Wireless transmission of a command

A method for controlling wireless transmission of a command from a gateway to a utility meter

• wherein the utility meter comprises a wireless communication interface, a processor for executing commands received via the wireless communication interface, a first Command Message Counter (CMC), and a utility meter ID, and
• wherein the gateway comprises a wireless communication interface, a processor for generating data messages comprising commands, a second CMC associated with the utility meter ID of the utility meter, and a Command Message Counter Limit (CMCL),
• the method comprising:
• determining in the gateway if the second CMC associated with the utility meter ID of the utility meter has reached the CMCL,
• if the second CMC has reached the CMCL, refrain from transmitting the command to the utility meter,
• if the second CMC has not reached the CMCL:
• generate in the gateway a data message including the command, the utility meter ID of the utility meter, and a third CMC, wherein the third CMC is assigned a value calculated as the value of the second CMC associated with the utility meter ID plus an offset,
• transmit the generated data message from the gateway to the utility meter,
• update in the gateway the value of the second CMC according to the value of the third CMC,
• receive in the utility meter the data message transmitted from the gateway, and
• compare in the utility meter the third CMC in the received data message to the first CMC of the utility meter,
• if the value of the third CMC exceeds the value of the first CMC, allow execution of the command comprised in the received data message and set the value of the first CMC to be equal to the value of the third CMC,
• if the value of the third CMC does not exceed the value of the first CMC, refrain from allowing execution of the command comprised in the received data message.