Patent ID: 8270910

Claim:
A metrology device for use with an advanced metering system frequency hopping mesh network with embedded RF environmental evaluation tools for gauging RF transceiver performance needs of such network, and including a central facility, a plurality of node devices, with at least some of such node devices comprising such metrology devices, and at least some of such node devices comprising cell relays operating per their own respective sequence of channels and providing communications between others of the node devices and the central facility, with each node device configured for bi-directional communications with such central facility via an associated at least one of such cell relays, said metrology device comprising: a metrology portion configured to measure consumption of a utility commodity; a transmitter portion configured to transmit consumption information and other data; and a receiver portion configured to receive information from other network devices in an associated network; wherein said metrology device portions are configured to selectively monitor and statistically analyze Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) data thereat and report such analyzed RSSI data therefrom to the central facility of an associated network, so that conditions of the RF environment in which such network resides may be evaluated.