Method and system of providing ip-based packet communications in a utility network

Abstract

A wireless communication system and method include a plurality of nodes that are part of a wireless local area network (LAN), and a plurality of access points connected to the wireless LAN and at least one wide area network (WAN). At least one of the nodes registers with at least two of the access points, and, for each of the access points with which that node registers, obtain a unique network address corresponding to that access point, such that the node obtains a plurality of unique network addresses each respectively associated with a corresponding one of the access points with which the node registers. The node can receive a message from an external network device via multiple routes through the WAN and the wireless LAN. Each of the multiple routes respectively corresponds to one of the unique network addresses obtained by the node.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wireless communication system comprising:
 a plurality of nodes that are part of a wireless local area network; and   a plurality of access points connected to the wireless local area network, the access points providing communication between at least one of the plurality of nodes and at least one wide area network distinct from the wireless local area network;   wherein at least one of the plurality of nodes is configured to:   register with at least two of the plurality of access points; and   for each of the plurality of access points with which the at least one node registers, obtain a unique network address of the at least one node corresponding to that access point in response to registration, such that the at least one node obtains a plurality of unique network addresses each respectively associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of access points with which the at least one node registers,   wherein the at least one node is configured to receive a message from an external network device via multiple routes through the at least one wide area network and the wireless local area network, each of the multiple routes respectively corresponding to one of the plurality of unique network addresses obtained by the at least one node, and each of the multiple routes being respectively associated with a corresponding one of at least two of the access points with which the node has registered.   
     
     
         2 . The wireless communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one node is configured to forward, via at least one of the access points with which the at least one node is registered, the plurality of unique network addresses to an intended network destination accessible through the at least one wide area network, to provide the intended network destination with the multiple routes to reach the node, 
     
     
         3 . The wireless communication system of  claim 2 , wherein the intended network destination is associated with a global network address, and
 wherein the global network address associated with the intended network destination is used by the at least one node to send a message to the intended network destination.   
     
     
         4 . The wireless communication system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of unique network addresses corresponding to the access point that the at least one node is registered with includes an address prefix associated with the access point the node is registered with. 
     
     
         5 . The wireless communication system of  claim 4 , wherein the address prefix is an IPv6 address prefix. 
     
     
         6 . The wireless communication system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of nodes is configured to communicate with a utility meter and transmit information on a metered commodity. 
     
     
         7 . A method of communicating in a network, comprising:
 registering, by a node in a wireless local area network, with a plurality of access point devices that provide an interface between the wireless local area network and an external network;   receiving, by the node, a corresponding network address prefix for each of the plurality of access points the node registers with, respectively, such that the node receives a plurality of network address prefixes each respectively corresponding to one of the plurality of access points with which the node registers;   generating a plurality of unique network addresses for the node, each of the plurality of unique network addresses being based on a corresponding one of the plurality of network address prefixes; and   receiving, by the node via at least one of the access points with which the node is registered, a message from an external network device via multiple routes through the at least one wide area network and the wireless local area network, each of the multiple routes respectively corresponding to one of the plurality of unique network addresses generated for the at least one node, and each of the multiple routes being respectively associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of access points with which the node has registered.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising:
 forwarding, by the node via at least one of the access points with which the node is registered, the plurality of unique network addresses to an intended network destination to provide the intended network destination with multiple routes to reach the node.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising:
 registering the plurality of unique network addresses with a dynamic domain name server associated with the external network to provide the external network device in communication with the external network with the multiple routes to reach the node.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising:
 routing messages to the node according to one of the plurality of unique network addresses,   wherein the network address prefixes are IPv6 address prefixes, and   wherein the routed messages are routed through one of the access points corresponding to the IPv6 prefix, and one of the plurality of unique network addresses for the node is chosen according to a network address preference indicator.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the network address preference indicator is stored in a DNS server associated with the wireless local area network. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the preference indicator corresponds to a configurable cost metric of packet delivery performance of a connection to the corresponding node. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the preference indicator corresponds to a configurable cost metric of packet delivery performance of a connection to the corresponding node. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the preference indicator corresponds to a configurable policy. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising:
 selecting an alternate route upon failure of an initial packet delivery attempt.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the preference indicator is based on at least one of reliability, speed, priority and link quality. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising:
 modifying the preference indicator corresponding to the unique network address used to send a message to the node in response to a failed attempt to deliver a message to the node.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising:
 modifying preference indicators of DNS entries corresponding to other nodes that are dependent on a node which failed to deliver the message to the node.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the node is configured to communicate with a utility meter and transmit information on a metered commodity. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising:
 communicating, via the node, with at least one in-premise device over a sub-network of a premises;   associating at least one of the plurality of unique network addresses with the in-premise device; and   sending an indication of the association of the network address with the in-premise device to at least one other node in the local area network.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising:
 communicating, via the node, with at least one in-premise device over a sub-network of a premises;   receiving a block of network addresses from at least one of the access points in the local area network;   allocating a network address to the in-premise device from the received block of network addresses; and   sending an indication of the allocation of the network address with the in-premise device to at least one other node in the local area network.   
     
     
         22 . A wireless communication system comprising:
 a plurality of nodes that are part of a wireless local area network; and   a plurality of access points connected to the wireless local area network, the access points providing communication between at least one of the plurality of nodes and at least one wide area network;   wherein at least one of the plurality of nodes is configured to:   register with at least two of the plurality of access points; and   for each of the plurality of access points with which the at least one node registers, obtain a unique network address of the at least one node corresponding to that access point in response to registration, such that the at least one node obtains a plurality of unique network addresses each respectively associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of access points with which the at least one node registers,   wherein the at least one node is addressable using any one of the plurality of unique network addresses obtained by the at least one node such that the at least one node is configured to receive a message from an external network device via multiple routes through the at least one wide area network and the wireless local area network.