Read-Ahead Techniques for Data Logging

• US 20120329499A1
• Filed: 06/24/2011
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Cornwall, Mark K., Holmdahl, Bret
• Granted Patent: US 8,594,599 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/507
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Radio messages may be transmitted by endpoints delivering utility consumption data. A portable unit may traverse a route among the endpoints and obtain the consumption data. If the endpoints are sufficiently grouped, communication between the portable unit and a plurality of endpoints may be possible in a same power cycle to a radio of the portable unit while the portable unit is at a single location. In a two-way communication environment, the portable unit may send commands to a plurality of endpoints during a single power cycle, which may result in responses from the plurality of endpoints during the same power cycle. Such communications may be performed with endpoints that are ahead of a current endpoint on the route being traversed, and may constitute read-ahead data. Read-ahead data reduces power cycles to the radio, because when the portable unit reaches an endpoint on the route whose data has previously been read, a power cycle is not required.

Claims

1. A method of gathering data, comprising:

configuring a portable device with a list of endpoints, the list of endpoints including an individual association between one or more endpoints in the list of endpoints and one or more commands, the commands commanding that data be sent to the portable device;

cycling power to a radio in the portable device;

receiving messages, over the radio, from endpoints in the list of endpoints, the messages including an endpoint identification (ID) and consumption data from the endpoint;

transmitting a command to each endpoint from which a message is received, and for which a command exists in the list of endpoints, the command being associated with the endpoint ID by the list of endpoints; and

receiving from an endpoint a response to the transmitted command.

2. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

receiving input from an operator, and in response;

if data on a current endpoint in the list of endpoints is available in a buffer, then populating data from the buffer into a format for upload to a head-end;

or

if data on the current endpoint in the list of endpoints is not available in the buffer, then initiating the cycling of the power to the radio, wherein the radio is configured to receive messages and transmit commands to receive a message from the current endpoint in the list of endpoints.

3. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

buffering data from messages and data from responses to commands, including those received out-of-order with respect to the list of endpoints; and

populating the buffered data into a data structure, wherein the data structure is ordered according to the list of endpoints.

4. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

receiving input from an operator;

initiating the cycling of the power to the radio in response to the input, the power cycling configuring the radio to receive messages and transmit commands;

buffering data obtained by the radio from messages and responses to commands; and

populating the buffered data according to the list of endpoints.

5. One or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions, comprising instructions for:

downloading a list of endpoints into a portable device, the list of endpoints including an association between one or more endpoints in the list of endpoints and a command, the command commanding that data be sent to the portable device;

cycling power to a radio in the portable device;

receiving, on the radio at the portable device, messages from endpoints on the list of endpoints;

obtaining a command from the list of endpoints, the obtained command associated with an endpoint from which a message was received at the portable device;

transmitting the command to the endpoint associated with the message received at the portable device; and

receiving a response to the transmitted command from the endpoint.

6. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 5, additionally comprising instructions for:

receiving input from an operator, and in response;

if data on a current endpoint in the list of endpoints is available in a buffer, the current endpoint being a first endpoint in the list of endpoints for which data has not yet been populated into a format for upload to a head-end, then populating data from the buffer into the format for upload to a head-end;

or

if data on the current endpoint in the list of endpoints is not available in the buffer, then initiating the cycling of the power to the radio, wherein the radio is configured to receive messages and transmit commands to receive a message from the current endpoint in the list of endpoints.

7. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 5, additionally comprising instructions for:

identifying a current endpoint in the list of endpoints and an associated command, the current endpoint being a first endpoint in the list of endpoints for which data has not yet been populated into a format for upload to a head-end;

receiving input from an operator;

in response to the input, initiating the cycling of the power to the radio receiving the messages and transmitting the commands;

receiving a message from an endpoint other than the current endpoint on the list of endpoints, the message including consumption data;

transmitting a command to the endpoint past the current endpoint on the list of endpoints; and

receiving a response to the transmitted command from the endpoint past the current endpoint on the list of endpoints.

8. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 5, additionally comprising instructions for:

receiving input from an operator;

in response to the input, initiating the cycling of the power to the radio receiving the messages and transmitting the commands; and

extending a scheduled end of the power cycle to allow reception of a response to a command sent prior to the scheduled end of power cycle.

9. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 5, additionally comprising instructions for:

cycling power to the radio sufficiently to reduce a duty cycle of the radio to below fifty percent of a total operational time;

receiving a plurality of messages during a power cycle to the radio; and

transmitting a command associated with one of the plurality of messages, wherein the transmitting is performed during the power cycle to the radio.

10. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 5, additionally comprising instructions for:

triggering the cycling of the power to the radio within the portable device in response to input from an operator, wherein the radio is configured for receiving messages and transmitting commands during a power cycle; and

concluding the power cycle as soon as either data is obtained from the current endpoint associated with the power cycle or after a pre-configured timeout is reached.

11. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 5, additionally comprising instructions for:

receiving, from an endpoint on the list of endpoints, a consumption message and a response to a command;

buffering the consumption message and the response to the command; and

populating data into a format for upload to a head-end, wherein;

the data includes the buffered consumption message and the buffered response; and

the populating is performed sequentially in time according to an ordering of the list of endpoints.

12. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 5, additionally comprising instructions for:

receiving, from an endpoint on the list of endpoints, a message and a response to a command;

calling an application programming interface (API) to pass the message and the response to the command to an application; and

populating data passed to the application into a data structure for upload to a head-end, wherein the populating is performed sequentially in time according to an ordering of the list of endpoints.

13. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 5, wherein receiving a message triggers a search of the list of endpoints for a command associated with an endpoint from which the message was received.

14. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 5, additionally comprising instructions for:

receiving a response to a command;

buffering data from the response which is out-of-sequence with respect to the list of endpoints; and

populating a data structure with data from the response which is not out-of-sequence with respect to the list of endpoints.

15. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 5, additionally comprising instructions for:

cycling power to the radio to receive messages and send commands during a power cycle; and

during the power cycle;

receiving a message from a current endpoint on the list of endpoints, the current endpoint being a first endpoint in the list of endpoints for which data has not yet been populated into a format for upload to a head-end; and

receiving and buffering messages from other endpoints on the list of endpoints.

16. A method of gathering data, comprising:

configuring a portable device with a list of endpoints, the list of endpoints including an association between one or more endpoints in the list of endpoints and a command, the command commanding that data be sent to the portable device;

cycling power to a radio in the portable device;

receiving messages from endpoints when the radio is powered on, the messages including an endpoint identification (ID) and consumption data;

transmitting a command to each endpoint from which a message is received and for which a command exists in the list of endpoints; and

receiving responses from the endpoints to which a command was sent, the responses including additional consumption data.

17. The method of claim 16, additionally comprising:

receiving input from an operator, and in response;

if data on a current endpoint in the list of endpoints is available in a buffer, the current endpoint being a first endpoint in the list of endpoints for which data has not yet been populated into a format for upload to a head-end, then populating data from the buffer into a format for upload to a head-end;

or

if data on the current endpoint in the list of endpoints is not available in the buffer, cycling power to a radio configured to receive messages and transmit commands to receive a message from the current endpoint in the list of endpoints.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein cycling power to the radio comprises:

receiving input from an operator;

initiating a power cycle to the radio in response to the input; and

terminating the power cycle a fixed period of time after initiating the power cycle.

19. The method of claim 16, additionally comprising:

receiving a plurality of messages from a plurality of endpoints during a power cycle to the radio; and

searching the list of endpoints for commands associated with endpoints associated with the plurality of messages.

20. The method of claim 16, additionally comprising:

receiving, from an endpoint on the list of endpoints, a message and a response to a command;

buffering the message and the response to the command; and

populating data into a format for upload to a head-end, wherein;

the data includes the buffered message and the buffered response; and

the populating is performed sequentially in time according to an ordering of the list of endpoints.