Abb Power Td & Company

Elster Electricity, LLC

Richard Christopher Carpenter

Raymond H Kelley

Sean Michael Scoggins

Sasan Ardalan

Robert H Lunney

Maureen Martinez

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

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.

A mapper to translate an input file from an input domain to an output domain. The mapper includes a canons utility which builds a canon, the canon being a tree relating all data attributes within a domain of information, and the domain being a collection of data that has a same data format, a maps utility which creates input and output maps that specify the translation from the input domain to the output domain, and a translator utility to perform the translation of the input file to an output file. The input map is a data structure that describes a format of the input domain and the output map is a data structure that describes a format of the output domain. The input map and the output map are derivation trees, and the mapper utilizes the input map and the output map to build a scanner/parser for the input file domain. The mapper traverses the input map to parse data from the input file into a list. The mapper then maps from the list to the output domain to generate the output file by traversing the output map and reinterpreting a corresponding element in the list such that the corresponding element conforms to the output domain.

Mapping interface for a distributed server to translate between dissimilar file formats

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.

Growing community of inventors

Fuquay-Varina, NC, United States of America

Richard Christopher Carpenter