SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TIME-BASED HAILING OF RADIO FREQUENCY DEVICES

• US 20130107772A1
• Filed: 10/27/2011
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shoesmith, William Charles, Splitz, David Edwin, Grady, Robert Henry
• Granted Patent: US 8,660,134 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 one node acting as a reference for the others
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/002 Mutual synchronization
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for communicating with a radio frequency (RF) device. An exemplary method includes: sending to the RF device a hailing signal based on a system time; and sending to the RF device a data message.

Claims

1. A method for communicating with a radio frequency (RF) device, the method comprising:

sending to the RF device a hailing signal based on a system time; and

sending to the RF device a data message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the hailing signal is sent on at least one hailing channel selected from a plurality of hailing channels.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the selection of the at least one hailing channel depends on the system time and a node identification.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data message is sent on at least one data channel selected from a plurality of data channels.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the selection of the at least one data channel is based on the system time and a node identification.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the selection of the at least one data channel is sequentially selected from the plurality of data channels based on a last known data channel.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the hailing signal is sent to at least one hailing channel selected from a plurality of hailing channels, wherein the data is sent on at least one data channel selected from a plurality of data channels, and wherein each hailing channel in the plurality of hailing channels differs from each data channel in the plurality of data channels.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the RF device sending the hailing signal, receiving from the RF device an acknowledgement.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the system time based on a calibration.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from another RF device a new system time.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the system time to another RF device.

12. A method for communicating with a radio frequency (RF) device, the method comprising:

listening for at least a first hailing signal to be received on at least a first at least one hailing channel selected from a plurality of hailing channels, selection of the at least one hailing channel depending on a system time and a node identification; and

in response to listening for the at least first hailing signal and not receiving the at least first hailing signal on the first at least one hailing channel, entering a sleep mode during which no listening occurs for a period of time.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

in response to the expiration of the period of time, listening for at least a second hailing signal to be received on a second at least one hailing channel selected from the plurality of hailing channels; and

in response to listening for the at least second hailing signal and receiving the at least second hailing signal on the second at least one hailing channel, switching to at least one of a plurality of data channels.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each hailing channel in the plurality of hailing channels differs from each data channel in the plurality of data channels.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one of the plurality of data channels is predetermined based on a system time and a node identification.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the selection of the at least one data channel is sequentially selected from the plurality of data channels based on a last known data channel.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving from another RF device a new system time.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

sending the system time of the RF device to another RF device.

19. A method for communicating between a parent radio frequency (RF) device and a child RF device, the method comprising:

transmitting for a period of transmitting time by the parent RF device a hailing signal on at least one hailing channel selected from a plurality of hailing channels, wherein the selected at least one hailing channel depends on a system time known to both the parent RF device and the child RF device;

sampling by the child RF device for the hailing signal for a period of sampling time;

in response to the child RF device hearing the hailing signal during the sampling time, switching from a hailing mode to a data mode; and

in response to the child RF device not hearing the hailing signal during the sampling time, switching from the hailing mode to a sleep mode.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the sampling time is less than the period of transmitting time.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

transmitting by the parent RF device a new system time to the child RF device.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

requesting by the child RF device a new system time from the parent RF device.

23. A radio frequency (RF) apparatus for sending and receiving wireless communications, the RF apparatus further comprising:

an oscillator;

a memory configured to store a hailing channel frequency set and a data channel frequency set, the hailing channel frequency set comprising a plurality of hailing channels and the data channel frequency set comprising a plurality of data channels;

an antenna operatively connected to the microprocessor and being configured to send and receive RF communications; and

a microprocessor operatively connected to the oscillator, the memory and the antenna, the microprocessor comprising;

logic to determine a system time based on the oscillator;

logic to transmit and receive via the antenna a hailing signal on at least one of the plurality of hailing channels;

logic to transmit and receive via the antenna data on at least one of the plurality of data channels.

24. The RF apparatus of claim 23, wherein the microprocessor further comprises:

logic to select the at least one of the plurality of hailing channels from the hailing channel frequency set, the selection depending on a last known hailing channel.

25. The RF apparatus of claim 23, wherein the microprocessor further comprises:

logic to select the at least one of the plurality of data channels from the data channel frequency set, the selection depending on the system time and a node identification.

26. The RF apparatus of claim 23, wherein the microprocessor further comprises:

logic to receive a new system time from a second RF device; and

logic adapted to send the new system time to at least a third RF device.

27. The RF apparatus of claim 23, wherein the microprocessor further comprises:

logic to receive a new system time from the Internet.