Low power, high resolution automated meter reading and analytics

• US 9,929,772 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2017
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hydropoint, HydroPoint Data Systems Inc., Hyropoint Data Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: APANA, Inc.
• Inventors: Rose, Matthew W., Burns, Frank, Peterson, Matthew Maher, Peckham, Canyon Daniel, Siderskiy, Valentin, Humphrey, David Royce, Remmers, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): JACKSON, BLANE J
• Application Number:
  US15/423,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20170230907A1
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 of transmitter output stages
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0475 with means for limiting noise, interference or distortion H04B1/0483 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1036 with automatic suppression of narrow band noise or interference, e.g. by using tuneable notch filters H04B1/123 takes precedence; filter circuits H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/44 Transmit/receive switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/0408 with power amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• 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

The systems and methods described herein are directed to techniques for improving battery life performance of end devices in resource monitoring systems which transmit data using low-power, wide area network (LPWAN) technologies. Further, the techniques include providing sensor interfaces in the end devices configured to communicate with multiple types of metrology sensors. Additionally, the systems and methods include techniques for reducing the size of a concentrator of a gateway device which receives resource measurement data from end devices. The reduced size of the concentrator results in smaller, more compact gateway devices that consume less energy and reduce heat dissipation experienced in gateway devices. The concentrator may comply with modular interface standards, and include two radios configured for transmitting 1-watt signals. Lastly, the systems and methods include techniques for fully redundant radio architecture within a gateway device, allowing for maximum range and minimizing downtime due to transmission overlap.

Claims

1. A computing device for communicating metrology data collected by one or more water sensors to a gateway device, the computing device comprising:

a housing;

an internal antenna disposed on an interior of the housing;

an external antenna port disposed exterior to the housing;

one or more input ports to receive the metrology data from the one or more water sensors;

an internal power supply module, disposed inside the housing, including one or more batteries coupled to a supercapacitor, wherein the one or more batteries and the supercapacitor provide power to components of the computing device;

a microcontroller comprising one or more processors and encoded with logic for controlling operations of the computing device, wherein the one or more batteries power the microcontroller;

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, coupled to the internal antenna and the external antenna port, and configured to communicate signals using a low-power wide area network (LPWAN) standard, wherein the supercapacitor powers the RF transceiver to transmit the signals, and wherein the supercapacitor is configured to power the RF transceiver to transmit the signals at a power of one watt, the RF transceiver comprising;

a first transmit path, associated with an external power supply, for transmitting communications using at least one of the internal antenna or the external antenna port;

a second transmit path, associated with the internal power supply module, for transmitting communications using at least one of the internal antenna or the external antenna port; and

a receive path for receiving communications using at least one of the internal antenna or the external antenna port; and

computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors of the microcontroller to perform acts comprising;

causing the computing device to enter a low-power mode for a first predefined period of time;

based at least in part on detecting an end of the first predefined period of time, causing the computing device to switch from the low-power mode to a communication mode for a second period of time, wherein the second period of time is less than the first predefined period of time, and wherein the low-power mode consumes less power than the communication mode;

while in the communication mode, causing the RF transceiver to transmit, via the second transmit path and by at least one of the external antenna port or the internal antenna, a signal representing a portion of the metrology data collected by the one or more water sensors to the gateway device, wherein the RF transceiver receives power from the supercapacitor to transmit the signal; and

in response to transmitting the signal, causing the computing device to enter the low-power mode for the first predefined period of time.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more batteries at least partially charge the supercapacitor during the low-power mode; and

the supercapacitor is at least partially discharged during the communication mode.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein:

the first predefined period of time of the low-power mode is at least 100 times longer than the second period of time of the communication mode.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the internal power supply module further comprises a gas gauge, including a coulomb counter and an integrated buck-boost converter, disposed between the one or more batteries and the supercapacitor, wherein the gas gauge is configured to:

monitor a coulomb amount of charge provided from the one or more batteries to at least the supercapacitor during at least a portion of the low-power mode and at least a portion of the communication mode; and

limit the coulomb amount of the charge provided from the one or more batteries to the at least the supercapacitor from exceeding a threshold amount of current over a period of time.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein a single supercapacitor comprises:

a first capacitor that is charged from current received from the one or more batteries;

a second capacitor in series with the first capacitor that is charged from the current received from the one or more batteries; and

a supercapacitor balancer circuit including a first resistor, a second resistor, and a low power operational amplifier (op-amp), wherein the supercapacitor balancer circuit balances charging of the first capacitor and the second capacitor.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the one or more batteries are thermally coupled to a connecter that is configured to be thermally coupled to external piping external to the computing device.

7. The computing device of claim 1, the acts further comprising:

receiving a signal, via the RF transceiver, including information; and

determining at least one of the first predefined period of time or the second period of time based at least in part on the information.

8. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the RF transceiver further comprises:

a first switch, controllable by the microcontroller, to select between a first position that completes the first transmit path and a second position that completes the second transmit path; and

a second switch, controllable by the microcontroller, to select between a third position that completes at least one of the first transmit path or the second transmit path and a fourth position that completes the receive path.

9. The computing device of claim 8, further comprising:

a low-drop out (LDO) linear voltage regulator to receive power from the internal power supply module and output a first voltage for the first switch;

a buck converter to receive power from the internal power supply module and output a second voltage that is less than the first voltage for the microcontroller and the RF transceiver; and

a boost converter to receive power from the internal power supply module and output a third voltage that is higher than the first voltage to the one or more input ports.

10. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the LPWAN standard for which the RF transceiver is configured to communicate the signals comprises at least one of:

a standard compliant with a SEMTECH transceiver;

a LoRaWAN®

standard;

a ZigBee standard;

a haystack standard;

an LTE Advanced for Machine Type Communications standard;

a MySensors standard;

a NarrowBand Internet-of-things (IoT) standard;

a NB-Fi standard;

an NWave standard;

a Random Phase Multiple Access (RPMA) standard;

a Senet standard;

a Sigfox standard;

a Symphony Link standard;

a ThingPark Wireless standard;

an Ultra Narrow Band (UNB) standard;

or

a Weightless standard.

11. A first computing device for communicating resource consumption data collected by one or more sensors to a second computing device, the first computing device comprising:

a housing;

one or more antennas;

a microcontroller comprising one or more processors and encoded with logic for controlling operations of the first computing device;

a power supply module configured to power the first computing device using at least one of an external power supply or an internal power supply;

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, coupled to the one or more antennas, and configured to communicate signals using a low-power wide area network (LPWAN) standard;

a sensor interface comprising;

a input port configured to accept an input cable of multiple types of sensors to receive metrology data from at least one of the multiple types of sensors;

a comparator circuit configured to receive the metrology data and store the metrology data in register memory of the first computing device;

a pull-up resistor circuit comprising;

a pull-up resistor; and

a first transistor, controllable by the microcontroller, configured to selectively provide a first voltage to the input port via the pull-up resistor; and

an automatic meter reading (AMR) circuit comprising a second transistor, controllable by the microcontroller, configured to selectively provide a second voltage across an output port of the sensor interface, the output port configured to selectively provide at least one of power or a clock signal to at least a portion of the multiple type of sensors; and

computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors of the microcontroller to perform acts comprising;

determining a sensor type of a sensor associated with an input cable coupled to the input port;

based at least in part on determining the sensor type, selectively providing the first voltage to the input port or the second voltage to the output port;

receiving, by the comparator circuit, metrology data from the sensor; and

storing, by the comparator circuit, the metrology data in the register memory.

12. The first computing device of claim 11, wherein:

the sensor type is a first sensor type, and the sensor comprises at least one of a reed switch sensor, a Hall effect sensor, or a magneto-resistive sensor, and the first voltage is applied;

or

the sensor type is a second sensor type, and the sensor comprises at least one of a pulse sensor or an AMR sensor, and the second voltage is applied.

13. The first computing device of claim 11, wherein the sensor interface is configured to receive data, via the input port, and store the data from the multiple types of sensors, the multiple types of sensors including a Hall effect sensor, or a magneto-resistive sensor, a pulse sensor, and an AMR sensor.

14. The first computing device of claim 11, wherein:

the first computing device further includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port; and

determining the sensor type of the sensor associated with the input cable coupled to the input port comprises at least one of;

receiving, through a USB cable plugged into the USB port, an indication of the sensor type;

or

receiving, via the RF transceiver and from one or more server computing devices, a signal comprising the indication of the sensor type.

15. An end-point computing device for communicating metrology data collected by one or more water sensors to a computing device, the end-point computing device comprising:

a housing;

one or more antennas;

a microcontroller comprising one or more processors and encoded with logic for controlling operations of the end-point computing device;

an internal power supply module configured to power the end-point computing device;

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, coupled to the one or more antennas, and configured to communicate signals using a low-power wide area network (LPWAN) standard;

a water meter hardware interface comprising;

one or more input ports configured to accept one or more input cables of the one or more water sensors to receive the metrology data from the one or more water sensors;

a comparator circuit configured to receive the metrology data and store the metrology data in register memory of the end-point computing device;

a pull-up resistor circuit configured to provide power at a first voltage to a first type of sensor of the one or more water sensors when the first type of sensor is plugged into the one or more input ports; and

an automatic meter reading (AMR) circuit configured to provide power at a second voltage to a second type of sensor of the one or more water sensors when the second type of sensor is plugged into the one or more input ports;

computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors of the microcontroller to perform acts comprising;

causing the comparator circuit, the pull-up resistor circuit, and the AMR circuit to enter a low-power mode for a first period of time;

in response to detecting an end of the first period of time, causing the comparator circuit and at least one of the pull-up resistor circuit or the AMR circuit to switch from the low-power mode to an active mode for a second period of time;

causing the comparator circuit to receive and store pulses from a water sensor for a second period of time, the second period of time being less than the first period of time; and

in response to detecting an end of the second period of time, causing the comparator circuit and the at least one of the pull-up resistor circuit or the AMR circuit to switch from the active mode to the low-power mode for the first period of time.

16. The end-point computing device of claim 15, wherein:

the water sensor comprises the first type of sensor, and wherein the first type of sensor comprises at least one of a reed switch sensor, a Hall effect sensor, or a magneto-resistive sensor;

or

the water sensor comprises the second type of sensor, and wherein the second type of sensor comprises at least one of a pulse sensor or an AMR sensor.

17. The end-point computing device of claim 15, the acts further comprising receiving, from one or more server computing devices, an indication of the first period of time and an indication of the second period of time.

18. The end-point computing device of claim 16, the acts further comprising:

determining a rotational speed of the water sensor plugged into the one or more input ports;

calculating the first period of time based at least in part on the rotational speed; and

calculating the second period of time based at least in part on a rate at which the water sensor outputs pulses.

19. The end-point computing device of claim 18, the acts further comprising:

analyzing historical rotational speed data associated with the water sensor;

determining an adjusted rotational speed of the water sensor; and

adjusting the first period of time based at least in part on the adjusted rotational speed.

20. The end-point computing device of claim 19, the acts further comprising:

sending historical rotational speed data associated with the water sensor to one or more server computing devices; and

receiving, from the one or more server computing devices, an indication of a third period of time; and

adjusting the first period of time based at least in part on the third period of time.