GB2482326A

GB2482326A - Transfer of a utility usage meter reading to a user device associated with the meter and verifying the information received from the device

Info

Publication number: GB2482326A
Application number: GB1012786.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mahesh Sooriyabandara; Parag Gopal Kulkarni
Original assignee: Toshiba Research Europe Ltd
Current assignee: Toshiba Europe Ltd
Priority date: 2010-07-29
Filing date: 2010-07-29
Publication date: 2012-02-01
Also published as: GB201012786D0

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to an apparatus, method, and system for managing transfer of a utility (electricity, gas, water) usage meter reading from a utility meter 102 to a utility provider 106. In particular, the method comprises receiving information from a user device 103, the information identifying a smart meter 102 associated with the user device 103 and a utility usage associated with the smart meter 102, verifying the information received from the user device 103, and storing the received information when the information is successfully verified.Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Aspects of the invention include the user device being a mobile cellular phone, a home internet gateway or a mobile gateway device (e.g. carried by a person or vehicle) near the home. The step of verifying may comprise determining if there is an association between the smart meter and the user device (i.e. whether they are registered to the same address or whether the user device is proximal to the smart meter) in order to validate the authenticity of the information from the user device.

Description

SMART METERING GATEWAY

FIELD

Embodiments described herein relate to a utility services management method and apparatus. Furthermore, embodiments described herein generally relate to a method and apparatus for transferring utility usage information from a utility meter to a utility service management system without requiring the installation of additional infrastructure.

BACKGROUND

All residential and commercial buildings have one or more types of utility services provided to their building, such as electricity, gas and water. While some utilities are charged at fixed prices, it is common for such utilities to be charged with respect to specific usage amounts.

Utility meters are provided in order to measure usage of a particular utility within a home, office or industrial building. Traditionally, the usage of the utility as measured by the utility meter is relayed back to the company supplying the utility for billing purposes by manual reading. For example, a person either employed by the utility company, or a resident/employee at the building in which the meter is installed, will take a meter reading of the current utility usage from a visual display provided on the utility meter.

The person will then submit this meter reading to the utility company, by telephone, post, SMS message or the Internet. The utility company then updates their records in respect of the meter reading. The utility will then periodically issue a bill for the energy usage in accordance with the meter reading.

The above-described procedure is generally seen as undesirable because it is quite costly for the utility company to implement. If the person taking the meter reading is an employee of the utility company, or sub-contractor of the utility company, it is costly to pay the person to carry out the meter readings, and to pay for the cost of their travel to take such meter readings. If the person taking the meter reading is a resident/employee at the building in which the meter is installed then it is necessary for the utility company to verify the identity of the person, in order to ensure that the reading is correct. Call-centres are commonly utilised to verify such persons identity over the telephone, and can be costly to implement.

There is therefore a need to simplify the process of monitoring meter readings and reduce the associated costs.

One solution to this problem has been to estimate meter readings, often based on previous utility consumption, or even based on national utility usage statistics. An actual reading can then either be taken at less frequent intervals in order to reduce cost, or only when the property to which the meter is associated is vacated. While this approach helps to reduce the costs associated with monitoring utility usage it is generally not liked by the consumers of the utilities. In particular, the consumers of the utilities do not generally like the use of estimated meter readings because they can often be very inaccurate leading to incorrect billing. Consequently, consumers can have highly variable and incorrect bills to be paid.

In order to overcome each of the above-mentioned problems so called smart meters' have been developed. Smart meters are capable of automatically communicating utility usage to the utility service management system. Various different approaches have been taken for smart metering, as discussed below.

Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is a type of smart metering being deployed by some utility companies. This technology entails deploying a dedicated infrastructure utilising concentrator devices in residential neighbourhoods. In particular, a special smart meter is installed within every home. This special smart meter is then capable of communicating wirelessly with the dedicated concentrator device. The concentrator device then relays information from the smart meters to a utility service management system.

In AMI, a single concentrator device is installed to serve a small community and effectively acts as a utility meter communications hub for that area. In order to provide coverage over a large area a network of such concentrator devices need to be strategically positioned. Concentrators could communicate with Smart Meters in the neighbourhood using a wireless network (e.g. RF Mesh) or PLC/BPL network. The communication between data concentrator and central system could be based on a cellular network (GSM/GPRS/WiMax) or a wide area network (Ethernet based).

AMI is very costly to install because it requires deployment of a full infrastructure. In particular, specific smart meters need to be installed in all homes, while a large number of concentrator devices need to be installed. It is not merely the cost of the concentrator devices, which is expensive, but also the acquisition of land for installing such devices and the future maintenance of the infrastructure.

An alternative proposal, which arguably has a lower infrastructural burden than AMI system involves installing smart meters that include Internet gateways to allow for communication between the smart meter and utility service management system over a broadband connection associated with the smart meter. The gateway may be integrated with the smart meter or designed to communicate with a standard smart meter.

While the above system bypasses the need for large scale infrastructure to be installed there is still a need to set up each individual home, office or other building with an Internet gateway for the smart meter. While the cost of each smart meter is minimal the deployment of such a large number of gateways will in itself be costly.

The problem with each of the smart metering solutions that have been proposed to date is that the deployment of large amounts of additional infrastructure is required.

Consequently, the initial set-up costs of such smart metering systems can be colossal.

Thus, at present initial implementation of such systems has been minimal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments shall now be described, as an example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates a utility usage management system in accordance with an embodiment; Figure 2 illustrates a communications flow in accordance with the embodiment shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 illustrates a system in accordance with an alternative embodiment.

Throughout this specification like reference numerals refer to like parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to one embodiment there is provided a method for managing transfer of a utility usage meter reading from a utility meter to a utility provider, the method comprising: receiving information from a user device, the information identifying a smart meter associated with the user device and a utility usage associated with the smart meter; verifying the information received from the user device; and storing the received information when the information is successfully verified.

The step of verifying may comprise determining if there is an association between the smart meter and the user device.

The step of determining that there is an association between the smart meter and the user device may further comprise determining if the smart meter and user device are registered to the same address.

The step of determining that there is an association between the smart meter and the user device may further comprise determining if the user device is proximal to smart meter.

The user device may be determined to be proximal to the smart meter if it is within a range of a short wireless communications link.

If the user device is not proximal to the smart meter the method may further comprise determining if there is a further user device proximal to the smart meter.

The step of determining if there is an association between the smart meter and the user device may involve communicating with a service provider associated with the user device.

An address associated with the user device may be obtained from the service provider associated with the user device.

A location of the user device may be obtained from the service provider associated with the user device.

The step of verifying may comprise decrypting the information received from the user device to at least extract the utility usage associated with the smart meter.

In accordance with a further embodiment there is provided a utility management apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a receiver arranged to receive information from a user device, the information identifying a smart meter associated with the user device and a utility usage associated with the smart meter; a processor arranged to verify the information received from the user device; and a storage unit arranged to store the received information when the information is successfully verified.

The processor may be arranged to verify the information by determining if there is an association between the smart meter and the user device.

The processor may determine that there is an association between the smart meter and the user device if the smart meter and user device are registered to the same address.

The processor may determine that there is an association between the smart meter and the user device if the user device is proximal to the smart meter.

The processor may determine that the user device is proximal to the smart meter if it is within a range of a short wireless communications link.

If the user device is not proximal to the smart meter the processor may further determine if there is a further user device proximal to the smart meter.

The processor may determine if there is an association between the smart meter and the user device by communicating with a service provider associated with the user device.

The processor may be arranged to verify the information received from the user device by decrypting the information to at least extract the utility usage associated with the smart meter.

According to yet another embodiment there is provided a utility management system, comprising: a utility meter arranged to monitor an amount of use of a utility, the utility meter having a communication functionality for transmitting energy usage information; a utility management apparatus as described above; and a user device arranged to receive energy usage information from the utility meter and send the energy usage information to the utility management apparatus.

According to a further embodiment there is provided a carrier medium carrying computer readable code for controlling a suitable computer to carry out the method as described above.

According to yet another embodiment there is provided a carrier medium carrying computer readable code for configuring a suitable computer as the apparatus as described above.

Embodiments described herein relate to a smart metering gateway provided on a common user device such as a mobile cellular phone. In particular, functionality is provided on such a user device to allow the device to receive utility usage information from a smart meter. The user device is then able to relay this information onto a utility service management system. In order validate the authenticity of the information from the mobile device the utility service management system is arranged to check whether or not the user device is authorised to relay utility usage information, for example by checking that the address associated with the mobile device matches the address associated with the home to which the smart meter is associated. In order to perform such validation the utility service management system communicates with a service provider associated with the user device. Such validation with the service provider may simply verify address information, or more complex validation information may be required.

Embodiments described herein utilise commonly available user equipment devices to obviate the need for large scale deployment.

Embodiments described herein relate to use of user equipment devices acting as smart metering gateways by collecting readings from smart meters located in the customer premises and forwarding these readings to the utility provider's management systems thereby obviating the need for any additional devices or infrastructural investment.

Hence, embodiments described herein provide a smart metering solution that employs commonly available user equipment to reduce costly infrastructural investments of employing utility provider specific equipment.

Embodiments described herein utilise user equipment devices such as mobile phones to act as displays for displaying meter readings from a smart meter.

Embodiments described herein utilise user equipment devices to collect data regarding utility usage and cost, which may be displayed to the user in real-time.

Embodiments described herein have the advantage that they eliminate the need for deploying dedicated infrastructure for collecting meter readings thereby resulting in significant cost savings and rapid deployment.

Embodiments described herein have the advantage that user devices are already commonly used and therefore effectively pre-deployed. There tend to be several such devices already present within customers premises, and thus costs which are usually incurred by a customer, or at least passed on to a customer, due to investments by utility providers are eliminated.

Embodiments described herein can improve integrity of meter readings forwarded to the utility provider by encrypting the meter readings. The integrity is improved because it is difficult to alter the data between the smart meter and the utility service provider management system.

Embodiments described herein allow for meter reading data to be collected and stored by the user device and statistical analysis to be performed by the user device on that data. Such data collection can be collected and displayed in real-time. Hence, such embodiments improve the user's control over their utility consumption.

Embodiments described herein relate to a smart meter arranged to send meter readings to a user device, such that the user device can send the meter readings on to the utility provider management system. The smart meter may communicate with the user device via a short range wireless connection. The smart meter may encrypt the meter reading in accordance with a key provided by the utility provider management system.

Embodiments described herein relate to a user device arranged to forward meter readings received from a smart meter, and send those meter readings to a utility provider management system. Furthermore, the smart meter may be arranged to perform this functionality in accordance with a program downloaded to the user device.

Embodiments described herein relate to a user device management system arranged to provide a utility service management system with information about the user device.

The information may include registered address information and/or current location information.

Embodiments described herein relates to a system for managing utility usage without requiring an excessive infrastructural burden. In particular, embodiments described herein utilise mobile cellular telephone devices as a means for transferring utility usage information from a smart meter to a utility provider management system. Embodiments described herein shall be discussed in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1] Figure 1 iHustrates a utility usage management system in accordance with an embodiment.

A home 101 is provided with a smart meter 102 which is arranged to monitor the utility usage within the home 101. In this embodiment the general term utility' is used in order to refer to various utilities such as electricity, gas and water. In this embodiment a single smart meter monitors a single utility. However, it will be appreciated that a single utility meter could be provided for monitoring of all the above utilities.

The smart meter 102 is arranged to transmit a short range wireless signal including information relating to the current utility usage. In this embodiment, a standard mobile phone 103 owned by the owner of the home 101 is used to receive the information transmitted by the smart meter. The mobile phone 103 is arranged such that when it receives information from the smart meter 102 it can relay this information onto a utility provider management system 106, via a cellular communications base station 104 and a network 105.

The utility provider management system 106 is then arranged to verify the identity of the mobile phone 103, to ensure that the mobile phone 103 is actually allowed to relay such information. In this embodiment, such validation is achieved by the utility provider management system 106 verifying the mobile phone 103 with the mobile phones' service provider by communicating with the mobile phone service provider management system 107.

The operation of this system of this embodiment shall now be described in more detail with reference to Figure 2, in addition to Figure 1. Figure 2 illustrates a communications flow in accordance with the embodiment shown in Figure 1.

The smart meter 102 of this embodiment is provided with a display means. This display means is capable of displaying the current utility usage. Furthermore, the display may be able to show more detailed statistics regarding the utility usage.

The smart meter 102 is also provided with a wireless communication capability. In this embodiment a short range wireless communication capability such as Bluetooth, Zigbee, Wi-fi, Z-Wave, Wavenis is utilised. The smart meter is, therefore, able to send information relating to the utility usage, which it has been monitoring, to a further device via such a short range wireless communication protocol. The information transmitted by the smart meter may include not only the utility usage, but also information identifying the smart meter 102. Any other data collected by the smart meter 102, or information relating to the smart meter 102 could also be transmitted.

The mobile phone 103 is also provided with a short range wireless communication capability. In particular, in order to communicate with the smart meter 102 it is necessary for the mobile phone to be able to communicate using the same Short-range wireless communication protocol as used by the smart meter 102. In order to overcome problems of certain mobile phones not having the capability of communicating with the smart meter, it is possible in some embodiments for the smart meter to be able to transmit information using a plurality of different short range wireless protocols.

In this embodiment the mobile phone 103 is a user phone owned by the owner of the home 101. In order to enable the phone to communicate with the smart meter 102 it may be necessary to download software onto the phone. Such software may be proprietary software, which enables a standard mobile phone to act as a gateway between a utility service provider specific smart meter 102, and the utility service provider management system 106. Alternatively, new models of mobile phones could have such software pre-installed.

The smart meter 102 is arranged to send out periodic beacon signals, as shown at step Si of Figure 2. The beacon signals being arranged to request the mobile phone to act as a relaying device for relaying meter readings. Such beacon calls may be a short wirelessly transmitted signal, which is transmitted periodically, for example, once every minute. If the mobile phone 103 is in the vicinity of the smart meter, i.e. within the short range wireless range, then the mobile phone will send a ready communication response (step S2 of Figure 2) back to the smart meter 102. This initial procedure sets up the communication link (step S3 of Figure 2) between the smart meter 102 and the mobile phone 103.

Once the initial set-up procedure between the smart meter 102 and mobile phone 103 is complete, the smart meter will be able to transmit information to the mobile phone to be relayed, as shown by step S4 in Figure 2. In particular, the smart meter 102 will transmit a message to the mobile phone 103 including information relating to a utility usage monitored by the smart meter 102. In its simplest form the utility usage information will simply be a current meter reading, however, more complex and in depth statistical information could be included. In addition to the utility usage information the smart meter 102 can send information identifying itself, however, this may alternatively be provided in the initial set-up procedure. Two kinds of information will be sent by the smart meter. First kind of information about utility usage will be intended for the utility. The smart meter can use methods to protect data integrity (e.g. Check Sum based techniques) and/or security (e.g. using encryption) to prevent alteration of utility data by the end user (to prevent frauds) and eves dropping by third parties (to protect privacy) respectively.

The mobile phone 103 will then be able to automatically process the information received from the smart meter 102 into a format that allows it to be sent to the utility provider management system 106. For example, the mobile phone 103 may place the information within a simple short message service (SMS) communication or any other mobile phone data communication service such as GPRS. Once reformatted the information can then be sent to a mobile telephone base station 104 using standard procedures, as shown in step S5 of Figure 2. The base station is then arranged to forward the message sent from the mobile phone 103 over the cellular network. This may include sending the message initially over the cellular operator's core network and then transforming the message as part of the cellular operator's core network to an IP based message to be sent over the Internet to the utility provider management system.

Alternatively, the utility provider management system may have a mobile telephone based receiver arranged to receive the message sent by mobile telephone 103.

The utility provider management system 106 is then able to extract the meter reading information, and any other information stored within the message, and update its records accordingly. In particular, the utility provider management system 106 is able to store the meter reading within its database and associate the meter reading within an account associated with the smart meter from which the meter reading originates.

The utility provider management system 106 can carry out a check on the validity of the data received. In this embodiment such a validity check is carried out prior to storing the information.

In this embodiment the validity check firstly involves extracting information about the sender of the message, i.e. the mobile phone 103 and the smart meter 102 to which the message relates. The utility provider management system 106 then communicates with the mobile phone's service provider in order to determine if the mobile phone 107 is registered with its service provider at the same address as the address of the smart meter 102.

This is achieved by sending a validity request message to the mobile phone service provider management system 107 as shown by step S6 of Figure 2. This message may include a request for address information relating to mobile phone 103. The mobile phone service provider management system 107 then sends a validity response message back to the utility provider management system 106, as shown by step S7 of Figure 2. This validity response message may include information identifying an address of the mobile phone 103. The utility provider management system 106 will have the address associated with the smart meter 102 in its database. The utility provider management system 106 is then able to determine if the address information received from the mobile phone service provider management system 107 is the same as the address information in its database.

If it is then determined that the address of the mobile phone 103 and address of the smart meter 102 match then the utility provider management system 106 accepts the information as being valid. Consequently, the meter reading is extracted and stored in the database.

Carrying out validation procedures is important because embodiments involve utilisation of an unknown device (i.e. in this embodiment a user's mobile phone) in order to forward meter readings from a smart meter to a utility provider management system. Hence, such meter readings cannot automatically be trusted because they are not being received from a known trusted device. Providing some form of validity check therefore helps to provide a level of trust of the data received and helps to reduce the likelihood of fraudulent utility meter reading being given as part of the system of this embodiment.

The utility provider management system 106 can then issue billing information in accordance with the meter reading stored in its database, as shown by step S8 of Figure 2. Bills can be issued either periodically or responsive to receipt of a meter reading. In some embodiments, the utility provider management system 106 receives frequent updates regarding energy usage, these could be every minute, hour, day or week. The frequency of such updates is useful for compiling information regarding the utility usage at the home 101. This information could be made available to the owner of the home 101 via a website associated with the utility provider. However, sending out bills at such a frequency is generally not desirable. Hence, instead the utility provider management system 106 can be arranged to send out a monthly or quarterly bill. The amount charged on the bill will be based on the utility usage determined in accordance with the system of this embodiment.

Above, a first embodiment, including some variations which can be made to that embodiment, has been disclosed. Below, various alternative embodiments are disclosed. For the further embodiments disclosed below any features not disclosed can assumed to be the same as the first embodiment, or any other disclosure of that feature. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that any of the embodiments disclosed both above and below can be combined with one another to form yet further embodiments provided such further embodiments remain within the scope of the appended claims.

(Embodiment 2] In an alternative embodiment, once a validation is carried out by the utility provider management system 106, the utility provider management system 106 can update its database to state that any further communication received from the mobile device 103, in relation to a specific smart meter 102, validly relates to that smart meter 102 and thus home 101. Updating the database of the utility provider management system 106 in this way reduces the checks that have to be carried out, reducing data transfer, and required processing. Hence, the validation can take the form of an initial registration procedure for the mobile phone 103. This procedure could be initiated by the downloading of the software onto the mobile phone 103.

(Embodiment 3] In another embodiment any user device associated with the address of the smart meter can be used as the gateway. For example, if each of four people living in a property has a mobile phone registered to the same address of the smart meter a registration process can be carried out in order to allow each of these devices to act as a gateway.

In certain embodiments the validation checks are carried out every time a communication takes place in order to ensure that the information being transferred is correct. In a further embodiment, once each user device is registered it is possible for any of these devices to act as the gateway. In yet another embodiment, only one of the plurality of user devices can be set as the primary gateway device for transferring information at a time. When a first user device is registered as the primary gateway device, but is not in proximity to act as such, a second user device, which is in proximity, can be set-up as the primary gateway device. The second device will then act as the primary gateway device until another user device becomes more suitable.

If the smart meter does not find a gateway device, it will store the data locally according to the measurement reporting policy specified by the utility provider. Then, the stored data will be forwarded to the utility management service when a registered user device comes to the vicinity. This option allows the utility provider to retrieve the data by deploying a special mobile gateway device (e.g. carried by a person or vehicle) near the home. In the absence of registered mobile gateways for a longer period of time.

This technique is equally applicable to the first embodiment.

(Embodiment 4] While the above embodiment describes the communications between the utility provider management system 106 and the mobile phone service provider management system 107 as being automated it may not be possible to get all mobile phone service providers and all utility service providers to agree to a linked automated communications protocol and system. Hence, in further embodiment manual validation procedures may be need to be carried out by staff.

[Embodiment 5] In an alternative embodiment the validation procedure involves encryption of the information sent by the smart meter 102. Such encryption can involve use of a cryptographic checksum (ie. message integrity code). In particular, the meter reading sent in the message from the smart meter 102 is encrypted using a key provided by the utility provider management system 106. This key can then also be used by the utility provider management system 106 in order to decrypt the meter reading. Such encryption, therefore, preserves the confidentiality of the meter reading. More importantly, the meter reading cannot be decrypted by the mobile phone 103 and as such the meter reading cannot be tampered with. Consequently, when the utility provider management system 106 decrypts the meter reading it thereby verifies that the meter reading is valid and has not been tampered with.

Performing such an encryption and decryption procedure means that it is not necessary to carry out the address checks of the first embodiment. The fact that the mobile device which has forwarded on the meter readings is not a known device does not matter as successful decryption of the meter reading can be a sufficient validation procedure. However, it will be appreciated that improved validation involves the utilisation of both the address checking procedure and encryption procedure.

[Embodiment 6] In yet a further embodiment a means for checking the location of the mobile phone 103 is provided to ensure that the meter reading sent is valid. When the utility provider management system 106 receives the message including the meter reading from the mobile phone 103, the utility provider contacts mobile phone service provider management system 107 to perform a validity check. In this case, the mobile phone service provider management system 107 determines a specific geographical location of the mobile phone 103 using GPS or such like and sends this information back to the utility provider management system 106. The utility provider management system 106 has the location of the home 101 stored in its memory and is able to therefore determine if the message has been sent by the mobile device 103 while located in the home 101.

Since the mobile device 103 can only communicate with the smart meter using a short range wireless communication protocol the mobile phone must be in the home 101 in order to receive and therefore forward a meter reading. Hence, if the mobile phone 103 is determined to be in the home 101 then the validity of the message is successfully verified. If the mobile phone 103 is determined not to be in the home 101 then it is determined that the message has been sent fraudulently and the message is rejected.

This embodiment involving mobile phone location determination can be provided as the sole validation procedure or combined with one or more of the aforementioned validation procedures in order to provide a more stringent validation procedure.

(Embodiment 7] Figure 3 illustrates a system in acôordance with an alternative embodiment.

In the embodiment depicted in Figure 3, a home Internet gateway 208 is utilised in place of the mobile phone 103 in order to relay information from a smart meter 202. In particular, smart meter 202 is connected in the home 201 to the general home Internet gateway 208 via a wired or wireless connection. A similar short range wireless connection used to communicate with the mobile phone could be utilised in this embodiment. The home Internet gateway 208 is the standard gateway used by the home owner for their broadband Internet connection. The home Internet gateway 208 is then arranged to communicate over the Internet with the utility provider management system 206.

The system of Figure 3 is arranged to operate in the same manner as the system of Figure 1. That is, the smart meter 202 and home Internet Gateway 208 perform a set-up procedure, and following this the smart meter 202 sends a message to the home Internet Gateway 208; the message including information relating to a meter reading.

The home Internet gateway then converts this information into an IP packet, or such like suitable for sending over the Internet. The IP compliant message is then sent over the Internet to the utility provider management system 206, which is then able to receive and extract the information from the message. Once the information is extracted from the message the utility provider management system 206 is arranged to perform a validation procedure. This procedure involves checking the address information of the home 201 to which the smart meter 202 is registered and checking the address of the home Internet gateway 208 as stored in the management system of the associated Internet service provider 207. From this information the utility provider management system 206 can determine if the information has been validly sent from the home Internet gateway, and either store or reject the information accordingly.

It will be appreciated that the validation procedure described in respect of this embodiment may be replaced with any one of the above described compatible validation procedures.

In further embodiments the user device (i.e. the mobile phone, Internet gateway, or such like) is arranged to extract the meter reading information from the message once the message has been forwarded on to the utility provider. The user device can then use this information to collect and display statistical information regarding the utility usage for the customer. Obviously if the data is encrypted it may not be possible for the user device to extract such information. However, this information could instead either be sent back to the mobile device by the utility provider management system, once the mobile device is validated, or simply accessed by the customer on the utility provider's website or such like.

While the above embodiments have been described in respect of a user's mobile phone or Internet gateway being used as the unknown forwarding device, it will be appreciated that any suitable user device could be utilised to perform this relaying functionality. Furthermore, the term user device refers to a device which is owned by the user and separate from the utility monitoring system. In particular, the user device is, at least initially, unknown and not trusted by the utility service management system.

However, the user device may be adapted such that it can form part of the functional The above embodiments discuss the user device connecting to the smart meter via a short range wireless connection. However, any suitable connection could be used, such as a longer range wireless connection, or a wired connection.

In addition, while embodiments have been described in terms of utility usage monitoring within the home environment it will be appreciated that the embodiments described herein can apply to any such environment. For example, any building or place possessing a utility monitor could utilise. Such buildings, including offices, factories, public buildings and such like.

Embodiments described herein can be implemented in dedicated hardware, using a programmable digital controller suitably programmed, or using a combination of hardware and software.

Alternatively, embodiments can be implemented by software or programmable computing apparatus. This includes any computer, or such like. The code for each process in the methods according to the embodiments described herein may be modular, or may be arranged in an alternative way to perform the same function.

Each of the functionalities of the embodiments described herein can in whole, or in part, be implemented by the combination of a processor and associated memory, or by a standard computer system. Furthermore, functions described herein as being implemented as part of a single unit may be provided separately, communicatively coupled across a network.

Embodiments described herein, therefore, encompass a carrier medium carrying machine readable instructions or computer code for controlling a programmable controller, computer or number of computers as the apparatus of the embodiments described herein. The carrier medium can comprise any storage medium such as a floppy disk, CD ROM, DVD ROM, hard disk, magnetic tape, or programmable memory device, or a transient medium such as an electrical, optical, microwave, RF, electromagnetic, magnetic or acoustical signal. An example of such a signal is an encoded signal carrying a computer code over a communications network, e.g. a TCP/IP signal carrying computer code over an IP network such as the Internet, or an intranet, or a local area network.

It is appreciated that various features of the embodiments described herein which are, for clarity, described in the contexts of separate embodiments may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the embodiments described herein which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein are not limited by what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove.

Rather the scope of the embodiments described herein is defined only by the claims.

While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions, Indeed, the novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the methods and systems described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A method for managing transfer of a utility usage meter reading from a utility meter to a utility provider, the method comprising: receiving information from a user device, the information identifying a smart meter associated with the user device and a utility usage associated with the smart meter; verifying the information received from the user device; and storing the received information when the information is successfully verified.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of verifying comprises determining if there is an association between the smart meter and the user device.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of determining that there is an association between the smart meter and the user device further comprises determining if the smart meter and user device are registered to the same address.
4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of determining that there is an association between the smart meter and the user device further comprises determining if the user device is proximal to smart meter.
5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the user device is determined to be proximal to the smart meter if it is within a range of a short wireless communications link.
6. The method according to claim 4 or 5, wherein if the user device is not proximal to the smart meter the method further comprises determining if there is a further user device proximal to the smart meter.
7. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the step of determining if there is an association between the smart meter and the user device involves communicating with a service provider associated with the user device.
8. The method according to claim 7 when dependent on claims 2 or 3, wherein an address associated with the user device is obtained from the service provider associated with the user device.
9. The method according to claim 7 when dependent on claims 2, 4, 5, or 6 wherein a location of the user device is obtained from the service provider associated with the user device.
10. The method according to any preceding claim wherein the step of verifying comprises decrypting the information received from the user device to at least extract the utility usage associated with the smart meter.
11. A utility management apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a receiver arranged to receive information from a user device, the information identifying a smart meter associated with the user device and a utility usage associated with the smart meter; a processor arranged to verify the information received from the user device; and a storage unit arranged to store the received information when the information is successfully verified.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the processor is arranged to verify the information by determining if there is an association between the smart meter and the user device.
13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the processor determines that there is an association between the smart meter and the user device if the smart meter and user device are registered to the same address.
14. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the processor determines that there is an association between the smart meter and the user device if the user device is proximal to the smart meter.
15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the processor determines that the user device is proximal to the smart meter if it is within a range of a short wireless communications link.
16. The apparatus according to claim 14 or 15, wherein if the user device is not proximal to the smart meter the processor further determines if there is a further user device proximal to the smart meter.
17. The apparatus according to any one of claims 12 to 16, wherein the processor determines if there is an association between the smart meter and the user device by communicating with a service provider associated with the user device.
18. The apparatus according to claim 17 when dependent on claims 12 or 13, wherein an address associated with the user device is obtained from the service provider associated with the user device.
19. The apparatus according to claim 17 when dependent on claims 12, 14, 15 or 16, wherein a location of the user device is obtained from the service provider associated with the user device.
20. The apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the processor is arranged to verify the information received from the user device by decrypting the information to at least extract the utility usage associated with the smart meter.
21. A utility management system, comprising: a utility meter arranged to monitor an amount of use of a utility, the utility meter having a communication functionality for transmitting energy usage information; a utility management apparatus according to any one of claim 11 to 20; and a user device arranged to receive energy usage information from the utility meter and send the energy usage information to the utility management apparatus.
22. A carrier medium carrying computer readable code for controlling a suitable computer to carry out the method of any one of claims I to 10.
23. A carrier medium carrying computer readable code for configuring a suitable computer as the apparatus of any of claims 11 to 20.