Node communication with unknown network ID

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10267652-B1
Application number	US-201815877548-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 23, 2018
Priority date	Jan 23, 2018
Publication date	Apr 23, 2019
Grant date	Apr 23, 2019

Abstract

A method includes sending, by a node, a beacon at a regular time interval, the beacon comprising at least an associated utility device identification (ID) and communication channel information; receiving, at the node, a message from a network device on the communication channel beginning within a time window after a defined delay after the beacon was sent; determining, by the node, if the message comprises the associated utility device ID; and initiating, by the node, temporary two-way communication by sending a response to the network device.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A method comprising steps of:
sending, by a node, a beacon at a regular time interval, the beacon comprising an associated utility device identification number (ID) and communication channel information;
receiving, at the node, a message from a network device on the communication channel that is beginning within a time window after a predefined delay after the beacon was sent;
determining, by the node, whether the message comprises the utility device ID; and
initiating, by the node, temporary two-way communication by sending a response to the network device responsive to determining the message comprises the utility device ID.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the beacon is an advanced meter reading (AMR) beacon, wherein the utility device ID is a water meter register ID, wherein the communication channel information includes hailing channel information, and wherein the response is sent on a data channel that is different from a hailing channel.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining step includes initially evaluating whether the message is directed to a broadcast network address prior to determining if the message comprises the utility device ID.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the node, if a mobile command is received from the network device; and
subsequent to a determination the mobile command is received, executing, by the node, the mobile command.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the mobile command comprises a disconnect valve command.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the node, if a data request is received from the network device; and
responsive to a determination the data request is received, sending, by the node, a data communication.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the data communication comprises a log of stored data by the node for a predetermined time period.

8. A node, comprising:
a processor; and
logic processed by the processor to
send a beacon at a regular time interval, the beacon comprising a utility device identification (ID) and communication channel information;
receive a message from a network device on the communication channel beginning within a time window after a predefined delay after the beacon was sent;
determine if the message comprises the utility device ID; and
initiate temporary two-way communication by sending a response to the network device.

9. The node of claim 8 , wherein the beacon is an advanced meter reading (AMR) beacon, wherein the utility device ID is a water meter register ID, wherein the communication channel information includes hailing channel information, and wherein the response is sent on a data channel distinct from a hailing channel.

10. The node of claim 8 , wherein the logic to determine if the message comprises the utility device ID includes logic to initially evaluate whether the message is directed to a broadcast network address prior to determining if the message comprises the utility device ID.

11. The node of claim 8 , wherein the logic is further processed by the processor to:
determine if a mobile command is received from the network device; and
subsequent to a determination the mobile command is received, execute the mobile command.

12. The node of claim 11 , wherein the mobile command comprises a disconnect valve command.

13. The node of claim 8 , wherein the logic is further processed by the processor to:
determine if a data request is received from the network device; and
subsequent to a determination the data request is received, send a data communication.

14. The node of claim 13 , wherein the data communication comprises a log of stored data by the node for a predetermined time period.

Assignees

• Mueller Int Llc

Inventors

• Magley Dale Mcleod
• Meaney Jr Edward J
• Splitz David Edwin

Classifications

• H04W8/005

  Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals · CPC title

• H04W84/18

  Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks · CPC title

• H04Q2209/60

  for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter · CPC title

• H04Q2209/40

  using a wireless architecture · CPC title

• H04W76/14

  Direct-mode setup · CPC title