Smart metering device providing adaptive service level

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11209287-B2
Application number	US-202117157015-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2021
Priority date	Jul 18, 2017
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

A smart metering device being part of an advanced metering infrastructure is provided. The smart metering device might comprise one or more sub devices such as: metering devices, actuator devices, sensor devices etc. The smart metering device includes a valve arranged to limit the delivery of a utility to the consumer. Moreover the smart metering devices includes a communication device including a transmitter and a receiver for wireless communication with a collector, utilizing a listen after talk mechanism to perform a two-way communication to the head end system through a collector. The presented invention is especially beneficial for battery supplied smart metering devices. The advanced metering infrastructure will provide a given service level for communication between the meter and the head end system. The service level will be changed dynamically in order to meet the adequate service level at all times.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A smart metering device comprising:
a communication device comprising a transmitter and a receiver for wireless communication with a collector, utilizing a listen after talk (LAT) mechanism for establishing a two-way communication session by opening at least one reception window after transmission of a data frame;
a battery for energy supply at least to the communication device;
the smart metering device being configured to analyze consumption of a utility as consumption data and to output a result of the analysis of the consumption of the utility as the consumption data, and being arranged to autonomously transmit data frames with a configured transmission interval, the smart metering device is further arranged to continuously determine its present state to be a critical state or a non-critical state, wherein at least the result of the analysis is a parameter for distinguishing between critical states and non-critical states, the smart metering device is further arranged to change the configured transmission interval according to the present state, to be shorter when the present state is the critical state than when the present state is the non-critical state, causing a shorter expected latency of initiating the two-way communication session with the smart metering device when in the critical state.

2. The smart metering device of claim 1 , wherein the analysis of the consumption of the utility as the consumption data is configured to detect abnormal usage of the utility.

3. The smart metering device of claim 1 , wherein the consumption of the utility as the consumption data includes at least one of flow rates of the utility, total consumption of the utility, peak consumption of the utility, minimum consumption of the utility, or backward flow of the utility.

4. The smart metering device according to claim 1 , wherein the smart metering device is arranged to change the present state from the critical state to the non-critical state after a predetermined period, in order to limit a maximum time the smart metering device can remain in the critical state.

5. The smart metering device according to claim 1 , further including a metering device for obtaining the consumption data, and an internal algorithm for analyzing the consumption data, wherein the smart metering device is configured to use an output from the internal algorithm as a parameter for imposing transitions between the critical states and the non-critical states.

6. The smart metering device according to claim 1 , wherein the smart metering device is further configured to change at least one of: transmission power; coding rate; data rate; modulation; or center frequency, according to the present state.

7. The smart metering device according to claim 1 , wherein the smart metering device is adapted to receive a command from the collector, during the two-way communication session, in which the smart metering device is requested to change a current mode of a valve to a different mode of operating the valve.

8. The smart metering device according to claim 1 , further including a sensor device adapted to measure temperature, wherein the smart metering device is adapted to use the measured temperature as a parameter for imposing transitions between the critical states and the non-critical states.

9. The smart metering device according to claim 1 , further including a sensor device adapted to detect pollution of water, wherein the smart metering device is adapted to use an output from the sensor device as a parameter for imposing transitions between the critical states and the non-critical states.

10. The smart metering device according to claim 1 , further including a turbidity sensor, wherein the smart metering device is adapted to use an output from the turbidity sensor as a parameter for imposing transitions between the critical states and the non-critical states.

11. The smart metering device according to claim 1 , further including a pressure sensor, wherein the smart metering device is adapted to use an output from the pressure sensor as a parameter for imposing transitions between the critical states and the non-critical states.

12. The smart metering device according to claim 1 , wherein the smart metering device is further configured to change data content of the autonomously transmitted data frames according to the present state.

13. A smart metering device comprising:
a sensor device configured to measure a property of a utility being delivered;
a communication device comprising a transmitter and a receiver for wireless communication with a collector, utilizing a listen after talk (LAT) mechanism for establishing a two-way communication session by opening at least one reception window after transmission of a data frame;
a battery for energy supply at least to the communication device;
the smart metering device being arranged to autonomously transmit data frames with a configured transmission interval, the smart metering device is further arranged to continuously determine its present state to be a critical state or a non-critical state, wherein the measured property is a parameter for distinguishing between critical states and non-critical states, the smart metering device is further arranged to change the configured transmission interval according to the present state, to be shorter when the present state is the critical state than when the present state is the non-critical state, causing a shorter expected latency of initiating the two-way communication session with the smart metering device when in the critical state.

14. The smart metering device of claim 13 , wherein the sensor device is configured to measure a temperature of the utility delivered to a consumer.

15. The smart metering device of claim 14 , wherein the sensor device is further configured to measure at least one of a pressure of the utility, a turbidity of the utility, or a pollution of the utility.

16. The smart metering device according to claim 13 , wherein the smart metering device is arranged to change the present state from the critical state to the non-critical state after a predetermined period, in order to limit a maximum time the smart metering device can remain in the critical state.

17. The smart metering device according to claim 13 , further including a metering device for obtaining consumption data, and an internal algorithm for analyzing the consumption data, wherein the smart metering device is configured to use an output from the internal algorithm as a parameter for imposing transitions between the critical states and the non-critical states.

18. The smart metering device according to claim 13 , wherein the smart metering device is further configured to change at least one of: transmission power; coding rate; data rate; modulation; or center frequency, according to the present state.

19. The smart metering device according to claim 13 , wherein the smart metering device is adapted to receive a command from the collector, during the two-way communication session, in which the smart metering device is requested to change a current mode of a valve to a different mode of operating the valve.

20. A smart metering device comprising:
a valve arranged to, when in a first mode, limit a delivery of a utility and, when in a second mode, not limit the delivery of the utility;
a communication device having a transmitter and a receiver for wireless communication with a collector, and utilizing a listen after talk (LAT) mechanism for establishing a two-way commu

Assignees

• Kamstrup As

Inventors

• Hald Flemming
• Christiansen Johnny Dørken
• Bidstrup Karsten Kobæk

Classifications

• G06Q50/06

  Energy or water supply · CPC title

• G08C17/02 Primary

  using a radio link · CPC title

• H04L41/5022

  by giving priorities, e.g. assigning classes of service · CPC title

• H04L1/004

  by using forward error control (H04L1/0618 takes precedence; coding, decoding or code conversion, for error detection or correction H03M13/00) · CPC title

• Y02B90/20

  Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector (smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00) · CPC title