Routing protocol for advanced metering infrastructure system

A method of configuring an advanced metering infrastructure system comprising a plurality of gateways interconnected by a network including a plurality of subnets based on one or more types of networking protocols, each of the plurality of gateways communicatively coupled to or integrated in a metering device, and a concentrator connected to the network for receiving metering data from the metering devices, wherein the concentrator and the plurality of gateways each defines a communication node in the network, the method comprising:

• configuring each of the gateways to store a route information comprising at least a primary route information and to route uplink data received based on the route information, the primary route information indicating a predetermined one of the communication nodes for the gateway to route the uplink data to next as a first priority,
• configuring each of the gateways to receive a gateway propagation message from an immediate neighbouring communication node in the network and to determine whether to set the primary route information to indicate the immediate neighbouring communication node as the predetermined communication node based on one or more parameters of the gateway propagation message transmitted from the immediate neighbouring communication node, and
• configuring each of the gateways to add node information to the uplink data upon receiving the uplink data and before routing the uplink data to the next communication node, said node information comprises information for identifying the gateway which added the node information to the uplink data and information for identifying the subnet from which the gateway received the uplink data.

A metering device for an advanced metering infrastructure system comprising a plurality of gateways interconnected by a network comprising a plurality of subnets based on one or more types of networking protocols, wherein the plurality of gateways each defines a communication node in the network, the metering device comprising:

• a processor operable to collect metering data, and
• a gateway for the advanced metering infrastructure system for routing uplink data and downlink data received;
• wherein the gateway is configured to:
• store a route information comprising at least a primary route information and is operable to route the uplink data received based on the route information, the primary route information indicating a predetermined one of the communication nodes for the gateway to route the uplink data to next as a first priority,
• receive a gateway propagation message from an immediate neighbouring communication node in the network and to determine whether to set the primary route information to indicate the immediate neighbouring communication node as the predetermined communication node based on one or more parameters of the gateway propagation message transmitted from the immediate neighbouring communication node, and
• add node information to the uplink data upon receiving the uplink data and before routing the uplink data to the next communication node, said node information comprises information for identifying the gateway which added the node information to the uplink data and information for identifying the subnet from which the gateway received the uplink data.

A method of routing data in an advanced metering infrastructure system comprising a plurality of gateways interconnected by a network comprising a plurality of subnets based on one or more types of networking protocols, each of the plurality of gateways communicatively coupled to or integrated in a metering device, wherein the plurality of gateways each defines a communication node in the network, the method comprising:

• routing, by a gateway of the plurality of gateways, uplink data based on a route information comprising at least a primary route information stored at the gateway, the primary route information indicating a predetermined one of the communication nodes for the gateway to route the uplink data to next as a first priority,
• receiving, by the gateway, a gateway propagation message from an immediate neighbouring communication node in the network and determining, by the gateway, whether to set the primary route information to indicate the immediate neighbouring communication node as the predetermined communication node based on one or more parameters of the gateway propagation message transmitted from the immediate neighbouring communication node, and
• adding, by the gateway, node information to the uplink data upon receiving the uplink data and before routing the uplink data to the next communication node, said node information comprises information for identifying the gateway which added the node information to the uplink data and information for identifying the subnet from which the gateway received the uplink data.

A computer program product, embodied in a computer-readable storage medium, comprising instructions executable by a computer processor to perform a method of routing data in an advanced metering infrastructure system comprising a plurality of gateways interconnected by a network comprising a plurality of subnets based on one or more types of networking protocols, each of the plurality of gateways communicatively coupled to or integrated in a metering device, wherein the plurality of gateways each defines a communication node in the network, the method comprising:

• routing, by a gateway of the plurality of gateways, uplink data based on a route information comprising at least a primary route information stored at the gateway, the primary route information indicating one of the communication nodes for the gateway to route the uplink data to next as a first priority,
• receiving, by the gateway, a gateway propagation message from an immediate neighbouring communication node in the network and determining, by the gateway, whether to set the primary route information to indicate the immediate neighbouring communication node as the predetermined communication node based on one or more parameters of the gateway propagation message transmitted from the immediate neighbouring communication node, and
• adding, by the gateway, node information to the uplink data upon receiving the uplink data and before routing the uplink data to the next communication node, said node information comprises information for identifying the gateway which added the node information to the uplink data and information for identifying the subnet from which the gateway received the uplink data.