Patent ID: 8171364

Claim:
A method of transmitting a meter power status, comprising: recognizing a power status change at a meter; if the meter is scheduled to transmit first, transmitting a notification message to at least one neighboring meter towards a mesh gate, wherein the notification message includes a power status indicator and a meter identifier; if the meter is not scheduled to transmit first, waiting a predetermined time period to receive a notification message from at least one neighboring meter; responsive to receiving a notification message, adding a meter identifier to the received notification message before retransmitting the modified notification message to at least one neighboring meter; retransmitting the notification message; and responsive to a first failure to receive an acknowledgement from the at least one neighboring meter, retransmitting the notification message over an alternative mesh network path; responsive to a second failure to receive an acknowledgement from the at least one neighboring meter, retransmitting the notification message through a newly discovered mesh network path; and responsive to a third failure to receive an acknowledgement from the at least one neighboring meter, associating with a new mesh network and retransmitting the notification message over the new mesh network.