Hybrid Mesh Cellular Network for Battery-Powered IoT Nodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery-powered IoT devices face significant power consumption issues when frequently establishing and maintaining cellular links, leading to reduced battery life and increased operational overhead, as they need to report metrology data regularly and respond to on-demand read requests.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid network system where nodes establish cellular links intermittently and form low-power wireless mesh links to conserve energy, allowing them to communicate with the back office as needed without frequent cellular link establishment or continuous activity, using a combination of cellular and mesh networks to manage data transmission and on-demand read requests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If battery-powered IoT devices frequently establish cellular links to report metrology data and respond to on-demand read requests, then communication reliability and responsiveness are improved, but power consumption increases and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a hybrid network architecture that uses low-power wireless mesh networks as intermediary communication channels between IoT devices and the back office. Instead of directly establishing cellular links for every communication need, devices use mesh network intermediaries for routine data reporting, reserving cellular links for critical on-demand read requests. This intermediary approach maintains communication reliability while dramatically reducing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects communication pathways based on operational needs. IoT devices transition between mesh network mode (low power) and cellular link mode (high reliability) depending on whether they are reporting routine metrology data or responding to on-demand read requests. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize the balance between communication reliability and power consumption in real-time.
2Loss of time
If battery-powered IoT devices maintain active cellular links at all times to enable on-demand read requests, then responsiveness to customer requests is improved, but battery life is substantially reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having IoT devices pre-establish low-power mesh network connections and maintain readiness to respond through the mesh network. When on-demand read requests arrive, the system can quickly route them through the mesh network to the appropriate devices without requiring prior cellular link establishment. This preliminary setup eliminates the need for continuous cellular connectivity while maintaining rapid response capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a functional copy of the cellular communication capability through the mesh network. Instead of requiring the original cellular link for all communications, the mesh network replicates the essential data transmission functionality for routine operations. This copying approach allows devices to remain responsive to on-demand requests through the mesh network copy, eliminating the need to maintain the power-intensive original cellular link continuously.
3Productivity
If cellular links are used for all IoT device communications, then secure IP-based communications and frequent data reporting are improved, but operational overhead increases due to frequent battery replacements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication infrastructure into two distinct layers: a low-power mesh network layer for routine metrology data reporting and a cellular network layer for secure IP-based communications and on-demand read requests. This segmentation allows routine high-frequency data reporting to occur over the mesh network without consuming cellular resources, thereby maintaining productivity while reducing operational overhead. Battery replacements are minimized because devices only use cellular links occasionally rather than continuously.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for a low latency hybrid network include storing, at a first node, metrology data received from a second node via a communication link of a first type; establishing, by the first node at a scheduled time, a connection to a server via a communication link of a second type, wherein the second type is different from the first type; and transmitting, by the first node, the metrology data to the server via the communication link of the second type.