Address Stripping in Wireless Meter Reading Mesh Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless mesh networks for meter reading nodes are not optimized for low cost and efficient bandwidth usage, particularly in peak load management for electricity consumption, as they rely on general-purpose mesh protocols that do not effectively strip addresses during routing, leading to increased memory and processing requirements.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method for address stripping in wireless mesh networks, where each node's address is stripped at each hop during downstream routing, reducing the size of the source route carried in packets and enhancing memory and processing efficiency, while also allowing for efficient upstream and downstream communication of meter reading data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If general-purpose mesh protocols are used for routing in wireless meter reading networks, then route discovery and network adaptability are improved, but memory and processing requirements increase due to maintaining full address routes at each node
Solution Approach 1:
The route address information is segmented into two parts: a compressed identifier that remains at each node, and the full address that is stripped at each hop. This segmentation allows nodes to maintain minimal routing state while still enabling complete route reconstruction during packet transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The full address information is extracted from the packet at each routing hop and removed (stripped) after use. Only the essential compressed identifier needs to be maintained at each node, while the complete address path is temporarily present in the packet during transmission but not stored long-term at intermediate nodes.
2Measurement precision
If full address routes are maintained at each node for routing decisions, then routing accuracy and destination identification are improved, but bandwidth consumption increases due to larger packet sizes
Solution Approach 1:
Each node maintains only the local portion of routing information needed for its specific hop (compressed identifier), rather than maintaining the complete end-to-end address route. This local quality approach reduces the amount of routing data that needs to be carried in packets while still enabling accurate routing decisions at each step.
3Reliability
If comprehensive route information is stored at each node, then route management and network reliability are improved, but device cost increases due to higher memory requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The full address route is copied into the packet header at the source node and then progressively stripped at each intermediate node. This copying approach allows each node to verify routing information temporarily during packet processing without needing to store it long-term, thereby maintaining route management reliability while minimizing memory requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A meter reading system includes a meter reading wireless mesh network having wireless meter reading nodes in communication with an access point. Each wireless meter reading node has an address associated therewith. The meter reading wireless mesh network is configured to define a given downstream route, from the access point to a given node via successive intermediate nodes, based upon addresses of the successive intermediate nodes and the given node. The respective address at each successive intermediate node is stripped while routing data along the given downstream route from the access point to the given node.