RU2227326C2 - System for remote access to electronic meters - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: automatic means for taking meter readings. SUBSTANCE: electronic measurement system that can be used to maintain communications among electronic meters in compliance with Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) has global network operating in compliance with TCP/IP, local network incorporating plurality of electricity, gas, or water meters, and memory for saving measured data, network interface for communication with mentioned networks and server operating in compliance with Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) which is coupled with plurality of network interfaces and is given access to mentioned measured data to ensure access to these data for global network. EFFECT: ability of two-way access to meters over local and global networks using standard communication network protocols. 15 cl, 5 dwg

Description

The invention relates mainly to electronic meters and to automatic reading of meter readings, and more particularly, to support electronic meters via TCP / IP protocol for two-way remote access to meters over local and global networks.

The invention relates to a system for automatically reading the readings of electric energy meters and other household meters (for example, water and gas meters). Specifically, the invention is intended (but not limited to) for use in an electronic meter. Additional information on electronic meters can be found in US Pat. No. 5,548,527 dated August 20, 1996, entitled “Programmable Electric Energy Meter that Uses Non-Volatile Memory” (patent owned by ABB Power T&D Company. More Information on Automatic Reading Systems The counter is available in US Pat. No. 5,553,094 of September 3, 1996, entitled "Radio Communication Network for Remote Data Formation Stations."

The invention includes the use of a set of transport and application layer protocols for the interaction of networks (TCP / IP protocol) and a hypertext transfer server (HTTP). The terms HTTP (“Hypertext Transfer Protocol”) and TCP / IP (“Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol”) are well known to those skilled in the art of networking for data transfer. The TCP / IP protocol is used, for example, in the well-known protocol stack for connecting heterogeneous devices within the same network.

The invention also includes the use of a gateway or gateway. A gateway is a node in a network that connects two otherwise incompatible networks. Gateways can perform encoding and protocol conversion processes. A “protocol” is a set of rules or procedures related to the format and negotiation of data transfer times between two devices. Typically, protocols divide a file into blocks of equal size or packets. These packets are transmitted to a receiver, which uses a mathematical procedure to determine if these blocks or packets were received without distortion.

An electronic measurement system in accordance with the invention includes a wide area network (WAN) operating in accordance with the TCP / IP protocol; a local area network (LAN), which includes many meters, each of which has a corresponding electronics for measuring a given amount of energy supplied to the consumer from the utility, and memory for storing the measured data and control parameters of the meter; a gateway operatively connected to a local or global network and a server for transferring hypertext files (HTTP server), operatively connected to a local network and a gateway, which creates a global network for remote access to measured data and control parameters of meters.

Preferred embodiments of the invention further include a common gateway (CGI) connected to an HTTP server for use in accessing the measured data. Alternatively, the system according to the invention may include a virtual subsystem in the form of a program for sharing computing resources connected to an HTTP server and used by data access.

The predetermined amount mentioned above preferably refers to the amount of electricity, water or gas.

An HTTP server and a CGI gateway can be integrated into each counter or gateway.

Other features of the present invention are disclosed below.

The figure 1 presents a diagram of a common network including a global network 10, a gateway 20, a local network 30 and counters 40 in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 schematically shows an embodiment of the invention in which an HTTP server and a common gateway are located in the counter (s) 40.

Figure 3 schematically shows an embodiment of the invention in which an HTTP server and a common gateway are located in the gateway 20,

Figure 4 shows how the gateway can be replaced by the virtual subsystem “Java” and the applet “Java”.

5 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which one or more computers are provided with access to meters through a point-to-point transfer server (PPP) or interface.

In one embodiment of the present invention, an electronic meter is used including a TCP / IP protocol bundle) and an HTTP server for two-way access to meter data. In another embodiment of the invention, the TCP / IP protocol bundle is included in a gateway serving a plurality of counters interconnected via a power line or through a two-way wireless network. The gateway used in the second embodiment of the invention includes an HTTP server for accessing data received from multiple counters, and for transmitting data to individual counters.

The basic architecture of the invention is shown in FIG. 1. As mentioned above, the inclusion of an HTTP server and a TCP / IP protocol bundle in a counter 40 or a gateway 20 when there are multiple counters connected through a local network 30 provides continuous remote access to the counter settings. As shown in this figure, a set of N counters 40 is provided with a message through a local network 30, which does not apply to networks such as TCP / IP. The local network 30 may, for example, be a CEBus bus network in which data is transmitted via a power line or a radio link (communication protocol via a consumer electronics bus (CEBus), which has been adopted as the standard by the Electronic Industry Association (EIA-60) and defines a local area network as a network that includes many storage media, including a power line, a radio line, a pair of wires, a coaxial cable and an infrared signal transmission line. A gateway 20 is also connected to the local area network 30, which is connected to the global network TCP / IP 10. Other devices (not shown) that may need to connect to individual counters or groups of counters are also connected to the same global TCP / IP network 10. These devices access individual counters by sending commands contained in packets TCP / IP with destination addresses that are unique to each counter.

In the first embodiment of the invention (FIG. 2), the gateway 20 receives packets from other devices of the global network 10. The gateway 20 includes a TCP / IP 22 interface and a local network interface 28. The LAN interface 28 includes software for converting data packets into the format required for transmission over a local network. In this case, the gateway 20 transmits these converted packets over the local network 30 to the counters 40. The following operations are performed.

1. The gateway checks the TCP / IP packet address and determines whether it is the address of the counter or counters within the set submitted to the gateway through its local network. If this is not the case, the packet is not processed.

2. If the packet is intended for one of the counters in the local network of the gateway, the gateway checks the TCP / IP counter address attached to the packet and determines whether this packet is the address of a separate counter or is it a multicast address.

3. If a packet is addressed to a separate counter, the gateway wraps this packet in a larger packet, which is addressed to the counter using its unique address on the local network (which differs from its address via TCP / IP).

4. If the packet is intended for multicast transmission to all counters, the gateway wraps the packet in a larger packet transmitted to a special LAN address (which differs from the TCW multicast address).

5. If the packet size exceeds the maximum permissible size for the local network, the gateway splits the packet into smaller parts. Each part has the same LAN address as the original large packet.

6. Each part of the divided packet is transmitted to the local network for reception by one or more counters. The gateway is responsible for receiving acknowledgment of the packet from the counters and for retransmission of packets if they are not received.

Each individual counter listens on the local network for packet detection. The counter recreates the original TCP / IP WAN packet from one or more packets of the local network and then executes the commands contained in the packet and sends the results back to the gateway. This process includes the following operations:

1. The counter checks the local network address of the packet to make sure that this address is for a specific counter or that it is a multicast address. If the address is not one of the above, the counter ignores this packet.

2. If the packet is addressed to a specific counter, an acknowledgment signal is sent back to the gateway. If an error is found in the packet, a refusal signal is sent to the gateway.

3. The received package is added to any previously received part of a large package, divided into parts. When all parts of the split packet are received, the entire original TCP / IP packet is retrieved and entered into the software of the TCP / IP interface connected to the counter.

4. The TCP / IP interface software checks the packet to make sure that the service is started. In this case, suppose the package is intended to serve an HTTP server. (It is possible that there are other servers connected to a counter to which a TCP / IP message can be sent).

5. The HTTP server checks the data packet to verify that the specified operations are necessary. In this case, suppose the package contains a request to run the application program in the counter in order to extract the current counter readings and send them back to the request source. The HTTP server initializes this application through a common gateway (CGI).

6. The CGI application asks the counter to find the current reading. The counter application program acts directly on the counter electronics to obtain the required information. The counter reading is sent back to the CGI interface, which writes the reading to the message using HTML. The HTML message will be sent back to the HTTP server.

7. The HTTP server encodes the HTML message as a TCP / IP packet and sends it to the TCP / IP counter interface.

8. The counter TCP / IP interface sends a packet to the gateway using the same set of operations that the gateway uses to send the initial request to the counter.

9. As soon as the gateway receives the TCP / TP packet from the counter, it again transmits the packet to the global network, where a command is initiated to receive it.

In the second embodiment of the invention (figure 3), the gateway performs most of the tasks assigned to the counters in the first embodiment (figure 2). The HTTP server 24 and the CGI application 26 are transmitted to the gateway 20, and the counters only work with their local area network interface 42, which does not use the TCP / IP protocol. Processing packets received from the global network 10 is as follows:

1. The gateway checks the address of the TCP / IP packet and determines whether it is the address of the counter or counters in the set transmitted to the gateway through its local network. If this is not the case, the packet is not processed.

2. The TCP / IP interface program checks the packet to verify that service is necessary. In this case, suppose the package is intended to be serviced by an HTTP server, now located in the gateway. (It is possible that there are other server applications running in the counter to which TCP / IP messages should be sent).

3. The HTTP server checks the packet to verify service needs. In this case, suppose that the packet contains a request to execute the application program in order to obtain the current reading of a separate counter and send this data back to the initiator of the request. The HTTP server initializes this application through the common CGI gateway (26).

4. After that, the CGI 26 application program is executed in the gateway. This program should determine the local network address of the specified counter and send a packet of commands to this counter over the local network.

5. The command enters the counter and initiates the counter application program by sending a request to the electronic part of the counter in order to find the current reading.

6. The counter reading is formed into a packet for transmission over the local network and sent back to the gateway.

7. The CGI gateway receives a packet over the local area network from the meter and retrieves the meter reading. This reading is written to the HTML message and sent back to the HTML server.

8. The HTTP server encodes the HTML message as a TCP / IP packet and forwards it to the TCP / IP gateway interface 22.

9. The TCP / IP gateway interface 22 sends a packet to the wide area network 10, where the command initiating program can receive this packet.

Both variants of the invention were disclosed as using application programs 46, 26 to describe in detail the procedure for accessing current meter readings. As shown in FIG. 4, the CGI application can be replaced by a Java 26 ’virtual subsystem (VM) running the Java 26’ ’application that performs the same operations as the CGI application.

In addition, both options were described using an example where the current reading of an individual counter is requested by an application associated with the global network. An application in a global network can also write data to a counter or to counters using similar procedures. This data can change the parameters, affecting the operation of the meter or meters. As an example, you can indicate a change in speed.

Any option that uses TCP / IP and HTTP servers supports reading meters or setting their parameters using browsers such as Netscape ™ or Explorer ™. Utilities and homeowners can, if necessary, remotely read meter readings through appropriate browsers. You can have access to a separate counter or a group of counters, as if the counter (s) were an Internet site, and their current readings or other data can be displayed using a browser. Counters can send forms to the browser so that the user can fill them in to change the parameters of the counters. Reading and updating counter parameters can be protected by encoding and passwords.

As shown in FIG. 5, the browser can access the counters via a telephone line via a point-to-point protocol (PPP) and a server 60 connected to the global network 10 or directly to the gateway 20. The PPP server is connected to modems (not shown ) to allow the TCP / IP line to communicate with the browser at the other end of the line. The PPP server sends packets from the telephone line to the global network, where they are received by the appropriate gateway. If the telephone line is connected directly to the gateway, the PPP software includes an interface 21 for direct connection to the global TCP / IP network using interface 22 so that packets received on the telephone line are processed in the same way as packets received over the global network 10.

The browser can be replaced by an intelligent device that provides access to the HTTP server for automated reading of meter readings and setting of meter parameters on a planned and repeated basis. The application uses a meter reading to create or update records in the database. This application can be a Java application that can communicate with HTTP servers and databases that support HTTP protocols.

Summing up, we note that the invention includes the following new aspects: (1) an integrated HTTP server in the counter for accessing the counter data on demand and for remote setting of the counter parameters; (2) an HTTP server built into the gateway for access to a variety of counters, in order to read their readings and set parameters in separate counters on the local network; (3) using a common gateway interface (CGI) for remote access to the counter data and setting counter parameters using HTML forms in HTTP browsers; (4) remote reading and setting the parameters of multiple counters using the TCP / IP protocol bundle; (5) the TCP / IP protocol bundle used in the installed nodes of the CEBus LAN, including CEBus routers and bridge bridges with remote access via TCP / IP to the router or bridge-router and, therefore, access to individual meters on the local network; (6) point-to-point data transfer (PPP), which provides the gateway with remote access via TCP / IP via a serial interface (for example, a telephone line or public digital network (ISDN)) to one or more meters (for setting parameters and reading testimony).

The foregoing detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention does not in any way limit the scope and scope of protection of the following patent claims. Specialists in the field of electronic measurement understand that you can use various modifications of the preferred variants of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (15)

1. An electronic measurement system comprising: - wide area network (WAN) operating in accordance with the TCP / IP protocol; - a local area network (LAN) containing many meters, each of which includes measuring electronics for measuring electric energy, gas or water supplied by the utility, and a memory for storing the measured data and control parameters of the meters; - the gateway associated with the specified WAN and LAN; and - a server running the Hypertext File Transfer Protocol (HTTP), operatively connected to the specified LAN and the specified gateway, the server running the HTTP protocol has access to the specified measured data, so that the specified WAN network has remote access to specified measured data and specified control parameters of the indicated counters. 2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a standard interface for data exchange (CGI) connected to the specified HTTP server for use in accessing the specified measured data. 3. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that the specified HTTP server and the specified standard CGI interface are built into each of these counters. 4. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that each of these counters additionally includes a TCP / IP interface. 5. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that the specified HTTP server and the CGI application interface are embedded in the specified gateway. 6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a virtual subsystem connected to the specified HTTP server for its use when accessing the specified data. 7. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that each of these counters further includes a local area network (LAN) interface. 8. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that said gateway includes a local area network (LAN) interface. 9. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that each of these counters includes a TCP / IP interface. 10. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the specified gateway includes a TCP / IP interface. 11. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a standard data exchange interface (CGI) connected to the specified HTTP server, in which the specified HTTP server and the CGI interface are embedded in each of these counters, in which the specified gateway and each of these meters include a local area network (LAN) interface and a TCP / IP interface for measuring electricity, water or gas. 12. The system according to claim 11, characterized in that said LAN is a local area network with a CEBus LAN bus. 13. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a standard data exchange interface (CGI) connected to the specified HTTP server for use when accessing the specified measured data, the specified HTTP server and the CGI interface embedded in the specified gateway; each of these meters and the specified interface include a local area network (LAN) interface and a TCP / IP interface for measuring electricity, water or gas. 14. The system of claim 11, wherein said local area network (LAN) is a local area network of a consumer electronics bus (CEBus). 15. The system of claim 12, wherein said local area network (LAN) is a local area network of a consumer electronics bus (CEBus).

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