Data transfer system and method for communicating utility consumption data over power line carriers

A method of communicating utility consumption data using a mobile collection unit, a network of local nodes arranged wherein adjacent location nodes communicate over RF links, and a plurality consumer nodes each coupled to one of the local nodes by a power line carrier link, the method comprising the steps of:

• transmitting a utility consumption request message from the mobile collection unit over an RF link to a nearby one of the local nodes;
• the nearby one local node transmitting the utility consumption request message over the power line carrier links to consumer nodes associated with the one local node,
• transferring utility consumption data from each consumer node over the power line carrier links to the one nearby local node;
• the one nearby local node transmitting the utility consumption data over RF link to the mobile unit;
• said one local node routing the utility consumption request message to other local nodes of said network;
• and
• the other local nodes transmitting the utility consumption request message to consumer nodes associated therewith over power line carrier links;
• and
• including a consumer location ID along with the utility consumption data, the consumer location ID identifying the consumer node associated with the utility consumption data, and
• wherein the utility consumption data is routed through the network to the one nearby local node and transmitted over the RF link to the mobile collection unit.

A two-way data transfer system for communicating data comprising:

• a network of local nodes (40) arranged within a coverage area (12) wherein adjacent local nodes within the coverage area communicate over RF links (52);
• a plurality consumer nodes (44) within the coverage area wherein each consumer node is coupled to one of the local nodes by a power line carrier link (53), the consumer nodes collecting data for consumer locations (45) associated the consumer nodes;
• a backhauler node (50) located within the coverage area and coupled to local nodes adjacent to the one local node by RF links (52),
• wherein the collected data is transferred over the power line carrier links to the local node associated with the consumer node, the collected data is routed over the RF-links through the network of local nodes to the backhauler node, and the backhauler node combines the collected data from several of the local nodes for delivery to data user (58);
• a first consumer node having means for transmitting a consumer data message over a first power line carrier link to a first local node associated with the first consumer node, the consumer data message including a destination address of a second consumer node;
• the consumer data message is routed through the network of local nodes based on the destination address to a second local node, the second local node associated with a second consumer node;
• and
• the consumer data message is transmitted over a second power line carrier link to the second consumer node, the second consumer node providing the at least a portion of the consumer data message to a consumer location associated therewith;
• receiving a second utility consumption request data message at a local node identifying a mobile unit;
• determining a location of a mobile unit within the first coverage area;
• routing the second data message to a local node near the location;
• and
• transmitting the utility consumption data to the mobile unit from the local node by a line-of-sight RF link.

A method of communicating data among a network of local nodes (40) wherein adjacent local nodes of the network communicate over line-of-sight RF links (52), a plurality consumer nodes (44) each coupled to one of the local nodes by a power line carrier link (53), the method comprising the steps of:

• transmitting a data message (86) from a first consumer node over the power line carrier link to an associated local node (40), the data message identifying a destination consumer node;
• routing the data packet amongst the local nodes (40) over the line-of-sight RF link (52) to a local node associated with the destination consumer node;
• transmitting the data message to the destination consumer node (44) over the power line carrier (53) which couples the destination consumer node with the local node associated with the destination consumer node, the second consumer node providing at least a portion (94) of the data message to a consumer location (45) associated with the consumer node;
• the network of local nodes is a first network of local nodes defining a first coverage area (12);
• the network further comprises a first backhauler node (50) located within the first coverage area and coupled to nearby local nodes by line-of-sight RF links (56),
• the network further comprises a second network of local nodes defining a second coverage area including a second backhauler node located therein;
• the destination consumer node is located within the second coverage area;
• wherein the routing step further comprise the steps of:
• routing the data packet amongst the local nodes of the first coverage area to the first backhauler node;
• the first backhauler node transferring the data packet over a high data bandwidth link to the second backhauler node;
• the second backhauler node transmitting the data packet to a local node within the second coverage area;
• and
• routing the data packet amongst local nodes of the second coverage area to the local node associated with the destination consumer node;
• receiving a second utility consumption request data message at a local node identifying a mobile unit;
• determining a location of a mobile unit within the first coverage area;
• routing the second data message to a local node near the location;
• and
• transmitting the utility consumption data to the mobile unit from the local node by a line-of-sight RF link.