METHODS AND SYSTEM FOR JOINING A SMART ENERGY DEVICE TO A ZIGBEE NETWORK

• US 20150051717A1
• Filed: 08/19/2013
• Published: 02/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digi International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Digi International Inc.
• Inventors: Krutsch, Kenneth Frederick, Focht, Jordan
• Granted Patent: US 9,459,604 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/90
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/00 Data switching networks interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units G06F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving

Abstract

One embodiment is directed to a method for joining a smart energy device to a ZigBee network. The method includes sending, from a ZigBee gateway to a database server, a first extended unique identifier (EUI) for the ZigBee gateway. The also method includes receiving a request from a first smart energy device to join the ZigBee gateway, the request including a second EUI corresponding to the first smart energy device. The second EUI from the first smart energy device is compared with the first one or more EUIs received from the database server. If the second EUI from the first smart energy device matches any of the first one or more EUIs, an install code or link key corresponding to the matched one of the first one or more EUIs is sent to the first smart energy device. Otherwise, an install code is requested from the user.

Claims

1. A method for joining a smart energy device to a ZigBee network, the method comprising:

sending, from a ZigBee gateway to a database server, a first extended unique identifier (EUI) for the ZigBee gateway;

if one or more first EUIs, corresponding to one or more smart energy devices bundled with the ZigBee gateway, are received at the ZigBee gateway from the database server, then;

receiving a request from a first smart energy device to join the ZigBee gateway, the request including a second EUI corresponding to the first smart energy device;

comparing the second EUI from the first smart energy device with the first one or more EUIs received from the database server; and

if the second EUI from the first smart energy device matches any of the first one or more EUIs, sending an install code or link key corresponding to the matched one of the first one or more EUIs to the first smart energy device, else;

if one or more EUIs are not received at the ZigBee gateway from the database server, then;

prompting a user for an install code;

receiving the install code from the user;

sending the install code to any smart energy device sending a join request to the ZigBee gateway;

if a response is received from the first smart energy device that confirms that the first smart energy device would like to join, joining the first smart energy device to a ZigBee network provided by the ZigBee gateway.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if the one or more EUIs are received at the ZigBee gateway from the database server, then:

sending the install code or link key for a limited period of time, wherein the limited period of time begins based on when the first one or more EUIs are received at the ZigBee gateway.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the limited period of time is approximately 1 hour.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein if the one or more EUIs are received at the ZigBee gateway from the database server, then:

receiving, at the ZigBee gateway from the database server, one of a link key or an install code for each of the first one or more EUIs;

wherein sending an install code or link key to the first smart energy device includes sending an install code or link key received from database server and corresponding to the second EUI of the first smart energy device;

if a response is received from the first smart energy device that confirms that the first smart, joining the first smart energy device to the ZigBee network provided by the ZigBee gateway.

5. The method of claim 4, comprising:

if the smart energy device is joined, sending energy data from the smart energy device using the link key to encrypt the energy data.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein if the one or more EUIs are received at the ZigBee gateway, then:

displaying for a user an install code corresponding to the second EUI received from the database server; and

receiving a confirmation from a user that the install code corresponds to a smart energy device to be installed before sending the install code to the first smart energy device.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising:

establishing communication between the ZigBee gateway and an application running on a computing device in the local area network to which the ZigBee gateway is connected;

wherein displaying an install code includes displaying an install code on a display of the computing device using the application; and

wherein receiving a confirmation includes receiving an input from the user via a user interface of the application and sending data corresponding to the input from the application to the ZigBee gateway.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the install code to any smart energy device sending a join request to the ZigBee gateway includes sending the install code for limited period of time after receiving the install code from the user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the limited period of time is approximately 1 hour.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein if one or more EUIs are not received at the ZigBee gateway from the database server, and if no response is received from the first smart energy device that confirms the first smart energy device would like to join, removing the first smart energy device from the ZigBee gateway.

11. A ZigBee gateway comprising:

one or more processing units;

one or more storage medias coupled to the one or more processing units, the one or more storage medias including instructions which, when executed by the one or more processing units, are configured to cause the one or more processing units to;

send, from a ZigBee gateway to a database server, a first extended unique identifier (EUI) for the ZigBee gateway;

if one or more first EUIs, corresponding to one or more smart energy devices bundled with the ZigBee gateway, are received at the ZigBee gateway from the database server, then;

receive a request from a first smart energy device to join the ZigBee gateway, the request including a second EUI corresponding to the first smart energy device;

compare the second EUI from the first smart energy device with the first one or more EUIs received from the database server; and

if the second EUI from the first smart energy device matches any of the first one or more EUIs, send an install code or link key to the first smart energy device, else;

if one or more EUIs are not received at the ZigBee gateway from the database server, then;

prompt a user for an install code;

receive the install code from the user;

send the install code to any smart energy device sending a join request to the ZigBee gateway;

if a response is received from the first smart energy device that confirms that the first smart energy device would like to join, join the first smart energy device to a ZigBee network provided by the ZigBee gateway.

12. The ZigBee gateway of claim 11, wherein if the one or more EUIs are received at the ZigBee gateway from the database server, then the instruction are configured to cause the one or more processing units to:

send the install code or link key for a limited period of time, wherein the limited period of time begins based on when the first one or more EUIs are received at the ZigBee gateway.

13. The ZigBee gateway of claim 12, wherein the limited period of time is approximately 1 hour.

14. The ZigBee gateway of claim 11, wherein if the one or more EUIs are received at the ZigBee gateway from the database server, then the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processing units to:

receive, at the ZigBee gateway from the database server, one of a link key or an install code for each of the first one or more Ens;

wherein send an install code or link key to the first smart energy device includes send an install code or link key received from database server and corresponding to the second EUI of the first smart energy device;

if a response is received from the first smart energy device that confirms that the first smart, join the first smart energy device to the ZigBee network provided by the ZigBee gateway.

15. The ZigBee gateway of claim 14, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processing units to:

if the smart energy device is joined, relay energy data from the first smart energy device to the Internet.

16. The ZigBee gateway of claim 14, wherein if the one or more EUIs are received at the ZigBee gateway, then the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processing units to:

cause an install code to be displayed to a user, the install code corresponding to the second EUI received from the database server; and

receive a confirmation that the install code corresponds to a smart energy device to be installed before sending the install code to the first smart energy device.

17. The ZigBee gateway of claim 16, wherein instructions are configured to cause the one or more processing units to:

establish communication between the ZigBee gateway and an application running on a computing device in the local area network to which the ZigBee gateway is connected;

wherein display an install code includes display an install code on a display of the computing device using the application; and

wherein receive a confirmation includes receive a confirmation based on an input from the user via a user interface of the application.

18. The ZigBee gateway of claim 11, wherein send the install code to any smart energy device sending a join request to the ZigBee gateway includes send the install code for limited period of time after receiving the install code from the user.

19. The ZigBee gateway of claim 11, wherein if one or more EUIs are not received at the ZigBee gateway from the database server, and if no response is received from the first smart energy device that confirms the third smart energy device would like to join, the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processing units to, remove the first smart energy device from the ZigBee gateway.

20. A method for joining a smart energy device to a ZigBee network, the method comprising:

sending, from a ZigBee gateway to a database server, a first extended unique identifier (EUI) for the ZigBee gateway;

if one or more first EUIs, corresponding to one or more smart energy devices bundled with the ZigBee gateway, are received at the ZigBee gateway from the database server, then;

receiving a request from a first smart energy device to join the ZigBee gateway, the request including a second EUI corresponding to the first smart energy device;

if the second EUI from the first smart energy device matches any of the one or more EUIs and if one of a link key or an install code for the second EUI was received, at the ZigBee gateway from the database server, sending the install code or link key to the first smart energy device;

if a response is received from the second smart energy device that confirms that the first smart energy device would like to join a ZigBee network provided by the ZigBee gateway, joining the first smart energy device to the ZigBee network, else;

if one or more EUIs are not received at the ZigBee gateway from the database server, or if a link key or install code corresponding to a matching EUI is not received at the ZigBee gateway, then;

prompting a user for an install code for a bundled smart energy device;

receiving the one of an install code from the user;

verifying that the install code is a proper install code;

sending the install code to any device that sends a join request to the ZigBee gateway;

if a response is received from the first smart energy device that confirms that the first smart energy device would like to join the ZigBee network, joining the first smart energy device to the ZigBee network; and

removing, from the ZigBee gateway, any devices that sent join requests but did not confirm joining in response to the install code.