Methods and apparatus for remote metering

• US 7,061,924 B1
• Filed: 05/24/2001
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Gibbs, Benjamin K., Durrant, Randolph L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sam, Phirin
• Application Number:
  US09/866,505
• Time in Patent Office: 1,846 Days
• Field of Search: 370241-253, 370/328, 370/389, 370/400, 370/335, 370/342, 370/346, 370/352, 370/353, 370/401, 370/315, 370/316, 370/329, 370/354, 370/392, 340/870.01, 340/870.14, 340/870.31, 340/870.02, 340/870.19, 455/423, 455/426, 455/405, 455/507, 455/466, 455/458, 709/223, 709/224, 709/507, 348/211.3, 705/400, 705/401, 705/402, 705/403, 705/405, 705/407
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• 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

A monitoring system includes a central gateway. The central gateway is configured to interface the monitoring system to a WAN. The monitoring system also includes a network of radio telemetry devices. Each radio telemetry device includes a monitoring device, a radio module configured to communicate with other radio telemetry devices and the central gateway, and a processor. The radio telemetry device can be configured to acquire monitoring data and forward it to the central gateway. The radio telemetry device can also be configured to relay monitoring data from other radio telemetry devices to the central gateway allowing for the use of short range, low power radio modules.

Claims

1. A monitoring system, comprising:

a central gateway configured to interface with the monitoring system to a WAN; and

a network of monitoring devices, the network being established on an ad hoc basis, each monitoring device having a meter interface to acquire monitoring data from a meter, and a radio interface to transmit the acquired monitoring data to the central gateway, to receive monitoring data from other monitoring devices, and to relay the received monitoring data to the central gateway.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the network of monitoring devices further comprises a plurality of intermediate devices to relay data within the monitoring system.

3. The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the monitoring devices, intermediate devices, and the central gateway comprise short range, low power radio modules.

4. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the central gateway forwards the monitoring data to a network-based monitoring application that resides on or is interfaced to the WAN.

5. The monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the network-based monitoring application is configured to send configuration data to an individual monitoring device in the network of monitoring devices trough the central gateway.

6. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein communication between monitoring devices in the network of monitoring devices and between the network of monitoring devices and the central gateway occurs over packet based communication links.

7. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the central gateway is configured to interface the monitoring system to the WAN over a wireless communication interface.

8. A monitoring system, comprising:

a central gateway configured to interface the monitoring system to a network-based monitoring application; and

a network of radio telemetry devices, each radio telemetry device comprising;

a monitoring device,

a radio module configured to communicate with other radio telemetry devices and the central gateway, and

a processor coupled with the radio module and the monitoring device, the processor;

receiving monitoring data from the monitoring device,

receiving a command to establish a circuit switched data communication with the network-based monitoring application from the monitoring device, and

establishing a packet data connection with the network-based monitoring application through the central gateway using the radio module in response to the received command; and

a plurality of interconnecting networks of radio telemetry devices, at least some of the plurality of interconnecting networks being formed on an ad hoc basis.

9. The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the network-based monitoring application is configured to establish a packet data communication with at least some of the radio telemetry devices through the central gateway in order to access monitoring data and/or configure the monitoring device portion of the radio telemetry devices.

10. The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the network of radio telemetry devices includes modified radio telemetry devices dedicated to relaying data within the monitoring system.

11. A radio telemetry device, comprising:

a monitoring device,

a radio module to communicate with other radio telemetry devices and a central gateway, and

a processor coupled with the radio module and the monitoring device, the processor;

receiving monitoring data from the monitoring device,

receiving a command to establish a circuit switched data communication with a network-based monitoring application from the monitoring device, and

establishing a packet data connection with the network-based monitoring application through a central gateway using the radio module in response to the received command;

wherein the radio telemetry device is configured to join a network of radio modules on an ad hoc basis.

12. The radio telemetry device of claim 11, wherein the network-based monitoring application is configured to establish a packet data communication with the radio telemetry device through the cent gateway in order to access monitoring data and/or configure the monitoring device.

13. The radio telemetry device of claim 11, further configured to relay monitoring data from other radio telemetry devices to the central gateway so that it can be forwarded to the network-based monitoring application.

14. The radio telemetry device of claim 11, wherein the radio module is a Bluetooth radio module.

15. The radio telemetry device of claim 11, wherein the radio module is a Home RF radio module.

16. The radio telemetry device of claim 11, wherein the radio module is a short range, low power radio module.

17. The radio telemetry device of claim 11, configured to be part of a plurality of interconnected networks of radio telemetry devices.

18. A radio telemetry device, comprising:

a monitoring interface to interface the device to a monitoring device;

a radio module to communicate with other radio telemetry devices and to a central gateway; and

a processor coupled with the monitoring interface and with the radio module, the processor;

receiving monitoring data through the monitoring interface,

transmitting the monitoring data to the central gateway using the radio module,

receiving monitoring data from other radio telemetry modules using the radio module, and

transmitting the received monitoring data to the central gateway using the radio module;

wherein the radio telemetry device is configured to be part of network of radio telemetry devices, the network being formed on an ad hoc basis.

19. The radio telemetry device of claim 18, wherein the radio module is a short range, low power radio module.

20. A method of radio telemetry using a monitoring device configured to operate in a network of monitoring devices, comprising:

acquiring monitoring data;

receiving a command to establish a circuit switched data communication with a network-based monitoring application;

establishing a connection to a network of radio telemetry devices on an ad hoc basis; and

establishing a packet data connection with the network-based monitoring application through the established ad hoc network of radio telemetry devices in response to the command to establish a circuit switched data communication.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving monitoring data from another radio telemetry device or from a modified radio telemetry device; and

transmitting the received monitoring data to another radio telemetry device or to a modified radio telemetry device in the network of radio telemetry devices or to a central gateway.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving configuration or other command and control data from another radio telemetry device, from a modified radio telemetry device, or from the central gateway; and

transmitting the received configuration or other command and control data to another radio telemetry device or to a modified radio telemetry device in the network of radio telemetry devices.