Patent · US Active

Utility meter for metering a utility consumption and optimizing upstream communications and method for managing these communications

US9664531B2 · kind B2 · utility

10Cited by
3References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 19, 2012
Grant dateMay 30, 2017
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 23, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY04S20/30
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A utility meter and method for metering consumption of at least one utility including: a metering unit, a communication unit for sending/receiving messages to/from a management center, a memory to store a unique identifier pertaining to the utility meter and a first key, an encryption unit for encrypting the utility consumption as a first cryptogram, a message generator for generating a utility message containing the first cryptogram, a key generator for generating a payload key to be used by the encryption unit for encrypting the utility consumption, a second cryptogram generated by the encryption unit by encrypting the payload key with the first key, the second cryptogram being intended to be included, by the message generator, at least once into the utility message to be sent to the remote management center.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.