公开(公告)号：US12231332B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-18

申请号：US18349286

申请日：2023-07-10

Applicant: ITRON, INC.

Inventor： Thomas F. Uhling ,  Keith Wayne Barnes ,  Howard Neal Brace ,  Imad Jamil ,  Fabrice Monier

IPC: H04W4/00 ,  H04L45/48 ,  H04W40/02 ,  H04W40/24 ,  H04W48/16

Abstract: A network system includes a main network implementing a conventional network protocol and a subtree of battery-powered nodes implementing a custom network protocol. The main network and the subtree are managed according to different subtree parameters. When a root node receives a request by a battery-powered node to join the subtree, the root node determines whether to allow the battery-powered node to join based on the subtree parameters for the subtree before sending a response to the battery-powered node.

公开(公告)号：US11812374B2

公开(公告)日：2023-11-07

申请号：US17527051

申请日：2021-11-15

Applicant: ITRON, INC.

Inventor： Fabrice Monier ,  Jerome Bartier ,  Yacine Khaled ,  Imad Jamil ,  Khalid Maallem ,  Samuel De Vals

IPC: H04W48/10 ,  H04W48/00 ,  H04L5/00 ,  H04B1/7143 ,  H04W72/0446 ,  H04B1/7183

CPC classification number: H04W48/17 ,  H04B1/7143 ,  H04B1/7183 ,  H04L5/0005 ,  H04W48/10 ,  H04W72/0446

Abstract: Various embodiments disclose a method that includes: attempting to detect, with a first transceiver associated with a first node, a network discovery signal, wherein the attempting is performed according to (a) a first listening schedule associated with a first physical layer mode and (b) a second listening schedule associated with a second physical layer mode; detecting, with the first transceiver, the network discovery signal during a slot associated with the first listening schedule; and in response to detecting the network discovery signal, establishing, with the first node, a connection between the first node and the second node using the first physical layer mode.

公开(公告)号：US11770738B2

公开(公告)日：2023-09-26

申请号：US17318634

申请日：2021-05-12

Applicant: ITRON, INC.

Inventor： Imad Jamil ,  Keith Wayne Barnes ,  Fabrice Monier ,  Thomas F. Uhling

IPC: H04W28/06 ,  H04W40/04 ,  H04W84/18 ,  H04W76/10 ,  H04W40/12

CPC classification number: H04W28/06 ,  H04W40/04 ,  H04W40/12 ,  H04W76/10 ,  H04W84/18

Abstract: In various embodiments, a system within a wireless network comprises a set of battery-powered device (BPD) nodes within the wireless network, and a joining BPD node that identifies, in a subset of BPD nodes, a set of potential parent nodes, filters the set of BPD nodes based on network optimization criteria to identify a target parent node, and transmits a request message to establish a communications link with the target parent node as a child node, where the target parent node in the set of BPD nodes executes instructions to receive the request message from the joining BPD node, evaluate data associated with the joining BPD node with acceptance criteria, and upon determining that the joining BPD node meets the acceptance criteria, establish the communications link with the joining BPD node, where, upon the communications link being established, the joining BPD node is a child to the target parent node.

公开(公告)号：US11722168B2

公开(公告)日：2023-08-08

申请号：US17817283

申请日：2022-08-03

Applicant: Itron, Inc.

Inventor： Philippe Chiummiento ,  Matthieu Pichot ,  Guillaume Descamps ,  Fabrice Monier

IPC: H04J3/06 ,  H04W4/38 ,  H04B3/54 ,  H04B1/7073 ,  H04W72/0446 ,  H04L7/033 ,  H04Q9/00 ,  H04L7/00

CPC classification number: H04B1/7073 ,  H04L7/0087 ,  H04L7/0331 ,  H04Q9/00 ,  H04W4/38 ,  H04W72/0446 ,  H04B2201/709718 ,  H04Q2209/60

Abstract: A method includes computing electrical phase of electrical metering devices including obtaining data indicating zero-crossing times at first and second metering devices. A time difference between the zero-crossing times may be determined. In a first example, the time difference may be based at least in part on calculations involving a first value of a first free-run timer on a first metering device, a second value of a second free-run timer on a second metering device, the time of reception of a packet, and a latency defined by a time taken for the packet to propagate through at least one layer of at least one of the first metering device and the second metering device. A phase difference between the first zero-crossing and the second zero-crossing may be determined, based at least in part on the determined time difference.

公开(公告)号：US11071049B2

公开(公告)日：2021-07-20

申请号：US16555747

申请日：2019-08-29

Applicant: Itron, Inc.

Inventor： Fabrice Monier ,  Thomas Uhling ,  Imad Jamil ,  Keith Barnes

IPC: H04W48/16 ,  H04W52/02

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques to minimize the electricity consumption of battery powered devices during network discovery and other phases of network operation. Example techniques include efficiently listening for other mains powered and battery powered devices within communication range of the battery powered device by, for example, shortening its listening window depending on how close the time reference maintained by the battery powered device is estimated to be to the time reference used by the other mains powered and battery powered devices within communication range. Other techniques include slowing the rate of listening by the battery powered device when the battery powered device is unlikely to be able to receive discovery messages or is already connected to the network. Other techniques include using knowledge of the network to listen for discovery messages on a channel or channels on which other devices are likely to be transmitting.

公开(公告)号：US20210068039A1

公开(公告)日：2021-03-04

申请号：US16555747

申请日：2019-08-29

Applicant: Itron, Inc.

Inventor： Fabrice Monier ,  Thomas Uhling ,  Imad Jamil ,  Keith Barnes

IPC: H04W48/16 ,  H04W52/02

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques to minimize the electricity consumption of battery powered devices during network discovery and other phases of network operation. Example techniques include efficiently listening for other mains powered and battery powered devices within communication range of the battery powered device by, for example, shortening its listening window depending on how close the time reference maintained by the battery powered device is estimated to be to the time reference used by the other mains powered and battery powered devices within communication range. Other techniques include slowing the rate of listening by the battery powered device when the battery powered device is unlikely to be able to receive discovery messages or is already connected to the network. Other techniques include using knowledge of the network to listen for discovery messages on a channel or channels on which other devices are likely to be transmitting.

公开(公告)号：US10757648B2

公开(公告)日：2020-08-25

申请号：US16024574

申请日：2018-06-29

Applicant: ITRON, INC.

Inventor： Thomas Uhling ,  Imad Jamil ,  Fabrice Monier ,  Keith Wayne Barnes

IPC: H04W52/02 ,  H04W72/12 ,  H04W56/00 ,  H04W84/18

Abstract: A wireless mesh network includes a child node coupled to a parent node. The parent node transmits time sync beacons that indicate a time slot number and a start time for a current time slot. The child node receives the time sync beacons and determines a delta between the current time slot number of the child node and the current time slot number of the parent node. The child node also computes an offset between a start time of the current slot of the child node and the start time of the current slot of the parent node. The child node reports the delta and the offset to the parent node. Based on the delta and the offset, the parent node determines when, and on what channel, the child node is predicted to be receiving transmissions, and then schedules transmissions to the child node accordingly.

公开(公告)号：US12232024B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-18

申请号：US18484072

申请日：2023-10-10

Applicant: ITRON, INC.

Inventor： Fabrice Monier ,  Jerome Bartier ,  Yacine Khaled ,  Imad Jamil ,  Khalid Maallem ,  Samuel De Vals

IPC: H04W48/10 ,  H04B1/7143 ,  H04B1/7183 ,  H04L5/00 ,  H04W48/00 ,  H04W72/0446

Abstract: Various embodiments disclose techniques for time-multiplexing multiple listening schedules and physical layer modes that include a first node listening, using a first physical layer mode, for a first network discovery signal; in response to not detecting the first network discovery signal, listening, using a second physical layer mode, for a second network discovery signal; and in response to detecting the second network discovery signal transmitted by a second node using the second physical layer mode, establishing a connection with the second node using the second physical layer mode.

公开(公告)号：US11968252B2

公开(公告)日：2024-04-23

申请号：US18151102

申请日：2023-01-06

Applicant: ITRON, INC.

Inventor： Imad Jamil ,  Jerome Bartier ,  Fabrice Monier ,  Samuel De Vals

IPC: G06F15/16 ,  H04L67/1008

CPC classification number: H04L67/1008

Abstract: Various embodiments disclose a method performed by a first node device in a mesh network that includes identifying a plurality of neighbor node devices that have one or more blocks of a dataset; determining quality scores for respective node devices of the plurality of neighbor node devices; selecting, based on the quality scores, a second node device from the plurality of neighbor node devices; and sending, to the second node device, a first request to receive at least one block of the one or more blocks.

公开(公告)号：US11178530B2

公开(公告)日：2021-11-16

申请号：US16035535

申请日：2018-07-13

Applicant: Itron, Inc.

Inventor： Thomas Uhling ,  Imad Jamil ,  Fabrice Monier ,  Keith Wayne Barnes

IPC: H04W8/00 ,  H04W40/24 ,  H04W4/80 ,  H04L12/733 ,  H04W72/04 ,  H04W84/18

Abstract: A wireless network includes a plurality of nodes configured to implement an improved discovery process to efficiently and reliably pair with one another with low power consumption. A given node divides time into slots and then performs discovery operations during designated discovery windows. The discovery windows occur periodically but at different times of day. During a given discovery window, nodes attempt discovery using a reduced set of channels that varies from one window to the next, thereby increasing the likelihood that nodes operate on the same channel. Nodes also implement a pairing protocol to coordinate pairing, potentially avoiding situations where all nodes attempt to pair simultaneously. The discovery process may be completed expeditiously, thereby conserving power and extending the operational lifetime of nodes which rely on battery power.