Distributing metering responses for load balancing an AMR network
First Claim
1. An advanced metering system with meter response load balancing, comprising:
- a plurality of end devices respectively comprising metrology devices; and
a network including a central facility having collection functionality, said network being configured for bi-directional communications between said central facility and each of said plurality of end devices, and said collection functionality being configured so as to broadcast to at least selected of said metrology devices a request for data, which request for data includes metrology device instructions for responding to said request for data;
wherein said metrology device instructions include a start offset and an end offset, thereby defining a metrology device response period.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are methodology and corresponding apparatus subject matters for providing improved efficiency in the collection of data from a large number of metrology devices associated with an Automated Meter reading (AMR) network. AMR network operation produces randomly spaced transmissions from individual nodes in the network. When an AMR system wishes to retrieve data from a large number of points over an AMR network, a broadcast or multicast request is transmitted to appropriate nodes. A time window is defined either in such request or in the devices themselves such that start and end offsets from the time of the request are received by the node. The start offset provides a quiet period to insure request delivery to all the appropriate nodes. The end offset provides a time by which the requested data must be returned. Responses are sent randomly within the window established by the start and stop offset times.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An advanced metering system with meter response load balancing, comprising:
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a plurality of end devices respectively comprising metrology devices; and a network including a central facility having collection functionality, said network being configured for bi-directional communications between said central facility and each of said plurality of end devices, and said collection functionality being configured so as to broadcast to at least selected of said metrology devices a request for data, which request for data includes metrology device instructions for responding to said request for data; wherein said metrology device instructions include a start offset and an end offset, thereby defining a metrology device response period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An advanced metering system with meter response load balancing, comprising:
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a plurality of end devices respectively comprising metrology devices respectively having preprogrammed protocols for responding to requests for data; and a network including a central facility having collection functionality, said network being configured for bi-directional communications between said central facility and each of said plurality of end devices, and said collection functionality being configured so as to broadcast to at least selected of said metrology devices a request for data;
whereinsaid preprogrammed protocols of said metrology devices respectively include a start offset and an end offset, thereby defining a metrology device response period; and metrology devices responding to said request for data are configured for respectively responding at random times within said defined metrology device response period. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. Methodology for an advanced metering system with meter response load balancing, comprising:
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providing a plurality of end devices respectively comprising metrology devices; establishing a network including a central facility having collection functionality; configuring the network for bi-directional communications between such central facility and each of the plurality of end devices; and using said collection functionality to broadcast to at least selected of the metrology devices a request for data, which request for data includes metrology device instructions for responding to the request for data; wherein said metrology device instructions include a start offset and an end offset, thereby defining a metrology device response period. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. Methodology for an advanced metering system with meter response load balancing, comprising:
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providing a plurality of end devices respectively comprising metrology devices respectively having preprogrammed protocols for responding to requests for data; establishing a network including a central facility having collection functionality; configuring the network for bi-directional communications between such central facility and each of the plurality of end devices; and using said collection functionality to broadcast to at least selected of the metrology devices a request for data;
whereinthe preprogrammed protocols of the metrology devices respectively include a start offset and an end offset, thereby defining a metrology device response period; and metrology devices responding to the request for data are configured for respectively responding at random times within the defined metrology device response period. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification