公开(公告)号：US11296539B2

公开(公告)日：2022-04-05

申请号：US16237554

申请日：2018-12-31

Applicant: ITRON, INC.

Inventor： Bruce Edwards

IPC: H02J7/00 ,  H02J7/35 ,  H04W52/02 ,  H02J7/34

Abstract: A node within a wireless network is powered by a solar hybrid battery system. The solar hybrid battery system includes a solar panel, a primary cell, and a secondary cell. The secondary cell includes only enough power storage to be capable of powering the node during the longest daily interval of darkness in the region where the node is deployed. The solar panel is sized relative to the secondary cell to be capable of fully recharging the secondary cell during the shortest daily interval of daylight in the region where the node is deployed, even under conditions of limited solar irradiance (e.g. due to clouds). The primary cell can charge the secondary battery if the node is shelved or malfunctioning to prevent the secondary cell from becoming overly depleted. The primary cell can also provide the node with additional power during times of peak demand or to perform status reports.

公开(公告)号：US11800428B2

公开(公告)日：2023-10-24

申请号：US17528120

申请日：2021-11-16

Applicant: ITRON, INC.

Inventor： Bruce Edwards ,  Kunal Pankaj Shah

IPC: H04W40/10 ,  H04W40/12 ,  H02S40/30 ,  H04B7/155 ,  H04L47/24

CPC classification number: H04W40/10 ,  H02S40/30 ,  H04B7/155 ,  H04L47/24 ,  H04W40/12

Abstract: A method performed by a first node includes determining a routing metric for individual nodes in a set of nodes, receiving a network packet from a second node, selecting a third node in the set of nodes based on the routing metrics, and transmitting the network packet to the third node. The routing metric for a respective one of the set of nodes being based on at least one of a power storage status of the respective one of the set of nodes or a solar power generation status of the respective one of the set of nodes.

公开(公告)号：US10959154B2

公开(公告)日：2021-03-23

申请号：US16159587

申请日：2018-10-12

Applicant: Itron, Inc.

Inventor： Barry Cahill-O'Brien ,  Bruce Edwards

IPC: H04W56/00 ,  H04W40/08 ,  H04W40/10 ,  H04W74/02

Abstract: Nodes included in a hybrid network establish cellular links infrequently and at staggered intervals. When a node establishes a cellular link, other nodes can transmit and receive data to a back office using that cellular link. In addition, the node can receive a request from the back office across the cellular link indicating that another node should respond to an on-demand read request. The node can then signal the other node via a wireless mesh network to establish a cellular link in order to respond to the on-demand read request. An advantage of the disclosed approach is that a battery powered node can communicate as often as needed with the back office without frequently establishing a cellular link and without maintaining a continuously active cellular link.

公开(公告)号：US11234137B2

公开(公告)日：2022-01-25

申请号：US16159577

申请日：2018-10-12

Applicant: Itron, Inc.

Inventor： Barry Cahill-O'Brien ,  Bruce Edwards

IPC: H04W4/00 ,  H04W16/24 ,  H04L1/18 ,  H04W40/04

Abstract: Nodes included in a hybrid network establish cellular links infrequently and at staggered intervals. When a node establishes a cellular link, other nodes can transmit and receive data to a back office using that cellular link. In addition, the node can receive a request from the back office across the cellular link indicating that another node should respond to an on-demand read request. The node can then signal the other node via a wireless mesh network to establish a cellular link in order to respond to the on-demand read request. An advantage of the disclosed approach is that a battery powered node can communicate as often as needed with the back office without frequently establishing a cellular link and without maintaining a continuously active cellular link.

公开(公告)号：US11184831B2

公开(公告)日：2021-11-23

申请号：US16237558

申请日：2018-12-31

Applicant: ITRON, INC.

Inventor： Bruce Edwards ,  Kunal Pankaj Shah

IPC: H04W40/10 ,  H04W40/12 ,  H02S40/30 ,  H04B7/155 ,  H04L12/851

Abstract: A solar-powered device (SPD) relay node is coupled to a remotely-located “leaf” node in order to provide the leaf node with network access. The SPD relay node routes network traffic to and from the leaf node via one or more different paths that traverse other SPD relay nodes that reside upstream of the SPD relay node. The SPD relay node determines a specific path across which to route the network traffic based on several different factors associated with the upstream SPD relay nodes, including battery level, solar generation rate, and link quality. The SPD relay node generates a routing metric for each upstream SPD relay node based on these different factors and then routes traffic across the upstream SPD relay nodes based on the routing metric and based on a priority level associated with the network traffic.

公开(公告)号：US11172423B2

公开(公告)日：2021-11-09

申请号：US16237562

申请日：2018-12-31

Applicant: ITRON, INC.

Inventor： Bruce Edwards ,  Kunal Shah

IPC: H04L12/26 ,  H04W40/00 ,  H04W40/10 ,  H04W40/12 ,  H02J7/35 ,  H04W28/02 ,  H04L12/10 ,  H04W88/08 ,  H04B17/318 ,  H04B17/336 ,  H02J3/38

Abstract: A solar-powered device (SPD) node operates as an access point for leaf nodes. The SPD node load balances network traffic received from leaf nodes across different backhaul networks. The SPD node determines a specific backhaul network across which to route the network traffic based on several different factors associated with the SPD node. Those factors include a current battery level, a current solar generation rate, and a current communication link status. The SPD access point also determines the specific backhaul network across which to route the network traffic based on characteristics of the different backhaul networks, including a network latency, among other characteristics.