Safe interaction of a user with a smart utility meter
First Claim
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1. A method for enabling a safe interaction with a prepayment smart utility meter, comprising:
- transmitting a command signal from a remote handheld electronic device through a short range wireless optical communication link between an optical transmitter provided on the handheld electronic device and an optical receiver provided on the prepayment smart utility meter, wherein the command signal comprises encoded information corresponding to a credit amount for authorizing delivery of energy and encoded information to instruct the prepayment smart utility meter to restore an energy supply wherein the command signal is transmitted according to the IEC 62056 series of standards;
the method further comprising the prepayment smart utility meter taking an initiation step which comprises;
settling the optical receiver of the prepayment smart utility meter into a listening mode for receiving the command signal based on an instruction code within software run by the prepayment smart utility meter, wherein the software settles the optical receiver into a listening mode based on a meter re-armed status.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a method for enabling a user to safely interact with a smart utility meter (1), comprising the following steps:—Transmission by said user of a command signal from a remote handheld electronic device (2) through a short range wireless optical communication link (3) between optical transmitting means (20) provided on said handheld electronic device (2) and optical receiving means (11) provided on said smart utility meter (1); —Reception of said command signal on said optical receiving means (11).
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for enabling a safe interaction with a prepayment smart utility meter, comprising:
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transmitting a command signal from a remote handheld electronic device through a short range wireless optical communication link between an optical transmitter provided on the handheld electronic device and an optical receiver provided on the prepayment smart utility meter, wherein the command signal comprises encoded information corresponding to a credit amount for authorizing delivery of energy and encoded information to instruct the prepayment smart utility meter to restore an energy supply wherein the command signal is transmitted according to the IEC 62056 series of standards;
the method further comprising the prepayment smart utility meter taking an initiation step which comprises;settling the optical receiver of the prepayment smart utility meter into a listening mode for receiving the command signal based on an instruction code within software run by the prepayment smart utility meter, wherein the software settles the optical receiver into a listening mode based on a meter re-armed status. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A prepayment smart utility meter comprising:
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an optical receiver adapted to receive a command signal transmitted from a remote handheld electronic device through a short range wireless optical communication link to one of restore an energy supply and add a new credit amount for authorizing delivery of energy, wherein the command signal comprises encoded information corresponding to a credit amount for authorizing delivery of energy and encoded information to instruct the prepayment smart utility meter to restore an energy supply, wherein the optical receiver is part of an IEC 62056 standardized optical port; and software operable to settle the optical receiver into a listening mode as a result of the prepayment smart utility meter taking an initiation step, wherein the software settles the optical receiver into a listening mode based on a meter re-armed status.
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8. A handheld electronic device comprising:
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an optical transmitter adapted to remotely transmit a command signal to a prepayment smart utility meter through a short range wireless optical communication link to one of restore an energy supply and add a new credit amount for authorizing delivery of energy, wherein the command signal comprises encoded information corresponding to a credit amount for authorizing delivery of energy and encoded information to instruct the prepayment smart utility meter to restore an energy supply; wherein the prepayment smart utility meter comprises software operable to settle an optical receiver on the prepayment smart utility meter into a listening mode as a result of the prepayment smart utility meter taking an initiation step, wherein the optical receiver is part of an IEC 62056 standardized optical port, and wherein the software settles the optical receiver into a listening mode based on a meter re-armed status. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for enabling a safe interaction with a prepayment smart utility meter, comprising:
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transmitting a command signal from a remote handheld electronic device through a short range wireless optical communication link between an optical transmitter provided on the handheld electronic device and an optical receiver provided on the prepayment smart utility meter, wherein the command signal comprises encoded information corresponding to a credit amount for authorizing delivery of energy and encoded information to instruct the prepayment smart utility meter to restore an energy supply, wherein the command signal is transmitted according to the IEC 62056 series of standards;
the method further comprising the prepayment smart utility meter taking an initiation step which comprises;settling the optical receiver of the prepayment smart utility meter into a listening mode for receiving the command signal based on an instruction code within software run by the prepayment smart utility meter, wherein the software settles the optical receiver into a listening mode based on a prepayment account condition associated with the prepayment smart utility meter.
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Specification