Method and apparatus for detecting fraudulent power line communications signal
First Claim
1. A method of detecting fraudulent signals transmitted on a power line communications system which allows a plurality of electrical metering devices to communicate with a system control center via power lines which transmit power to a plurality of electrical loads via the plurality of electrical metering devices, the method comprising the steps of:
- transmitting signals via the power lines, from an electrical metering device having a predetermined address, wherein the signals transmitted by the electrical metering device include a source address portion designating the predetermined address of the electrical metering device;
monitoring a source address portion of the signals transmitted over the power lines, wherein at least a portion of the transmitted signals include the signals transmitted by the electrical metering device having the predetermined address;
comparing the transmitted source address portion with the predetermined address of the electrical metering device; and
detecting fraudulently transmitted power line signals which have a source address portion which equals the predetermined address of the electrical metering device and which were not transmitted by the electrical metering device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for detecting signals transmitted via a power line to a node which have a source address portion equal to the predetermined address of an electrical metering device, but which were not transmitted by the metering device. Each electrical metering device of a power line communications system has a predetermined address and may monitor the source address portions of signals transmitted via the power lines. The electrical metering device thus detects or flags a power line signal if the source address portion of the transmitted signal matches the predetermined address of the electrical metering device. The electrical metering device may also count the signals having source address portions which match the predetermined address of the electrical metering device. Alternatively, the electrical metering device may transmit a predetermined message on the power lines if a signal is transmitted which has a source address portion which matches the predetermined address of the electrical metering device.
53 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of detecting fraudulent signals transmitted on a power line communications system which allows a plurality of electrical metering devices to communicate with a system control center via power lines which transmit power to a plurality of electrical loads via the plurality of electrical metering devices, the method comprising the steps of:
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transmitting signals via the power lines, from an electrical metering device having a predetermined address, wherein the signals transmitted by the electrical metering device include a source address portion designating the predetermined address of the electrical metering device; monitoring a source address portion of the signals transmitted over the power lines, wherein at least a portion of the transmitted signals include the signals transmitted by the electrical metering device having the predetermined address; comparing the transmitted source address portion with the predetermined address of the electrical metering device; and detecting fraudulently transmitted power line signals which have a source address portion which equals the predetermined address of the electrical metering device and which were not transmitted by the electrical metering device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An electrical metering device having a predetermined address, the electrical metering device comprising:
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metering means for measuring the power consumption of an electrical load from a power line associated with said electrical metering device; means for transmitting signals via the associated power line wherein the signals comprise a message portion and a source address portion and wherein the source address portion is the predetermined address of said electrical metering device; means for monitoring the source address portion of signals transmitted via the associated power line, wherein at least a portion of the transmitted signals include the signals transmitted by the electrical metering device; and means for detecting fraudulently transmitted power line signals which did not originate with the electrical metering device, wherein the fraudulently transmitted power line signals have a source address portion which matches the predetermined address of said electrical metering device but were not transmitted by said electrical metering device. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A power line communications system comprising:
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a system control center for transmitting and receiving signals; a plurality of nodes, a respective one of which is associated with a respective one of a plurality of distribution transformers, wherein each node transmits signals between said system control center and a plurality of power lines interconnecting the respective one of the plurality of distribution transformers and a plurality of electrical loads; and a plurality of electrical metering devices, a respective one of which is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of electrical loads via a respective one of the plurality of power lines, wherein each electrical metering device has a predetermined address and comprises; metering means for measuring the power consumption of the electrical load associated with said electrical metering device; means for transmitting signals to said node via the power lines wherein the signals comprise a message portion and a source address portion and wherein the source address portion is the predetermined address of said electrical metering device; means for monitoring the source address portion of signals transmitted via the electrical power lines, wherein at least a portion of the transmitted signals include the signals transmitted by the electrical metering device; and means for detecting fraudulently transmitted power line signals which did not originate with the electrical metering device, wherein the fraudulently transmitted power line signals have a source address portion which matches the predetermined address of said electrical metering device but were not transmitted by said electrical metering device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification