Relaying information for an unreliably heard utility node

• US 9,621,411 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Osterloh, Christopher Lloyd, Cumeralto, Scott L., Barnes, Keith Wayne, Grindahl, Merv
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuongchau Ba
• Application Number:
  US13/842,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20140029415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• Field of Search: 370221, 370328, 455 411, 340638, 340644, 340649, 340652
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/45 Utility meters networked together within a single building
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0668 by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• 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

Data of a utility node that is unreliably heard may be relayed through another utility node. In some examples, utility nodes of a star network may attempt to transmit data to a collector, a repeater, a relay, a router, or a mobile device. When it is determined that a utility node is unable to reliably transmit data, a relay relationship may be established so that data of the unreliable utility node is relayed through the network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

under control of one or more processors configured with specific executable instructions,

determining that a first leaf endpoint of a network is unable to reliably transmit data to a central node of the network, the central node being within wireless communication range of the first leaf endpoint, the network being initially configured as a star network;

selecting a second leaf endpoint to relay data for the first leaf endpoint based at least in part on one or more communication metrics of the second leaf endpoint, the second leaf endpoint being within communication range of the first leaf endpoint and within wireless communication range of the central node; and

causing the second leaf endpoint to relay data of the first leaf endpoint to the central node of the network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are included in a head-end device and determining comprises determining that data of the first leaf endpoint has not been received at the head-end device over a period of time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are included in a collector, a repeater, a relay, a router, and/or a mobile device and determining comprises determining that data of the first leaf endpoint has not been received at the collector, the repeater, the relay, the router, and/or the mobile device over a period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are included in the second leaf endpoint and determining comprises receiving a beacon message from the first endpoint indicating that the first leaf endpoint is unable to reliably transmit data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are included in the first leaf endpoint and determining comprises determining that a message has not been received from a collector, a repeater, a relay, a router, and/or a mobile device over a period of time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the second leaf endpoint to relay data of the first leaf endpoint comprises transmitting the data of the first leaf endpoint from the second leaf endpoint within a portion of a period of time that is established for transmitting data of the second leaf endpoint.

7. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing the specific executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method of claim 1.

8. One or more computer-readable storage media storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed, instruct a processing unit to perform operations comprising:

determining that a first leaf endpoint of a network is unable to reliably communicate with a central node of the network, the central node being within wireless communication range of the first leaf endpoint, the network being initially configured as a star network;

selecting a second leaf endpoint of the network to relay data for the first leaf endpoint based at least in part on one or more communication metrics of the second leaf endpoint, the one or more communication metrics indicating a number or quality of communications received from the second leaf endpoint, the second leaf endpoint being within communication range of the first leaf endpoint and within wireless communication range of the central node; and

transmitting one or more messages to the second leaf endpoint to cause the second leaf endpoint to relay data for the first leaf endpoint.

9. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 8, wherein the one or more communication metrics include at least one of the number of communications received from the second leaf endpoint, or a ratio of received communications of the second leaf endpoint to expected communications from the second leaf endpoint.

10. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 8, wherein the determining comprises determining that the first leaf endpoint is unable to reliably communicate with a collector, a repeater, a relay, a mobile device, a router, and/or a head-end device.

11. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 8, wherein the one or more messages comprises one or more beacon messages that are transmitted from the first leaf endpoint to request that data of the first leaf endpoint be relayed.

12. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 8, wherein the one or more communication metrics include the quality of communications received from the second leaf endpoint.

13. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

determining that a first endpoint of a network is unable to reliably transmit data to a central node of the network, the central node being within wireless communication range of the first endpoint, the network being initially configured as a star network;

selecting a second endpoint to relay data for the first endpoint based at least in part on one or more communication metrics of the second endpoint, the second endpoint being within communication range of the first endpoint and within wireless communication range of the central node; and

causing the second endpoint to relay data of the first endpoint to the central node of the network.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the system comprises a head-end device and the determining comprises determining that data of the first endpoint has not been received at the head-end device over a period of time.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the system comprises at least one of the first endpoint, the second endpoint, or the central node.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the determining comprises determining that the first endpoint is unable to reliably transmit data based at least in part on a message that is received from at least one of a collector, a repeater, a relay, a router, a mobile device, or a head-end device, the message indicating that the first endpoint is unable to reliably transmit data over the network.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the causing the second endpoint to relay data of the first endpoint to the central node comprises:

transmitting one or more messages between the first endpoint and the second endpoint to establish one or more communication parameters for relaying the data of the first endpoint, the one or more communication parameters indicating at least one of a time for receiving data of the first endpoint or a communication channel on which to receive the data of the first endpoint, and the operations further comprise;

relaying the data of the first endpoint through the second endpoint based at least in part on the one or more communication parameters.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

while the second endpoint acts as a relay node for the first endpoint, transmitting the data of the first endpoint from the first endpoint in an attempt to communicate the data over the network.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the first endpoint comprises a battery-powered device, and the operations further comprise:

setting the first endpoint to an inactive state when the first endpoint is not communicating, the inactive state comprising at least one of a non-powered state or a sleep state; and

setting the first endpoint to an active state when the first endpoint is communicating.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the second endpoint comprises a battery-powered device, and the operations further comprise:

setting the second endpoint to an inactive state when the second endpoint is not communicating, the inactive state comprising at least one of a non-powered state or a sleep state; and

setting the second endpoint to an active state when the second endpoint is communicating.