Ammeter self-registration method based on Wi-SUN communication technology

Abstract

The invention discloses an ammeter self-registration method based on a Wi-SUN communication technology, and the method comprises the steps: actively monitoring the network state change through an ammeter, pushing the equipment information CONNECTIVITY connection data frame, carrying out the response through a high-priority task through a concentrator, confirming CONFIRM, updating a local mapping relation, and reporting the new equipment information to a master station to complete the closed-loop registration. According to the invention, the problem of communication interruption caused by IP address change due to module replacement of the Wi-SUN ammeter is effectively solved, full automation and high reliability of equipment management are realized, and the operation and maintenance efficiency and stability of an AMI system are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of Advanced Metering Systems (AMIs) for smart grids, and more particularly to a method for automatically registering, updating addresses, and synchronizing information for smart meters in a smart meter data acquisition system using Wi-SUN communication technology. Background Technology

[0002] In the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) based on Wi-SUN (Wireless Smart Utility Network) communication technology, the concentrator interacts with smart meters in the downstream Wi-SUN network using an IPv6-based communication protocol. Wi-SUN, a low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) technology conforming to the IEEE 802.15.4g / e standard, assigns a globally unique IPv6 address to each node through a standardized IPv6 network address generation mechanism. As the network's primary coordinating node, the concentrator relies on this IPv6 address to establish and maintain communication connections with each meter node. Therefore, the concentrator must maintain a correct mapping between the meter's logical device name and its IPv6 address to ensure reliable communication and data acquisition.

[0003] In smart meter systems based on the DLMS / COSEM communication architecture, the core identifier used by the application layer for device identification and service addressing is the logical device name. This logical device name is a globally unique identifier for the meter device, typically pre-set at the factory and remaining unchanged throughout its lifecycle. The master station system and concentrator use this logical device name for addressing and association when performing data reading, storage, and management operations.

[0004] However, during the networking process, the IPv6 address assigned to the electricity meter by the Wi-SUN standard protocol stack primarily relies on the MAC address of its Wi-SUN communication module. The MAC address is a unique physical identifier fixed at the factory, and the resulting IPv6 address is also unique at the network layer. However, in the existing protocol process, the electricity meter does not carry or upload its application layer logical device name information during the Wi-SUN network layer access and address allocation phase. This prevents the concentrator from automatically establishing and maintaining an accurate mapping relationship between the meter's logical device name and its IPv6 address.

[0005] The aforementioned technical defects can cause serious system reliability issues in certain operation and maintenance scenarios. For example, suppose meter "1" originally had a Wi-SUN module "A" with an IPv6 address of IPv6_A; meter "2" originally had a Wi-SUN module "B" with an IPv6 address of IPv6_B. If the communication modules of the two are swapped, after renetworking, meter "1" will obtain the IPv6_B address, and meter "2" will obtain the IPv6_A address.

[0006] If the concentrator fails to detect this change in time and maintains the original mapping relationship (i.e., assuming IPv6_A corresponds to table "1" and IPv6_B corresponds to table "2"), it will lead to errors in communication and data association. Specifically, when the concentrator intends to read data from table "1", it actually initiates communication to the IPv6_A address, which is already associated with table "2," resulting in the electricity consumption data from table "2" being mistakenly recorded as data from table "1," and vice versa. In the context of smart meters being used as metering devices for trade settlement, such data errors can directly trigger billing disputes, causing customer complaints and economic disputes, seriously affecting system reliability and operational stability.

[0007] Current technologies lack an efficient and automated mechanism that enables concentrators to promptly detect changes in the mapping relationship between the meter network identifier (IPv6 address) and application identifier (logical device name) and to dynamically update it. Currently, mapping maintenance relies primarily on manual intervention, which is not only inefficient but also struggles to guarantee data consistency and real-time performance. This has become a key technological bottleneck restricting the automation and reliability of system operation and maintenance. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to address the aforementioned problems by proposing a self-registration method for electricity meters based on Wi-SUN communication technology. This invention proactively pushes connection data frames containing key identifiers after the electricity meter detects the network status change from offline to online. Combined with the high-priority confirmation response from the gateway device and the synchronous update of mapping relationships, it ensures the consistency and real-time performance of device information. Furthermore, for new devices, it completes the file distribution and registration loop through interaction with the master station, achieving efficient collaboration between the electricity meter and the concentrator. This ensures data accuracy and service continuity under network status changes, providing stable and reliable technical support for intelligent device management.

[0009] The technical solution of this invention is: This invention provides a method for self-registration of electricity meters based on Wi-SUN communication technology, the method comprising the following steps: S1. The electricity meter detects the network status of the Wi-SUN module. When the network status changes from offline to online, it pushes a CONNECTIVITY data frame to the concentrator, which includes the electricity meter logical device name, the module IPv6 address and the module MAC address. S2. The concentrator receives the CONNECTIVITY data frame and generates a high-priority CONNECTIVITYCONFIRM meter reading confirmation task, and sends a CONFIRM confirmation response frame to the meter. S3. The concentrator parses the CONNECTIVITY connection data frame; If the meter is not a newly registered meter, its information is in the Meter_IP database. Check whether the Meter_IP and the registration information are consistent. If the information is consistent, no changes are made. Otherwise, update the mapping relationship between the logical device name and IPv6 address maintained by the meter to the Meter_IP and memory mapping table in the database. If the meter is being registered for the first time and there is no device information in the Meter_IP database, then a new mapping relationship between the logical device name and the IPv6 address is created in the Meter_IP database and the memory mapping table. If the meter is not in the concentrator's meter file, i.e., the concentrator does not have its file information, the concentrator reports its information to the master station HES through the Data-Notification service. The master station HES then sends the meter file to the concentrator based on the database decision, completing the registration closed loop.

[0010] Furthermore, the S1 meter detects the network status of the Wi-SUN module, including: The Wi-SUN module sends a handshake signal to the meter at a fixed interval, and the handshake signal contains communication status information. The meter parses the status information in the handshake signal, and when the communication status changes from unnetworked to networked, it triggers the push of the CONNECTIVITY connection data frame.

[0011] Furthermore, the CONNECTIVITY connection data frame adopts the Push service of the DLMS / COSEM standard, and the push content is defined by configuring the push_object_list attribute of the Push Setup object.

[0012] Furthermore, when pushing a CONNECTIVITY data frame to the concentrator in S1, the following steps are performed: The electricity meter initiates a random delay before pushing the CONNECTIVITY connection data frame. If a CONFIRM confirmation response frame is not received within the preset time, the meter will calculate the delay time using the exponential backoff algorithm based on the number of retransmissions. The delay time = initial push delay × 2ⁿ + rand(0, 999) ms, where n is the current number of retransmissions.

[0013] Furthermore, in S1, the function software for pushing data frames from the electricity meter is implemented using a state machine, including an idle state, a triggered state, a waiting-for-acknowledgment state, and a retransmission state. From the triggered state, a random timer is started to switch to the retransmission state. After pushing, it switches to the waiting-for-acknowledgment state. Upon receiving an acknowledgment, it switches to the idle state or switches to the retransmission state after a timeout. After the number of retransmissions exceeds a threshold, it switches to the idle state to wait for re-networking.

[0014] Furthermore, the high-priority CONNECTIVITY CONFIRM connection confirmation meter reading task described in S2 is as follows: the concentrator uses the Push Setup method of the DLMS interface class to send a CONFIRM confirmation response frame to the meter. The CONFIRM confirmation response frame includes the confirmation result, the meter logical device name, the module IPv6 address, and the module MAC address. In the concentrator task scheduling, the CONNECTIVITY CONFIRM connection confirmation meter reading task has a higher priority than the regular meter reading task, and is second only to the main station HES transparent transmission task.

[0015] Furthermore, S3 includes: The concentrator parses the CONNECTIVITY confirmation data frame and first compares it with the record in the local Meter_IP table; If the meter is not a newly registered meter, its information is in the Meter_IP database. Check whether the Meter_IP and the registration information are consistent. If the information is consistent, no changes are made. Otherwise, update the mapping relationship between the logical device name and the IPv6 address maintained by the meter to the Meter_IP and memory mapping table in the database. If the meter is being registered for the first time and there is no device information in the Meter_IP database, then a new mapping relationship between the logical device name and the IPv6 address is created in the Meter_IP database and the memory mapping table. Furthermore, in S3, if the meter is a new device not registered in the concentrator file, it includes: The concentrator compares the logical device name of the electricity meter in the frame with the local electricity meter database. When it is determined to be a new device, the concentrator reports the new device information through the Data-Notification service in the DLMS standard. The Data-Notification includes a long call identifier and priority, date and time, and notification content. The notification content includes the logical device name, Push Setup interface class logical name, device SAP, and status value indicating that a file needs to be sent.

[0016] Furthermore, in S3, the process by which the master station HES sends the generator meter files to the concentrator after making a decision based on the archive database includes: After receiving the Data-Notification, the main station HES sends a Data-Notification-Confirm confirmation, which includes a long call identifier, priority, and date and time. The main station HES searches the meter archive database, determines the matching file according to the management strategy, and sends the complete terminal file to the concentrator. The concentrator stores the file to complete the registration loop.

[0017] A self-registration system for electricity meters based on Wi-SUN communication technology, wherein the system is configured to perform the method described herein.

[0018] The beneficial effects of this invention are: This invention automates the entire process of meter address changes and new registrations, significantly reducing manual maintenance costs. Through proactive push notifications, end-to-end confirmation, and exponential backoff and retransmission mechanisms, it effectively ensures high reliability of registration information transmission even in poor network conditions. Relying on the concentrator's dual-mapping table management mechanism (memory and database), it ensures the real-time nature and consistency of device information throughout the system. A high-priority task scheduling strategy ensures timely processing of critical control signals and optimizes system resource allocation. Furthermore, its construction based on standard DLMS PushSetup services and data definitions makes the solution easy to integrate and extend with other systems, exhibiting excellent scalability.

[0019] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the more detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals generally represent the same components in the exemplary embodiments of the invention.

[0021] Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating the push of meter status detection and CONNECTIVITY connection data frames according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0022] Figure 2A flowchart illustrating the state machine transition process at the meter terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0023] Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0024] This invention provides a method for self-registration of electricity meters based on Wi-SUN communication technology, the method comprising the following steps: S1. The meter detects the network status of the Wi-SUN module. When the network status changes from offline to online, it pushes a CONNECTIVITY data frame to the concentrator, which includes the meter's logical device name, the module's IPv6 address, and the module's MAC address.

[0025] Specifically, the meter initiates a random delay in pushing the CONNECTIVITY connection data frame; if a CONFIRM confirmation response frame is not received within a preset time, the meter calculates the delay time using an exponential backoff algorithm based on the number of retransmissions. The delay time = initial push delay × 2ⁿ + rand(0, 999) ms, where n is the current number of retransmissions.

[0026] like Figure 2 As shown, the software for pushing data frames from the electricity meter is implemented using a state machine, which includes an idle state, a triggered state, a waiting-for-acknowledgment state, and a retransmission state. The system switches to the retransmission state by starting a random timer from the triggered state, switches to the waiting-for-acknowledgment state after pushing the data, switches to the idle state upon receiving an acknowledgment or switches to the retransmission state after a timeout, and switches to the idle state to wait for re-networking after the number of retransmissions exceeds a threshold.

[0027] S2. The concentrator receives the CONNECTIVITY data frame and generates a high-priority CONNECTIVITYCONFIRM meter reading confirmation task, and sends a CONFIRM confirmation response frame to the meter. S3. The concentrator parses the CONNECTIVITY connection data frame; If the meter is not a newly registered meter, its information is in the Meter_IP database. Check whether the Meter_IP and the registration information are consistent. If the information is consistent, no changes are made. Otherwise, update the mapping relationship between the logical device name and the IPv6 address maintained by the meter to the Meter_IP and memory mapping table in the database. If the meter is being registered for the first time and there is no device information in the Meter_IP database, then a new mapping relationship between the logical device name and the IPv6 address is created in the Meter_IP database and the memory mapping table. If the meter is not in the concentrator's meter file, i.e., the concentrator does not have its file information, the concentrator reports its information to the master station HES through the Data-Notification service. The master station HES then sends the meter file to the concentrator based on the database decision, completing the registration closed loop.

[0028] Specifically, the concentrator parses the CONNECTIVITY confirmation data frame and first compares it with the record in the local Meter_IP table; If the information is inconsistent, the concentrator unbinds the original mapping relationship between logical device name and IPv6 address, establishes a new mapping relationship between meter logical device name, module IPv6 address and module MAC address, and synchronously updates the Meter_IP table and memory mapping table in the database. If Meter_IP does not contain meter information, the concentrator directly creates a mapping between the meter logical device name, module IPv6 address, and module MAC address, and synchronizes it to the Meter_IP table and memory mapping table in the database.

[0029] In practical implementation, the self-registration scheme for electricity meters of this invention is achieved through the following steps: 1. Meter status detection and triggering The electricity meter monitors the network status of its Wi-SUN module in real time. When the Wi-SUN module's network status changes from offline to online, it triggers the CONNECTIVITY connection data frame push process. The specific detection mechanism is as follows: Under normal operating conditions, the Wi-SUN module sends a handshake signal to the electricity meter every minute at most. This signal's data field contains the module's communication status and signal strength information. The communication status is defined as follows: 0x00: Connection-based network (not networked / not online); 0x01: Connection-based network (networked / online); When the meter detects that the communication status has changed from 0x00 to 0x01, it immediately triggers the CONNECTIVITY connection data frame push process.

[0030] 2. Pushing and confirming CONNECTIVITY connection data frames The electricity meter uses the Push service (class_id=40) defined in the DLMS / COSEM standard to push CONNECTIVITY information. Specifically, the push content is defined by configuring property 2 (push_object_list) of the Push Setup object, which includes: the meter's logical device name, the module's IPv6 address, and the module's MAC address.

[0031] Upon receiving the CONNECTIVITY push, the concentrator generates a high-priority CONNECTIVITYCONFIRM connection confirmation meter reading task and replies using Push Setup method 1 (push(data)). The reply includes the confirmation result (00 - success, 01 - failure), the meter's logical device name, the module's IPv6 address, and the module's MAC address, thus completing an end-to-end confirmation handshake and ensuring the reliability of information transmission.

[0032] The sample frame structure for PUSH CONNECTIVITY is shown below, which includes key information fields such as logical device name and IPv6 address.

[0033]

[0034] 3. Reliable push notifications and index-based retransmission avoidance To address the complexity of the WI-SUN wireless network environment and avoid WI-SUN network congestion caused by a large number of electricity meters registering when powered on, this invention designs a retransmission mechanism that includes random delay and exponential backoff.

[0035] The initial push of CONNECTIVITY to the meter requires a random delay (default 20ms, configurable via Push Setup property 5 randomisation_start_interval). The concentrator's timeout for confirmation is set to 30 seconds. If the meter does not receive CONFIRM within this time, a retransmission process will be initiated. The number of retransmissions is configurable (default 5, configurable via property 6 number_of_retries), and the interval between each retransmission uses an exponential backoff algorithm, calculated as: Delay time = Initial push delay × 2ⁿ + rand(0, 999) ms, where n is the current retransmission count.

[0036] This mechanism is implemented using a state machine, and its state transition process (including idle, triggered, waiting for acknowledgment, retransmission, etc.) is as follows: Figure 2 As shown.

[0037] The detailed process is as follows: The meter pushes CONNECTIVITY in four states: idle, running, ready (retransmission, etc.), and wait (waiting for confirmation). After completing the CONNECTIVITY push, the meter returns to the idle state. When the meter detects that the WI-SUN module's network status has changed from offline to online, the state machine switches to the triggered state. In the triggered state, a random timer time_1 is started, the wait-for-reply timer time_2 and the retransmission count counter failNum are cleared, and the state machine switches to the retransmission state. After timer time_1 expires, the meter obtains the IPv6 and MAC addresses from the WI-SUN module, pushes CONNECTIVITY, the state machine switches to the wait-for-confirmation state, and the wait-for-reply timer time_2 is started. While waiting for confirmation, if the concentrator's CONNECTIVITY CONFIRM is received, the state switches to idle state. If the CONNECTIVITY CONFIRM is not received after the waiting reply timer time_2 expires, the state switches to retransmission state if the failure number (failNum) is less than the retry count of 5. If the failure number (failNum) exceeds the retry count of 5, the state switches back to idle state. After leaving and rejoining the network with the WI-SUN networking mechanism, a new CONNECTIVITY push process is initiated.

[0038] 4. Concentrator Dual Mapping Table Management The concentrator employs a dual-mapping table collaborative management mechanism: one is the Meter_IP table, persistently stored in an embedded database, used for reliable recovery of mapping relationships after system power failure; the other is a hash table structure running in memory, used to support high-speed address lookups at the millisecond level. The two mapping tables are synchronously updated through atomic operations upon receiving a CONNECTIVITY frame, ensuring data consistency and high performance.

[0039] When a PUSH CONNECTIVITY request is received from the meter, the concentrator compares the intraframe information with the records in the Meter_IP table. If the information is inconsistent, the original relationship is unbound, a new mapping relationship for logical device name, IPv6 address, and MAC address is established, and the mapping table in memory is updated synchronously to ensure that subsequent meter reading tasks use the latest address information.

[0040] 5. High-priority task scheduling The concentrator assigns extremely high priority to tasks that process CONNECTIVITY confirmations. The specific task priority order is: Master station transparent transmission tasks > CONNECTIVITY CONFIRM tasks > other routine meter reading tasks. This scheduling strategy ensures that tasks affecting communication infrastructure, such as device registration and address updates, are processed promptly, guaranteeing the system's real-time performance.

[0041] 6. System-level self-registration closed loop This invention achieves a complete automatic registration closed loop from the terminal to the master station: the meter pushes the PUSH CONNECTIVITY to the concentrator; the concentrator compares the logical device name within the frame with the local meter archive; if the meter already exists in the archive, only its IP address mapping is updated, and no report is sent to the master station; if the meter is a new device (not in the archive), and the concentrator's 4G module is online, the concentrator immediately reports the new device information to the master station HES through the Data-Notification service.

[0042] The DLMS Data-Notification data structure used by the concentrator to register the electricity meter.

[0043] By combining the above steps, this invention achieves reliable, efficient, and fully automated registration and address maintenance of electricity meters in a wireless network environment.

[0044] The various embodiments of the present invention have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments.

Claims

1. A method for self-registration of electricity meters based on Wi-SUN communication technology, characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: S1. The electricity meter detects the network status of the Wi-SUN module. When the network status changes from offline to online, it pushes a CONNECTIVITY data frame to the concentrator, which includes the electricity meter logical device name, the module IPv6 address and the module MAC address. S2. The concentrator receives the CONNECTIVITY data frame and generates a high-priority CONNECTIVITYCONFIRM meter reading confirmation task, and sends a CONFIRM confirmation response frame to the meter. S3. The concentrator parses the CONNECTIVITY connection data frame; If the meter is not a newly registered meter, its information is in the Meter_IP database. Check whether the Meter_IP and the registration information are consistent. If the information is consistent, no changes are made. Otherwise, update the mapping relationship between the logical device name and the IPv6 address maintained by the meter to the Meter_IP and memory mapping table in the database. If the meter is being registered for the first time and there is no device information in the Meter_IP database, then a new mapping relationship between the logical device name and the IPv6 address is created in the Meter_IP database and the memory mapping table. If the meter is not in the concentrator's meter file, i.e., the concentrator does not have its file information, the concentrator reports its information to the master station HES through the Data-Notification service. The master station HES then sends the meter file to the concentrator based on the database decision, completing the registration closed loop.

2. The meter self-registration method based on Wi-SUN communication technology as described in claim 1, characterized in that... In S1, the meter detects the network status of the Wi-SUN module, including: The Wi-SUN module sends a handshake signal to the meter at a fixed interval, and the handshake signal contains communication status information. The meter parses the status information in the handshake signal, and when the communication status changes from unnetworked to networked, it triggers the push of the CONNECTIVITY connection data frame.

3. The meter self-registration method based on Wi-SUN communication technology as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The CONNECTIVITY connection data frame uses the DLMS / COSEM standard Push service, and the push content is defined by configuring the push_object_list attribute of the Push Setup object.

4. The meter self-registration method based on Wi-SUN communication technology as described in claim 1, characterized in that... In S1, when pushing a CONNECTIVITY data frame to the concentrator, the following steps are performed: The electricity meter initiates a random delay before pushing the CONNECTIVITY connection data frame. If a CONFIRM confirmation response frame is not received within the preset time, the meter will calculate the delay time using the exponential backoff algorithm based on the number of retransmissions. The delay time = initial push delay × 2ⁿ + rand(0, 999) ms, where n is the current number of retransmissions.

5. The meter self-registration method based on Wi-SUN communication technology as described in claim 1 or 4, characterized in that... In S1, the function software for pushing data frames from the electricity meter is implemented using a state machine, including idle state, trigger state, waiting for confirmation state, and retransmission state. From the trigger state, a random timer is started to switch to the retransmission state. After pushing, it switches to the waiting for confirmation state. Upon receiving confirmation, it switches to the idle state or switches to the retransmission state after timeout. After the number of retransmissions exceeds the threshold, it switches to the idle state to wait for re-networking.

6. The meter self-registration method based on Wi-SUN communication technology as described in claim 1, characterized in that... In S2, the high-priority CONNECTIVITY CONFIRM connection confirmation meter reading task is generated as follows: the concentrator uses the Push Setup method of the DLMS interface class to send a CONFIRM confirmation response frame to the meter. The CONFIRM confirmation response frame includes the confirmation result, the meter logical device name, the module IPv6 address, and the module MAC address. In the concentrator task scheduling, the CONNECTIVITY CONFIRM connection confirmation meter reading task has a higher priority than the regular meter reading task, and is second only to the main station HES transparent transmission task.

7. The meter self-registration method based on Wi-SUN communication technology as described in claim 1, characterized in that... S3 includes: The concentrator parses the CONNECTIVITY confirmation data frame, first comparing it with the records in the local Meter_IP table, and then maintaining and updating the database Meter_IP and content mapping table; If the information in the local Meter_IP is inconsistent with the information registered in the table, the concentrator unbinds the original mapping relationship between the logical device name and the IPv6 address, establishes a new mapping relationship between the meter logical device name, the module IPv6 address and the module MAC address, and synchronously updates the Meter_IP table and the memory mapping table in the database. If the information in the local Meter_IP table is not available, the concentrator will directly create a new mapping relationship between the meter logical device name, module IPv6 address and module MAC address, and synchronize it to the Meter_IP table and memory mapping table in the database.

8. The meter self-registration method based on Wi-SUN communication technology as described in claim 1, characterized in that... In S3, if the meter is a new device not registered in the concentrator file, it includes: The concentrator compares the logical device name of the electricity meter in the frame with the local electricity meter database. When it is determined to be a new device, the concentrator reports the new device information through the Data-Notification service in the DLMS standard. The Data-Notification includes a long call identifier and priority, date and time, and notification content. The notification content includes the logical device name, Push Setup interface class logical name, device SAP, and status value indicating that a file needs to be sent.

9. The meter self-registration method based on Wi-SUN communication technology as described in claim 7, characterized in that... In S3, the main station HES sends the generator meter files to the concentrator after making a decision based on the archive database, including: After receiving the Data-Notification, the main station HES sends a Data-Notification-Confirm confirmation, which includes a long call identifier, priority, and date and time. The main station HES searches the meter archive database, determines the matching file according to the management strategy, and sends the complete terminal file to the concentrator. The concentrator stores the file to complete the registration closed loop.

10. A self-registration system for electricity meters based on Wi-SUN communication technology, characterized in that, The system is configured to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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