DEVICE FOR RECEIVING COUNTER DATA FROM AT LEAST ONE WIRELESSLY COMMUNICATING DIGITAL COUNTER

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for receiving meter data from at least one wirelessly communicating digital meter and for transmitting the received meter data by means of a communication unit of an intelligent metering system to at least one server of at least one external market participant.

[0002] As part of the so-called "smart meter rollout," analog electricity meters in private households in Germany are being replaced by electronic electricity meters with digital meter reading displays. This involves, among other things, the installation of so-called "intelligent metering systems" with a communication unit or a "smart meter gateway" to transmit the meter reading to a receiving address of the grid operator or the customer's electricity supplier.

[0003] In other countries, electricity meters are also being modernized by replacing analog meters with digital ones. In addition, other types of meters, such as gas meters, water meters, or district heating meters, can also be modernized and designed as smart metering systems.

[0004] While the communication unit in smart metering systems enables wireless transmission of the meter reading to an external market participant, such as the electricity supplier or its server, or in other words its IT back-end, thus allowing for easy calculation of the payments to be made by the customer for their allocated electricity consumption, this option is not available for other digital meters due to cost considerations.

[0005] Nevertheless, there are digital meters that are also equipped for wireless communication or can be easily retrofitted. They may have a communication device, such as an antenna, and transmit meter data using a communication protocol.

[0006] However, the problem is that different meters use different communication protocols, and these protocols are often different from those supported by smart metering systems. This makes communication between them difficult, or even impossible without significant technical and financial investment.

[0007] To transmit meter data from meters without a communication unit to the external market participant or its server, additional communication units or devices are usually necessary for each of these meters, which support the communication protocol of the respective meter and are set up to transmit the meter data to the server of the external market participant.

[0008] Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a solution by means of which different meter readings can be transmitted to one or more external market participants in a simple and cost-effective manner.

[0009] The foregoing problem is solved by the subject matter of independent claims 1, 10 and 12.

[0010] Accordingly, the invention solves the problem according to a first aspect by means of a system according to claim 1.

[0011] The inventors have discovered that utilizing the communication unit, which can also be called a smart meter gateway, of the smart metering system for wirelessly communicating digital meters would provide a solution to transmit all meter data from wirelessly communicating digital meters within range to a server of an external market participant or to servers of various market participants using only one communication unit, namely that of the smart metering system.

[0012] However, it has been shown that the different communication protocols used, namely the different meter communication protocols of the meters themselves and the different communication unit communication protocol, do not allow direct communication between the meters and the communication unit.

[0013] The device of the system according to the invention is configured, on the one hand, to receive meter data from at least one wirelessly communicating digital meter, in particular from at least two or more wirelessly communicating digital meters. On the other hand, it is configured to transmit the received meter data via the communication unit of the smart metering system to a server of an external market participant or to servers of various external market participants.

[0014] Accordingly, the device establishes a communication bridge between the meters and the communication unit. This enables the communication unit of the smart metering system to transmit meter data not only from one digital meter within the smart metering system, but also from other digital meters. This eliminates the need to equip the other digital meters with communication units for simple and reliable meter reading. As a result, the costs for installing meters in buildings are significantly reduced, and the data quality of the meter data for external market participants is considerably improved.

[0015] The device can be designed, for example, as a building-wide device, such as an apartment building with one or more households, or as a device for a single household. Accordingly, the smart metering system can be that of a private household, and the wirelessly communicating digital meters can also be those of a private household. The meter can, in particular, be a modern metering device with a digital counter. Thus, the device serves as a solution for supplying private households with utilities such as electricity, water, district heating, and gas.

[0016] The external market participant is the one who can passively read the smart metering system, in particular its meter data, and who is authorized to actively perform switching operations via control boxes connected to the smart metering system. This could be, for example, the operator of the meter or a supplier of electricity, water, district heating, or gas. For instance, this could be a municipal utility.

[0017] The meter data can, in particular, contain at least a current meter reading. The current meter reading can be the reading displayed on a digital meter reading display. Furthermore, the meter data can contain additional information, such as meter identification information, for example in the form of a meter identification number, or information about any attempted tampering.

[0018] The device may further include: a processing unit, in particular with a microprocessor, which is configured to process the counter data received from the at least one counter before it is transmitted to the communication unit.

[0019] Accordingly, the device is set up to process the meter data received from at least one meter before transmitting the received meter data via the communication unit.

[0020] It may be provided that the processing unit is set up to format the meter data received from the at least one meter into a standardized data format.

[0021] This allows different data formats from different meters to always arrive at at least one server of the external market participant in a standardized data format and thus be processed immediately. For example, it can be configured that one of at least two meters uses a first data format, and the second of at least two meters uses a second data format that differs from the first. The processing unit reads the meter data in both the first and second data formats and converts or formats this data into the predefined standardized data format.

[0022] In particular, it may be provided that the communication unit communication protocol is a wireless protocol.

[0023] This allows the device to be placed or installed virtually anywhere in a building or room within a wireless range of the communication unit communication protocol to the communication unit and a wireless range to at least one meter.

[0024] Furthermore, it may be provided that the communication unit communication protocol is based on a Home Area Network.

[0025] The communication unit can support multiple communication protocols. The communication unit's communication protocol can only be one of these multiple protocols. As a Home Area Network (HAN), the communication unit's communication protocol allows local access to and from the communication unit. Furthermore, other communication protocols can include a local metrological network for accessing the digital meter of the smart meter and a Wide Area Network (WAN) for external access. The WAN can be used to connect the communication unit to at least one server of at least one external market participant.

[0026] According to the invention, the receiving unit supports at least two different wireless meter communication protocols.

[0027] This allows the device to communicate with meters that support different meter communication protocols. In this way, the device can cover a wide range of different meter types and designs, and thus establish communication with many or all different meters.

[0028] Furthermore, it may be provided that at least one meter communication protocol is based on a Wireless M-Bus standard and / or a Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN).

[0029] In particular, one of at least two meter communication protocols can be based on the Wireless M-Bus standard, and another of the at least two meter communication protocols can be based on the Long Range Wide Area Network.

[0030] The receiving unit may include a wireless m-bus receiver and a wireless m-bus antenna, as well as a LoRaWAN receiver and a LoRaWAN antenna.

[0031] Designing the receivers with two antennas, namely a wireless m-bus antenna and a LoRaWAN antenna, allows for a particularly cost-effective device to be manufactured, since a combination antenna or an antenna that supports both meter communication protocols is disproportionately more expensive in comparison.

[0032] In particular, the device may be provided with a power connection for supplying electricity.

[0033] Compared to a solution with an energy storage device, such as a battery, this device is virtually maintenance-free. The device can have a connection for a low-voltage network or be connected directly to a power distribution network. For example, the device can have a mains plug for a wall socket and be designed to be plugged into the socket and powered by it.

[0034] The system according to the invention thus offers the same advantages as described in detail with reference to the device of the system. Furthermore, the system can be suitable for carrying out the method described later according to another aspect of the invention.

[0035] It may be provided that the device is configured to establish a transparent data channel with a continuous IP connection between the device and at least one server of at least one external market participant via the communication unit, whereby the received meter data is transmitted via the transparent data channel.

[0036] With such a transparent data channel, the communication unit itself is unaware of the communication between the device and at least one server, and does not participate in the communication; it receives no data or anything similar. Instead, communication takes place directly between the device and at least one server via the communication unit.

[0037] Furthermore, it may be stipulated that at least one meter is an electricity meter, gas meter, water meter or district heating meter.

[0038] Furthermore, the system may include two wirelessly communicating digital meters, which in particular support different wireless meter communication protocols.

[0039] It may be stipulated that at least two meters are different from electricity, gas, water, or district heating meters. Such different meters often support different meter communication protocols.

[0040] The device's processing unit can format the different data formats of the meter data from these meters into a standardized data format. Alternatively, this formatting can take place on the server of the external market participant.

[0041] According to the invention, the intelligent metering system includes a digital meter.

[0042] The digital meter can be, for example, an electricity meter or a gas meter. As part of the smart meter rollout, electricity meters are currently being installed in Germany as intelligent metering systems. In this respect, the communication units of these intelligent metering systems, which are designed for transmitting the meter reading of the digital meter of the intelligent metering system and are not compatible with the meter communication protocols of other digital meters, can also be made usable for these other digital meters without a communication unit by means of the device according to the invention.

[0043] According to another aspect of the invention, the problem mentioned at the outset is solved by a method according to claim 10.

[0044] Thus, according to the further aspect of the invention, the method offers the same advantages as those described in detail with reference to the device of the system of the invention.

[0045] The procedure may further include the step of sending meter data from the at least one wirelessly communicating digital meter to the device or the device's receiving unit. This can occur before the meter data is received by the receiving unit.

[0046] The transmission of the meter data received by the at least one meter can be carried out via the communication unit over a transparent data channel with a continuous IP connection between the device and the at least one server of the at least one external market participant.

[0047] Furthermore, the procedure may include the step of processing the meter data received from at least one meter before transmitting it to the communication unit.

[0048] The processing may involve formatting the data format of the meter data received from at least one meter into a standardized data format.

[0049] Furthermore, it can be provided that meter data from at least two wirelessly communicating digital meters is received by the receiving unit and transmitted to at least two different servers of different external market participants. This allows the meter readings to be transmitted to different external market participants. Separate, transparent data channels can be established between the different servers for this purpose.

[0050] According to another aspect of the invention, the problem is solved by a computer program product according to claim 12.

[0051] This means that the computer program product offers the same advantages as those described in detail with reference to the device of the system of the invention.

[0052] The computer program product can be executed by a microprocessor of the device. The computer program product can also be stored in the device's memory.

[0053] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in detail with reference to the drawings. The features mentioned in the claims and in the description can each be essential to the invention individually or in any combination. The drawings schematically show: Fig. 1 shows a view of a system according to an embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of the system. Figure 1 .

[0054] In the following figures, identical reference numerals are used for the same technical features, even in different embodiments.

[0055] Figure 1 shows a view of a system 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. Figure 2 shows a schematic view of the system Figure 1 and shows towards the Figure 1 More details, in particular regarding the components of the respective devices or equipment of System 1 shown. In the following, System 1 and an embodiment of a method according to the invention are described with reference to the Figure 1 and 2 explained by example.

[0056] System 1 comprises two meters 20.1 and 20.2, a device 10, and a smart metering system 30. System 1 communicates with a server 40 of an external market participant via the smart metering system 30, specifically its communication unit 32.

[0057] As an alternative to the system 1 shown, system 1 can also comprise only one meter 20 or more than the two meters 20.1 and 20.2. Furthermore, system 1 can communicate with more than one server 40 of an external market participant, for example, with two or more servers 40 of different external market participants. This allows meter data from different meters 20.1 and 20.2 to be transmitted to different external market participants.

[0058] In this case, the first meter 20.1 is configured as a gas meter 20.1. However, it can alternatively be configured as any other meter 20, particularly one that can be used in a private household. Thus, the first meter 20.1 can also be configured as a water meter, electricity meter, or district heating meter.

[0059] The gas meter 20.1 is digital and has a first meter reading display 21.1. Furthermore, the gas meter 20.1 has a first meter communication device 22.1. The first meter communication device 22.1 supports a first meter communication protocol 50.1. The first meter communication protocol 50.1 operates wirelessly.

[0060] In this case, the second meter 20.2 is configured as a water meter 20.2. However, it can alternatively be configured as any other meter 20, particularly one that can be used in a private household. Thus, the first meter 20.1 can also be configured as a gas meter, electricity meter, or district heating meter.

[0061] The water meter 20.2 is digital and has a second meter reading display 21.2. Furthermore, the water meter 20.2 has a second meter communication device 22.2. The second meter communication device 22.2 supports a second meter communication protocol 50.2. The second meter communication protocol 50.2 operates wirelessly.

[0062] Furthermore, the second meter communication protocol, 50.2, differs from the first meter communication protocol, 50.1. In this case, the first meter communication protocol, 50.1, is based on a Wireless m-Bus standard. The second meter communication protocol, 50.2, however, is based on a Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN).

[0063] Both meters 20.1 and 20.2 transmit their meter data wirelessly to device 10 using the meter communication protocols 50.1 and 50.2, or connections based on them. Device 10 has a receiver 11 for receiving this meter data. The receiver 11 is equipped with a first antenna 12 and a first receiver 13, as well as a second antenna 14 and a second receiver 15.

[0064] In this document, the first antenna 12 is designed as a wireless m-bus antenna 12 and the first receiver 13 as a wireless m-bus receiver 13. This allows the receiving unit 11 to communicate with the first counter 20.1 via the first counter communication protocol 50.1, which is based on a wireless m-bus standard.

[0065] Furthermore, the second antenna 14 is designed as a LoRaWAN antenna 14 and the second receiver 15 as a LoRaWAN receiver 15. This allows the receiving unit 11 to communicate with the second counter 20.2 via the second counter communication protocol 50.2, which is based on LoRaWAN.

[0066] Device 10 has a power connection 19, which ensures its power supply. The received meter data from the two meters 20.1 and 20.2 are processed by a processing unit 16 with a microprocessor 17. In doing so, the meter data from meters 20.1 and 20.2 are converted into a standardized data format.

[0067] The meter data is then transmitted in the standardized data format to the server 40 of the external market participant via a transmission unit 18 of the device 10. For this purpose, a wireless connection is established between the transmission unit 18 and the communication unit 32 of the smart metering system 32, based on a communication unit communication protocol 51.

[0068] The smart metering system 30 includes a digital meter 31. In this case, the meter 31 is an electricity meter, but it could also be another type of meter. The communication unit 32 normally only allows a server communication connection 52 to be established between the communication unit 32 and the server 40 for the transmission of data from the smart metering system 30, in particular meter data from its meter 31.

[0069] Using device 10 and a wireless communication unit communication protocol 51, in this case based on a home area network, a wireless connection is established between the transmission unit 18 and the communication unit 32. This allows device 10 to create a transparent data channel with a continuous IP connection between device 10 and the server 40 of the external market participant. Device 10 can then use the transparent data channel to access the server communication connection 52, which can be implemented, for example, on the basis of a wide area network, to transmit the meter data in the standardized data format of meters 20.1 and 20.2 to the external market participant's server 40.

[0070] In particular, the device 10 can also be configured to establish the transparent data channel with the server communication connection 52 with other servers 40 of other external market participants (not shown). This allows the meter data of the respective meters 20.1, 20.2 to be transmitted to the relevant external market participant. For this purpose, the device 10 can establish different transparent data channels for each server 40 of the respective external market participant.

[0071] For example, the gas meter reading from gas meter 20.1 can be sent to server 40 of an external market participant, namely the household's gas supplier or the customer of gas meter 20.1. The water meter reading from water meter 20.2 can, in turn, be sent to another server 40 of an external market participant, namely the household's water supplier or the customer of water meter 20.2. And the electricity meter reading from smart meter 30 can be sent to yet another server of an external market participant, namely the household's electricity supplier or the customer of smart meter 30.

[0072] The preceding explanation of the embodiments describes the present invention solely by way of examples. Naturally, individual features of the embodiments can be freely combined with one another, provided this is technically feasible, without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. Reference symbol list

[0073] 10 Device 11 Receiving unit 12 First antenna, Wireless m-Bus antenna 13 First receiver, Wireless m-Bus receiver 14 Second antenna, LoRaWAN antenna 15 Second receiver, LoRaWAN receiver 16 Processing unit 17 Microprocessor 18 Transmission unit 19 Power connection 20 Meter, gas meter, water meter 21 Meter reading display 22 Meter communication device 30 Smart metering unit 31 Meter 32 Communication unit 40 Server 50 Meter communication protocol 51 Communication unit communication protocol 52 Server communication link

Claims

1. System (1) having a device (10) for receiving meter data from at least one wirelessly communicating digital meter (20.1, 20.2) and for transmitting the received meter data by means of a smart meter gateway (32) of an intelligent metering system (30) to at least one server (40) of at least one external market participant, the device (10) having: (a) a receiving unit (11) adapted to receive meter data from the at least one meter (20.1, 20.2) by means of at least one wireless meter communication protocol (50.1, 50.2), wherein the at least one meter communication protocol (50.1, 50.2) is supported by the at least one meter (20.1, 20.2), and (b) a transmission unit (18) which is set up to transmit meter data to the smart meter gateway (32) by means of a smart meter gateway communication protocol (51) different from the at least one meter communication protocol (50.1, 50.2) and to transmit it to the at least one server (40) of the at least one external market participant by means of the smart meter gateway (32), the smart meter gateway communication protocol (51) being supported by the smart meter gateway (32), wherein the receiver unit (11) supports at least two different wireless meter communication protocols (50.1, 50.2), and with the at least one wirelessly communicating digital meter (20.1, 20.2) and the intelligent metering system (30), wherein the intelligent metering system (30) has a digital meter (31), wherein the device (10) is set up to transmit the meter data received from the at least one meter (20.1, 20.2) to the at least one server (40) of the at least one external market participant by means of the smart meter gateway (32) of the intelligent metering system (30).

2. System (1) according to claim 1, wherein the device (10) is set up to establish a transparent data channel with a continuous IP connection between the device (10) and the at least one server (40) of the at least one external market participant by means of the smart meter gateway (30), wherein the received meter data is transmitted by means of the transparent data channel.

3. System (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the at least one meter (20.1, 20.2) is an electricity meter, gas meter, water meter or district heating meter.

4. System (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the system (1) comprises two wirelessly communicating digital meters (20.1, 20.2), which in particular support wireless meter communication protocols (50.1, 50.2) which are different from each other.

5. System (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the device (10) further comprises: a processing unit (16), in particular comprising a microprocessor (17), adapted to process the meter data received from the at least one meter (20.1, 20.2) before transmitting it to the smart meter gateway (32), in particular wherein the processing unit (16) is adapted to format a data format of the meter data received from the at least one meter (20.1, 20.2) into a standardized data format.

6. System (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the smart meter gateway communication protocol (51) is a wireless protocol.

7. System (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the smart meter gateway communication protocol (51) is based on a home area network.

8. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one meter communication protocol (50.1, 50.2) is based on a wireless m-bus standard and / or a Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN), in particular wherein the receiving unit (11) comprises a wireless m-bus receiver (13) and a wireless m-bus antenna (12) and a LoRaWAN receiver (15) and a LoRaWAN antenna (14).

9. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the device (10) comprises a power connection (19) for supplying power.

10. A method carried out in a system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, the method comprising the steps of: (a) receiving meter data from the at least one wirelessly communicating digital meter (20.1, 20.2) by means of the receiving unit (11) of the device (10), and (b) transmitting the meter data received from the at least one meter (20.1, 20.2) to the at least one server (40) of the at least one external market participant by means of the smart meter gateway (32) of the intelligent metering system (30), wherein the intelligent metering system (30) has a digital meter (31).

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises the step of: Processing the meter data received from the at least one meter (20.1, 20.2) before it is transmitted to the smart meter gateway (32).

12. A computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a device (10) of the system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, cause it to execute the method according to any one of claims 10 or 11.