Remote distribution of a software update to remote-reading terminals

• US 9,934,023 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2014
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GRDF (Gdf Suez)
• Original Assignee: Gaz Réseau Distribution France (Government of France)
• Inventors: Mille, Michal, Lacoste, Robert, Vialle, Alexandre
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Thuy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luu, Cuong V
• Application Number:
  US15/108,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20160306620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/45 Utility meters networked together within a single building
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/47 Methods for determining the topology or arrangement of meters in a network
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0833 for reduction of network energy consumption
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/02 Automatically-operated 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

A method of managing a software update of a plurality of remote-reading terminals to be updated in a remote-reading installation comprising a plurality of access points and a management server is disclosed, The method may include steps of transmitting a message for planning reception of the update data to said plurality of remote-reading terminals to be updated, selecting a set of access points from among said plurality of access points in such a way as to limit the number of access points used to disseminate said update data, and sending said update data through said selected set of access points.

Claims

1. A method of managing a software update of a plurality of remote reading terminals to be updated in a remote-reading installation, the remote-reading installation comprising a plurality of access points, the plurality of access points being configured to:

(1) communicate by radio link with the plurality of remote-reading terminals to be updated, and (2) communicate with a management server of the remote-reading installation by an intermediary of a telecommunication network, where each remote reading terminal of the plurality of remote-reading terminals to be updated is associated with an access point of the plurality of access points in order to transmit of remote-reading data to the management server, the method comprising the steps of;

(a) transmitting a message for planning reception of update data to the plurality of remote-reading terminals to be updated by the intermediary of their associated access points, the planning message comprising a start time for distribution of the update data;

(b) selecting a set of access points among the plurality of access points to limit the number of access points used for distributing the update data, while allowing the reception of the update data by the plurality of remote-reading terminals to be updated; and

(c) transmitting the update data by the selected set of access points, at the distribution start time,

wherein step (b) comprises selecting a minimum number of access points for transmitting the updates to all of the remote-reading terminals to be updated simultaneously, the selection of the minimum number of access points being based on transmission range areas of the access points and locations of the remote-reading terminals relative to the transmission range areas, such that the transmission range areas of the minimum number of access points cover the remote-reading terminals.

2. The management method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises the transmission of a message of notification of the selection to each access point of the selected set of access points, the notification message comprising the distribution start time.

3. The management method as claimed in claim 1, wherein during step (a), each terminal of the plurality of remote-reading terminals to be updated transmits an acknowledgement message to its associated access point in order to confirm the planning of the reception of the update data at the distribution start time.

4. The management method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step (c) is carried out several times consecutively.

5. The management method as claimed in claim 3, wherein step (a) is carried out, for each remote-reading terminal of the plurality of remote-reading terminals to be updated, consecutive to the reception by its associated access point of remote-reading data transmitted by the remote reading terminal.

6. A remote-reading installation comprising:

a management server having a hardware microprocessor and memory;

a plurality of remote-reading terminals to be updated; and

a plurality of access points;

the plurality of access points being configured to;

communicate by radio link with the plurality of remote-reading terminals to be updated; and

communicate with the management server by an intermediary of a telecommunication network;

each remote-reading terminal of the plurality of remote-reading terminals to be updated being associated with an access point of the plurality of access points for transmitting remote-reading data to the management server;

the management server being configured to control transmission of a message for planning reception of update data to the plurality of remote-reading terminals to be updated, by the intermediary of their associated access points;

the planning message comprising an update data distribution start time;

the management server being configured to select a set of access points from among the plurality of access points to limit the number of access points used for distributing the update data, while allowing the reception of the update data by the plurality of remote reading terminals to be updated; and

the set of access points selected by the management server being configured to transmit the update data at the distribution start time,

wherein selecting a set of access points further comprises selecting a minimum number of access points for transmitting the update data to all of the remote-reading terminals to be updated simultaneously, the selection of the minimum number of access points being based on transmission range areas of the access points and locations of the remote-reading terminals relative to the transmission range areas, such that the transmission range areas of the minimum number of access points cover all of the remote-reading terminals to be updated.

7. The remote-reading installation as claimed in claim 6, wherein the management server is further configured to transmit a message of notification of the selection to each access point of the selected set of access points, the notification message comprising the distribution start time.

8. The remote-reading installation as claimed in claim 6, wherein, when the message for planning the reception of update data is transmitted to the plurality of remote-reading terminals to be updated, each terminal of the plurality of remote-reading terminals transmits an acknowledgement message to its associated access point in order to confirm the planning of the reception of the update data at the distribution start time.

9. The remote-reading installation as claimed in claim 6, wherein the set of access points is further configured to transmit the update data at the distribution start time step several times consecutively.

10. The remote-reading installation as claimed in claim 8, wherein the message for planning the reception of update data is transmitted for each remote-reading terminal of the plurality of remote-reading terminals to be updated, consecutive to the reception by its associated access point of remote-reading data transmitted by the remote reading terminal.