GB2511371A - Data confirmation system - Google Patents
Data confirmation system Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2511371A GB2511371A GB1317695.3A GB201317695A GB2511371A GB 2511371 A GB2511371 A GB 2511371A GB 201317695 A GB201317695 A GB 201317695A GB 2511371 A GB2511371 A GB 2511371A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- data
- utility
- resource monitoring
- utility resource
- interface
- 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.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 238000012790 confirmation Methods 0.000 title claims description 30
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 claims description 74
- 238000012544 monitoring process Methods 0.000 claims description 62
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 9
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 claims description 7
- 238000012546 transfer Methods 0.000 claims description 7
- 230000005611 electricity Effects 0.000 description 6
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 5
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 230000009471 action Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000003993 interaction Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000004913 activation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000003247 decreasing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000007613 environmental effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000630 rising effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000026676 system process Effects 0.000 description 1
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
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q50/00—Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism
- G06Q50/06—Energy or water supply
-
- 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
-
- 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
- Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Economics (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Public Health (AREA)
- Human Resources & Organizations (AREA)
- Marketing (AREA)
- Primary Health Care (AREA)
- Strategic Management (AREA)
- Tourism & Hospitality (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- General Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
- Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
- Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
- Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
Abstract
A remote utility smart meter has an embedded system for authenticating configuration data prior to acceptance without the requirement for user input data. The authentication system determines whether a digital key associated with the configuration data is from a reliable source and then configures various parameters of the meter such as the nature of the smart meter display or wireless network addresses.
Description
DATA CONFIRMATION SYSTEM
The present invention relates to a data confirmation system for utility resource monitoring apparatus and in particular to a data confirmation system to determine appropriate transferal of data between a utility resource apparatus and an interface.
Excessive consumption of natural resources is an increasing problem. Such consumption depletes natural resources and in turn, this can cause environmental problems as well as causing an increase in the cost of these resources, such as oil and gas. In turn, thcsc rising costs can put significant strain on the budgets of users of the resources.
Awareness raising campaigns to try and encourage more careful use of natural resources on a personal basis has made knowledge of the issues mainstream.
However, awareness raising has not been successful in seeing the changes in behaviour required to see significant conservation of resources through decreased utility use.
\hen managing use of these resources, for example the use of electricity within a school building or office building or even within a home, the abstract measure of utility consumption based simply on the use of appliances means that it is difficult for individuals to correlate particular actions to a reduced use of power or water for example. This is compounded by the utilities companies sending out monthly or quarterly bills, which means that any specific action is lost within the context of utility consumption over a period of 30 days or more.
To overcome this disconnect between the actions which use the utilities and the overall resource consumption, a variety of different utility monitoring systems have been developed. These utility monitoring systems monitor the consumption of utilities such as gas, electricity, LPG, oil and water, and provide an easy to interpret display which enables users to assess the current level of usage and compare this to an optimum or a maximum desired level of usage. By having the connection between actual usage and optimal usage clearly visible and easy to interpret, users can, in real time, modify their behaviour and see the results in terms ofutility consumption.
An example of such a utility monitoring system is disclosed in W02008/025939 wherein the energy monitoring system determines threshold and maximum consumption values then monitors ongoing resource usage, providing a display output which a user can easily interpret to understand how current resource consumption compares to the average, the threshold and maximum consumption values.
However, optimum usage by consumers of such utility monitoring systems relics on the systems being easy and convenient to use as the demands of modern life means uptake is dependent upon new devices or services being easy and straightforward to implement effectively.
In addition, with the introduction into daily living of more systems of resource consumption such as, but not limited to, gas, electricity, water, broadband, digital services and oil as well as more local resource generators which are renewable power generators such as solar panels, heat source pumps, windmills and the like more different utility monitoring systems may be required to satisfy the needs of different resources. In addition, interaction between different utility monitoring systems is necessary as there is an opportunity for some traditional utility consumption, in particular electricity consumption, to be offset against the power generated by a local renewable generator. Furthermore, many such renewable generators can often be found to, at peak operation, provide an excess of power which may then be fed back into the electricity grid, thus generating an income for the user. However such processes require monitoring and implementation.
As the complexity of power generating and consumption systems and their interaction with one another increase, there are limited opportunities to ensure that the utility resource monitoring apparatus within the utility resource monitoring systems can be optimised to ensure suitable resource monitoring performance. In addition, data systems and operation details may change and systems require a simple and effective update mechanism that can be implemented easily to ensure user uptake is maximised
and potential error introduction is minimised.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a data confirmation system for utility rcsource monitoring apparatus which obviates or mitigates the drawbacks of
the abovementioned prior art.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a secure manner in which confirmation can be made to ensure appropriate transferral of data between a utility resource monitoring apparatus and an interface.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a utility resource monitoring data confirmation system comprising a utility resource monitoring apparatus operable to monitor, and generate data associated with, at least one of utility consumption and generation, and an interface mechanism provided with predetermined data wherein the utility resource monitoring apparatus is provided with a key mechanism operable to determine if the interface mechanism data is to be provided to the utility resource monitoring apparatus.
Provision of a key mechanism within the utility resource monitoring apparatus enables the apparatus to determine if an interface mechanism has data which is suitable for provision to the apparatus thus ensuring only acceptable data is able to be provided.
Preferably, the interface mechanism is provided with an acceptance mechanism which is operable to receive confirmation data from the utility resource monitoring apparatus upon the key mechanism having determined that the interface mechanism data is for provision to the utility resource monitoring apparatus such that upon receipt of the confirmation data the acceptance mechanism can implement provision of the interface mechanism data to the utility monitoring apparatus.
The provision of an acceptance mechanism in the interface mechanism enables confirmation that transfer of interface mechanism data should be implemented upon determining that the key mechanism criteria have been met without the requirement for external or user input data being required to activate the transferral.
The interface mechanism data is configuration data. The provision of configuration data having been securely confirmed as appropriate for transferral between the apparatus and the interface enables the apparatus to be kept up to date with appropriate operational and/or systems data without requiring complex and potentially error ridden user input of information.
The key mechanism may be an embedded data code and the acceptance mechanism may be an embedded authentication system. The provision of an appropriate authentication system can ensure the identification of the key mechanism is accurate and secure so that only appropriate data transfer is implemented.
The apparatus may comprise a processor operable to implement confirmation of the acceptance mechanism and the key mechanism. By providing an apparatus processor to act in this way, no external input into the acceptance process is necessary and a digitally encrypted process can ensure that the acceptance is secure and rigorous.
Preferably the provision of interface mechanism data to the apparatus will activate a utility resource apparatus operation. The provision of the data may implement a configuration or reconfiguration of the utility resource monitoring apparatus.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of confirming system data within a utility resource monitoring system, having a utility resource monitoring apparatus and an interface mechanism, the method comprising the steps of: enabling communication between the interface mechanism and the monitoring apparatus; providing acceptance mechanism data to the monitoring apparatus and determining if the acceptance mechanism data corresponds with a predetermined key mechanism such that if confirmation is received that the acceptance mechanism data and predetermined key mechanism correspond, the interface mechanism is activated to transfer interface mechanism data to the monitoring apparatus.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following figures in which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a utility resource monitoring data confirmation system in accordance with an aspect of the present invention; and Figure 2 is a schematic flow diagram of the data confirmation system process for the system of Figure 1.
In Figure 1 there is shown a utility resource monitoring data confirmation system, generally indicated by reference numeral 8, comprising a utility resource monitoring apparatus 10 operable to monitor, and generate data associated with, at least one of utility consumption and gcneration, and an interface mechanism 20, which in this case is a secure digital flash memory card provided predetermined data wherein the utility resource monitoring apparatus 10 is provided with a key mechanism operable to determine if the interface mechanism data 24 is to be provided to the utility resource monitoring apparatus 10.
In Figure 2 there is shown a schematic flow diagram which illustrates the process of confirmation which enables communication between the interface mechanism 20 and the monitoring apparatus 10. The process involves the steps of implementing communication 30 between the interface 20 and the monitoring apparatus 10, providing acceptance mechanism data to the monitoring apparatus 32, and determining if the acceptance mechanism data corresponds with a predetermined key mechanism 34 such that if confirmation is received 36 that the acceptance mechanism data and predetermined key mechanism correspond, the interface mechanism is activated to transfer data to the monitoring apparatus 38.
Thus, in use, a utility company may wish to configure a third party home display utility monitoring resource meter which is resource monitoring apparatus 30 and will provide an interface mechanism 20 which is to be brought into communication with the monitoring resource meter 30. Once brought into communication, the interface mechanism provides data associated with the acceptance mechanism 22 to the meter 30. The processor 12 determines if the acceptance mechanism corresponds with the key mechanism 14 of the monitoring apparatus 20. If the key mechanism 14 is appropriately verified, confirmation data is delivered which indicates to the interface that the acceptance mechanism 22 and key mechanism 14 correspond. The interface 20 enables transfer of data 24 to apparatus 10 to be activated without any user intervention. The transferred data 24 can, for example, configure the display on the smart meter network. Thus, as the key mechanism 14 is retained within the processor 12, activation of the transfer of data 24 can be implemented securely through exclusive communication between the interface 20 and the apparatus 10, The data 24 transferred is, in this case, configuration data operable to enable the apparatus 10 to be incorporated within a desired specific wireless network however it will be understood that any suitable system or operation data may be transferred in this way.
The principle advantage of the invention is that within a utility resource monitoring system an interface and a resource monitoring apparatus can be confirmed as being suitable for the transferral of data to one another without the requirement for user input data.
A further advantage of the invention is that the utility resource monitoring network system can receive data securely upon confirmation correspondence between the key mechanism and apparatus mechanism.
It will be appreciated to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made to the invention herein described without departing from the scope thereof For example, although water, gas and electricity have been given as example utilities, any meterable utility may be monitored by the system, including, but not limited to LPG, oil, chemicals, grain, digital data services or the like.
Claims (8)
- CLAIMS1. A utility resource monitoring data confirmation system comprising a utility resource monitoring apparatus operable to monitor, and generate data associated with, at least one of utility consumption and generation, and an interface mechanism provided with predetermined data wherein the utility resource monitoring apparatus is provided with a key mechanism operable to determine if the interface mechanism data is to be provided to the utility resource monitoring apparatus.
- 2. A utility resource monitoring data confirmation system according to claim 1 wherein the interface mechanism includes an acceptance mechanism operable to receive confirmation data from the utility resource monitoring apparatus and upon receipt implement provision of the interface mechanism data to the utility monitonng apparatus.
- 3. A utility resource monitoring data confirmation system according to claim 2 wherein the confirmation data from the utility resource monitoring apparatus is provided upon the key mechanism having determined that the interface mechanism data is for provision to the utility resource monitoring apparatus.
- 4. A utility rcsourcc monitoring data confirmation systcm according to any prcccding claim wherein the interface mcchanism data is configuration data.
- 5. A utility resource monitoring data confirmation system according to any preceding claim wherein the key mechanism is an embedded data code and the acceptance mechanism is an embedded authentication system.
- 6. A utility resource monitoring data confirmation system according to any preceding claim further comprising a processor, in an apparatus, operable to implement confirmation of the acceptance mechanism and the key mechanism.
- 7. A utility resource monitoring data confirmation system according to claim 6 wherein the provision of interface mechanism data to the apparatus will activate a utility resource apparatus operation.
- 8. A method of confirming system data within a utility resource monitoring system, having a utility resource monitoring apparatus and an interface mechanism, the method comprising the steps of: enabling communication between the interface mechanism and the monitoring apparatus; providing acceptance mechanism data to the monitoring apparatus and determining if the acceptance mechanism data conesponds with a predetermined key mechanism such that if confirmation is received that the acceptance mechanism data and predetermined key mechanism correspond, the interface mechanism is activated to transfer interface mcchanism data to the monitoring apparatus.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBGB1218022.0A GB201218022D0 (en) | 2012-10-08 | 2012-10-08 | Data confirmation system |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB201317695D0 GB201317695D0 (en) | 2013-11-20 |
| GB2511371A true GB2511371A (en) | 2014-09-03 |
Family
ID=47294460
Family Applications (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBGB1218022.0A Ceased GB201218022D0 (en) | 2012-10-08 | 2012-10-08 | Data confirmation system |
| GB1317695.3A Withdrawn GB2511371A (en) | 2012-10-08 | 2013-10-07 | Data confirmation system |
Family Applications Before (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBGB1218022.0A Ceased GB201218022D0 (en) | 2012-10-08 | 2012-10-08 | Data confirmation system |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (2) | GB201218022D0 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN108089039A (en) * | 2017-12-20 | 2018-05-29 | 宁波三星医疗电气股份有限公司 | A kind of electric energy meter that shortens dispatches from the factory the method for parameter setting time |
Citations (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5467286A (en) * | 1993-11-03 | 1995-11-14 | Square D Company | Metering unit with downloadable firmware |
| US5715390A (en) * | 1995-11-30 | 1998-02-03 | General Electric Company | Method and apparatus for providing upgrades in electricity meters |
| US20040034603A1 (en) * | 2002-08-14 | 2004-02-19 | Hastings Mark Alan | Transferable meter licenses using smartcard technology |
| US20060161396A1 (en) * | 2005-01-20 | 2006-07-20 | Electro Industries/Gauge Tech. | System and method for providing universal additional functionality for power meters |
| US20120159641A1 (en) * | 2010-12-21 | 2012-06-21 | Sergio Rossi | Power Meter Arrangement |
| DE102012201810A1 (en) * | 2012-02-07 | 2013-08-08 | Bundesdruckerei Gmbh | Method for initializing a memory area associated with a smart meter |
-
2012
- 2012-10-08 GB GBGB1218022.0A patent/GB201218022D0/en not_active Ceased
-
2013
- 2013-10-07 GB GB1317695.3A patent/GB2511371A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5467286A (en) * | 1993-11-03 | 1995-11-14 | Square D Company | Metering unit with downloadable firmware |
| US5715390A (en) * | 1995-11-30 | 1998-02-03 | General Electric Company | Method and apparatus for providing upgrades in electricity meters |
| US20040034603A1 (en) * | 2002-08-14 | 2004-02-19 | Hastings Mark Alan | Transferable meter licenses using smartcard technology |
| US20060161396A1 (en) * | 2005-01-20 | 2006-07-20 | Electro Industries/Gauge Tech. | System and method for providing universal additional functionality for power meters |
| US20120159641A1 (en) * | 2010-12-21 | 2012-06-21 | Sergio Rossi | Power Meter Arrangement |
| DE102012201810A1 (en) * | 2012-02-07 | 2013-08-08 | Bundesdruckerei Gmbh | Method for initializing a memory area associated with a smart meter |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN108089039A (en) * | 2017-12-20 | 2018-05-29 | 宁波三星医疗电气股份有限公司 | A kind of electric energy meter that shortens dispatches from the factory the method for parameter setting time |
| CN108089039B (en) * | 2017-12-20 | 2020-10-27 | 宁波三星医疗电气股份有限公司 | Method for shortening factory parameter setting time of electric energy meter |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB201317695D0 (en) | 2013-11-20 |
| GB201218022D0 (en) | 2012-11-21 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |