Distributed meter data management

• US 8,896,461 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2011
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Angelis, Bruce Christopher, Papp, James Alexander, Driscoll, Timothy James
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/165,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20120326883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 34087002-87005, 340/870.18, 340/903, 340/870.13
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/20 using a distributed architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• 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

In a distributed meter data management (MDM) system of a smart grid, a network computing device, such as a network router deployed in the field, may receive data from one or more utility meters, sensors, control devices, or other utility data collection devices that are communicatively coupled to the network computing device. The network computing device may process the data received from the utility data collection devices to generate processed data usable by a consumer. The network computing device may also send data to and/or receive data from a centralized control system, MDM system, and/or smart grid analytic applications at a utility central office. The network computing device may then provide the processed data directly to the consumer, with or without first sending the data to a centralized MDM system of the utility.

Claims

1. One or more computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:

receiving raw data from one or more utility meters, sensors, and/or control devices at a field-deployed utility network router;

processing, at the field-deployed utility network router, the data received from the utility meters, sensors, and/or control devices to generate processed data usable by a consumer, the processing comprising;

validating that the raw data is accurate;

estimating any information missing from the raw data; and

/or

detecting a utility outage, tampering, a blink, and/or a surge at one or more of the utility meters, sensors, and/or control devices; and

providing the processed data to the consumer directly from the field-deployed utility network router.

2. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein processing the data further comprises:

performing utility rate calculations based on the raw data; and

/or

aggregating raw data from multiple utility meters.

3. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein providing the processed data to the consumer is performed prior to sending any of the raw data or processed data to an office of a utility provider.

4. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 3, further comprising providing the raw data and/or the processed data to a meter data management (MDM) system in the office of the utility provider.

5. A method comprising:

under control of a network computing device configured with computer-executable instructions;

receiving data from one or more utility data collection devices communicatively coupled to the network computing device;

processing the data received from the utility data collection devices to generate processed data usable by a consumer, wherein processing the data comprises validation of the data and/or estimation of information missing from the data; and

providing the processed data to the consumer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the network computing device comprises a network router.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein processing the data further comprises performing utility rate calculations based on the data and/or aggregating the data from multiple utility collection devices.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein processing the data further comprises detecting a utility outage, tampering, a blink, and/or a surge at one or more of the utility data collection devices.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the processed data is provided to the consumer directly by the network computing device, prior to sending the data or the processed data to an office of a utility provider.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing the data and/or the processed data to a meter data management (MDM) system in the office of the utility provider.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein processing the data further comprises:

configuring the data for delivery to one or more consumers of the data;

performing billing calculations associated with the data;

configuring the data for storage in one or more data stores; and

sending the data to one or more analytics programs for analysis and/or trending.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more utility data collection devices from which the network computing device receives data include water, gas, and/or electric meters.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more utility data collection devices include utility meters, sensors, and/or control devices.

14. The method of claim 5, wherein the network computing device is located in a cellular relay station, and is in communication with the utility data collection devices via a wireless local area network.

15. The method of claim 5, wherein the processed data is provided to the consumer in real time or substantially real time.

16. A network computing device comprising:

one or more processors;

memory communicatively coupled to the one or more processors;

a network interface to receive data from one or more utility data collection devices;

one or more processing modules, stored in the memory and executable on the one or more processors, to process the data received from the one or more utility data collection devices to generate processed data usable by a consumer, the one or more processing modules including a validation and estimation module, stored in the memory and executable on the one or more processors, to validate the data and/or estimate information missing from the data; and

a routing module, stored in the memory and executable on the one or more processors, to route the data and/or the processed data to one or more users of the data.

17. The network computing device of claim 16, wherein the network computing device comprises field-deployed utility network router.

18. The network computing device of claim 16, wherein the one or more processing modules further include:

a calculation module, stored in the memory and executable on the processor, to perform utility rate calculations based on the data and/or aggregating the data from multiple utility collection devices; and

/or

an event processing module, stored in the memory and executable on the processor, to detect a utility outage, tampering, a blink, and/or a surge at one or more of the utility data collection devices.

19. The network computing device of claim 18, wherein the one or more processing modules further include:

a delivery module, stored in the memory and executable on the processor, to prepare the data for delivery to one or more users of the data;

a billing module, stored in the memory and executable on the processor, to perform billing calculations associated with the data; and

/or

a storage module, stored in the memory and executable on the processor, to configure the data for storage in one or more data stores.

20. The network computing device of claim 16, wherein the processing module is configured to provide the processed data to the consumer directly, prior to sending the data or the processed data to an office of a utility provider.

21. The network computing device of claim 20, wherein the network interface is further configured to provide the data and/or the processed data to a meter data management (MDM) system in the office of the utility provider.

22. An advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) comprising a plurality of the network computing devices of claim 16.