METHODS FOR READING DATA IN A UTILITY METER

• US 20100305891A1
• Filed: 05/28/2010
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SmartSynch Incorporated (Itron, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rodgers, Mark E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,103,390 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/62
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method to read energy-related data in a power meter. In one exemplary embodiment, the method includes the step of sending a request message to an on-premise processor, directing the on-premise processor to read energy-related data from a power meter, using an 802.11 X-based wireless protocol. The method further includes the step of retrieving energy-related data stored in a memory of the power meter by the on-premise processor, using the 802.11 X-based wireless protocol, and the step of receiving a response message sent at a host processor, communicated from the on-premise processor, using the 802.11 X wireless protocol. The method further includes the step of recording the energy related data in a data structure in memory of the host processor, along with a date and time information.

Claims

1-42. -42. (canceled)

43. A method to read energy related data in a power meter comprising:

sending a request message to an on-premise processor directing the on-premise processor to read energy related data from a power meter identified by a meter identification number using an 802.11X-based wireless protocol;

retrieving energy related data stored in a memory of the power meter by the on-premise processor using the 802.11X-based wireless protocol and the meter identification number;

receiving a response message sent at a host processor communicated from the on-premise processor using the 802.11X wireless protocol indicating the energy related data and the meter identification number; and

recording the energy related data associated with the meter identification number in a data structure in memory of the host processor along with a date and time information.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the request message to an on-premise processor directing the on-premise processor to read energy related data from a power meter is sent from the host on a periodic basis.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein the energy related data is usage related.

46. A method for reading data from a utility meter, comprising:

storing a utility meter address and a utility meter reading schedule in an on-premise processor indicating a time to read data from at least one utility meter;

communicating a meter reading request message incorporating the utility meter address from the on-premise processor to the utility meter using an 802.1 1X wireless protocol at a time indicated by the meter reading schedule;

receiving a meter reading response message at the on-premise processor containing usage related data communicated using the 802.1 1X wireless protocol; and

sending a meter reading report message from the on-premise processor to a host processor, the meter reading report message including usage data, meter type, and the utility meter address.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein the utility meter comprises one from the group of water meter, gas meter, and power meter.

48. A method for a host processor to read measurement data from a utility meter, comprising the steps of:

receiving a first request message at the on-premise processor sent from the host processor requesting measurement data from an utility meter wherein the request includes a meter identifier associated with the utility meter;

sending a first acknowledgment message in response to the first request by the on-premise processor to the host processor indicating error free receipt of the first request;

sending a second request message from the on-premise processor to the utility meter communicated using a 802.11X wireless protocol requesting measurement data from the utility meter;

receiving a first response message at the on-premise processor from the utility meter communicated using the 802.11X wireless protocol including the measurement data and a date;

sending a second acknowledgement message from the on-premise processor to the host processor including the measurement data and the date; and

recording the measurement data and the date in a data structure associated with the meter identifier in the host processor.

49. The method of claim 48 further comprising:

erasing the measurement data from a memory in the on-premise processor.

50. A method for a host processor to obtain measurement data from a utility meter, comprising:

receiving periodic measurement data at the on-premise processor from the utility meter communicated using an 802.11X wireless protocol containing a utility meter identification number;

storing the measurement data and the identification number in a memory in an on-premise processor along with time-related data;

receiving a first request message at the on-premise processor from the host processor requesting the measurement data for the utility meter, the first request message including the utility meter identification number;

retrieving the measurement data and the time-related data in the memory of the on-premise processor associated with the utility meter identification number; and

sending a reporting message from the on-premise processor to the host processor incorporating the measurement data, the utility meter identification number, and the time-related data.

51. The method of claim 50 further comprising:

receiving an acknowledgment message from the host processor at the on-premise processor indicating receipt of the reporting message; and

erasing the measurement data and time-related data from the memory in the on-premise processor.

52-70. -70. (canceled)