Method and apparatus for efficient use of communication channels for remote telemetry

• US 20020067284A1
• Filed: 12/05/2000
• Published: 06/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beck Technology Ltd. (The Beck Group)
• Original Assignee: BECS Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Bell, John C., Chamberlain, Roger D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,940,421 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 Generation of reports

Abstract

A remote telemetry system utilizing dual communication pathways comprising low-cost remote communications devices operating on existing wire-based communications systems, wireless communications systems, and/or a combination thereof, to provide real-time reading and control of the remote telemetry units. A central controller directs the operation of the remote telemetry units and receives data from the remote telemetry units. The central controller is configured to utilize a conventional broadcast communications channel to transmit commands to individual remote telemetry units, each of which is assigned a unique identification code. Signals broadcast from the central controller are received at receivers associated with each remote telemetry unit, which performs a directed operation if a unique identification code included in the broadcast signal matches the identification code assigned to the remote telemetry unit. Each remote telemetry unit is provided with access to a conventional shared two-way communication pathway for return communication to the central controller. The shared two-way communication pathway is inactive unless specifically activated by a remote telemetry unit upon receipt of a signal from the central controller. In this manner, a large number of remote telemetry units may be provided with regulated access to a single shared two-way communications channel.

Claims

1. A dual communication channel remote telemetry system comprising:

at least one central controller configured to generate at least one control message and to receive at least one reporting message, said at least one central controller further configured to access a broadcast communications channel for carrying said control message and to access a shared two-way communications channel for receiving said reporting message;

a plurality of remote telemetry units configured to measure at least one local parameter and to generate at least one reporting message, each of said plurality of remote telemetry units having a unique identifier and having a receiver configured to receive said control message over said broadcast communications channel and a transceiver configured for communicating said reporting message to said at least one central controller over said shared two-way communications channel.

2. The dual communications channel remote telemetry system of claim 1 wherein said broadcast communications channel is a cellular paging system.

3. The dual communications channel remote telemetry system of claim 2 wherein each of said receivers is a cellular pager having a shared cellular pager identification number.

4. The dual communications channel remote telemetry system of claim 1 wherein said broadcast communications channel is a radio transmission system.

5. The dual communications channel remote telemetry system of claim 4 wherein each of said receivers is a radio receiver.

6. The dual communications channel remote telemetry system of claim 5 wherein said radio transmission system is a high-power and low data rate radio transmission system, and each of said radio receivers is a low-power radio receiver, optimized for power consumption.

7. The dual communications channel remote telemetry system of claim 1 wherein said shared two-way communications channel is a subscriber telephone line, said transceiver associated with each of said remote telemetry units configured as an extension to said subscriber telephone line.

8. The dual communications channel remote telemetry system of claim 7 wherein said subscriber telephone line further comprises said broadcast communications channel, said transceiver associated with each of said remote telemetry units configured with a shared telephone number as a subscriber party telephone line.

9. The dual communications channel remote telemetry system of claim 8 wherein said control message comprises DTMF codes.

10. The dual communications channel remote telemetry system of claim 1 wherein said shared two-way communications channel is a cellular radiotelephone network, said transceiver associated with each of said remote telemetry units configured as a cellular radio telephone.

11. The dual communications channel remote telemetry system of claim 10 wherein each of said cellular radio telephones is configured with the same cellular identification number.

12. The dual communications channel remote telemetry system of claim 1 wherein simultaneous access to said shared two-way communications channel is restricted to one of said transceivers associated with said remote telemetry units.

13. The dual communications channel remote telemetry system of claim 1 where media access control for said shared two-way communications channel is regulated by said central controller utilizing said control messages transmitted on said broadcast communications channel.

14. The dual communications channel remote telemetry system of claim 1 wherein said control message carried by said broadcast communications channel is received by each of said plurality of remote telemetry units.

15. The dual communications channel remote telemetry system of claim 14 wherein each of said plurality of remote telemetry units is configured to respond to said control message carried by said broadcast communications channel.

16. The dual communications channel remote telemetry system of claim 14 wherein said control message includes a remote telemetry recipient identifier, only said remote telemetry unit having said unique identifier matching said remote telemetry recipient identifier configured to respond to said control message carried by said broadcast communications channel.

18. The method of remote telemetering in a dual communications pathway system of claim 17 further including the steps of:

responsive to said operation, establishing a communication link between said one of said plurality of remote telemetry units and said at least one central control over said shared two-way communications pathway;

transmitting at least one reporting message from said one of said plurality of remote telemetry units to said at least one central controller over said communication link; and

closing said communication link upon completion of said reporting message transmission to said at least one central controller.

17. A method of remote telemetering in a dual communications pathway system in which at least one central controller having a broadcast communications pathway and a shared two-way communication pathway communicates with a plurality of remote telemetry units each having a unique identifier, said broadcast communications pathway carrying at least one control message and said shared two-way communications pathway carrying at least one reporting message, the method comprising the steps of:

generating, at said at least one central controller, a control message for transmission to said plurality of remote telemetry units, said control message including a recipient identifier associated with one of said plurality of remote telemetry units;

transmitting said control message from said at least one central controller over said broadcast communications pathway;

receiving, at each of said plurality of remote telemetry units, said control message;

comparing, at each of said plurality of remote telemetry units, said recipient identifier included in said control message with said unique identification code of said receiving remote telemetry unit; and

responsive to a match between said recipient identifier and said associated unique identification code, one of said plurality of remote telemetry units performing an operation instructed in said control message.