Method, device and system for the transmission of data from a data transmitter to a server

Abstract

A method for the transmission of data from a data transmitter to a server by means of a cellular network using frequency sub-bands. A modem selects at least one sub-band from among the frequency sub-bands of the frequency plane, the transmitter obtains at least one frequency sub-band selected, the transmitter obtains information representing the quality of service of the connection between the transmitter and the server, the transmitter checks whether the information representing the quality is superior to or equal to a predetermined quality level, the transmitter notifies the modem of a prohibition of selection of at least one previously selected frequency sub-band if the information representing the quality of service of the connection between the transmitter and the server is inferior to the predetermined quality level.

Claims

1. A method for the transmission of data from a data transmitter to a server with at least one predetermined quality-of-service level, the data being transmitted by means of a cellular network using frequency sub-bands, wherein said method causes: selecting, by a modem of the transmitter, at least one sub-band from among the frequency sub-bands of a frequency plane enabled for the transmission of data to the server, obtaining, by the transmitter, at least one selected frequency sub-band, obtaining information representing a quality of service of a connection between the transmitter and the server, checking, by the transmitter, whether the information representing the quality of service of the connection between the transmitter and the server is superior to or equal to a predetermined quality level, transferring, by the transmitter, of the data to the server if the information representing the quality of service of the connection between the transmitter and the server is superior to or equal to the predetermined quality level, notifying to the modem, by the transmitter, of a prohibition of selection of at least one previously selected frequency sub-band if the information representing the quality of service of the connection between the transmitter and the server is not superior to or equal to a predetermined quality level, performing, by the transmitter, the selection, obtaining and notification steps as long as the information representing the quality of service of the connection between the transmitter and the server is not superior to or equal to the predetermined quality level, and if all the frequency sub-bands of the frequency plane are prohibited, the method further comprises notifying the modem by the transmitter, that the prohibited frequency sub-bands can again be selected and executing the selection, obtaining and notification steps as long as the information representative of the quality of service of the connection between the transmitter and the server is not greater than or equal to the predetermined quality level, wherein the server notifies a lack of reception of data from the transmitter.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the information representing the quality of service of the connection between the transmitter and the server is determined: by sending one or more data packets in accordance with TCP or UDP protocol, a quantity of payload data of which is equal to a maximum quantity permitted by the TCP or UDP protocol, by sending one or more data packets in accordance with the TCP or UDP protocol, a quantity of payload data of which is equal to the minimum quantity permitted by the TCP or UDP protocol, and by measuring a number of lost packets, propagation delays of transmitted packets and a variation in latency over time.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter is included in a data concentrator concentrating data received from a plurality of electricity meters.

4. A non-transitory storage medium that stores a computer program comprising instructions for implementing, by a device, the method according to claim 1, when said computer program is executed by a processor of said device.

5. A system for the transmission of data from a data transmitter to a server with at least one predetermined quality-of-service level, the data being transmitted by means of a cellular network using frequency sub-bands, wherein the system comprises circuitry causing the system to perform: selecting, by a modem of the transmitter, at least one sub-band from among the frequency sub-bands of a frequency plane enabled for the transmission of data to the server, obtaining, by the transmitter, at least one frequency sub-band selected, obtaining information representing a quality of service of a connection between the transmitter and the server, checking by the transmitter, whether the information representing the quality of service of the connection between the transmitter and the server is superior to or equal to a predetermined quality level, transferring by the transmitter of data to the server if the information representing the quality of service of the connection between the transmitter and the server is superior to or equal to the predetermined quality level, notifying, by the transmitter to the modem of a prohibition of selection of at least one previously selected frequency sub-band if the information representing the quality of service of the connection between the transmitter and the server is not superior to or equal to a predetermined quality level, activating by the transmitter the selecting, obtaining and notifying means as long as the information representing the quality of service of the connection between the transmitter and the server is not superior to or equal to the predetermined quality level, notifying by the server of an absence of reception of data from the transmitter, and notifying the modem by the transmitter, that the prohibited frequency sub-bands can again be selected and execution of the selection, obtaining and notification steps as long as the information representative of the quality of service of the connection between the transmitter and the server is not greater than or equal to the predetermined quality level, wherein the server notifies a lack of reception of data from the transmitter if no data is received during a predetermined time period by the server.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The features of the invention mentioned above, as well as others, will emerge more clearly from the reading of the following description of an example embodiment, said description being given in relation to the accompanying drawings, among which:

(2) FIG. 1 depicts a system wherein the present invention is implemented;

(3) FIG. 2 depicts an example of architecture of a data concentrator wherein the present invention is implemented;

(4) FIG. 3 depicts an example of architecture of a server wherein the present invention is implemented;

(5) FIG. 4 depicts an example of an algorithm executed by the data concentrator according to the present invention;

(6) FIG. 5 depicts an example of an algorithm executed by the server according to the present invention.

(7) FIG. 1 depicts a system wherein the present invention is implemented.

(8) The system is a system for collecting data from smart electricity meters Ce1, Ce2, Ce3, Ce4 and Ce5 by a data concentrator Cd that transfers the concentrated data to a server Serv.

(9) The data from the electricity meters Ce1, Ce2, Ce3, Ce4 and Ce5 are obtained by the data concentrator Cd by means of a powerline connection.

(10) The concentrator Cd next transfers the data to the server Serv by means of a cellular wireless network only if the quality of the connection provided by the cellular wireless network is at least equal to a predetermined quality level.

(11) FIG. 2 shows an example of architecture of a data concentrator wherein the present invention is implemented.

(12) The concentrator Cd comprises: a processor, microprocessor or microcontroller 200; a volatile memory 203; a non-volatile memory NVM 202 such as for example a ROM and/or flash memory; optionally, a storage medium reader 204, such as an SD card (Secure Digital card) reader or a hard disk; a modem 205 for communication with the cellular network Rc; an interface 206 for communication with the electricity meters Ce; communication bus 201 connecting the processor 200 to the non-volatile memory 202, to the RAM memory 203, to the storage medium reader 204, to the modem 205 and to the interface 206.

(13) The communication modem is for example a modem marketed by the company Gemalto© under the reference PLS8-E.

(14) The processor 200 is capable of executing instructions loaded in the volatile memory 203 from the non-volatile memory 202, from an external memory (not shown), from a storage medium, such as an SD card or the like, or from a communication network. When the concentrator Cd is powered up, the processor 200 is capable of reading instructions from the volatile memory 203 and executing them. These instructions form a computer program that causes the implementation, by the processor 200, of all or part of the method described in relation to FIG. 4.

(15) All or part of the method described in relation to FIG. 4 can be implemented in software form by the execution of a set of instructions by a programmable machine, such as a DSP (digital signal processor) or a microcontroller or be implemented in hardware form by a machine or a dedicated component, such as an FPGA (field-programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit).

(16) FIG. 3 shows an example of architecture of a server wherein the present invention is implemented.

(17) The server Serv comprises: a processor, microprocessor or microcontroller 300; a volatile memory 303; a non-volatile memory NVM 302; optionally, a storage medium reader 304, such as an SD card (Secure Digital card) reader or a hard disk; a cellular network interface 305; a communication bus 301 connecting the processor 300 to the ROM memory 302, to the RAM memory 303, to the storage medium reader 304 and to the cellular network interface 305.

(18) The cellular network interface 305 may be shared or not with other servers implementing the present invention. The cellular network interface 305 may thus be included in the server Serv or in another server or be physically separate from the server or servers implementing the present invention.

(19) The processor 300 is capable of executing instructions loaded in the volatile memory 303 from the non-volatile memory 302, from an external memory (not shown), from a storage medium, such as an SD card or the like, or from a communication network. When the server Serv is powered up, the processor 300 is capable of reading instructions from the volatile memory 303 and executing them. These instructions form a computer program that causes the implementation, by the processor 300, of all or part of the method described in relation to FIG. 5.

(20) All or part of the method described in relation to FIG. 5 can be implemented in software form by the execution of a set of instructions by a programmable machine, such as a DSP (digital signal processor) or a microcontroller or be implemented in hardware form by a machine or a dedicated component, such as an FPGA (field-programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit).

(21) FIG. 4 shows an example of an algorithm executed by the data concentrator according to the present invention.

(22) The present algorithm is described in an example wherein it is executed by the processor 200 of the data concentrator Cd.

(23) At the step E400, the cellular radio modem 205 establishes a communication using an algorithm in accordance with the part entitled “Automatic Network Selection Mode Procedure” of the 3GPP standard as defined in the 3GPP document TS 23.122 and chooses at least one frequency sub-band from among the frequency sub-bands of the frequency plane enabled for the transmission of data to the server.

(24) In accordance with this standard, the cellular radio modem can choose frequency sub-bands according to criteria favouring a good voice communication quality rather than a good data communication quality.

(25) At the step E401, the processor 200 obtains at least one frequency sub-band selected by the modem. For example, the processor 200 generates a predetermined command to the cellular network modem 205 in order to obtain the index of the frequency sub-band selected by the cellular network modem 205.

(26) For example, the processor 200 generates a predetermined command to the cellular network modem 205 in order to obtain, for each frequency sub-band of the frequency plane, information indicating whether or not the frequency sub-band is used by the modem of the cellular network 205.

(27) At the step E402, the processor 200 demands the making of quality-of-service measurements on the network to which the cellular radio modem is connected in order to obtain information representing the quality of service of the connection between the transmitter and the server.

(28) For example, the processor 200 demands the transfer of one or more packets in accordance with the TCP protocol wherein the quantity of payload data is equal to the maximum quantity permitted by the TCP protocol, and the transfer of one or more packets in accordance with the TCP protocol wherein the quantity of payload data is equal to the minimum quantity permitted by the TCP protocol.

(29) For example, the processor 200 demands the transfer of one or more packets in accordance with the UDP protocol wherein the quantity of payload data is equal to the maximum quantity permitted by the UDP protocol, and the transfer of one or more packets in accordance with the UDP protocol wherein the quantity of payload data is equal to the minimum quantity permitted by the UDP protocol.

(30) For example, the processor 200 makes commands of the PING type in accordance with the ICMP protocol.

(31) The processor 200 next makes measurements on the number of lost packets, the propagation times for the packets transmitted and the variation in the latency over time.

(32) At the step E403, the processor 200 checks whether the information representing the quality of the connection between the transmitter and the server is superior to or equal to a predetermined quality level.

(33) If the information representing the quality of the connection between the transmitter and the server is superior to or equal to the predetermined quality level, the processor 200 demands the transfer of data to the server Serv.

(34) If the information representing the quality of service of the connection between the transmitter and the server is inferior to the predetermined quality level, the processor 200 passes to the step E404.

(35) At the step E404, the processor 200 checks whether all the sub-bands of the frequency plane have been prohibited.

(36) If so, the processor 200 passes to the step E405. If not, the processor 200 passes to the step E406.

(37) At the step E405, the processor 200 generates a command, intended for the modem, enabling selection of each frequency sub-band of the frequency plane.

(38) Once this step has been performed, the algorithm returns to the step E400.

(39) At the step E406, the processor 200 generates a command, intended for the modem, prohibiting selection of at least one frequency sub-band previously selected.

(40) The prohibition of selection is for example made for all the frequency sub-bands associated with the 4G network if these have been selected by the modem or for only some of the frequency sub-bands selected by the modem.

(41) At the step E407, the cellular radio modem 205 establishes a communication with the server Serv and chooses at least one frequency sub-band from among the frequency sub-bands of the frequency plane not prohibited for the transmission of data to the server Serv.

(42) At the step E408, the processor 200 obtains at least one frequency sub-band selected by the modem in the same way as that described with reference to the step E401.

(43) Once this operation has been performed, the present algorithm returns to the step E402.

(44) FIG. 5 shows an example of an algorithm executed by the server according to the present invention. The present algorithm is described in an example in which it is executed by the processor 300 of the server Serv.

(45) At the step E500, the processor 300 checks whether data are received from the data concentrator Cd during a predetermined period of time, for example equal to 24 hours.

(46) If so, the processor 300 passes to the step E501 and processes the data received.

(47) If not, the processor 300 demands the generation of an alarm message so that an action is performed on the data concentrator, for example for installation of a more efficient radio antenna.