Multi-function electric meter adapter and method for use

• US 9,733,274 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2013
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Perspecta Labs Inc. (Perspecta, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vencore Labs, Inc.
• Inventors: Pietrowicz, Stanley
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Toan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aiello, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US13/769,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20130226485A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,642 Days
• Field of Search: 307 91, 307116, 34087001, 34087002, 34087003, 455557, 455405, 700286, 700295, 702 61, 702 62, 702 60
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/20 Modifications of basic electric elements for use in electric measuring instruments; Structural combinations of such elements with such instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/00 Arrangements for measuring electric power or power factor G01R7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/063 related to remote communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/14 Network analysis or design
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/028 by filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0254 Stateful filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

An adapter, and a method of using the adapter, for an electric meter, which includes a set of connections for interfacing to a panel box, a set of connectors for interfacing to the electric meter; and circuitry for intercepting FAN or HAN traffic, injecting FAN or HAN traffic and communicating intercepted traffic and local information from the electric meter and sensors over a network to a management entity that collects and process the data. Data from environmental, electric quality, and usage sensors are supplied to the network. External commands, originating in a management entity or with a customer are provided from the network. A computer readable non-transitory storage medium stores instructions of a computer program, which when executed by a computer system results in performance of steps of a method for intercepting FAN or HAN traffic, injecting FAN or HAN traffic, transmitting intercepted FAN or HAN traffic or utility usage data to a network, by using a utility usage sensor to acquire data representing utility usage; and using electrical circuitry in the adapter for communicating information from the sensor over a network to a management entity that collects and process the data.

Claims

1. An adapter for an electric meter, comprising:

a first set of connections for interfacing to a panel box;

a second set of connectors for interfacing to the electric meter; and

circuitry in the adapter for communicating information comprising field area network (FAN) traffic, intercepted from a first network over a second network, wherein at least one band of the first network comprises a field area network, to a management entity that collects and processes the data, wherein the adapter is communicatively coupled to the first network and the second network, and wherein the adaptor comprises radio electronics to intercept, monitor and analyze the FAN traffic on the first network and to inject radio frequency (RF) traffic into the first network, based on obtaining a remote command from the management entity over the second network, wherein the adaptor further comprises an intrusion detection function to detect intrusions and network anomalies by analyzing intercepted traffic from the field area network of the first network.

2. The adapter of claim 1, wherein said adapter comprises radio electronics to intercept radio frequency (RF) traffic from at least one band of the first network selected from the group consisting of:

the field area network, wherein the field area network comprises an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and distribution automation (DA) field area network (FAN), a home area network (HAN), and another radio frequency band, wherein said RF traffic is transmitted over said network.

3. The adapter of claim 2, wherein injecting radio frequency (RF) traffic into the first network comprises injecting the radio frequency (RF) traffic into at least one band of the first network selected from the group consisting of:

the field area network (FAN), and the other radio frequency band.

4. The adapter of claim 1, wherein said intrusion detection function further analyzes intercepted traffic, and detects intrusion and anomalies in a home area network (HAN), or in another radio frequency band.

5. The adapter of claim 1, wherein said adapter is a probe.

6. The adapter of claim 2, wherein the first network comprises at least one other band selected from the group consisting of:

a home area network, a wide area network, a power distribution system network, a telephone network and a radio frequency transmission network.

7. The adapter of claim 6, wherein said RF traffic is transmitted over said first network via at least one communications channel protocol selected from the group consisting of:

Wi-Fi, Zigbee, power line carrier, long term evolution, voice over internet protocol, fixed broadband, and internet protocol.

8. The adaptor of claim 1, wherein said adapter is a communications gateway that provides Internet, data and voice services from wireless, fiber, and broadband over power line technologies.

9. The adapter of claim 1, further comprising sensors for determining electric power quality, and electronic components for communicating data from the sensors to the network.

10. The adapter of claim 1, further comprising at least one environmental sensor for determining environmental conditions at said adapter, and an electronic component for communicating data from said environmental sensor to said network.

11. The adapter of claim 1, further comprising a port using an optical, a wireless or a magnetic connection to provide maintenance access.

12. The adapter of claim 1, further comprising an electrical metering system for transmitting data concerning electrical usage by a specific device.

13. The adapter of claim 12, wherein said device is one selected from the group consisting of:

an electrical appliance and a car requiring electrical charging.

14. The adapter of claim 1, further comprising sensors for monitoring, and controls for controlling, utility service usage.

15. The adapter of claim 14, wherein said sensor is a water meter, and the controls include a water shut off valve.

16. The adapter of claim 14, wherein the sensor is a gas flow meter, and the controls include a gas shut off valve.

17. The adapter of claim 14, wherein said sensor is a security sensor that detect motion, pressure, glass-breakage, light, fire, carbon monoxide, natural gas, gun shots or opening of an entryway.

18. The adapter of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor that detects an electrical problem with said utility usage meter and a panel box.

19. The adapter of claim 17, further comprising a control valve, wherein said control valve is a sprinkler valve.

20. The adapter of claim 1, further comprising an electricity line relay for connecting and disconnecting electricity supplied to the electric meter.

21. The adapter of claim 1, further comprising power conditioning circuitry for conditioning power to be supplied to the adapter from an electrical distribution system.

22. A method for supplying information on utility usage to a first network, comprising:

placing a probe meter adapter between a utility usage meter and a panel box for the meter, intercepting field area network (FAN) traffic from an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and distribution automation (DA) field area networks (FAN), home area networks (HAN), or any other radio frequency band comprising a second network, wherein at least one band of the second network comprises a field area network;

using electrical circuitry in the probe meter adapter for analyzing intercepted traffic from the field area network to detect intrusions and network anomalies in the field area network;

using the electrical circuitry in the probe meter adapter for communicating field area network (FAN) traffic and information, the information comprising results of analyzing the intercepted traffic from said utility usage meter to said first network to collect and process said traffic and information; and

injecting, by the adaptor, radio frequency (RF) traffic into the second network, based on obtaining a remote command from the management entity over the first network.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the second network comprises at least one other band selected from the group consisting of:

a home area network, a wide area network, a power distribution system network, a telephone network and a radio frequency transmission network.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said traffic is transmitted over said first network via at least one communications channel protocol selected from the group consisting of:

Wi-Fi, Zigbee, power line carrier, long term evolution, voice over internet protocol, fixed broadband, and internet provider.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein probe meter adapter provides Internet, data and voice services from wireless, fiber, and broadband to be transmitted over power line technologies.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein injecting further comprises injecting said traffic into said advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and distribution automation (DA) field area networks (FAN) or home area networks (HAN) by remote commands from a management center.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the analyzing further comprises analyzing via multiple protocol layers to detect malicious packets.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising using sensors to determine electric power quality, and communicating data on electric power quality from the sensors to the first network.

29. The method of claim 22, further comprising using environmental sensors for determining environmental conditions at the adapter, and communicating data from the environmental sensors to the first network.

30. The method of claim 22, further comprising using optical, wireless or a magnetic connection via a port to provide maintenance access.

31. The method of claim 22, further comprising using an electrical metering system for acquiring data concerning electrical usage by a specific device, and transmitting the data concerning electrical usage by the specific device to the first network.

32. The method of claim 22, further comprising using a sensor for monitoring and controls for controlling utility usage, wherein the sensor is a water meter and the controls include a water shut off valve.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said sensor is a gas flow meter, and the controls include a gas shut off valve.

34. The method of claim 22, further comprising using a security sensor that detects motion, pressure, glass-breakage, light, fire, carbon monoxide, natural gas, gunshots or opening of an entryway.

35. The method of claim 22, further comprising a temperature sensor that detects an electrical problem with said utility usage meter and a panel box.

36. The method of claim 22, further comprising a control valve, wherein said control valve is a sprinkler valve.

37. The method of claim 22, further comprising using an electricity line relay for connecting and disconnecting electricity supplied to the utility usage meter.

38. The method of claim 22, further comprising conditioning power to be supplied to said probe meter adapter from an electrical distribution system.

39. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions of a computer program which when executed by a computer system results in performance of a method for transmitting utility usage data to a first network, comprising:

placing a probe meter adapter between a utility usage meter and a panel box for the meter, intercepting field area network (FAN) traffic from an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and distribution automation (DA) field area networks (FAN), home area networks (HAN), or any other radio frequency band comprising a second network, wherein at least one band of the second network comprises a field area network;

using electrical circuitry in the probe meter adapter for analyzing intercepted traffic from the field area network to detect intrusions and network anomalies in the field area network;

using the electrical circuitry in the probe meter adapter for communicating field area network (FAN) traffic and information, the information comprising results of analyzing the intercepted traffic from said utility usage meter to the first network to collect and process said traffic and information from the second network; and

injecting by the adaptor, radio frequency (RF) traffic into the second network, based on obtaining a remote command from the management entity over the first network, based on obtaining a remote command from a management entity over the network.