Network address field for nodes within a meter reading wireless mesh network and associated system

1. A method for operating a meter reading wireless mesh network comprising a plurality of wireless meter reading nodes in communication with an access point, each wireless meter reading node having an address associated therewith, the method comprising:

establishing a network address field for each wireless meter reading node based upon a length field and a value field of a respective address, with the wireless mesh network having a desired maximum number of nodes, and the length field having a sufficient fixed length for the desired maximum number of nodes; and

communicating within the wireless mesh network using the network address fields.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the length field has a fixed length; and wherein the value field has a variable length.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the length field has a minimum length of at least 2 bits; and wherein the value field has a maximum length of four bytes.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising assigning a network address field to a new wireless meter reading node, the network address field including at least 2 bits for the length field to determine a size of the address value, and at least one byte for the value field to determine a value of the address.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising routing load control data from the access point to the plurality of nodes.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising communicating time-of-day billing data from the access point to the plurality of wireless meter reading nodes.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein each of the wireless meter reading nodes communicates using an unlicensed frequency band.

8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising communicating between the access point and a remote station.

9. A meter reading system comprising:

a meter reading wireless mesh network comprising an access point, and a plurality of wireless meter reading nodes in communication with said access point, each wireless meter reading node having an address associated therewith, said meter reading wireless mesh network configured to

establish a network address field for each wireless meter reading node based upon a length field and a value field of a respective address, with the wireless mesh network having a desired maximum number of nodes, and the length field having a sufficient fixed length for the desired maximum number of nodes, and

communicate within the wireless mesh network using the network address fields; and

a remote station configured to communicate with said access point.

10. The meter reading system according to claim 9 wherein the length field has a fixed length; and wherein the value field has a variable length.

11. The meter reading system according to claim 9 wherein the length field has a minimum length of at least 2 bits; and wherein the value field has a maximum length of four bytes.

12. The meter reading system according to claim 9 wherein said meter reading wireless mesh network assigns a network address field to a new wireless meter reading node, the network address field including at least 2 bits for the length field to determine a size of the address value, and at least one byte for the value field to determine a value of the address.

13. The meter reading system according to claim 9 wherein said meter reading wireless mesh network routes load control data from said access point to the plurality of nodes.

14. The meter reading system according to claim 9 wherein said meter reading wireless mesh network communicates time-of-day billing data from said access point to the plurality of wireless meter reading nodes.

15. The meter reading system according to claim 9 wherein each of the wireless meter reading nodes communicates using an unlicensed frequency band.

16. A wireless meter reading node for a meter reading wireless mesh network comprising a plurality of wireless meter reading nodes in communication with an access point, each wireless meter reading node having an address associated therewith, the wireless meter reading node comprising:

a wireless transceiver; and

a controller coupled to said wireless transceiver and configured to

establish a network address field based upon a length field and a value field of a respective address, with the wireless mesh network having a desired maximum number of nodes, and the length field having a sufficient fixed length for the desired maximum number of nodes, and

communicate within the wireless mesh network using the network address field.

17. The wireless meter reading node according to claim 16 wherein the length field has a fixed length; and wherein the value field has a variable length.

18. The wireless meter reading node according to claim 16 wherein the length field has a minimum length of at least 2 bits; and wherein the value field has a maximum length of four bytes.

19. The wireless meter reading node according to claim 16 wherein said wireless transceiver receives the network address field via the meter reading wireless mesh network, the network address field including at least 2 bits for the length field to determine a size of the address value, and at least one byte for the value field to determine a value of the address.

20. The wireless meter reading node according to claim 16 wherein the meter reading wireless mesh network routes load control data from the access point to said wireless transceiver.

21. The wireless meter reading node according to claim 16 wherein the meter reading wireless mesh network communicates time-of-day billing data from the access point to said wireless transceiver.

22. The wireless meter reading node according to claim 16 wherein said wireless transceiver communicates using an unlicensed frequency band.