Sterling P Hughes

US Patent:

7839899, Nov 23, 2010

Filed:

Mar 28, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/057970

Inventors:

Jana van Greunen - Redwood City CA, US
Sterling Hughes - Oakland CA, US
Raj Vaswani - Portola Valley CA, US

Assignee:

Silver Spring Networks, Inc. - Redwood City CA

International Classification:

H04J 3/07
G01R 31/08

US Classification:

370503, 370252

Abstract:

A method of updating routing information in a network where reboot information of other nodes in the network is used to determine whether a given node has recent route updates. If the reboot information indicates the given node has not recently rebooted, then routing information from that given node is used to update the routing information of the comparing node. The reboot information may be a reboot counter which is incremented by a node in response to the node going through a reboot process. When a node reboots, it may request the reboot counter from neighboring nodes. The received reboot counter is compared to the stored reboot counter for at least one node. The rebooting node may choose to receive routing information from a node which has not had its reboot counter changed from the stored reboot counter. In the event none of the neighboring nodes have an unchanged reboot counter, requests may be made for the reboot counters of other nodes, which may be compared to the corresponding stored reboot counters, until the rebooting node discovers a node which has not recently rebooted according to the reboot counter, and may then download routing information from that node.

US Patent:

7853417, Dec 14, 2010

Filed:

May 17, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/804223

Inventors:

Raj Vaswani - Portola Valley CA, US
James Pace - San Francisco CA, US
Sterling Hughes - Oakland CA, US

Assignee:

Silver Spring Networks, Inc. - Redwood City CA

International Classification:

G01R 21/00

US Classification:

702 60, 702 61, 702182

Abstract:

The present invention provides a system including a utility network including a product distribution pathway for delivering a product, a plurality of electronic utility devices associated with the utility network to monitor at least one parameter associated with the product distribution pathway, and a management processor in communication with the devices and operable to poll at least a subset of the electronic utility devices in response to an input to evaluate performance of one of the utility network and the system in response to information relating to the at least one parameter. The evaluation can include a rule-based analysis of one of the parameter and the information relating to the parameter.

US Patent:

7894481, Feb 22, 2011

Filed:

Dec 31, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/347809

Inventors:

Jana van Greunen - Redwood City CA, US
William E. San Filippo, III - Los Altos Hills CA, US
Sterling Hughes - San Mateo CA, US

Assignee:

Silver Spring Networks, Inc. - Redwood City CA

International Classification:

H04J 3/24
H04J 3/14

US Classification:

370474, 370252

Abstract:

Methods and devices are disclosed for dynamically fragmenting packets transmitted in a communications network. Fragments are generated by splitting a packet based on a value of a fragment size parameter. A first fragment is sent to a receiving node. As the sending node, a transmission success parameter is determined that indicates whether the first fragment was successfully received. Based on the value of the transmission success parameter, a link quality parameter value representing a chance a second fragment having the same size as the first fragment will be successfully received by the receiving node is updated. The sending node compares the value of the link quality parameter and a value of a quality threshold parameter and changes the value of the fragment size parameter based on a result of the comparison.

US Patent:

7940669, May 10, 2011

Filed:

Jun 27, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/163904

Inventors:

Raj Vaswani - Portola Valley CA, US
Sterling Hughes - Redwood City CA, US
Jana van Greunen - Redwood City CA, US
William E. San Filippo, III - Los Altos Hills CA, US
George Flammer, III - Cupertino CA, US

Assignee:

Silver Spring Networks, Inc. - Redwood City CA

International Classification:

H04J 3/14

US Classification:

370238, 709241, 455445

Abstract:

Methods and systems for providing a network and routing protocol for utility services are disclosed. A method includes discovering a utility network. Neighboring nodes are discovered and the node listens for advertised routes for networks from the neighbors. The node is then registered with one or more utility networks, receiving a unique address for each network registration. Each upstream node can independently make forwarding decisions on both upstream and downstream packets, i. e. , choose the next hop according to the best information available to it. The node can sense transient link problems, outage problems and traffic characteristics. Information is used to find the best route out of and within each network. Each network node maintains multi-egress, multi-ingress network routing options both for itself and the node(s) associated with it. The node is capable of several route maintenance functions utilizing the basic routing protocol and algorithms.

US Patent:

7961741, Jun 14, 2011

Filed:

Oct 23, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/257077

Inventors:

Jana van Greunen - Redwood City CA, US
Sterling Hughes - San Mateo CA, US

Assignee:

Silver Spring Networks, Inc. - Redwood City CA

International Classification:

H04L 12/28
H04J 1/16
G08C 15/00
G06F 11/00
G01R 31/08

US Classification:

370400, 370235, 370254, 370338, 709225, 709227

Abstract:

Bulk information is transferred to nodes in a communication network having a plurality of widely dispersed nodes. The information can be an image, content, or configuration information. The information is uni-cast to a selection of nodes by a central node or server, to seed the information at certain nodes in the network. The information is then distributed by these seed nodes to every other node in the network. A first algorithm selects which nodes should be seeded with information by the central node. A second algorithm distributes information in the network on a query basis.

US Patent:

7969889, Jun 28, 2011

Filed:

Mar 3, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/716678

Inventors:

Raj Vaswani - Portola Valley CA, US
Sterling Hughes - San Francisco CA, US
Jana van Greunen - Redwood City CA, US
William E. San Filippo, III - Los Altos Hills CA, US
George Flammer, III - Cupertino CA, US

Assignee:

Silver Spring Networks, Inc. - Redwood City CA

International Classification:

H04J 3/14

US Classification:

370238, 370346, 370349

Abstract:

Methods and systems for providing a network and routing protocol for utility services are disclosed. A method includes discovering a utility network. Neighboring nodes are discovered and the node listens for advertised routes for networks from the neighbors. The node is then registered with one or more utility networks, receiving a unique address for each network registration. Each upstream node can independently make forwarding decisions on both upstream and downstream packets, i. e. , choose the next hop according to the best information available to it. The node can sense transient link problems, outage problems and traffic characteristics. Information is used to find the best route out of and within each network. Each network node maintains multi-egress, multi-ingress network routing options both for itself and the node(s) associated with it. The node is capable of several route maintenance functions utilizing the basic routing protocol and algorithms.

US Patent:

8072951, Dec 6, 2011

Filed:

Jun 15, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/818896

Inventors:

George Flammer - Cupertino CA, US
Sterling Hughes - Oakland CA, US
Daniel McKernan - Cupertino CA, US
Raj Vaswani - Portola Valley CA, US

Assignee:

Silver Spring Networks, Inc. - Redwood City CA

International Classification:

G06F 15/16

US Classification:

370338, 370238

Abstract:

A method and system for providing a network and routing protocol for utility services are disclosed. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises discovering a utility network, wherein a utility device (for example, a constant powered meter) sends network discovery messages to find the utility network. Neighboring meters are discovered and the device listens for advertised routes for one or more networks from the neighbors. The device is then registered with one or more utility networks, receiving a unique address for each network registration. Also illustrated in this invention disclosure is how each device of a class of devices (for example, battery powered meter) finds and associates itself with another device (for example, constant powered meter). The constant powered meter also registers its associate battery powered meter with the utility networks. The constant powered meter registers itself with the access points and the upstream nodes in the path out of each network.

US Patent:

8130700, Mar 6, 2012

Filed:

Jun 15, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/818887

Inventors:

George Flammer - Cupertino CA, US
Sterling Hughes - Oakland CA, US
Daniel McKernan - Cupertino CA, US
Raj Vaswani - Portola Valley CA, US

Assignee:

Silver Spring Networks, Inc. - Redwood City CA

International Classification:

G06F 15/16

US Classification:

370328, 370238, 370252

Abstract:

A method and system for providing a network and routing protocol for utility services are disclosed. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises discovering a utility network, wherein a utility device (for example, a constant powered meter) sends network discovery messages to find the utility network. Neighboring meters are discovered and the device listens for advertised routes for one or more networks from the neighbors. The device is then registered with one or more utility networks, receiving a unique address for each network registration. Also illustrated in this invention disclosure is how each device of a class of devices (for example, battery powered meter) finds and associates itself with another device (for example, constant powered meter). The constant powered meter also registers its associate battery powered meter with the utility networks. The constant powered meter registers itself with the access points and the upstream nodes in the path out of each network.