Narrow Band Multipoint AMR Communication Protocol
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automatic meter reading (AMR) systems are bandwidth limited by the number of channels, channel width, and broadcast power restrictions, limiting data transmission range and capacity, and are unable to implement advanced multiplexing techniques due to frequency or digital code hopping.
Innovation Solution
A very narrow band multipoint communication protocol that divides main channels into sub-channels and applies frequency division multiplexing among them, increasing gain and transmission range, and allowing for a larger number of transponders to communicate with a data collection device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If frequency or digital code hopping is implemented among channels to reduce interference, then interference limitation is improved, but the ability to divide the operational frequency further to achieve very narrow band performance is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments each main channel into multiple sub-channels, allowing further frequency division while maintaining the interference limitation benefits of frequency hopping. This segmentation enables the system to achieve very narrow band performance without sacrificing the interference reduction capabilities provided by frequency or code hopping among the main channels.
2Speed
If the frequency width of narrow band communication channels is used, then channel bandwidth is maintained, but the gain available within each channel is limited, restricting transmission range
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting main channels into sub-channels, the system achieves narrower effective bandwidth for each sub-channel, which increases the gain available within each sub-channel and thereby extends the transmission range. The segmentation allows the system to maintain overall bandwidth capability while achieving enhanced performance in each narrow band channel.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If frequency or digital code hopping is implemented to limit interference, then interference reduction is improved, but multiplexing techniques used in mobile telephone applications cannot be implemented to optimize communication bandwidth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements segmentation of main channels into sub-channels, which enables the system to incorporate multiplexing techniques similar to those used in mobile telephone applications. This segmentation provides the flexibility to optimize communication bandwidth while maintaining interference reduction capabilities through frequency or code hopping among the main channels.
4Reliability
If broadcast power is restricted to mWatt range, then regulatory compliance is improved, but data transmission capacity and range are limited
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the frequency spectrum into multiple sub-channels within main channels, the system can distribute the transmission load across multiple narrow band channels. This segmentation allows the system to maintain regulatory compliance with low broadcast power requirements while achieving enhanced data transmission capacity through the combined capability of multiple sub-channels.
Data Source
AI summary
A very narrow band multipoint communication system suitable for use in an automatic meter reading (AMR) system having a communication protocol that divides each main channel of a frequency or digital code hopping system into multiple sub-channels and applies frequency division multiplexing among the sub-channels. Each sub-channel exhibits a very narrow band characteristic that allows gain increase to increase the transmission range of the meters. In addition, frequency division multiplexing among the sub-channels greatly increases the number of meters that can communicate on each main channel. The data collection device demodulates and decodes the multiplexed meter signals at an intermediate frequency with electronic circuitry. The resulting very narrow band AMR system exhibits greater transmission range, greater bandwidth and can accommodate a much larger number of meters per data collection device in comparison to a conventional narrow band AMR system.