Internet Protocol Message Routing Over A Wireless Network Of Metering Devices
First Claim
1. In an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system in which a server communicates with a wireless network of metering devices in accordance with a first communications protocol, each metering device defining a node on the wireless network and each node having a unique identifier on the wireless network, a method for communicating between the server and a network device that is designed to communicate in accordance with Internet Protocol (IP), wherein the first protocol of the wireless network of metering devices is a different protocol than the IP protocol, the method comprising:
- connecting a communications interface of the network device to a corresponding communications interface on one of the nodes of the wireless network;
receiving at the server a message addressed to the network device, the message being formatted in accordance with the IP protocol;
determining the unique identifier of said one node on the wireless network to which the network device is connected;
using the determined unique identifier, transmitting a request to said one node via the wireless network and in accordance with the first communications protocol thereof, the command requesting that said one node write the IP message to a first ANSI C12.19-compliant table in a memory of the node, said one node thereafter retrieving the message from the first ANSI C12.19-compliant table and transmitting the message to the network device via its communications interface in accordance with the IP protocol, said one node storing a response to the message received from the network device in a second ANSI C12.19-compliant table in its memory;
transmitting a second request to said one node via the wireless network and in accordance with the first communications protocol thereof, the second command requesting that the response be read from the second ANSI C12.19-compliant table of said one node and transmitted to the server via the wireless network in accordance with the first communications protocol; and
receiving the response at the server.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for routing Internet Protocol (IP) messages over a network of an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system that employs a different communications protocol.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. In an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system in which a server communicates with a wireless network of metering devices in accordance with a first communications protocol, each metering device defining a node on the wireless network and each node having a unique identifier on the wireless network, a method for communicating between the server and a network device that is designed to communicate in accordance with Internet Protocol (IP), wherein the first protocol of the wireless network of metering devices is a different protocol than the IP protocol, the method comprising:
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connecting a communications interface of the network device to a corresponding communications interface on one of the nodes of the wireless network; receiving at the server a message addressed to the network device, the message being formatted in accordance with the IP protocol; determining the unique identifier of said one node on the wireless network to which the network device is connected; using the determined unique identifier, transmitting a request to said one node via the wireless network and in accordance with the first communications protocol thereof, the command requesting that said one node write the IP message to a first ANSI C12.19-compliant table in a memory of the node, said one node thereafter retrieving the message from the first ANSI C12.19-compliant table and transmitting the message to the network device via its communications interface in accordance with the IP protocol, said one node storing a response to the message received from the network device in a second ANSI C12.19-compliant table in its memory; transmitting a second request to said one node via the wireless network and in accordance with the first communications protocol thereof, the second command requesting that the response be read from the second ANSI C12.19-compliant table of said one node and transmitted to the server via the wireless network in accordance with the first communications protocol; and receiving the response at the server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. Apparatus for communicating between a server of an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system and a network device, the AMI system comprising a wireless network of metering devices that communicate in accordance with a first communications protocol, each metering device defining a node on the wireless network and each node having a unique identifier on the wireless network, the network device being adapted to communicate in accordance with the Internet Protocol (IP), the first communication protocol being different from the IP protocol, the apparatus comprising:
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a first communications interface that operates in accordance with the first communications protocol to communicate via said wireless network of the AMI system; a second communications interface adapted to enable the apparatus to be connected to a corresponding interface of the network device; a memory containing one or more ANSI C12.19-compliant data tables; and a processor that operates to; communicate via the first communications interface and to establish the apparatus as a node of the wireless network; receive, via the first communications interface in accordance with the first communications protocol, information encapsulated in a data format of the first communications protocol, the encapsulated information comprising an IP message formatted in accordance with the IP protocol and intended to be delivered to the network device; extract the encapsulated IP message and write the IP message to a first one of the ANSI C12.19-compliant data tables in the memory of the apparatus; transmit the IP message to the network device via the second communications interface in accordance with the IP protocol; receive a response from the network device via the second communications interface in accordance with the IP protocol and write the response to a second one of the ANSI C12.19-compliant data tables in the memory; and upon request, read the response from the second one of the ANSI C12.19-complaint data tables and transmit the response to the server over the wireless network via the first communications interface and in accordance with the first communications protocol. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification