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`(10) Patent N0.:
`US 6,900,737 B1
`(12) United States Patent
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`Ardalan et al.
`May 31, 2005
`(45) Date of Patent:
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`USOO6900737B1
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`(54) REMOTE ACCESS TO ELECTRONIC
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`METERS USING THE SHORT MESSAGE
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`SERVICE
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`(75)
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`Inventorsz Sasan H- Ardalan, Cary, NC (US);
`David E. Van Den Bout, Apex, NC
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`(US); Arnold W. Bragg, Raleigh, NC
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`(US)
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`(73) Assignee: Elster Electricity, LLC, Raleigh, NC
`(US)
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`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
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`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
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`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
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`( * ) Notice:
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`(21) Appl. No.: 09/022,879
`Filed:
`Feb. 12, 1998
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`(22)
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`(60)
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`Related US. Application Data
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`Provisional application No. 60/037,711, filed on Feb. 12,
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`1997.
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`(51)
`Int. Cl.7 ................................................ G08B 23/00
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`(52) US. Cl.
`............................ 340/870.02; 340/870.07;
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`455/426.1, 455/466; 379/1063, 370/474
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`(58) Field of Search ....................... 340/87002, 870.03,
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`340/870.07; 455/331, 426, 466; 379/106,
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`106.3, 56.3; 370/328, 349, 474, 522, 529,
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`702/68, 62; 348/6
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`(56)
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`References Cited
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`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`............ 379/59
`8/1996 Roach, Jr. et al.
`5,546,444 A
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`
`
`........ 364/492
`8/1996 Hemminger et al.
`5,548,527 A
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`9/1996 Johnson et al.
`............. 375/200
`5,553,094 A
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`5,675,371 A * 10/1997 Barringer ....................... 348/6
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`5,719,918 A *
`2/1998 Serbetciouglu et al.
`..... 380/271
`5,748,104 A *
`5/1998 Argyroudis et al.
`340/870.11
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`5,845,203 A * 12/1998 LaDue ....................... 370/494
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`6,014,089 A *
`1/2000 Tracy et al.
`..... 340/870.02
`6,150,955 A * 11/2000 Tracy et al.
`........... 340/870.02
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`* cited by examiner
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`Primary Examiner—Albert K. Wong
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`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Woodcock Washburn LLP
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`ABSTRACT
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`(57)
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`An automatic meter reading (AMR) system collects readings
`from multiple or individual meters or sets parameters in
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`individual or multiple meters using the Short Message
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`Service (SMS) in digital cellular networks. The individual
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`meters incorporate interfaces to the SMS network so that
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`parameters within the meter can be read and written to/from
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`external devices that also interface to the SMS network.
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`Communications gateways incorporate a single interface to
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`the SMS network, which a set of non-SMS-enabled meters
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`can access via a local area network (LAN).
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`20 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
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`Network (DON)
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`Page 1 of 9
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`NOVATEL EXHIBIT 1027
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`Page 1 of 9
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`NOVATEL EXHIBIT 1027
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`US. Patent
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`May 31, 2005
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`Sheet 1 0f 2
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`US 6,900,737 B1
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`@
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`AMR Semce
`(PWRCO)
`Utility
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`Interface
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`[/I
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`I IIIIII I I
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`Power Line
`Interface
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`SMS
`Communication
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`II
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`I l
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`\ f
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`MS
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`US. Patent
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`May 31, 2005
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`Sheet 2 0f 2
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`US 6,900,737 B1
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`I/F
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`Meter
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`21
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`Power Inc
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`AMR
`Database
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`SMS
`Communications
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`Network (DCN)
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`fl \
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`Digital Cellular
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`14
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`Mobile
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`14
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`Mobile
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`Page 3 of 9
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`14
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`Mobile
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`Page 3 of 9
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`US 6,900,737 B1
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`1
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`REMOTE ACCESS TO ELECTRONIC
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`METERS USING THE SHORT MESSAGE
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`SERVICE
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`This application claims the benefit of US. Provisional
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`application Ser. No. 60/037,711 filed Dec. 12, 1997.
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`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
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`invention relates generally to electronic
`The present
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`meters and automatic meter reading, and more particularly
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`to SMS-enabled electronic meters providing remote two-
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`way access over local area networks and public digital
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`cellular networks.
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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`The present invention relates to automatic meter reading
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`(AMR) systems for use in automatically reading electrical
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`energy and other utility meters (e.g., water and gas meters).
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`The invention is more particularly intended for, although not
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`limited to, use in an electronic meter. Further background
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`information on electronic meters can be found in US. Pat.
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`No. 5,548,527, Aug. 20, 1996, titled “Programmable Elec-
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`trical Energy Meter Utilizing a Non-Volatile Memory”
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`(assigned to ABB Power T&D Company Inc.) Further
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`background on automatic meter reading systems can be
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`found in US. Pat. No. 5,553,094, Sep. 3, 1996, titled “Radio
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`Communication Network for Remote Data Generating Sta-
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`tions.”
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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`The communications gateway, in preferred embodiments
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`of the invention, removes SMS message headers from SMS
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`packets and passes original packets of meter readings from
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`the AMR node to the AMR server, and the AMR server
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`updates an AMR database using readings found in the
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`message packets. In addition, the server encapsulates new
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`utility rates for a meter or group of meters into a packet and
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`passes the packet to the communications gateway, and the
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`gateway encapsulates the packet into a SMS packet and
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`sends it to the AMR node via the SMS.
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`As an example of the operation of the system, the AMR
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`server sends the following types of messages to the meters:
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`(1) commands to send a current usage reading; (2) com-
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`mands to send a current rate of power usage; (3) commands
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`to shut-down appliances; (4) commands to apply power to
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`appliances; (5) commands to schedule times at which the
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`meters will power-up and listen for SMS packets;
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`configurations to change the way the meters operate and/or
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`add new functions; and (7) notification of a new phone
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`number or numbers with which to reach the AMR commu-
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`nications gateway.
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`As another example, the meters and/or AMR node send
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`the following types of messages to the AMR server: (1)
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`notification of meter tampering; (2) notification of power
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`outages; (3) reading of current power usage; (4) reading of
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`current rate of power usage; (5) identification of devices
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`actively drawing power; (6) identification of devices not
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`actively drawing power; (7) identification of services cur-
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`rently supported by the meter; (8) notification of a new
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`phone number with which to reach the meter or AMR node.
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`As a final example, the AMR server and communications
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`gateway cooperate as follows to initiate the reading of a
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`meter: (1) the AMR server encapsulates a command for
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`reading a meter along with a meter ID into a packet that is
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`passed to the communications gateway; (2) the communi-
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`cations gateway encapsulates the packet from the AMR
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`server into a SMS packet; (3) the gateway uses the meter ID
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`to determine a phone number associated with the meter; (4)
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`the phone number is dialed and the SMS packet is sent via
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`the SMS; the SMS delivers the SMS packet to the meter or
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`AMR node.
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`Other features of the present
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`below.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
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`invention are disclosed
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`FIG. 1 schematically depicts a presently preferred
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`embodiment of an AMR system in accordance with the
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`present invention.
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`FIG. 2 is a block diagram similar to FIG. 1.
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
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`EMBODIMENTS
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`Short Message Services (SMS) are provided by telecom-
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`munications utilities and allow cellular phone customers to
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`send and receive short messages of 160 characters or less.
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`An SMS is available in systems following the CDMA,
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`TDMA and GSM standards. The following description is
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`based on the GSM Public Land Mobile Network Technical
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`Specification published by the European Telecommunica-
`tions Standards Institute (ETSI) (see GSM 03.02 version
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`5.0.0: March 1996), but is also valid for systems that provide
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`SMS using CDMA and TDMA.
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`As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a presently preferred embodi-
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`ment of the invention includes a digital cellular network
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`(DCN) 10 that supports SMS; an automatic meter reading
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`35
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`The present invention provides an automatic meter read-
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`ing (AMR) system that collects readings from multiple or
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`individual meters or sets parameters in individual or mul-
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`tiple meters using the Short Message Service (SMS) in
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`digital cellular networks. According to the invention, indi-
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`vidual meters incorporate interfaces to the SMS network so
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`that parameters within the meter can be read and written
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`to/from external devices that also interface to the SMS
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`network. Communications gateways incorporate a single
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`interface to the SMS network, which a set of non-SMS-
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`enabled meters can access via a local area network (LAN).
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`A system in accordance with the present invention is
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`intended for use in combination with a public switched
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`telephone network (PSTN) and a digital cellular network
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`(DCN) providing a short message service (SMS). The inven-
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`tive system comprises an automatic meter reading (AMR)
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`network coupled to the DCN by the PSTN, and the AMR
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`network comprises a plurality of meters and an AMR node,
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`wherein the meters are in communication with the node. The
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`meters may communicate with the AMR node via a power
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`line interface and/or a radio frequency (RF) interface.
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`Presently preferred embodiments of the invention also
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`55
`include an AMR server that communicates with the AMR
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`node via the DCN. In addition, said preferred embodiments
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`comprise a communications gateway operatively coupled to
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`the AMR server, wherein the communications gateway is
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`operatively coupled, and provides an interface, to the PSTN.
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`In addition, an SMS interface within the meters and/or the
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`gateway may be provided to permit remote access to meter
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`parameters. The SMS provided by the DCN permits the
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`AMR node to collect message packets of meter data and to
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`send the message packets to the communications gateway
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`within one or more SMS packets. The communications
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`gateway may receive the SMS packets directly from the
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`DCN or via the PSTN.
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`US 6,900,737 B1
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`3
`(AMR) local area network 20; and a public switched tele-
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`phone network (PSTN) 30.
`As shown in FIG. 1, the DCN 10 includes a base station
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`system (BSS) 11 that comprises a base station controller
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`(BSC) 12 and multiple base transceiver stations (BTSs) 13
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`in communication with mobile stations (Mss) 14. The BSC
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`12 is coupled to a mobile switching center (MSC) 15, which
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`has access to an authentication center (AUC) 16, home
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`location register (HLR) 17, visitor location register (VLR)
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`18, and equipment information register (EIR) 19. The MSC
`communicates with a gateway mobile service center
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`(GMSC) 15a, which in turn is coupled to the PSTN 30. The
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`AMR network 20 includes a plurality of meters 21 in
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`communication with an AMR node 22 via a power line
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`interface 21a or an RF (radio frequency) interface 21b. The
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`node 22 communicates with an AMR server 23 via the DCN
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`10. The AMR server 23 is coupled to a communications
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`gateway 24, which provides an interface to the PSTN 30,
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`which is coupled to the DCN 10. As shown in FIG. 2, it is
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`20
`also possible to provide a direct link 27 between the AMR
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`node 22 and the communications gateway 24.
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`Embedding a SMS interface within a meter 21 or a
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`gateway 24 to multiple meters through a local area network
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`(LAN) (i.e., the AMR network 20) enables remote access to
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`meter parameters on a continuous basis. As shown in FIG.
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`1, a set of N meters 21 (where N is an integer) communicate
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`through the LAN (which may be, e.g., CEBus over radio
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`frequencies (RF) or power lines) to the AMR node 22. (The
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`Consumer Electronics Bus (CEBus) protocol has been
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`adopted as an Electronics Industry Association standard
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`(EIA 18-60), and defines a LAN that uses multiple media,
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`including power line, radio, twisted pair, coaXial cable, and
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`infrared signaling.) The node 22 is connected to the SMS
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`digital cellular network 10 provided by CDMA, TDMA or
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`GSM. The SMS allows the node 22 to collect the message
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`packets of meter data and send them to the AMR commu-
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`nications gateway within one or more SMS packets. The
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`communications gateway 24 may receive the SMS packets
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`directly from the DCN 10 or they may pass through the
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`PSTN 30. The communications gateway 24 removes the
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`SMS message headers and passes the original packets of
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`meter readings from multiple AMR nodes 22 (only one node
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`is depicted) on to the AMR server 23. The AMR server 23
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`updates an AMR database 25 using the readings found in the
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`message packets.
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`The AMR server 23 can also send message packets to the
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`meters. For example, the server may encapsulate new utility
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`rates for a meter or group of meters into a packet that it
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`passes to the communications gateway 24. The gateway
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`encapsulates the packet into a SMS packet and sends it to the
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`AMR node or nodes via the SMS. The communications
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`gateway 24 accesses the SMS via the PSTN 30 or the DCN
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`10.
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`The architecture described above can be modified by
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`removing the AMR node 22 and providing each meter with
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`a direct interface to the DCN 10 so that every meter can send
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`and receive SMS packets. Each meter understands how to
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`package its data into a SMS packet and send this packet to
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`the SMS. From the standpoint of the communications gate-
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`way 24 and AMR server 23, the sending/receiving of data
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`to/from the meters is unchanged.
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`The AMR server 23 may send the following types of
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`messages to the meters:
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`1. Commands to send their current usage reading.
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`2. Commands to send their current rate of power usage.
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`3. Commands to shut-down appliances.
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`Page 5 of 9
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`4
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`4. Commands to apply power to appliances.
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`5. Commands to schedule the times at which they will
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`power-up and listen for SMS packets.
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`6. Configurations to change the way the meters operate
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`and/or add new functions.
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`7. Notification of a new phone number or numbers with
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`which to reach the AMR communications gateway of the
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`server.
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`8. Commands to disconnect the utility from the customer,
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`or to re-connect a previously disconnected customer, or to
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`limit the amount of service (e.g.,
`the amount of power)
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`available to the customer.
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`The meters 21 or AMR nodes 22 may send the following
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`types of messages to the AMR server:
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`Notification of meter tampering.
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`Notification of power outages.
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`Reading of current power usage.
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`Reading of current rate of power usage.
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`List of devices actively drawing power.
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`List of devices not actively drawing power.
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`. List of services currently supported by the meter.
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`. Reading of the unique 32-bit meter ID.
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`9. Notification of a new phone number or numbers with
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`which to reach the meter or AMR node.
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`The messages from the AMR server to the node/meters
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`and from the node/meters to the AMR server are all encoded
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`as strings of 0 and 1 bits. The entire string of bits is a
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`message packet. Each message packet includes the follow-
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`ing:
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`1. A 32-bit identifier of the originator of the message.
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`2. A 32-bit identifier of the recipient of the message.
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`3. A D-bit descriptor that
`identifies the type of data
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`encoded in the message packet.
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`4. A U-bit segment
`that contains the actual data or
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`commands that are being sent.
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`5. A bit that indicates whether this is a packet within a
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`larger set of packets that must be concatenated to form a
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`complete message packet.
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`6. An I-bit message identifier that is the same for all
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`packet segments within a complete message packet. This
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`field only appears if the packet segmentation bit is on.
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`7. A P-bit field that specifies the total number of packets
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`within a larger message packet. This field only appears if the
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`packet segmentation bit is on.
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`8. An S-bit sequence field that specifies which place this
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`packet occupies within the larger message packet. This field
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`only appears if the packet segmentation bit is on.
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`The SMS accepts a phone number and a 140-byte packet
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`from the message originator. The 140-byte packet is encap-
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`sulated into a larger SMS packet and is stored for delivery
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`to the mobile station 14 with the given phone number. When
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`the mobile station 14 becomes active, the complete SMS
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`packet is delivered. The header information in the SMS is
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`removed at the MS and the 140 bytes are left for the user of
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`the MS.
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`The SMS packet allows meters 14, AMR nodes 22, or
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`AMR communications gateways 24 to send or receive 140
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`bytes of data. The message packets in the AMR application
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`are padded to fill the 140 byte space or are segmented into
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`several smaller packets that fit within the 140-byte limit.
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`Once the padding or segmentation is complete, the 140-byte
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`packets are submitted to the SMS. The SMS delivers the
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`Page 5 of 9
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`US 6,900,737 B1
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`10
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`20
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`25
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`30
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`5
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`packets to a phone number designated by the originator of
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`the message. (This is the phone number of the communica-
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`tions gateway in the case where meters are sending data to
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`the AMR server, or it is the phone number of an AMR node
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`or meter if the AMR server is sending out commands.)
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`The AMR server 23 and database 25 work with meter IDs.
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`The AMR server sends and receives packets that refer to
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`meters using the 32-bit IDs. The communications gateway
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`24 is responsible for remembering which phone number is
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`used to reach a given meter. The association between each
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`meter ID and phone number is stored in a meter/phone
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`database 26 accessible by the communications gateway. The
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`gateway 24 passes the phone number for a given meter ID
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`to the SMS along with the packet from the AMR server 23
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`15
`encapsulated as a SMS packet. For example,
`the AMR
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`server and communications gateway would cooperate as
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`follows to initiate the reading of a meter:
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`1. The AMR server encapsulates the command for reading
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`a meter along with the meter ID into a packet that is passed
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`to the communications gateway.
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`2. The communications gateway encapsulates the packet
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`from the AMR server into a SMS packet. The gateway uses
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`the meter ID to lookup the phone number associated with the
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`meter. The phone number is dialed and the SMS packet is
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`sent via the SMS. For a meter reading command,
`it is
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`assumed that the command packet will fit within the 140-
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`byte user data portion of a SMS message, and so no packet
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`segmentation is required. In other scenarios, segmentation of
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`the data or commands into multiple SMS packets with
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`embedded sequence numbers may be necessary.
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`3. The SMS provided by GSM-type systems delivers the
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`SMS packet to the meter or AMR node. Once the packet is
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`received correctly, the SMS generates an acknowledgment
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`that is delivered back to the communications gateway. If the
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`packet could not be delivered or an error occurred in
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`delivery, the SMS generates an error message that is passed
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`back to the communications gateway. The gateway is
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`responsible for retransmitting the SMS packet.
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`Each AMR node 22 (or meter 21 in the case where each
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`meter has a direct interface to the SMS) stores the phone
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`number it uses to communicate back to the AMR server 23.
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`An AMR node (or meter) may store multiple phone numbers
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`in the event that the first phone number is out of service.
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`Each AMR node 22 is reachable through a cellular phone
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`link on the DCN 10. The AMR node receives the SMS
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`packet from the DCN. It saves the 140 bytes of user data that
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`contain the command packet sent from the AMR server 23.
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`Each AMR node maintains a database (not shown) that
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`matches meter IDs with the network IDs of etch meter on the
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`LAN. It uses this database along with the meter ID encoded
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`in the message packet to determine the network address for
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`the meter on the LAN. Then it encapsulates the message
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`packet into a form that can be sent over the LAN to the
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`meter. The detailed steps in this procedure are explained
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`below:
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`1. The node unpacks the SMS message packet and exam-
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`ines the user data portion to find the meter ID. The node
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`examines the ID and determines if it is for an individual
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`meter or a broadcast ID.
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`2. If the packet is addressed to an individual meter, then
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`the node must encapsulate the 140-byte user data portion of
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`the SMS packet into a LAN packet that is addressed to the
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`meter using its unique LAN address (which may be different
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`65
`from its ID). The association between the ID and LAN
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`address for each meter is stored in the node. Each time the
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`node receives a packet with an unknown ID, it queries the
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`6
`meters over the LAN to see which meter contains that
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`particular ID. The association is then entered in a table in the
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`node. If no meter claims the CID, the packet is ignored.
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`3. If the packet is meant for broadcast to all of the meters,
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`then the node must encapsulate the 140-byte user data
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`portion of the SMS packet
`into a LAN packet
`that
`is
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`addressed to the special broadcast address of the LAN
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`(which may be different from the broadcast CID).
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`4. If the LAN packet is larger than the maximum allow-
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`able packet size for the LAN, then the node must segment
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`the packet into smaller pieces. Each piece is labeled with the
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`same LAN address as the original, larger packet.
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`5. Each piece of the segmented packet is transmitted onto
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`the LAN for reception by one or more of the meters. The
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`node is responsible for
`receiving acknowledgments of
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`packet receptions from the meters, and for retransmitting
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`packets if they are not received.
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`Each individual meter listens on the LAN for packets. A
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`meter reconstitutes the original user data portion of the SMS
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`packet from one or more LAN packets, and then executes
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`the commands contained in the packet and sends the results
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`back to the gateway. The steps involved in this process are:
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`1. The meter examines the LAN address of the packet to
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`see if it is intended for this meter or if it is a broadcast
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`address. If the address is neither of these, the meter ignores
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`the packet.
`2. If the packet is specifically addressed for the meter, an
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`acknowledgment of reception is sent back to the node. If an
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`error is found in the packet, a negative acknowledgment is
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`sent back to the node. For broadcast
`transmissions, no
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`acknowledgment is sent.
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`3. The received packet is appended to any previously
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`received pieces of the larger segmented packet. When all
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`pieces of the segmented packet are received, the entire user
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`data portion of the original SMS packet is extracted and sent
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`to the meter application software.
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`4. The meter application will examine the data to see what
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`action is being requested.
`In this example, assume the
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`command requests the meter to find and return its current
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`reading.
`5. The meter application will query the meter electronics
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`to find the current reading.
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`6. The meter application encapsulates the meter reading
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`along with its ID into a LAN packet. The LAN address of the
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`gateway is then attached and the packet is sent back to the
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`node over the LAN.
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`7. Once the node receives the LAN packet from the meter,
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`it removes the data portion from the LAN packet and
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`repackages it within a SMS packet along with the meter ID
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`of the originating meter. For a single meter reading
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`operation, it is assumed that the returned data will fit within
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`the 140-byte user data portion of a SMS message so no
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`packet segmentation is required. (In the case of broadcast
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`commands where all the meters are activated and they all
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`return their current readings, then the node is responsible for
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`segmenting the total set of data into multiple SMS packets.)
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`8. The node sends the SMS packet into the SMS of the
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`DCN using the phone number of the AMR communication
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`gateway to which the node is assigned. The SMS provided
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`by GSM-type systems delivers the SMS packet
`to the
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`communications gateway. Once the packet
`is received
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`correctly, the SMS generates an acknowledgment which is
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`delivered back to the AMR node. If the packet could not be
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`delivered or an error occurs in delivery, the SMS generates
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`an error message that is passed back to the node. The node
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`is responsible for retransmitting the SMS packet.
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`Page 6 of 9
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`US 6,900,737 B1
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`10
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`15
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`20
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`25
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`7
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`Asingle meter 21 without an AMR node but with its own
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`wireless access module to the SMS of the DCN 10 can
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`receive SMS packets and return the results to the originator
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`of the SMS packet via the DCN. The steps involved in this
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`process are:
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`1. The meter receives a SMS packet and unpacks it to
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`examine the meter ID contained in the user data portion. The
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`gateway examines the ID and determines if it is for an
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`individual meter or a broadcast CID.
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`2. If the ID contained in the packet does not match the ID
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`of the meter or the special broadcast ID, then the packet is
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`ignored.
`3. The received packet is appended to any previously
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`received pieces of a larger segmented packet as determined
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`by a sequence number contained in the user data portion of
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`the SMS packet. When all pieces of the segmented packet
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`are received, the entire data portion of the original command
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`is extracted.
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`4. The meter application will examine the data to see what
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`action is being requested.
`In this example, assume the
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`command requests the meter to find and return its current
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`
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`reading.
`5. The meter application will query the meter electronics
`
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`
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`to find the current reading.
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`6. The meter application encapsulates the meter reading
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`along with its ID into a SMS packet. The phone number of
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`the meter’s AMR communications gateway is dialed and the
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`SMS packet is sent back via the SMS. For a single meter
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`reading operation, it is assumed that the returned data will fit
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`within the 140-byte user data portion of an SMS message,
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`and so no packet segmentation is required.
`In other
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`scenarios, segmentation of the returned data into multiple
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`SMS packets with embedded sequence numbers may be
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`necessary.
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`7. The SMS provided by GSM-type systems delivers the
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`SMS packet
`to the communications gateway. Once the
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`packet is receiv