Adaptive radio communication for a utility meter

• US 6,411,219 B1
• Filed: 12/29/1999
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Landis and Gyr LLC (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Power Transmission & Distribution Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Slater, Byron J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Jr., Timothy
• Application Number:
  US09/473,788
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.02, 370/437, 370/431, 370/469, 370/465, 370/466
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and system are disclosed for providing communication between a utility meter and a remote station via any of a plurality of RF modulation schemes and communication protocols over any of a plurality of carrier frequencies. The utility meter includes adaptive radio circuitry that is preferably programmably configured to receive and process any format of incoming signals, and generate and send any format of outgoing signals. The adaptive radio circuitry includes a DSP, filters, an analog-to-digital converter, a digital-to-analog converter, a tunable broad-band up/down converter and other processing circuitry. A main processor and memory provides control over the adaptive radio module.

Claims

1. A utility meter, comprising:

a housing;

a processing unit within said housing; and

an adaptive radio within said housing and electronically coupled to said processing unit, said adaptive radio configured to receive RF signals according to any one of a plurality of modulation schemes and communication protocols via any one of a plurality of carrier frequencies, and send RF signals according to one of a plurality of modulation schemes and communications protocols via any one of a plurality of carrier frequencies.

2. The utility meter of claim 1, wherein said adaptive radio comprises:

an RF receiver circuit configured to receive RF signals and generate digital IF signals therefrom; and

a digital signal processor operable to receive the digital IF signals and generate data signals using one of a plurality of modulation schemes and communication protocols.

3. The utility meter of claim 2, wherein said digital signal processor is self-configurable to employ a select modulation scheme and a select communication protocol.

4. The utility meter of claim 1, wherein said adaptive radio comprises:

a digital signal processor adapted to generate outgoing digital IF signals according to one of a plurality of modulation schemes and communications protocols and adapted to demodulate and organize an incoming digital IF signal;

an antenna;

a broad-band up/down converter electronically coupled to said antenna and adapted to downconvert incoming analog RF signals received by said antenna to incoming analog IF signals for processing, and to upconvert outgoing analog IF signals generated by said digital signal processor to outgoing analog RF signals for transmission by said antenna;

a first filter electronically coupled to said broad-band up/down converter and adapted to filter the incoming analog IF signals;

an analog-to-digital converter electronically coupled to said first filter and to said digital signal processor and adapted to convert the filtered incoming analog IF signals to incoming digital IF signals;

a digital-to-analog converter electronically coupled to said digital signal processor and adapted to convert outgoing digital IF signals from said digital signal processor to outgoing analog IF signals; and

a second filter electronically coupled between said digital-to-analog converter and said broad-band up/down converter and adapted to filter the outgoing analog IF signals.

5. The utility meter of claim 4, wherein said processing unit includes a microprocessor, and said broad-band up/down converter is tunable and in communication with said microprocessor.

6. The utility meter of claim 4, wherein said digital signal processor is self-configurable.

7. The utility meter of claim 4, further comprising:

a memory device electronically coupled to said digital signal processor and having a plurality of instructions stored therein that are executable by said digital signal processor.

8. A utility meter, comprising:

a housing;

utility controlling and monitoring circuitry within said housing; and

adaptive radio circuitry within said housing and electronically coupled to said utility controlling and monitoring circuitry and an RF antenna, the adaptive radio circuitry operable to send and/or receive RF signals in any one of a plurality of RF modulation/demodulation schemes and communication protocols via any one of a plurality of carrier frequencies and including,

a broad band up/down converter electronically coupled to said RF antenna and operable to convert incoming analog RF signals received by said RF antenna to incoming analog IF signals, and convert outgoing analog IF signals generated by the adaptive radio circuitry to outgoing analog RF signals;

a first filter electronically coupled to said broad band up/down converter and operable to receive and filter the incoming analog IF signals;

an analog-to-digital converter electronically coupled to said first filter and operable to digitize the incoming analog IF signal from said first filter into incoming digital IF signals;

a digital signal processor electronically coupled to said analog-to-digital converter and operable to receive and demodulate the incoming digital IF signals from said analog-to-digital converter, said digital signal processor further operable to generate and modulate outgoing digital IF signals;

a digital-to-analog converter electronically coupled to said digital signal processor and operable to convert the outgoing digital IF signals into outgoing analog IF signals; and

a second filter electronically coupled between said digital-to-analog converter and said broad band up/down converter and operable to receive and filter the outgoing analog IF signals.

9. The utility meter of claim 8, wherein said utility controlling and monitoring circuitry includes a microprocessor, and said broad band up/down converter is tunable and in communication with said microprocessor.

10. The utility meter of claim 8, wherein said digital signal processor is self-configurable.

11. The utility meter of claim 8, further comprising:

a memory device electronically coupled to said digital signal processor and having a plurality of instructions stored therein that are executable by said digital signal processor.

12. A method of communicating between a utility meter having controlling and monitoring circuitry therein and a remote station, the remote station configured to transmit and receive RF signals according to any one of a plurality of modulation schemes and communication protocols via any one of a plurality of carrier frequencies, the method of communicating comprising the steps of:

receiving said RF signals;

down-converting the RF signals to generate IF signals;

providing digitized IF signals to a digital signal processor; and

employing the digital signal processor to demodulate the IF signals in accordance with a select modulation scheme and generate data therefrom using a select communication protocol.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

employing a digital signal processor to generate digital IF signals using the select modulation scheme and the select communication protocol;

converting the digital IF signal to an analog RF signal; and

transmitting the analog RF signal.