System and method for automated configuration of meters
First Claim
1. A method for automated configuration of a meter according to a billing rate, the method comprising:
- receiving an identification of the billing rate according to which the meter is to be configured, the identification of the billing rate including a name of the billing rate and not including configuration parameters associated with the billing rate;
responsive to receiving the identification of the billing rate, retrieving, from stored data, the configuration parameters associated with the billing rate, the configuration parameters comprising at least a number of seasons included in the billing rate and a number of billing tiers included in the billing rate;
responsive to receiving the identification of the billing rate, retrieving, from stored data, meter configuration capability information indicating a configuration capability of the meter including at least a maximum number of seasons for which the meter is configurable and a maximum number of billing tiers for which the meter is configurable;
receiving configuration parameters associated with the billing rate;
prior to configuring or refusing to configure the meter, determining based on the meter configuration capability information and the configuration parameters whether the meter is capable of implementing the configuration parameters associated with the billing rate, wherein the determining comprises determining whether the number of seasons and the number of tiers included in the billing rate is less than or equivalent to the maximum number of seasons and the maximum number of tiers included in the meter configuration capability information;
if not, then;
refusing to configure the meter to implement the configuration parameters associated with the billing rate; and
is so, then;
translating the billing rate from a meter independent format into a format specific to the meter; and
configuring, by a server, the meter in accordance with the meter'"'"'s particular requirements to implement the configuration parameters associated with the billing rate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A number of meters to be configured according to a particular billing rate. Multiple billing rates may be defined, named, and stored for use. Each such billing rate may include time of use (TOU) configuration parameters and/or demand configuration parameters. Alternatively, a billing rate may include strictly consumption based parameters. Each billing rate is “meter independent”, meaning that it is not specific to any particular meter configuration format. The billing rate is defined in a format that is convenient for the operator and then translated into a format that is specific to each meter on which it is implemented. Thus, to configure a number of different parameters on a number of differently formatted meters, only a single billing rate need be defined and propagated to the meters.
358 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for automated configuration of a meter according to a billing rate, the method comprising:
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receiving an identification of the billing rate according to which the meter is to be configured, the identification of the billing rate including a name of the billing rate and not including configuration parameters associated with the billing rate; responsive to receiving the identification of the billing rate, retrieving, from stored data, the configuration parameters associated with the billing rate, the configuration parameters comprising at least a number of seasons included in the billing rate and a number of billing tiers included in the billing rate; responsive to receiving the identification of the billing rate, retrieving, from stored data, meter configuration capability information indicating a configuration capability of the meter including at least a maximum number of seasons for which the meter is configurable and a maximum number of billing tiers for which the meter is configurable; receiving configuration parameters associated with the billing rate; prior to configuring or refusing to configure the meter, determining based on the meter configuration capability information and the configuration parameters whether the meter is capable of implementing the configuration parameters associated with the billing rate, wherein the determining comprises determining whether the number of seasons and the number of tiers included in the billing rate is less than or equivalent to the maximum number of seasons and the maximum number of tiers included in the meter configuration capability information; if not, then;
refusing to configure the meter to implement the configuration parameters associated with the billing rate; andis so, then; translating the billing rate from a meter independent format into a format specific to the meter; and configuring, by a server, the meter in accordance with the meter'"'"'s particular requirements to implement the configuration parameters associated with the billing rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for automated configuration according to a billing rate, the system comprising:
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a meter that is configured in a format specific to the meter; a server that; receives an identification of the billing rate according to which the meter is to be configured, the identification of the billing rate including a name of the billing rate and not including configuration parameters associated with the billing rate; responsive to receiving the identification of the billing rate, retrieves, from stored data, the configuration parameters associated with the billing rate, the configuration parameters comprising at least a number of seasons included in the billing rate and a number of billing tiers included in the billing rate; responsive to receiving the identification of the billing rate, retrieves, from stored data, meter configuration capability information indicating a configuration capability of the meter including at least a maximum number of seasons for which the meter is configurable and a maximum number of billing tiers for which the meter is configurable; and prior to configuring or refusing to configure the meter, determines based on the meter configuration capability information and the configuration parameters whether the meter is capable of implementing the configuration parameters associated with the billing rate, wherein the determining comprises determining whether the number of seasons and the number of tiers included in the billing rate is less than or equivalent to the maximum number of seasons and the maximum number of tiers included in the meter configuration capability information; wherein, if the meter is not capable of implementing the configuration parameters associated with the billing rate, then the server refuses to configure the meter to implement the configuration parameters associated with the billing rate; and wherein, if the meter is capable of implementing the configuration parameters associated with the billing rate, then the server provides instructions to translate the billing rate from a meter independent format into the format specific to the meter and to configure the meter in accordance with the meter'"'"'s particular requirements to implement the configuration parameters associated with the billing rate. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification