Downlink routing mechanism
First Claim
1. A method for an advanced metering system mesh network with multiple mode downlink routing, comprising:
- establishing a network including a central facility and a plurality of node devices, with at least some of the node devices comprising metrology devices, and with at least some of the node devices comprising cell masters which provide communications between the central facility and others of the node devices associated therewith in respective cells formed by each respective cell master;
configuring the network for bi-directional communications between the central facility and each of the plurality of node devices;
from each node device associated with a given specific cell master in a respective cell formed thereby, providing information to the given specific cell master about communications links of each of the node devices in the respective cell;
selectively sending a monocast downlink message from a given respective cell master to a specific node device associated therewith, using a monocast downlink path determined by the given respective cell master based on its received information from all node devices associated therewith; and
selectively sending a broadcast downlink message from a given respective cell master to all node devices associated therewith; and
whereineach node device provides updated information to its respective cell master about any changes to its communications links in the respective cell;
each node device returns a Broken Link message to its respective cell master if it is unable after a predetermined number of retransmissions to successfully transmit a message to its intended recipient; and
each cell master uses Broken Link messages and updated information received from the respective node devices in its respective cell in its subsequent determinations of any downlink monocast paths.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present technology relates to protocols relative to utility meters associated with an open operational framework. More particularly, the present subject matter relates to protocol subject matter for advanced metering infrastructure, adaptable to various international standards, while economically supporting a 2-way mesh network solution in a wireless environment, such as for operating in a residential electricity meter field. The present subject matter supports meters within an ANSI standard C12.22/C12.19 system while economically supporting a 2-way mesh network solution in a wireless environment, such as for operating in a residential electricity meter field, all to permit cell-based adaptive insertion of C12.22 meters within an open framework. Cell isolation is provided through quasi-orthogonal sequences in a frequency hopping network. Additional features relate to apparatus and methodology subject matters relating to Downlink routing mechanisms.
195 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for an advanced metering system mesh network with multiple mode downlink routing, comprising:
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establishing a network including a central facility and a plurality of node devices, with at least some of the node devices comprising metrology devices, and with at least some of the node devices comprising cell masters which provide communications between the central facility and others of the node devices associated therewith in respective cells formed by each respective cell master; configuring the network for bi-directional communications between the central facility and each of the plurality of node devices; from each node device associated with a given specific cell master in a respective cell formed thereby, providing information to the given specific cell master about communications links of each of the node devices in the respective cell; selectively sending a monocast downlink message from a given respective cell master to a specific node device associated therewith, using a monocast downlink path determined by the given respective cell master based on its received information from all node devices associated therewith; and selectively sending a broadcast downlink message from a given respective cell master to all node devices associated therewith; and
whereineach node device provides updated information to its respective cell master about any changes to its communications links in the respective cell; each node device returns a Broken Link message to its respective cell master if it is unable after a predetermined number of retransmissions to successfully transmit a message to its intended recipient; and each cell master uses Broken Link messages and updated information received from the respective node devices in its respective cell in its subsequent determinations of any downlink monocast paths. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method for an advanced metering system frequency hopping mesh network with dynamic multiple mode downlink routing to all node devices thereof, comprising:
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establishing a network including a central facility and a plurality of node devices, with at least some of the node devices comprising metrology devices, with at least some of the node devices comprising cell masters which provide communications between the central facility and others of the node devices associated therewith in respective cells formed by each respective cell master, and with at least some of the node devices comprising father node devices which provide a communications link between a respective cell master and others of the node devices defining son node devices of a given respective father node device in the respective cell of the respective cell master; configuring the network for bi-directional communications between the central facility and each of the plurality of node devices via associations with respective of the cell masters; at each node device, maintaining a neighbor table containing information about each node device and its respective neighbor relationships and communications links within a respective cell formed by a respective cell master; from each node device associated with a given specific cell master in a respective cell formed thereby, forwarding the neighbor table thereof to the given specific cell master; at each node device associated with a given specific cell master in a respective cell formed thereby, updating its respective neighbor table when any changes occur to any of its respective neighbor relationships or communications links, and forwarding the updated neighbor table thereof to the given specific cell master; selectively sending a broadcast downlink message from a given respective cell master to all node devices associated therewith in its respective cell; and selectively sending a monocast downlink message from a given respective cell master to a specific node device associated therewith in the respective cell formed by the given respective cell master, using a monocast downlink path determined by the given respective cell master based on received neighbor tables from all node devices associated therewith in its respective cell, whereby the network dynamically adapts its downlink routing to changes in communications links among the node devices thereof. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An advanced metering system mesh network with multiple mode downlink routing, comprising:
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a central facility; and a plurality of node devices, with at least some of the node devices comprising metrology devices, and with at least some of the node devices comprising cell masters which provide communications between said central facility and others of said node devices associated therewith in respective cells formed by each respective cell master, with each node device configured for bi-directional communications with said central facility;
whereineach of said node devices is configured to provide information to its respective cell master about communications links thereof in the respective cell; and each respective cell master is configured to selectively send a monocast downlink message from it to a specific node device associated therewith, using a monocast downlink path determined by it based on its received information from all node devices associated therewith, and is further configured to selectively send a broadcast downlink message from it to all node devices associated therewith;
whereineach of said node devices is further configured for providing updated information to its respective cell master about any changes to its communications links in the respective cell, and for returning a Broken Link message to its respective cell master if it is unable after a predetermined number of retransmissions to successfully transmit a message to its intended recipient; and each respective cell master is further configured for using Broken Link messages and updated information received from the respective node devices in its respective cell in its subsequent determinations of any downlink monocast paths. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. An advanced metering system frequency hopping mesh network with dynamic multiple mode downlink routing to all node devices thereof, comprising:
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a central facility; and a plurality of node devices, with at least some of the node devices comprising metrology devices, with at least some of the node devices comprising cell masters which provide communications between said central facility and others of said node devices associated therewith in respective cells formed by each respective cell master, and with at least some of the node devices comprising father node devices which provide a communications link between a respective cell master and others of said node devices defining son node devices of a given respective father node device in the respective cell of the respective cell master, with each of said node devices configured for bi-directional communications between said central facility and each of said plurality of node devices via associations with respective of said cell masters;
whereineach of said node devices is configured for maintaining a neighbor table containing information about its respective neighbor relationships and communications links within a respective cell formed by its respective cell master, for forwarding its neighbor table to its respective cell master, for updating its respective neighbor table when any changes occur to any of its respective neighbor relationships or communications links, and for forwarding the updated neighbor table to its respective cell master; and each respective cell master is configured for selectively sending a broadcast downlink message to all node devices in its respective cell, and for selectively sending a monocast downlink message to a specific node device associated in its respective cell, using a monocast downlink path determined by it based on received neighbor tables from all node devices in its respective cell, whereby said network dynamically adapts its downlink routing to changes in communications links among said node devices thereof. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A metrology device for use with an advanced metering system mesh network with multiple mode downlink routing, and including a central facility, a plurality of node devices, with at least some of the node devices comprising metrology devices, and at least some of the node devices comprising cell masters providing communications between the central facility and others of the node devices associated therewith in respective cells formed by the respective cell masters, with each node device configured for bi-directional communications with the central facility via associations with respective cell masters, said metrology device comprising:
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a metrology portion configured to measure consumption of a utility commodity; a transmitter portion configured to transmit consumption information and other data; and a receiver portion configured to receive information from other network devices in an associated network; wherein said metrology portion is configured for maintaining a neighbor table containing information about its respective neighbor relationships and communications links within a respective cell formed by its respective cell master in an associated network, for forwarding its neighbor table to its respective cell master, for updating its respective neighbor table when any changes occur to any of its respective neighbor relationships or communications links, and for forwarding the updated neighbor table to its respective cell master, so that the cell master selectively forwards downlink messages to the respective node devices of its cell for arriving at an intended node device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification