# US 2013/0155934 A1 · Network with secondary control channel

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- Number: US 2013/0155934 A1
- Document ID: US20130155934A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/328,461
- Filed: 2011-12-16
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-16
- Assignees: Itron, Inc.
- Inventors: Matthew Johnson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130155934A1

## CPC

- H04W 4/38: for collecting sensor information
- G01D 4/002: {Remote reading of utility meters}
- H04W 84/22: with access to wired networks
- Y02B 90/20: Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector (smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00)
- Y04S 20/30: Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
- Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS

## Abstract

Disclosed are apparatus and methodology for providing communications in an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI). Information including utility consumption information is transmitted from network endpoints to a central facility using a first communications channel, generally within an ISM band using relatively lower power transmitters operating in accordance with 47 CFR, Part 15. Commonly applicable information (for example, time signals and instructions destined for multiple of the endpoints) is transmitted over a second communications channel in frequency bands other than ISM bands using relatively higher power levels than are permitted under Part 15. Network endpoints and the first and second communications channels may be utilized in either of a mesh network or a star network.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A network, comprising:
a central communications facility;
a plurality of endpoints;
a primary communications channel for communications among said central communications facility and said plurality of endpoints; and
a secondary communications channel for transmitting information commonly applicable to said plurality of endpoints.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A network as in claim 1, further comprising:
a cell relay,
wherein said cell relay and at least selected of said plurality of endpoints form a mesh network with said cell relay operating as a control unit for a cell of said mesh network, said cell relay communicating with said plurality of endpoints using said primary communications channel.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A network as in claim 2, wherein said cell relay includes a transmitter operating on said secondary communications channel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A network as in claim 1, wherein said primary communications channel is within an industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) frequency band.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A network as in claim 1, wherein said secondary communications channel includes a relatively higher power transmitter operable at power levels above those permitted in ISM frequency bands.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A network as in claim 1, further comprising a transmitter site including a transmitter operating on said secondary communications channel.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

A network as in claim 6, wherein said transmitter transmits time related signals on said secondary communications channel.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

A network as in claim 6, wherein:
said endpoints transmit consumption related data on said primary communications channel; and
said transmitter transmits command signals on said secondary communications channel.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

A network as in claim 8, wherein said command signals include instructions for said endpoints to transmit said consumption related signals.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A network as in claim 1, wherein at least some of said endpoints are respectively associated with metering devices, and said network comprises an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI).

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

A network as in claim 10, wherein said metering devices comprise at least one of electricity, gas, water, and oil meters.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A network as in claim 1, wherein:
at least some of said endpoints are respectively associated with electricity metering devices not dependent on battery power for operation; and
said secondary communications channel is used for unicast and multicast communications for transmitting rates and performing demand response events.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

A network as in claim 1, further comprising:
a cell relay,
wherein said cell relay and at least selected of said plurality of endpoints form a mesh network with said cell relay operating as a control unit for a cell of said mesh network, said cell relay communicating with said plurality of endpoints using said primary communications channel and further including a transmitter operating on said secondary communications channel;
said primary communications channel is within an industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) frequency band;
said secondary communications channel is for relatively higher power transmitter power levels above those permitted in ISM frequency bands;
said endpoints transmit consumption related data on said primary communications channel; and
said cell relay transmitter transmits command signals on said secondary communications channel.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

A network as in claim 13, wherein at least some of said endpoints are respectively associated with metering devices.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

A network as in claim 14, wherein:
said metering devices comprise electricity metering devices not dependent on battery power for operation; and
said secondary communications channel is used for unicast and multicast communications for transmitting rates and performing demand response events.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

A network as in claim 1, further comprising:
a cell relay,
wherein said cell relay and at least selected of said plurality of endpoints form a mesh network with said cell relay operating as a control unit for a cell of said mesh network, said cell relay communicating with said plurality of endpoints using said primary communications channel and further including a transmitter operating on said secondary communications channel;
said primary communications channel is within an industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) frequency band;
said secondary communications channel is for relatively higher power transmitter power levels above those permitted in ISM frequency bands;
said cell relay transmitter transmits time related signals and command signals on said secondary communications channel;
at least some of said endpoints are respectively associated with metering devices; and
said command signals include instructions for said endpoints to transmit consumption related signals.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

A network as in claim 16, wherein at least some of said metering devices are electricity metering devices not dependent on battery power for operation, and wherein said secondary communications channel is used for unicast and multicast communications for transmitting rates and performing demand response events.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

A network as in claim 1, further comprising:
a central controller,
wherein said central controller and at least selected of said plurality of endpoints form a star network with said central controller operating as a control unit for said star network, said central controller communicating with said plurality of endpoints using said primary communications channel.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

A network as in claim 18, wherein said central controller includes a transmitter operating on said secondary communications channel.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

A network as in claim 1, further comprising:
a central controller,
wherein said central controller and at least selected of said plurality of endpoints form a star network with said central controller operating as a control unit for said star network, said central controller communicating with said plurality of endpoints using said primary communications channel and further including a transmitter operating on said secondary communications channel;
said primary communications channel is within an industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) frequency band;
said secondary communications channel is for relatively higher power transmitter power levels above those permitted in ISM frequency bands;
said endpoints transmit consumption related data on said primary communications channel; and
said central controller transmitter transmits command signals on said secondary communications channel.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

A network as in claim 20, wherein at least some of said endpoints are respectively associated with metering devices.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

A network as in claim 21, wherein:
said metering devices comprise electricity metering devices not dependent on battery power for operation; and
said secondary communications channel is used for unicast and multicast communications for transmitting rates and performing demand response events.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

A network as in claim 1, further comprising:
a central controller,
wherein said central controller and at least selected of said plurality of endpoints form a star network with said central controller operating as a control unit for said star network, said central controller communicating with said plurality of endpoints using said primary communications channel and further including a transmitter operating on said secondary communications channel;
said primary communications channel is within an industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) frequency band;
said secondary communications channel is for relatively higher power transmitter power levels above those permitted in ISM frequency bands;
said central controller transmitter transmits time related signals and command signals on said secondary communications channel;
at least some of said endpoints are respectively associated with metering devices; and
said command signals include instructions for said endpoints to transmit consumption related signals.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

A network as in claim 23, wherein at least some of said metering devices are electricity metering devices not dependent on battery power for operation, and wherein said secondary communications channel is used for unicast and multicast communications for transmitting rates and performing demand response events.

### Claim 25

A network communications method, comprising:
transmitting over a primary communications channel utility consumption related data among a plurality of network endpoints and a central facility; and
transmitting commonly applicable information to the plurality of endpoints over a secondary communications channel.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

A method as in claim 25, further comprising:
transmitting both utility consumption and commonly applicable information by way of a cell relay, such cell relay transmitting utility consumption information from the plurality of endpoints to the central facility using the primary communications channel and transmitting commonly applicable information to the plurality of endpoints using the secondary communications channel.

### Claim 27 (depends on 25)

A method as in claim 25, further comprising:
transmitting utility consumption information by way of a cell relay from the plurality of endpoints to the central facility using the primary communications channel; and
transmitting commonly applicable information to the plurality of endpoints by way of a separate transmitter site using the secondary communications channel.

### Claim 28 (depends on 25)

A method as in claim 25, wherein transmitting utility consumption related data comprises transmitting utility consumption related data within an industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) frequency band.

### Claim 29 (depends on 25)

A method as in claim 25, wherein transmitting commonly applicable information comprises transmitting information using a relatively higher power transmitter operable at power levels above those permitted in ISM frequency bands.

### Claim 30 (depends on 25)

A method as in claim 25, wherein transmitting commonly applicable information comprises transmitting time related signals on said secondary communications channel.

### Claim 31 (depends on 25)

A method as in claim 25, wherein transmitting commonly applicable information comprises transmitting command signals on said secondary communications channel.

### Claim 32 (depends on 25)

A method as in claim 25, wherein at least some of said endpoints are respectively associated with metering devices, and said network communications comprise an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI).

### Claim 33 (depends on 25)

A method as in claim 25, wherein said metering devices comprise at least one of electricity, gas, water, and oil meters.

### Claim 34 (depends on 25)

A method as in claim 25, wherein:
at least some of said endpoints are respectively associated with electricity metering devices not dependent on battery power for operation; and
said secondary communications channel is used for unicast and multicast communications for transmitting rates and performing demand response events.

### Claim 35 (depends on 25)

A method as in claim 25, further comprising including the primary and secondary communications channels in one of a star network and a mesh network.