RF Communication Check Value Allocation for Smart Grid
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current radio frequency communication systems in smart grid systems, such as AMR and AMI, face challenges in reducing power consumption and ensuring reliable data packet transmission in meter devices, which are battery-powered, while maintaining communication reliability and minimizing battery replacement costs.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for wireless data packet transmission between communication nodes that includes generating data packets with a weaker data check value to reduce power consumption and using a stronger check value in acknowledgement packets to ensure data integrity, with encryption and message authentication codes to secure communication, allowing for efficient and reliable data transfer between battery-powered meter devices and mains-powered collector devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If stronger data check values are used in data packets to ensure data integrity, then reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different quality levels of error detection to different parts of the communication process. Weaker check values (e.g., CRC-8) are used in data packets from battery-powered devices to minimize their power consumption, while stronger check values (e.g., CRC-16 or CRC-32) are used in acknowledgement packets from mains-powered collector devices to ensure reliable verification without burdening the battery-powered devices.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having the battery-powered meter device send strong acknowledgements, the patent inverts the approach by having the mains-powered collector device send strong acknowledgements back to the meter device. This reversal allows the stronger error detection to be applied where power is abundant rather than where it is constrained.
2Use of energy by moving object
If transmission power is reduced to conserve battery energy, then power consumption is improved, but transmission quality and reception reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an acknowledgement mechanism where the collector device sends feedback packets containing strong check values to confirm successful reception. This feedback loop allows the meter device to transmit with lower power while maintaining reliability through the verification provided by the collector's strong acknowledgements.
3Reliability
If stronger check values are used in acknowledgement packets, then data integrity verification is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent concentrates the complexity of strong error detection in the mains-powered collector devices where computational resources are abundant, while keeping the battery-powered meter devices simple with weaker check value processing. This local allocation of complexity matches the computational capabilities and power availability of each device type.
Data Source
AI summary
Radio frequency communication method for wirelessly transmitting data packets between two communication nodes of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of generating a data packet including payload data and a first data check value a, transmitting the data packet from the first node to a second node; and determine whether the data packet is transmitted correctly by calculating a second data check value based on the received payload data and comparing the second data check value to the first data check value to; if the data packet is received correctly, transmitting from the second node to the first node an acknowledgement packet including a first acknowledgement check value wherein the first acknowledgement check value provides stronger assurances about data integrity of the received payload data than the first and second data check values; and at the first node, calculating a second acknowledgement check value based on the original payload data, and determining whether the data received at the second node matched the data originally sent from the first node.