Orchestration manager

• US 20080071911A1
• Filed: 08/29/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Higgins, Christopher, Holbrook, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 8,312,103 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

Disclosed are apparatus and methodology subject matters for controlling the allocation of system nodes to a variable number of communication servers in an Advanced Metering System (AMS). An Orchestration Manager is provided through which all requests for end-device communications are routed. The Orchestration Manager periodically rebalances node assignments to reallocate nodes among communication servers in order to maintain data collection efficiency and in order to redistribute end devices from a failed communication server, or to otherwise adjust for the addition of a newly activated communication server.

Claims

1. An orchestration manager for distributing utility meter data communications functionality across multiple servers, comprising:

a master relay configured to register and authenticate multiple communication nodes associated with one or more respective utility meters and to assign communication functionality associated with said multiple communication nodes to a plurality of communication servers; and

a plurality of communication servers configured to communicate with at least a selected portion of said multiple communication nodes, each communication server configured to send and receive network communications and to acquire meter data from said multiple communications nodes.

2. An orchestration manager as in claim 1, wherein each said communication server comprises:

a meter communications host configured to send and receive network communications;

a data spooler configured to receive meter data from respective utility meters associated with a communication node; and

an exception event manager configured to receive exception events from respective utility meters associated with a communication node.

3. An orchestration manager as in claim 2, wherein said meter communications host is configured to communicate in accordance with an open standard meter communication protocol.

4. An orchestration manager as in claim 1, wherein said multiple communication nodes associated with one or more respective utility meters comprise at least one communication node operating on a radio network and at least one communication node operating on a power line communications (PLC) network.

5. An orchestration manager as in claim 1, wherein said master relay is configured to receive communications in accordance with an open standard meter communication protocol from said multiple communication nodes.

6. An orchestration manager as in claim 1, wherein said master relay is configured to periodically assign communication functionality associated with said multiple communication nodes to said plurality of communication servers, so as to periodically effect load rebalancing among said plurality of communication servers.

7. An orchestration manager as in claim 1, wherein said master relay is further configured:

to redistribute communication nodes from a failed communication server to an active one of said plurality of communication servers; and

to copy to another location state information for the one or more respective meters associated with respective communication nodes previously communicating with a failed communication server.

8. An orchestration manager as in claim 1, further comprising a job system configured to organize and track actions currently in progress on said plurality of communication servers.

9. An orchestration manager as in claim 1, wherein said master relay comprises a software-based application programming interface.

10. A method of controlling allocation of network nodes in a utility metering environment to a variable number of servers, so as to effect efficient utility meter data communications, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying a plurality of communication nodes, each communication node being associated with one or more respective utility meters;

assigning to respective selected servers communication functionality associated with respective selected portions of the plurality of communication nodes; and

effecting two-way communication between each selected portion of the plurality of communication nodes and its respective assigned server, wherein such two-way communication is conducted in accordance with an open standard meter communication protocol.

11. A method as in claim 10, further comprising a step of receiving meter data from respective utility meters associated with each communication node.

12. A method as in claim 11, further comprising a step of receiving exception event data from respective utility meters associated with each communication node.

13. A method as in claim 12, further comprising a step of, upon receiving exception event data indicating failure of one or more of the servers, redistributing communication nodes from being assigned to a failed server to being assigned to an active one of the plurality of servers.

14. A method as in claim 13, further comprising a step of copying to another location state information for the one or more respective meters associated with respective communication nodes previously communicating with a failed server.

16. A method as in claim 10, further comprising a step of tracking actions currently in progress on the plurality of servers.

17. A method as in claim 10, further comprising a step of registering and authenticating each of the plurality of communication nodes.

15. A method as in 10, wherein such assigning step is effected on a periodic basis, so as to effect periodic load rebalancing among the plurality of servers.

18. An advanced metering system for controlling allocation of network nodes in a utility metering environment to a variable number of servers, so as to effect efficient utility meter data communications, comprising:

a plurality of end devices, at least some of which end devices comprise metrology devices; and

a network including a central facility having a collection engine including an orchestration manager for distributing metrology device data communications functionality across multiple servers.

19. An advanced metering system as in claim 18, wherein said orchestration manager comprises:

a master relay configured to register and authenticate multiple communication nodes associated with one or more respective utility meters and to assign communication functionality associated with said multiple communication nodes to a plurality of communication servers; and

a plurality of communication servers configured to communicate with at least a selected portion of said multiple communication nodes, each communication server configured to send and receive network communications and to acquire meter data from said multiple communications nodes.

20. An advanced metering system as in claim 18, wherein each said communication server comprises:

a meter communications host configured to send and receive network communications in accordance with an open standard meter communication protocol;

a data spooler configured to receive meter data from respective utility meters associated with a communication node; and

an exception event manager configured to receive exception events from respective utility meters associated with a communication node.

21. An advanced metering system as in claim 18, wherein:

said multiple communication nodes associated with one or more respective utility meters comprise at least one communication node operating on a radio network and at least one communication node operating on a power line communications (PLC) network; and

said master relay is configured to receive communications in accordance with an open standard meter communication protocol from said multiple communication nodes;

to periodically assign communication functionality associated with said multiple communication nodes to said plurality of communication servers, so as to periodically effect load rebalancing among said plurality of communication servers;

to redistribute communication nodes from a failed communication server to an active one of said plurality of communication servers; and

to copy to another location state information for the one or more respective meters associated with respective communication nodes previously communicating with a failed communication server.

22. An advanced metering system as in claim 19, wherein said orchestration manager further includes a job system configured to organize and track actions currently in progress on said plurality of communication servers.

23. An advanced metering system as in claim 19, wherein said master relay comprises a software-based application programming interface.