Secure tokens for controlling access to a resource in a resource distribution network

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by a meter, provisioning data via at least a mesh network, the provisioning data comprising:
• a command that causes the meter to switch from a mode that continuously maintains a connection of the meter to a resource distribution network to a mode for accepting payment-based tokens;
• a secret key;
• and
• token acceptance parameters;
• receiving, by the meter, a payment-based token, wherein the meter is configured to:
• operate in either:
• a mode that continuously maintains the connection of the meter to the resource distribution network at a geographical location;
• or
• a mode for accepting payment-based tokens;
• switch from the mode that continuously maintains the connection of the meter to the resource distribution network to the mode for accepting payment-based tokens, upon receiving the command from the provisioning data;
• control a connection of premises associated with the meter to the resource distribution network, wherein the payment-based token is generated based on an identifier of the meter and a credit value determined based on a payment made for the meter, and wherein the credit value is configured to take a value between a negative credit value limit to a positive credit value limit, wherein the payment-based token comprises:
• a transaction identifier, the transaction identifier comprising at least a binary portion of a binary serial number and wherein a value of the serial number is 0 for a first payment-based token for the meter and a monotonic increase of a previous serial number for subsequent payment based tokens;
• and
• a sub-type field indicating an adjustment direction associated with the credit value, and wherein the payment-based token is generated by determining a value for the sub-type field to indicate the adjustment direction is negative based on determining that the credit value is negative;
• validating, by the meter, the payment-based token, comprising determining that the payment-based token is generated for the meter based on information related to the identifier of the meter;
• in response to determining that the payment-based token is valid, determining, by the meter, a balance associated with the meter based on the credit value specified in the payment-based token, wherein determining the balance comprises:
• parsing the payment token to identify the sub-type field to determine the adjustment direction associated with the credit value, and
• reducing the balance associated with the meter based on determining that the sub-type field indicates the adjustment direction associated with the credit value is negative;
• and
• connecting or disconnecting, by the meter, the premises from the resource distribution network based on the balance associated with the meter.

A method, comprising:

• sending, by a headend system, provisioning data to a meter via at least a mesh network, wherein the provisioning data is configured to include:
• a command that causes the meter to switch from a mode that continuously maintains a connection of the meter to a resource distribution network to a mode for accepting payment-based tokens;
• a secret key;
• and
• token acceptance parameters;
• and wherein the meter is installed at a geographical location and configured to:
• operate in either:
• a mode that continuously maintains the connection of the meter to the resource distribution network at the geographical location;
• or
• a mode for accepting payment-based tokens;
• switch from the mode that continuously maintains the connection of the meter to the resource distribution network to the mode for accepting payment-based tokens, upon receiving the command from the provisioning data;
• control a connection of premises at the geographical location to the resource distribution network;
• receiving, by the headend system, a request to generate a payment-based token with a credit value based on a payment made for the meter, wherein the credit value is configured to take a value between a negative credit value limit and a positive credit value limit;
• generating, by the headend system, the payment-based token based on an identifier of the meter and the credit value, wherein the payment-based token comprises:
• a transaction identifier, the transaction identifier comprising at least a binary portion of a binary serial number and wherein a value of the serial number is 0 for a first payment-based token for the meter and a monotonic increase of a previous serial number for subsequent payment based tokens;
• a sub-type field indicating an adjustment direction associated with the credit value, and wherein generating the payment-based token comprises determining a value for the sub-type field to indicate the adjustment direction is negative based on determining that the credit value is negative;
• and
• transmitting, by the headend system, the payment-based token to the meter over at least the mesh network, wherein the payment-based token is usable by the meter to update a balance associated with the meter and to connect or disconnect the premises from the resource distribution network based on the balance associated with the meter, wherein determining the balance comprises:
• parsing the payment token to identify the sub-type field to determine the adjustment direction associated with the credit value, and
• reducing the balance associated with the meter based on determining that the sub-type field indicates the adjustment direction associated with the credit value is negative.