Communication and processing for power line communication systems

• US 8,842,563 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Landis and Gyr Technologies LLC (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Landis and Gyr Technologies LLC (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Inventors: Flen, Rolf, Olson, Verne, Duff, John F., Christiansen, Scott H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blanton, John
• Application Number:
  US13/335,426
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5433 Remote metering
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed towards a data retrieving engine that is designed to retrieve interval data from the endpoint devices that is communicated for indicating utility usage readings. The interval data is provided at least once for each interval period (used by each of the endpoint devices). The data retrieving engine is additionally designed for retrieving, from the endpoint devices, other different type of data, which is transmitted over a time period that overlaps multiple interval periods. In certain implementations, the system allows a dynamic adjustment to a ratio of the respective amounts for each type of data.

Claims

1. An apparatus for communicating utility-usage data with endpoint devices over power distribution lines that carry power using alternating current (AC), the apparatus comprising:

a data retrieving engine, including a circuit, configured and arranged to retrieve from the endpoint devices, interval data of a first type and of a second different type of data sets, the first type indicative of utility usage readings and available for retrieval at least once per an interval period, and the second type available for retrieval based on transmissions of the second type of data sets that span at least two interval periods, the second type of data including long packets that are characterized as being generated from an aggregation of multiple bits communicated over multiple interval periods;

a packet processing engine, including a circuit, configured and arranged to

access first and second application-customized packing lists and to respond to the data as retrieved by the data retrieving engine by extracting the data sets of the first type and of the second type and forming groups of discrete values for the extracted data sets of the first type and of the second type based respectively on the first and second packing lists, and

generate data packets in response to and as a function of the groups; and

a packet reading engine, including a circuit, configured and arranged to interpret the generated data packets according to a set of packet-communication rules, and output therefrom interpreted data indicative of the data sets of the first type and of the second type, including interpreted data indicative of the retrieved utility usage readings, for communicating data, including both types of data sets, on behalf of a utility provider.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second type of data includes at least one of billing information and power quality metrics, and wherein interval data is also communicated during each of the multiple interval periods.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein multiple packets are aggregated based upon respective collectors groups before the multiple packets are provided to the packet reading engine.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the discrete values for the extracted data sets of the first type correspond to meter reading values and wherein different endpoint devices use different packing lists.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the packet reading engine is further configured and arranged to detect alarm events in the extracted data sets.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the packet reading engine is further configured and arranged to detect asynchronous packets that do not correspond to either of the first and second packing lists.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the packet reading engine is further configured and arranged to detect alarm events in the first type of data sets.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the packet reading engine is further configured and arranged to apply business rules to detect unreasonable data values for the retrieved utility usage readings.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the packet reading engine is further configured and arranged to apply business rules that detect customer-defined conditions and to provide a notification to the customer in response to detection of at least one customer-defined condition.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interval period corresponds to a 1-60 minute interval period in which meter usage data for a prior interval period is transmitted at least once every interval.

11. A method for communicating utility-usage data with endpoint devices over power distribution lines that carry power using alternating current (AC), the method comprising:

retrieving, from the endpoint devices, interval data communicated for indicating utility usage readings provided at least once per an interval period used by each of the endpoint devices;

retrieving from the endpoint devices another different type of data that is transmitted at times that overlap multiple interval periods, the other different type of data including long packets that are characterized as being generated from an aggregation of multiple bits communicated over multiple interval periods;

extracting the interval data from a series of data bits received from the endpoint devices;

mapping the extracted interval data to data fields using an interval packing list;

extracting the other different type of data, as transmitted at times which overlap interval periods, from the series of data bits received from the endpoints;

mapping the extracted other type of data to data fields using another different type of packing list;

generating data packets according to the mappings wherein the data packets represent the extracted interval data and the extracted other different type of data; and

transmitting a configuration request to the endpoints devices, wherein the configuration request includes a request to modify an amount of interval data transmitted during the interval periods, the amount of interval data is offset by a change to an amount of the other different type of data transmitted during the interval periods.

12. A method for communicating utility-usage data with endpoint devices over power distribution lines that carry power using alternating current (AC), the method comprising:

retrieving, from the endpoint devices, interval data communicated for indicating utility usage readings provided at least once per an interval period used by each of the endpoint devices;

retrieving from the endpoint devices another different type of data which data is transmitted at times that overlap multiple interval periods;

extracting the interval data from a series of data bits received from the endpoint devices;

mapping the extracted interval data to data fields using an interval packing list;

extracting the other different type of data, as transmitted via at times which overlap interval periods, from the series of data bits received from the endpoints;

mapping the extracted other different type of data to data fields using another different type of packing list;

generating data packets according to the mappings wherein the data packets represent the extracted interval data and the extracted other different type of data;

transmitting a configuration request to the endpoints devices, wherein the configuration request includes a request to modify an amount of interval data transmitted during the interval periods, the amount of interval data offset by a change to an amount of the other different type of data transmitted during the interval periods; and

coordinating data received from a particular endpoint, the data being received from multiple collectors of a collector switching group.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein multiple versions of the same data are received from the multiple collectors and the step of coordinating data includes selecting a particular version of data from the multiple versions.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of coordinating data includes compensating for backfeed situations on the power distribution lines.

15. A method for transmitting data over power distribution lines that carry power using alternating current (AC), the method comprising:

collecting, at an endpoint device, utility usage readings at least once per an interval period;

classifying a first set of data as not divisible over the interval period, the first set of data including the utility usage readings;

classifying a second set of data as divisible over the interval period, the second set of data including long packets that are characterized as being generated from an aggregation of multiple bits communicated over multiple interval periods;

dividing the second set of data according to a mapping list;

generating a transmission block of data that includes the first set of data and a portion of the second set of data, the generation being responsive to a stored parameter that defines a ratio of the first set of data to the portion of the second set of data set;

transmitting the block of data during a single interval period;

receiving configuration data requesting a change to the stored parameter; and

adjusting, for subsequent interval periods, the ratio in response to the requested change.

16. The method of claim 15, further including a step of transmitting, during another interval period, a second block of data that includes another portion of the second set of data.

17. An endpoint device for transmitting data over power distribution lines that carry power using alternating current (AC), the endpoint device comprising:

a memory circuit configured and arranged to collect utility usage readings at least once per an interval period; and

data processing circuitry configured and arranged to

classify a first set of data as not divisible over the interval period, the first set of data including the utility usage readings;

classify a second set of data as divisible over the interval period, the second set of data including long packets that are characterized as being generated from an aggregation of multiple bits communicated over multiple interval periods;

divide the second set of data according to a mapping list;

generate a transmission block of data that includes the first set of data and a portion of the second set of data, the generation being responsive to a stored parameter that defines a ratio of the first set of data to the portion of the second set of data set;

transmit the block of data during a single interval period;

receive configuration data requesting a change to the stored parameter; and

adjust, for subsequent interval periods, the ratio in response to the requested change.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the data processing circuitry is further configured and arranged to adjust the mapping list in response to received reconfiguration requests.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the data processing circuitry is further configured and arranged to classify a second set of data as asynchronous data.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the second set of data includes at least one of billing information and power quality metrics.