Arch Rock Launches Wireless Mesh Platform for Smart Grid

Tuesday, 08 June 2010 12:32

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Arch Rock Corporation has introduced PhyNet-Grid, the first advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and grid communication platform based entirely on industry-standard IP networking, security and data-collection protocols. It is also the first platform to offer real-time meter data collection and has the functionality to implement low-energy operations during a power outage, preventing the need of a time-consuming rebuild of the mesh network.

Additionally, PhyNet-Grid’s open standards enables OEMs to develop fully interoperable wireless meshed IPv6-based smart-meter solutions that provides investment protection and multi-vendor compatibility. Vendors who start integrating the technology into their products today can expect to have pilot deployments with their utility customers by late 2010.

Key features of PhyNet-Grid include unlimited scalability and high availability through multi-router, distributed and adaptive IPv6 routing that supports millions of nodes; always-on, two-way interaction with meters, allowing options for data collection in either real-time or
scheduled/batch mode; seamless switching between high and low (battery-based) power to virtually eliminate network rebuild times; public key infrastructure (PKI)-based security services; and embedded web services, delivering data over IEC CIM (Common Information Model) via embedded HTTP and W3C EXI (Efficient XML Interchange).

Arch Rock CEO Roland Acra notes, “Up to now two types of AMI networks have been available to utilities. One type was closed, proprietary RF mesh or power line communication-based systems; the other type was IP-based but cost-prohibitive because it used public wireless networks that required putting a cell phone in every meter or building an even costlier new, dedicated WiMAX infrastructure.  PhyNet-Grid combines the new and established work of industry standards bodies in radios, Internet protocols, web services and powerful security mechanisms with the cost-effectiveness of Arch Rock’s advanced real-time RF mesh network.”

Arca explains that the push by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, along with the major U.S. utilities, “for the use of Internet standards in the Smart Grid has put vendors on notice that the days of proprietary solutions are numbered. The standards we’re implementing in PhyNet-Grid today will be the staples of the Smart Grid RFPs coming from utilities from now on.  From the beginning Arch Rock has not only been a strong proponent of the embedded IP and web standards that are now playing a major role in Smart Grid infrastructure, but has been a key contributor to the development of several of those standards, including IEEE 802.15.4e and the IETF’s 6LoWPAN, ROLL and CoRE.”