Radio communication network for collecting data from utility meters

• US 6,653,945 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2001
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Wiebe, Michael, Holowick, Erwin, Jacob, Nathan R., Murhpy, Michael F., Schellenberg, James J., Stasenski, Michael S., Johnson, Dennis F.
• Primary Examiner(s): EDWARDS JR, TIMOTHY
• Application Number:
  US09/960,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20020158774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.02, 340/870.03, 340/870.11, 370/328
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/008 Modifications to installed utility meters to enable remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 15/00 Arrangements characterised by the use of multiplexing for the transmission of a plurality of signals over a common path
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 15/06 successively, i.e. using time division
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2854 Wide area networks, e.g. public data networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/022 by sampling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/14 Calling by using pulses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/08 Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• 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 20/20 : End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 : Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 : Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them

Abstract

A radio communications network for transmitting data from a plurality of remote stations to a central station is provided. This system is particularly proposed for automatic meter reading systems in which the remote stations are located at utility meters. The system includes an array of receiving stations arranged relative to the remote stations so that the messages from each remote station can be received by at least two and preferably four of the receiving stations providing a high level of duplication of messages. The remote stations transmit utility usage information obtained from a previous time period at a random time subsequent to the time period so that message collisions can occur. High level of duplication provided by the increased number of receiving stations reduces the message loss. A quiet period during which the remote stations are prevented from transmitting can be used for communication between the receiving stations and the central station.

Claims

1. A radio communication network for collecting data generated by a plurality of utility meters located within a geographic area, comprising:

a plurality of meter reading units, with each meter reading unit coupled to a respective utility meter and including a low-power transmitter to autonomously transmit by wireless radio signals representative of at least a portion of the data generated by the meter reading unit for that utility meter;

a plurality of fixed receiving stations located within the geographic area, there being fewer receiving stations than meter reading units with each receiving station including a receiver that receives signals transmitted from at least one meter reading unit and a transmitter that selectively transmits wireless radio signals representative of at least a portion of the data generated by at least one meter reading unit; and

a central station having at least one receiver to receive signals transmitted from the plurality of receiving stations, a processor that decodes the signal, and a memory that stores data representative of at least a portion of the decoded signals in a data base.

2. The radio communication network of claim 1 wherein the low-power transmitter of each meter reader transmits at psuedo-random times.

3. The radio communication network of claim 1 wherein the low-power transmitter of each meter reader transmits at a power of less than 100 mW.

4. The radio communication network of claim 1 wherein the low-power transmitter of each meter reader transmits at distances only up to 2 kilometers.

5. The radio communication network of claim 1 wherein the central station polls each of the plurality of receiving stations to selectively transmit the signals representative of at least a portion of the data generated by at least one meter reading unit.

6. The radio communication network of claim 1 where each receiving station receives signals from no more than approximately 1,000 meter reading units.

7. The radio communication network of claim 1 wherein each receiving station transmits at distances greater than 2 kilometers.

8. The radio communication network of claim 1 wherein the utility meter is an electricity meter.

15. The radio communication network of claim 1 wherein each receiving station transmits at distances greater than 2 kilometers.

9. A radio communication network for collecting data generated by a plurality of utility meters located within a geographic area, comprising:

a plurality of meter reading units, with each meter reading unit coupled to a respective utility meter and including a low-power transmitter to autonomously transmit by wireless radio signals representative of at least a portion of the data generated by the meter reading unit for that utility meter;

a plurality of fixed receiving stations located within the geographic area, there being fewer receiving stations than meter reading units with each receiving station including a receiver that receives signals transmitted from at least one meter reading unit and a transmitter that selectively transmits wireless radio signals representative of at least a portion of the data generated by at least one meter reading unit;

a plurality of intermediate stations located within the geographic area, with each intermediate station including a receiver that receives signals transmitted from at least one receiving station and a transmitter that selectively sends signals representative of at least a portion of the data generated by at least one meter reading unit; and

a central station having at least one receiver to receive signals from the plurality of intermediate stations, a processor that decodes the signal, and a memory that stores data representative of at least a portion of the decoded signals in a data base.

10. The radio communication network of claim 9 wherein the low-power transmitter of each meter reader transmits at psuedo-random times.

11. The radio communication network of claim 9 herein the low-power transmitter of each meter reader transmits at a power of less than 100 mW.

12. The radio communication network of claim 9 wherein the low-power transmitter of each meter reader transmits at distances only up to 2 kilometers.

13. The radio communication network of claim 9 wherein the central station polls each of the plurality of receiving stations to selectively transmit the signals representative of at least a portion of the data generated by at least one meter reading unit.

14. The radio communication network of claim 9 where each receiving station receives signals from no more than approximately 1,000 meter reading units.

16. The radio communication network of claim 9 wherein the utility meter is an electricity meter.

17. A radio communication network for collecting data generated by a plurality of electrical utility meters located within a geographic area, comprising:

a plurality of meter reading units, with each meter reading unit coupled to a respective electrical utility meter and including a low-power transmitter to autonomously transmit by wireless radio at psuedo-random times and at a power of less than 100 mW and distances of only up to 2 kilometers signals representative of at least a portion of the data generated by the meter reading unit for that electrical utility meter;

a plurality of fixed receiving stations located within the geographic area, there being fewer receiving stations than meter reading units with each receiving station including a receiver that receives signals transmitted from between one meter reading unit and one thousand meter reading units and a transmitter that selectively transmits wire radio signals representative of at least a portion of the data generated by at least one meter reading unit; and

a central station having at least one receiver to receive signals transmitted from the plurality of receiving stations, a processor that decodes the signal, and a memory that stores data representative of at least a portion of the decoded signals in a data base.

18. In a radio communication network for collecting data generated by a plurality of utility meters located within a geographic area, a method of communicating signals comprising the steps of:

for each of a plurality of meter reading units coupled to a respective utility meter, autonomously transmitting by wireless radio signals representative of at least a portion of the data generated by the meter reading unit for that utility meter;

for each of a plurality of fixed receiving stations located within the geographic area, there being fewer receiving stations than meter reading units with each receiving station, receiving signals transmitted from at least one meter reading unit and selectively transmitting wireless radio signals representative of at least a portion of the data generated by at least one meter reading unit; and

receiving signals at a central station transmitted from the plurality of receiving stations, decoding the signals, and storing data representative of at least a portion of the decoded signals in a data base.

19. In a radio communication network for collecting data generated by a plurality of utility meters located within a geographic area, a method of communicating signals comprising the steps of:

for each of a plurality of meter reading units coupled to a respective utility meter, autonomously transmitting by wireless radio signals representative of at least a portion of the data generated by the meter reading unit for that utility meter;

for each of a plurality of fixed receiving stations located within the geographic area, there being fewer receiving stations than meter reading units with each receiving station, receiving signals transmitted from at least one meter reading unit and a selectively transmitting wireless radio signals representative of at least a portion of the data generated by at least one meter reading unit;

for each of a plurality of intermediate stations located within the geographic area, receiving signals transmitted from at least one receiving station and selectively sending signals representative of at least a portion of the data generated by at least one meter reading unit; and

receiving signals at a central station transmitted from the plurality of intermediate stations, decoding the signals, and storing data representative of at least a portion of the decoded signals in a data base.

20. In a radio communication network for collecting data generated by a plurality of electrical utility meters located within a geographic area, a method of communicating signals comprising the steps of:

for each of a plurality of meter reading units coupled to a respective utility meter, autonomously transmitting by wireless radio at psuedo-random times and at a power of less than 100 mW and distances of only up to 2 kilometers signals representative of at least a portion of the data generated by the meter reading unit for that utility meter;

for each of a plurality of fixed receiving stations located within the geographic area, there being fewer receiving stations than meter reading units with each receiving station, receiving signals transmitted from at least one meter reading unit and selectively transmitting wireless radio signals representative of at least a portion of the data generated by at least one meter reading unit; and

receiving signals at a central station transmitted from the plurality of receiving stations, decoding the signals, and storing data representative of at least a portion of the decoded signals in a data base.