Utility meter intelligent firmware update system and method
First Claim
1. A utility metering system, comprising:
- a utility meter configured to communicatively couple to a utility service provider, wherein the utility meter comprises a memory configured to store firmware, wherein the firmware comprises computer-readable instructions configured to;
store a firmware update downloaded from the utility service provider, wherein the firmware update is downloaded by periodically polling the utility service provider for updates;
receive a historical time of use data for a customer and determine when utility usage by the customer is lowest;
receive a time of use pricing rate for the customer and determine when utility price for the customer is lowest;
receive a usage threshold associated with the utility usage by the customer and determine when the utility usage by the customer falls below the usage threshold;
receive a criticality of the firmware update and determine when the criticality exceeds a threshold criticality;
receive an updated usage threshold associated with the utility usage by the customer based on the criticality of the firmware update and determine when the utility usage by the customer falls below the updated usage threshold;
receive a selection of a particular time to implement the firmware update based on determining when utility usage by the customer is lowest, when utility price for the customer is lowest, when the utility usage by the customer falls below the usage threshold, when the criticality exceeds a threshold criticality, when the utility usage by the customer falls below the updated usage threshold; and
implement the firmware update at the particular time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One embodiment describes a utility metering system. The utility metering system includes a utility meter that is communicatively coupled to a utility service provider, in which the utility meter includes firmware. The utility meter stores a firmware update downloaded from the utility service provider, and determines a particular time to update the firmware with the firmware update, in which the particular time is determined based at least in part on historical time of use data, time of use pricing rates, or a combination thereof. The historical time of use data include utility consumption by a consumer over time and the time of use pricing rates include the price per unit of utility charged to the consumer. Additionally, the utility meter updates the firmware at the particular time.
39 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A utility metering system, comprising:
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a utility meter configured to communicatively couple to a utility service provider, wherein the utility meter comprises a memory configured to store firmware, wherein the firmware comprises computer-readable instructions configured to; store a firmware update downloaded from the utility service provider, wherein the firmware update is downloaded by periodically polling the utility service provider for updates; receive a historical time of use data for a customer and determine when utility usage by the customer is lowest; receive a time of use pricing rate for the customer and determine when utility price for the customer is lowest; receive a usage threshold associated with the utility usage by the customer and determine when the utility usage by the customer falls below the usage threshold; receive a criticality of the firmware update and determine when the criticality exceeds a threshold criticality; receive an updated usage threshold associated with the utility usage by the customer based on the criticality of the firmware update and determine when the utility usage by the customer falls below the updated usage threshold; receive a selection of a particular time to implement the firmware update based on determining when utility usage by the customer is lowest, when utility price for the customer is lowest, when the utility usage by the customer falls below the usage threshold, when the criticality exceeds a threshold criticality, when the utility usage by the customer falls below the updated usage threshold; and implement the firmware update at the particular time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions executable by a processor of a utility meter, the instructions configured to:
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store a firmware update in a memory of the utility meter, wherein the firmware update is downloaded by periodically polling a utility service provider for updates; receive a historical time of use data for a customer and determine when utility usage by the customer is lowest; receive a time of use pricing rate for the customer and determine when utility price for the customer is lowest; receive a usage threshold associated with the utility usage by the customer and determine when the utility usage by the customer falls below the usage threshold; receive a criticality of the firmware update and determine when the criticality exceeds a threshold criticality; receive an updated usage threshold associated with the utility usage by the customer based on the criticality of the firmware update and determine when the utility usage by the customer falls below the updated usage threshold; determine a particular time to update firmware of the utility meter with the firmware update, wherein the particular time is selected based on determining when utility usage by the customer is lowest, when utility price for the customer is lowest, when the utility usage by the customer falls below the usage threshold, when the criticality exceeds a threshold criticality, when the utility usage by the customer falls below the updated usage threshold; and update the firmware at the particular time. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A utility meter, comprising:
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a non-volatile memory configured to store firmware of the utility meter; a volatile memory configured to store a firmware update, wherein the firmware update is downloaded by periodically polling a utility service provider for updates; and a processor configured to; receive a historical time of use data for a customer and determine when utility usage by the customer is lowest; receive a time of use pricing rate for the customer and determine when utility price for the customer is lowest; receive a usage threshold associated with the utility usage by the customer and determine when the utility usage by the customer falls below the usage threshold; receive a criticality of the firmware update and determine when the criticality exceeds a threshold criticality; receive an updated usage threshold associated with the utility usage by the customer based on the criticality of the firmware update and determine when the utility usage by the customer falls below the updated usage threshold; execute the firmware update at a particular time, wherein the particular time is selected based on determining one of when utility usage by the customer is lowest, when utility price for the customer is lowest, when the utility usage by the customer falls below the usage threshold, when the criticality exceeds a threshold criticality, when the utility usage by the customer falls below the updated usage threshold; and implement the firmware update at the particular time. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification