IP-based meter reading method and system based on dual-mode communication network
By adopting an IP-based meter reading method based on a dual-mode communication network, the problem of poor scalability of field area network technology is solved, achieving efficient interconnection and interoperability between devices and automated network management. It adapts to the integration of multiple communication methods and reduces deployment difficulty and cost.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHENZHEN FRIENDCOM TECH DEV
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-28
AI Technical Summary
The integration of multiple communication methods in LAN technology results in poor scalability and insufficient flexibility, affecting network deployment and management, making it difficult to quickly interconnect devices, and limiting its application.
The method adopts an IP-based meter reading approach based on a dual-mode communication network. Through the networking of routing nodes and terminal nodes, dynamic acquisition of IPv6 addresses, and network routing settings, data communication between terminal nodes and remote servers is realized. Terminal nodes read and store meter data, and the method supports the integration of multiple communication methods.
It improves the compatibility and efficiency of network deployment, reduces costs, facilitates rapid interconnection, adapts to the international network environment, reduces manual intervention, and supports seamless integration of multiple communication methods.
Smart Images
Figure CN121940378A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of field area network technology, and in particular to an IP-based meter reading method and system based on a dual-mode communication network. Background Technology
[0002] Field Area Network (FAN) is an Internet of Things (IoT) communication technology that cleverly integrates various communication methods, such as HPLC (High-speed Power Line Communications), low-power radio frequency (RF), LoRa (Long Range Radio), and Zigbee (Low-Power Short-Range Communication). This technology primarily utilizes wireless signals and power line carriers as transmission media to construct a self-organizing mesh local communication network capable of achieving deep coverage. FAN plays an indispensable and crucial role in the construction of smart grids and the advancement of smart cities, such as in IP-based meter reading.
[0003] However, due to the integration of multiple communication methods in LANs, a unified architecture is lacking. The sheer number of heterogeneous networks, the extreme diversity of terminal devices, and the wide variety of application protocols present challenges. While this diversity increases the flexibility of communication solutions to some extent, it also introduces issues related to protocol inconsistencies. When deployed in different application scenarios, LANs often face challenges such as poor scalability and insufficient flexibility. Network deployment and management become complex and difficult, and interoperability between devices is also challenging. These problems severely restrict the widespread application of LANs. A universal IP-based solution is urgently needed to achieve seamless integration and efficient communication between different platforms, thereby driving the development of LAN technology.
[0004] In the process of realizing this invention, the inventors discovered at least the following problems in the prior art: Existing field area network (Field Area Network) technologies integrate multiple communication methods, resulting in poor scalability and insufficient flexibility. This affects network deployment and management, hinders rapid interconnection between devices, and limits the application of Field Area Network technologies. Summary of the Invention
[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an IP-based meter reading method and system based on a dual-mode communication network, to solve the technical problems existing in field area network (FAN) technology, which integrates multiple communication methods, suffers from poor scalability and insufficient flexibility, affecting network deployment and management, hindering rapid interconnection between devices, and limiting the application of FAN technology. The various technical effects of the preferred solutions among the many technical solutions provided by this invention are detailed below.
[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: This invention provides an IP-based meter reading method based on a dual-mode communication network, comprising the following steps: S100: Based on the dual-mode communication standard, the routing node and terminal node of the dual-mode communication network form a local network, wherein the routing node synchronously drives the Ethernet module or mobile communication module to access the Internet in IPv6 mode; S200: The routing node dynamically obtains an IPv6 global unicast address and sets two network routes, and starts periodically broadcasting route announcement messages after accessing the Internet; S300: After the terminal node accesses the local network, it actively initiates a route request message or receives the route announcement messages periodically broadcast by the routing node; S400: After receiving the route announcement message, the terminal node generates a global unicast address based on the obtained IPv6 prefix and its own MAC address, and performs duplicate address detection; S500: The terminal node starts MQTT or other application layer protocols to communicate with a remote server, the terminal node reads the meter data, and the remote server parses and stores the meter data.
[0007] Preferably, in step S100, the local network is networked at the non-IP-based FAN network layer, and the mobile communication module is a 4G communication unit or a 5G communication unit.
[0008] Preferably, in step S200, the routing node dynamically obtains an IPv6 global unicast address by automatically configuring SLAAC with a stateless address.
[0009] Preferably, in step S200, the two network routes are a first network route and a second network route; in the first network route, the routing node forwards data from the low-power wireless virtual network card or the high-speed powerline virtual network card to the Ethernet network card or the mobile communication network card; in the second network route, the routing node forwards data from the current IPv6 prefix in the Ethernet network card or the mobile communication network card to the low-power wireless virtual network card or the high-speed powerline virtual network card.
[0010] Preferably, step S500 specifically includes: S510: The terminal node uses its own serial number as the MAC address of the low-power wireless virtual network card or the high-speed powerline virtual network card, initiates a communication connection to the remote server via a domain name or IPv6 address, and sends IP data packets to the low-power wireless virtual network card or the high-speed powerline virtual network card after processing by the local IP protocol stack; S520: The terminal node compresses the header of the IP data packets using the 6LoWPAN protocol, and the low-power wireless virtual network card or the high-speed powerline virtual network card identifies the unicast address or multicast address based on the MAC address in the IP data packet, and performs... Data forwarding; S530: The routing node receives the IP data packet, decompresses the packet header using the 6LoWPAN protocol, and sends it to the Internet via Ethernet or mobile communication network in IPv6 mode; S540: After receiving the connection request sent by the terminal node, the remote server performs authentication and authorization, establishes a connection with the terminal node, and the terminal node subscribes to relevant topics of electricity meter data; S550: The terminal node periodically reads the electricity meter data and sends it to the remote server. After receiving the electricity meter data, the remote server parses and stores it, and pushes the electricity meter data to the client.
[0011] Preferably, in step S520, during the IP packet header compression process, the 40-byte IPv6 header is compressed to 4 bytes.
[0012] Preferably, in step S520, if the MAC address starts with 33-33, it is a multicast address, and the data is broadcast via low-power wireless communication or high-speed power line communication. The broadcast address is set to ff-ff-ff-ff-ff-ff according to the dual-mode communication protocol. If the MAC address is a unicast address, the data is broadcast via low-power wireless communication or high-speed power line communication. The unicast address is the destination MAC address in the IP data packet.
[0013] Preferably, in step S540, if the verification of the remote server is successful, a connection is established with the terminal node, and a unique client ID is assigned to the terminal node.
[0014] Preferably, in step S550, the terminal node encapsulates and compresses the copied data using IP encapsulation before sending it to the remote server.
[0015] An IP-based meter reading system based on a dual-mode communication network is provided for running any of the above-described IP-based meter reading methods based on a dual-mode communication network. The system includes a routing node and a terminal node. The routing node is a communication master device used to drive an Ethernet or mobile communication module for network access, route establishment, and data forwarding, providing a transmission channel for communication between the terminal node and a remote server. The terminal node is a communication terminal device that connects to the electricity meter via a serial port to read meter data. After IP encapsulation and compression, the read data is sent to the routing node via a field area network.
[0016] Implementing one of the above-described technical solutions of the present invention has the following advantages or beneficial effects: This embodiment requires no changes to the underlying architecture of the field area network (LAN), exhibiting high compatibility with existing network infrastructure. It can be ported to existing heterogeneous communication networks, avoiding the limitations of traditional IP-based solutions (such as 6LoWPAN) that require physical layer support for the IEEE 802.15.4 protocol. It adapts well to LANs integrating multiple communication methods, reducing network deployment difficulty and cost, facilitating rapid interconnection between devices, and promoting the application of LAN technology. Simultaneously, routing nodes automatically obtain IPv6 global unicast addresses and set network routing paths, while terminal nodes can generate global unicast addresses based on received routing advertisement messages. This automated mechanism reduces manual intervention and improves network management efficiency. This embodiment also accesses the Internet via IPv6, better adapting to the international network environment. Attached Figure Description
[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a flowchart of an IP-based meter reading method based on a dual-mode communication network according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a flowchart of step S500 in an IP-based meter reading method based on a dual-mode communication network according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the uplink network structure of an IP-based meter reading system based on a dual-mode communication network according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the downlink network structure of an IP-based meter reading system based on a dual-mode communication network, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0018] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, various exemplary embodiments described below will be referenced to the accompanying drawings, which form part of the exemplary embodiments, illustrating various exemplary embodiments that may be used to implement the present invention. Unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this disclosure. It should be understood that they are merely examples of processes, methods, and apparatuses consistent with some aspects of the present invention disclosed as detailed in the appended claims, and other embodiments may be used, or structural and functional modifications may be made to the embodiments listed herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.
[0019] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. The terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. The term "multiple" means two or more. The terms "connected" and "linked" should be interpreted broadly, for example, they can be fixed connections, detachable connections, integral connections, mechanical connections, electrical connections, communication connections, direct connections, indirect connections through an intermediate medium, and can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. The term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.
[0020] To illustrate the technical solution described in this invention, specific embodiments are described below, showing only the parts related to the embodiments of this invention.
[0021] Example 1: like Figure 1As shown, the present invention provides an IP-based meter reading method based on a dual-mode communication network, including the following steps: S100: Based on the dual-mode communication standard, in this embodiment the State Grid dual-mode communication standard, which makes network management more standardized and orderly. The routing nodes and terminal nodes of the dual-mode communication network form a local network. The routing nodes synchronously drive the Ethernet module or mobile communication module to access the Internet in the form of IPv6. Accessing the Internet in the form of IPv6 can better adapt to the international network environment and improve adaptability. S200: The routing node dynamically obtains an IPv6 global unicast address and sets up two network routes. After connecting to the Internet, it begins periodically broadcasting route advertisement messages. S300: After connecting to the local network, the terminal node actively initiates a route request message or receives route advertisement messages periodically broadcast by the routing node. S400: After receiving the route advertisement message, the terminal node generates a global unicast address based on the obtained IPv6 prefix and its own MAC address, and performs Duplicate Address Detection (DAD, a uniqueness check process that IPv6 must complete before officially enabling a unicast address on an interface to prevent duplicate addresses within the same link). S500: The terminal node initiates MQTT or other application layer protocols to communicate with the remote server. The terminal node reads electricity meter data, and the remote server parses and stores the electricity meter data. This embodiment requires no changes to the underlying architecture of the field area network (LAN), exhibiting high compatibility with existing network infrastructure. It can be ported to existing heterogeneous communication networks, avoiding the limitations of traditional IP-based solutions (such as 6LoWPAN) that require physical layer support for the IEEE 802.15.4 protocol. It adapts well to LANs integrating multiple communication methods, reducing network deployment difficulty and cost, facilitating rapid interconnection between devices, and promoting the application of LAN technology. Simultaneously, routing nodes automatically obtain IPv6 global unicast addresses and set network routing paths, while terminal nodes can generate global unicast addresses based on received routing advertisement messages. This automated mechanism reduces manual intervention and improves network management efficiency. This embodiment also accesses the Internet via IPv6, better adapting to the international network environment.
[0022] As an optional implementation, in step S100, the local network is networked at the non-IP-based FAN network layer (corresponding to...). Figure 2 , Figure 3 The FAN network layer in the network, such as the State Grid dual-mode communication network; the mobile communication module is a 4G communication unit or a 5G communication unit, which facilitates the selection of the required mobile communication module as needed and improves adaptability. In this embodiment, a 4G communication unit is preferred.
[0023] As an optional implementation, in step S200, the routing node dynamically obtains a global IPv6 unicast address through Stateless Address Autoconfiguration (SLAAC). SLAAC is an important automatic address allocation mechanism in IPv6 networks. It allows devices to automatically generate globally routable IPv6 addresses without relying on a central server (such as DHCPv6), achieving a "plug-and-play" network access experience. Simultaneously, this embodiment also supports Route Advertisement (RA) and Route Request (RS) mechanisms, enabling the terminal node address to automatically complete dynamic IP configuration based on the IPv6 prefix in the route advertisement, improving operational efficiency.
[0024] As an optional implementation, in step S200, the two network routes are a first network route and a second network route; in the first network route, the routing node will use a low-power wireless virtual network card or a high-speed powerline virtual network card (corresponding to...). Figure 3 Data from the RF / HPLC virtual network card in the network is forwarded to the Ethernet network card or the mobile communication network card (corresponding to the RF / HPLC virtual network card in the network card). Figure 3 In the ETH / 4G network card); in the second network route, the routing node will connect the Ethernet network card or the mobile communication network card (corresponding to...). Figure 4 Data from the current IPv6 prefix in the ETH / 4G network card is forwarded to the low-power wireless virtual network card or the high-speed powerline virtual network card (corresponding to...). Figure 4 (RF / HPLC virtual network card in the middle).
[0025] As an optional implementation method, such as Figure 2As shown, step S500 specifically includes: S510: The terminal node uses its own serial number as the MAC address of the low-power wireless virtual network card or high-speed powerline virtual network card, initiates a communication connection to the remote server through a domain name or IPv6 address, and sends IP data packets to the low-power wireless virtual network card or high-speed powerline virtual network card after processing by the local IP protocol stack; S520: The terminal node compresses the header of the IP data packet through the 6LoWPAN protocol. The low-power wireless virtual network card or high-speed powerline virtual network card identifies the unicast address or multicast address according to the MAC address in the IP data packet and forwards the data; S530: The routing node receives the IP data packet, decompresses the header through the 6LoWPAN protocol, and sends it to the Internet via Ethernet or mobile communication network in IPv6 mode; S540: After receiving the connection request sent by the terminal node, the remote server performs authentication and authorization, establishes a connection with the terminal node, and the terminal node subscribes to relevant topics of electricity meter data, such as subscribing to the "meter / data" topic, in order to receive real-time data from the electricity meter. S550: Terminal nodes periodically read meter data and send it to a remote server. The remote server receives the meter data, parses and stores it, and pushes the data to the client according to the subscription relationship. Furthermore, during communication, if network failures or other anomalies occur, the terminal nodes and routing nodes will implement appropriate error handling and reconnection mechanisms. For example, the terminal nodes will periodically check the connection status with the local network and MQTT server; if the connection is lost, it will attempt to reconnect.
[0026] As an optional implementation, in step S520, during the IP packet header compression process, the 40-byte IPv6 header is compressed to 4 bytes. This reduces the communication pressure on the FAN network and improves communication efficiency. During data transmission, unnecessary data volume is reduced, enabling data to be transmitted more quickly and stably over the network.
[0027] As an optional implementation, in step S520, if the MAC address starts with 33-33, it is a multicast address (a fixed mapping rule for Ethernet explicitly defined by the IEEE standard). The data is broadcast via low-power wireless communication or high-speed power line communication, and the broadcast address is set to ff-ff-ff-ff-ff-ff according to the dual-mode communication protocol. If the MAC address is a unicast address, the data is broadcast via low-power wireless communication or high-speed power line communication, and the unicast address is the destination MAC address in the IP data packet. This is because in a dual-mode local communication network, communication devices all use the device SN as the communication ID.
[0028] As an optional implementation, in step S540, if the remote server's verification is successful, a connection is established with the terminal node, and a unique client ID is assigned to the terminal node to facilitate communication.
[0029] As an optional implementation, in step S550, the terminal node encapsulates and compresses the copied data using IP encapsulation before sending it to the remote server to reduce data transmission pressure.
[0030] The embodiment is merely a specific example and does not indicate that this is the only way to implement the present invention.
[0031] Example 2: An IP-based meter reading system based on a dual-mode communication network is provided for running an IP-based meter reading method based on a dual-mode communication network as described in Embodiment 1. Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, the system includes routing nodes and terminal nodes. The routing node is the main communication device, used to drive Ethernet or mobile communication modules for network access, route establishment, and data forwarding, providing a transmission channel for communication between terminal nodes and remote servers. The terminal node is a communication terminal device that connects to the electricity meter via a serial port to read meter data. The read data is then encapsulated and compressed using IP before being sent to the routing node through the field area network. This embodiment does not require changes to the underlying architecture of the field area network, exhibiting high compatibility with existing network infrastructure. It can be ported to existing heterogeneous communication networks, avoiding the limitations of traditional IP-based solutions (such as 6LoWPAN) that require physical layer support for the IEEE 802.15.4 protocol. It can well adapt to field area networks integrating multiple communication methods, reducing the difficulty and cost of network deployment. Simultaneously, the routing node automatically obtains an IPv6 global unicast address and sets the network routing path, while the terminal node can generate a global unicast address based on received routing announcement messages. This automated mechanism reduces manual intervention and improves network management efficiency. This embodiment also accesses the Internet via IPv6, better adapting to the international network environment.
[0032] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that various changes or equivalent substitutions can be made to these features and embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Furthermore, under the teachings of the present invention, these features and embodiments can be modified to adapt to specific situations and materials without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, and all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims of this application are within the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. An IP-based meter reading method based on a dual-mode communication network, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S100: Based on the dual-mode communication standard, the routing node and terminal node of the dual-mode communication network form a local network, and the routing node synchronously drives the Ethernet module or mobile communication module to access the Internet in the form of IPv6. S200: The routing node dynamically obtains an IPv6 global unicast address and sets up two network routes. After connecting to the Internet, it starts periodically broadcasting route announcement messages. S300: After the terminal node accesses the local network, it actively initiates a routing request message or receives a routing announcement message periodically broadcast by the routing node. S400: After receiving the routing announcement message, the terminal node generates a global unicast address based on the obtained IPv6 prefix and its own MAC address, and performs duplicate address detection. S500: The terminal node initiates MQTT or other application layer protocols to communicate with the remote server. The terminal node reads the meter data, and the remote server parses and stores the meter data.
2. The IP-based meter reading method based on a dual-mode communication network according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S100, the local network is established at the non-IP-based FAN network layer, and the mobile communication module is a 4G communication unit or a 5G communication unit.
3. The IP-based meter reading method based on a dual-mode communication network according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S200, the routing node dynamically obtains an IPv6 global unicast address by automatically configuring SLAAC with a stateless address.
4. The IP-based meter reading method based on a dual-mode communication network according to claim 3, characterized in that, In step S200, the two network routes are a first network route and a second network route; in the first network route, the routing node forwards data from the low-power wireless virtual network card or the high-speed powerline virtual network card to the Ethernet network card or the mobile communication network card; in the second network route, the routing node forwards data from the current IPv6 prefix in the Ethernet network card or the mobile communication network card to the low-power wireless virtual network card or the high-speed powerline virtual network card.
5. The IP-based meter reading method based on a dual-mode communication network according to claim 1, characterized in that, The S500 step specifically includes: S510: The terminal node uses its own serial number as the MAC address of the low-power wireless virtual network card or the high-speed powerline virtual network card, initiates a communication connection to the remote server through the domain name or IPv6 address, and sends IP data packets to the low-power wireless virtual network card or the high-speed powerline virtual network card after processing by the local IP protocol stack. S520: The terminal node compresses the header of the IP data packet using the 6LoWPAN protocol. The low-power wireless virtual network card or high-speed powerline virtual network card identifies the unicast address or multicast address based on the MAC address in the IP data packet and forwards the data. S530: The routing node receives the IP data packet, decompresses the packet header using the 6LoWPAN protocol, and sends it to the Internet via Ethernet or mobile communication network in IPv6 mode; S540: After receiving the connection request sent by the terminal node, the remote server performs authentication and authorization, establishes a connection with the terminal node, and the terminal node subscribes to relevant topics of electricity meter data; S550: The terminal node periodically reads the meter data and sends it to the remote server. After receiving the meter data, the remote server parses and stores it, and then pushes the meter data to the client.
6. The IP-based meter reading method based on a dual-mode communication network according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step S520, during the IP packet header compression process, the 40-byte IPv6 header is compressed to 4 bytes.
7. The IP-based meter reading method based on a dual-mode communication network according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step S520, if the MAC address starts with 33-33, it is a multicast address, and the data is broadcast via low-power wireless communication or high-speed power line communication. The broadcast address is set to ff-ff-ff-ff-ff-ff according to the dual-mode communication protocol. If the MAC address is a unicast address, the data is broadcast via low-power wireless communication or high-speed power line communication. The unicast address is the destination MAC address in the IP data packet.
8. The IP-based meter reading method based on a dual-mode communication network according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step S540, if the remote server's verification is successful, a connection is established with the terminal node, and a unique client ID is assigned to the terminal node.
9. The IP-based meter reading method based on a dual-mode communication network according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step S550, the terminal node encapsulates and compresses the copied data using IP encapsulation before sending it to the remote server.
10. An IP-based meter reading system based on a dual-mode communication network, characterized in that, The method for operating an IP-based meter reading method based on a dual-mode communication network according to any one of claims 1-9 includes the routing node and the terminal node; the routing node is a communication master device used to drive an Ethernet or mobile communication module to perform network access, route establishment, and data forwarding, and to provide a transmission channel for communication between the terminal node and the remote server; the terminal node is a communication terminal device that connects to the electricity meter via a serial port to read the electricity meter data, and after IP encapsulation and compression of the read data, sends it to the routing node through a field area network.