Itron Gmbh

Disney Enterprises, Inc.

Itron Global Sarl

Roberto Aiello

Patrick M Amihood

Stefan Mangold

Maria Gorlatova

Markus H Gross

Thomas R Gross

Markus Gross

John Boik

Thomas Gross

Techniques for meter text detection and recognition are described herein. In an example, an application receives a first image, depicting information displayed by the meter, from an imaging device. One or more qualities of the first image may be assessed, such as focus or lighting. A setting of the imaging device may be adjusted. The adjusting may be based at least in part on the assessed quality of the first image and one or more characteristics of an optical character recognition (OCR) algorithm. Accordingly, the settings of the image-capture device are tuned to the needs of the OCR algorithm. A second image may be captured, depicting information displayed by the meter, using the imaging device adjusted according to the adjusted setting. The OCR algorithm may be applied to the second image to obtain an alphanumeric value associated with the second image. The alphanumeric value is obtained from the OCR algorithm.

Meter text detection and recognition

Techniques detect an electrical phase used by electrical network devices (e.g., a transformer, electrical meter, etc.). Voltage measurement data is obtained, such as from electrical meters. The voltage measurement data may be associated with a timestamp, and may be made at intervals over a period of time. Voltage changes may be calculated using the voltage measurement data. In an example, the voltage change is a difference determined between sequential voltage measurements. In some instances, voltage changes data is removed if it exceeds a threshold. An initial classification of network devices (e.g., randomly or by assumed electrical phase) is determined. A clustering technique (e.g., k-means) is applied, wherein the classification is updated in a manner that segregates the network devices according to actual electrical phase.

Automatic network device electrical phase identification

An electrical phase (e.g., a phase from among three-phase power) connected to an electrical meter may be determined. In one example of the techniques, changes in energy or power (e.g., a derivative or differences) may be determined based at least in part on measurements from each of a plurality of meters. Changes in energy or power may be determined based at least in part on electrical transmissions measured at each of the phases of a feeder. A meter may be selected from among the plurality of meters. For each of the plurality of electrical phases, the changes in energy or power measured by the meter may be compared or correlated to the changes in energy or power measured at the feeder. A phase that is connected to the meter may be determined, from among the plurality of electrical phases, based at least in part on the comparisons or correlations.

Electrical phase identification

Described herein are methods, systems, apparatuses and products for managing location services in wireless networks. One aspect provides a method of receiving in a mobile device an identifier broadcast from a terrestrial wireless device located at a particular position; and using the identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device to determine a physical location of the mobile device even in absence of a logical connection existing between the mobile device and the terrestrial wireless device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

System and method for managing location services in wireless networks

Described herein are methods, systems, apparatuses and products for managing location services in wireless networks. One aspect provides for broadcasting an identifier from a terrestrial wireless device in a determinable position; repeatedly changing the identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device; and associating a current identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device with a physical location. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Systems, methods, and devices for operating a multiplex wireless local area network using separated uplink and downlink channels in the 802.11 and television white space (TVWS) spectra are disclosed. Opportunistic detection and use of available TVWS frequency channels allows for fixed and mobile wireless devices to more efficiently use the available wireless bandwidth. By using separated uplink and downlink channels, a fixed wireless device can listen to incoming uplink frames from other mobile and fixed wireless devices and monitor for uplink frame collisions. In the event of an uplink frame collision, the fixed wireless device can immediately send a stop frame in the downlink channel to all involved wireless devices to avoid lost channel time due to the delay caused by most acknowledgement-based collision recovery protocols. Similarly, communicating mobile and fixed wireless devices can transmit and receive data frames in both directions simultaneously.

Growing community of inventors

Bend, OR, United States of America

Roberto Aiello