Elster Electricity, LLC

Honeywell International Inc.

Abb Power Td & Company

Elster Solutions, LLC

Raymond H Kelley

Sean Michael Scoggins

Sasan Ardalan

Richard Christopher Carpenter

Robert T Mason

Dileep Rudran

Russell G Christopher

Kenneth C Shuey

Rodney C Hemminger

Andrew J Borleske

Scott T Holdsclaw

Richard Michael Rogers

Keith D Richeson

Donato Colonna

Brent Brian

David V Uy

John Chalmers Sutton, Iii

Mark Alan Ranta

Susane K Nemecz

Donna L Bruce

Navaneet Kumar

Robert H Lunney

Maureen Martinez

Brent R Brian

A utility meter includes a consumption measurement unit for generating consumption data, a meter processor, and a RTC for time stamping the consumption data to provide interval meter data during interval meter operation. A memory stores the interval meter data. The meter processor implements/initiates responsive to a power loss that suspends RTC operation, switching from interval to relative time operation where consumption data is stored as relative consumption data together with a relative time as relative meter data. Responsive power restoration and receiving a current time, the meter switches from relative time to interval meter operation. The restoration time is calculated using the current and an elapsed time since the restoration. The time of restoration and current time is used to generate calculated times. The consumption data from relative time operation is time stamped with the calculated times to provide time-corrected relative meter data that is stored to the memory.

Interval data for a utility meter during a power outage without a battery

A metering device may be configured to communicate with other devices on a plurality of metering communication networks, such as an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) network. For example, a metering end device may be programmed or reconfigured via an AMI network. A metering end device may receive, via the AMI network, a program recipe comprising one or more configuration parameters. The program recipe may be specific to the end device and formatted according to a generic program table of the end device. The end device may decrypt and validate the program recipe. The end device may implement the decrypted program recipe to configure the end device with the one or more configuration parameters.

Generic and secure AMI end device configuration

Techniques for over the air (OTA) microcontroller flash memory updates using a wireless network are disclosed herein. A control node first transmits the microcontroller flash memory update to all devices that can receive the message. Each packet of the message is relayed through multiple communication levels until all devices receive the packet. This starts with communications from the control node to each device node that has a direct communication path to the control node, which are referred to herein as 'first level' device nodes. The first level device nodes then relay each communication to each other device node that has a direct communication path to the first level device nodes, which are referred to herein as 'second level' device nodes. This process is repeated at each level of the wireless network until each of the plurality of device nodes has received the microcontroller flash memory update.

Over the air microcontroller flash memory updates

Techniques for power outage management and power support restoration for devices in a wireless network are disclosed herein. Such a wireless network may include a number of bi-directional nodes in bi-directional wireless communication with one or more central nodes. Each bi-directional node may have a wireless communication path to one of the central nodes that is either a direct path or an indirect path through one or more intermediate bi-directional nodes serving as relays. Each bi-directional node may be configured to detect when it has become stranded such that it can no longer communicate with its assigned central node via its assigned communication path, to determine a reason for its stranding, and to transmit a stranding notification and the reason therefore.

Power outage management and power support restoration for devices in a wireless network

To allow meter data users to have access to needed information and at the same time address the rapidly shifting requirements of the deregulated marketplace, a new business model employs a common metering device that measures raw data and a system composed of independent services or applications that collect and process raw metered data and then make that data available to interested parties. This new model removes the dependence upon an automatic meter reading (AMR) system provider, as the sole provider, by creating a system to enable a competitive environment where services (applications, information, networking, etc.) rather than systems are selected and paid for on a leased or pay-per-use basis.

Network-enabled, extensible metering system

A geographic view rendering tool receives geographic location data for nodes in a wireless network and renders a geographic view displaying the nodes at their corresponding geographic locations. The geographic view may be displayed overlaying a digital map. The geographic view may also display network information such as, for example, node connections data, communication success rates for the nodes, and occurrences of communications events at the nodes. The nodes may be displayed in a manner representative of corresponding network information using, for example, a variety colors and icons.

System and method of providing a geographic view of nodes in a wireless network

The present invention enables multiple operating territories to be defined, named, and managed within a meter reading system. Each operating territory may correspond to a geographic sub-section of the meter reading system that is regulated by a particular regulatory agency. Each operating territory may be assigned a set of time of use (TOU) schedules required by its corresponding regulatory agency. The set of TOU schedules assigned to each operating territory may be stored in a database.

System and method for creating multiple operating territories within a meter reading system

To allow meter data users to have access to needed information and at the same time address the rapidly shifting requirements of the deregulated marketplace, a new business model, apparatus and system are provided. A common metering device measures raw data and a system composed of independent services or applications collect and process raw metered data and then make that data available to interested parties. This new model removes the dependence upon an automatic meter reading (AMR) system provider, as the sole provider, by creating a system to enable a competitive environment where services (applications, information, networking, etc.) rather than systems are selected and paid for on a leased or pay-per-use basis. One example of such a networked-based, extensible metering system comprises a network server, a wide area network coupled to the network server, and a plurality of network-enabled meters coupled to the network. The meters collect data and the network server provides at least one metering application to the meters. In addition, the meters may be programmed to communicate via a predefined protocol and to deliver a protocol interface to a storage medium on the network, which enables the network to provide the protocol interface to users or applications requiring information from the meters and the users/applications to communicate with the meters to access the required information.

The invention is directed to a method and system for verifying an installation of an meter, for example, an electric power meter. The inventive method includes identifying the electric power meter to a central computer using a mobile computing device. The electric power meter receives computer-executable instructions from the central computer via the mobile computing device, and transmits meter information (e.g., power consumption readings, meter identification information, and meter location) to the central computer. The meter information received from the central computer is compared with meter information available at the electric power meter. The comparison may be accomplished visually by reading the meter and comparing the readings with the information received on the mobile computing device. Also, the comparison may be accomplished automatically by the mobile computing device based on the information it receives from the central computer and the information it receives from the electric power meter.

Automated on-site meter registration confirmation using a portable, wireless computing device

An automated meter reading (AMR) server having an open, distributed architecture that collects, loads, and manages system-wide data collected from energy meters and routes the data automatically to upstream business systems. The AMR server includes a repository of metering data, and additionally provides timely access to information by including collection, storage, validation, estimation, editing, publishing and securing of meter consumption and interval data. The AMR server obtains data from meters equipped with modems via standard telephone lines or public RF networks. The data is converted from the format of the meter/communications infrastructure to a format usable by the AMR server and the repository. The data is converted from the AMR-compatible form to a format of a specific upstream business system prior to transmission. The data may also be validated in accordance with the upstream business system requirements. The AMR server provides for on-line users, interfacing with multiple dissimilar platforms and meter firmware, maintenance of system availability, data recovery, access to multiple legacy systems, and access by common set of Application Program Interfaces.

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Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Raymond H Kelley