Procedure for operating a smart meter gateway with a mobile communications module

Abstract

A method is provided for operating a smart meter gateway (1) with a mobile radio module (9), wherein the mobile radio module (9) has a modem (10) and an embedded system (11) which is designed to operate a network management client (12) with which the modem can be configured, and wherein the smart meter gateway (1) has a processor (3) which interacts with a main memory (4) and / or a flash memory (5) in order to operate an application software (19) on an operating system (18), with which application software measurement data is read out and encrypted for forwarding to the authorized recipient on the mobile radio module (9), wherein an interface manager (20) is also operated on the operating system (18), with which interface manager the modem (10) can be configured, wherein the interface manager (20) checks, before configuring the modem (10),whether the modem (10) has already been configured by the network management client (12) and only configures the modem (10) if this is not the case.

Description

[0001] Smart Meter Gateways (SMGW) are the central components of intelligent metering systems. They receive meter data, store it, and prepare it for market participants. Accordingly, they serve as the central communication unit of intelligent metering systems, through which communication - with the Local Metrological Network (LMN) with consumption measuring points of one or more consumers, - with the home network (Home Area Network, HAN) of the end user, in particular with controllable energy consumers or energy producers, and - with the wide area network (WAN), in particular with the SMGW administrator and external market participants.

[0002] Smart meter gateways are subject to strict security guidelines. Compliance with these guidelines must be demonstrated in a certification process conducted by the BSI. All security-critical elements subject to certification are summarized in the so-called "Target of Evaluation" (TOE).

[0003] According to the current state of the art, network communication is typically implemented via cellular modules outside the TOE, since the corresponding modem cannot manipulate the encrypted communication, especially the measurement data and switching commands. The configuration of these cellular modules (in particular, the definition of APN, IP version, user, password, etc.) is currently performed from the secure area of the TOE using an interface manager (IfMgr) software module. The interface manager communicates via a serial connection using modem-specific AT commands, usually when the modem is activated. Commands are sent exclusively from the interface manager to the modem.

[0004] One problem arises from the fact that, for the operational operation of the SMGWs, the (large) metering point operators, in particular, need the ability to monitor and correct the connection quality of the mobile network connection and its configuration. Accordingly, this communication network management, for which the term "network management" (NwMgmt) is also used below, must provide a way to influence the configuration of the mobile network modem without compromising the security of the smart meter gateway. However, a delivered smart meter gateway should also be functional without integration into the communication network management, so the modem is routinely configured when the smart meter gateway is started. However, if the mobile network module has already been integrated into a network management system with its network management client, this can lead to inconsistencies or reverse this integration.

[0005] Various communication devices used in connection with measuring systems for measuring transmitted energy and methods for their use are described, for example, in DE 10 2012 222 573 A1, KR 2023 0 008 550 A and EP 3 930 291 A1.

[0006] The problem to be solved by the invention is therefore to provide a method for operating a smart meter gateway with a mobile communications module that reliably prevents the occurrence of such inconsistencies. This problem is solved by a method having the features of patent claim 1. Advantageous developments of the method are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0007] The method according to the invention serves to operate a smart meter gateway with a mobile communications module. The mobile communications module comprises a modem 10 and an embedded system 11 configured to operate a network management client 12, which can be used, in particular, to configure the modem.

[0008] The smart meter gateway operated with the method according to the invention further comprises a processor which interacts with a main memory and / or a flash memory in order to operate, in particular, application software on an operating system with which, in particular, measurement data is read out and an encrypted communication channel is established via modem and mobile network, via which the measurement data and switching commands are then transmitted to the authorized recipient.

[0009] To implement such a transmission, the modem must be configured, in particular by defining the APN, IP version, user name, password, etc. To enable this configuration after installation, an interface manager is also run on the operating system, at least temporarily, with which the modem can be configured. This operation is at least temporary because, once the modem is configured, the interface manager does not necessarily need to continue running unless it is being used for other functions.

[0010] Essential to the method according to the invention is that the interface manager checks whether the modem has already been configured by the network management client before configuring it, and only configures the modem if this is not the case. This upstream check reliably prevents the interface manager from changing an existing configuration and thus ensures that settings made by the network management client remain in place.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment of the method, the upstream check is realized in that the network manager client sets a characteristic parameter when configuring the modem and the interface manager checks whether this characteristic parameter is set.

[0012] Preferably, checking whether the modem has already been configured by the network management client can involve retrieving the modem's configuration using a read-only AT command. This approach virtually completely eliminates the possibility of compromising the smart meter gateway through the check.

[0013] It is a good practice for the interface manager to wait a specified time, such as 30 seconds, after the modem is activated before starting the check. This ensures that the network management client has completed any configuration operations on the modem that are regularly performed at system startup before the check is performed.

[0014] The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary figures. It shows: Fig. 1: a schematic diagram of a smart meter gateway on which the method according to the invention can be carried out, and Fig. 2: a schematic flow diagram of an embodiment of the method according to the invention.

[0015] The Fig. The smart meter gateway 1 shown in Figure 1 has a target of evaluation 2 comprising a processor 3 interacting with a RAM 4 and a flash memory 5. Via interface manager software 8, which allows commands to be executed only from the target of evaluation 2, the modem 10 of a mobile radio module 9 can be configured so that it can be independently put into an operational state by the smart meter gateway.

[0016] The processor 3 further interacts with the RAM 4 and the flash memory 5 to run, in addition to the interface manager software 8, an application software 19 on an operating system 18. This application software 19 is used, in particular, to read measurement data, particularly from devices in a local metrological network, and to establish an encrypted communication channel via a modem and mobile network. The measurement data and switching commands are then forwarded to the authorized recipient via the mobile radio module 9, its modem 10, and the mobile radio network 14 to the backend server 22 via this channel, thereby forwarding the measurement data read out with the application software 19 to the authorized recipient via the encrypted communication channel. To do this, the modem 10 must, of course, be configured.

[0017] In addition to the modem 10, the mobile radio module 9 includes an embedded system 11 on which a network management client 12 runs, implementing a standard network management protocol such as SNMP or LwM2M. The network management client 12 can also configure the modem 10.

[0018] The Fig. The sequence of operations of such a Smart Meter Gateway 1, shown schematically as a block diagram in Figure 2, begins with the starting of the Smart Meter Gateway 1 in step S1, wherein, in particular, the modem 10 is activated and the interface manager 20 is started as part of the start-up process.

[0019] After activation or startup, the interface manager 20 initially waits a defined period of time in step S2 before retrieving the configuration from the modem 10 using an AT command in step S3 with a read-only command. In step S4, it checks whether a parameter that is only set when the modem 10 is configured by the network management client is set or not. If this is the case, the interface manager 20 proceeds directly to step S6, regular application operation, without performing any configuration operation on the modem 10 itself. If this is not the case, the modem 10 is first configured by the interface manager 20 in step S5 before proceeding to step S6, regular application operation, even if the interface manager 20 has already performed the configuration during a previous activation of the smart meter gateway 1. List of reference symbols 1 Smart Meter Gateway 2 Target of Evaluation 3 processors 4 RAM 5 flash memory 9 Mobile radio module 10 modems 11 embedded system 12 Network Management Client 14 Mobile network 18 Operating system 19 Application software 20 Interface Manager 22 Metering Server S1-S6 process steps

Claims

[1] Method for operating a smart meter gateway (1) with a mobile radio module (9), wherein the mobile radio module (9) has a modem (10) and an embedded system (11) configured to operate a network management client (12) with which the modem can be configured, and wherein the smart meter gateway (1) has a processor (3) interacting with a main memory (4) and / or a flash memory (5) to run application software (19) on an operating system (18), with which application software, in particular, measurement data is read out and an encrypted communication channel is established via the modem (10) and the mobile radio network, via which the measurement data and switching commands are transmitted and thus forwarded to an authorized recipient via the encrypted communication channel, wherein an interface manager (20) is also operated at least temporarily on the operating system (18), with which interface manager the modem (10) can be configured, characterized bythat the interface manager (20) checks whether the modem (10) has already been configured by the network management client (12) before configuring the modem (10) and only configures the modem (10) if this is not the case. [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by that the network manager client (12) sets a characteristic parameter when configuring the modem (10) and that the interface manager (20) checks whether this characteristic parameter is set. [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the check whether the modem (10) has already been configured by the network management client (12) comprises retrieving the configuration of the modem (10) with an AT command which is a read-only command. [4] Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the interface manager (20) waits a specified time after activation of the modem (10) before the check is started.

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