Coordinated collection of metering data
First Claim
1. A data collector configured to collect resource consumption data from endpoints of a utility communication network for reporting to a head-end computing device of the utility communication network, the data collector comprising:
- a processing unit comprising logic configured to implement acts comprising;
receiving from the head-end computing device a report list indicating that the data collector is a primary data collector for a subset of a plurality of endpoints of a utility communication network and is responsible for reporting resource consumption data of the subset to the head-end computing device;
receiving, from the subset of the plurality of endpoints and a plurality of endpoints other than the subset, communications reporting resource consumption data of the subset of the plurality of endpoints and the plurality of endpoints other than the subset;
storing resource consumption data in a memory of the data collector, wherein the stored resource consumption data distinguishes data received from the subset of the plurality of endpoints and data received from the plurality of endpoints other than the subset; and
reporting, to the head-end computing device, resource consumption data for the subset of the plurality of endpoints for which the report list indicates that the data collector is the primary data collector, while refraining from reporting resource consumption data to the head-end computing device received from the endpoints other than the subset of the plurality of endpoints and identified in the memory as data from secondary or tertiary endpoints with respect to the data collector.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Collection of resource consumption data may be coordinated by designating, for each endpoint in a utility communication network, a single data collector to be responsible for reporting resource consumption data of the respective endpoints to a head-end computing device. If the head-end computing device does not receive resource consumption data from one or more endpoints, the head-end computing device may request the missing resource consumption data from one or more secondary or tertiary data collectors that receive resource consumption data from the one or more endpoints. Additionally, if a data collector is missing resource consumption data from an endpoint during a reporting period, upon receiving resource consumption data from the endpoint during a subsequent reporting period, the data collector may request the missing resource consumption data.
23 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A data collector configured to collect resource consumption data from endpoints of a utility communication network for reporting to a head-end computing device of the utility communication network, the data collector comprising:
a processing unit comprising logic configured to implement acts comprising; receiving from the head-end computing device a report list indicating that the data collector is a primary data collector for a subset of a plurality of endpoints of a utility communication network and is responsible for reporting resource consumption data of the subset to the head-end computing device; receiving, from the subset of the plurality of endpoints and a plurality of endpoints other than the subset, communications reporting resource consumption data of the subset of the plurality of endpoints and the plurality of endpoints other than the subset; storing resource consumption data in a memory of the data collector, wherein the stored resource consumption data distinguishes data received from the subset of the plurality of endpoints and data received from the plurality of endpoints other than the subset; and reporting, to the head-end computing device, resource consumption data for the subset of the plurality of endpoints for which the report list indicates that the data collector is the primary data collector, while refraining from reporting resource consumption data to the head-end computing device received from the endpoints other than the subset of the plurality of endpoints and identified in the memory as data from secondary or tertiary endpoints with respect to the data collector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method comprising:
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under control of a computing device of a utility head-end computing device configured with computer-executable instructions; sending, to a first data collector, a first upload schedule that is stored in a memory of the first data collector indicating multiple times during a first reporting period at which the first data collector is to upload resource consumption data for a first plurality of endpoints for which the first data collector is responsible for providing resource consumption data; sending, to a second data collector, a second upload schedule that is stored in a memory of the second data collector indicating multiple times during a second reporting period at which the second data collector is to upload resource consumption data for a second plurality of endpoints for which the second data collector is responsible for providing resource consumption data, wherein the second data collector is additionally directed to store, but not push to the utility head-end computing device, at least some of the resource consumption data for the first plurality of endpoints; receiving, pushed from the first data collector, resource consumption data of the first plurality of endpoints for which the first data collector is responsible for providing resource consumption data in accordance with the first upload schedule; receiving, pushed from the second data collector, resource consumption data of the second plurality of endpoints for which the second data collector is responsible for providing resource consumption data in accordance with the second upload schedule; determining that the utility head-end computing device is missing resource consumption data of an endpoint for which the first data collector is a primary collector and is responsible for providing resource consumption data and for which the second data collector is a secondary data collector; and requesting, from the second data collector, the missing resource consumption data of the endpoint, which was previously stored by the second data collector, but not pushed by the second data collector to the head-end computing device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification