Systems and methods for improving reception of data in wireless communication environments

• US 8,248,267 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2009
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Johnson, Matthew, Cornwall, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fauth, Justen
• Application Number:
  US12/362,013
• Publication Number:
  US 20100188254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/45 Utility meters networked together within a single building
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/06 Reselecting a communication resource in the serving access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• 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

Generally described, the disclosed subject matter is directed to improving the reception of data in wireless communication environments. In accordance with one embodiment, a method is provided for improving the reception of meter data in an AMR system. In particular, the method includes obtaining a sample of data indicative of channel quality for each transmission channel in the operational frequency band of the endpoint device. Then, the data is analyzed and a determination is made as to whether the reception of data by the collection system can be improved. If the reception of data by the collection system can be improved, a command is generated for reprogramming the endpoint device. In one embodiment, the command includes channel reprogramming data for reprogramming the endpoint device.

Claims

1. A system for improving reception of data by a collection system in a frequency-hopping spread spectrum environment, comprising:

an endpoint device operable over a preselected set of transmission channels, the endpoint device comprising a frequency-hopping table having a subset of the preselected set of transmission channels and a transmission element that transmits data over the subset of preselected set of transmission channels;

a collection system capable of monitoring the preselected set of transmission channels, receiving and storing meter data transmitted by the endpoint device, and measuring channel quality data for each channel of the preselected set of transmission channels contemporaneously with receiving the meter data from the endpoint device; and

a host computing system capable of receiving and storing the meter data and the measured channel quality data, analyzing a sample of the channel quality data, generating a reprogramming command if it is determined by the analysis that reception of data at the collection system can be improved, and transmitting the generated command to the endpoint device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the frequency-hopping table stores the subset of transmission channels as first and second contiguous blocks of channels.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the endpoint device is programmed for reprogramming the frequency-hopping table in response to receiving the generated command.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the channel quality data is selected from the group consisting of signal strength data, RSSI data, interference/noise data, read coefficient data, data representative of a number of bad packets received, data representative of a ratio of bad packets received to good packets received, data representative of a ratio of preamble detections to good packets received, and combinations thereof.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the command includes one or more offset values, and wherein the endpoint device, upon receiving the command, uses the one or more offset values to modify the frequency-hopping table.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the endpoint device further comprises a set of frequency hopping tables, and upon reception of the command, the endpoint device is further operable to select a specific frequency-hopping table from the set of frequency hopping tables.

7. A communication system using a frequency-hopping spread spectrum protocol, comprising:

an endpoint device including

a frequency-hopping table stored in a memory element, the frequency-hopping table including a plurality of transmission frequency channels, and

a transmission element that transmits endpoint data over a first block of the plurality of transmission frequency channels, wherein the first block of channels is less than all of the plurality of transmission frequency channels;

a collection system including

a communication device that transmits and receives data in the communication system, wherein the communication device includes a transceiver that measures channel quality of the block of transmission frequency channels, and

a memory element for storing transmitted endpoint data; and

a host computing system including

a network interface that transmits to and receives data from the collection system, and

a processor that analyses the measured channel quality data received from the collection system, wherein the processor generates a reprogram command and the network interface transmits the reprogram command to the endpoint device via the collection system when channel quality can be improved.

8. A communication system as in claim 7, wherein the reprogram command modifies the block of transmission frequency channels.

9. A communication system as in claim 8, wherein the block is modified based on a channel offset.

10. A communication system as in claim 7, wherein the block is a subset of contiguous transmission channels.

11. A communication system as in claim 7, wherein the endpoint further includes a second block to transmit endpoint data over the plurality of transmission frequency channels.

12. A communication system as in claim 11, wherein the second block is a subset of contiguous transmission channels different from the first block.

13. A communication system as in claim 7, wherein the first transmission block is modified based on the received reprogram command.

14. A communication system as in claim 7, wherein the channel quality data is selected from the group consisting of signal strength data, RSSI data, interference/noise data, read coefficient data, data representative of a number of bad packets received, data representative of a ratio of bad packets received to good packets received, data representative of a ratio of preamble detections to good packets received, and combinations thereof.

15. A communication system as in claim 7, wherein the endpoint device further includes a plurality of frequency hopping tables and after receiving the reprogram command, the endpoint selects a specific frequency-hopping table from the set of frequency hopping tables.

16. A communication system as in claim 7, wherein the endpoint only transmits data over the plurality of transmission frequency channels within the first block.