GB2485136A - Coded data transmission for a utility meter - Google Patents

Coded data transmission for a utility meter Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2485136A
GB2485136A GB1016098.4A GB201016098A GB2485136A GB 2485136 A GB2485136 A GB 2485136A GB 201016098 A GB201016098 A GB 201016098A GB 2485136 A GB2485136 A GB 2485136A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
data
utility consumption
code
consumption data
utility
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB1016098.4A
Other versions
GB201016098D0 (en
GB2485136B (en
Inventor
Benjamin John Pirt
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Onzo Ltd
Original Assignee
Onzo Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Onzo Ltd filed Critical Onzo Ltd
Priority to GB1016098.4A priority Critical patent/GB2485136B/en
Publication of GB201016098D0 publication Critical patent/GB201016098D0/en
Priority to PCT/GB2011/051819 priority patent/WO2012038764A1/en
Publication of GB2485136A publication Critical patent/GB2485136A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2485136B publication Critical patent/GB2485136B/en
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01D—MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01D4/00—Tariff metering apparatus
    • G01D4/002—Remote reading of utility meters
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01D—MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01D4/00—Tariff metering apparatus
    • G01D4/002—Remote reading of utility meters
    • G01D4/004—Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
    • H04L29/06979—
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L63/00—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security
    • H04L63/18—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02B—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
    • Y02B90/00—Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02B90/20—Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y04—INFORMATION OR COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES HAVING AN IMPACT ON OTHER TECHNOLOGY AREAS
    • Y04S—SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS
    • Y04S20/00—Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof
    • Y04S20/30—Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
  • Computing Systems (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Arrangements For Transmission Of Measured Signals (AREA)

Abstract

A method of transmitting data from a utility meter for measuring consumption of a utility to a remote host comprising transmitting the data from the utility meter to the remote host via a publicly accessible communication network such as the internet or the telephone system. Then transmitting a code associated with the data to the remote host via a private or more secure communication path, such as the power line, between the utility meter and the remote host. Finally, the code is used to access the data and / or to verify authenticity of the data. The utility data may be encrypted and the code may be a key for accessing the data. Alternatively the code may be a hash code and it may include an identifier to match the code with the utility data.

Description

Data Transmission Method and System
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and a system for transmitting data, in particular utility consumption data, from a utility meter to a host.
Background of the Invention
In recent years, there has been an increase in meters for supplied utilities such as gas, electricity and water that not only measure utility consumption but also transfer the measured utility consumption data back to the utility provider and / or to another party for analysis of utility consumption. So-called Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) systems allow for this transfer of data from a meter. Two-way communication of data is also possible in systems commonly known as Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) systems. The transferred utility consumption data may be used to simply generate utility bills. Alternatively or additionally, analysis of the transferred data can be used to provide consumers with detailed information on their utility consumption and advice on how they may reduce their utility consumption and / or utility bills, for example by shifting consumption to off-peak periods or by identification of areas in which a consumer's utility consumption is particularly high relative to average consumption.
An exemplary system for transmission of utility consumption data is the Onzo smart energy kit available from Onzo Ltd which a monitor that captures and transmits electricity consumption data to a display, which displays consumption data for viewing by a consumer and from which data can be transmitted via a personal computer to the utility provider or another party. Utility consumption data can be highly sensitive and confidential in nature. For example, data on utility consumption may not only reveal the amounts and timings of utilities consumed by a household, but may also reveal information such as times when a household is unoccupied, such as periods over the course of a week when utility consumption is low or zero, Utility consumption data may even be used to infer the appliances present within a household based on utility consumption "signatures". It is therefore desirable for transmission of utility consumption data, and any information derived from this data, to be as secure as possible.
Summary of the Invention
In a first aspect the invention provides a method of transmitting data from a utility meter for measuring consumption of a utility to a remote host comprising the steps of: transmitting the data from the utility meter to the remote host via a publicly accessible communication network; transmitting a code associated with the data to the remote host via a private communication path between the utility meter and the remote host; and using the code to access the data and / or to verify authenticity of the data.
Optionally, the transmitted data is utility consumption data.
Optionally, the transmitted data is encrypted data and the code is an encryption key.
Optionally, a different encryption key is used and transmitted via the private communication path for each transmission of encrypted data.
Optionally, the same encryption key is used and transmitted via the private communication path for more than one transmission of encrypted data.
Optionally, the code is a hash value code, the method comprising the steps of: generating the hash value code by applying a hashing algorithm to the data prior to transmission; receiving the hash value code and the data at the host; applying the same hashing algorithm to the data received by the host to generate a second hash value code; and comparing the transmitted hash value code and the second hash value code to determine the authenticity of the received data.
Optionally, the publicly accessible communications network is the internet.
Optionally, the private communication path is a power line communication path.
In a second aspect the invention provides a utility meter configured to collect and transmit utility consumption data, the meter comprising a coding module configured to perform a coding operation on collected utility consumption data to generate a code associated with the utility consumption data; transmit the utility consumption data to a remote host via a publicly accessible communication network; and transmit the code to the remote host via a private communication path.
Optionally, the coding module is implemented in hardware, software or firmware.
In a third aspect the invention provides a computer program comprising software adapted to perform the steps of: performing a coding operation on utility consumption data collected by a utility consumption meter and generating a code associated with the coding operation for accessing the utility consumption data and / or verifying authenticity of the utility consumption data..
Optionally according to the third aspect, the utility consumption data is encrypted utility consumption data and the code is an encryption key.
Optionally according to the third aspect, the coding operation is a hashing operation and the code is a hash value code generated by performing the hashing operation on the utility consumption data.
In a fourth aspect the invention provides a computer readable storage medium comprising the program of the third aspect.
In a fifth aspect the invention provides a computer program product comprising computer readable code according to the fourth aspect.
In a fifth aspect the invention provides an article of manufacture comprising: a machine-readable storage medium; and executable program instructions embodied in the machine readable storage medium that when executed by a programmable system causes the system to perform the ftmnction of generating a code associated with utility consumption data comprising the step of performing a coding operation on utility consumption data collected by a utility consumption meter.
In a sixth aspect the invention provides a host configured to receive utility consumption data from a publicly accessible communication network; to receive a code used to generate the coded utility consumption data from a private communication path; and to use the code to access the utility consumption data and / or to verify authenticity of the utility consumption data.
In a seventh aspect the invention provides a computer program comprising software adapted to perform the step of using a code to perform a coding or decoding operation on utility consumption data received from a utility consumption meter, the computer program having program code adapted to use the code to access the utility consumption data and / or to verify authenticity of the utility consumption data.
Optionally according to the seventh aspect the utility consumption data is encrypted utility consumption data and the coding or decoding operation is a decoding operation performed using an encryption key received from the utility consumption meter.
Optionally according to the seventh aspect the coding or decoding operation is a hashing operation for generating a hash value code wherein the generated hash value code is compared to a hash value code received from the utility consumption meter.
In an eighth aspect the invention provides a computer readable storage medium comprising the program of the seventh aspect.
In a ninth aspect the invention provides a computer program product comprising computer readable code according to the eight aspect.
In a tenth aspect the invention provides an article of manufacture comprising: a machine-readable storage medium; and executable program instructions embodied in the machine readable storage medium that when executed by a programmable system causes the system to perform the ftmnction of accessing utility consumption data and / or verifying authenticity of utility consumption data, comprising the step of performing a coding or decoding operation on utility consumption data received from a utility consumption meter.
In an eleventh aspect the invention provides a system for transmitting utility consumption data from a utility meter to a host comprising a utility meter according to the second aspect and a host according to the sixth aspect.
Description of the Drawings
The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates an AMR or AMI system according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 illustrates an exemplary arrangement for use in the system of Figure 1 for transmission of utility consumption data from a meter to a host; Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method according to a first exemplary method of the invention; and Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method according to a second exemplary method of the invention.
Detailed Description of the Invention
Figure 1 illustrates an AMR or AMI system according to an embodiment of the invention and comprising an electricity meter 10 a gas meter 20 and a water meter 30; and a host 70 which may for example be a server or a computer configured to function as a server. The system is configured such that utility consumption data may be transmitted from each meter to the host using a direct or indirect internet connection 50 between each meter and the host 70. Additionally, the system comprises a coding module 40 that assigns a code to the utility consumption data, and the system is configured to transmit a code to the host via a private communication path 60 of the AMR or AMI, and to transmit the utility consumption data via the internet connection 50.Transmission of data via the metering infrastructure is very secure and reliable, although bandwidth is relatively low and cost per data packet is relatively high. In contrast, transmission of data via the internet typically has higher bandwidth and lower cost per data packet than that of metering infrastructure, but public accessibility to the internet makes communication less secure that communications through the private AM! communication path. Therefore the combination of the internet for transmission of utility consumption data and metering infrastructure for transmission of a code for security purposes may provide fast, low-cost and secure transmission of utility consumption data from the meter to the host.
The meters are installed in any location receiving one or more discrete utility supply including, without limitation, a house, apartment, apartment block, office, office block, factory, shop or shopping centre. Although Figure 1 illustrates a system comprising electricity, gas and water meters it will be appreciated that the system could comprise fewer (including only one) or more utility meters.
The meter may measure utility consumption at fixed intervals, for example once every month, once every week, once every day, once every hour, once every minute or once every second. Tt will be appreciated that the higher the measurement frequency the higher the accuracy of information on utility consumption that can be derived from the measurements.
The measurement of utility consumption may in the form of real power, reactive power and / or total amount of electrical energy consumed in the case of an electricity meter; water flow rate and / or total volume of water consumed in the ease of a water meter; and gas flow rate and / or total volume of gas consumed in the ease of a gas meter. The utility consumption data transmitted to host 70 may be the data as measured alone.
Alternatively or additionally, the data may be processed, e.g. compressed, prior to transmission and a data processing module may be implemented in hardware or software for this purpose.
Exemplary meters of this type include any meter suitable for use in a system configured to transmit utility consumption data, such as a meter used in an automatic meter reading system or a meter used for advanced metering infrastructure.
The coding module 40 may be implemented in hardware, software or firmware and may be a component of the meter 10, 20 and / or 30. Alternatively, the coding module 40 may be a component that is in communication with, but discrete from, any of the meters. In one embodiment, the coding module is implemented in firmware running on the meter.
Access to the private communication path 60 of the AMR or AMI is, unlike the internet, not made available to the public and as such transmissions using this communication path are typically more difficult to intercept and / or alter than transmissions using the internet.
Exemplary dedicated communication paths of the AMR or AMI are Power Line Communications (PLC), Broadband over Power Line (BPL), fixed Radio Frequency (RF) networks, WiMax and mesh radio networks, or hybrid networks.
The utility meter may comprise, or be in communication with, a wired or wireless modem for transmifting utility consumption data via the internet. Alternatively, the meter may comprise, or be in communication with, another means for communicating the utility consumption data, such as through a ZigBee or Bluetooth network. This is illustrated in Figure 2, in which the meter 10 comprises a ZigBee end device 201 that transmits the utility consumption data to a ZigBee Ethernet gateway 203 connected to a computer 205 for transmission of the utility consumption data to the host 70.
Transmission ofutility consumption data to the host may occur automatically, for example at regular intervals such as once every day. Alternatively or additionally, data may be transmitted in response to a user instruction. For example, and with reference to Figure 2, a user may send data to the host from computer 205.
Figure 3 illustrates a first transmission method.
According to this method, in a first step 301 the mathematical method known as hashing is applied by the coding module 40 to the utility consumption data using a hashing algorithm to generate a code, which in this ease is a hash value. The utility consumption data is transmitted via the internet to the host (step 303), and the hash value code is transmitted via the dedicated communication means of the metering infrastructure (step 305). An ID value may also be sent with the hash value code transmitted over the metering infrastructure and with the utility consumption data transmitted over the internet in order that the hash value code and utility consumption data may be connected to one another upon receipt of both transmissions at the host 70.
Following receipt of the utility consumption data at the host 70 at step 309, the same hashing algorithm is applied to the utility consumption data received at host 70 at step 311. This hashing may be done using hardware, software or firmware of either host 70 or another component (not shown).
If the hash value code that is generated in this second hashing is not the same as the hash value code received via the metering infrastructure then the data has been altered (maliciously or otherwise) before reaching the host 70. In that case, an alert may be issued to check security of data transmitted between the relevant local IP address and the host and the received data is not considered to be authentic and is used in any analysis of utility consumption. The utility consumption data may be re-sent once any security risks in the internet transmission of utility consumption data have been identified and resolved (step 313).
If the hash value code that is generated in the second hashing the same as the hash value code received via the metering infrastructure then the utility consumption data is considered to be authentic, and may be used in analyses of utility consumption in the location where the measured utility consumption occurred, including but not limited to: identification of utility-consuming appliances, identification of events associated with operation of utility consuming appliances, and comparison of measured utility consumption to a peer-group or national average.
By using the method illustrated in Figure 3, the utility consumption data may be readable if intercepted, however any modification to the message, either malicious or otherwise, will be detectable. Figure 4 illustrates a second transmission method in which the utility consumption data is not readable if intercepted.
According to this method, the utility consumption data is encrypted at step 401 by any known encryption method requiring a unique key for decryption. The encrypted utility consumption data is transmitted via the internet to the host (step 403), and the encryption key code is transmitted via the metering infrastructure (step 405).
An ID value may also be sent with the encryption key code transmitted over the metering infrastructure and with the encrypted utility consumption data transmitted over the internet in order that the encryption key and the enciypted utility consumption data may be connected to one another upon receipt of both transmissions at the host. In this case, a different encryption key may be used each time data is transmitted, however in another arrangement the same key may be used for two or more different sets of utility consumption data in order to reduce the amount of data transmitted through the metering interface.
Following receipt of the utility consumption data and encryption key at the host (step 407), the encryption key code is used to decrypt the utility consumption data received by the host 70 at step 409.
In another method, transmission the utility consumption data is password protected rather than encrypted, and the code sent via the metering infrastructure is the password rather than an encryption key.
In another method, any of the aforementioned methods may be combined. For example, the utility consumption data may be both encrypted and password protected, in which case both an encryption key and password are sent via the metering infrastructure.
The apparatus described above may be implemented at least in part in software. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the apparatus described above may be implemented using general purpose computer equipment or using bespoke equipment.
The hardware elements, operating systems and programming languages of such computers are conventional in nature, and it is presumed that those skilled in the art are adequately familiar therewith. Of course, server functions may be implemented in a distributed fashion on a number of similar platforms, to distribute the processing load.
Program aspects of the technology can be thought of as "products" or "articles of manufacture" typically in the form of executable code and/or associated data that is carried on or embodied in a type of machine readable medium. "Storage" type media include any or all of the memory of the mobile stations, computers, processors or the like, or associated modules thereof, such as various semiconductor memories, tape drives, disk drives, and the like, which may provide storage at any time for the software programming. All or portions of the software may at times be communicated through the Internet or various other telecommunications networks. Such communications, for example, may enable loading of the software from one computer or processor into another computer or processor. Thus, another type of media that may bear the sofiware elements includes optical, electrical and electromagnetic waves, such as used across physical interfaces between local devices, through wired and optical landline networks and over various air-links. The physical elements that carry such waves, such as wired or wireless links, optical links or the like, also may be considered as media bearing the software. As used herein, unless restricted to tangible non-transitory "storage" media, terms such as computer or machine "readable medium" rcfer to any medium that participates in providing instructions to a processor for execution.
Hence, a machine readable medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, a tangible storage carrier, a carrier wave medium or physical transaction medium. Non-volatile storage media include, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as any of the storage devices in computer(s) or the like, such as may be used to implement the encoder, the decoder, etc. shown in the drawings. Volatile storage media include dynamic memory, such as the main memory of a computer platform. Tangible transmission media include coaxial cables; copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise the bus within a computer system. Carrier-wave transmission media can take the form of electric or electromagnetic signals, or acoustic or light waves such as those generated during radio frequency (RF) and infrared (TR) data communications. Common forms of computer-readable media therefore include for example: a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD or DVD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical storage medium with patterns of holes, a RAN/I, a PROM and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave transporting data or instructions, cables or links transporting such a carrier wave, or any other medium from which a computer can read programming code and/or data. Many of these forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to a processor for execution.
While the foregoing has described what are considered to be the best mode and/or other examples, it is understood that various modifications may be made therein and that the subject matter disclosed herein may be implemented in various forms and examples, and that the teachings may be applied in numerous applications, only some of which have been described herein. It is intended by the following claims to claim any and all applications, modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the present teachings.

Claims (24)

  1. Claims 1. A method oftransmitting data from a utility meter for measuring consumption of a utility to a remote host comprising the steps of: transmitting the data from the utility meter to the remote host via a publicly accessible communication network; transmitting a code associated with the data to the remote host via a private communication path between the utility meter and the remote host; and using the code to access the data and / or to verify authenticity of the data.
  2. 2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the transmitted data is utility consumption data.
  3. 3. A method according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the transmitted data is encrypted data and the code is an encryption key.
  4. 4. A method according to claim 3 wherein a different encryption key is used and transmitted via the private communication path for each transmission of encrypted data.
  5. 5. A method according to claim 3 wherein the same encryption key is used and transmitted via the private communication path for more than one transmission of encrypted data.
  6. 6. A method according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the code is a hash value code, the method comprising the steps of: generating the hash value code by applying a hashing algorithm to the data prior to transmission; receiving the hash value code and the data at the host; applying the same hashing algorithm to the data received by the host to generate a second hash value code; and comparing the transmitted hash value code and the second hash value code to determine the authenticity of the received data.
  7. 7. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the publicly accessible communications network is the internet.
  8. 8. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the private communication path is a power line communication path.
  9. 9. A utility meter configured to collect and transmit utility consumption data, the meter comprising a coding module configured to perform a coding operation on collected utility consumption data to generate a code associated with the utility consumption data; transmit the utility consumption data to a remote host via a publicly accessible communication network; and transmit the code to the remote host via a private communication path.
  10. 10. A utility meter according to claim 9 wherein the coding module is implemented in hardware, software or firmware.
  11. 11. A computer program comprising software adapted to perform the steps of: performing a coding operation on utility consumption data collected by a utility consumption meter and generating a code associated with the coding operation for accessing the utility consumption data and / or verifting authenticity of the utility consumption data..
  12. 12. A computer program according to claim 11 wherein the utility consumption data is encrypted utility consumption data and the code is an encryption key.
  13. 13. A computer program according to claim 11 wherein the coding operation is a hashing operation and the code is a hash value code generated by performing the hashing operation on the utility consumption data.
  14. 14. A computer readable storagc medium comprising the program of claim 11, 12 or 13.
  15. 15. A computer program product comprising computer readable code according to claim 14.
  16. 16. An article of manufacture comprising: a machine-readable storage medium; and executable program instructions embodied in the machine readable storage medium that when executed by a programmable system causes the system to perform the function of generating a code associated with utility consumption data comprising the step of performing a coding operation on utility consumption data collected by a utility consumption meter.
  17. 17. A host configured to receive utility consumption data from a publicly accessible communication network; to receive a code used to generate the coded utility consumption data from a private communication path; and to use the code to access the utility consumption data and / or to verifSr authenticity of the utility consumption data.
  18. 18. A computer program comprising software adapted to perform the step of using a code to perform a coding or decoding operation on utility consumption data received from a utility consumption meter, the computer program having program code adapted to use the code to access the utility consumption data and / or to verify authenticity of the utility consumption data.
  19. 19. A computer program according to claim 18 wherein the utility consumption data is encrypted utility consumption data and the coding or decoding operation is a decoding operation performed using an encryption key received from the utility consumption meter.
  20. 20. A computer program according to claim 18 wherein the coding or decoding operation is a hashing operation for generating a hash value code wherein the generated hash value code is compared to a hash value code received from the utility consumption meter.
  21. 21. A computer readable storage medium comprising the program of any of claims 18-20.
  22. 22. A computer program product comprising computer readable code according to claim 21.
  23. 23. An article of manufacture comprising: a machine-readable storage medium; and executable program instructions embodied in the machine readable storage medium that when executed by a programmable system causes the system to perform the function of accessing utility consumption data and / or verifying authenticity of utility consumption data, comprising the step of performing a coding or decoding operation on utility consumption data received from a utility consumption meter.
  24. 24. A system for transmifting utility consumption data from a utility meter to a host comprising a utility meter according to claim 9 or 10 and a host according to claim 17.
GB1016098.4A 2010-09-24 2010-09-24 Data transmission method and system Expired - Fee Related GB2485136B (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1016098.4A GB2485136B (en) 2010-09-24 2010-09-24 Data transmission method and system
PCT/GB2011/051819 WO2012038764A1 (en) 2010-09-24 2011-09-26 Data transmission method and system

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1016098.4A GB2485136B (en) 2010-09-24 2010-09-24 Data transmission method and system

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB201016098D0 GB201016098D0 (en) 2010-11-10
GB2485136A true GB2485136A (en) 2012-05-09
GB2485136B GB2485136B (en) 2015-03-18

Family

ID=43127923

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB1016098.4A Expired - Fee Related GB2485136B (en) 2010-09-24 2010-09-24 Data transmission method and system

Country Status (2)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2485136B (en)
WO (1) WO2012038764A1 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9836384B2 (en) 2013-09-18 2017-12-05 Dspace Digital Signal Processing And Control Engineering Gmbh Testing device for real-time testing of a virtual control unit

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN110299993B (en) * 2019-06-13 2021-11-26 南京邮电大学 Remote safe meter reading method based on improved IBOOE algorithm
IT202000000892A1 (en) 2020-01-17 2021-07-17 St Microelectronics Srl PROCEDURE FOR OPERATING A COMMUNICATION NETWORK, COMMUNICATION NETWORK AND CORRESPONDING DEVICES

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19805082A1 (en) * 1998-02-09 1999-08-19 Doerfler Data acquisition and registration of utilities consumption meter
DE10022402A1 (en) * 2000-05-09 2001-11-15 Stepper & Co Method and meter system for reading meters employs a dual code formed of secret and official codes
DE10204065A1 (en) * 2002-01-31 2003-08-14 Emsyc Gmbh Processing of meter data especially relating to utility consumption, involves transmitting meter readings over a public network such as Internet, telephone, GSM or the power network together with an identifying security hash code

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE10116703A1 (en) * 2001-03-29 2002-10-10 Francotyp Postalia Ag Method for recording a consumption value and consumption counter with a sensor
GB0119629D0 (en) * 2001-08-10 2001-10-03 Cryptomathic As Data certification method and apparatus
US8792626B2 (en) * 2003-01-31 2014-07-29 Qwest Communications International Inc. Transmission of utility data
US20060206433A1 (en) * 2005-03-11 2006-09-14 Elster Electricity, Llc. Secure and authenticated delivery of data from an automated meter reading system
US20080012724A1 (en) * 2006-01-30 2008-01-17 Corcoran Kevin F Power line communications module and method
US8671444B2 (en) * 2006-10-06 2014-03-11 Fmr Llc Single-party, secure multi-channel authentication for access to a resource
US9037844B2 (en) * 2009-02-27 2015-05-19 Itron, Inc. System and method for securely communicating with electronic meters

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19805082A1 (en) * 1998-02-09 1999-08-19 Doerfler Data acquisition and registration of utilities consumption meter
DE10022402A1 (en) * 2000-05-09 2001-11-15 Stepper & Co Method and meter system for reading meters employs a dual code formed of secret and official codes
DE10204065A1 (en) * 2002-01-31 2003-08-14 Emsyc Gmbh Processing of meter data especially relating to utility consumption, involves transmitting meter readings over a public network such as Internet, telephone, GSM or the power network together with an identifying security hash code

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9836384B2 (en) 2013-09-18 2017-12-05 Dspace Digital Signal Processing And Control Engineering Gmbh Testing device for real-time testing of a virtual control unit

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB201016098D0 (en) 2010-11-10
GB2485136B (en) 2015-03-18
WO2012038764A1 (en) 2012-03-29

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
Zhuang et al. Blockchain for cybersecurity in smart grid: A comprehensive survey
Abrahamsen et al. Communication technologies for smart grid: A comprehensive survey
Kayastha et al. Smart grid sensor data collection, communication, and networking: a tutorial
US20130254896A1 (en) Method to Detect Tampering of Data
US9891253B2 (en) Bluetooth-enabled intelligent electronic device
CN102868675B (en) Metering system having improved security
Bae et al. Toward electricity retail competition: Survey and case study on technical infrastructure for advanced electricity market system
US10938207B2 (en) Method and apparatus to form a virtual power generation collective from a distributed network of local generation facilities
US20130254881A1 (en) Method to Detect Tampering of Data
CN108449955A (en) The meter and supply system of supply system
US8893227B2 (en) System and method for providing privacy in smart meter deployment
KR20110100598A (en) Apparatus for electric power trading based on subscriber authentication on smart grid
WO2012004597A2 (en) Data processing apparatus and system
Al-Waisi et al. On the challenges and opportunities of smart meters in smart homes and smart grids
Khan et al. Research advancements towards in existing smart metering over smart grid
WO2012038764A1 (en) Data transmission method and system
KR102355010B1 (en) Remote meter reading terminal with security function
KR20100078559A (en) Encryption system for remote inspecting and method for changing key thereof
KR101317806B1 (en) Apparatus and method for encrypting data of metering in a Advanced Metering Infrastructure
US20140304168A1 (en) Data managing apparatus, meter apparatus and data managing method
Wang et al. Physical layer security in wireless smart grid
KR20130052411A (en) Advanced metering infrastructure, method and device for id-based mutual authentication in advanced metering infrastructure
US9528854B1 (en) Determining downstream load in a distribution network
KR101489854B1 (en) Secure Key Distribution Scheme in Smartgrid Environment
CN104113523B (en) Polymerizer and the method for aggregated data

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
732E Amendments to the register in respect of changes of name or changes affecting rights (sect. 32/1977)

Free format text: REGISTERED BETWEEN 20130516 AND 20130522

732E Amendments to the register in respect of changes of name or changes affecting rights (sect. 32/1977)

Free format text: REGISTERED BETWEEN 20140828 AND 20140903

PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20150618