Frequency hop sequence discovery mechanism
First Claim
1. An apparatus for determining a frequency hopping sequence, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of narrowband receivers, deployed geographically within a grid, wherein each of said plurality of narrowband receivers is configured to receive transmissions from a least one of a plurality of automated meter reading (AMR) meters, and wherein each of said plurality of AMR meters transmits identical data on each of a plurality of frequency bands that are hopped according to the frequency hopping sequence, and wherein said frequency hopping sequence is initially unknown to said plurality of narrowband receivers, but a hop rate is known; and
a controller, coupled to said plurality of narrowband receivers, configured to control said plurality of narrowband receivers such that said each of said plurality of AMR meters is identified, and configured to control said plurality of narrowband receivers such that corresponding data from said each of said AMR meters is received on at least one of said plurality of frequency bands, wherein said controller determines the frequency hopping sequence by progressively selecting channel candidate pairs from a list of channels for the frequency hopping sequence, and determines adjacent channel pairs in said list of channels based upon latency of messages having said identical data observed between said channel candidate pairs according to said hop rate.
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Abstract
An apparatus including narrowband receivers and a controller. The narrowband receivers are deployed geographically within a grid, where each of the narrowband receivers is configured to receive transmissions from a least one of a plurality of automated meter reading (AMR) meters, and where each of the plurality of AMR meters transmits identical data on each of a plurality of frequency bands that are hopped according to an unknown hopping sequence, but a known hop rate. The controller is coupled to the narrowband receivers, and is configured to control the narrowband receivers such that the each of the plurality of AMR meters is identified, and is configured to control the narrowband receivers such that corresponding data from the each of the AMR meters is received on at least one of the plurality of frequency bands.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus for determining a frequency hopping sequence, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of narrowband receivers, deployed geographically within a grid, wherein each of said plurality of narrowband receivers is configured to receive transmissions from a least one of a plurality of automated meter reading (AMR) meters, and wherein each of said plurality of AMR meters transmits identical data on each of a plurality of frequency bands that are hopped according to the frequency hopping sequence, and wherein said frequency hopping sequence is initially unknown to said plurality of narrowband receivers, but a hop rate is known; and a controller, coupled to said plurality of narrowband receivers, configured to control said plurality of narrowband receivers such that said each of said plurality of AMR meters is identified, and configured to control said plurality of narrowband receivers such that corresponding data from said each of said AMR meters is received on at least one of said plurality of frequency bands, wherein said controller determines the frequency hopping sequence by progressively selecting channel candidate pairs from a list of channels for the frequency hopping sequence, and determines adjacent channel pairs in said list of channels based upon latency of messages having said identical data observed between said channel candidate pairs according to said hop rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for determining a frequency hopping sequence, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of narrowband receivers, deployed geographically within a grid, wherein each of said plurality of narrowband receivers is configured to receive transmissions from a least one of a plurality of automated meter reading (AMR) meters, and wherein each of said plurality of AMR meters transmits identical data on each of a plurality of frequency bands that are hopped according to a hopping sequence, and wherein said hopping sequence is initially unknown to said plurality of narrowband receivers, but a hop rate is known; a controller, coupled to said plurality of narrowband receivers, configured to control said plurality of narrowband receivers such that said each of said plurality of AMR meters is identified, and configured to control said plurality of narrowband receivers such that corresponding data from said each of said AMR meters is received on at least one of said plurality of frequency bands, wherein said controller determines the frequency hopping sequence by progressively selecting channel candidate pairs from a list of channels for the frequency hopping sequence, and determines adjacent channel pairs in said list of channels based upon latency of messages having said identical data observed between said channel candidate pairs according to said hop rate; and a network operations center (NOC), operatively coupled to said controller via an existing infrastructure, configured to receive the real time resource usage data from said controller. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for determining a frequency hopping sequence, the method comprising:
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deploying a plurality narrowband receivers within a grid, wherein each of the plurality of narrowband receivers is configured to receive transmissions from a least one of a plurality of automated meter reading (AMR) meters, and wherein each of the plurality of AMR meters transmits identical data on each of a plurality of frequency bands that are hopped according to a hopping sequence, and wherein the frequency hopping sequence is initially unknown to said plurality of narrowband receivers, but a hop rate is known; and controlling the plurality of narrowband receivers such that the each of the plurality of AMR meters is identified, and that corresponding data from the each of the AMR meters is received on at least one of the plurality of frequency bands, wherein the controller determines the frequency hopping sequence by progressively selecting channel candidate pairs from a list of channels for the frequency hopping sequence, and determines adjacent channel pairs in the list of channels based upon latency of messages having the identical data observed between said channel candidate pairs according to the hop rate. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification