The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 30, 1997
Filed:
May. 26, 1995
Itron, Inc., Spokane, WA (US);
Abstract
A method for communicating data between a central data terminal, a plurality of intermediate data terminals, a plurality of remote cell nodes, and a plurality of network service modules, using a plurality of frames with each frame having a plurality of channels. The plurality of intermediate data terminals transmit IDT-synchronization signals to the plurality of remote cell nodes on a first channel of the frame. The plurality of remote cell nodes transmit RCN-synchronization signals to the plurality of network service modules on a second channel of the frame. The network service modules transmit data from a plurality of physical devices, using radio waves, as NSM-packet signals to the plurality of remote cell nodes using a fourth channel of the frame. The plurality of remote cell nodes store the incoming NSM-packet signals and, responsive to a first polling signal transmitted in a third channel of the frame from a particular intermediate data terminal, transmit the NSM-packet signals to the intermediate data terminal as RCN-packet signals on a fifth channel of the frame. The intermediate data terminal in turn stores the RCN-packet signals received from the plurality of remote cell nodes and, responsive to a second polling signal transmitted from the central data terminal on a sixth channel of the frame, transmits the RCN-packet signals as an IDT-packet signal on a seventh channel of the frame to the central data terminal.