Itron Gmbh

Itron Global Sarl

John Buffington

Michael T Garrison Stuber

Mark K Cornwall

Hartman Van Wyk

Matt Johnson

Jorjeta Gueorguieva Jetcheva

Viet-Hung Nguyen

Bastien Mainaud

Joseph Pontin

Daniel M Lakich

Matthew Keith Gillmore

Michael T Stuber

A node having a multiple protocol receiver may listen to multiple links in parallel and determine a quality of links having multiple communication technologies between the node and multiple neighbor nodes. The multiple communication technologies may include radio frequency (RF) communication technologies and one or more power line communication (PLC) communication technologies. The node determines a link quality metric for each link associated with an optimum communication technology and data rate, and maintains availability information of neighbor nodes. The node may then route communications to neighbor nodes using the link quality metric and the availability information.

Multi-media multi-modulation and multi-data rate mesh network

A formula-driven programming-environment is described, which may be used to provide an environment for applications to operate within a network node or other computing device. In one example, statements of a program may be interpreted to thereby execute formula-style commands within an address space defined and constrained in a memory device by the integrated development environment. The commands may obtain data, assign values to variables and access data from other node(s) by the interpretation of statements in the program and communicating over a network. The communicating may include queuing a message for transmission by the formula-driven programming-environment. The commands may provide named access or relative access to data in response to the interpretation of statements in the program. The commands may communicate with at least one application located on a remote computing device in response to the interpretation of statements in the program.

Application platform operable on network node

A distributed metering platform virtualizes functions of a conventional metrology sensor and separates the virtualized functions from a metrology sensor. One or more virtual meters or applications may be instantiated at a network communication device that is remote from the metrology sensor and processes metrology data received from the metrology sensor. Each virtual meter may include multiple partitioned application spaces that are isolated from one another. In one example, a first application space includes a locked version of code and a second application space includes an unlocked version of code. Furthermore, each virtual meter may be isolated from other virtual meters such that each virtual meter is unable to affect operations and/or data associated with other virtual meters.

Virtual cluster meter (VCM)

Disclosed are apparatus and methodology subject matters for providing communications to battery powered metrology devices within an Advanced Metering System (AMS). The battery powered metrology devices may be associated with AC supplied devices that are configured with mailboxes for their associated battery powered devices. The battery powered metrology devices may include such as water and gas meters collocated with electricity meters. Communications between the battery powered devices and their associated mailbox containing electricity meters may be by way of direct wired or radio frequency connections for providing reliable message transport between communications system coupled components in an Advanced Metering System.

Home area networking (HAN) with low power considerations for battery devices

The present disclosure relates to methodologies, networks, and nodes for providing secure transaction routing among network components. Network transactions (messages) may be intentionally routed though networks using different paths where the act of following the particular node paths or traversing particular nodes provides a security enhancing feature for the messages. A transaction receiving node will examine the paths taken from a sending node to determine if the paths correspond to predetermined paths to verify the authenticity of the transaction. In some embodiments, predetermined paths may change in a predetermined sequence where the sequence itself becomes a portion of the security feature.

Utilizing routing for secure transactions

An automatic meter reading (AMR) system utilizes versatile radio packets that are recognizable by AMR system receivers capable of receiving conventional interval data message (IDM) radio packets. A versatile radio packet includes a packet preamble portion, a packet body portion, and a packet validation portion. The packet preamble portion has a frame synchronization bit sequence that is recognizable by existing or conventional encoder-receiver-transmitter (ERT)-compatible AMR system receivers, such as a bit sequence equal to 0x16A3. The packet preamble portion also has a packet type identifier field and a packet length field. The packet body portion includes at least an endpoint serial number field and a message, where at least the message has a variable length. Optionally, the message includes a message type identifier field and a message value field that can have a plurality of sub-fields. The AMR system may use message type identifiers optionally present in the versatile radio packets to filter, or discriminate between, certain message types at the reader level. Versatile radio packets can enable endpoints and other devices in the AMR system to transmit a variety of new information to existing AMR infrastructure without having to conduct a significant infrastructure overhaul of the AMR system.

Versatile radio packeting for automatic meter reading systems

Disclosed are methodology and corresponding apparatus subject matters for providing improved efficiency in the collection of data from a large number of metrology devices associated with an Automated Meter reading (AMR) network. AMR network operation produces randomly spaced transmissions from individual nodes in the network. When an AMR system wishes to retrieve data from a large number of points over an AMR network, a broadcast or multicast request is transmitted to appropriate nodes. A time window is defined either in such request or in the devices themselves such that start and end offsets from the time of the request are received by the node. The start offset provides a quiet period to insure request delivery to all the appropriate nodes. The end offset provides a time by which the requested data must be returned. Responses are sent randomly within the window established by the start and stop offset times.

Distributing metering responses for load balancing an AMR network

Disclosed are handheld or portable apparatus subject matters and associated methodologies for providing local communications to metrology devices within an Advanced Metering System (AMS). The metrology devices may be associated with AC supplied device that are configured with mailboxes for associated battery powered devices or with other home or customer premises area network devices. Battery powered metrology devices may include such as water, gas, and oil meters collocated with electricity meters. Communications between the handheld or portable device may be by way of direct wired or radio frequency connections for providing communications and diagnostic services for home area network coupled components in an Advanced Metering System.

Home area networking (HAN) with handheld for diagnostics

Methods and systems of providing positive outage notification are described. In some examples, the system determines there is an outage at a facility and transmits multiple messages notifying a utility of the outage. In some examples, the messages are received at multiple message collectors. In some examples, the system determines restoration procedures based on the messages.

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Hauser, ID, United States of America

John Buffington