DEVICE, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELECTIVELY RECEIVING DATA BROADCASTING IN A NETWORK

Description

Technical field

[0001] The invention is in the field of telecommunications. State of the prior art

[0002] There are needs that known technical solutions cannot satisfactorily address, such as the need for dynamic balancing of electrical networks or needs in the field of managing a fleet of connected objects. Indeed, balancing the electrical network requires the simultaneous transmission of remote controls aimed at erasing or activating consumptions distributed simultaneously in a large number of installations, this in territories whose coverage requires a plurality of transmitters or transmitters. Conventional cellular radio telecommunications networks are designed to address a specific terminal and are not suitable for simultaneously broadcasting a message with the same purpose to massive quantities of receivers.Digital radio and television content streaming networks are optimized for the simultaneous broadcasting of the same information to massive numbers of receivers, but their ability to select broadcast areas is too large to meet the finer sectorization needs of the energy sector. New "Low-Power Wide-Area" (LPWA) radio networks were designed to individually address autonomously powered connected objects that need to be fed back into an information system. Most of these systems are not natively designed to facilitate the simultaneous broadcasting of information to large numbers of objects whose reception must remain continuously active.Known powerline communications solutions have the same problems and limitations as radio communications solutions, and are also not suited to the needs of the applications targeted by the invention. Patent applications US 2002 / 065583 A1 and US 2003 / 151491 A1 are known to have been identified as the closest relevant prior art to the invention. Statement of the invention

[0003] The present invention is defined by the attached independent claims. Other preferred embodiments can be found in the dependent claims. The present application relates to a device (1) for selectively receiving data broadcast simultaneously to a predetermined subset of recipient devices from among massive quantities of receivers which are capable of physically receiving the data which are broadcast by radio or by power line in a telecommunication network or in a digital signal broadcasting network, comprising: at least one digital processing subassembly (4) comprising at least one microprocessor (5), at least one program memory (6); a low-voltage power supply subassembly (12) providing at least one direct voltage to power the hardware means of the device (1), said power supply subassembly being powered by at least one energy source (13); said device (1) being characterized in that it further comprises: first means (2) for receiving at least one configuration data item usable for limiting the effective reception of the broadcast data to only the previously determined devices, the at least one configuration data item being transmitted within the framework of a point-to-point link between at least one remote information system and the device (1); second means (3) for receiving broadcast data comprising data determining the selectivity of the broadcast;the at least one digital processing subassembly (4) further comprising an interface (7) with said first means (2), an interface (8) with said second means (3), an interface (9) with means (10) for using data received by said second means (3), at least one memory (11) for storing all or part of the at least one configuration data or at least one broadcast transmitter identifier, at least one program (14) for determining whether received broadcast data should be used or ignored by the device (1) as a function of said data determining the selectivity of the broadcast, and of all or part of the at least one data having been previously stored in the at least one memory (11). ; Brief description of the drawings

[0004] Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description of non-limiting embodiments, and the appended drawings where: There figure 1 illustrates the structure of the device according to the invention. The figure 2 illustrates the combination: local configurator and PLC broadcasting. The figure 3 illustrates the combination: electronic meter and PLC diffusion. The figure 4 illustrates the combination: communicating meter and PLC broadcasting. The Figure 5 illustrates the combination: point-to-point PLC and PLC broadcasting. The figure 6 illustrates the combination: point-to-point radio and PLC broadcasting. The figure 7 illustrates the combination: point-to-point radio and broadcast network. The figure 8 illustrates the combination: point-to-point bimodal radio and broadcasting. The figure 9 illustrates an optimized variant of dual-mode radio combination. The figure 10 illustrates the process of selective reception of broadcast data. The figure 11 illustrates the process of selective dissemination of data on target. The figure 12 illustrates the process of updating the network database. The figure 13illustrates the selectivity depending on the broadcast transmitters. Detailed description of the figures and embodiments

[0005] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the description below. In the attached drawings given as non-limiting examples: The figure 1 illustrates the structure of the device according to the invention.

[0006] The device 1 comprises first hardware and / or software means 2 for receiving at least one configuration data item transmitted as part of a point-to-point link between an external device, part of a telecommunications network or isolated, and said device. The choices of implementation of the means 2 are determined by the type of physical and / or logical link of the external device to which it is intended to connect. The invention provides that the means 2 make it possible, alone or in combination with the digital processing subassembly 4, to establish a point-to-point data link by radio 14, and / or by PLC 15 and / or by any other means 16. These links are at least unidirectional in the direction from the external device to the device according to the invention. It is common, however, that in the case of radio and PLC links, the links are bidirectional.Indeed, it is common for the communication protocol used to require communications in both directions at least to establish the connection and, if necessary, to control the data flows, to send acknowledgments of receipt to the transmitter, etc. The device also comprises second hardware and / or software means 3 for receiving data broadcast by at least one transmitter, by radio and / or by PLC. The data received comprise, for example, control data and / or data determining the selectivity of the broadcast and / or additional data, and / or a broadcast transmitter identifier. Said data is broadcast simultaneously to a plurality of receivers by radio and / or by PLC. The invention provides that the means 3 make it possible, alone or in combination with the digital processing subassembly 4, to receive data broadcast by radio 17, and / or by PLC 18.The means 3, which are optimized to receive data broadcast to massive quantities of receivers, are most often unidirectional in the direction from the transmission equipment of the broadcast infrastructure to the devices. The at least one digital processing subassembly 4 comprises at least one microprocessor 5 accompanied by the hardware resources necessary for its functionality such as for example a clock source, for example an external quartz supplemented where appropriate for example by a few passive components such as two capacitors, an integrated oscillator, a clock generator comprising a phase-locked loop etc.; one or more working memories, for example of the static or dynamic RAM type arranged according to the single- or multi-core architectures of the microprocessor, with or without instruction cache, based on registers or not etc.The at least one digital processing subassembly 4 also comprises at least one program memory 6. This is advantageously a non-volatile memory, for example of the “Flash” type, and even more advantageously a non-volatile memory arranged so that at least part of its capacity is rewritable in situ so that the software of the device can easily be updated, or even in the most sophisticated variants, be updated automatically remotely. In addition to the traditional case of a program executed by a single processor, the case of distributed execution in several microprocessors sharing a program memory or each having a dedicated program memory is also provided.The at least one digital processing subassembly 4 also comprises a hardware and / or software interface 7 with said first hardware and / or software means 2 for receiving data and a hardware and / or software interface 8 with said second hardware and / or software means 3 for receiving data. There are numerous variants of implementation of the invention according to the hardware, software or combined nature of said first and second means for receiving data, according to whether these means for receiving data are external or embedded in the at least one digital processing subassembly 4, or conversely whether the at least one digital processing subassembly 4 is embedded in the first means, in the second means, or in combined means for receiving data.The interfaces in question are, for example, when interacting with an external modem, one or more integrated hardware functional blocks intended to provide serial communications between subsystems or between electronic components, for example, functional blocks of the "UART", "SPI", "I2C", "I3C", "USB" type, etc. It is also intended to use common peripherals frequently associated with a microprocessor in more integrated components such as microcontrollers or systems on a chip. These are, for example, input-output lines and / or an interrupt input used to emulate a "UART", "SPI", "I2C", "I3C", "USB", etc. hardware block, in particular when it comes to low-speed data transmissions for which the emulated implementations are sufficiently efficient without overloading the microprocessor.It is also provided that the interfaces are exclusively software-based when the means for receiving the data are implemented by software in the same execution environment as the other processing operations of the device according to the invention, for example in the case of a digital receiver for voice frequency remote controls. Such software interfaces may, for example, use most of the technical solutions known to the person skilled in the art for exchanging data and / or for synchronizing processes implemented by software (by setting flags, via the stack, by "software interrupt", by calling a subroutine, etc.).

[0007] The at least one digital processing subassembly 4 also comprises a hardware and / or software interface 9 with means 10 for using data received by said second hardware and / or software means for receiving data. The nature of the hardware and / or software interface 9 depends on the nature of said means 10 for using data received according to the invention. In the simplest case of a stand-alone device of the “remote-controlled relay” type comprising a reception device according to the invention, the means 10 comprise at least one relay and its electronic control circuitry from the logic state of an input / output line included in the interface 9.In the case of more sophisticated devices comprising a receiving device according to the invention, for example an energy manager, or a heating and / or air conditioning and / or domestic hot water production device, the means 10 for using the received data are for example an electronic subassembly for thermal regulation and management of the functionalities of the device. The corresponding interface means 9 are then for example, depending on the implementation choices, for example a “UART”, “SPI”, “I2C”, “I3C”, “USB” in the form of a specialized hardware block or an emulated functional block. It is also planned to use as interface means, input / output lines directly connected to the electronic subassembly using the data or connected after current amplification by the use of a buffer circuit or after galvanic isolation by the use of optical, capacitive or inductive couplers.It is also provided in certain applications, for example for remote control of the operation of an air conditioner, that the interface means be a transmitter of infrared signals compatible with those expected by the remote control receiver of the air conditioner. Said infrared signals are modulated by means of appropriate software to emulate the signals transmitted by the native manual infrared remote control of the device. Each hardware resource implemented to produce an interface functional block 7, 8, 9 is supplemented by one or more appropriate software programs to control it and / or to carry out an emulation of a function or sub-function usually handled by a specialized hardware block. It should be noted that the use of the data received according to the invention does not only concern the control of external loads, actuators or devices.It is also provided that the reception of a selectively broadcast command according to the invention is used to acquire information such as, for example, the functional state of external equipment, a measurement of one or more physical quantities, a physiological parameter of a person, etc.

[0008] The device according to the invention further comprises at least one memory 11 for storing all or part of the at least one configuration data item and / or at least one broadcast transmitter identifier. All known and future non-volatile memory technologies are suitable for the use made of them in the context of the invention, for example power-saved “RAM”, “EEPROM”, FeRAM, MRAM, NRAM, PRAM, RRAM, etc. Technologies with less endurance than the previous ones in terms of the number of write cycles, such as in situ rewritable “Flash” type memory, can also be used in the context of the invention as memory 11, given the low frequency of configuration data updates in most use cases and techniques that can be implemented by software to increase the endurance of such memories.It is expected that in alternative implementations of the invention said configuration data to be stored permanently is distributed in several physically separate memories depending for example on the nature of the data and the availability of memory resources. Indeed, it is common to find a non-volatile memory block in most highly integrated semiconductor circuits because the need to store calibration or parameterization data exists in most applications. It is indeed common to find at least one functional block of non-volatile memory in microcontrollers, in systems on a chip and even in interface circuits, conversion or in semiconductor sensors.These non-volatile memory blocks are generally arranged to provide excess storage capacity relative to the primary needs that justified their integration into a component, and so that all or part of the storage capacity is freely accessible by means of an appropriate hardware and / or software interface. According to the implementation variants, it is provided that the invention uses a memory included in the at least one digital processing subassembly 4, and / or in said first hardware and / or software means 2 for receiving at least one configuration data item and / or in said second hardware and / or software means 3 for receiving data. The low-voltage power supply subassembly 12 provides at least one DC voltage appropriate in voltage and current to power the hardware means implemented within the framework of a given variant of the invention.This involves, for example, supplying a direct voltage of 5 V to the at least one digital processing subassembly and, where appropriate, to the first, second or combined reception means. The low-voltage power supply subassembly 12 also supplies, where appropriate, the voltage(s) at the appropriate current(s) to said means 10 for using received data; in the case of at least one electromechanical relay, the power supply 12 supplies, for example, a direct voltage of 24 V at a rate of, for example, 50 mA per relay used. The energy source 13 is most often the low-voltage electrical network, for example, 230 VAC or 110 VAC, at 50 or 60 Hz, in particular in implementations of the invention receiving data by carrier current and / or in those in which the use of the data requires a connection to the electrical network, as in the case of controlling all electrical power devices.It is also provided that the energy source 13 comes from a low-voltage DC network such as, for example, that of a 12 VDC, 24 VDC or 48 VDC vehicle network. Uses of the invention are also provided in the context of autonomous and / or very low-power communicating objects, for example environmental data sensors or in connection with the monitoring of high-voltage networks or even in the context of connected medical devices for measuring physiological parameters, when it is desired to synchronize the sampling of the measurements and / or the time spread of the transmissions of the resulting data by radio. In these alternative implementations of the invention, it is provided that the energy source 13 is, for example, an electrochemical generator such as a lithium battery or any generator suitable for collecting energy in the environment of the device according to the invention and transforming it into electricity.For example, a photovoltaic, electro-aeraulic, electrokinetic, electrothermal generator, the generator being supplemented where appropriate by a means of buffer energy storage such as one or more supercapacitors or an electrochemical battery to compensate for possible intermittence in the energy supply.

[0009] The device according to the invention further comprises at least one program 14 for determining whether received broadcast data must be used or ignored by the device 1 as a function of received broadcast data determining the selectivity of the broadcast, and of all or part of the at least one configuration data item and / or of the at least one broadcast transmitter identifier having been previously stored in the at least one memory 11. According to the implementation variants, this program is for example executed in whole or in part by the at least one microprocessor of the at least one digital processing subassembly 4 and / or by a microprocessor included in said second means 3 for receiving data and / or by a microprocessor included in means common to the functional subassemblies 3 and 4 or common to the functional subassemblies 2, 3 and 4.The examples of implementation of the invention illustrated by the following figures will shed more light on the implementation of the invention in the main intended use cases.

[0010] There figure 2 illustrates the combination: local configurator and PLC broadcasting.

[0011] In this variant of the invention, said first hardware and / or software means 2 for receiving so-called configuration data are means for establishing a point-to-point connection with a local configuration tool used by the installer of the device 1. The local configuration tool is for example a standard device 19 capable of executing application software that can be used to configure the device according to the invention. This is for example a smartphone, a digital tablet or a laptop. The application software is for example software specifically designed for configuring the device according to the invention or universal standard application software such as a terminal emulator or a web browser. Indeed,some variants of implementation of the invention include a web microserver allowing the use of a standard browser to configure the device locally, or even remotely. When said first means for receiving configuration data do not correspond to a wired or wireless connectivity standard originally proposed on the devices 19, such as for example USB, Bluetooth, WiFi etc., an adapter 20 specific to the implementation of the invention is provided. Such an accessory is for example a cable, one end of which is terminated by a connector compatible with a standard port available on most terminals, for example a so-called "host" USB port, and the other end is terminated by a coupler specific to the implementation of the invention.This technical solution is often the only possible wired solution for reasons of compliance with electrical safety standards when the low-voltage electronics of the device according to the invention are not isolated from the electrical network as is generally the case with energy management devices. The coupler present at the end of the cable 20, on the device side, allows, depending on the implementation variants, to establish a unidirectional or bidirectional link via optical, acoustic, inductive, capacitive coupling, etc. It is also planned to use as a configuration tool a terminal-type device 21 designed specifically for the configuration of devices according to the invention, the specific terminal being, where appropriate, equipped with the appropriate coupler. Said second hardware and / or software means 3 for receiving data are a receiver of signals transmitted by PLC.This is for example a subassembly designed exclusively for the reception of PLC signals, or a bidirectional transmitter used as a receiver. In certain implementation variants, for reasons of ease of supply of specialized electronic components which are natively bidirectional, it is planned to optimize the realization of the second hardware means by using a bidirectional PLC modem integrated circuit but by not mounting the components used exclusively for the transmission of data and by undersizing the technical characteristics of components common to the reception and transmission of data. This is in particular at the level of the functional block known to the person skilled in the art as the “analog front end” from which it is possible to eliminate the power amplifier and to undersize the high-frequency coupling to the low-voltage electrical network relative to a bidirectional implementation.Such sub-equipment also allows indirect gains on the size and on the cost of the low voltage power supply 12 of the device, the power of which can be significantly reduced due to the removal or deactivation of the transmission part of a bidirectional transmission sub-assembly. It is also provided that said second hardware and / or software means 3 are a “low-frequency wide-extended” PLC receiver called Centralized Remote Controls with Musical Frequency. For example, in France, a receiver conforming to the “EDF HN 96-S-65” standard, 175 Hz and / or 188 Hz variant, full or half-rate version.The choice of said variant and / or said version in the case of TCFM, or in the case of high-frequency PLC, the choice of other parameters affecting reception in that they characterize, for example, modulation options or the choice of carrier frequencies, are, where appropriate, part of said configuration data according to the invention to predetermine the technical parameters of reception by said second means of the broadcast data. A telecommunications network 22 associated with at least one information system comprises the transmission resources involved in the broadcasting of the data. In this case, when it comes to broadcasting by TCFM, the at least one information system controls one or more transmission bays located in source stations of the electrical distribution network via a telecom infrastructure. This being advantageously based on the IP protocol and protected against malicious intrusions.In the case of the use of high-frequency PLCs, the information system directly or indirectly controls PLC concentrators which directly or indirectly serve reception points according to the invention. The term "directly serve" is understood to mean the cases of implementation of the invention where said second means for receiving data are PLC receivers. The term "indirectly serve" is understood to mean the cases of implementation of the invention where said second means for receiving data are means for reviewing information coming from external equipment which contains the radio or PLC receivers. For example when the device according to the invention is connected, by its said second means for receiving data, to a communicating electronic meter which contains the radio or PLC receiver.It is further provided that the meter used to receive the broadcast data is a communicating electronic gas, water or heat meter, the invention not being limited to the case of electrical energy meters.

[0012] There figure 3 illustrates the combination: electronic meter and PLC diffusion.

[0013] This variant of implementation of the invention differs from that of the figure 2in that the at least one configuration data is at least partly obtained from an electronic meter to which the device 1 is at least once connected. An electronic meter is understood to mean any meter, for example for electrical energy, gas, water, heat, etc., comprising an electronic subassembly to facilitate the display and / or reading of the metering indexes and having an information output connectable to an external device. This is, for example, an electronic meter 23 with a wired output called “Customer Tele-information” as frequently used in France, a meter 24 with an infrared output, equipped where appropriate with a connection accessory 25, as frequently used in Germany, or a meter 26 with a radio output as frequently used in the United States of America.Said first hardware and / or software means 2 for receiving so-called configuration data are connected at least once, discontinuously or permanently to the meter by an interface appropriate to the type of native or secondary output of the meter. It is in fact intended to simplify the installation of the device by equipping the meters with wired or infrared output with an autonomous mini-gateway retransmitting by short-range radio the information leaving the meter to a single compatible reception point connected to said first means 2 of the device 1 according to the invention associated with the meter, or directly forming the latter.For example, it is planned to use all or part of the meter serial number, which is often part of the information transmitted by an electronic meter, to selectively disseminate the data to the subset of devices associated with a meter having an even serial number or, to further reduce the size of the subset of devices targeted by the dissemination, to take into account only serial numbers divisible by 3 or by 7, etc. The impact of such disseminations, for example in terms of cumulative power in electrical network management applications, is easy to predetermine.For example, by means of a database comprising the complete serial numbers of a set of meters, the unit powers controlled by each of them and their geographical location where applicable, as well as a computer program determining the mathematical formula and / or the combinatorial logic formula to be used on a predetermined data set to achieve a given cumulative power objective. It is intended to use in whole or in part, alone or in logical combination, any digital information from the meter and likely to be relevant to be able to make the broadcasting selective according to the invention. Thus, information such as the type of subscription taken out, the intensity or power subscribed to, the associated tariff code, etc.are perfectly usable according to the invention to make selective the logical diffusion of information received by said second means 3 for receiving data by using all or part of this information as criteria in identity tests between local values and comparable broadcast values received to determine whether broadcast data received must be used or ignored by the receiving device. It is also provided to use the adjustment and display means of the meter, which can offer better ergonomics and more possibilities than those of the device according to the invention which in certain simplified variants is completely devoid of them. It is provided that the appropriate adjustment or parameterization of the device according to the invention is carried out by a technician at the time of installation of the meter connected to said device. It is also provided to carry out the adjustment or parameterization of the device in anticipation.The technician then performs the appropriate adjustment or configuration of the device according to the invention during installation or during an intervention on the meter without any device according to the invention being yet installed and connected. The data associated with this prior adjustment are stored in a non-volatile memory of the meter as part of its normal operation. Thus, possibly a long time after the adjustment or configuration, if a device according to the invention is connected to the meter, then it automatically benefits from the configuration data transmitted by the data output as part of the normal operation of the meter, without a technician authorized to access the adjustment of the meter having to physically return to the site.

[0014] There figure 4 illustrates the combination: communicating meter and PLC broadcasting.

[0015] This variant of implementation of the invention differs from that of the figure 3in that the meter connected to the device 1 is also connected by appropriate means, continuously or discontinuously, to a telecommunications network 27, 28 and to at least one remote information system via one or more interconnected telecommunications networks. It is provided that the infrastructure used to transmit the data is, at least for its terminal part, exclusively dedicated to the management of a fleet of meters or that it is shared with other uses. Similarly, it is provided that the telecommunications networks 27, 28, 22 are differentiated, or in whole or in part common, according to the transmission techniques used and / or according to non-technical constraints such as regulatory, legal or commercial. In the variants of the figure 4, the electronic electricity, gas, water or heat meter comprises means for establishing a bidirectional point-to-point data link with a network infrastructure. This most often involves enabling remote reading of metering indexes and, in certain cases, also remote management of the technical characteristics of the supply contract at the delivery point for a given customer. For example, the cutting off and restoration of supply, the remote adjustment of limitations such as the maximum draw-off intensity, etc. These means for transmitting and receiving data over a long distance in the context of a point-to-point link between an operator or manager and an identified customer can advantageously be used in the context of the invention for transmitting configuration data to the device 1. This is to make subsequent data broadcasts selective to a large number of specific customers.The advantages of using a third-party device such as a smart meter to act as a telecommunications gateway are numerous. For example, the management of a supply contract that is sensitive in terms of legal, economic, data protection, protection against malicious intrusion, etc., the technical means implemented for data communications with the infrastructure are secure, reliable and most often encrypted. The indirect use of such means in the context of the invention makes it possible to benefit from a high level of quality in the transmission of data without having to implement sophisticated and expensive technical means in the context of said first means 2.

[0016] The latter only having to ensure the last local link in the transmission chain which is not very vulnerable and only requires the implementation of simple and economical technical means. In addition to information managed naturally by a meter without taking into account the invention such as cited in the example of the figure 3 , the upstream connectivity of the meter opens up additional possibilities for implementing the invention in that the meter acts as a telecom gateway through which an information system can transmit information to the device 1.

[0017] Fig. 4 gives a first example of a communicating electronic meter 29 which uses a first bidirectional radio transmitter operating at frequencies authorized for the remote reading of metering indexes by a network infrastructure 27. A second short-range radio transmitter compliant with a standard such as “ZigBee”, “KNX”, “Z-Wave”, “Thread”, “WiFi”, “Bluetooth” etc. is implemented for the transmission of data usable locally by the customer. A second example of a communicating electronic meter 30 using a bidirectional PLC transmitter is also given, implementing for example a standard protocol such as “CLP G3”, “PRIME” etc. at frequencies authorized for the remote reading of metering indexes, and where appropriate for acting remotely on parameters or actuators in connection with the supply contract, by a network infrastructure 28.The meter 30 has an interface for establishing an outgoing unidirectional wired link called “Customer Tele-information” to transmit data usable by a compatible third-party device. The first means (2) for receiving data are in this case an interface capable of receiving, demodulating and decoding the signal transmitted by the wired link. It is also planned to equip the meter 30 with an optional mini-gateway allowing the establishment of a short-range radio link with the device 1 to facilitate the installation of the devices, said first means 2 are then a radio receiver conforming to the standard implemented in the gateway like those mentioned previously in the case of the meter 29.

[0018] There Figure 5 illustrates the combination: point-to-point PLC and PLC broadcasting.

[0019] In this variant implementation of the invention, said first hardware and / or software means 2 for receiving so-called configuration data are a modem bidirectional PLC and a software subset called a “protocol stack” implementing a communication standard, for example “CLP G3” or “PRIME”, said first means being capable of receiving data in the context of a point-to-point link from an appropriate network infrastructure 28. This is for example an infrastructure based on compatible PLC concentrators installed near clusters of receivers within reception range, relayed or direct, depending on whether the communication protocol is meshed or not. Said concentrators being connected to the information system ensuring the management and supervision of resources via a cellular telecommunications network of the so-called “2.5G” generation or later. As in the example of the figure 4, said second means 3 are capable of receiving data broadcast by PLC by means of an appropriate network infrastructure 22, of the “low-frequency wide-area” type or of the “high-frequency high-speed” type. Said first and second means for receiving data as well as the low-voltage power supply subassembly 12 are connected to the same energy source 13 which in this example is naturally the electrical network because the latter is also the source of the configuration data and the source of the broadcast data. In a particularly advantageous implementation variant, it is provided that said first and second means 2, 3 for receiving data share all or part of the hardware means, or even all or part of the software means implemented to receive data by PLC in the context of a point-to-point link and in the context of simultaneous broadcasting to a plurality of devices 1.Variants are provided in which the two reception modalities are implemented by two operating modalities or two different "profiles" of the same standard, other variants execute in parallel two distinct protocol stacks, each being optimized for a transmission modality. For example, the protocol stack ensuring point-to-point data transmissions, which is not under real-time constraints, uses a modulation favoring the bit rate and, if necessary, implements a mesh allowing each point to relay the data it receives to other points that are not within the direct range of an upstream transmitter. Conversely, the protocol stack ensuring the simultaneous broadcasting of data implements technical options favoring direct range over the bit rate.Integrated circuits such as STMicroelectronics' (registered trademark) "STCOM" system-on-a-chip, which includes a programmable powerline modem functional block, are configurable "on the fly" to dynamically switch between an operating mode optimized for point-to-point links and a broadcast mode optimized for simultaneous data streaming.Systems on a chip such as for example the ATSAM4CP16C from ATMEL (registered trademarks) are capable of implementing the invention with a single digital integrated circuit comprising said first means 2 for receiving data in the form of a modem functional block to the “CPL G3” standard, said second means 3 for receiving broadcast data in the form of a digital TCFM receiver functional block using the integrated analog-digital converter and signal processing software components executed by the embedded microprocessor associated with the converter, and the at least one digital processing subassembly 4 implementing the method according to the invention using the microprocessor associated with the converter and / or the other microprocessor included in this component.

[0020] There figure 6 illustrates the combination: point-to-point radio and PLC broadcasting.

[0021] In this variant implementation of the invention, said first hardware and / or software means 2 of the device 1 for receiving so-called configuration data are radiofrequency means for establishing a point-to-point link with a telecommunications infrastructure 31, for example a radio transmission sub-assembly compatible with the “low-power wide-area” NB-IoT and / or Sigfox and / or Lora standards or a modem intended to carry out data transmissions by radio by connecting to a cellular network of so-called “2.5G” generation or later. As in the example illustrated by the Figure 5, said second means 3 are capable of receiving data broadcast by PLC by means of an appropriate network infrastructure 22, of the “low-frequency wide-area” type or of the “high-frequency high-speed” type. Systems on a chip such as those cited above can easily implement this variant of the invention with a single, highly integrated, low-cost digital integrated circuit. This is particularly the case if the means 3 and 4 are used to implement a digital TCFM receiver.

[0022] There figure 7 illustrates the combination: point-to-point radio and broadcast network.

[0023] This variant of implementation of the invention differs from that of the figure 6 in that said second means 3 of the device 1 are capable of receiving data broadcast by radio by means of an appropriate terrestrial 32 or satellite 33 infrastructure.

[0024] For example, according to the invention, this involves receiving broadcast data using additional data broadcasting services offered by terrestrial or satellite radio and / or digital television broadcasting networks. For example, digital radio satellite broadcasting networks such as that of the company "XM Sirius" in the United States of America are particularly suitable in that the means necessary to receive and decode the broadcast signal are simple and economical to implement, furthermore they only require small antennas and they can be embedded in means of transport. It is also planned to use data transmission services associated with terrestrial or satellite radio and / or analogue television broadcasting networks such as for example "RDS" or "Teletext" respectively in countries where these mixed digital solutions on analogue networks are still used.This is possible given the low bandwidth required for implementing the invention. This variant of the invention only implements low-energy reception means, and although it is still possible to use the electrical network as the energy source 13 of the device 1, it is also provided that the energy source 13 supplying the power supply subassembly 12 is a vehicle power supply network in on-board uses, a battery in mobile uses, or electrical energy generators exploiting solar or mechanical energy that can be captured and converted in the environment of the device.

[0025] There figure 8 illustrates the combination: point-to-point bimodal radio and broadcasting.

[0026] This alternative implementation of the invention implements the same hardware means within the framework of said means for receiving data 2 and 3 from the device 1. The two data reception methods, point-to-point and by broadcast, according to the invention being implemented by two operating methods or two different “profiles” of the same digital radio communication standard, other variants executing in parallel two distinct protocol stacks, each being optimized for a transmission method. This example implementation of the invention relies on two at least partially separate network infrastructures for transmitting data via point-to-point links and by broadcast.The radio telecommunications networks 31 and 34, respectively used to transmit data point-to-point and by broadcast, are controlled by an information system 35, and where appropriate 35', this in particular when the two "network" information systems are managed by two different operators. An information system, called "business" 36, which is generally managed by a specialized operator, for example for the operation, management or supervision of an electrical network, transmits objectives to be achieved to at least one so-called "network" information system 35 and / or 35'. A "business" objective is for example an immediate need to reduce electricity consumption for a total of 500 KW in a part of the electrical network.The at least one information system called a “network” translates each “business” objective to be achieved received into as many data transmissions according to the invention as necessary to the relevant devices 1 depending on the objective to be achieved. In this example, each device 1 according to the invention controls access to the electrical power of one or more loads whose unit or cumulative power for a given client is known in a database of at least one information system implemented. Systems on a chip such as for example the “subGHz SoC” component developed by the IMEC organization or similar components such as the “SX1272” from SEMTECH (registered trademark) are capable of receiving the data transmitted by radio according to the two methods of the invention with a single digital integrated circuit integrating the functional blocks 2, 3 of a device 1 according to the invention.The same component is in fact capable of receiving data in the context of a point-to-point radio link, for example according to the NB-IOT, Sigfox, LoRa or equivalent standards, and capable of receiving data broadcast by radio at the appropriate frequencies and modulations depending on the geographical area of use and capable of implementing the method according to the invention. A microcontroller or a system on a multiprocessor chip whose computing power and embedded resources depend on the protocol stacks selected and the specific needs of the use of the data, forms the digital processing unit 4.

[0027] If necessary, means 10 for using received data complement the radio transmitter 2, 3 and the processing unit 4 to form this variant of the device 1.

[0028] There figure 9 illustrates an optimized variant of dual-mode radio combination.

[0029] This variant of implementation of the invention differs from that of the figure 8in that it is further optimized in terms of compactness, energy consumption and implementation cost and ease of operation. This example of advanced optimization of all aspects of a system according to the invention is based on a single network infrastructure for both transmission methods which comprises a common telecommunications network 31, 34, a common “network” information system 35, 35' managed by a single telecom operator which offers network services to one or more “business” operators 36, 36', 36" etc. whose respective specialized information systems transmit objectives to the “network” information system of the telecom operator. This example of advanced optimization of the implementation of the invention also concerns the devices 1.All the digital functions and the majority of the analog front end of the common reception means are integrated into a system on a chip comprising the functional blocks 2, 3 and 4 according to the invention. This component is advantageously produced in a technology with very low power consumption so that it can be powered if necessary by an autonomous energy source 13 or produced by the environment. Of course, power supply from the electrical network remains possible for electrical energy management applications which also require a connection to the electrical network. It is indeed advantageous to reduce the systems' own consumption and therefore their operating costs, even in cases where electrical energy is available in abundance.In the case of implementation variants of the invention where the use of the data requires little or no power, it is provided that the functional block 10, or even the low-voltage power supply subassembly 12, are also integrated into a single-chip system. Latest-generation systems-on-a-chip, such as the “subGHz SoC” component developed entirely in CMOS technology, including the radio front end, by the IMEC organization, and similar commercial components are capable of implementing the invention entirely by radio with a single digital integrated circuit integrating all the functional blocks of a device 1 according to the invention.This variant is particularly suitable for the implementation of low power radio communication standards NB-IOT, Sigfox, LoRa or equivalent, and for the reception of data broadcast by radio at the appropriate frequencies and modulations depending on the geographical area of use, for example where appropriate, according to a transmission modality or according to a profile dedicated to the broadcasting of data in the “LPWA” standards cited above.

[0030] There figure 10 illustrates the method for selectively receiving broadcast data. This example of implementation of the method according to the invention in the form of a programming flowchart begins with step 37 of initializing the variables and configuring the hardware components of the device. The device is continuously waiting for the reception of a message by said first means or by said second means for receiving data.

[0031] A positive result of test 38 means that a broadcast message has been received by the device. Processing 39 is executed to extract the data that determines the selectivity of the broadcast in the received data that are stored in a reception buffer memory. Then processing 40 is executed to process the data extracted in step 39 to determine in test 41 whether the device must use or ignore the data of an application nature contained in the received broadcast message. Test 41 is carried out on the result of processing 39 as a function of the received data that determines the selectivity of the broadcast and all or part of the at least one configuration data and / or the at least one broadcast transmitter identifier that has been previously stored in the at least one memory of the device. For example, the received broadcast message comprises: data for coding an application command associated with the message, for example an energy storage command, supplemented where appropriate by additional information specifying an energy quantity target of for example 2 KWh for each user device; information determining the selectivity of the broadcast by taking into account at least one previously stored configuration data to be taken into account in one or more identity tests to be carried out with broadcast data received of the same nature. For example, a code meaning that an identity test must be carried out only on the criterion of the group number assigned to each of the devices, supplemented where appropriate by additional information specifying one or more recipient group numbers, for example the recipient groups 8 or 13 or 15;

[0032] The processing 39 calculates whether all the conditions for using the application data are satisfied or not, that is to say whether the logical state of the combinational function resulting from taking into account all the required unit tests is true or false. The logical state of the resulting combinational function is tested in step 41. In this simple example, all the devices that physically receive the broadcast message whose associated group number stored in their memory is 8 or 13 or 15, activate the power load that they control and locally manage the stopping of the energy storage when the setpoint of 2 KWh is reached, this being done within the framework of an application program for using the received data 42 whose content is external to the invention itself.The invention allows the information system to determine combinations from the simplest to the most sophisticated in order to obtain the selectivity of the broadcast necessary to achieve a given overall objective. For example, the information determining the selectivity of the broadcast of a consumption reduction command may be a code signifying that an identity test must be carried out on the criterion of belonging to a given source station departure AND on the criterion of belonging to the residential user category AND on the category of use of electricity electric heating. Refinements such as exclusion conditions are also provided when it is more efficient to determine the desired selectivity by applying a logical operator of the negation type on a given criterion so that the devices use by default the received application data except the devices for which the result of the test on the criterion is true.It is intended to use all the elementary logical functions of Boolean algebra, alone or in combination, on any type of criterion including results of numerical calculations, carried out on data previously stored by the device, including identifiers of broadcast transmitters where applicable. This is to refine the selectivity of the broadcast according to the invention as much as necessary within the limit of the data payload that can be transported in a message. It is also intended to implement the invention by broadcasting a plurality of messages in sequence when the unit transport capacity of a message is insufficient to transport all the data necessary for the implementation of the invention.In this case, it is planned to encode in the message that it is a broadcast in several messages as well as a numbering of the messages so that the devices can reassemble and properly process the information received in sequence.

[0033] If during test 41 it is determined that received application data must be used by the device, the positive branch is used, and the application data received in the single message or in the multiple messages broadcast are used by the device as part of processing 42, the content of which does not fall within the scope of the invention.

[0034] Where appropriate, if this refinement of the invention is implemented, whether the device uses or ignores the received application data, the data received in the message that identifies the transmitter, base station or antenna that broadcast it, are extracted in step 43. If necessary, the received broadcast transmitter identification data are processed to be made more compact, for example by transforming them by an appropriate hash function, they are stored in a memory of the device according to the invention in step 44. Refinements are provided to store transmitter identifiers only the first time they are received by the device. It is also provided to take into account transmitter disappearances in the infrastructure, which a simple additive storage in the devices would not allow.This is done, for example, by periodically resetting the contents of the memory recording the identifiers of broadcast transmitters or upon receipt of a specific message.

[0035] A positive result of test 45 means that a message transmitted in the context of a point-to-point link has been received by the device. In this case, all or part of the configuration data is extracted from the data received in step 46 and is stored in a memory of the device in step 47.

[0036] There figure 11illustrates the method of selective dissemination of data on target. This part of the method according to the invention is implemented in the information system associated with the telecommunications network ensuring the selective dissemination of data. After the initialization of this part of the method in step 48, the test 49 is continuously executed to detect an event requiring selective dissemination of information in the telecommunications network. Such events are for example the reception of a request transmitted by an associated “business” information system, for example by the information system of an electricity network manager or an aggregator requiring the urgent erasure, consumption or storage of a determined cumulative quantity of power or energy at a determined location in the electricity network.The cumulative quantity of power or energy requiring the aggregation of diffuse powers or energies controlled by a plurality of devices according to the invention to which it is necessary to broadcast the appropriate message to achieve the targeted operational objective, or to approach it as closely as possible within the limits of the resolution of the control of the selectivity of the broadcasting of the data according to the invention. In the event of a positive output to the test of step 49, one or more processing operations are carried out in step 50 to determine the broadcast(s) of information to be carried out and the transmitters of the telecommunications network to be used to achieve the targeted operational objective based on information on the devices according to the invention to which to broadcast one or more messages and based on information on the transmitters of the telecommunications network.This information is previously known to the “network” information system and is stored in at least one database that can be queried during the at least one processing operation of step 50. Step 50 comprises, for example, iterative simulation processing operations to optimize the use of the resources of the system according to the invention to get as close as possible to the desired objective. The at least one database is continuously updated by the information system based, for example, on configuration information of the devices according to the invention and / or information relating to technical or non-technical characteristics of the diffuse means controlled by the devices. The technical characteristics are, for example, unit electrical powers of loads or generators associated with a given device, the state and / or residual capacities of energy storage capacities, etc.Non-technical characteristics are, for example, the characteristics of a service to which the natural or legal person to which a device according to the invention is attached has subscribed. Said information on the transmitters of the telecommunications network is, for example, information linked to the geographical coverage of each transmitter, an IP address of a transmitter, base station, concentrator or antenna in the network, etc.

[0037] The content and the methods of broadcasting the at least one message which have been determined by the information system in step 50 are followed by the actual broadcasting in step 51 of the at least one message by the appropriate transmission means selected by the “network” information system. At this step which ends the execution of this part of the method, the reinitialization of the signaling of the event having launched the execution is also provided for in order to have only one execution of the processing operations per event.

[0038] There figure 12 illustrates the process of updating the network database.

[0039] This part of the method according to the invention is implemented in the devices according to the invention which further comprise means for transmitting data to a remote information system. After the initialization of this part of the method in step 52, the test 53 is continuously executed to detect an event requiring the transmission to the “network” information system of at least one configuration data item. Such events are for example the hardware reset of the device according to the invention (“reset” in English), a change in the value of a configuration data item, the reception of a new transmitter identifier, the reception by said first means or by said second means of a message requesting transmission of at least one configuration data item. The transmission of at least one message in response to the triggering event is carried out in step 54.The means used to transmit the at least one message are, for example, transmission means associated with said first means for receiving data in the context of a point-to-point link, the link being in this case bidirectional. At this step which ends the execution of this part of the method, the reinitialization of the signaling of the event having launched the execution is also provided to have only one execution of the processing operations per event.

[0040] There figure 13 illustrates the selectivity depending on the broadcast transmitters.

[0041] This figure illustrates the implementation of a radio data broadcasting network 55 deployed in a given territory. It should be noted that although the figure 13represents a wireless telecommunications or broadcasting network, the illustration is also suitable for broadcasting messages by PLC in a wired network. In this example, the covered territory comprises 3 transmitters 56a, 56b and 56c whose range allows data to be broadcast to all the devices according to the invention 1a to 1i. Of course, such a small number of devices only makes sense to facilitate the understanding of the invention, the latter is only advantageous compared to conventional addressing solutions for simultaneously and selectively addressing large quantities of devices, for example hundreds, even thousands or even more.The distribution of transmitters depends on constraints such as their physical range in open space and in an urban environment if it is radio, the lobes of the antennas, the presence of obstacles to the propagation of waves, the presence of significant traffic or noise sources in the useful frequency band likely to reduce the transmission capacities of the network, depending on the number and density of receivers to be served, etc. If it is a question of power lines, the constraints are, for example, the topology of the electrical network which materializes the communication space, the presence of very low impedance loads weakening the signal or noise sources likely to disrupt communications.

[0042] In this example, transmitter 56a covers territory area 57a, transmitter 56b covers territory areas 57b and 57c, and transmitter 56c covers territory area 57c.

[0043] The network information system controls the transmitters, advantageously by communications based on IP addresses, to activate the transmitters concerned by achieving a selectivity objective in the broadcasting of one or more messages. For example, so that each of the transmitters involved broadcasts in sequence several messages which, for example, differ only in the transmitter identifier they contain. Refinements such as repetitions of the broadcasts within the same sequence, or repetitions of a sequence of unique broadcasts are also provided to increase the chances that all the targeted devices have received the message. All the receivers have previously received messages broadcast by these transmitters so that they have stored in a memory the transmitter identifiers that they have already received at least once, and therefore that they are still likely to receive.

[0044] In the example of the figure 13, the devices have previously stored in their memory the following transmitter identifiers from which they have already received at least one message: 1a: ID 56a; 1b: ID 56a; 1c: ID 56a, ID 56b; 1d: ID 56a, ID 56b; 1e: ID 56a, ID 56b, ID 56c; 1f: ID 56b; 1g: ID 56b; 1h: ID 56b, ID 56c; 1i: ID 56b, ID 56c.

[0045] Thus, for example, to broadcast a message whose data must only be used by devices 1a and 1b, the network information system selects the transmitters or base stations 56a and 56b to which it broadcasts in sequence a message which contains the data to be used by the targeted devices and a combinatorial logic function whose state is calculated by the devices according to the transmitter identifiers that they have previously stored. Thus, in this example, the combinatorial logic function to be broadcast is F = (transmitter identifier 56a AND non-transmitter identifier 56b). The above combinatorial logic function is true for devices 1a and 1b and false for devices 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f, 1g, 1h and 1i. The objective of the broadcast is achieved. The devices for which this function is true then use the received broadcast data, those for which the function is false reject the received broadcast data.It should be noted that transmitter identifiers which are not present in the received combinational logic function are not searched for presence in the device memory, they are not taken into account for determining the selectivity of the broadcast.

[0046] To achieve a broadcast objective targeting devices 1c and 1d, the combinational logic function to be broadcast is F = (transmitter ID 56a AND transmitter ID 56b AND non-transmitter ID 56c).

[0047] To achieve a broadcast objective targeting device 1e, the combinational logic function to be broadcast is F = (transmitter ID 56a AND transmitter ID 56b AND transmitter ID 56c) etc.

[0048] It should be noted that not all selectivity combinations are necessarily possible using only the transmitter identifiers as the sole decision-making criteria. Advantageously, provision is made to combine them with criteria relating to the use of the data, i.e. by supplementing a first level of selectivity obtained by means of the transmitter identifiers with identity conditions between broadcast data and configuration data specific to the devices according to the invention which are stored in a memory of the latter.For example, the effective selectivity of the broadcast to achieve a given objective can be obtained by broadcasting a message that includes the useful data to be received by the targeted devices, a combinational logic function leading the devices to carry out tests for the presence or absence in memory of given transmitter addresses and to identity tests on data such as a group number, a type of controlled load, a type of service supply contract. It is also planned to carry out logical state tests, or identity tests with a transmitted value, on results of calculations made on one or more configuration data in memory, for example to determine whether a unique serial number is a number divisible by two or by any other number transmitted in the message, etc.Furthermore, the invention is particularly well suited for low-latency remote control of large quantities of receivers via communication channels such as radio and PLC which are likely to have occasional hazards and variations in their coverage area over time. Indeed, most uses of the invention, particularly for the management of electrical networks, are tolerant in terms of the precision and fidelity of the selectivity of data broadcasts. In other words, a certain margin of error is permitted in terms of the operational result between the ideal selectivity objective predetermined by the information system and the objective actually achieved.

[0049] Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described and numerous adjustments can be made to it without departing from the scope of the invention, in particular by combining several variants within the framework of the same implementation, by combining elements taken from several examples differently or by ordering the steps of the method differently.

Claims

1. Device (1) for selectively receiving data broadcast simultaneously to a predetermined subset of recipient devices from among massive quantities of receivers which are capable of physically receiving the data which are broadcast by radio or by power-line communication in a telecommunications network or in a digital signal broadcasting network, comprising: - at least one digital processing subassembly (4) comprising at least one microprocessor (5), at least one program memory (6); - a low-voltage power supply subassembly (12) providing at least one direct voltage to power the hardware means of the device (1), said power supply subassembly being powered by at least one energy source (13); said device (1) being characterized in that it further comprises: - first means (2) for receiving at least one configuration data usable for limiting the effective reception of the broadcast data to only the previously determined devices, the at least one configuration data being transmitted within the framework of a point-to-point link between at least one remote information system and the device (1); - second means (3) for receiving broadcast data including data determining the selectivity of the broadcast; - the at least one digital processing subassembly (4) further comprising an interface (7) with said first means (2), an interface (8) with said second means (3), an interface (9) with means (10) for using data received by said second means (3), at least one memory (11) for storing all or part of the at least one configuration data or at least one broadcast transmitter identifier, at least one program (14) for determining whether received broadcast data should be used or ignored by the device (1) as a function of said data determining the selectivity of the broadcast, and of all or part of the at least one data having been previously stored in the at least one memory (11).

2. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that said first means (2), the at least one configuration data, a third-party device acting as a gateway between a network and said device to enable it to indirectly receive data, said second means (3), the received broadcast data, the at least one digital processing sub-assembly (4), and the at least one energy source (13), are respectively: - a radio modem or a bidirectional radio transmitter used as a receiver, or a radio receiver or a network gateway using radio frequencies in the context of a local or wide-area wireless telecommunications network, terrestrial or satellite, or a power-line communication modem or a bidirectional power-line communication transmitter used as a receiver, or a power-line communication receiver or a network gateway using power-line communication, or an interface for connecting a cable or an optical fiber, or an interface for receiving and demodulating light rays comprising one or more wavelengths, or an interface for receiving and demodulating a variable magnetic field, or an interface for receiving and demodulating sound signals; - a group identifier, or a source substation identifier, or a network departure identifier of a source substation, or a medium-voltage / low-voltage transformer identifier, or a geographic sector identifier, or an electricity usage type identifier, or a device category identifier, or a device manufacturer and model identifier or embedded software version identifier, or a user category identifier, or a building category identifier, or a service operator identifier, or a subscribed service category identifier; - a communicating electronic meter for electricity, gas, water or heat, or a mini-gateway forming a secondary output of a communicating electronic meter, or a monitoring system, or a transmitter, or a transmitter used as a transmitter, or a transponder, or a local area network access point, or a wide area network access point; - a modem or a bidirectional transmitter used as a receiver, or a receiver or a network gateway using radio frequencies as part of a terrestrial or satellite wireless telecommunications network, or a receiver capable of receiving data broadcast by terrestrial or satellite means, or a modem or a bidirectional transmitter used as a receiver, or a receiver or a network gateway using power-line communication, or a ripple control receiver, or a wired or wireless interface for connecting an external sub-assembly for receiving data broadcast by radio or power-line communication; - a start or stop command, or a command to assign a determined value to a parameter, or a consumption erasure command, or an energy storage command, or a load shedding command, or a load re-loading command, or a command to transport information intended for an application process external to the invention, or a null command having no effect as a command, or information determining the previously stored configuration data to be taken into account in one or more identity tests to be carried out with received broadcast data of the same nature, or the expression of a combinatorial function whose input variables are all or part of the at least one configuration data or all or part of the at least one transmitter identifier, or the result of a calculation relating to one or more configuration data or to one or more transmitter identifiers or to additional data received or stored in a memory of the device, the result of the combinatorial function being a state logic determining whether the received information should be used or ignored by the device, or at least one parameter related to control data, or at least one parameter related to data determining the selectivity of the broadcast, or a broadcast transmitter identifier; - at least one microcontroller, or at least one system on a chip, or at least one processing unit available in the form of a printed circuit on which components and connectors are mounted to form a digital processing module having standardized technical characteristics; - the electrical network, or at least one photovoltaic cell, or an electrokinetic generator, or a battery, or an electrochemical cell.

3. Device according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said first (2) and second (3) means for receiving data are at least partly common means, capable of receiving data in the context of a point-to-point link, and of receiving broadcast data.

4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said first or second hardware means, or the common hardware means for receiving data, further comprise said digital processing subassembly (4) or at least one memory (11).

5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said first or second means, or the common means for receiving data, further comprise means for transmitting data to at least one remote information system.

6. System including a plurality of devices according to the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises: - at least one first network infrastructure for transmitting configuration data capable of being received directly, or via at least one third-party device acting as a gateway, by said first means (2) of a device (1); - at least one second network infrastructure, or a second operating mode of the first network infrastructure, comprising at least one broadcast transmitter for broadcasting by radio or power-line communication data capable of being received directly, or via at least one third-party device acting as a gateway, by said second means (3) of the device (1); - a first information system for determining at least in part the data to be broadcast by the at least one second network infrastructure or by the second operating mode of the first network infrastructure to achieve a predetermined operational objective.

7. System according to claim 6, characterized in that said first information system further determines at least one configuration data to be transmitted by the first network infrastructure to devices (1) within the framework of point-to-point links.

8. System according to any one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that it further comprises at least one second information system, specialized in a field of use and capable of transmitting to said first information system said predetermined operational objective to be achieved.

9. System according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that said operational objective to be achieved is directly or indirectly related to a cumulative quantity of power or electrical energy, to be shed or consumed or stored or returned to a predetermined geographical territory or in a predetermined part of an electricity distribution network.

10. System according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that said operational objective to be achieved is directly or indirectly related to the synchronization of at least one action in a plurality of devices (1) or to manage or administer a fleet of devices (1).

11. Method implemented by hardware or software means in a device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 for selectively receiving data broadcast in a telecommunications network or in a digital signal broadcasting network, the method being characterized in that it comprises the steps of: - receiving broadcast data, by said second means for receiving data from said device; - processing all or part of said received broadcast data and all or part of data previously received by said first means or by said second means for receiving data from said device; - determining whether received broadcast data should be used or ignored by said device based on the result of said processing.

12. Method according to claim 11 characterized in that it further comprises the steps: - receiving at least one configuration data by said first means of said device within the framework of a point-to-point link with the at least one remote information system; - writing in the at least one memory of said device all or part of the at least one configuration data received.

13. Method according to any one of claims 11 or 12, characterized in that it further comprises the steps: - extracting an identifier of the broadcast transmitter from the received broadcast data; - writing a one-to-one identifier of the broadcast transmitter into the at least one memory (11) of the device (1).

14. Method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that it further comprises a step of transmission by the device (1) to a remote information system, of at least one configuration data or at least one one-to-one identifier of a broadcast transmitter from which the device receives messages, on the occasion of a triggering event.

15. Method according to any one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that it further comprises the steps: - taking into account by an information system an operational objective to be achieved by the selective broadcasting of at least one message; - working out by said information system of the content of the at least one message to be broadcast, based on the action to be performed by the user devices of received broadcast data and the selectivity of the broadcast necessary to achieve the operational objective, all or part of said content being developed from data stored in at least one database which said information system can access at least in read mode; - broadcasting at least one message in the network by at least one broadcast transmitter selected by the information system to determine a first level of selectivity of the broadcast based on the control of the coverage of the at least one selected transmitter.

16. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that it further comprises a step of taking into account by said information system feedback on the effect obtained by the selective diffusion of the at least one message to repeat the steps of claim 15 with a new operational objective aimed at cancelling the difference between the objective effect and the effect obtained, or until said difference is considered to be negligible.

17. Use of the method according to any one of claims 11 to 16 for balancing the production and consumption of electricity in an electrical network, or for protecting its integrity, by acting remotely to decrease or increase the consumption of a plurality of diffuse power loads controlled directly or indirectly by devices capable of selectively receiving data broadcast by radio or by power-line communication in a telecommunications network or in a digital signal broadcasting network.

18. Use of the method according to any one of claims 11 to 16 for synchronizing one or more actions involving a plurality of devices capable of selectively receiving data broadcast by radio or by power-line communication in a telecommunications network or in a digital signal broadcasting network, or for managing, or for administering a fleet of such devices or a fleet of external devices connected to such devices.