Event-Based Keep Alive Timer Restart in Smart Metering Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Keep Alive (KA) procedures in smart-metering networks, such as those using the PRIME standard, face network stability issues due to high KA traffic, leading to potential node deregistration and increased congestion, especially during high network load conditions like firmware upgrades.
Innovation Solution
Implementing event-based algorithms that extend the KA timers in the network, allowing for time adjustments based on network traffic and node availability, thereby reducing the number of KA frames transmitted and minimizing unnecessary node deregistrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional KA procedures are used to detect node availability, then node reachability can be monitored, but network traffic increases causing congestion and stability issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines KA timer restart functionality with existing data frame reception events. Instead of separate KA request/response exchanges, the system reuses incoming data frames to trigger KA timer restarts, merging the availability monitoring function with regular data communication operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Incoming data frames serve multiple purposes: they deliver payload information and simultaneously act as KA events to restart timers. This multi-functional use of data frames eliminates the need for dedicated KA traffic while maintaining node availability monitoring.
2Reliability
If KA request frames are sent frequently to ensure reliable detection, then node availability is accurately monitored, but network congestion increases during high load conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses incoming data frames from other nodes to automatically trigger KA timer restarts without requiring separate KA request frames. Each node's regular data communications serve to refresh the availability status of other nodes, making the KA mechanism self-sustaining through existing traffic.
Solution Approach 2:
By tying KA timer restarts to continuous data frame reception, the system maintains uninterrupted availability monitoring as long as normal data communication occurs. The useful action of data transmission continuously serves the dual purpose of information exchange and availability verification.
3Loss of time
If KA timers are set to short intervals for rapid detection, then node failures are quickly detected, but the number of KA frames transmitted increases causing network instability
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous or frequent periodic KA requests, the system uses event-driven timer restarts triggered by incoming data frames. The periodicity of KA checks naturally aligns with the arrival rate of data frames, reducing unnecessary transmissions while maintaining detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The KA timer intervals become dynamic rather than fixed, adjusting based on the timing of incoming data frames. When data traffic is high, timers are frequently restarted with fewer explicit KA frames needed. When traffic is low, the system can tolerate longer intervals between effective checks.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the network size increases by adding more service nodes, then network coverage and functionality improve, but KA traffic causes increased congestion and stability issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the KA monitoring function from separate dedicated KA frame exchanges and embeds it within existing data frame communications. By taking out the redundant KA traffic and replacing it with event-driven timer restarts using data frames, the system can scale to larger networks without proportionally increasing KA traffic volume.
Data Source
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Figure 4~5B
Figure 5A
AI summary
A method (400) of communicating in a network having a plurality of nodes including a base node (BN), and a plurality of service nodes (SNs) having at least one switch node (SW) and at least one terminal node (TN). The method includes at least one of a) a first SN from the plurality of SNs receiving (401) (i) a data /ALV_B/ACK frame from the BN or (ii) a beacon from the BN or SW, and restarting (402) a first KA timer at the first SN upon (i) or (ii), and b) restarting (403) an ALV_S timer at the BN for the first SN upon receiving a data/ALV S/ACK frame from the first SN.