Abstract: Techniques detect a low gas-pressure condition within a region without the use of pressure sensors. In an example, gas usage at a service site is disaggregated to show use by individual appliances. A flowrate of gas at an appliance (e.g., a gas hot water tank) having a generally fixed-rate of gas-consumption is determined. Based at least in part on the flowrate of gas at the appliance, and an historical gas flowrate at that appliance, it is determined if gas pressure at the service site is lower than expected. In an example, failure of the appliance to use its typical fixed-flowrate may indicate low gas pressure at the service site. Information is obtained from a second gas meter at a second service site. Based on the gas pressure at the first and second service sites being lower than expected, a low gas pressure situation may exist in a regional area.

Abstract: Techniques determine if an appliance having a fixed-rate of gas-consumption is degrading over time. In one example, a flowrate of gas at a service site is obtained. The flowrate of gas is disaggregated to obtain a flowrate of gas corresponding to an appliance having a generally fixed-rate of gas-consumption. The flowrate of gas of the appliance is compared to historical gas consumption by the appliance. Based at least in part on the comparing, it may be determined that performance of the appliance has changed over time. For example, the gas consumption of a hot water tank may increase due to mineral build-up in the bottom of the tank. Responsive to the determined degradation of the appliance, warnings may be sent, repairs may be made, and/or appliance(s) may be replaced.

Abstract: Techniques for using data indicating if a gas regulator supplying gas at a regulated pressure to a gas meter (e.g., the gas meter of a house or business) within a gas distribution system has one or more lock-up failure events or venting events, wherein gas is vented to the atmosphere. The data may identify the identity of gas regulators at which the lock-up failure events or venting events occurred. Based at least in part on the identified gas regulators, a number of gas regulators having at least one of lock-up failure events or venting events that are connected to a same gas supply line may be identified. If the number of gas regulators having at least one of lock-up failure events or venting events on the identified gas supply line exceeds a threshold number this may indicate the presence of debris in the gas supply. Remedial steps may be taken, and the situation may be monitored and reassessed.

Abstract: Various embodiments disclose a method performed by a first node device in a mesh network that includes identifying a plurality of neighbor node devices that have one or more blocks of a dataset; determining quality scores for respective node devices of the plurality of neighbor node devices; selecting, based on the quality scores, a second node device from the plurality of neighbor node devices; and sending, to the second node device, a first request to receive at least one block of the one or more blocks.

Abstract: Techniques for controlling water pressure at a plurality of water customer service sites are described. In an example, a first plurality of water service sites having water pressure values greater than a first threshold value are identified. A second plurality of water service sites having pressure values less than a second threshold value are identified. Valves controlling water flow to respective customer service sites within the first and second pluralities of water service sites are adjusted. The adjustments increase water pressure in the second plurality of water service sites to a pressure above a minimal target pressure. The adjustment maintains the water pressure of the first plurality of service sites above the minimal target pressure. In an example, groups of water service sites are associated with respective water mains and/or water pressure sensors. Information shared between groups may assist in adjusting water valves within the water system.

Abstract: Techniques for multi-data rate communications include receiving, by a first node device within a mesh network, an information element that specifies one or more communication modes supported by a second node device within the mesh network; selecting, by the first node device, a first communication mode from the one or more communication modes, wherein a first metric value determined for the first communication mode based on the information element is lower than a second metric value determined for a default communication mode by a threshold value; and configuring, by the first node device, a communication link between the first node device and the second node device according to the first communication mode.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for evaluating connections between nodes in a mesh network.

Abstract: Techniques for managing multi-mode communications between nodes in a network include initiating, by a first node in a mesh network, a carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) session while the first node is in a first mode. The CSMA/CA session is associated with a request to transmit a data message to a second node in the mesh network. Initiating the CSMA/CA session includes determining availability of a channel associated with a channel schedule of the second node associated with the first mode.

Abstract: Techniques for preserving battery life in poor signal conditions include an electronic device determining a coverage enhancement (CE) parameter associated with a link between the electronic device and a base station for a first point in time; determining, based on the CE parameter, that a signaling metric associated with the link for the first point in time is equal to or below a corresponding threshold; and in response to determining that the signaling metric is equal to or below the corresponding threshold, delaying transmission of one or more messages from the electronic device over the link until a second point in time that is later than the first point in time.

Abstract: Techniques for efficient compression of sensor data are described herein. In an example, metrology data is received from a metrology device, the metrology data comprising one or more of: voltage (V) data; current (A) data; resistive power (W) data; and volt-amps reactive power (VAR) data. The metrology data is processed, wherein the processing comprises: performing peak-detection on the metrology data, to create data-signals comprising: a timestamped peak-values data-signal; and a peak-removed data-signal. Median-filtering is performed on the peak-removed data-signal, wherein a median-filtered data-signal is created. Level-shift detection is performed on the median-filtered data-signal, wherein a timestamped level-shift data-signal is created. The data is sent to a server. The data may include the timestamped peak-values data-signal and the timestamped level-shift data-signal.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for performing time synchronization within a network. The technique includes detecting a first scheduling conflict between a first transmission time associated with a first periodic beacon from a first node in the network and a second transmission time associated with a second periodic beacon from a second node in the network. The technique also includes determining a first alternate transmission time associated with the first periodic beacon based on a position of the first node in the network and the first transmission time. The technique further includes transmitting the first periodic beacon at the first transmission time, and transmitting an alternate periodic beacon at the first alternate transmission time.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques to conserve battery of an endpoint device. Example techniques include adjusting the size of messages transmitted by an endpoint device and/or adjusting the transmission rate of an endpoint device. In some configurations, the one or more criteria are used by an endpoint device to determine what data fields to include within a message and/or adjust a transmission rate associated with the transmission of messages by the endpoint device. For instance, the one or more criteria may include the battery level of the device, the time of year, whether the data has already been transmitted by the endpoint device, whether the data has been acknowledged as received by another device, whether the endpoint device has been instructed by another device to reduce the message size and/or adjust the transmission rate, and the like.

Abstract: Techniques for obtaining and processing utility consumption data (e.g., gas, water, electricity, etc.) of a utility network to determine if a violation has occurred with respect to a restriction schedule associated with a service site. By way of example, a number of utility restriction schedules associated with a number of service sites may be generated that indicate, for example, a type of restricted activity and/or event (e.g., irrigation), seasons and/or which days activity is allowed or not allowed, duration activity is allowed, and/or mitigation to take place if a violation is detected. A device (e.g., a smart utility meter, a router, etc.) may monitor utility consumption and detect a particular usage activity (e.g., irrigation) via data disaggregation. The device may compare the activity to the restriction schedule for that particular service site and perform automatic mitigation if a violation is detected.

Abstract: Techniques are directed to controlling access to resources on a message bus of a network communication device. The techniques may include, by the network communication device, processing a message bus access policy file uniquely corresponding to a process. The message bus access policy file may include a certificate securely associating the message bus access policy file with the process. The techniques may further include, by the network communication device, based at least in part on the processing the message bus access policy file, exposing one or more resources of the network communication device to the process on the message bus, in a manner corresponding to at least one resource access permission indication contained within the message bus access policy file.

Abstract: Techniques for data compression for efficient network management are described herein. In one example, for each byte of input data, either: (1) a value of that byte is added to a first-instance array if the value of that byte has not yet been seen in the input data; or (2) an index value is added to an index array, wherein the index value points to the appropriate location in the first-instance array. An “address-bit array” is created with one bit for each byte of the input data. Each bit in the address-bit array indicates whether information of a corresponding byte of the input data was put into the first-instance array or the index array. When the input data file is smaller, the index values in the index array tend to be mostly small valued bytes. Accordingly, the number of zero-valued most significant bits (MSBs) present in all bytes may be stripped from the index array, thereby compressing the input data.

Abstract: Techniques for contextualizing utility visualization patterns in a utility infrastructure environment are described herein. A utility meter data dashboard associated with a type of event may be displayed. A selection of a portion of a first utility visualization displayed in the utility meter data dashboard is received, the portion being associated with a subset of utility data. One or more previously used utility visualizations may be determined from among a plurality of additional utility visualizations. One or more candidate utility visualizations associated with the type of event may be determined from among the previously used utility visualizations. A ranked list of one or more candidate utility visualizations may be displayed. A second utility visualization may be displayed based at least in part on a selection from the ranked list.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for performing time synchronization within a network. The technique includes detecting a first scheduling conflict between a first transmission time associated with a first periodic beacon from a first node in the network and a first listening window associated with receiving a second periodic beacon from a second node in the network. The technique also includes determining a first alternate transmission time for the second periodic beacon based on a second transmission time associated with the second periodic beacon and a position of the second node in the network and calculating a second listening window associated with transmission of the second periodic beacon from the second node at the first alternate transmission time. The technique further includes listening for the second periodic beacon during the second listening window.

Abstract: The disclosure describes techniques for providing meter-to-transformer connectivity information and/or correction, using voltage-correlation, distance, and/or address data. In an example, a meter generates a time-series of voltage-changes. Transformers geographically close enough to the meter are assigned a time-series of voltage-changes. Pearson's Correlation Coefficient (PCC) values of the meter with respect to individual transformers are determined. A reference PCC value of the meter is set to be an average of a largest and a second largest PCC value from among the PCC values of the meter. Voltage-correlation confidence rating (VCCR) values for the meter with respect to each transformer that is within the threshold distance from the meter are calculated using the PCC. Based at least in part on the VCCR values for the meter with respect to each transformer that is within the threshold distance from that meter, a probability of the meter being connected to each transformer is determined.

Abstract: Techniques for path selection in a network include a first node in a mesh network receiving, from a second node in the mesh network, a first battery life metric for a path through the mesh network, determining a value representing a remaining battery life of the first node, calculating a second battery life metric based on at least one of the first battery life metric for the path or the value representing the remaining battery life for the first node, and transmitting, to a third node in the mesh network, the second battery life metric.

Abstract: Techniques for allocating event offsets within a period of transmission are described. A mains-powered device (MPD) may act as a “parent” to one or more battery-powered devices (BPDs). The MPD may assign “event offsets” to each BPD. The event offset is a time by which the BPD's timeslot is “offset” from the start of a periodic cycle of transmissions by the MPD. Thus, each event offset indicates a time that the BPD must be “awake,” i.e., operating its radio receiver and/or performing other functionality. A BPD may spend a substantial fraction of its time in a “sleep” mode, wherein less power is used and fewer functions are performed than during a period of that BPD's event offset. Another BPD may have a different event offset. Communications by the MPD with each child BPD may be substantially uniformly distributed over the period. To increase efficiency, groups of BPDs may receive multicasts.