System and Method for Message Consolidation in a Mesh Network

Abstract

A system and method for consolidating messages in a network comprising an access node coupled to a computer and a plurality of radio nodes coupled to sensing devices, such as a utility meter, is disclosed. Inbound message consolidation includes a radio node receiving two or more inbound messages that are consolidated. The radio node wirelessly transmits the consolidated message to a radio node logically closer to the access node or directly to the access node if the access node is within the transmission range of the radio node. The access node extracts the individual messages from the consolidated message upon receipt. For outbound messages, the access node consolidates original messages having common routes and transmits the consolidated message to a last node in the common route. The last node in the common route splits the consolidated message into the original messages and transmits each one to a destination radio node.

1 . A method for a radio node coupled to a sensing device or an actuator to consolidate messages in a network of radio nodes that communicate data to an access node coupled to a computer, comprising the steps of:
 receiving a plurality of messages during a communication receive period at a first radio node, the plurality of messages received from a plurality of radio nodes logically further from the access node than the first radio node, at least two of the plurality of messages having unique data sections;   constructing a consolidated message containing each unique data section associated with the plurality of messages received from the plurality of radio nodes logically further from the access node than the first radio node; and   transmitting wirelessly the consolidated message from the first radio node to another radio node logically closer to the access node or directly to the access node if the access node is within the transmission range of the first radio node during a communication transmit time for the first radio node, wherein each of the plurality of messages are extracted from the consolidated message upon receipt at the access node.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 discarding each of the plurality of messages received after constructing the consolidated message.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the plurality of messages contain the same message in the data section. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the access node receives one message from a radio node within the broadcast range of the access node containing one or more additional messages, and wherein one or more of the additional messages may be the consolidated message. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 receiving a single acknowledgement message from the access node subsequent to receipt of the consolidated message by the access node.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 sending an acknowledgement message to the plurality of radio nodes logically further from the access node than the first radio node during the communication receive period at a first radio node subsequent to receipt of the plurality of messages.   
   
   
       7 . A system for communicating consolidated outbound messages wirelessly transmitted from an access node coupled to a back end computer to a plurality of radio nodes coupled to data collectors, comprising:
 logic storable in a memory and executable by a processor that is configured to examine each original outbound message to determine whether one or more common route segments exist for at least two original outbound messages;   logic storable in a memory and executable by a processor that is configured to consolidate each original outbound message that has a common route segment with another original outbound message into a consolidated outbound message, wherein the consolidated outbound message contains a common route and a remaining route portion for each original outbound message that is part of the consolidated outbound message;   a transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit the consolidated outbound message, wherein the outbound consolidated message is communicated along the common route to a radio node that is a last radio node in the common route;   logic storable in a memory and executable by a processor in the last radio node in the common route that is configured to separate the consolidated message into one or more original outbound messages; and   a transceiver in the last radio node in the common route configured to wirelessly transmit each of the one or more original outbound messages to a destination radio node.   
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the separated consolidated message contains a combined message containing a plurality of original outbound messages. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the transceiver in the last radio node in the common route transmits the combined message to along a continued common route so that the combined message reaches a last node in the continued common route, and wherein one or more original outbound messages are extracted from the combined message and communicated to a destination radio node. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the predetermined route of each original outbound message is examined according to a predetermined table of routes contained in the access node.