Crystal drift compensation in a mesh network

• US 7,764,714 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2007
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron Global Sarl (Itron, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Picard, Gilles, Monier, Fabrice
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Brian D
• Application Number:
  US11/900,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20080075218A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 370/350, 370/503, 370/506, 370/508, 370/516, 370/519, 375/371, 340/870.02
• US Class Current: 370/516
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/006 Remote reading of utility meters to a non-fixed location, i.e. mobile location
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/16 in which transmission is by pulses
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7143 Arrangements for generation of hop patterns
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15 Active relay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/127 based on intermediate node capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/005 Routing actions in the presence of nodes in sleep or doze mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/10 based on available power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/248 Connectivity information update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 one node acting as a reference for the others
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/002 Mutual synchronization
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 70/8418 adapted for focusing electric field or current, e.g. tip-shaped
• 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

The present technology relates to protocols relative to utility meters associated with an open operational framework. More particularly, the present subject matter relates to protocol subject matter for advanced metering infrastructure, adaptable to various international standards, while economically supporting a 2-way mesh network solution in a wireless environment, such as for operating in a residential electricity meter field. The present subject matter supports meters within an ANSI standard C12.22/C12.19 system while economically supporting a 2-way mesh network solution in a wireless environment, such as for operating in a residential electricity meter field, all to permit cell-based adaptive insertion of C12.22 meters within an open framework. Cell isolation is provided through quasi-orthogonal sequences in a frequency hopping network. Additional features relate to apparatus and methodology subject matters relating to crystal drift compensation in a mesh network.

Claims

1. A method for compensating for drift in node device clocks in an advanced metering system mesh network, comprising:

establishing a network including at least one root node and a plurality of node devices, with at least some of the node devices comprising metrology devices;

configuring the network for bi-directional communications among the at least one root node and each of the plurality of node devices;

providing each node device with a crystal controlled internal clock;

conducting packet communications among the root node and the plurality of node devices; and

configuring each node device to realign its internal clock each time the node device communicates with another node device closer to the root node than itself,

whereby each node device will realign its clock to be in synchronization with the network thereby compensating for time differences caused by drift in any of the node device clocks.

2. A method as in claim 1, further comprising:

averaging the amounts of node clock realignments over time for a respective node device;

processing the averaged amounts of node clock realignments to determine how fast the node device clock is running for the respective node device; and

adjusting the node device clock to bring it into alignment with the network.

3. A method as in claim 2, further comprising:

processing the averaged amounts of node clock realignments with respect to the average clock of two or more node devices closer to the root node,

whereby compensation is provided for multiple synchronization paths to plural node devices closer to the root node, and for slow drift due to the difference between the crystal frequency of the node device and average crystal frequency in the node devices closer to the root node.

4. A method as in claim 3, further comprising:

filtering consecutive clock realignment corrections using a low-pass filter; and

adjusting the clock of a node device in accordance with the filtered realignment corrections independently of a resynchronization event,

whereby drift is anticipated and compensated without waiting for the next resynchronization.

5. A method as in claim 4, further comprising:

recording the value of a node device clock correction;

recording the time the correction occurred; and

evaluating the crystal drift of the clock of the node device according to the relationship;

6. A method as in claim 5, further comprising:

defining the low-pass filter according to the relationship;

Xdrift_—

filt(n)=A×

Xdrift(n)+B×

Xdrift_—

filt(n−

1),

where Xdrift_filt(n) is filtered crystal drift estimation and A,B are filter coefficients.

7. A method as in claim 6, further comprising:

providing a leap time slot count down timer; and

introducing a leap time slot according to the pseudo-code;

8. A method for compensating for crystal frequency drift in an advanced metering system mesh network, comprising:

establishing a network including at least one root node and a plurality of node devices, with at least some of the node devices comprising metrology devices;

configuring the network for bi-directional communications among the at least one root node and each of the plurality of node devices;

providing each of the plurality of node devices with a crystal controlled internal clock;

conducting communications among the root node and the plurality of node devices using a repeating hyperframe subdivided into a repeating time slot packet protocol; and

configuring each node device to resynchronize its internal clock each time the node device communicates with the root node or another node closer than itself to the root node,

whereby the node device will realign its internal clock to be in synchronization with the network, thereby compensating for crystal frequency drift.

9. A method as in claim 8, further comprising:

recording individual amounts by which a node device adjusts its internal clock;

recording the times the adjustments occurred;

evaluating the crystal frequency drift of the clock of the node device according to the relationship;

10. A method as in claim 9, further comprising:

averaging the amounts by which a respective node device adjusts its internal clock over time;

processing the averaged amounts to determine how fast the clock of the respective node device is running; and

configuring each node device to adjust its internal clock based on the average to bring it into alignment with the network.

11. A method as in claim 10, further comprising processing the averaged amounts based on the averaged clocks of two or more node devices closer to the root node than the respective node device.

12. A method as in claim 11, further comprising:

low-pass filtering consecutive amounts by which a respective node device adjusts its internal clock; and

adjusting the clock of the respective node device in accordance with the filtered amounts,

whereby crystal drift is anticipated and compensated independently from a resynchronization event.

13. A method as in claim 12, further comprising:

defining the low-pass filter according to the relationship;

Xdrift_—

filt(n)=A×

Xdrift(n)+B×

Xdrift_—

filt(n−

1),

where Xdrift_filt(n) is filtered crystal drift estimation and A,B are filter coefficients.

14. A method as in claim 13, further comprising:

providing a leap time slot count down timer; and

introducing a leap time slot according to the pseudo-code;

15. An advanced metering system mesh network, comprising:

at least one root node;

a plurality of node devices, with at least some of the node devices comprising metrology devices, said plurality of node devices configured for bi-directional communications among the at least one root node and others of said plurality of node devices using a repeating hyperframe subdivided into a repeating time slot sequence packet protocol; and

a plurality of crystal controlled internal clocks, respectively associated with each of said plurality of node devices,

wherein each of said node devices is configured to resynchronize its respective internal clock each time each respective node device communicates with said at least one root node or another node device closer than itself to the at least one root node,

whereby the respective node device will realign its internal clock to be in synchronization with the network, thereby compensating for crystal frequency drift.

16. A network as in claim 15, wherein each of said node devices is further configured to respectively record individual amounts by which it adjusts its respective internal clock and the times the adjustments occurred, and to evaluate drift in the frequency of the crystal frequency drift associated with the respective clock of the respective node device and to align its respective internal clock according to the relationship:

17. A network as in claim 16, wherein each of said node devices is further configured for averaging the amounts by which it adjusts its respective internal clock over time, for processing the averaged amounts to determine how fast its respective clock is running, and for adjusting its respective internal clock based on the average to bring it respective clock into alignment with the network.

18. A network as in claim 17, wherein each of said node devices is further configured to process the averaged amounts based on the averaged clocks of two or more node devices closer than itself to said at least one root node.

19. A network as in claim 18, further comprising:

a plurality of low-pass filters, respectively associated with each of said node devices, each respective low-pass filter configured to operate according to the relationship;

Xdrift_—

filt(n)=A×

Xdrift(n)+B×

Xdrift_—

filt(n−

1),

where Xdrift_filt(n) is filtered crystal drift estimation and A,B are filter coefficients,

wherein each of said node devices is further configured to low-pass filter consecutive amounts by which it adjusts its respective internal clock and to adjust its respective clock in accordance with the filtered amounts,

whereby crystal drift is anticipated and compensated independently from a resynchronization event.

20. A network as in claim 19, further comprising:

a plurality of leap time slot count down timers, respectively associated with each of said node devices,

wherein each respective node device is further configured to introduce a leap time slot into its repeating time slot sequence according to the pseudo-code;

21. A network as in claim 15, wherein the at least one root node comprises a cell relay.