MEASUREMENT DEVICE, PARTICULARLY ENERGY COUNTER AND METHOD FOR RECOGNITION OF MANIPULATIONS

• US 20110224935A1
• Filed: 11/18/2009
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iAd Gesellschaft Automatisierung und Datenverarbeitungs GmbH
• Original Assignee: iAd Gesellschaft Automatisierung und Datenverarbeitungs GmbH
• Inventors: Bumiller, Gerd, Hampel, Hermann
• Granted Patent: US 8,949,055 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/85
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3297 involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps
• 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 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

There are various systems designed for outputting counter data that are primarily collected under the term AMM systems today (AMM: Automatic Meter Management). Lacking in practice, however, is a consumption counter and a method for recognition of manipulations that is universally applicable, independently of other technical conditions, and that gives the customer the option for self-monitoring (consumption/leaks, etc.) locally.

According to the invention, the measurement device (EZ), which communicates data to at least one system, has the capability of identifying measurement data returned by the system via the data communication as its own, and to rule out manipulation of measurement values and to thus provide this returned measurement data reliably for further processing/evaluation or display (A), comprises, among other things:

at least one encryption and/or signature encoder (VSK) that supplies, using the key in the key memory (SS), the information offered to the aforementioned memories (IS, MS and ZS), including the validity and reliability identifier having information for inspecting the integrity of the data, compiles said information into a current data set and transfers it to at least the communication interface (KSS) for transfer, wherein only one part of the last data sets or their content is saved in the measurement device (EZ), and
at least one encryption and/or signature decoder (VSD) that can inspect the data sets returned via the communication interface (KSS) using the key in the key memory (SS) for integrity of the data content and the identification of the measurement device (EZ) and upon successful inspection of this data.

The invention falls within the field of measurement devices as well as systems for combined registration of consumption data.

Claims

1. A measurement device (EZ), which communicates data to at least one system, and which has the capability of identifying measurement data returned by the system via the data communication as its own, and the capability to rule out manipulation of measurement values and to thus provide this returned measurement data reliably for further processing/evaluation or displaying (A), which comprises:

at least a communication interface (KSS) to components (SK) of a system, which at least has the capability of receiving signed and or encrypted measurement data, storing said measurement data in a memory (SM) and delivering back, and has the capability of offering time information related to a time reference (ZR),

at least a measuring module (M), which assigns measurement signals to energy measured values or counts supplied by at least one sensor (S),

at least a memory (MS) for a measurement value, said measurement value being the last determined energy measured value or count,

at least a memory (ZS) for a time stamp, which in the time module (Z) was determined for the last generated measurement value,

at least a time adjustment module (ZA), which checks and adjusts the time (ZR), offered by said communication interface (KSS) of the system, to the local time of the time module (Z),

at least a memory (IS) for the identification assigned to said measurement device (EZ),

at least a memory (SS) for one or more of the keys required for encrypting and/or signing,

at least an encryption and/or signature encoder (VSK) that supplies, using the key in said key memory (SS), the information offered to the aforementioned memories (IS, MS and ZS), including the validity and reliability identifier having information for inspecting the integrity of the data, compiles said information into a current data set and transfers it to at least said communication interface (KSS) for transfer, wherein only one part of the last data sets or their content is saved in the measurement device (EZ), and

at least an encryption and/or signature decoder (VSD) that can inspect the data sets returned via the communication interface (KSS) using the key in said key memory (SS) for integrity of the data content and the identification of the measurement device (EZ) and upon successful inspection of this data supplying said data for further processing or evaluating or displaying (A).

2. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein said measurement device (EZ) has a customer interface (KSK), which hands over data sets checked on integrity of the data content and the identification to any suitable apparatus (KG) of the customer having its own display (KA) or serves for the passing to an apparatus with display.

3. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein a serial number or a property number of the system operator is stored in said identification memory (IS).

4. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein said time module (Z) leads the local time and a date.

5. The measurement device according to claim 1, a world time UTC coordinated by time institutes is used as time reference (ZR).

11. The measurement device according to claim 5, wherein the world time UTC coordinated by time institutes is the UTC (PTB) of the Physical-Technical Federal Institution (Germany).

6. A method for the recognition of manipulations with a measurement device (EZ), which was approved and/or a calibration was legally tested, with the following method steps:

generating data packets containing at least an identification (IS), a time value (ZS), a measurement value (MS) and a signature (SS),

handing over the data packets to a system or components (SK) of the system, which was not allowed and/or said calibration was not legally tested, said system or components (SK) storing (SM) and delivering back the data packets or relevant parts on request of the measurement value (MS),

storing the data packets or their content which in the meantime were not stored in the measurement device (EZ),

validating with proven safety by the measurement device (EZ) of the data packets or their relevant content, supplied by said system or components (SK) of said system, on the basis of a key (SS) and a signature if said data of the data packets was not modified and came from said measurement device (EZ) and

displaying the successful tested data on a display (A), which was approved or the calibration was legally tested, with the same confidence status as measurement values, which did not leave said measurement device (EZ).

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the successful tested data are provided at an interface (KSK) of said measurement device (EZ) for further processing or evaluation or displaying (A).

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the Network Time Protocol NTP was used for the transmission of a time reference (ZR) of the system over a public network to the measurement device (EZ).

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the measurement device is an energy counter (EZ).

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein a user-controlled query of measurement values was made by a customer interface (KSK) of said measurement device (EZ) and/or by a push button or by a communication/control module (COM) or by a MUC (Multi utility Communication) of said measurement device (EZ).