Method and system of providing IP-based packet communications with in-premisis devices in a utility network

• US 8,364,846 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2007
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron Networked Solutions, Inc. (Itron, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Silver Spring Networks, Inc. (Itron, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vaswani, Raj, Flammer, George III, Pace, James, Ramasastry, Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Whipple, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US11/807,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20080186202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,077 Days
• Field of Search: 709/245, 370/254, 370/395.52, 370/401
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/17306 Intercommunication techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/659 Internet protocol version 6 [IPv6] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/741 Routing in networks with a plurality of addressing schemes, e.g. with both IPv4 and IPv6
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/251 between different IP versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/167 Adaptation for transition between two IP versions, e.g. between IPv4 and IPv6 translation of Internet protocol [IP] addresses H04L61/2503
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 : Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 : using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 : Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 : Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/005 : Data network PoA devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 : Inter-networking arrangements
• 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: Y02D 30/50 : in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 : Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 : Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

One example embodiment provides a method and system where a node in a utility network assigns an IP network address to an in-premise device which communicates to the utility node over an in-premise network which is not IP based. The utility node proxies the assigned IP address to the utility network, allowing other nodes on the utility network to address and communicate with the in-premise device.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system comprising:

an in-premise network having a first communication protocol;

an in-premise device connected with said in-premise network, said device communicating with the in-premise network using the first communication protocol;

a utility network having a second communication protocol that is different than the first communication protocol; and

a utility node connected with the in-premise network and with the utility network, said utility node being capable of receiving commodity meter information, wherein the utility node is configured to;

communicate with the in-premise network using the first communication protocol;

communicate with the utility network using the second communication protocol;

assign a network address of the utility network to the in-premise device;

provide the assigned network address to a management portal connected to the utility network;

receive from the management portal messages addressed with the assigned network address; and

forward said messages to the in-premise device using the first communication protocol.

2. The wireless network system of claim 1, wherein the in-premise network is wireless personal area network (WPAN) network.

3. The wireless network system of claim 2, wherein the in-premise wireless personal area network (WPAN) network uses the ZigBee communications protocol.

4. The wireless network system of claim 2, wherein the in-premise wireless personal area network (WPAN) network uses the ultra-wideband (UWB) communications protocol.

5. The wireless network system of claim 1, wherein the in-premise network is a power line carrier (PLC) communications network.

6. The wireless network system of claim 1, wherein the in-premise network may use both the ultra-wideband (UWB) communications protocol and a power line carrier (PLC) communications network.

7. The wireless network system of claim 1, wherein the in-premise network may use both the ZigBee communications protocol and a power line carrier (PLC) communications network.

8. The wireless network system of claim 1, wherein the associated network address is an IPv6 network address.

9. The wireless network system of claim 1, wherein the associated network address is an IPv4 network address.

10. The wireless network system of claim 1, wherein the in-premise network uses IP protocols.

11. The wireless network system of claim 2, wherein the WPAN network uses IP protocols.

12. The wireless network system of claim 1, wherein the utility node is configured to proxy the associated network address to the utility network.

13. The wireless network system of claim 1, wherein the utility node is configured to forward IPv6 data packets to a back office system in response to data received from the in-premise device.

14. The wireless network system of claim 1, wherein the utility node is configured to forward IPv4 data packets to a back office system in response to data received from the in-premise device.

15. The wireless network of claim 12, wherein at least one back office system in communication with the utility network is configured to:

receive the associated network address proxied by the utility node; and

send at least one message to the in-premise device using the associated network address.

16. The wireless network system of claim 1, wherein the utility node is configured to associate unique network addresses to each of a plurality of in-premise devices.

17. The wireless network system of claim 16, wherein the associated unique network addresses are globally routable.

18. The wireless network system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the plurality of in-premise devices is physically located at a neighboring premise.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the utility node is configured to:

select the network address for the in-premise device from a set of network addresses allocated to said utility node by said utility network; and

assign the selected network address of the utility network to the in-premise device.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the in-premise device is one of a pool pump, a freezer, an entertainment system, a home alarm system, a thermostat, a video camera, and a health monitoring system.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the information forwarded to the in-premise device by the utility node is control information for one or more in-premise devices.

33. The wireless network system of claim 1, wherein the utility node is configured to:

maintain an access control list for the in-premise device, said access control list specifying elements of the utility network allowed to access the in-premise device; and

selectively forward messages addressed with the assigned address to the in-premise device using the first communication protocol based on the access control list.

19. A method of communicating by a node between an in-premises network having a first communication protocol and a wireless utility network having a second communication protocol that is different than the first communication protocol, said method comprising:

receiving, from the in-premises network, an indication that at least one in-premise device exists within the in-premises network;

assigning a utility network address of the utility network to the in-premise device;

providing the assigned network address to a management portal connected to the utility network;

receiving from the management portal messages having the assigned network address as a destination;

forwarding the received messages having the assigned address to the in-premise device using the first communication protocol.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein at least one other node in the utility network is an access point.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the associated network address is an IPv6 address.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the in-premise communications network is a wireless personal area network (WPAN) network.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the WPAN network uses a communication protocol chosen from:

the ultra-wideband (UWB) communications protocol, and the ZigBee communications protocol.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving an indication of the existence of a second in-premise device over the in-premise network;

assigning a second network address to the second in-premise device; and

sending an indication of the assignment of the second network address to the second in-premise device to at least one other node in the utility network.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving a message from at least one of the in-premise devices intended for a node on the utility network, wherein the received message was received from the in-premise network;

sending at least one packet on the utility network addressed to the intended node on the utility network, wherein the at least one packet sent includes the associated network address of the at least one of the in-premise device associated with the received message.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the intended node on the utility network is an access point, the access point forwarding the packet to node on a communication network the access point is in communication with.

30. The method of claim 19, wherein assigning the utility network address includes:

selecting the network address for the in-premise device from a set of network addresses allocated to said utility node by said utility network; and

assigning the selected network address of the utility network to the in-premise device.

31. The method of claim 19, wherein the in-premise device is one of a pool pump, a freezer, an entertainment system, a home alarm system, a thermostat, a video camera, and a health monitoring system.

32. The method of claim 19, wherein the information forwarded to the in-premise device by the utility node is control information for one or more in-premise devices.

34. The method of claim 19, wherein the method comprises:

maintaining an access control list for the in-premise device, said access control list specifying elements of the utility network allowed to access the in-premise device; and

selectively forwarding messages addressed with the assigned address to the in-premise device using the first communication protocol based on the access control list.