Method and device for monitoring enablement of an electrical apparatus connected to a power grid

• US 20030151491A1
• Filed: 02/19/2003
• Published: 08/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electricitã© De France
• Original Assignee: Electricitã© De France
• Inventors: Martin, Fabrice, Dherbecourt, Yves, Froehlich, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 6,950,007 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1418 Removal detected by failure in electrical connection between the appliance and a control centre, home control panel or a power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00024 by means of mobile telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5433 Remote metering
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/546 Combination of signalling, telemetering, protection circuits for remote indication of supply or distribution network condition H02J13/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 using wireless data transmission

Abstract

The invention concerns a method and a device for monitoring enablement of an electrical apparatus connected to a power grid. The method consists in: transmitting (A) from a specialised transmitter (ES) to the electrical apparatus (EA) a coded information message comprising an enablement information, in accordance with an enablement control code; and in receiving (B) by means of a receiver (R) equipping the electrical apparatus (EA) said information message. The latter is decoded (C) in accordance with specific enablement data integrated in the receiver (R) to generate decoded enablement data. The enablement of the electrical apparatus (EA) is granted (D, E) if the decoded data are in conformity with the integrated specific enablement data and enablement is refused (D, F) otherwise. The invention is useful for protecting electrical appliances against theft, for managing service delivery on a distant site, monitoring contractual terms.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring authorization of an electrical apparatus connected to a network, on the basis of a specialized transmitter of information messages, this electrical apparatus being equipped with a receiver of information messages, characterized in that this method consists:

in sending from the specialized transmitter to said electrical apparatus a coded information message comprising at least one coded authorization information item dependent on an authorization monitoring code;

in receiving said information message by means of said receiver with which said electrical apparatus is equipped;

in decoding said coded information message as a function of specific authorization data integrated into said receiver so as to generate decoded authorization information;

in instructing the authorization of said electrical apparatus if said decoded information satisfies said specific integrated authorization data;

in instructing the nonauthorization of said electrical apparatus otherwise.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said authorization monitoring code comprises at least one field containing a numerical value representative of a geographical location of said electrical apparatus belonging to an authorization monitoring zone.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said authorization monitoring code comprises at least one field containing a numerical value representative of a condition undersigned by the user.

4. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it consists in periodically sending said coded information message to said electrical apparatus.

5. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said network consists of one of the networks from the group local computer network, extended computer network, the local Hertzian network, the cellular radio telephony network, the electrical energy distribution network equipped with sending of messages by carrier currents.

6. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that each information message comprises at least one data field representative of a duration of authorization of said electrical apparatus.

7. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that each message is signed, each signed message comprising a field of signed authentication data, making it possible upon verification of signature to decide whether said verified and decoded information satisfies said specific integrated authorization data.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that said data comprise at least one monitonic increasing time-dependent value making it possible to avoid fraudulent replay.

9. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it furthermore comprises steps for managing the monitoring method consisting at least in:

sending from the specialized transmitter to said receiver an initiation message comprising at least said specific integrated authorization data;

sending, on request of said receiver, from the transmitter to said receiver, an authorization monitoring removal message, said receiver, on receipt of said authorization monitoring removal message being reset to unrestricted operation;

sending to said receiver, on request of a third party element belonging to said monitoring perimeter and ensuring surveillance of this monitoring perimeter, a message of on-site blocking of said electrical apparatus, said on-site blocking message causing the disabling of any vital function of said electrical apparatus;

periodically sending said receiver a message for authentication of said transmitter;

sending from the receiver to the transmitter an allegiance message, comprising an identification code of said receiver;

sending from the transmitter to the receiver, in the absence of verification by the transmitter of said allegiance message, a message instructing lockup of said receiver.

10. The method as claimed in one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that, for an electrical energy distribution network equipped with sending of messages by carrier currents, said transmitter is placed on a site of this network such as MT/LT transformer, meter of consumption at a subscriber'"'"'s premises.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that said information messages comprise at least one data field representative of an identification code of the MT/LT transformer, or of the consumption meter.

12. The method as claimed in one of claims 10 or 11, characterized in that said information messages comprise at least one data field representative of the metering value of said consumption meter.

13. A specialized transmitter device for the implementation of the method for monitoring authorization of an electrical apparatus connected to a network according to one of claims 1 to 12, this electrical apparatus being equipped with a receiver of information messages and this specialized transmitter being adapted to allow the sending to this electrical apparatus of a coded information message comprising at least one coded authorization information item for this electrical apparatus dependent on an authorization monitoring code, characterized in that said specialized transmitter device comprises at least:

means for calculating an authorization monitoring code associated with at least one electrical apparatus;

means for transmitting on said network coded information messages containing said coded authorization information item dependent on this authorization monitoring code.

14. The device as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that it furthermore comprises:

an external computer socket allowing the interconnection of said device with a device for external metering of fluid or energy;

a linking module interconnected between the external computer socket and said means for calculating a monitoring code, said means of calculation receiving from said fluid or energy meter a metering information item making it possible to code said authorization monitoring code.

15. A receiver device equipping an electrical apparatus connected to a network for the implementation of the method according to one of claims 1 to 12, this receiver receiving coded information messages comprising at least one coded authorization information item for this electrical apparatus, transmitted by a specialized transmitter, characterized in that said receiver comprises at least:

means for receiving said coded information messages;

means for decoding and verifying said coded authorization information item;

means for instructing authorization respectively nonauthorization of said electrical apparatus as a function of the verification of said coded authorization information item.

16. The receiver device as claimed in one of claims 13, 14 or 15, characterized in that said means of transmission of the specialized transmitter being equipped with a receiver and said means of reception of the receiver associated with the electrical apparatus being equipped with a transmitter, the communication between the specialized transmitter and the receiver associated with the electrical apparatus is bidirectional.