System and method for false alert filtering of event messages within a network

• US 8,138,934 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trilliant Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Trilliant Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Veillette, Michel, House, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Blount, Eric M
• Application Number:
  US12/275,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20090135018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 340/635, 340/870.01
• US Class Current: 340/635
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications

Abstract

When a metering coupled to a network loses its primary power source and has a secondary power source, such as a super-capacitor, it recognizes and reports a power outage. In this case, the head end server may verify the power outage report by querying through the downstream nodes coupled to the network about the power outage. When a node loses its primary power source and has no secondary power source, it will fail to make a regularly scheduled report at the appropriate time. Consequently, the head end server verify the power outage by polling downstream nodes coupled to the HAN about the power outage to deduce whether a power outage.

Claims

1. A method of confirming a power outage report comprising:

receiving, by a head end server, the power outage report from a first node coupled to a first network;

querying, by the head end server, one or more other nodes coupled to the first network about a power outage, in response to receiving the power outage report;

receiving, by the head end server, one or more responses from the one or more other nodes coupled to the first network;

determining, by the head end server, that the power outage report is not false based on the one or more responses from the one or more other nodes in the first network;

transmitting, by the head end server, a request to download any untransmitted information from the first node;

receiving, by the first node, the request to download all untransmitted information;

determining, by the first node, that untransmitted information is present in one or more tables stored in a memory of the first node, the tables selected from the group consisting of a history logger table, an event table, a profile table, and a self-read table;

creating, by the first node, a report comprising the untransmitted information;

transmitting, by the first node, the untransmitted information; and

receiving, by the head end server, the untransmitted information from the node.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network comprises a home area network (HAN).

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an alarm report if the power outage report is confirmed.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an alarm message at a utility office if the power outage report is confirmed.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an alarm message at a display coupled to the first network if the power outage report is confirmed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first node comprises a meter having a secondary power source.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the secondary power source is a super-capacitor.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the secondary power source is a battery.

9. A system for confirming a power outage report comprising:

a first node coupled to a first network, wherein the first node comprises;

a meter,

an input/output device for receiving data from the meter;

one or more processors for;

creating a table comprising the data received by the input/output device, the table selected from the group consisting of a history logger table, an event table, a profile table, and a self-read table; and

assigning a corresponding sequence number to the table, the sequence number to be incremented when new data is added to the table;

a register for storing the one or more tables and corresponding sequence numbers, and

a communications module for transmitting the power outage report through the first network to a microportal;

one or more other nodes coupled to the first network;

the microportal for relaying the power outage report through a second network to a collector;

the collector for relaying the power outage report through a third network to a head end server; and

the head end server for;

receiving the power outage report;

querying the one or more other nodes about a power outage, in response to receiving the power outage report;

determining that the power outage report is not false based on the one or more responses from the one or more other nodes in the first network; and

transmitting a request to download any untransmitted information from the first node,

wherein the first node receives the request to download the untransmitted information and;

accesses any new data in the table;

creates a report comprising the new data; and

transmits the report to the head end through the microportal and collector.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first network comprises a home area network (HAN), the second network comprises a neighborhood area network (NAN), and the third network comprises a wide area network (WAN).

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the first node has a secondary power source.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the secondary power source is a super-capacitor.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the secondary power source is a battery.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the head end server further generates an alarm report if the power outage report is confirmed.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the head end server further displays an alarm message at a utility office if the power outage report is confirmed.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the head end server further displays an alarm message at a display coupled to the first network if the power outage report is confirmed.

17. A method of verifying a power outage comprising:

failing, by a head end, to receive a report from a first node coupled to a first network at a prescheduled reporting time window;

polling, by the head end server, one or more other nodes coupled to the first network about a power outage, in response to failing to receive the report;

determining that the power outage exists based on responses from the one or more other nodes;

transmitting, by the head end server, a request to download any untransmitted information from the first node;

receiving, by the first node, the request to download all untransmitted information;

determining, by the first node, that untransmitted information is present in one or more tables stored in a memory of the first node, the tables selected from the group consisting of a history logger table, an event table, a profile table, and a self-read table;

creating, by the first node, a report comprising the untransmitted information;

transmitting, by the first node, the untransmitted information; and

receiving, by the head end server, the untransmitted information from the node.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising re-polling one or more non-responsive nodes about the power outage before determining whether the power outage exists.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first network comprises a home area network (HAN).

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising generating an alarm report if the power outage report is determined to exist.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising displaying an alarm message at a utility office if the power outage report is determined to exist.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising displaying an alarm message at a display coupled to the first network if the power outage report is determined to exist.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the first node does not have a secondary power supply.

24. A system for verifying a power outage report comprising:

a first node coupled to a first network, wherein the first node comprises;

a meter,

an input/output device for receiving data from the meter;

one or more processors for;

creating a table comprising the data received by the input/output device, the table selected from the group consisting of a history logger table, an event table, a profile table, and a self-read table; and

assigning a corresponding sequence number to the table, the sequence number to be incremented when new data is added to the table;

a register for storing the one or more tables and corresponding sequence numbers, and

a communications module for transmitting a report at a prescheduled reporting time window to a head end server; and

the head end server for;

polling one or more other nodes coupled to the first network about a power outage, in response to failing to receive the report from the first node;

determining that the power outage exists based on responses from the one or more other nodes;

transmitting a request to download any untransmitted information from the first node,

wherein the first node receives the request to download the untransmitted information and;

accesses any new data in the table;

creates a report comprising the new data; and

transmits the report to the head end through the microportal and collector.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the head end server further re-polls one or more nonresponsive nodes about the power outage before determining whether the power outage exists.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the head end server further generates an alarm report if the power outage report is determined to exist.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the head end server further displays an alarm message at a utility office if the power outage report is determined to exist.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the head end server further displays an alarm message at a display coupled to the first network if the power outage report is determined to exist.

29. A computer program product stored in a computer readable media for execution in a processor and memory coupled to the processor for performing a method of confirming a power outage report comprising:

receiving the power outage report from a first node coupled to a first network;

querying one or more other nodes coupled to the first network about a power outage, in response to receiving the power outage report;

receiving one or more responses from the one or more other nodes coupled to the first network;

determining that the power outage report is not false based on the one or more responses from the one or more other nodes in the first network

transmitting a request to download any untransmitted information from the first node;

receiving the request to download all untransmitted information;

determining that untransmitted information is present in one or more tables stored in a memory of the first node, the tables selected from the group consisting of a history logger table, an event table, a profile table, and a self-read table;

creating a report comprising the untransmitted information;

transmitting the untransmitted information; and

receiving the untransmitted information from the node.

30. A computer program product stored in a computer readable media for execution in a processor and memory coupled to the processor for performing a method of verifying a power outage comprising:

failing to receive a report from a first node coupled to a first network at a prescheduled reporting time window;

polling one or more other nodes coupled to the first network about a power outage, in response to failing to receive the report;

determining that the power outage exists based on responses from the one or more other nodes

transmitting a request to download any untransmitted information from the first node;

receiving the request to download all untransmitted information;

determining that untransmitted information is present in one or more tables stored in a memory of the first node, the tables selected from the group consisting of a history logger table, an event table, a profile table, and a self-read table;

creating a report comprising the untransmitted information;

transmitting the untransmitted information; and

receiving the untransmitted information from the node.