Abstract: Technologies for autonomously determining location information of a network node in a mesh network are provided. For example, a mesh network includes primary nodes whose locations are known and secondary nodes whose locations are to be determined. A secondary node is configured to identify in-range primary nodes among the primary nodes that are in the communication range of the secondary node, and determine whether the number of the in-range primary nodes is above a threshold. If the number of the in-range primary nodes is above the threshold, the secondary node further determines a distance between the secondary node and each of selected in-range primary nodes, and calculates a location of the secondary node based on the distances and the respective locations of the selected in-range primary nodes. The secondary node further transmits the calculated location to a headend system over the mesh network.

Abstract: A system for autonomously validating the topology information of an electrical power distribution system is provided. For example, the system includes a group of meters previously determined to be connected to the same transformer of an electrical power distribution system. The group of meters is configured to perform family check periodically or upon request and to identify orphan meters in the group. The identified orphan meter can contact a community device communicatively connected to meters in more than one group to request a community check. The community device performs the community check by contacting meters in other groups of meters and obtain their family signature data. The community device further determines whether the orphan meter belongs to a new family based on the voltage data of the orphan meter and the family signature data of other groups. The orphan meter can report the community check results to a headend system.

Abstract: A system for discovering the topology and phase of an electrical power distribution system is provided. For example, a group of meters connected to an electrical power distribution system can process sensor data obtained at the meters and generate descriptors based on the processed data and transmit the descriptors to a headend system. The headend system can, after receiving the descriptors from the various meters in the system, group these meters to generate a grouping by applying clustering algorithms to the descriptors of these meters. The headend system can further compare the current grouping with past groupings to determine a confidence level of the current grouping and assign a segment identifier or a phase identifier or both to one or more of the meters based on the confidence level.

Abstract: A system for switching between different communication modes by network nodes according to a time-division schedule to transmit and receive data packets is provided. For example, a transmitting node is configured to determine a scheduled communication mode of an upcoming time division according to a time-division schedule, and transmit a data packet in that time division when the scheduled communication mode matches a selected communication mode supported by both the transmitting node and a receiving node. The receiving node operates in a scheduled communication mode specified for a current time division by the time-division schedule and determines whether a header of the data packet is detected in the current time division. If not, the receiving node switches to a second scheduled communication mode specified for the subsequent time division by the time-division schedule to detect the header of the data packet in a subsequent time division.

Abstract: A utility meter assembly having a base that is secured to a front cover. The assembly includes a dual locking system having a first locking position and a second locking position. In the first locking position, the front cover is removably secured with the base. In the second locking position, the front cover is permanently secured with the base to prevent separation of the two components unless one or both components are destroyed.

Abstract: In some implementations, formation of loops between nodes in an RPL network may be avoided. A node that receives a neighbor-discovery message may determine, based on a parent-child status, whether the neighbor-discovery message was received from a parent of the node. If the neighbor-discovery message was received from the parent, the node may transmit an error code to the parent. In addition, the node may determine, based on a comparison of reliability rankings, whether the neighbor-discovery message was received from a node with relatively high reliability, such as a potential grandparent node. If the neighbor-discovery message was received from a high-reliability node, the node may transmit an error code to the high-reliability node. Furthermore, the node may reduce network traffic by withholding a neighbor-detection message from a child node. The node may transmit a response to neighbor-detection messages received from the child node.

Abstract: A method for determining degradation of a capacitor in an electric meter includes, charging the capacitor to a predetermined voltage value during a charging period using charging circuitry of the electric meter, discharging the capacitor, during a discharge period, from the predetermined voltage value using discharging circuitry of the electric meter, measuring, during the discharge period, a first capacitor voltage value at a first time and a second capacitor voltage value at a second time later than the first time using capacitor measurement circuitry of the electric meter, determining, by a processor of the electric meter, a capacitance value of the capacitor based on the first voltage value, the second voltage value, the first time, and the second time, comparing the determined capacitance value to a capacitance threshold value, and determining that the capacitor is in a degraded condition when the calculated capacitance value is below the capacitance threshold value.

Abstract: Techniques for generating simulated waveforms for an electric meter include operating a meter in simulation mode without an external load device connected to the meter. Simulated waveforms are generated for a number of channels based on waveform component values. The waveforms are generated at a rate that corresponds to a sample rate of an analog to digital converter (ADC) of the meter. In simulation mode, the waveforms are provided to a meter firmware interface, instead of the waveform data obtained from the ADC.

Abstract: Technologies for implementing edge intelligence for utility communication networks are provided. For example, a system includes a mesh network and a utility fog configured to manage the mesh network. The utility fog includes a secure utility system configured for executing a private utility application and a first edge intelligence device configured for executing a first subset of software applications. Each software application is configured to manage endpoints in the mesh network or process data collected by the mesh network. The mesh network includes the endpoints and an edge intelligence device configured for executing a second subset of the software applications that is different from the first subset of software applications.

Abstract: A system for detecting the topology and phase information of an electrical power distribution system is provided. For example, the system includes a group of meters connected to an electrical power distribution system and can communicate with each other through local network connections such as a mesh network. Each of the meters is configured to generate and transmit voltage data to a correlator of the group of meters. The correlator calculates the correlations between each pair of meters in the group based on the voltage data received and further transmits the calculated correlations to a mapper through the mesh network. The mapper determines the topological or phase relationship between at least the group of meters based on the received correlations.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for facilitating communications in heterogeneous networks that include different data networks. A gateway device is configured to communicate with a first network using a TSCH protocol and with a second network using a channel hopping CSMA protocol. The gateway device can determine, during a first part of a TSCH timeslot, whether a message is received from the first network. If no message is received, the gateway device switches to the second network during a second part of the timeslot. If the gateway device receives a message from the second network, the gateway device may continue to receive the message. The receipt of the message in the second network may continue into a subsequent TSCH timeslot or may be interrupted if certain conditions are met.

Abstract: A multi-radio border router for synchronizing communications of multiple border router radios is provided. For example, the border router includes a border router component connected to each of the plurality of border router radios. The border router component configured for selecting one of the plurality of border router radios as a master radio and assigning channel offset parameters for each of the plurality of border router radios. The master radio is configured for broadcasting synchronization beacons based on which the non-master radios synchronize their respective clocks with that of the master radio. After the synchronization, each of the border router radios communicates with endpoints associated therewith according to a channel hopping pattern modified by applying a channel offset determined based on the channel offset parameters assigned to the respective radio.

Abstract: A system for determining a communication mode utilized by a transmitting node to transmit a data packet in a mesh network is provided. For example, a receiving node operates in a base communication mode to detect a pilot p of a data packet. The pilot prefix contains a signal with a predetermined frequency. In response to determining that the pilot prefix is detected, the receiving node detects a communication mode used to transmit the data packet based on preamble signals that are contained in a preamble of the data packet and are received after the detected pilot prefix. Once the communication mode is detected, the receiving node receives and processes the remaining portion of the data packet using the detected communication mode.

Abstract: A utility meter assembly having a base that is secured to a front cover. The assembly includes a dual locking system having a first locking position and a second locking position. In the first locking position, the front cover is removably secured with the base. In the second locking position, the front cover is permanently secured with the base to prevent separation of the two components unless one or both components are destroyed.

Abstract: A first node in a TSCH network may receive a message-initiation packet from a second node on the TSCH network. Based on information in the message-initiation packet, the first node may determine a transmission time for a message content packet that is associated with the message-initiation packet. The first node may generate or modify a node-specific transmission delay that indicates a backoff associated with the second node. The node-specific transmission delay may indicate a quantity of backoff time slots during which the first node delays initiating a transmission with the second node. If the first node receives, during the node-specific transmission delay, an additional packet intended for the second node, the first node may queue the additional packet until after the node-specific transmission delay is completed.

Abstract: A utility meter includes: a rectifier configured to rectify AC voltage from a power grid to generate a primary DC voltage supply; and a primary holdup circuitry, including: first capacitors coupled to a primary DC voltage rail and configured to store energy from the primary voltage supply; a switch coupled to the first capacitors; and a control circuit configured to control the primary holdup circuitry, wherein the control circuit is configured to: determine that a secondary DC voltage of a secondary voltage supply is approximately equal to a first specified threshold voltage; and generate a control signal to causes the switch to turn on and cause the one or more first capacitors to release a portion of the energy stored in the one or more first capacitors to the primary DC voltage rail.

Abstract: A method for avoiding collision between a parent node and a child node in a time-slotted-channel-hopping (TSCH) mesh network is provided. For example, each node in the TSCH network can be configured to obtain a transmit offset index. At the beginning of a timeslot, the node determines its transmission priority based on the transmit offset index and an absolute slot number (ASN) of the timeslot. If the transmission priority of the node is an early transmission priority, the node transmits data packets according to the normal transmission process of the TSCH network. If the transmission priority of the node is a late transmission priority, the node enters a listen before talk (LBT) mode to listen for incoming communication on the network. If no incoming communications are detected during the LBT mode, the node then transmits data packets according to the normal transmission process of the TSCH network.

Abstract: Disclosed is a seal assembly for a utility meter enclosure. The seal assembly secures together a front cover and a base of the utility meter enclosure in a way that requires breaking of the seal assembly in order to open the utility meter enclosure. As such, the seal assembly provides an indication if the utility meter enclosure has been opened or tampered with.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for detecting node outages in a mesh network. A tracking node in the mesh network detects a set of signals originating from a tracked node in the mesh network. The set of signals includes beacons or communication messages transmitted by the tracked node. The tracking node determines that a threshold number of the beacon intervals have passed since receiving the most recent signal from the tracked node. The tracking node performs outage validation based on data received from another node in the mesh network and updates the status of the tracked node. Based on the updated status, the tracking node outputs a ping to the tracked node requesting a response to the ping. When the response to the ping is not received from the tracked node, the tracking node transmits an outage alarm message to a next topologically higher layer of the mesh network.