System, method and program for detecting anomalous events in a utility network

A method of operating a utility network communication device to detect anomalous events occurring in connection with at least one node in a utility network, the method comprising:

• defining, in the communication device, threshold operating information for nodes in the utility network, the threshold operating information including data indicative of configured acceptable operating parameters of each of the nodes in the utility network based on respective locational information of the nodes in the utility network, the locational information of each one of the nodes respectively including unique information about that node, relative to each other one of the nodes in the utility network, such that unique threshold operating information is respectively defined for each node in the utility network based on the unique locational information respectively defined for that node;
• defining, in the communication device, situational information for the nodes in the utility network, the situational information including data indicative of configured operation data expected to be received from nodes in the utility network during a predetermined time period, based on at least one of a condition and an event that is occurring during the predetermined time period;
• recording the defined threshold operating information and situational information in a memory unit of the communication device;
• receiving operation data from at least one node in the utility network;
• comparing, in a processing unit of the communication device, the received operation data with (i) the threshold operating information and (ii) the situational information which are respectively defined for the at least one node from which the operating data was received;
• determining, in a processing unit of the communication device, whether the received operation data constitutes an anomalous event based on the comparison of the received operation data with (i) the threshold operating information and (ii) the situational information;
• and
• outputting, from a notification unit of the communication device, notification of a determined anomalous event.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a computer program recorded thereon that causes a control unit of a utility network communication device communicatively connected to the computer-readable recording medium to detect anomalous events occurring in connection with at least one node in a utility network, the program causing the control unit of the communication device to execute operations comprising:

• defining threshold operating information for nodes in the utility network, the threshold operating information including data indicative of configured acceptable operating parameters of each of the nodes in the utility network based on respective locational information of the nodes in the utility network, the locational information of each one of the nodes respectively including unique information about that node, relative to each other one of the nodes in the utility network, such that unique threshold operating information is respectively defined for each node in the utility network based on the unique locational information respectively defined for that node;
• defining situational information for the nodes in the utility network, the situational information including data indicative of configured operation data expected to be received from nodes in the utility network during a predetermined time period, based on at least one of a condition and an event that is occurring during the predetermined time period;
• recording the defined threshold operating information and situational information in a memory unit of the communication device;
• receiving operation data from at least one node in the utility network;
• comparing the received operation data with (i) the threshold operating information and (ii) the situational information which are respectively defined for the at least one node from which the operating data was received;
• determining whether the received operation data constitutes an anomalous event based on the comparison of the received operation data with (i) the threshold operating information and (ii) the situational information;
• and
• outputting notification of a determined anomalous event.

A node in a utility network, the node comprising:

• a network interface configured to enable the node to communicate with at least one other node in the utility network;
• a control unit configured to detect anomalous events occurring in connection with the node in the utility network;
• and
• a memory unit having defined and recorded therein threshold operating information including data indicative of configured acceptable operating parameters of the node during a predetermined time period, the threshold operating information recorded in the memory unit including a threshold value indicating a maximum number of times that the network interface transmits a communication failure message to a first other node in the utility network attempting to communicate with the node during the predetermined time period,
• wherein the control unit is configured to
• adjust a value of a counter each time that the network interface transmits a communication failure message to the first other node, and generate operation data representing the adjusted value of the counter,
• compare the value of the counter represented in the generated operation data with the threshold value included in the threshold operating information recorded in the memory unit,
• determine that an anomalous event has occurred when the threshold value included in the recorded threshold operating information has been reached based on the comparison of the value of the counter with the threshold value included in the threshold operating information, and
• generate a notification signal indicating the determination of the anomalous event,
• wherein the node in the utility network further comprises a notification unit configured to transmit the notification signal generated by the control unit to a second other node in the utility network distinct from the first other node in the utility network, and
• wherein the node in the utility network is a utility network interface device associated with a first utility meter configured to measure consumption of a commodity distributed in the utility network.

A node in a utility network, the node comprising:

• a network interface configured to enable the node to communicate with at least one other node in the utility network;
• a control unit configured to detect anomalous events occurring in connection with the node in the utility network;
• and
• a memory unit having defined and recorded therein threshold operating information including data indicative of configured acceptable operating parameters of the node during a predetermined time period, the threshold operating information recorded in the memory unit including a threshold value indicating a maximum number of times that the network interface receives a communication from a first other node in the utility network attempting to communicate with the node during the predetermined time period,
• wherein the control unit is configured to
• adjust a value of a counter each time that the network interface receives a communication from the first other node, and generate operation data representing the adjusted value of the counter,
• compare the value of the counter represented in the generated operation data with the threshold value included in the threshold operating information recorded in the memory unit,
• determine that an anomalous event has occurred when the threshold value included in the recorded threshold operating information has been reached based on the comparison of the value of the counter with the threshold value included in the threshold operating information, and
• generate a notification signal indicating the determination of the anomalous event, and
• wherein the node in the utility network further comprises a notification unit configured to transmit the notification signal generated by the control unit to a second other node in the utility network distinct from the first other node in the utility network, and
• wherein the node is a utility network interface device associated with a first utility meter configured to measure consumption of a commodity distributed in the utility network.

A node in a utility network, the node comprising:

• a network interface configured to enable the node to communicate with at least one other node in the utility network;
• a control unit configured to detect anomalous events occurring in connection with the node in the utility network;
• and
• a memory unit having defined and recorded therein (i) a routing table including each downstream node which has registered with the node in the utility network to forward respective communications from the downstream nodes to another node constituting an upstream node of the node in the utility network, and (ii) threshold operating information including a threshold value indicating a number of the downstream nodes registered in the routing table which transmit an un-registration message to the network interface during a predetermined time period,
• wherein the control unit is configured to
• adjust a value of a counter each time that the network interface receives an un-registration message from a downstream node registered in the routing table recorded in the memory unit, and generate operation data representing the adjusted value of the counter,
• compare the value of the counter represented in the generated operation data with the threshold value included in the threshold operating information recorded in the memory unit,
• determine that an anomalous event has occurred when the threshold value included in the recorded threshold operating information has been reached based on the comparison of the value of the counter with the threshold included in the threshold operating information, and
• generate a notification signal indicating the determination of the anomalous event, and
• wherein the node in the utility network further comprises a notification unit configured to transmit the notification signal generated by the control unit to the upstream node of the utility network, and
• wherein the node in the utility network is a first utility network interface device associated with a first utility meter configured to measure consumption of a commodity distributed in the utility network.

A node in a utility network, the node comprising:

• a network interface configured to enable the node to communicate with at least one other node in the utility network;
• a control unit configured to detect anomalous events occurring in connection with the node in the utility network;
• and
• a memory unit having defined and recorded therein threshold operating information including data indicative of configured acceptable operating parameters of the node in the utility network during a predetermined time period, the threshold operating information recorded in the memory unit including a threshold value indicating a maximum value of a commodity expected to be consumed at a premises at which the node is located during the predetermined time period,
• wherein the control unit is configured to
• monitor a value of consumption of the commodity at predetermined increments of the predetermined time period, and generate operation data representing the monitored consumption value,
• compare the consumption value represented in the generated operation data with the threshold value included in the threshold operating information recorded in the memory unit,
• determine that an anomalous event has occurred when the consumption value represented in the generated operation data is greater than or equal to the threshold value included in the threshold operating information recorded in the memory unit, and
• generate a notification signal indicating the determination of the anomalous event, and
• wherein the node in the utility network further comprises a notification unit configured to transmit the notification signal to another node in the utility network with which the node in the utility network is authorized to communicate, and
• wherein the node in the utility network is a utility network interface device associated with a first utility meter configured to measure consumption of a commodity distributed in the utility network.