Smart meter and data assignment method

• US 9,906,934 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2016
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron NeWeb Corporation (Wistron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Wistron NeWeb Corporation (Wistron Corporation)
• Inventors: Lo, Cheng-Kun, Lai, Chong-Han, Kuo, Chien-Cheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Arevalo, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US15/053,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20160269884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561, 455448, 455436, 455 10, 455 111
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/50 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via two-conductor transmission lines H04B3/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

The present invention provides a smart meter including a wireless-communication chip, a wired-communication chip and a microprocessor. The microprocessor receives a data transmission request and determines whether the data type of the data transmission request is mobile data, meter information, or emergency meter information. According to the data type, the microprocessor will select either the wireless-communication chip or the wired-communication chip to transmit the data which corresponds to the data transmission request.

Claims

1. A smart meter, comprising:

a wireless-communication chip transmitting data to a base station and receiving data from the base station;

a wired-communication chip transmitting data to the base station through an Internet cable and Internet, and receiving data from the base station through an Internet cable and Internet; and

a microprocessor coupled to the wireless-communication chip and the wired-communication chip, receiving a data transmission request, determining whether the data requested by the data transmission request is mobile information or meter-related information, and accordingly selecting one of the wireless-communication chip or the wired-communication chip to transmit the data requested by the data transmission request, wherein the mobile information is received by the microprocessor from a first mobile device, and the meter-related information is received by the microprocessor from an appliance or a power line;

wherein when signal strength between the smart meter and the base station is greater than a predetermined value and the wireless-communication chip is not transmitting the mobile information, the microprocessor assigns the meter-related information to the wireless-communication chip to transmit the meter-related information to the server of the power company through a licensed band and the base station, and

wherein the microprocessor determines whether the wireless-communication chip is transmitting the mobile information when the signal strength is greater than a predetermined value and the data requested by the data transmission request is the emergent meter information, wherein while the wireless-communication chip is transmitting the mobile information, the microprocessor re-assigns the mobile information to the wired-communication chip and assigns the emergent meter information to the wireless-communication chip to transmit the emergent meter information to a server of a power company through the licensed band and the base station, wherein while the wireless-communication chip is not transmitting the mobile information, the microprocessor assigns the emergent meter information to the wireless-communication chip to transmit the emergent meter information to the server of the power company through the licensed band and the base station.

2. The smart meter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the meter-related information is meter information or emergent meter information, and the microprocessor determines whether the data requested by the data transmission request is the mobile information, the meter information or the emergent meter information according to a header of the data transmission request.

3. The smart meter as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

an amplifier coupled to the wireless-communication chip, and amplifying signals produced by the wireless-communication chip;

an antenna;

a multiplexer coupled between the amplifier and the antenna, enabling the antenna to transmit data and receive data; and

a network listener device coupled to the microprocessor and the multiplexer, and determining whether the signal strength between the smart meter and the base station is greater than the predetermined value.

4. The smart meter as claimed in claim 3, wherein when the signal strength is less than the predetermined value, the microprocessor selects the wired-communication chip to transmit the data requested by the data transmission request.

5. The smart meter as claimed in claim 4, wherein the microprocessor determines whether the wireless-communication chip is transmitting the mobile information when the signal strength is greater than the predetermined value and the data requested by the data transmission request is the meter information, wherein the microprocessor assigns the meter information to the wired-communication chip to transmit the meter information to the server of the power company through the Internet cable, the Internet and the base station while the wireless-communication chip is transmitting the mobile information, wherein the microprocessor assigns the meter information to the wireless-communication chip to transmit the meter information to the server of the power company through the licensed band and the base station while the wireless-communication chip is not transmitting the mobile information.

6. The smart meter as claimed in claim 4, wherein the microprocessor determines whether the wireless-communication chip is transmitting the emergent meter information when the signal strength is greater than the predetermined value and the data requested by the data transmission request is the mobile information, wherein the microprocessor assigns the mobile information to the wired-communication chip to transmit the mobile information to a second mobile device through the Internet cable, the Internet and the base station while the wireless-communication chip is transmitting the emergent meter information, wherein the microprocessor assigns the mobile information to the wireless-communication chip to transmit the mobile information to the second mobile device through the licensed band and the base station while the wireless-communication chip is not transmitting the emergent meter information.

7. The smart meter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the microprocessor determines whether the first mobile device is in a communication dead zone when the data requested by the data transmission request is the mobile information, wherein the microprocessor accepts the data transmission request when the first mobile device is in the communication dead zone.

8. The smart meter as claimed in claim 7, wherein the microprocessor transmits a status enquiry signal to the first mobile device and determines whether the first mobile device is in the communication dead zone according to a response of the status enquiry signal.

9. The smart meter as claimed in claim 7, wherein the network listener device further determines whether a data flow volume of at least one frequency band supported by the first mobile device is greater than a predetermined data flow volume when the first mobile device is in the communication dead zone, wherein the microprocessor accepts the data transmission request when the data flow volume of the frequency band is greater than the predetermined data flow volume, and the microprocessor rejects the data transmission request when the data flow volume is less than the predetermined data flow volume.

10. A data assignment method, applied to a smart meter which communicates with a base station, comprising:

receiving a data transmission request;

determining whether the data requested by the data transmission request is mobile information or meter-related information according to the data transmission request, wherein the mobile information is received from a first mobile device, and the meter-related information is received from an appliance or a power line;

selecting one of a wireless-communication chip or a wired-communication chip to transmit the data requested by the data transmission request according to the data requested by the data transmission request;

wherein when signal strength between the smart meter and the base station is greater than a predetermined value and the wireless-communication chip is not transmitting the mobile information, assigning the meter-related information to the wireless-communication chip to transmit the meter-related information to the server of the power company through a licensed band and the base station, and

wherein the method further comprises;

determining whether the wireless-communication chip is transmitting the mobile information when the signal strength is greater than a predetermined value and the data requested by the data transmission request is the emergent meter information, wherein while the wireless-communication chip is transmitting the mobile information,

re-assigning the mobile information to the wired-communication chip and assigning the emergent meter information to the wireless-communication chip to transmit the emergent meter information to a server of a power company through the licensed band and the base station, wherein while the wireless-communication chip is not transmitting the mobile information, and

assigning the emergent meter information to the wireless-communication chip to transmit the emergent meter information to the server of the power company through the licensed band and the base station.

11. The data assignment method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the meter-related information is meter information or emergent meter information, the step of determining whether the data requested by the data transmission request is the mobile information or the meter-related information further comprises determining whether the data requested by the data transmission request is the mobile information, the meter information or the emergent meter information according to a header of the data transmission request.

12. The data assignment method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step of selecting one of the wireless-communication chip or the wired-communication chip further comprises:

determining whether the data requested by the data transmission request is the meter-related information, wherein the meter-related information is the meter information or the emergent meter information;

determining whether the signal strength between the smart meter and the base station is greater than the predetermined value by a network listener device when the data requested by the data transmission request is the meter-related information;

determining whether the meter-related information is the meter information or the emergent meter information when the signal strength between the smart meter and the base station is greater than the predetermined value; and

selecting the wired-communication chip to transmit the meter-related information when the signal strength between the smart meter and the base station is less than the predetermined value.

13. The data assignment method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the step of selecting one of the wireless-communication chip or the wired-communication chip further comprises:

determines whether the wireless-communication chip is transmitting the mobile information when the meter-related information is the meter information;

selecting the wired-communication chip to transmit the meter information when the wireless-communication chip is transmitting the mobile information, wherein the meter information is transmitted to the server of the power company through an Internet cable, Internet and the base station; and

selecting the wireless-communication chip to transmit the meter information when the wireless-communication chip is not transmitting the mobile information, wherein the meter information is transmitted to the server of the power company through the licensed band and the base station.

14. The data assignment method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the step of selecting one of the wireless-communication chip or the wired-communication chip further comprises:

determining whether the wireless-communication chip is transmitting the mobile information when the meter-related information is the emergent meter information;

re-assigning the mobile information to the wired-communication chip while the wireless-communication chip is transmitting the mobile information, and selecting the wireless-communication chip to transmit the emergent meter information while the wireless-communication chip is transmitting the mobile information, wherein the emergent meter information is transmitted to the server of the power company through the licensed band and the base station; and

selecting the wireless-communication chip to transmit the emergent meter information while the wireless-communication chip is not transmitting the mobile information, wherein the emergent meter information is transmitted to the server of the power company through the licensed band and the base station.

15. The data assignment method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the step of selecting one of the wireless-communication chip or the wired-communication chip further comprises:

determining whether signal strength between the smart meter and the base station is greater than the predetermined value by a network listener device when the data requested by the data transmission request is not the meter-related information;

determining whether the wireless-communication chip is transmitting the emergent meter information when the signal strength between the smart meter and the base station is greater than the predetermined value; and

selecting the wired-communication chip to transmit the mobile information when the signal strength between the smart meter and the base station is less than the predetermined value.

16. The data assignment method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the step of selecting one of the wireless-communication chip or the wired-communication chip further comprises:

selecting the wired-communication chip to transmit the mobile information while the wireless-communication chip is transmitting the emergent meter information, wherein the mobile information is transmitted to a second mobile device through an Internet cable, Internet and the base station; and

selecting the wireless-communication chip to transmit the mobile information while the wireless-communication chip is not transmitting the emergent meter information, wherein the mobile information is transmitted to the second mobile device through a licensed band and the base station.

17. The data assignment method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step of selecting one of the wireless-communication chip or the wired-communication chip further comprises:

determining whether the first mobile device is in a communication dead zone when the data requested by the data transmission request is not the meter-related information; and

accepting the data transmission request when the first mobile device is in the communication dead zone.

18. The data assignment method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the step of determining whether the first mobile device is in the communication dead zone further comprises:

transmitting a status enquiry signal to the first mobile device; and

determining whether the first mobile device is in the communication dead zone according to a response of the status enquiry signal of the first mobile device.

19. The data assignment method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the step of selecting one of the wireless-communication chip or the wired-communication chip further comprises:

determining whether a data flow volume of at least one frequency band supported by the first mobile device is greater than a predetermined data flow volume when the first mobile device is not in the communication dead zone;

accepting the data transmission request when the data flow volume of the frequency band is greater than the predetermined data flow volume; and

rejecting the data transmission request when the data flow volume of the frequency band is less than the predetermined data flow volume.