公开(公告)号：US10911929B2

公开(公告)日：2021-02-02

申请号：US16035533

申请日：2018-07-13

Applicant: Itron, Inc.

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

IPC: H04W8/00 ,  H04W4/80 ,  H04W52/02 ,  H04W72/04 ,  H04W84/18 ,  H04W84/12

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.

公开(公告)号：US20200177350A1

公开(公告)日：2020-06-04

申请号：US16780823

申请日：2020-02-03

Applicant: Itron, Inc.

Inventor： Thomas Uhling ,  Keith Barnes

IPC: H04L5/00 ,  H04L1/16 ,  H04W52/02

Abstract: Techniques for acknowledging communications from multiple devices are described herein. For example, a device may broadcast a group acknowledgement message indicating that communications from multiple devices have been received by the device. Each acknowledgement in the group acknowledgement message may include a device identifier for a device that sent a communication (e.g., a Medium Access Control (MAC) address of the device, a hash of the MAC address of the device, etc.) and a communication identifier for the communication (e.g., a sequence number of the communication, a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) code for the communication, etc.).

公开(公告)号：US10554369B2

公开(公告)日：2020-02-04

申请号：US15395633

申请日：2016-12-30

Applicant: Itron, Inc.

Inventor： Thomas Uhling ,  Keith Barnes

IPC: H04L5/00 ,  H04W52/02 ,  H04W4/70

Abstract: Techniques for acknowledging communications from multiple devices are described herein. For example, a device may broadcast a group acknowledgement message indicating that communications from multiple devices have been received by the device. Each acknowledgement in the group acknowledgement message may include a device identifier for a device that sent a communication (e.g., a Medium Access Control (MAC) address of the device, a hash of the MAC address of the device, etc.) and a communication identifier for the communication (e.g., a sequence number of the communication, a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) code for the communication, etc.).

公开(公告)号：US10362374B2

公开(公告)日：2019-07-23

申请号：US15395920

申请日：2016-12-30

Applicant: Itron, Inc.

Inventor： Jerome Bartier ,  James Laurence Taylor ,  Keith Barnes ,  Thomas Uhling ,  Fabrice Monier

IPC: H04Q9/04 ,  H04W72/04 ,  H04W52/02 ,  H04W56/00 ,  H04W4/06 ,  H04W8/00 ,  H04W48/20 ,  H04W72/12 ,  H04W36/14 ,  H04W84/20 ,  H04W88/04 ,  H04L12/26 ,  H04L12/18 ,  H04L29/08 ,  H04B1/713 ,  H04B1/7143 ,  H04B1/7156 ,  H04W8/22 ,  H04W36/20 ,  H04W36/22 ,  H04W48/18

Abstract: Techniques for discovering a device in a wireless network are described herein. For example, a first device may send a network discovery solicitation message to a second device to solicit a communication relationship (e.g., request connection to a parent). The network discovery solicitation may include one or more information elements that indicate a channel function associated with the first device and a listening window during which the first device will be listening for communications. The second device may use the channel function to frequency hop and send a network discovery message to the first device during the listening window. The network discovery message may include one or more information elements to establish a sampled schedule for the first device moving forward.

公开(公告)号：US20180191478A1

公开(公告)日：2018-07-05

申请号：US15395633

申请日：2016-12-30

Applicant: Itron, Inc.

Inventor： Thomas Uhling ,  Keith Barnes

IPC: H04L5/00 ,  H04W52/02

Abstract: Techniques for acknowledging communications from multiple devices are described herein. For example, a device may broadcast a group acknowledgement message indicating that communications from multiple devices have been received by the device. Each acknowledgement in the group acknowledgement message may include a device identifier for a device that sent a communication (e.g., a Medium Access Control (MAC) address of the device, a hash of the MAC address of the device, etc.) and a communication identifier for the communication (e.g., a sequence number of the communication, a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) code for the communication, etc.).

公开(公告)号：US11871345B2

公开(公告)日：2024-01-09

申请号：US17878342

申请日：2022-08-01

Applicant: Itron, Inc.

Inventor： Jerome Bartier ,  Keith Barnes ,  Thomas Uhling ,  Yacine Khaled ,  Khalid Maallem

IPC: H04W52/02 ,  H04W72/121 ,  H04W84/18

CPC classification number: H04W52/0219 ,  H04W52/0216 ,  H04W52/0222 ,  H04W72/121 ,  H04W84/18

Abstract: Techniques for allocating event offsets within a period of transmission are described. A mains-powered device (MPD) may act as a “parent” to one or more battery-powered devices (BPDs). The MPD may assign “event offsets” to each BPD. The event offset is a time by which the BPD's timeslot is “offset” from the start of a periodic cycle of transmissions by the MPD. Thus, each event offset indicates a time that the BPD must be “awake,” i.e., operating its radio receiver and/or performing other functionality. A BPD may spend a substantial fraction of its time in a “sleep” mode, wherein less power is used and fewer functions are performed than during a period of that BPD's event offset. Another BPD may have a different event offset. Communications by the MPD with each child BPD may be substantially uniformly distributed over the period. To increase efficiency, groups of BPDs may receive multicasts.

公开(公告)号：US20230379820A1

公开(公告)日：2023-11-23

申请号：US18230268

申请日：2023-08-04

Applicant: Itron, Inc.

Inventor： Jerome Bartier ,  Keith Barnes ,  Thomas Uhling ,  Yacine Khaled ,  Khalid Maallem

IPC: H04W52/02 ,  H04W72/121

CPC classification number: H04W52/0219 ,  H04W72/121 ,  H04W52/0222 ,  H04W52/0216 ,  H04W84/18

Abstract: Techniques for allocating event offsets within a period of transmission are described. A mains-powered device (MPD) may act as a “parent” to one or more battery-powered devices (BPDs). The MPD may assign “event offsets” to each BPD. The event offset is a time by which the BPD's timeslot is “offset” from the start of a periodic cycle of transmissions by the MPD. Thus, each event offset indicates a time that the BPD must be “awake,” i.e., operating its radio receiver and/or performing other functionality. A BPD may spend a substantial fraction of its time in a “sleep” mode, wherein less power is used and fewer functions are performed than during a period of that BPD's event offset. Another BPD may have a different event offset. Communications by the MPD with each child BPD may be substantially uniformly distributed over the period. To increase efficiency, groups of BPDs may receive multicasts.

公开(公告)号：US11689339B2

公开(公告)日：2023-06-27

申请号：US16780823

申请日：2020-02-03

Applicant: Itron, Inc.

Inventor： Thomas Uhling ,  Keith Barnes

IPC: H04L5/00 ,  H04L1/1607 ,  H04W52/02 ,  H04L1/00 ,  H04W4/70

CPC classification number: H04L5/0055 ,  H04L1/1621 ,  H04L1/1628 ,  H04W52/0209 ,  H04L2001/0093 ,  H04W4/70 ,  Y02D30/70

Abstract: Techniques for acknowledging communications from multiple devices are described herein. For example, a device may broadcast a group acknowledgement message indicating that communications from multiple devices have been received by the device. Each acknowledgement in the group acknowledgement message may include a device identifier for a device that sent a communication (e.g., a Medium Access Control (MAC) address of the device, a hash of the MAC address of the device, etc.) and a communication identifier for the communication (e.g., a sequence number of the communication, a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) code for the communication, etc.).

公开(公告)号：US20230014967A1

公开(公告)日：2023-01-19

申请号：US17878342

申请日：2022-08-01

Applicant: Itron, Inc.

Inventor： Jerome Bartier ,  Keith Barnes ,  Thomas Uhling ,  Yacine Khaled ,  Khalid Maallem

IPC: H04W52/02 ,  H04W72/12

Abstract: Techniques for allocating event offsets within a period of transmission are described. A mains-powered device (MPD) may act as a “parent” to one or more battery-powered devices (BPDs). The MPD may assign “event offsets” to each BPD. The event offset is a time by which the BPD's timeslot is “offset” from the start of a periodic cycle of transmissions by the MPD. Thus, each event offset indicates a time that the BPD must be “awake,” i.e., operating its radio receiver and/or performing other functionality. A BPD may spend a substantial fraction of its time in a “sleep” mode, wherein less power is used and fewer functions are performed than during a period of that BPD's event offset. Another BPD may have a different event offset. Communications by the MPD with each child BPD may be substantially uniformly distributed over the period. To increase efficiency, groups of BPDs may receive multicasts.

公开(公告)号：US11363532B2

公开(公告)日：2022-06-14

申请号：US16670137

申请日：2019-10-31

Applicant: Itron, Inc.

Inventor： Thomas Uhling ,  Keith Barnes

IPC: H04W52/02 ,  H04Q9/02 ,  G01D4/00 ,  H04W4/38

Abstract: Techniques for allocating event offsets within a period of transmission are described. A mains-powered device (MPD) may act as a “parent” to one or more battery-powered devices (BPDs). The MPD may assign “event offsets” to each BPD. The event offset is a time by which the BPD's timeslot is “offset” from the start of a periodic cycle of transmissions by the MPD. Thus, each event offset indicates a time that the BPD must be “awake,” i.e., operating its radio receiver and/or performing other functionality. A BPD may spend a substantial fraction of its time in a “sleep” mode, wherein less power is used and fewer functions are performed than during a period of that BPD's event offset. Another BPD may have a different event offset. Communications by the MPD with each child BPD may be substantially uniformly distributed over the period. To increase efficiency, groups of BPDs may receive multicasts.