Radio and advanced metering device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10771869-B2
Application number	US-201916545066-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2019
Priority date	Oct 24, 2017
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

A radio and advanced metering system. In an example, a multi-device module includes a host device interface configured to connect to a host device. The host device interface includes a communications interface that can send communications to and receive communications from the host device. The multi-device module includes a radio that can to connect to a wireless network and a microcontroller configurable to perform different functions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-device module comprising:
a host device interface within the multi-device module, the host device interface configured to connect the multi-device module to a host meter device, wherein the host device interface includes:
a communications interface configured to send communications to and receive communications from the host meter device;
a power interface configured to receive power from the host meter device; and
an antenna interface configured to connect a radio on the multi-device module with an antenna on the host meter device, the radio configured to transmit radio frequency signals to a wireless network via the antenna interface and to receive radio frequency signals from the wireless network via the antenna interface; and

a computing device within the multi-device module and communicatively coupled to the communications interface and to the radio, wherein:
the host device interface is disposed on a first side of a printed circuit board, the first side comprising a plurality of contacts that connect to the host device interface, and
the computing device and the radio are disposed on a second side of the printed circuit board, wherein the second side comprises a shield that covers the computing device and the radio.

2. The multi-device module of claim 1 , further comprising a power supply configured to:
receive power from the host meter device via the power interface;
generate a regulated voltage from the power; and
provide the regulated voltage to the computing device and the radio.

3. The multi-device module of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:
receive an indication of an event detected by the host meter device from the communications interface, wherein the event identifies one or more of: (i) a power outage or (ii) an identification of a consumption level that is over a threshold;
process the indication of the event;
store information about the event in memory on the multi-device module;
generating an event message; and

cause the radio to send the event message via the wireless network to a central system.

4. The multi-device module of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:
receive a command from a remote device via the wireless network and the radio; and
process the command to determine a response to the command.

5. The multi-device module of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is configured to execute a smart metering application that is configured to calculate one of (i) current energy use, (ii) historical energy use, or (iii) environmental impact.

6. The multi-device module of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of contacts are integrated into a land grid array and the host device interface connects to the plurality of contacts.

7. The multi-device module of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is configured to perform one or more of: (i) filtering, (ii) mixing, or (iii) amplification of a signal that is either (i) received from the radio or (ii) sent to the radio.

8. A multi-device module comprising:
a host device interface within the multi-device module, the host device interface configured to connect the multi-device module to a host meter device, wherein the host device interface includes:
a communications interface configured to send communications to and receive communications from the host meter device;
a power interface configured to receive power from the host meter device; and
an antenna interface configured to connect a radio on the multi-device module with an antenna on the host meter device, the radio configured to transmit radio frequency signals to a wireless network via the antenna interface and to receive radio frequency signals from the wireless network via the antenna interface; and

a computing device within the multi-device module and communicatively coupled to the communications interface and to the radio, wherein the computing device is configured to process data received from the host meter device via the communications interface, wherein the data comprises consumption data or event data, and wherein:
the host device interface is disposed on a first side of a printed circuit board, the first side comprising a plurality of contacts that connect to the host device interface, and
the computing device and the radio are disposed on a second side of the printed circuit board, wherein the second side comprises a shield that covers the computing device and the radio.

9. The multi-device module of claim 8 , further comprising a power supply configured to:
receive power from the host meter device via the power interface;
generate a regulated voltage from the power; and
provide the regulated voltage to the computing device and the radio.

10. The multi-device module of claim 8 , wherein the event data comprises an event that identifies one or more of: (i) a power outage or (ii) an identification of a consumption level that is over a threshold, and wherein the computing device is further configured log events by:
receiving an indication of the event detected by the host meter device from the communications interface;
processing the indication of the event;
storing information about the event in memory on the multi-device module;

generating an event message; and
causing the radio to send the event message via the wireless network to a central system.

11. The multi-device module of claim 8 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:
receive a command from a remote device via the wireless network and the radio; and
process the command to determine a response to the command.

12. The multi-device module of claim 8 , wherein the computing device is configured to execute a smart metering application that is configured to calculate one of (i) current energy use, (ii) historical energy use, or (iii) environmental impact.

13. The multi-device module of claim 8 , wherein the computing device is configured to perform one or more of: (i) filtering, (ii) mixing, or (iii) amplification of a signal that is either (i) received from the radio or (ii) sent to the radio.

14. The multi-device module of claim 8 , wherein the computing device is configured to:
receive resource consumption information from a metering device on the host meter device via the communications interface; and
cause the radio to send an interval data message via the antenna interface and the wireless network to a central system.

15. A multi-device module comprising:
a host device interface within the multi-device module, the host device interface configured to connect the multi-device module to a host meter device, wherein the host device interface includes:
a communications interface configured to send communications to and receive communications from the host meter device;
a power interface configured to receive power from the host meter device; and
an antenna interface configured to connect a radio on the multi-device module with an antenna on the host meter device, the radio configured to transmit radio frequency signals to a wireless network via the antenna interface and to receive radio frequency signals from the wireless network via the antenna interface; and

a computing device within the multi-device module and communicatively coupled to the communications interface and to the radio, wherein the computing device is configured to provide event monitoring by:
receiving an indication of an event detected by the host meter device from the communications interface, wherein the event identifies one or more of: (i) a power outage or (ii) an identification of a consumptio

Assignees

• Landis & Gyr Innovations Inc

Inventors

• Torpy Keith
• Matthews Justin Clifford
• Collins Paul
• Calvert Chris
• Karlgaard Matt

Classifications

• Y04S20/30

  Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading · CPC title

• G01D4/008 Primary

  Modifications to installed utility meters to enable remote reading · CPC title

• H04Q9/00 Primary

  Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom · CPC title

• H04Q2209/40

  using a wireless architecture · CPC title

• H04Q2209/60

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