DATA ANALYSIS SYSTEM, SUCH AS A THEFT SCENARIO ANALYSIS SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATED UTILITY METERING

• US 20070247789A1
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Itron, Inc.
• Inventors: Benson, Eric, Schleich, Michael, Bernardi, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 8,970,393 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/672
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/006 Remote reading of utility meters to a non-fixed location, i.e. mobile location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• 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 methods for determining possible theft scenarios at utility meters are described. In some examples, the system receives information that indicates possible tampering of utility meter by a customer of a utility. In some examples, the system uses the information to determine a theft scenario. The system may then use the determined theft scenario as evidence against the customer.

Claims

1. A method of deducing a possible theft of a utility at a utility meter, the method comprising:

receiving at a data collection center two or more data flags from the utility meter, wherein each data flag indicates abnormal operation of the utility meter;

filtering, at the data collection center, the received two or more data flags to remove redundant data flags from the received two or more data flags;

comparing, at the data collection center, the filtered two or more data flags to predetermined patterns of data flags, wherein the predetermined patterns relate to possible theft scenarios at the utility meter; and

determining the possible theft of the utility at the utility meter based on the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the received data flags indicate a time of occurrence of the abnormal operation of the utility meter that caused the data flag, the comparison further comprising:

organizing the filtered two or more data flags by time of occurrence of the abnormal operation of the utility meter; and

comparing the organized two or more data flags to the predetermined patterns of data flags.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the received data flags indicate an order of occurrence of the abnormal operation of the utility meter that caused the data flag relative to the other received data flags, the comparison further comprising:

organizing the filtered two or more data flags by order of occurrence of the abnormal operation of the utility meter; and

comparing the organized two or more data flags to the predetermined patterns of data flags.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information related to previous use of the utility meter; and

determining the possible theft of the utility at the utility meter based on the received historical information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a possible theft of the utility at the utility meter based on the comparison comprises determining that the theft has already occurred.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a possible theft of the utility at the utility meter based on the comparison comprises determining that the comparison indicates a future theft of the utility.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting the determined possible theft as evidence against a customer associated with the utility meter.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein filtering the received two or more data flags comprises:

removing data flags related to a loss of power at the utility meter due to a non-theft event at the utility meter;

removing data flags related to reprogramming the utility meter;

removing data flags related to errors in reading the utility meter;

or

removing data flags related to errors in multiple abnormal operation detections.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the filtered two or more data flags comprise at least three data flags, wherein the at least three data flags include at least one data flag related to an inversion event at the utility meter, one data flag related to a removal event at the utility meter, and one data flag related to a power loss event at the utility meter.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the filtered two or more data flags comprise at least three data flags, wherein the at least three data flags include at least one data flag related to a reverse rotation event at the utility meter, one data flag related to a removal event at the utility meter, and one data flag related to a power loss event at the utility meter.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the filtered two or more data flags comprise at least three data flags, wherein the at least three data flags include at least one data flag related to an inversion event at the utility meter, one data flag related to a reverse rotation event at the utility meter, and one data flag related to a power loss event at the utility meter.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the data collection center is in communication with the utility meter.

13. A fixed network theft determination system capable of determining a theft scenario at one or more utility meters, comprising:

a data collection component within the fixed network, wherein the data collection component is configured to receive data related to operation of the utility meter;

a data filtering component, wherein the data filtering component reviews the data received by the data collection component and identifies data that indicates a possible irregularity in the operation of the utility meter;

a scenario recognition component, wherein the scenario recognition component retrieves the identified data from the data filtering component, compares the identified data to predetermined utility meter operation scenarios, and determines a theft scenario based on the comparison.

14. The fixed network theft determination system of claim 13, wherein the data that indicates a possible irregularity includes data related to an inversion event at the utility meter, a removal event at the utility meter, and a power loss event at the utility meter.

15. The fixed network theft determination system of claim 13, wherein the data that indicates a possible irregularity includes data related to a reverse rotation event at the utility meter, a removal event at the utility meter, and a power loss event at the utility meter.

16. The fixed network theft determination system of claim 13, wherein the data that indicates a possible irregularity includes data related to an inversion event at the utility meter, a reverse rotation event at the utility meter, and a power loss event at the utility meter.

17. The fixed network theft determination system of claim 13, further comprising:

a context information component, wherein the context information component provides information related to previous use of the utility meter to the scenario recognition component and the scenario recognition component determines the theft scenario based at least in part on the provided use information.

18. The fixed network theft determination system of claim 13, wherein the data collection component receives data related to operation of the utility meter from a data collection unit associated with the utility meter.

19. The fixed network theft determination system of claim 13, wherein the data collection component receives data related to operation of the utility meter from the utility meter.

20. One or more computer memories contained in a computer-readable medium, the memories collectively containing a data structure, the data structure containing data derived from one or more utility meters, wherein the data indicates at least the occurrence of three or more disparate events at a utility meter, and wherein further the data indicates a time of each disparate event and a relative time of each disparate event relative to the other disparate events.

21. A method of providing evidence of utility theft by a customer associated with at least one utility meter monitoring a utility, the method comprising:

at a data reception component located in a different location than a location of the utility meter, receiving tamper indicators from the utility meter, wherein the tamper indicators relate to possible tampering of the utility meter by the customer;

at the data reception component, processing the received tamper indicators to determine a predetermined pattern of tampering of the utility meter by the customer; and

presenting the predetermined pattern to a resolution component associated with the utility as evidence of a possible theft of the utility by the customer.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein presenting the predetermined pattern comprises creating a report to be used in a legal action against the customer.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein presenting the predetermined pattern comprises issuing an investigation ticket related to a future review of the utility meter.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving weather information related to weather at the location of the utility meter; and

presenting the weather information along with the predetermined pattern to the resolution component.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving location information related to characteristics of the location of the utility meter; and

presenting the location information along with the predetermined pattern to the resolution component.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving customer payment information related to previous payments by the customer to the utility; and

presenting the customer payment information along with the predetermined pattern to the resolution component.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving historical information related to historical use of the utility meter; and

presenting the historical information along with the predetermined pattern to the resolution component.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the tamper indicators from the utility meter are received without alerting the customer.

29. A method of deducing abnormal operation of a utility meter, the method comprising:

receiving at a data collection center two or more data flags from the utility meter, wherein each data flag indicates an occurrence of an abnormal event at the utility meter;

comparing, at the data collection center, the received two or more data flags to predetermined patterns of data flags, wherein the predetermined patterns relate to known abnormal operation of the utility meter; and

determining an abnormal operation of the utility meter based on the comparison.