# US 10,375,040 B2 · Utility meter for metering a utility consumption and optimizing upstream communications and method for managing these communications > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,375,040 B2 - Document ID: US10375040B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/256,655 - Filed: 2019-01-24 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2011-02-02 - Assignees: Nagravision S.A. - Applicants: Nagravision S.A. - Inventors: Corinne Le Buhan; Christophe Nicolas; Joel Conus - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10375040B2 ## CPC - H04L 63/0435: {wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06)} - G01D 4/002: {Remote reading of utility meters} - H04L 9/0618: {Block ciphers, i.e. encrypting groups of characters of a plain text message using fixed encryption transformation} - H04L 9/0861: {Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords} - H04L 9/14: using a plurality of keys or algorithms - H04L 9/30: Public key, i.e. encryption algorithm being computationally infeasible to invert or user's encryption keys not requiring secrecy - H04L 9/3247: {involving digital signatures} - H04Q 9/00: Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom - H04Q 2209/60: for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter - Y02B 90/20: Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector (smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00) - Y04S 20/30: Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04Q: SELECTING (switches, relays, selectors H01H; wireless communication networks H04W) - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS - Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device comprising: a data collection module configured to collect device data; and a communication circuit configured to exchange encrypted messages with a plurality of remote utility management centers, the encrypted messages including downstream messages received from the plurality of remote utility management centers and upstream messages transmitted to plurality of the remote utility management centers, the device being configured to encrypt the device data with a payload key, generate a payload message comprising the encrypted device data, transmit the payload message to the plurality of the remote utility management centers, encrypt the payload key with a first key specific to a single one of the plurality of remote utility management centers, generate a control message comprising the encrypted payload key, and transmit the control message to the single one of the plurality of remote utility management centers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the first key is a management center public key pertaining to the single one of the plurality of remote utility management centers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the first key is derived from an initialization value and a secret key known by the device, the initialization value being received through an initialization message. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, wherein the initialization message further comprises a signature for authenticating the initialization message and allowing a use of the initialization value in case of successful authentication. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, wherein the initialization message further comprises a time stamp for checking the validity of the initialization message and allowing a use of the initialization value in case of successful validity. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the device data comprise at least utility consumption values metered by a utility meter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the device is further configured to transmit the upstream messages according to a time basis defined by a command received by at least one of the plurality of remote utility management centers or a parameter from which the device is identifiable. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a utility meter or a part of the utility meter. ### Claim 9 A method for exchanging encrypted messages between a device configured to collect device data, and a plurality of remote utility management centers configured to process the device data, the encrypted messages including downstream messages received from the plurality of remote utility management centers and upstream messages transmitted to the plurality of remote utility management centers, the method comprising: encrypting the device data with a payload key; generating a payload message comprising the encrypted device data; transmitting the payload message to the plurality of the remote utility management centers; encrypting the payload key with a first key specific to a single one of the plurality of remote utility management centers; generating a control message comprising the encrypted payload key; and transmitting the control message to the single one of the plurality of remote utility management centers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the first key is a management center public key pertaining to the single one of the plurality of remote utility management centers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the first key is derived from an initialization value and a secret key known by the device, the initialization value being received through an initialization message. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the initialization message is emitted by a supervision center linked to the plurality of remote utility management centers to which the control message is transmittable. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving the initialization message by the device via one of the plurality of remote utility management centers. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the initialization message further comprises a signature for authenticating the initialization message and allowing a use of the initialization value in case of successful authentication. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the initialization message further comprises a time stamp for checking the validity of the initialization message and allowing a use of the initialization value in case of successful validity. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first key, derived from the initialization value and the secret key, is a symmetric session key. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the initialization value received through the initialization message is encrypted using a symmetric initialization session key. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting, by the device, the upstream messages according to a time basis defined by a command received by at least one of the plurality of remote utility management centers or a parameter from which the device is identifiable. ### Claim 19 A device comprising: circuitry configured to collect device data, and exchange encrypted messages with a plurality of remote utility management centers, the encrypted messages including downstream messages received from the plurality of remote utility management centers and upstream messages transmitted to plurality of the remote utility management centers, wherein the circuitry is further configured to encrypt the device data with a payload key, generate a payload message comprising the encrypted device data, transmit the payload message to the plurality of the remote utility management centers, encrypt the payload key with a first key specific to a single one of the plurality of remote utility management centers, generate a control message comprising the encrypted payload key, and transmit the control message to the single one of the plurality of remote utility management centers.