REQUESTED TIME ADJUSTMENT FOR ACCURATE DATA EXCHANGE

• US 20100188256A1
• Filed: 01/29/2009
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Tweedy, Jack, Cahill-O'Brien, Barry, Cornwall, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,248,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.20
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• 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: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A system, method and device are provided for reducing consumption calculation errors caused due to time drift in an endpoint device. In one embodiment, the endpoint device transmits consumption data in response to a request for consumption data. The request generally includes a time period of the consumption data. The endpoint device adjusts the set of intervals based on the extent of the difference between the collection system time and the endpoint device time to obtain the most accurate intervals. The process for adjusting intervals can be implemented independently from time synchronization between the endpoint and collection systems. Further, the process for adjusting intervals does not result in updating the meter reading data that have been already logged and stored in the endpoint device.

Claims

1. A method of providing accurate meter reading data from an endpoint device, the method comprising:

receiving, from a remote device, a current remote device time and a request for meter reading data for a specified number of time intervals;

determining whether a difference between the remote device time and the endpoint device time is less than a threshold;

if the difference is not less than the threshold;

adjusting the number of time intervals used to calculate meter reading;

calculating the meter reading data over the adjusted number of time intervals; and

responding to the request by transmitting the calculated meter reading data over the adjusted number of time intervals to the remote device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein adjusting the number of time intervals includes:

if the current remote device time is greater than the endpoint device time, adjusting the number of time intervals used to calculate meter reading to include one more time interval than is reflected in the request; and

if the endpoint device time is greater than the current remote device time, adjusting the number of time intervals used to calculate meter reading to include one less time interval than is reflected in the request.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising if the difference is less than the threshold:

calculating the meter reading data over the number of time intervals specified in the request; and

responding to the request by transmitting the calculated meter reading data for the specified number of time intervals to the remote device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the meter reading data is transmitted to the remote device without causing the endpoint device to record a short interval of consumption data.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the calculated meter reading data is transmitted to the remote device without adjusting the number of intervals if the current remote device time is not received from the collection system.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein calculating the meter reading data over the adjusted number of time intervals is performed without adjusting the time that is maintained by the endpoint device.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein calculating the meter reading data over the adjusted number of time intervals is performed without adjusting the time that is maintained by the remote device.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the threshold for adjusting the number of time intervals is 30 minutes.

9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable components for collecting meter reading data from an endpoint device, the computer-executable components comprising:

a calculation component for calculating the consumption of a utility service over a specified number of time intervals; and

an adjustment component operative to;

receive a request for meter reading data;

adjust the number of time intervals used to calculate the meter reading data if the difference between the time as reported by the collection system and the time of the endpoint device is at least as great as a threshold; and

cause the calculation component to calculate the meter reading data over the adjusted number of time intervals.

10. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 9, wherein the adjustment component is further operative to adjust the number of time intervals used to calculate the meter reading data to include one less time interval than is reflected in the request if the time of the endpoint device is greater than the time as reported by the collection system.

11. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 9, wherein the adjustment component is further operative to adjust the number of time intervals used to calculate the meter reading data to include one more time interval than is reflected in the request if the time as reported by the collection system is greater than the time of the endpoint device.

12. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 9, wherein the adjustment component is further operative to cause the calculation component to calculate the meter reading data over the number of time intervals specified in the request if the difference between the time as reported by the collection system and the time of the endpoint device is less than the threshold.

13. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 9, wherein the computer-executable components further comprise a synchronization component configured to synchronize a time of the endpoint device with a time reported by the collection system at regular intervals, wherein the synchronization of the endpoint device is performed independently from the collection of meter reading data.

14. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 9, wherein if the time of the collection system is not reported, the adjustment component is operative to return meter reading data in response to the request without adjusting the number of time intervals.

15. An apparatus for transferring accurate meter reading data to a collection system, the apparatus comprising:

a memory unit for storing meter reading data collected at predetermined time intervals;

a communication unit for receiving, from the collection system, a collection system time and a request for meter reading data for a specified number of time intervals; and

a processing unit operable to;

determine whether a difference between the collection system time and the endpoint device time is less than a threshold; and

if the difference is less than the threshold;

adjust the number of time intervals used to calculate meter reading;

calculate the meter reading data over the adjusted number of time intervals; and

respond to the request by causing the communication unit to transmit the calculated meter reading data over the adjusted number of time intervals to the collection system.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the number of time intervals used to calculate the meter reading data is adjusted to include one less time interval than is reflected in the request if the time of the endpoint device is greater than the time as reported by the collection system.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the number of time intervals used to calculate the meter reading data is adjusted to include one more time interval than is reflected in the request if the time as reported by the collection system is greater than the time of the endpoint device.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein a recorded interval is generated to include the meter reading data collected at a predetermined time interval and the time interval information and the generated record interval are stored in the memory.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the minute portion of the current collection system time is extracted to determine the difference between the current collection system time and the endpoint device time.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the threshold for adjusting the time intervals is 30 minutes.