Method and system for providing a network protocol for utility services

• US 7,797,009 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron Networked Solutions, Inc. (Itron, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Silver Spring Networks, Inc. (Itron, Inc.)
• Inventors: San Filippo, William III, Kiiskila, Marko, Rayala, Padmasheela
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US11/560,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20070120705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 455/445, 455/41.2, 455/500, 455/502, 455/507, 455/514, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/509, 455/512, 455/513, 455/515, 455/517, 455/518, 455/519, 34087001-87003, 709220-222, 709238-244, 370/229, 370/230, 370/230.1, 370/235, 370/236, 370/237
• US Class Current: 455/519
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/00 Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable G01D3/00 takes precedence; specially adapted for apparatus giving results other than momentary value of variable G01D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/08 based on transmission power
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• 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 method and system for providing a network protocol for utility services are disclosed are disclosed. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises discovering a utility network, wherein a constant powered meter sends network discovery messages to find the utility network. Neighboring meters are discovered, wherein the constant powered meter sends hello messages periodically. The constant powered meter is registered with the utility network. Further, the battery powered meter finds and associates itself with a constant powered meter. The constant powered meter also registers its associate battery powered meter with the utility network. The constant powered meter sends a node registration message to the gateway of the utility network. The constant powered meter can sense outage problems with the gateway and the neighbors of its network, and search and migrate to an alternate network.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

discovering a utility network, wherein a constant powered meter sends network discovery messages to find the utility network;

discovering neighboring meters, wherein the constant powered meter sends hello messages periodically; and

registering the constant powered meter with the utility network, wherein the constant powered meter sends a node registration message to a gateway.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein discovering the utility network further comprises:

scanning one or more channels for an active network; and

waiting for network discovery acknowledgment messages from one or more of the neighboring meters and the gateway.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein discovering the neighboring meters further comprises receiving sate information from one or more of the neighboring meters, and maintaining a neighbor table.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising removing a neighbor entry from the neighbor table when data is not received over a predetermined time period from a neighbor associated with the neighbor entry.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising discovering a second utility network when the constant powered meter determines all neighbors associated with the neighbor table are not active.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising receiving neighbor discovery acknowledgement messages indicating that one or more of the neighboring devices has a valid path to the gateway.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein registering the constant powered meter further comprises waiting for registration acknowledgment messages.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the gateway with information regarding the neighboring meters;

receiving routing information from the gateway; and

receiving optimized settings from the gateway.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising communicating with a battery powered meter and passing a battery powered node registration message to the gateway.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising discovering the utility network when the gateway can not be reached.

11. A system, comprising:

a utility network;

a constant powered meter communicating via the utility network;

a battery powered meter associated with the constant powered meter; and

a gateway communicating via the utility network, wherein the constant powered meter is configured to discover the utility network, send network discovery messages to find the utility network, discover neighboring meters, send hello messages periodically, register with the utility network, and send a node registration message to a gateway.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the constant powered meter scans one or more channels for an active network;

and waits for network discovery acknowledgment messages from one or more of the neighboring meters and the gateway.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the constant powered meter includes a neighbor table.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the constant powered meter removes a neighbor entry from the neighbor table when data is not received over a predetermined time period from a neighbor associated with the neighbor entry.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the constant powered meter discovers a second utility network when all neighbors associated with the neighbor table are not active.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the constant powered meter receives neighbor discovery acknowledgement messages indicating that one or more of the neighboring devices has a valid path to the gateway.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the constant powered meter waits for registration acknowledgment messages.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the constant powered meter provides the gateway with information regarding the neighboring meters;

receives routing information from the gateway; and

receives system settings from the gateway.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the constant powered meter communicates with a battery powered meter and passes a battery powered node registration message to the gateway.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the constant powered meter discovers the utility network when the gateway can not be reached.

21. The system of claim 11, wherein the constant powered meter discovers other utility networks by channel scanning, and initiates a set of procedures with which it migrates to an alternate utility network.

22. The system of claim 11, wherein the neighboring meters initiate a set of procedures to notify the utility network and the gateway that the constant powered meter is no longer part of the utility network.