Relaying Information for an Unreliably Heard Utility Node

• US 20140029415A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 01/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Osterloh, Christopher Lloyd, Cumeralto, Scott L., Barnes, Keith Wayne, Grindahl, Merv
• Granted Patent: US 9,621,411 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/221
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/45 Utility meters networked together within a single building
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0668 by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• 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

Data of a utility node that is unreliably heard may be relayed through another utility node. In some examples, utility nodes of a star network may attempt to transmit data to a collector, a repeater, a relay, a router, or a mobile device. When it is determined that a utility node is unable to reliably transmit data, a relay relationship may be established so that data of the unreliable utility node is relayed through the network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

under control of one or more processors configured with specific executable instructions,

determining that a first utility node of a utility node network is unable to reliably transmit data over the utility node network; and

causing a second utility node that is within communication range of the first utility node to relay data of the first utility node over the utility node network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a head-end device and determining comprises determining that data of the first utility node has not been received at the head-end device over a period of time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a collector, a repeater, a relay, a router, and/or a mobile device and determining comprises determining that data of the first utility node has not been received at the collector, the repeater, the relay, the router, and/or the mobile device over a period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by the second utility node and determining comprises receiving a beacon message from the first utility node indicating that the first utility node is unable to reliably transmit data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by the first utility node and determining comprises determining that a message has not been received from a collector, a repeater, a relay, a router, and/or a mobile device over a period of time.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, upon determining that the first utility node is unable to reliably transmit data, selecting the second utility node to relay data for the first utility node based at least in part on one or more communication metrics of the second utility node.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the second utility node to relay data of the first utility node comprises transmitting the data of the first utility node from the second utility node with a portion of a period of time that is established for transmitting data of the second utility node.

8. One or more computer-readable storage media storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed, instruct one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

identifying a utility node of a utility node network that is unable to reliably transmit data to a collector, a repeater, a relay, a router, and/or a mobile device; and

causing another utility node that operates as a non-relay node for the utility node network to act as a relay node for the utility node.

9. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 8, wherein the utility node that is unable to reliably transmit data is identified from a message that is received from the collector, the repeater, the relay, the router, the mobile device, and/or a head-end device, the message indicating that the utility node is unable to reliably transmit data over the utility node network.

10. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 8, wherein causing the other utility node to act as the relay node for the utility node comprises:

transmitting one or more messages between the utility node and the other utility node to establish one or more communication parameters for relaying data of the utility node; and

relaying data of the utility node through the other utility node based at least in part on the one or more communication parameters.

11. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 10, wherein the one or more communication parameters indicate a time for receiving data of the utility node and/or indicate a communication channel on which to receive data of the utility node.

12. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise, while the other utility node acts as a relay node for the utility node, transmitting data of the utility node from the utility node in an attempt to communicate the data over the utility node network.

13. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 8, wherein:

the utility node and/or the other utility node comprises a battery-powered device, and the operations further comprise;

setting the utility node and/or the other utility node to an inactive state when the utility node and/or the other utility node are not communicating.

14. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 13, wherein the utility node and/or the other utility node are set to the inactive state based at least in part on one or more communication parameters that indicate when the utility node and/or the other utility node communicate.

15. One or more computer-readable storage media storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed, instruct a processing unit to perform operations comprising:

determining that a utility node of a utility network is unable to reliably communicate with a designated utility node that receives data of the utility node; and

transmitting one or more messages to another utility node of the utility network that is in communication range of the utility node to cause the other utility node to relay data for the utility node.

16. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise, before transmitting the one or more messages to the other utility node, selecting the other utility node to relay data for the utility node based at least in part on one or more communication metrics of the other utility node.

17. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 16, wherein the one or more communication metrics include at least one of a number of communications received from the other utility node, a ratio of received communications of the other utility node to expected communications from the other utility node, or a quality of communications received from the other utility node.

18. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the determining comprises determining that the utility node is unable to reliably communicate with a collector, a repeater, a relay, a mobile device, a router, and/or a head-end device.

19. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the one or more messages comprises one or more beacon messages that are transmitted from the utility node to request that data of the utility node be relayed.

20. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the utility node and the other utility node of the utility network are elements of a star network.