Syncless RF Collector for Smart Meter Packet Reception
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current energy meter collection systems face challenges in receiving and processing large numbers of low-power RF transmissions from smart meters, leading to high packet error rates and limited coverage, which is exacerbated by the need for more timely data collection and increased infrastructure maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that employs a collector with multiple antennas and a channelizer chain to detect, demodulate, and decode RF signals using parallel processing and sampling diversity techniques, allowing for the extraction of packet payloads with reduced error rates and increased throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a fixed-location collector is deployed to collect data from a large number of meters, then the coverage area and number of meters served is improved, but the power levels of transmissions from meters are substantially attenuated and packet collision rate is exponentially increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the reception process into multiple parallel channels, each handling a subset of frequency hops. The channelizer chain segments the frequency spectrum into multiple channels, and multiple packet receivers process packets in parallel across these channels, reducing the load on each individual receiver and improving overall system reliability for large-scale deployments
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces parallel processing across multiple frequency channels and time slots as an additional dimension to the reception process. By distributing packets across multiple channels and using multiple receivers in parallel, the system can handle more meters simultaneously without increasing attenuation or collision rates in any single channel
2Productivity
If traditional packet reception methods are used with sync sequence detection, then protocol compliance is maintained, but processing time is increased and throughput is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring multiple packet receivers with different synchronization states and pre-processing packets in parallel channels before final validation. This allows the system to maintain protocol compliance while reducing overall processing time through提前 preparation and parallel processing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements syncless reception where packets are processed without waiting for traditional synchronization sequences. By rushing through the packet reception process and validating packets in parallel across multiple channels, the system significantly reduces processing time and increases throughput while maintaining acceptable error rates
3Reliability
If multiple antennas are used to improve reception coverage, then signal strength is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple antenna signals through a shared channelizer chain and parallel packet receiver architecture. Instead of having separate processing paths for each antenna, multiple antennas feed into a common frequency channelization system that distributes packets to multiple receivers, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining improved signal strength
Solution Approach 2:
The channelizer chain serves multiple functions: it processes signals from multiple antennas, divides frequency channels, and distributes packets to multiple parallel receivers. This universal component reduces the need for separate processing paths for each antenna, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining multi-antenna reception capabilities
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables the efficient reception and decoding of numerous low-power RF transmissions, significantly reducing packet error rates and enhancing data collection capabilities to meet stringent timeliness requirements, while also simplifying infrastructure by using digital beamforming and programmable configurations.
Implementation Method 1
downconvert the RF signal stream to an analog signal stream at a baseband of the one or more packet transmission protocols
Implementation Method 2
upon detection of a bit edge transition within the corresponding one of the plurality of channelized bit streams
Implementation Method 3
demodulate all following bits as raw bits, transform the raw bits into packet bytes and checksum bytes
Implementation Method 4
compute a checksum of the packet bytes for comparison to the checksum bytes, and if the computed checksum is equal to the checksum bytes, provide the packet payload for validation
Data Source
AI summary
A system for reception of radio transmissions includes: a collector, coupled to a plurality of transmitters via a plurality of wireless radio frequency (RF) links. The collector has a channelizer chain that receives an RF signal stream comprising broadcasts from the plurality of transmitters according to one or more known packet transmission protocols, converts the RF signal stream into digital bit streams that each correspond to a corresponding frequency channel. The collector also has a plurality of packet receivers that comport with a number of frequency channels provided by the channelizer chain and that are coupled in parallel to the channelizer chain. Each of the receivers processes more than one sample within each bit of a corresponding digital bit stream to detect, demodulate, and decode bits of the corresponding digital bit stream into packet payloads. The collector validates the packet payloads and forwards the packet payloads to one or more entities.