Patent ID: 8054821

Claim:
Methodology for an end device within an advanced metering system frequency hopping network to handle a synchronization request from another end device, comprising: providing a frequency hopping network including a plurality of end devices, at least some of which end devices comprise metrology devices; configuring the plurality of end devices for bi-directional communications with other end devices; receiving a synchronization request at a given end device from a neighboring unsynchronized end device; determining whether the given end device has received within a predetermined number of recent time slots a message from a father end device by which the given end device has been synchronized, and if so, then transmitting a synchronization acceptance signal to the requesting unsynchronized end device; or if not, then transmitting a beacon request signal to a registered father end device; configuring the given end device, in response to the synchronization request, to collect and store information transmitted from the neighboring end device; and configuring the given end device to synchronize with a preferred network based on any collected information in accordance with predetermined criteria.