Virtual Cluster Meter Segmentation for Space-Constrained Utility Installations
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation of full-service utility meters is hindered by physical space constraints and the need for varying levels of data privacy, accuracy, and regulatory compliance, which existing technologies fail to address effectively, especially in environments like large apartment complexes where space is limited and data requirements are stringent.
Innovation Solution
A distributed metering approach is implemented, where metering functionality is split between a smaller metering element and a network communication device located remotely, allowing for virtual metering and isolated application spaces to manage resource consumption data, ensuring compliance with customer, utility, and regulatory requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If full-service utility meters are installed to meet diverse data handling requirements, then data privacy, accuracy and regulatory compliance are improved, but physical space requirements and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The utility metering system is segmented into two distinct components: a head-end system that handles complex data processing, storage, and compliance functions, and a simplified field device that only performs basic metering measurements. This segmentation allows the complex functionality to be located remotely where space is available, while the field device fits in limited installation spaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the complex data processing, privacy management, and regulatory compliance functions from the physical meter and relocates them to a remote head-end system. This extraction removes the burden of complex hardware requirements from the field installation, allowing simple metering devices to be installed in space-constrained locations while maintaining full compliance capabilities remotely.
2Measurement precision
If full-service utility meters with complete processing power are installed, then data accuracy and compliance are improved, but device cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex processing power, data storage, and compliance management functions from the field meter and relocates them to a centralized head-end system. The field device retains only the essential measurement functionality, significantly reducing its complexity and cost while the head-end system provides the necessary processing power to ensure data accuracy and compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The head-end system acts as an intermediary between the simple field metering devices and the utility company's billing and management systems. It receives raw measurement data from field devices, performs necessary processing and validation to ensure accuracy, manages data privacy and compliance requirements, and then interfaces with external systems, thereby distributing complexity appropriately across the architecture.
3Area of stationary object
If multiple virtual meters are hosted on a single network device, then space utilization is improved, but system complexity and data isolation requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple virtual meter instances onto a single physical head-end network device, allowing multiple customers or accounts to be served from one physical location. This consolidation improves space utilization and reduces the number of physical devices required while the virtualization software maintains logical separation and data isolation between different meter instances.
Solution Approach 2:
The head-end system creates virtual copies of metering functionality for multiple customers or accounts on a single physical device. Each virtual meter instance is a software-based copy that maintains independent data spaces and compliance configurations, allowing the system to serve multiple purposes from a single physical installation without compromising data isolation or security requirements.
Data Source
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AI summary
A distributed metering platform virtualizes functions of a conventional metrology sensor and separates the virtualized functions from a metrology sensor. One or more virtual meters or applications may be instantiated at a network communication device that is remote from the metrology sensor and processes metrology data received from the metrology sensor. Each virtual meter may include multiple partitioned application spaces that are isolated from one another. In one example, a first application space includes a locked version of code and a second application space includes an unlocked version of code. Furthermore, each virtual meter may be isolated from other virtual meters such that each virtual meter is unable to affect operations and/or data associated with other virtual meters.