# US 8,543,344 B2 · Power meter arrangement > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,543,344 B2 - Document ID: US8543344B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/974,572 - Filed: 2010-12-21 - Published: 2012-06-21 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2010-12-21 - Assignees: Infineon Technologies Austria AG - Applicants: Sergio Rossi; Kurt Marquardt; Sandro Cerato - Inventors: Sergio Rossi; Kurt Marquardt; Sandro Cerato - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8543344B2 ## CPC - G01D 4/004: {Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location} - G01D 4/02: Details - G01R 22/066: {Arrangements for avoiding or indicating fraudulent use} - G01D 2204/12: Determination or prediction of behaviour, e.g. likely power consumption or unusual usage patterns - G01R 22/10: using digital techniques - 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 - 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 - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - 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 An electric power meter arrangement, includes a metrology unit configured to be coupled to a power line and to determine power consumption and provide measurement data representing the power consumption. A programmable control unit including a memory is configured to store software configured to run on the control unit. A security unit is configured to store at least one key and to validate that software stored in the memory of the programmable control unit is authorized. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electric power meter arrangement, comprising: a metrology unit that is configured to be coupled to a power line, to determine a power consumption, and to provide measurement data representing the power consumption; a programmable control unit including a memory that stores software configured to run on the control unit; a security unit coupled to the control unit by a communications link, the security unit configured to store at least one key and to determine whether the software stored in the memory of the programmable control unit has been altered without authorization; and a switching circuit comprising at least one switching element configured to be connected to the power line and configured to be switched on or off dependent on a drive signal received by the switching circuit, wherein the security unit is configured to receive drive information for the switching circuit from the control unit, to check a validity of the drive information, and to generate the drive signal dependent on the drive information only if the drive information has been determined to be valid. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electric power meter arrangement of claim 1, wherein the at least one key comprises a secret key. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electric power meter arrangement of claim 1, wherein the at least one key comprises a public key. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The power meter arrangement of claim 1, wherein the control unit further comprises: at least one first interface circuit which is configured to connect the control unit to a network. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The power meter arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a display coupled to the control unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The power meter arrangement of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to store measurement data. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The power meter arrangement of claim 6, wherein the security unit is configured to read out stored measurement data upon receipt of a request from the control unit, and wherein the security unit is configured to check a validity of the request, and to read out the measurement data only if the request has been determined to be valid. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The power meter arrangement of claim 1, wherein the security unit is further configured to store measurement data. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The power meter arrangement of claim 1, wherein the security unit is further configured to verify an integrity of the power meter arrangement by verifying certain behavior. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The power meter arrangement of claim 1, wherein the security unit is further configured to generate or evaluate certificates. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The power meter arrangement of claim 1, wherein at least one of the control unit and the security unit is configured to store at least one of tariff information, date information, and/or time information. ### Claim 12 A method of monitoring power, the method comprising: determining a power consumption of a power line by a metrology unit; operating a control unit using software stored in memory of the control unit; receiving data from the metrology unit by the control unit; transmitting a key stored in a security unit to the control unit; determining whether the software stored in the memory of the control unit has been tampered with using the key; transmitting drive information for a switching circuit from the control unit to the security unit; checking a validity of the drive information; and generating a drive signal based on the drive information when the drive information is valid. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein determining whether the software stored in the memory of the control unit has been tampered with comprises: retrieving an encrypted version of a checksum of the software stored in the memory of the control unit; decrypting the checksum using a private key; retrieving a public key; applying a hash algorithm to the software stored in the memory of the control unit; comparing a result of the hash algorithm to the checksum; and deactivating the software if the result of the hash algorithm is unequal to the checksum. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising preventing power from being transmitted by the power line when the software stored in the memory of the control unit has been tampered with. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: transmitting data from the control unit to a utility company using a network; transmitting software from the utility company to the control unit using the network; and transmitting control information or control data from the utility company to the control unit. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising powering down a voltage supply circuit connected to the power line when software stored in the memory of the control unit has been tampered with. ### Claim 17 A system for monitoring a power line, the system comprising: a metrology unit configured to be coupled to the power line, the metrology unit comprising a sensing device configured to be coupled to the power line, and an evaluation unit configured to calculate a power consumption based on an output of the sensing device and determine measurement data based on the power consumption; a control unit configured to receive measurement data from the metrology unit and to transmit data to the metrology unit, the control unit comprising memory, the memory configured to store a software program, and a first interface circuit configured to connect the control unit to a network; a security unit coupled to the control unit, the security unit configured to detect whether the software stored in the memory of the control unit has been tampered with, and transmit a key stored in a security unit to the control unit; and a switching circuit configured to be connected between two terminals of the power line, wherein the switching circuit coupled to the security unit, the switching circuit comprises at least one switching element configured to be connected to the power line and configured to be switched on or off dependent on a drive signal received by the switching circuit, and the security unit is configured to receive drive information for the switching circuit from the control unit, to check a validity of the drive information, and to generate the drive signal dependent on the drive information only if the drive information has been determined to be valid.