公开(公告)号：US12047264B2

公开(公告)日：2024-07-23

申请号：US17402245

申请日：2021-08-13

Applicant: ITRON, INC.

Inventor： Thomas F. Uhling ,  Keith Wayne Barnes

IPC: H04L43/0823 ,  H04L43/062 ,  H04L43/0894 ,  H04L43/16 ,  H04W24/08 ,  H04W24/10

CPC classification number: H04L43/0847 ,  H04L43/062 ,  H04L43/0894 ,  H04L43/16 ,  H04W24/08 ,  H04W24/10

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for evaluating connections between nodes in a mesh network. The technique includes determining, at a first node, one or more first accumulated message success rates associated with transmitting messages from the first node to a target destination within the mesh network via an established parent node and with receiving messages from the target destination via the established parent node; determining, based on the one or more first accumulated message success rates, that a search for a different parent node should be performed; identifying a plurality of potential parent nodes; computing, for each potential parent node, one or more second accumulated message success rates associated with transmitting messages from the first node to a target destination within the mesh network via the potential parent node and with receiving messages from the target destination via the potential parent node; and based on the second accumulated message success rates, selecting a new parent node from the plurality of potential parent nodes or maintaining the established parent node.

公开(公告)号：US11882599B2

公开(公告)日：2024-01-23

申请号：US17325878

申请日：2021-05-20

Applicant: ITRON, INC.

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

IPC: H04W72/12 ,  H04W74/08 ,  H04W40/24 ,  H04W56/00 ,  H04W72/0446 ,  H04W72/1263 ,  H04W84/18

CPC classification number: H04W74/0816 ,  H04W40/244 ,  H04W56/001 ,  H04W72/0446 ,  H04W72/1263 ,  H04W84/18

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for performing time synchronization within a network. The technique includes detecting a first scheduling conflict between a first transmission time associated with a first periodic beacon from a first node in the network and a first listening window associated with receiving a second periodic beacon from a second node in the network. The technique also includes determining a first alternate transmission time for the second periodic beacon based on a second transmission time associated with the second periodic beacon and a position of the second node in the network and calculating a second listening window associated with transmission of the second periodic beacon from the second node at the first alternate transmission time. The technique further includes listening for the second periodic beacon during the second listening window.

公开(公告)号：US12068931B2

公开(公告)日：2024-08-20

申请号：US17402231

申请日：2021-08-13

Applicant: ITRON, INC.

Inventor： Thomas F. Uhling ,  Keith Wayne Barnes

IPC: H04L43/0811 ,  H04L43/16 ,  H04L67/12

CPC classification number: H04L43/0811 ,  H04L43/16 ,  H04L67/12

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for evaluating connections between nodes in a mesh network. The technique includes identifying a plurality of potential parent nodes for a first node included in the mesh network; computing, for each potential parent node, one or more accumulated message success rates associated with transmitting messages from the first node to a target destination within the mesh network via the potential parent node and with receiving messages from the target destination via the potential parent node; and selecting, from the plurality of potential parent nodes and based on the accumulated message success rates, a parent node for the first node.

公开(公告)号：US11924077B2

公开(公告)日：2024-03-05

申请号：US17402211

申请日：2021-08-13

Applicant: ITRON, INC.

Inventor： Thomas F. Uhling ,  Keith Wayne Barnes

IPC: H04L43/0823 ,  H04L43/0829 ,  H04L43/10 ,  H04W24/08

CPC classification number: H04L43/0847 ,  H04L43/0829 ,  H04L43/10 ,  H04W24/08

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for evaluating connections between nodes in a mesh network. The technique includes listening, at a first node and across a plurality of listening windows, for one or more messages transmitted by a second node during a first period of time; determining a number of messages received by the first node during the first period of time; computing, based on the number of messages received by the first node, a received message success rate associated with a first connection between the first node and the second node, wherein the received message success rate indicates a probability of successfully receiving, at the first node, messages transmitted by the second node via the first connection; and computing, based on at least one message received during the first period of time, a transmitted message success rate associated with the first connection, wherein the transmitted message success rate indicates a probability of successfully transmitting messages from the first node to the second node via the first connection.

公开(公告)号：US12250725B2

公开(公告)日：2025-03-11

申请号：US18405262

申请日：2024-01-05

Applicant: ITRON, INC.

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

IPC: H04W72/00 ,  H04W40/24 ,  H04W56/00 ,  H04W72/0446 ,  H04W72/1263 ,  H04W74/0816 ,  H04W84/18

Abstract: One embodiment of the present disclosure sets forth a technique for resolving beaconing conflicts within a network. The technique includes detecting, by a first node in a network, a first scheduling conflict between a first time when a first beacon is to be transmitted from the first node and a first listening window when a second beacon is expected to be received from a second node in the network; determining, by the first node in response to detecting the first scheduling conflict and based on an expected transmission time for the second beacon and a position of the second node in the network, an alternate listening window during which to listen for a third beacon from the second node; and listening, by the first node, for the third beacon from the second node during the alternate listening window.

公开(公告)号：US12160358B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-03

申请号：US17961446

申请日：2022-10-06

Applicant: ITRON, INC.

Inventor： Thomas F. Uhling ,  Keith Wayne Barnes

IPC: H04L43/0829 ,  H04L43/067 ,  H04L43/0888 ,  H04L43/16

Abstract: Techniques for determining network reliability using message success rates include a first node in a mesh network computing a transmitted message success rate associated with a connection from the first node to a second node, wherein the second node is a neighbor node to the first node; computing, based on a first accumulated transmitted message success rate and the transmitted message success rate, a second accumulated transmitted message success rate for a route from the first node to a target destination using the second node, wherein the first accumulated transmitted message success rate is received from the second node and is associated with intermediary connections between the second node and the target destination; selecting, based on the second accumulated transmitted message success rate, the second node from a plurality of neighbor nodes; and transmitting a message to the target destination via the second node.

公开(公告)号：US11764891B2

公开(公告)日：2023-09-19

申请号：US17325892

申请日：2021-05-20

Applicant: ITRON, INC.

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

IPC: H04J3/06 ,  H04L12/26 ,  H04L43/087 ,  H04L43/106

CPC classification number: H04J3/0667 ,  H04J3/0602 ,  H04J3/0626 ,  H04L43/087 ,  H04L43/106

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for performing time synchronization within a network. The technique includes receiving, from a first node in the network and at a first receive time, a first periodic beacon that includes a first network time associated with the first node. The technique also includes determining a second receive time at which a second periodic beacon from the first node is to be received based on the first network time and the first receive time. The technique further includes calculating a first listening window for the second periodic beacon based on the second receive time, a first jitter uncertainty, and a first drift uncertainty, and listening for the second periodic beacon during the first listening window.

公开(公告)号：US11711297B2

公开(公告)日：2023-07-25

申请号：US17245544

申请日：2021-04-30

Applicant: ITRON, INC.

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

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

CPC classification number: H04L45/48 ,  H04W40/02 ,  H04W40/246 ,  H04W48/16

Abstract: A network system includes a main network implementing a conventional network protocol and a BPD subtree implementing a custom network protocol. The main network comprises a plurality of MPD nodes, the conventional network protocol being configured for MPD nodes. The BPD subtree comprises a plurality of BPD nodes, the custom network protocol being configured for BPD nodes. The custom network protocol defines smaller and simpler subtrees relative to the conventional network protocol. As a result, the custom network protocol defines less complex functions relative to the conventional network protocol, including functions for discovery, messaging, and loop management. A root node of the BPD subtree is connected with an MPD node of the main network and one or more descendant nodes of the BPD subtree. The root node implements the conventional network protocol and the custom network protocol.

公开(公告)号：US11641615B2

公开(公告)日：2023-05-02

申请号：US17245420

申请日：2021-04-30

Applicant: ITRON, INC.

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

IPC: H04W40/24 ,  H04W24/02

Abstract: A network system includes a main network implementing a conventional network protocol and a BPD subtree implementing a custom network protocol. The main network comprises a plurality of MPD nodes, the conventional network protocol being configured for MPD nodes. The BPD subtree comprises a plurality of BPD nodes, the custom network protocol being configured for BPD nodes. The custom network protocol defines smaller and simpler subtrees relative to the conventional network protocol. As a result, the custom network protocol defines less complex functions relative to the conventional network protocol, including functions for discovery, messaging, and loop management. A root node of the BPD subtree is connected with an MPD node of the main network and one or more descendant nodes of the BPD subtree. The root node implements the conventional network protocol and the custom network protocol.

公开(公告)号：US12191984B2

公开(公告)日：2025-01-07

申请号：US18446115

申请日：2023-08-08

Applicant: ITRON, INC.

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

IPC: H04J3/06 ,  H04L12/26 ,  H04L43/087 ,  H04L43/106 ,  H04W56/00 ,  H04W72/04

Abstract: Techniques for performing time synchronization within a network include a method comprising: determining, by a first node, a receive time at which a periodic beacon from a second node is expected to be received based on timing information associated with the second node; determining, by the first node, a first listening window for the periodic beacon based on the receive time and one or more of a drift uncertainty associated with an anticipated drift in a correction of a timing error between the first node and the second node or a jitter uncertainty associated with timing jitter in the first node or the second node; and listening, by the first node, for the periodic beacon during the first listening window.