System and method for creating multiple operating territories within a meter reading system

• US 20060071811A1
• Filed: 09/24/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elster Electricity LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Elster Electricity LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Rudran, Dileep, Christopher, Russell G., Nemecz, Susane K., Kelley, Raymond
• Granted Patent: US 7,170,425 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.20
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/50 using a mobile data collecting device, e.g. walk by or drive by
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

The present invention enables multiple operating territories to be defined, named, and managed within a meter reading system. Each operating territory may correspond to a geographic sub-section of the meter reading system that is regulated by a particular regulatory agency. Each operating territory may be assigned a set of time of use (TOU) schedules required by its corresponding regulatory agency. The set of TOU schedules assigned to each operating territory may be stored in a database.

Claims

1. A method for creating an operating territory within a meter reading system, the operating territory having an assigned set of time of use programs with a selected quantity of time of use programs arranged in a selected order, the method comprising:

receiving a command to assign a collector to the operating territory; and

responsive to the command, configuring the collector with the assigned set of time of use programs such that the collector has the selected quantity of time of use programs arranged in the selected order.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving the command to assign the collector to the operating territory, the operating territory selected from a plurality of operating territories within the meter reading system.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving a command to assign a plurality of collectors to the operating territory; and

responsive to the command, configuring the plurality of collectors with the assigned set of time of use programs such that they have the selected quantity of time of use programs arranged in the selected order.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a command to modify at least one of the selected quantity of time of use programs and the selected order of time of use programs; and

reconfiguring the collector such that the collector has at least one of the modified quantity of time of use programs and the modified order of time of use programs.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the set of time of use programs assigned to the operating territory in a database that stores a plurality of sets of time of use programs each assigned to one of a plurality of operating territories within the meter reading system.

6. A method for approving a registered meter for assignment to a selected time of use program, the method comprising:

identifying an operating territory within which the meter operates;

retrieving a set of time of use programs assigned to the operating territory;

determining whether the selected time of use program is a member of the set of time of use programs assigned to the operating territory;

if so, then;

assigning the meter to the selected time of use program; and

configuring the meter with an index of the selected time of use program; and

if not, then refusing to assign the meter to the selected time of use program.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein identifying the operating territory within which the meter operates comprises:

identifying a collector with which the meter is registered; and

identifying that the collector is assigned to the operating territory.

8. The method of claim 6, comprising retrieving the set of time of use programs assigned to the operating territory from a database that stores a plurality of sets of time of use programs each assigned to one of a plurality of operating territories within a meter reading system.

9. A method for assigning a time of use program to an unregistered meter, the method comprising:

receiving a command to assign the meter to an operating territory;

retrieving a set of time of use programs assigned to the operating territory;

assigning the meter to the operating territory; and

assigning the meter to the selected time of use program.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a command to register the meter to a collector;

configuring the meter with an index of the selected time of use program;

determining whether the index of the selected time of use program references a time of use program stored at the collector;

if so, then registering the meter with the collector; and

if not then refusing to register the meter with the collector.

11. The method of claim 9, comprising retrieving the set of time of use programs assigned to the operating territory from a database that stores a plurality of sets of time of use programs each assigned to one of a plurality of operating territories within a meter reading system.

12. A meter reading system comprising:

a collector that receives meter data from at least one meter;

a server that is operative to receive a command to assign the collector to an operating territory within the meter reading system, and, responsive to the command, provide instructions to configure the collector with a set of time of use programs assigned to the operating territory.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a user interface that enables a user to assign the set of time of use programs to the operating territory.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising a user interface that enables a user to assign the collector to the operating territory.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising an application program interface that receives a command from a software package to assign the collector to the operating territory.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising a device configuration database that stores a plurality of sets of time of use programs each assigned to one of a plurality of operating territories within the meter reading system.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the server is operative to determine whether a selected time of use program to which to assign a registered meter is a member of the set of time of use programs assigned to the operating territory.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the server is operative to refuse to assign the registered meter to the selected time of use program if the selected time of use program is not a member of the set of time of use programs assigned to the operating territory.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the server is operative to determine whether a meter that is attempting to register with the collector is within the operating territory.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the server is operative to refuse to register the meter if the meter is not within the operating territory.