US 2018/0294833 A1Published application

Low Power, Centralized Data Collection

AssigneeAPANA Inc.

InventorsMatthew W. Rose, Frank Burns, Matthew Maher Peterson, Canyon Daniel Peckham, Valentin Siderskiy, David Royce Humphrey, Thomas Remmers

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Abstract

The systems and methods described herein are directed to techniques for improving battery life performance of end devices in resource monitoring systems which transmit data using low-power, wide area network (LPWAN) technologies. Further, the techniques include providing sensor interfaces in the end devices configured to communicate with multiple types of metrology sensors. Additionally, the systems and methods include techniques for reducing the size of a concentrator of a gateway device which receives resource measurement data from end devices. The reduced size of the concentrator results in smaller, more compact gateway devices that consume less energy and reduce heat dissipation experienced in gateway devices. The concentrator may comply with modular interface standards, and include two radios configured for transmitting 1-watt signals. Lastly, the systems and methods include techniques for fully redundant radio architecture within a gateway device, allowing for maximum range and minimizing downtime due to transmission overlap.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A concentrator chip comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB);
a first antenna connector and a second antenna connector;
at least one processor, disposed on the PCB, and configured to perform power functions and interfacing functions for the concentrator chip;
a baseband processor, disposed on the PCB, and configured to control a first radio of the concentrator chip and a second radio of the concentrator chip;
the first radio, disposed on the PCB, comprising:
a first front-end transceiver to process a first signal at a first frequency;
and
a first transmit path including a first power amplifier to amplify, as a first amplified signal, the first signal received from the first front-end transceiver and pass the first amplified signal to the first antenna connector for transmission;
the second radio, disposed on the PCB, comprising:
a second front-end transceiver to process a second signal at a second frequency;
and
a second transmit path including a second power amplifier to amplify, as a second amplified signal, the second signal received from the second front-end transceiver and pass the second amplified signal to the second antenna connector for transmission;
and
a power supply, disposed on the PCB, controlled by the at least one processor and configured to provide power to the first power amplifier and the second power amplifier,
wherein the concentrator chip is configured to be removably coupled to a computing device and to transmit and receive signals to one or more sensors for collecting resource consumption data, the concentrator chip further configured for providing the resource consumption data to one or more centralized server computers.

12 more elements

A concentrator chip comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB);
at least one processor, disposed on the PCB, and configured to perform power functions and interfacing functions for the concentrator chip;
a multi-pin header module electrically coupled to at least one processor and removably coupled to a gateway device;
multiple switching power supplies electrically coupled to the at least one processor;
a baseband processor, disposed on the PCB, and configured to control a first radio of the concentrator chip and a second radio of the concentrator chip;
the first radio, disposed on the PCB, comprising:
a first transceiver;
a first transmission path for transmitting one or more first signals;
and
a first receive path for receiving one or more second signals;
the second radio, disposed on the PCB, comprising:
a second transceiver;
a second transmission path for transmitting one or more third signals;
and
a second receive path for receiving one or more fourth signals;
a first antenna connector to transmit the one or more first signals for the first radio and to receive the one or more second signals for the first radio;
and
a second antenna connector to transmit the one or more third signals for the second radio and to receive the one or more fourth signals for the second radio;
wherein a volume of the concentrator chip is less than 0.25 inches cubed.

16 more elements

A concentrator chip comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB);
at least one processor, disposed on the PCB, and configured to perform power functions and interfacing functions for the concentrator chip;
a baseband processor, disposed on the PCB, and configured to control a first radio of the concentrator chip and a second radio of the concentrator chip;
the first radio, disposed on the PCB, comprising:
a first transceiver;
a first transmission path for transmitting one or more first signals, the first transmission path including a first power amplifier;
and
a first receive path for receiving one or more second signals;
the second radio, disposed on the PCB, comprising:
a second transceiver;
a second transmission path for transmitting one or more third signals,
the second transmission path including a second power amplifier;
and
a second receive path for receiving one or more fourth signals;
a first antenna connector to transmit the one or more first signals for the first radio and to receive the one or more second signals for the first radio;
a second antenna connector to transmit the one or more third signals for the second radio and to receive the one or more fourth signals for the second radio;
and
computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the baseband processor, causes the baseband processor to perform acts comprising:
generating a first signal as the one or more first signals for transmission by the first radio via the first antenna connector;
inputting the first signal into the first radio to cause the first signal to be transmitted via the first antenna connector, the first signal being transmitted for
a first period of time;
generating a second signal as the one or more third signals for transmission by the second radio via the second antenna connector;
and
inputting the second signal into the second radio to cause the second signal to be transmitted via the second antenna connector, the second signal to be transmitted for a second period of time,
wherein the first period of time and the second period of time at least partially overlap.

22 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/935,285Filed 26 Mar 2018
Priority: 5 Feb 2016
Published: 11 Oct 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification24 codes

H04B 1/44
Circuits: transmit/receive switching
G01D 4/004
Remote reading of utility meters: remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
H02J 7/52
Acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially: for charge balancing, e.g. equalisation of charge between batteries
H03F 3/24
Power amplifiers, e.g. Class B amplifiers, Class C amplifiers: of transmitter output stages

Family

Application62/292,147Us provisional application · filed 5 Feb 2016
Application62/432,431Us provisional application · filed 9 Dec 2016
Application15/423,500Continuation · filed 2 Feb 2017
Application15/935,285Continuation
US 10,536,185 B2Related patent
US 2017/0230074 A1Published application
US 9,929,771 B2Related patent
US 2018/0294833 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.