Methods for reading data in a utility meter

A method to read energy related data in a power meter comprising:

• sending a request message to an on-premise processor directing the on-premise processor to read energy related data from a power meter identified by a meter identification number using an 802.11X-based wireless protocol;
• retrieving energy related data stored in a memory of the power meter by the on-premise processor using the 802.11X-based wireless protocol and the meter identification number;
• receiving a response message sent at a host processor communicated from the on-premise processor using the 802.11X wireless protocol indicating the energy related data and the meter identification number;
• and
• recording the energy related data associated with the meter identification number in a data structure in memory of the host processor along with a date and time information.

A method for reading data from a utility meter, comprising:

• storing a utility meter address and a utility meter reading schedule in an on-premise processor indicating a time to read data from at least one utility meter;
• communicating a meter reading request message incorporating the utility meter address from the on-premise processor to the utility meter using an 802.1 1X wireless protocol at a time indicated by the meter reading schedule;
• receiving a meter reading response message at the on-premise processor containing usage related data communicated using the 802.1 1X wireless protocol;
• and
• sending a meter reading report message from the on-premise processor to a host processor, the meter reading report message including usage data, meter type, and the utility meter address.

A method for a host processor to read measurement data from a utility meter, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a first request message at the on-premise processor sent from the host processor requesting measurement data from an utility meter wherein the request includes a meter identifier associated with the utility meter;
• sending a first acknowledgment message in response to the first request by the on-premise processor to the host processor indicating error free receipt of the first request;
• sending a second request message from the on-premise processor to the utility meter communicated using a 802.11X wireless protocol requesting measurement data from the utility meter;
• receiving a first response message at the on-premise processor from the utility meter communicated using the 802.11X wireless protocol including the measurement data and a date;
• sending a second acknowledgement message from the on-premise processor to the host processor including the measurement data and the date;
• and
• recording the measurement data and the date in a data structure associated with the meter identifier in the host processor.

A method for a host processor to obtain measurement data from a utility meter, comprising:

• receiving periodic measurement data at the on-premise processor from the utility meter communicated using an 802.11X wireless protocol containing a utility meter identification number;
• storing the measurement data and the identification number in a memory in an on-premise processor along with time-related data;
• receiving a first request message at the on-premise processor from the host processor requesting the measurement data for the utility meter, the first request message including the utility meter identification number;
• retrieving the measurement data and the time-related data in the memory of the on-premise processor associated with the utility meter identification number;
• and
• sending a reporting message from the on-premise processor to the host processor incorporating the measurement data, the utility meter identification number, and the time-related data.