Apparatus and methods to mirror a battery operated instrument
First Claim
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1. A method of operating a home area network (HAN) having a plurality of HAN utility network devices and having an associated energy services interface (ESI), the method comprising:
- transmitting within the HAN a request for a mirror-capable device to act as a mirror to perform functions within the HAN on behalf of a particular network utility device that is battery powered;
in response to receiving the transmitted request, determining a plurality of values representing a power consumption required by the particular utility device of the plurality of utility network devices to transmit utility device data to a respective selected one of a plurality of mirror-capable network devices within the HAN associated with the ESI wherein the particular utility device is operational, wherein the plurality of network devices includes the plurality of mirror-capable network devices, and the values for each mirror-capable network device including at least the following minimal set of mirror-capable device characteristics;
an availability of each mirror-capable network device to act as a mirror for the particular network device,a report from each mirror-capable network device of its mirror-device capability that can be provided to the particular network device,a power source of each mirror-capable network device,a transmission power needed to communicate between the particular network device and each mirror-capable network device, anda quality of a transmission line between the particular network device and each mirror-capable network device;
selecting one of the plurality of mirror-capable network devices to be a mirroring device to act as a mirror to perform functions within the HAN on behalf of the particular utility device based on at least one of the plurality of values for two or more of the minimal set of mirror-capable device characteristics in response to the received request, wherein at least one of the two or more mirror-capable device characteristics includes the power source for the mirror capable device and wherein selecting is responsive to the power source being substantially greater than the battery power source of the particular network device;
registering with the ESI the selected mirror-capable network device as the mirror for the particular network device, wherein the ESI is configured to treat the registered mirror of the selected mirror-capable network device as the particular network device; and
forming a mirror to perform the functions within the HAN on behalf of the particular utility device at the selected and registered mirror-capable network device such that the selected mirror-capable network device is thereafter configured to;
receive the transmitted utility device data from the particular utility device;
store received utility device data; and
operate as an interface that performs the HAN device functions on behalf of the particular utility device including responding to a request from the ESI to read the stored received utility device data of the particular utility device and in response thereto transmitting the requested stored utility device data of the particular utility device to the ESI and in lieu of the particular utility device transmitted the utility data to the ESI and in lieu of the ESI requesting and in return receiving the utility device data directly from the particular utility device.
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Abstract
Techniques for mirroring to allow for data transmissions from a device through mirror capable device. In an embodiment, a plurality of mirror capable devices may report their capability, which may include signaling conditions related thereto. A mirror capable device may be selected from the plurality of mirror capable devices based on signaling conditions associated with the utility device'"'"'s power consumption.
14 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of operating a home area network (HAN) having a plurality of HAN utility network devices and having an associated energy services interface (ESI), the method comprising:
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transmitting within the HAN a request for a mirror-capable device to act as a mirror to perform functions within the HAN on behalf of a particular network utility device that is battery powered; in response to receiving the transmitted request, determining a plurality of values representing a power consumption required by the particular utility device of the plurality of utility network devices to transmit utility device data to a respective selected one of a plurality of mirror-capable network devices within the HAN associated with the ESI wherein the particular utility device is operational, wherein the plurality of network devices includes the plurality of mirror-capable network devices, and the values for each mirror-capable network device including at least the following minimal set of mirror-capable device characteristics; an availability of each mirror-capable network device to act as a mirror for the particular network device, a report from each mirror-capable network device of its mirror-device capability that can be provided to the particular network device, a power source of each mirror-capable network device, a transmission power needed to communicate between the particular network device and each mirror-capable network device, and a quality of a transmission line between the particular network device and each mirror-capable network device; selecting one of the plurality of mirror-capable network devices to be a mirroring device to act as a mirror to perform functions within the HAN on behalf of the particular utility device based on at least one of the plurality of values for two or more of the minimal set of mirror-capable device characteristics in response to the received request, wherein at least one of the two or more mirror-capable device characteristics includes the power source for the mirror capable device and wherein selecting is responsive to the power source being substantially greater than the battery power source of the particular network device; registering with the ESI the selected mirror-capable network device as the mirror for the particular network device, wherein the ESI is configured to treat the registered mirror of the selected mirror-capable network device as the particular network device; and forming a mirror to perform the functions within the HAN on behalf of the particular utility device at the selected and registered mirror-capable network device such that the selected mirror-capable network device is thereafter configured to; receive the transmitted utility device data from the particular utility device; store received utility device data; and operate as an interface that performs the HAN device functions on behalf of the particular utility device including responding to a request from the ESI to read the stored received utility device data of the particular utility device and in response thereto transmitting the requested stored utility device data of the particular utility device to the ESI and in lieu of the particular utility device transmitted the utility data to the ESI and in lieu of the ESI requesting and in return receiving the utility device data directly from the particular utility device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A utility device operating in a home area network (HAN) having a plurality of network devices and having an associated energy services interface (ESI), comprising:
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a utility meter configured to measure utility data, the utility meter being powered by a battery and being a wireless communication connection to one or more of a plurality of network devices within the HAN that are both battery and line powered; a processor; and a memory comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to; receive a request for a mirror-capable device to act as a mirror to perform functions within the HAN on behalf of the utility meter; in response to receiving the request, determine a plurality of values representing a power consumption required by a particular utility device to transmit utility device data to a respective one of a plurality of mirror-capable network devices, wherein the plurality of network devices includes the plurality of mirror-capable network devices, and the values for each mirror-capable network device including at least the following minimal set of mirror-capable device characteristics; an availability of each mirror-capable network device to act as a mirror for the particular network device, a report from each mirror-capable network device of its mirror-device capability that can be provided to the particular network device, a power source of each mirror-capable network device, a transmission power needed to communicate between the particular network device and each mirror-capable network device, and a quality of a transmission line between the particular network device and each mirror-capable network device; select one of the plurality of mirror-capable network devices as a mirroring device for the particular utility device based on at least one of the plurality of values for two or more of the minimal set of mirror-capable device characteristics in response to the received request, wherein at least one of the two or more mirror-capable device characteristics includes the power source for the mirror capable device and wherein selecting is responsive to the power source having a longer duration power supply than the battery powered particular device; transmit utility device data from the particular utility device to the selected one of the plurality of mirror-capable network devices; register with the ESI the selected mirror-capable network device as the mirror for the particular network device, wherein the ESI is configured to treat the registered mirror of the selected mirror-capable network device as the particular network device; and form a mirror to perform the functions within the HAN on behalf of particular utility device, the mirror being formed at the selected one of the plurality of mirror-capable network devices, whereby, upon forming the mirror, the selected one of the plurality of mirror-capable network devices is thereafter configured to; receive the transmitted utility device data from the particular utility device; store received utility device data; and operate as an interface that performs the HAN device functions on behalf of the particular utility device including receiving a request from the ESI to read the stored received utility device data of the particular utility device and to transmit the requested stored utility device data of the particular utility device to the ESI in response thereto, and in lieu of the particular utility device transmitting the utility device data to the ESI in response to receiving the request therefrom.
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18. An energy services interface (ESI) of a home area network (HAN) having a plurality of HAN utility network devices communicatively coupled and operational therein, comprising:
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a processor; and a memory comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to; receiving within the HAN a request for a mirror-capable device to act as a mirror to perform functions within the HAN on behalf of a particular network utility device that is battery powered and that communicates with the ESI using a wireless interface; in response to receiving the request, determine a plurality of values representing a power consumption required by the particular utility device to transmit utility device data from the particular utility device to a respective one of a plurality of mirror-capable network devices, wherein a plurality of network devices includes the plurality of mirror-capable network devices, and the values for each mirror-capable network device including at least the following minimal set of mirror-capable device characteristics; an availability of each mirror-capable network device to act as a mirror for the particular network device, a report from each mirror-capable network device of its mirror-device capability that can be provided to the particular network device, a power source of each mirror-capable network device, a transmission power needed to communicate between the particular network device and each mirror-capable network device, and a quality of a transmission line between the particular network device and each mirror-capable network device; select one of the plurality of mirror-capable network devices as a mirroring device to act as a mirror to perform functions within the HAN on behalf of the particular utility device based on at least one of the plurality of values for two or more of the minimal set of mirror-capable device characteristics in response to the received request, wherein at least one of the two or more mirror-capable device characteristics includes the power source for the mirror-capable device and wherein selecting is responsive to the power source of the selected mirror-capable device being line-powered; registering with the ESI the selected mirror-capable network device as the mirror for the particular network device, wherein the ESI is configured to treat the registered mirror of the selected mirror-capable network device as the particular network device; and form a mirror to act as a mirror to perform functions within the HAN on behalf of the particular utility device at the selected one of the plurality of mirror-capable network devices, wherein, upon forming a mirror, the selected one of the plurality of network devices is thereafter configured to; receive the transmitted utility device data from the particular utility device; store received utility device data; and operate as an interface that performs the HAN device functions on behalf of the particular utility device including responding a request from the ESI to read the stored received utility device data of the particular utility device and in response thereto transmitting the requested stored utility device data of the particular utility device to the ESI and in lieu of the particular utility device transmitting the utility data to the ESI and in lieu of the ESI receiving the utility device data directly from the particular utility device; wherein the ESI is communicatively connected to the particular utility device and each of the plurality of network devices.
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Specification