Wireless communication enabled meter and network

• US 7,379,981 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2002
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: F2VS Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Kenneth W. Garrard
• Inventors: Elliott, Karl E., Garrard, Kenneth W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Application Number:
  US10/040,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20020094799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,337 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/223, 709/249, 709/224, 709/231, 709/245
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/45 Utility meters networked together within a single building
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• 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 meter enabled for wireless communication and a wireless communication network are disclosed. A meter enabled for wireless communication comprises a metering device, a wireless communication system and an interface between the two. Meter data can be read, and the meter can be controlled via communication with a wireless network using, e.g., the Bluetooth™ protocol. A self-configuring wireless network is also disclosed. The wireless network includes a number of vnodes, and one or more VGATES. The vnodes are devices that are enabled for wireless communication using, e.g., the Bluetooth™ protocol. Vnodes are operative to form ad hoc piconet connections. The one or more VGATES comprise computer network gateways that are enabled for wireless communication using, e.g., the Bluetooth™ protocol. Thus, the VGATES enable the wireless array of vnodes to communicate with a private or public computer network to transmit data or receive commands. The network may also communicate with a VNOC system. VNOC is a universal communications adapter that enables the wireless array of vnodes to communicate (either directly or through a VGATE) with a central control facility via various wireless or wired communication media.

Claims

1. A self-configuring wireless network, comprising:

(I) a network cluster, comprising;

(a) a first network including a plurality of self-configuring, individually addressable virtual nodes in which individual virtual nodes are independently operative to (i) initiate and establish a wireless communication connection with any other self-configuring virtual node associated with the first network during a self-configuration process, (ii) store information regarding the identities and/or location of other self-configuring virtual nodes with which the node has established a communication connection, (iii) generate data and transmit the data to other virtual nodes with which the node has established a communication connection, and (iv) receive data from virtual nodes and forward the data to other virtual nodes with which the node has established a communication connection;

(b) a second network including a plurality of self-configuring, individually addressable virtual nodes in which individual virtual nodes are independently enabled with the capabilities to (i) initiate and establish a wireless communication connection with any other self-configuring virtual node associated with the second network during a self-configuration process, (ii) store information regarding the identities and/or location of other self-configuring virtual nodes with which the node has established a communication connection, (iii) generate data and transmit the data to other virtual nodes with which the node has established a communication connection, and (iv) receive data from virtual nodes and forward the data to other virtual nodes with which the node has established a communication connection;

(c) wherein the first network communicates with the second network via a wireless communication connection between at least virtual node associated with the first network and at least one virtual node associated with the second network;

(II) a virtual gate being communicatively coupled to the first and/or second network and configured to provide a communication access point between the network cluster and at least one external network; and

(III) a virtual network operations entity configured to facilitate communications between the network cluster, and at the least one external network.

2. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 1, wherein the self-configuration process is executed upon initialization of the self-configuring virtual nodes and/or upon a detected disruption in connectivity between the self-configuring virtual nodes.

3. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 1,

wherein in response to a disruption in the first network, at least one of the self-configuring virtual nodes of the first network establishes connectivity and becomes associated with the second network during its self-configuration process, and

wherein in response to a disruption in the second network, at least one of the self-configuring virtual nodes of the second network establishes connectivity and becomes associated with the first network during its self-configuration process.

4. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 1, wherein the individual self-configuring virtual nodes are further configured with the capability to maintain a routing table that comprises routing information, at any given instant in time, about other virtual nodes with which the individual nodes have established a communication connection.

5. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 1, wherein the individual self-configuring virtual nodes are further configured with the capability to execute a periodic polling procedure to poll other self-configuring virtual nodes with which the individual nodes have established a communication connection and check for messaging information.

6. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 1, wherein the individual self-configuring virtual nodes are further configured with the capability to encrypt communications with other self-configuring virtual nodes with which the individual nodes have established a communication connection.

7. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 1, wherein the virtual gate comprises a computer network gateway.

8. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 1, wherein the virtual gate wirelessly communicates with the at least one external network.

9. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 1, wherein the virtual gate communicates with the at least one external network via wired communication.

10. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 1, wherein the virtual gate comprises an intelligence module that stores geographic location of all virtual nodes within a pre-specified distance of the virtual gate such that the location of a specific virtual node may be is determined from the virtual gate.

11. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 1, wherein the virtual network operations entity comprises:

a communication interface configured to accommodate a plurality of communication protocols employed during communications between the network cluster and the at least one external network;

an event naming module configured to identify pre-specified events;

an event database configured to store information regarding the pre-specified events;

an event management module configured to process and manage occurrences of the pre-specified events; and

a communication management module configured to manage communication of the pre-specified events between the network cluster and the at least one external network.

12. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 1, wherein the virtual network operations entity further comprises a configuration management module that specifies one or more of interface information, protocol information, and pre-specified services.

13. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 1, wherein the virtual network operations entity further comprises a security management module that manages security of communications between the self-configuring wireless communication network and at least one external network.

14. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 1, wherein the virtual network operations entity further comprises an error and recovery management module that manages detection of, and recovery from, communication errors.

15. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 1, wherein the virtual network operations entity further comprises a replication redundancy management module that replicates attribute information regarding the self-configuration wireless communication network.

16. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 1, wherein the virtual network operations entity further comprises a billing module that tracks and bills usage of services provided by the self-configuring wireless communication network.

17. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 1, wherein the virtual network operations entity further comprises an audit and logging module.

18. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 1, wherein the virtual network operations entity further comprises a publication and subscription management module that manages the publication of the occurrences of the pre-specified events.

19. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 1, wherein the communication interface facilitates remote monitoring of at least one self-configuring virtual node of the network cluster.

20. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 1, wherein the communication interface includes a customer interface.

21. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 20, wherein the customer interface comprises a web browser interface, electronic mail interface, a customized Internet Protocol application interface, a telephone interface, a modem interface, and/or a paging device interface.

22. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 21, wherein the network interface comprises a Bluetooth interface, a cellular communication interface, a satellite communication interface, a MicroBurst interface, an Internet communication application interface, an OrbComm interface, a GSM interface, and/or a Cellemetry interface.

23. The self-configuring wireless network of claim 1, wherein the communications interface includes a network interface.