Bridging Devices for Smart Metering Network Reliability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for connecting smart devices in multiple dwelling units face challenges due to physical distance, building materials, and interference, making it difficult to establish individual home area networks for smart metering, particularly in larger buildings where multiple households reside.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing at least two bridging devices connected via a broadband network, with each bridging device maintaining a list of supported smart devices and personal area networks to efficiently route packets between smart devices, using protocols defined in the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, and involving a building control centre to manage and route communications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual home area networks are established for each dwelling in multiple dwelling units, then smart metering can be implemented in each household, but the system becomes difficult to install and maintain due to physical distance, building materials, and interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual ZigBee networks into a single coordinated network using a master coordinator that manages multiple slave coordinators, each serving different dwellings. This consolidation reduces installation complexity while maintaining reliable smart metering across all households by centralizing network management functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces slave coordinators as intermediary devices between the master coordinator and individual smart meters in each dwelling. These slave coordinators extend the network range through building structures and materials that would normally block direct communication, facilitating reliable metering while simplifying installation.
2Ease of operation
If ZigBee radio communication is used to connect smart devices within a limited distance, then individual household networks can be established, but the communication range is insufficient for larger multiple dwelling units
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends communication range by adding a hierarchical dimension to the network architecture, with master coordinators at the building level and slave coordinators at the dwelling level. This multi-level structure allows communication to span across multiple floors and building sections that would be beyond the range of a single ZigBee network.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the large multiple dwelling unit network into smaller manageable sections, each handled by a slave coordinator under the oversight of a master coordinator. This segmentation maintains the ease of individual household network setup while achieving building-wide coverage through coordinated segments.
3Reliability
If multiple individual ZigBee networks are deployed in large buildings, then each household can have smart metering, but the system requires separate installation and management for each network
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal master coordinator that can manage multiple slave coordinators and numerous smart meters across different dwellings simultaneously. This multi-functional architecture allows a single installation team to deploy and manage smart metering across the entire building using one coordinated system rather than installing separate networks in each household.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A system for connecting smart devices in a building is provided, wherein the system comprises at least two bridging devices, each arranged in relative proximity of at least one of at least two smart devices arranged at different locations within the building, wherein the at least two bridging devices are connected to the smart devices via a wireless connection and to each other via a broadband network, and wherein the bridging devices each use a list of addresses of smart devices and associated personal area networks to determine if a packet received from a smart device is to be transmitted over the broadband network or to be discarded.