Channel allocation and device configuration
First Claim
1. A method for assigning communication channels for communication between endpoint devices and one or more collectors over power distribution lines carrying alternating current (AC) power, the method comprising:
- at the one or more collectors, collecting transmission quality data for a plurality of sub-channels;
communicating the transmission quality data from the one or more collectors to a command center; and
at the command center;
based on the transmission quality data, organizing unused ones of the plurality of sub-channels into respective ones of the communication channels, each communication channel having the same number of contiguous sub-channels that includes at least two sub-channels,assigning one or more endpoint devices to respective ones of the communications channels; and
transmitting a first command to at least one of the one or more collectors;
in response to the at least one collector receiving the first command, transmitting data from the collector over the power distribution lines to configure at least one of the one or more endpoint devices to use a corresponding respective one of the communication channels allocated to the at least one of the one or more endpoint devices.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
One or more embodiments provide a method for assigning communication channels to endpoint devices. Transmission quality data is collected at one or more collectors for a plurality of sub-channels. The transmission quality data is transmitted from the collectors to a command center. At the command center, unused ones of the plurality of sub-channels are organized into communication channels based on the transmission quality data. Each communication channel has the same number of contiguous sub-channels that includes at least two sub-channels. One or more endpoint devices are assigned a respective one of the communications channels. A channel reconfiguration command is transmitted to at least one of the one or more collectors. In response to the reconfiguration command, collector(s) transmit data over the power distribution lines to configure at least one of the one or more endpoint devices to use the respective assigned communication channel.
-
Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A method for assigning communication channels for communication between endpoint devices and one or more collectors over power distribution lines carrying alternating current (AC) power, the method comprising:
-
at the one or more collectors, collecting transmission quality data for a plurality of sub-channels; communicating the transmission quality data from the one or more collectors to a command center; and at the command center; based on the transmission quality data, organizing unused ones of the plurality of sub-channels into respective ones of the communication channels, each communication channel having the same number of contiguous sub-channels that includes at least two sub-channels, assigning one or more endpoint devices to respective ones of the communications channels; and transmitting a first command to at least one of the one or more collectors; in response to the at least one collector receiving the first command, transmitting data from the collector over the power distribution lines to configure at least one of the one or more endpoint devices to use a corresponding respective one of the communication channels allocated to the at least one of the one or more endpoint devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method for monitoring communication channels used for communication between endpoint devices and one or more collectors over power distribution lines carrying alternating current (AC) power distribution lines communication network, the method comprising:
at the one or more collectors; monitoring a plurality of sub-channels of the communication channels on the power distribution lines; determining a quantized transmission quality value for each of the plurality of sub-channels; partitioning the plurality of sub-channels into groups of contiguous sub-channels; formatting the determined quantized transmission quality values corresponding to each group of contiguous sub-channels into a respective data block having only one address associated the corresponding sub-channels; and for each group of contiguous sub-channels, transmitting respective the data block to a command center. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
22. A system for assigning communication channels for communication between endpoint devices and one or more collector over power distribution lines carrying alternating current (AC) power, the system comprising:
-
one or more collectors connected to the power distribution lines and configured and arranged to collect transmission quality data for a plurality of sub-channels used by the communication channels; and a command center, configured and arranged to; receive the transmission quality data from the one or more collectors via a data network; organize groups of unused ones of the plurality of sub-channels into respective ones of the communication channels based on the transmission quality data, each communication channel having the same number of contiguous sub-channels, assign one or more endpoint devices respective ones of the communications channels; and transmit a channel configuration command to one or more collectors, the one or more collectors being configured, in response to the channel configuration command, to configure the at least one of the one or more endpoint devices to use the respective communication channel assigned to the endpoint device.
-
Specification