Device and method for facilitating secure communications over a cellular network

• US 9,037,709 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2014
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trilliant Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Trilliant Holdings, Inc. (Trilliant Networks Incorporated)
• Inventors: Enns, Frederick, Veillette, Michel, Frei, Randall Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): WON, MICHAEL YOUNG
• Application Number:
  US14/218,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20140200013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00 Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/28 characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks] wireless communication networks H04W ; arrangements for dividing the transmission path H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5651 Reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/164 Adaptation or special uses of UDP protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/169 Special adaptations of TCP, UDP or IP for interworking of IP based networks with other networks protocols for interworking, protocol conversion H04L69/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/00 Power management, e.g. TPC [Transmission Power Control], power saving or power classes gain control in transmitters or power amplifiers H03G3/3042
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• 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 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 : Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 : Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 : Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 : Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A process for communicating utility-related data over at least one network is described. the process includes: collecting utility-related data at a hub device during a first predetermined period of time; securing the utility-related data at the hub device using digital envelopes during the first predetermined period of time; initiating by the hub device an autonomous wake up process during a second predetermined period of time; sending the secure utility-related data over a first network to a designated server via at least one User Datagram protocol (“UDP”) message during the second predetermined period of time; and receiving an acknowledgement of receipt message of the at least one UDP message from the designated server; wherein the first and second predetermined periods of time typically do not overlap, but may overlap.

Claims

1. A process for communicating utility-related data over at least one network comprising:

collecting utility-related data from one or more premise units at a hub device during a first predetermined period of time, wherein utility-related data includes one or more of utility meter reading data, premise unit alarm data, premise unit event data, premise unit status data or firmware upgrade data;

securing the utility-related data at the hub device during the first period of time;

sending the utility-related data secured at the hub device to a designated server starting at a second time that occurs after the first period of time, where the second time is scheduled by the designated server and communication control information representative of the schedule is sent by the designated server to the hub device to establish a future cellular data connection between the hub device and the designated server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication control information establishes a call back time for the hub device to communicate with the designated server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the hub device acts as both a coordinator and gateway between a WAN and one or more HAN premise units.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication control information comprises an IP address of the designated server, or a fully qualified domain name of the designated server.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the communication control information further comprises an IP transport layer port number of the designated server.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the communication control information further comprises a token identifier of a process of the designated server to be called back by the hub device.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the communication control information further comprises daylight savings parameters.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the hub device acts as both a coordinator and gateway between a WAN and one or more HAN premise units, and wherein the daylight savings parameters are sent by the hub device to one or more HAN premise units.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein an SMS wakeup message is used by the designated server to send the communication control information representative of the schedule to the hub device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the SMS wakeup message further comprises a token identifier of a process of the designated server to be called back by the hub device.