Wireless network communication nodes with opt out capability

• US 9,160,682 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elster Solutions LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Elster Solutions LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Shuey, Kenneth C., Mason, Robert T. Jr., Borleske, Andrew J., Worth, Stephen J., Germano, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Dang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kaur, Pamit
• Application Number:
  US13/826,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20140269272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/328, 370/329, 370/311
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/45 Utility meters networked together within a single building
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/80 Actions related to the user profile or the type of traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 Applicable to portable or mobile terminals
• 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

Techniques are disclosed herein for providing wireless network communication nodes with opt-out capabilities. Such capabilities may, for example, allow particular customers to opt out of a typical full-scale communication mode such that their associated equipment operates at least temporarily in a limited communication mode. The limited communication mode may limit customer exposure to emissions resulting from RF communications near their homes or other areas, which may be attractive to customers such as those with health or other emission-related concerns.

Claims

1. A method for wireless network operation comprising:

receiving an indication that a first communication node is designated for operation in a limited communication mode, wherein the first communication node is included in a wireless network comprising a central node and a plurality of communication nodes in wireless communication with the central node, each of the communication nodes having a wireless communication path to the central node that is either a direct path or an indirect path through one or more intermediate communication nodes serving as relays, wherein one or more of the communication nodes operate in the limited communication mode in which they are scheduled to transmit data less frequently than one or more other communication nodes not operating in the limited communication mode; and

scheduling reading of data from the first communication node to be performed less frequently than reading of data from the one or more other communication nodes not operating in the limited communication mode,

wherein, for each of the one or more other communication nodes not operating in the limited communication mode, when the central node does not receive an indication that the communication node has performed a network transmission within a first threshold time period, the central node causes a new wireless communication path to be determined for the communication node,

wherein, for the first communication node, when the central node does not receive an indication that the first communication node has performed a network transmission within a second threshold time period, the central node causes a new wireless communication path to be determined for the first communication node, and

wherein the first threshold time period is shorter than the second threshold time period.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising designating the first communication node as being prohibited from serving as a relay while operating in the limited communication mode.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication that the first communication node is no longer designated for operation in the limited communication mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the central node maintains a first schedule and a second schedule, wherein the first schedule indicates a first frequency of times at which to read data from the one or more other communication nodes not operating in the limited communication mode, wherein the second schedule indicates a second frequency of times at which to read data from the one or more communication nodes operating in the limited communication mode, wherein the first frequency is more frequent than the second frequency, and wherein the first communication node is associated with the second schedule.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the first communication node with a schedule that indicates times at which to power up a transceiver of the first communication node.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication node is configured to allow its transceiver to remain powered on while operating in the limited communication mode.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising attempting to determine one or more additional communication paths from the first communication node to the central node.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing the first communication node to be configured to respond to fewer types of requests than the one or more other communication nodes not operating in the limited communication mode.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing the first communication node to be configured to transmit fewer types of messages than the one or more other communication nodes not operating in the limited communication mode.

10. A wireless network comprising:

a central node; and

a plurality of communication nodes in wireless communication with the central node, each of the communication nodes having a wireless communication path to the central node that is either a direct path or an indirect path through one or more intermediate communication nodes serving as relays,

wherein one or more of the communication nodes operate in a limited communication mode in which they are scheduled to transmit data less frequently than one or more other communication nodes not operating in the limited communication mode,

wherein, for each of the one or more other communication nodes not operating in the limited communication mode, when the central node does not receive an indication that the communication node has performed a network transmission within a first threshold time period, the central node causes a new wireless communication path to be determined for the communication node, and

wherein, for each communication node operating in the limited communication mode, when the central node does not receive an indication that the communication node has performed a network transmission within a second threshold time period, the central node causes a new wireless communication path to be determined for the communication node, and

wherein the first threshold time period is shorter than the second threshold time period.

11. The wireless network of claim 10, wherein at least one of the communication nodes is reconfigurable to be switched into and out of operation in the limited communication mode.

12. The wireless network of claim 10, wherein the central node maintains a first schedule and a second schedule, wherein the first schedule indicates a first frequency of times at which to read data from the one or more other communication nodes not operating in the limited communication mode, wherein the second schedule indicates a second frequency of times at which to read data from the one or more communication nodes operating in the limited communication mode, wherein the first frequency is more frequent than the second frequency.

13. The wireless network of claim 10, wherein at least one of the communication nodes operating in the limited communication mode has an associated schedule that indicates times at which to power up a transceiver.

14. The wireless network of claim 10, wherein, for each communication node operating in the limited communication mode, the central node determines the wireless communication path for the central node and also attempts to determine one or more additional communication paths from the communication node to the central node.

15. The wireless network of claim 10, wherein at least one of the communication nodes operating in the limited communication mode is configured to allow its transceiver to remain powered on throughout a duration of its operation in the limited communication mode.

16. The wireless network of claim 10, wherein the communication nodes operating in the limited communication mode are prohibited from serving as relays.

17. The wireless network of claim 10, wherein the communication nodes operating in the limited communication mode are configured to respond to fewer types of requests than the one or more other communication nodes not operating in the limited communication mode.

18. The wireless network of claim 10, wherein the communication nodes operating in the limited communication mode are configured to transmit fewer types of messages than the one or more other communication nodes not operating in the limited communication mode.

19. The wireless network of claim 10, wherein the communication nodes operating in the limited communication mode are configured to respond only to read requests.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, upon execution by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving an indication that a first communication node is designated for operation in a limited communication mode, wherein the first communication node is included in a wireless network comprising a central node and a plurality of communication nodes in wireless communication with the central node, each of the communication nodes having a wireless communication path to the central node that is either a direct path or an indirect path through one or more intermediate communication nodes serving as relays, wherein one or more of the communication nodes operate in the limited communication mode in which they are scheduled to transmit data less frequently than one or more other communication nodes not operating in the limited communication mode; and

scheduling reading of data from the first communication node to be performed less frequently than reading of data from the one or more other communication nodes not operating in the limited communication mode,

wherein, for each of the one or more other communication nodes not operating in the limited communication mode, when the central node does not receive an indication that the communication node has performed a network transmission within a first threshold time period, the central node causes a new wireless communication path to be determined for the communication node,

wherein, for the first communication node, when the central node does not receive an indication that the first communication node has performed a network transmission within a second threshold time period, the central node causes a new wireless communication path to be determined for the first communication node, and

wherein the first threshold time period is shorter than the second threshold time period.