High traffic data transmission

• US 9,423,273 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2015
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ali, Hassan, Brown, Timothy J., Grady, Robert, Splitz, David Edwin, Dukes, Brent
• Primary Examiner(s): Alizada, Omeed
• Application Number:
  US14/703,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20150233732A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 15/06 successively, i.e. using time division
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for communicating with a radio frequency (RF) device. A hybrid method for collecting data may include a pushing method of collecting data and a pulling method of collecting data. The pushing method of collecting data may be configured such that a first node initiates data collection with a second node during a pushing period. The pulling method of collecting data may be configured such that the first node waits on the second node to initiate data collection during a pulling period. The pushing period and the pulling period may occur at different times.

Claims

1. A hybrid method for collecting data by a collector node, comprising:

a pushing method of collecting data by the collector node, the pushing method configured to perform a push mode to initiate data collection via a collector transceiver from a child node during a pushing period, wherein a length of the pushing period is determined by a predetermined event; and

subsequent to the predetermined event, a pulling method of collecting data, by the collector node, the pulling method configured to perform a pull-push cycle to initiate data collection via the collector transceiver during a pulling period, wherein the pull-push cycle comprises

performing a pull mode for a predetermined period of pull time, and

after expiration of the predetermined period of pull time of the pull-push cycle, performing a temporary push mode to receive priority data from the child node for a predetermined period of temporary push time via the collector transceiver,

wherein the predetermined period of pull time of the pull-push cycle and the predetermined period of temporary push time have different durations.

2. The hybrid method for collecting data of claim 1, wherein the collector node initiates data collection with the child node during the pushing period by sending a hailing signal on a hailing channel, the hailing signal including identification of a specified data channel.

3. The hybrid method for collecting data of claim 2, wherein the child node switches to the specified data channel and receives data from the collector node on the specified data channel.

4. The hybrid method for collecting data of claim 1, wherein the child node initiates data collection with the collector node during the pulling period by sending a hailing signal on a hailing channel, the hailing signal including identification of a specified data channel.

5. The hybrid method for collecting data of claim 4, wherein the collector node switches to the specified data channel and receives data from the child node on the specified data channel.

6. The hybrid method for collecting data of claim 1, wherein the predetermined event occurs at a specified time of day.

7. The hybrid method for collecting data of claim 1, wherein the predetermined event occurs responsive to detecting a predefined amount of network traffic.

8. The hybrid method for collecting data of claim 1, wherein an alert notification is transmitted during the pushing period.

9. The hybrid method for collecting data of claim 1, wherein an alert notification is transmitted during the pulling period.

10. The hybrid method for collecting data of claim 1, wherein the collector node is radio frequency (RF) node.

11. The hybrid method for collecting data of claim 10, wherein the child node is radio frequency (RF) node.

12. A collector node comprising:

a microprocessor;

a collector transceiver; and

a memory, the memory being configured to store instructions executable by the microprocessor to

perform a push mode to receive data via the collector transceiver from a child node,

determine if a predetermined event has occurred,

subsequent to the predetermined event, perform a pull-push cycle to collect data via the collector transceiver from the child node, wherein the pull-push cycle comprises

performing a pull mode for a predetermined period of pull time, and

after expiration of the predetermined period of pull time of the pull-push cycle, performing a temporary push mode to receive priority data from the child node for a predetermined period of temporary push time via the collector transceiver,

determine if additional child nodes to receive data from are available,

if additional child nodes are available, perform a new pull-push cycle to receive data from each of the additional child nodes for which data collection is to be performed,

determine if all pull-push cycles have fully performed, and

reperform the push mode;

wherein the pushing mode has a length determined by the predetermined event;

wherein the predetermined period of pull time of the pull-push cycle and the predetermined period of temporary push time have different durations.

13. The collector node of claim 12, wherein the predetermined period of pull time of the dull-push cycle is approximately 45 seconds.

14. The collector node of claim 12, wherein the predetermined period of temporary push time is approximately 15 seconds.

15. The collector node of claim 12, wherein the pull-push cycle is performed cyclically.

20. The collector node of claim 12, wherein the predetermined event is at least one of detecting an event within the AMI mesh network, and detecting a predetermined time of day.

16. A collector node, comprising

a microprocessor;

a collector transceiver; and

a memory, the memory being configured to store instructions executable by the microprocessor to

perform a pushing method of collecting data, the pushing method configured to perform a push mode to initiate data collection via the collector transceiver with a child node during a pushing period, wherein a length of the pushing period is determined by a predetermined event,

subsequent to the predetermined event, perform a pulling method of collecting data, the pulling method configured to perform a pull-push cycle to initiate data collection via the collector transceiver during a pulling period, wherein the pull-push cycle comprises

performing a pull mode for a predetermined period of pull time, and

after expiration of the predetermined period of pull time of the pull-push cycle, performing a temporary push mode to receive priority data from the child node for a predetermined period of temporary push time via the collector transceiver,

wherein the predetermined period of pull time of the pull-push cycle and the predetermined period of temporary push time have different durations.

17. The collector node of claim 16, wherein the predetermined period of pull time of the pull-push cycle is approximately 45 seconds.

18. The collector node of claim 16, wherein the predetermined period of temporary push time is approximately 15 seconds.

19. The collector node of claim 16, wherein the pull-push cycle is performed cyclically.