Patent ID: 7609719
Filing Date: 2009-10-27
Classification: G01R,H04L,Y04S

Abstract:
1. A method for providing simultaneous communications between an electronic power meter and a plurality of applications, the electronic power meter including a processor, an Ethernet card and a serial channel coupling the processor to the Ethernet card according to a first protocol, said method comprising the steps of: receiving a data packet over an Ethernet connection via the Ethernet card, said data packet using an Ethernet protocol wrapper; removing said Ethernet protocol wrapper; determining a secondary protocol used by said data packet by inspecting said data packet after said Ethernet protocol wrapper is removed; routing said data packet to the processor based on said step of determining said secondary protocol including routing if the determined secondary protocol matches the first protocol; if during said step of determining the secondary protocol does not match the first protocol, appending a wrapper according to the first protocol to said data packet and routing the data packet to the processor after the wrapper is appended to the data packet; parsing said data packet; providing a response packet including electrical energy metering information of said electronic power meter using said first protocol wherein the providing is performed by the processor in the electronic power meter and routing said response packet from the processor in the electronic power meter to the Ethernet card in the electronic power meter; appending an Ethernet protocol wrapper to said response packet; and transmitting said response packet over said Ethernet connection.