Patents by Inventor Dale McLeod
Dale McLeod has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11272266Abstract: A method includes periodically sending an Advanced Meter Reading (AMR) beacon from a node at a first regular time interval, the AMR beacon containing a register identification (ID) and a reading detected by the node, and periodically listening, at the node, for a hail message such that instances of listening occur at a second regular time interval smaller than the first regular time interval. The node can also be configured to receive a mobile command from a mobile transceiver, as well as a Network System Status Request and a parent assignment command from a stationary transceiver.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2020Date of Patent: March 8, 2022Assignee: Mueller International, LLCInventors: David Edwin Splitz, Dale McLeod Magley, Brent Dukes
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Patent number: 11082294Abstract: A method of broadcasting firmware updating messages in a communication system includes the steps of receiving a broadcast remote firmware update (BRFU) setup message from an upstream source, the BRFU setup message specifying a number of transmissions of a broadcast of a firmware file; broadcasting setup information from the BRFU setup message on a first channel to downstream devices, the setup information specifying at least one other channel to which each downstream device should listen to receive a copy of the firmware file; and repeatedly broadcasting the firmware file to the downstream devices in accordance with the BRFU setup message.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2017Date of Patent: August 3, 2021Assignee: Mueller international, LLCInventors: Dale McLeod Magley, David Edwin Splitz, Gregory Caron, Brent Dukes
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Patent number: 10768016Abstract: A method includes listening, at a mobile collector, for beacons from a plurality of nodes to locate and communicate with a targeted node, each beacon comprising a utility device identification (ID) and communication channel information; receiving, by the mobile collector, the beacon from the targeted node of the plurality of nodes; and determining, by the mobile collector, that the beacon was received from the targeted node based on the utility device ID included in the beacon.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2018Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: Mueller International, LLCInventors: Dale McLeod Magley, Edward J. Meaney, Jr., David Edwin Splitz
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Publication number: 20200204885Abstract: A method includes periodically sending an Advanced Meter Reading (AMR) beacon from a node at a first regular time interval, the AMR beacon containing a register identification (ID) and a reading detected by the node, and periodically listening, at the node, for a hail message such that instances of listening occur at a second regular time interval smaller than the first regular time interval. The node can also be configured to receive a mobile command from a mobile transceiver, as well as a Network System Status Request and a parent assignment command from a stationary transceiver.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2020Publication date: June 25, 2020Inventors: David Edwin Splitz, Dale McLeod Magley, Brent Dukes
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Patent number: 10687390Abstract: Methods and systems of managing communications through a bridge between a gateway and a node in a long-range wireless wide area network include receiving at the bridge through a gateway a message with information for a node in accordance with a first communication protocol, identifying by the bridge the node to which the information is directed, and transmitting a message with at least a portion of the information to the identified node in accordance with a second communication protocol that is different from the first communication protocol.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2018Date of Patent: June 16, 2020Assignee: Mueller International, LLCInventors: Dale McLeod Magley, David Edwin Splitz
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Patent number: 10623833Abstract: A method includes periodically sending an Advanced Meter Reading (AMR) beacon from a node at a first regular time interval, the AMR beacon containing a register identification (ID) and a reading detected by the node, and periodically listening, at the node, for a hail message such that instances of listening occur at a second regular time interval smaller than the first regular time interval. The node can also be configured to receive a mobile command from a mobile transceiver, as well as a Network System Status Request and a parent assignment command from a stationary transceiver.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2018Date of Patent: April 14, 2020Assignee: Mueller International, LLCInventors: David Edwin Splitz, Dale McLeod Magley, Brent Dukes
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Patent number: 10582463Abstract: Technologies are described herein for time-synchronizing multiple remote network nodes concurrently with time beacons. A hub device in the network, at a preconfigured start time, begins to periodically broadcast time beacons containing current time values retrieved from an accurate time source over a beacon period, while other nodes of the network, at the same preconfigured start time, start listening for time beacons. When a node receives a time beacon broadcast by the hub device, the node sets a real-time clock of the node to the current time value in the received time beacon.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2018Date of Patent: March 3, 2020Assignee: Mueller International, LLCInventors: Robert Henry Grady, David Edwin Splitz, Dale McLeod Magley
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Patent number: 10560968Abstract: A method of avoiding response signal collisions includes broadcasting a message from a broadcasting device to a plurality of downstream devices, the message containing timing instructions specifying a time at which each downstream device should send its response to the message after successfully receiving the message, and determining whether every downstream device targeted in the message successfully received the message.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2017Date of Patent: February 11, 2020Assignee: Mueller International, LLCInventors: David Edwin Splitz, Dale McLeod Magley, Brent Dukes
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Publication number: 20190281661Abstract: Methods and systems of managing communications through a bridge between a gateway and a node in a long-range wireless wide area network include receiving at the bridge through a gateway a message with information for a node in accordance with a first communication protocol, identifying by the bridge the node to which the information is directed, and transmitting a message with at least a portion of the information to the identified node in accordance with a second communication protocol that is different from the first communication protocol.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2018Publication date: September 12, 2019Inventors: Dale McLeod Magley, David Edwin Splitz
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Publication number: 20190226873Abstract: A method includes listening, at a mobile collector, for beacons from a plurality of nodes to locate and communicate with a targeted node, each beacon comprising a utility device identification (ID) and communication channel information; receiving, by the mobile collector, the beacon from the targeted node of the plurality of nodes; and determining, by the mobile collector, that the beacon was received from the targeted node based on the utility device ID included in the beacon.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2018Publication date: July 25, 2019Inventors: Dale McLeod Magley, Edward J. Meaney, JR., David Edwin Splitz
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Patent number: 10326518Abstract: Methods and systems of managing communications through a repeater between a gateway and a plurality of nodes in a long-range wireless wide area network include, in various independent aspects, joining the plurality of nodes to the network through the gateway by transmitting to a join server at least a portion of join request messages received from the plurality of nodes, receiving messages from the gateway and identifying associated nodes of the plurality of nodes to which those messages are then transmitted, and transmitting messages to the gateway with physical layer payloads corresponding to payloads of messages received from the plurality of nodes.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2018Date of Patent: June 18, 2019Assignee: Mueller International, LLCInventors: Dale McLeod Magley, David Edwin Splitz
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Patent number: 10267652Abstract: A method includes sending, by a node, a beacon at a regular time interval, the beacon comprising at least an associated utility device identification (ID) and communication channel information; receiving, at the node, a message from a network device on the communication channel beginning within a time window after a defined delay after the beacon was sent; determining, by the node, if the message comprises the associated utility device ID; and initiating, by the node, temporary two-way communication by sending a response to the network device.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2018Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: Mueller International, LLCInventors: Dale McLeod Magley, Edward J. Meaney, Jr., David Edwin Splitz
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Publication number: 20190058630Abstract: A method of broadcasting firmware updating messages in a communication system includes the steps of receiving a broadcast remote firmware update (BRFU) setup message from an upstream source, the BRFU setup message specifying a number of transmissions of a broadcast of a firmware file; broadcasting setup information from the BRFU setup message on a first channel to downstream devices, the setup information specifying at least one other channel to which each downstream device should listen to receive a copy of the firmware file; and repeatedly broadcasting the firmware file to the downstream devices in accordance with the BRFU setup message.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2017Publication date: February 21, 2019Inventors: Dale McLeod Magley, David Edwin Splitz, Gregory Caron, Brent Dukes
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Publication number: 20190014393Abstract: A method includes periodically sending an Advanced Meter Reading (AMR) beacon from a node at a first regular time interval, the AMR beacon containing a register identification (ID) and a reading detected by the node, and periodically listening, at the node, for a hail message such that instances of listening occur at a second regular time interval smaller than the first regular time interval. The node can also be configured to receive a mobile command from a mobile transceiver, as well as a Network System Status Request and a parent assignment command from a stationary transceiver.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2018Publication date: January 10, 2019Inventors: David Edwin Splitz, Dale McLeod Magley, Brent Dukes
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Patent number: 10178617Abstract: A method of performing a hail communication attempt includes checking capacitor voltage of a capacitor in a battery pack powering a hailing device to determine whether the capacitor voltage equals or exceeds a threshold voltage, and responsive to determining that the capacitor voltage equals or exceeds the threshold voltage, transmitting a hail (ping) message to a target device, determining whether the hailing device has received a responsive pong message from the target device, and responsive to determining that the hailing device has received a responsive pong message, terminating the hail communication attempt in preparation for sending data to the target device. Hail communication attempts are limited according to a predetermined number of consecutive groups of consecutive hail messages, with the capacitor voltage check occurring before the sending of each group.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2017Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: Mueller International, LLCInventors: David Edwin Splitz, Dale McLeod Magley
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Publication number: 20180359778Abstract: A method of avoiding response signal collisions includes broadcasting a message from a broadcasting device to a plurality of downstream devices, the message containing timing instructions specifying a time at which each downstream device should send its response to the message after successfully receiving the message, and determining whether every downstream device targeted in the message successfully received the message.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2017Publication date: December 13, 2018Inventors: David Edwin Splitz, Dale McLeod Magley, Brent Dukes
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Publication number: 20180317169Abstract: A method of performing a hail communication attempt includes checking capacitor voltage of a capacitor in a battery pack powering a hailing device to determine whether the capacitor voltage equals or exceeds a threshold voltage, and responsive to determining that the capacitor voltage equals or exceeds the threshold voltage, transmitting a hail (ping) message to a target device, determining whether the hailing device has received a responsive pong message from the target device, and responsive to determining that the hailing device has received a responsive pong message, terminating the hail communication attempt in preparation for sending data to the target device. Hail communication attempts are limited according to a predetermined number of consecutive groups of consecutive hail messages, with the capacitor voltage check occurring before the sending of each group.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2017Publication date: November 1, 2018Inventors: David Edwin Splitz, Dale McLeod Magley
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Publication number: 20180310265Abstract: Technologies are described herein for time-synchronizing multiple remote network nodes concurrently with time beacons. A hub device in the network, at a preconfigured start time, begins to periodically broadcast time beacons containing current time values retrieved from an accurate time source over a beacon period, while other nodes of the network, at the same preconfigured start time, start listening for time beacons. When a node receives a time beacon broadcast by the hub device, the node sets a real-time clock of the node to the current time value in the received time beacon.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2018Publication date: October 25, 2018Inventors: Robert Henry Grady, David Edwin Splitz, Dale McLeod Magley
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Patent number: 10097411Abstract: A method includes periodically sending an Advanced Meter Reading (AMR) beacon from a node at a first regular time interval, the AMR beacon containing a register identification and a reading detected by the node, and periodically listening, at the node, for a communication such that instances of listening occur at a second regular time interval smaller than the first time interval. In one aspect of the disclosure, the communication is a mobile command from a mobile transceiver. In another aspect of the disclosure, the communication is a Network System Status Request or a parent assignment command from a stationary transceiver.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2016Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: Mueller International, LLCInventors: David Edwin Splitz, Dale McLeod Magley, Brent Dukes
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Patent number: 10070403Abstract: Technologies are described herein for time-synchronizing multiple remote network nodes concurrently with time beacons. A hub device in the network, at a preconfigured start time, begins to periodically broadcast time beacons containing current time values retrieved from an accurate time source over a beacon period, while other nodes of the network, at the same preconfigured start time, start listening for time beacons. When a node receives a time beacon broadcast by the hub device, the node sets a real-time clock of the node to the current time value in the received time beacon.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2016Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: Mueller International, LLCInventors: Robert Henry Grady, David Edwin Splitz, Dale McLeod Magley