Wakeup and interrogation of meter-reading devices using licensed narrowband and unlicensed wideband radio communication
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A meter reading device comprising:
- a transceiver configured and arranged to transmit and receive radio signals;
a processor in electrical communication with the transceiver and configured and arranged to execute processor-executable instructions to control operation of the meter reading device; and
a memory in electrical communication with the processor and storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control the operation of the meter reading device to operate in a selected one of;
a sleep mode in which the transceiver periodically listens on a licensed channel for a carrier signal,a rouse mode in which the transceiver receives data via the licensed channel, the data comprising a preamble, an address, a command, and plurality of checksum bits,a wake mode in which the meter reading device processes the data received via the licensed channel in the rouse mode, anda reply mode in which the transceiver transmits a reply on an unlicensed channel having a broader bandwidth than the licensed channel,wherein the selected mode in which the meter reading device operates is reconfigurable and the memory stores processor-executable instructions for causing the meter reading device to operate in the wake mode when the address in the data matches an address of the meter reading device and the plurality of checksum bits matches a checksum bit pattern.
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Abstract
A meter data collection system in which a licensed narrowband frequency channel is used to wake up carrier-sensed, battery-powered meter reading devices (MRDs) is disclosed herein. In the meter data collection system disclosed herein, an unlicensed wideband channel is used to transmit data replies from the MRDs to a mobile data collection device. In another embodiment disclosed herein, a meshed network of MRDs communicating on the unlicensed channel is combined with a roaming interrogator that uses the licensed channel to send commands or to perform on-demand reads.
350 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A meter reading device comprising:
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a transceiver configured and arranged to transmit and receive radio signals; a processor in electrical communication with the transceiver and configured and arranged to execute processor-executable instructions to control operation of the meter reading device; and a memory in electrical communication with the processor and storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control the operation of the meter reading device to operate in a selected one of; a sleep mode in which the transceiver periodically listens on a licensed channel for a carrier signal, a rouse mode in which the transceiver receives data via the licensed channel, the data comprising a preamble, an address, a command, and plurality of checksum bits, a wake mode in which the meter reading device processes the data received via the licensed channel in the rouse mode, and a reply mode in which the transceiver transmits a reply on an unlicensed channel having a broader bandwidth than the licensed channel, wherein the selected mode in which the meter reading device operates is reconfigurable and the memory stores processor-executable instructions for causing the meter reading device to operate in the wake mode when the address in the data matches an address of the meter reading device and the plurality of checksum bits matches a checksum bit pattern. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of operating an interrogator device comprising a transceiver, the method comprising:
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causing the transceiver to emit a carrier signal on a licensed channel, the carrier signal causing a meter reading device to transition from a sleep mode to a rouse mode; transmitting data from the interrogator device to the meter reading device using the licensed channel, wherein the data comprises a preamble, an address of the meter reading device, a command, and a plurality of checksum bits; and receiving a reply from the meter reading device on an unlicensed channel having a broader bandwidth than the licensed channel. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of operating a meter reading device comprising a transceiver, the method comprising:
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operating the meter reading device in a sleep mode in which the transceiver periodically listens on a licensed channel for a carrier signal from an interrogator; in response to receiving a carrier signal from the interrogator, operating the meter reading device in a rouse mode in which the transceiver receives data from the interrogator via the licensed channel; in response to determining that the data received from the interrogator is addressed to the meter reading device, operating the meter reading device in a wake mode in which the meter reading device processes the data received from the interrogator via the licensed channel; and in response to determining that the data received from the interrogator requires a reply, operating the meter reading device in a reply mode in which the meter reading device transmits the reply to the interrogator using an unlicensed channel having a broader bandwidth than the licensed channel. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification