Feature license management system

• US 8,812,979 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2011
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aclara Meters LLC (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Khanke, Satish Sharadrao, Patel, Melhulkumar Babubhai
• Primary Examiner(s): ABDUL-ALI, OMAR R
• Application Number:
  US13/105,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20120290975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 715/810, 715/748
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/45 Utility meters networked together within a single building
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/12 Protecting executable software
• 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

Systems and devices are disclosed for enabling direct transfer of feature licenses between utility meters. In one embodiment, a system includes: a computing device communicatively connected to a first utility meter and a second utility meter, the computing device adapted to manage a transfer of a feature license between the first utility meter and the second utility meter by performing actions comprising: obtaining feature license data about the first utility meter and the second utility meter; receiving a selection of the feature license to be transferred from the first utility meter to the second utility meter; and transferring the selected feature license from the first utility meter to the second utility meter.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a computing device communicatively connected to a first utility meter and a second utility meter, the computing device being connected to each of the first utility meter and the second utility meter through a first connection, the first utility meter and the second utility meter being communicatively connected through a second connection independent of the computing device, wherien the computing device is adapted to manage a transfer of a feature license directly between the first utility meter and the second utility meter through the second connection by performing actions comprising;

obtaining feature license data about the first utility meter and the second utility meter;

receiving a selection of the feature license to be transferred directly between the first utility meter and the second utility meter; and

initiating the transfer of the selected feature license directly between the first utility meter and the second utility meter.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface (UI) operably connected to the computing device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is operably connected to a user interface (UI) and the receiving of the selection of the feature license to be transferred directly between the first utility meter and the second utility meter further includes:

displaying on the UI a first set of feature licenses installed on the first utility meter;

displaying on the UI a second set of feature licenses installed on the second utility meter; and

prompting a user to select the feature license to be transferred directly between the first utility meter and the second utility meter.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the user interface is further adapted to comparatively display any feature licenses enabled on the first utility meter and any feature licenses enabled on the second utility meter.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further adapted to transfer a plurality of feature licenses between the first utility meter and the second utility meter.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the feature license data includes feature license compatibility.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first utility meter includes the computing device.

8. A program product stored on a computer readable medium, which when executed by at least one computing device communicatively connected to a first utility meter and a second utility meter through a first connection, wherein the first utility meter and the second utility meter are communicatively connected through a second connection independent of the computing device, performs the following:

obtains feature license data about the first utility meter and the second utility meter;

receives a selection of a feature license to transfer directly between the first utility meter and the second utility meter; and

initiates a transfer of the selected feature license directly between the first utility meter and the second utility meter through the second connection.

9. The program product of claim 8, wherein the computing device is further adapted to create a User Interface (UI).

10. The program product of claim 9, wherein the computing device is further adapted to comparatively display any feature licenses enabled on the first utility meter and any feature licenses enabled on the second utility meter on the UI.

11. The program product of claim 8, wherein the computing device is further adapted to create a user interface (UI) and the receiving of the selection of the feature license to be transferred directly between the first utility meter and the second utility meter further includes:

displaying on the UI a set of feature licenses installed on the first utility meter;

displaying on the UI a set of feature licenses installed on the second utility meter; and

prompting a user to select the feature license to be transferred directly between the first utility meter and the second utility meter.

12. The program product of claim 8, wherein the computing device is further adapted to transfer a plurality of feature licenses between the first utility meter and the second utility meter.

13. The program product of claim 8, wherein the feature license data includes feature license compatibility.

14. The program product of claim 8, wherein the first utility meter includes the computing device.

15. A system comprising:

a computing device communicatively connected to a network, through a first connection, a first utility meter and a second utility meter being communicatively connected to the network through a second connection independent of the computing device wherein, the computing device is adapted to directly transfer a feature license between the first utility meter and the second utility meter through the second connection by performing actions comprising;

determining a first set of feature licenses installed on the first utility meter;

determining a second set of feature licenses installed on the second utility meter;

receiving a selection of the feature license to be transferred directly between the first utility meter and the second utility meter;

initiating the transfer of the selected feature license directly between the first utility meter and the second utility meter.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the computing device is communicatively connected to a plurality of utility meters through the network.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising a user interface operably connected to the computing device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the user interface is further adapted to comparatively display any feature licenses installed on the first utility meter and any feature licenses installed on the second utility meter.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the computing device is operably connected to a user interface (UI) and the receiving of the selection of the feature license to be transferred directly between the first utility meter and the second utility meter further includes:

displaying on the user interface a set of feature licenses on the first utility meter;

displaying on the user interface a set of feature licenses on the second utility meter; and

prompting a user to select the feature license to be transferred directly between the first utility meter and the second utility meter.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the computing device is further adapted to transfer a plurality of feature licenses between the first utility meter and the second utility meter.