein said RF communication occurs through the use of at least one packet that includes a message type field and a message field, wherein the message type field indicates a command type of a first command to be carried out that is selected from a predetermined set of commands, and wherein the message field indicates specific data associated with the first command.
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24. An automatic meter reading (AMR) system, comprising
a reader; -
an endpoint interfaced to a utility meter, wherein said endpoint and reader communicate with one another via a radio frequency (RF) communication; wherein said RF communication occurs through the use of at least one packet that includes a message type field and a message content field that is distinct from the message type field, wherein the message type field indicates a message type indicator of a first message to be conveyed that is selected from a predetermined set of messages, and wherein the message content field indicates specific data associated with the first message.
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25. In an automatic meter reading (AMR) system that includes a reader and an endpoint interfaced to a utility meter, a method of communicating between the endpoint and the reader, said method comprising:
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transmitting, by at least one of the reader and the endpoint, a packetized radio frequency (RF) communication that comprises a first packet; providing, in the first packet, a message type field and a message content field that is distinct from the message type field; indicating, in the message type field, a message type of a first message to be conveyed that is selected from a predetermined set of messages; and indicating, in the message content field, specific data associated with the first message.
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26. An automatic meter reading (AMR) system, comprising
a reader; - and
an endpoint interfaced to a utility meter; wherein in operation, said reader and said endpoint communicate with one another via radio frequency (RF) communication according to a communication protocol that includes a transport layer, wherein said transport layer provides slot assignments, timing, and packetization for all data transferred between said reader and said endpoint; wherein said packetization defines packets to include; a preamble field; a preface following the preamble field, wherein the reface includes at least a message type field; an endpoint type field following the message type field; a message field following the endpoint type field; and a validation field. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. An automatic meter reading (AMR) system, comprising
a reader; -
an endpoint interfaced to a utility meter, wherein said reader transmits a RF communication to said endpoint; wherein said RF communication occurs through the use of at least one packet that includes a message type field and a message field, wherein the message type field indicates a command type of a first command to be carried out that is selected from a predetermined set of commands, and wherein the message field indicates specific data associated with the first command.
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31. An automatic meter reading (AMR) system, comprising
a reader; -
an endpoint interfaced to a utility meter, wherein said endpoint and reader communicate with one another via a radio frequency (RF) communication; wherein said RF communication occurs through the use of at least one packet that includes a message type field and a message content field that is distinct from the message type field, wherein the message type field indicates a message type indicator of a first message to be conveyed that is selected from a predetermined set of messages, and wherein the message content field indicates specific data associated with the first message.
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32. In an automatic meter reading (AMR) system that includes a reader and an endpoint interfaced to a utility meter, a method of communicating between the endpoint and the reader, said method comprising:
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transmitting, by at least one of the reader and the endpoint, a packetized radio frequency (RF) communication that comprises a first packet; providing, in the first packet, a message type field and a message content field that is distinct from the message type field; indicating, in the message type field, a message type of a first message to be conveyed that is selected from a predetermined set of messages; and indicating, in the message content field, specific data associated with the first message.
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Specification