Figure 1 depicts one way to implement the Wireless AMI.
Various interfaces in the wireless AMI
As seen from the figure, the grid consists of four hierarchies from the meters at the lowest level connected via three local network interfaces; the interface IMM between meters, IMH between meter and home appliances and IUM between the meter and the utility node. The same 'multi-homing' paradigm repeats up the hierarchy with the utility network nodes having additional interface IUU with each other and IgU with the local grid, the local grid nodes connected via interfaces Igg with each other and IgG with the main backbone grid (the National Grid). The national grid consists of segments, shown as i and j in figure that connect to each other via the common interfaces IGG.
The interfaces IMM, IMH and IUM are wireless in nature while the remaining interfaces could be wired or wireless. In a robust design keeping man-wrought and natural calamities in view, a wired interface at higher levels of the hierarchy will be well-supported by wireless standbys.