Abstract:
A non-transitory computer-readable medium having code stored thereon, the code includes instructions to receive an indication to communicatively couple a utility meter to an auxiliary device via a mobile electronic device, and capture a visual representation of a unique identifier of the utility meter via the mobile electronic device. The unique identifier includes an authentication mechanism configured to establish a first authentication and a second authentication of a user of the mobile electronic device. The code includes instructions to receive an acknowledgement to communicatively couple the mobile electronic device to the utility meter when the first authentication and the second authentication are satisfied.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The invention relates generally to utility meters, and more specifically to systems and methods for coupling auxiliary devices to the utility meters. 
         [0002]    Certain energy infrastructure, such as electric power transmission and distribution grids, may include a variety of systems and components with sensors and detection devices to detect and analyze energy data. In the energy grid example, systems may include power generation systems, power transmission systems, power distribution systems, smart utility meters, digital communications systems, control systems, and their related components. Certain smart utility meters may be used to control or regulate energy consumption of various auxiliary electrical devices (e.g., domestic electrical devices). Unfortunately, connecting and/or commissioning such auxiliary devices to be used with the utility meters and other metering infrastructure may be very complex and time-consuming. It may be useful to provide methods to facilitate the connection of the utility meters to auxiliary devices. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
       [0003]    Certain embodiments commensurate in scope with the originally claimed invention are summarized below. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but rather these embodiments are intended only to provide a brief summary of possible forms of the invention. Indeed, the invention may encompass a variety of forms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below. 
         [0004]    In a first embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable medium having code stored thereon, the code includes instructions to receive an indication to communicatively couple a utility meter to an auxiliary device via a mobile electronic device, and capture a visual representation of a unique identifier of the utility meter via the mobile electronic device. The unique identifier includes an authentication mechanism configured to establish a first authentication and a second authentication of a user of the mobile electronic device. The code includes instructions to receive an acknowledgement to communicatively couple the mobile electronic device to the utility meter when the first authentication and the second authentication are satisfied. 
         [0005]    In a second embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable medium having code stored thereon, the code includes instructions to receive an indication to connect a utility meter to a peripheral device via a handheld electronic device, and to detect a unique identifier of the utility meter via the handheld electronic device. The unique identifier includes a multifactor authentication mechanism configured to establish a first authentication and a second authentication of a user of the handheld electronic device. The code includes instructions to receive an acknowledgement to connect the handheld electronic device to the utility meter when the first authentication and the second authentication are satisfied. 
         [0006]    In a third embodiment, a system includes a utility meter configured to record a utility consumption. The utility meter includes a displayable unique identifier. The system includes a first electronic device configured to capture the displayable unique identifier of the utility meter. The displayable unique identifier includes an authentication mechanism configured to establish a first authentication and a second authentication of a user of the first electronic device as a condition for the first electronic device to communicatively access the utility meter. The system includes a second electronic communicatively coupled to the utility meter and the first electronic device and configured to grant the communicative access of the first electronic device to the utility meter when the first authentication and the second authentication are satisfied. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an embodiment of a energy generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure system, in accordance with present embodiments; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an embodiment of a metering system including a mobile electronic device, in accordance with present embodiments; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a process for authenticating and/or authorizing the mobile electronic device of  FIG. 2  via an optical detection to communicatively couple a utility meter to one or more auxiliary devices, in accordance with present embodiments; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a process for authenticating and/or authorizing the mobile electronic device of  FIG. 2  via a short-range communication channel to communicatively couple the utility meter to the one or more auxiliary devices, in accordance with present embodiments. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    One or more specific embodiments of the invention will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers&#39; specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure. 
         [0013]    When introducing elements of various embodiments of the invention, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. 
         [0014]    Present embodiments relate to systems and methods for communicatively coupling a mobile electronic device (e.g., a cell phone) to a utility meter to commission and synchronize one or more domestic auxiliary devices (e.g., indoor consumer appliances, outdoor electrical equipment, and so forth) with the utility meter. In particular, the mobile electronic device may retrieve a unique identifier of the utility meter, and request authentication and/or authorization from, for example, the utility provider to access certain functionalities of the utility meter. In certain embodiments, the authentication and/or authorization mechanism to couple the mobile electronic device to the utility meter may include two-factor authentication (TFA) or a multifactor authentication (MFA) mechanism that may require a user (utility technician or utility consumer) to satisfy at least two levels of authentication before being granted access to certain functionalities of the utility meter. However, once authenticated and/or authorized to access the utility meter by, for example, the utility provider, the mobile electronic device may be used as a gateway that may then directly couple present auxiliary devices or future auxiliary devices to the utility meter. The mobile electronic device may also be used to update, or request update to one or more operational parameters of the utility meter upon being granted to access to the utility meter functionality. In this way, the utility provider may not need to dispense technicians, for example, to the residences of consumers each time a new auxiliary device is to be coupled to the utility meter. Thus, the present embodiments may vastly facilitate the coupling of auxiliary devices to utility meters, and by extension, to the utility providers, and may also provide for improved security in authenticating and/or authorizing users requesting access to such utility meters. Indeed, it should be appreciated that the techniques described herein may not be limited to electricity meters, but may also be extended to any utility meter such as gas meters, water meters, aeration meters, sewerage meters, and the like. 
         [0015]    With the foregoing in mind, it may be useful to describe an embodiment of an infrastructure, such as an example energy grid system  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1 . It should again be noted that the systems and methods described herein may apply to a variety of infrastructure, including but not limited to power distribution infrastructure, gas delivery infrastructure, and various fluid (e.g., water) delivery infrastructure. As depicted, the energy grid system  10  may include one or more utility providers  12 . The utility provider  12  may provide for oversight operations of the energy grid system  10 . For example, utility control centers  14  may monitor and direct power produced by one or more power generation stations  16  and alternative utility generation stations  18 ,  20 , and  22 . The power generation stations  16  may include conventional power generation stations, such as power generation stations using gas, coal, biomass, and other carbonaceous products for fuel. The alternative utility generation station  18  may include power generation stations using solar power, wind power, hydroelectric power, geothermal power, and other alternative sources of power (e.g., renewable energy) to produce electricity. Other alternative utility generation stations may include a water power producing plant  20  and geothermal power producing plant  22 . For example, water power producing plants  20  may provide for hydroelectric power generation, and geothermal power producing plants  22  may provide for geothermal power generation. 
         [0016]    The power generated by the power generation stations  16 ,  18 ,  20 , and  22  may be transmitted through a power transmission grid  24 . The power transmission grid  24  may cover a broad geographic region or regions, such as one or more municipalities, states, or countries. The transmission grid  24  may also be a single phase alternating current (AC) system, but most generally may be a three-phase AC current system. As depicted, the power transmission grid  24  may include a series of towers to support a series of overhead electrical conductors in various configurations. For example, extreme high voltage (EHV) conductors may be arranged in a three conductor bundle, having a conductor for each of three phases. The power transmission grid  24  may support nominal system voltages in the ranges of 110 kilovolts (kV) to 765 kilovolts (kV) or more. In the depicted embodiment, the power transmission grid  24  may be electrically coupled to a power distribution substation and grid  26 . The power distribution substation and grid  26  may include transformers to transform the voltage of the incoming power from a transmission voltage (e.g., 765 kV, 500 kV, 345 kV, or 138 kV) to primary (e.g., 13.8 kV or 4160V) and secondary (e.g., 480V, 240V, or 120V) distribution voltages. For example, industrial electric power consumers (e.g., production plants) may use a primary distribution voltage of 13.8 kV, while power delivered to commercial and residential consumers may be in the secondary distribution voltage range of 120V to 480V. 
         [0017]    As again depicted in  FIG. 1 , the power transmission grid  24  and power distribution substation and grid  26  may be part of the energy grid system  10 . Accordingly, the power transmission grid  24  and power distribution substation  26  may include various digital and automated technologies to control power electronic equipment such as generators, switches, circuit breakers, reclosers, and so forth. In certain embodiments, the power transmission grid  24  and power distribution substation and grid  26  may also deliver power and communicate data such as changes in electric load demand to a utility meter  30 . 
         [0018]    In certain embodiments, the utility meter  30  may be an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) meter used to collect, measure, and analyze electric power consumption and/or generation. The utility meter  30  may be electrically and communicatively coupled to one or more of the components of the system  10 , including the power transmission grids  24 , power distribution substation and grid  26 , and the commercial and/or industrial consumer  32  and residential consumer  34 . Additionally, the utility meter  30  may enable two-way communication between commercial and residential consumers  32  and  34  and the utility control center  14 , providing for a link between consumer behavior and electric power consumption and/or generation. 
         [0019]    In certain embodiments, as depicted in  FIG. 2 , the utility meter  30  may be part of one or more communications networks  36  that may facilitate communication between the utility meter  30 , a mobile device  38  (e.g., handheld device  38 ), auxiliary devices  40 , and the utility control center  14  and/or utility provider  12 . As illustrated, the utility meter  30  may include a system of electrical and/or electronic components such as, for example, a display  42 , one or more processors  44 , one or more memory devices  46 , a network interface  47 , and a unique identifier  48 . The display  42  may be a liquid crystal display (LCD) used to display electricity consumption and/or generation in recorded time intervals or real-time. The one or more processors  44  may be communicatively coupled to the memory  48  to execute instructions for carrying out the presently disclosed techniques. These instructions may be encoded in code stored in tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as the memory  48  and/or other storage. Indeed, the one or more processors  44  may include a general purpose processor, system-on-chip (SoC) device, or some other processor configuration that may be used to measure electricity consumption and/or generation in recorded time intervals or in real-time. 
         [0020]    In certain embodiments, the network interface  47  may be used to allow the utility meter  30  to communicate in real-time or near real-time with the mobile device  38 , the utility control center  14 , and/or the auxiliary devices  40 . Similarly, the unique identifier  48  of the utility meter  30  (e.g., which may be disposed on an interior or exterior portion of the utility meter  30 ) may be a quick response (QR) code, a bar code, a serial number, an electronic product code (EPC), an Aztec code, an encrypted identification code, a high capacity color barcode (HCCB), an alphanumeric key, a holographic image, or any system of characters and/or images that may be used to identify a particular device such as the utility meter  30 . Furthermore, in addition to including identification information about the utility meter  30 , the unique identifier  48  may include additional detailed information regarding the utility meter  30 . For example, the unique identifier  48  may include data such as utility meter  30  type, utility meter  30  manufacturer, utility meter  30  location (e.g., geographical location), utility provider  12  identification, utility meter  30  capability, utility meter  30  configuration data and settings, utility meter  30  functionality, and so forth. 
         [0021]    In one embodiment, as will be further appreciated, the unique identifier  48  may include one or more levels of encoded authentication (e.g., two-factor authentication (TFA), multi-factor authentication (MFA)) and/or authorization data that may include additional security codes, one-time short message service (SMS) passwords, additional personal identification numbers (PINS), digital certificates, authentication tokens, mobile signatures and/or digital signatures, network addresses, hidden pointers, and so forth. This may allow the mobile device  38 , for example, to link (e.g., via a website or web portal of the utility provider  12 ) to data regarding consumer  32 ,  34  account information, consumer  32 ,  34  consumption data, utility meter  30  configuration data for specific consumers  32 ,  34 , and/or access via the utility control center  14  to control access points to the utility meter  30 , such as allowing the auxiliary devices  40  to pair to the utility meter  30 . 
         [0022]    Particularly, the mobile device  38  (e.g., handheld device  38 ) may be used to communicatively couple a number of the auxiliary devices  40  to the utility meter  30 , and by extension, to the utility control center  14  and/or utility provider  12 . It should be appreciated that the mobile device  38  may include any mobile and/or handheld device such as, for example, a cell phone (e.g., smartphone), personal digital assistant (PDA), a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a digital camera, a portable media player, a multi-meter, an interrogation device, an optical scanner (e.g., barcode scanner), and/or any of various other processor-based mobile devices (e.g., the mobile device  38  may include a processor similar to the processor  44  and a memory similar to the memory  46  of the utility meter  30 ) that may be used to read or decode the unique identifier  48 , and communicatively couple to the utility meter  30 . For example, in certain embodiments, the mobile device  38  may read the unique identifier  48  of the utility meter  30  by way of a camera  50  or other similar device capable of reading the unique identifier  48 . Similarly, in another embodiment, the mobile device  38  read the unique identifier  48  via a short-range communication link  52 , which may include, for example, a near-field communication (NFC) link, a Bluetooth link, a ZigBee link, an infrared (IrDA) link, a 6LoWPAN (e.g., IPv6 over low-power wireless personal area network) link, a radio frequency identification (e.g., RFID) link, a Z-wave link, a WirelessUSB link, and/or other similar short-range communication channel. The mobile device  38  may then process and transmit the unique identifier  48  of the utility meter  30  over a network  54  (e.g., a local area network (LAN), a wireless local area network (W-LAN) (Wi-Fi), a wide area network (WAN), a radio access network (RAN), cloud radio access network (C-RAN), a cellular network, or other similar network), to, for example, the utility control center  14  and/or utility provider  12 . 
         [0023]    As previously discussed, the unique identifier  48  may include a two-factor authentication (TFA) and/or multi-factor authentication (MFA) mechanism in which the user (e.g., utility technician, consumer  32 ,  34 ) of the mobile device  38  may use the mobile device  38  to satisfy the authentication and/or authorization requirements (e.g., that may be specified by the utility provider  12 ) to connect the mobile device  38  to the utility meter  30 . For example, upon the user using the mobile device  38  to capture the unique identifier  48  (e.g., by way of the camera  50  or via the short-range communication link  52 ), the mobile device  38  may then process (e.g., decode the unique identifier  48  and/or demodulate a signal carrying the unique identifier  48  to ascertain identifying characteristics and/or patterns thereof) the unique identifier  48 , and transmit a request to the utility control center  14  for access to the utility meter  30 . The utility control center  14  and/or utility provider  12  may receive the request including the unique identifier  48  from the mobile device  38 , and may then re-transmit a request over the network  54  to the mobile device  38  for further authentication and/or authorization (e.g., a second or third factor of authentication that may include a request for a private key, a digital certificate, a digital signature, an authentication token, a biometric input, and so forth) of the user. It should be appreciated that the request generated by the utility control center  14  and/or utility provider  12  may be based on data encoded in the unique identifier  48 . Upon the user, for example, providing the additional authentication and/or authorization information via the mobile device  38  to the utility control center  14  and/or utility provider  12 , the mobile device  38  may be allowed to communicatively couple to, or access the utility meter  30 . 
         [0024]    In certain embodiments, once the user is given communicative access and/or control of the utility meter  30  via the mobile device  38 , the user may then retrieve configuration data  56  from the utility control center  14 , or request that the utility control center  14  and/or utility provider  12  transmit (e.g., via the network  54 ) the configuration data  56  (e.g., software updates, operational parameter changes) to the utility meter  30 . In other embodiments, once the user is given communicative access and/or control of the utility meter  30  via the mobile device  38 , the user may then retrieve device information  58  (e.g., manufacturer identification, device type, internet protocol (IP) address) from the auxiliary devices  40  to communicatively couple (e.g., via the network  54 ) the auxiliary devices  40  to the utility meter  30 . For example, the auxiliary devices  40  may include one or more domestic appliances (clothes dryer, heating ventilation and cooling (HVAC) units) or outdoor domestic equipment (e.g., electric car charge station) that the utility meter  30  may control for the purpose of energy efficiency once the utility meter  30  is paired with the auxiliary devices  40 . Specifically, by first authenticating the user of the mobile device  38  and authorizing the mobile device  38  to couple to the utility meter  30 , the mobile device  38  may be then used as a medium to couple the auxiliary devices  40 , as well as future auxiliary devices, to the utility meter  30 . In this way, the utility provider  12  may not need to dispense technicians, for example, to the consumer  32 ,  34  each time a new auxiliary device  40  is to be communicatively coupled to the utility meter  30  of the consumers  32 ,  34 . 
         [0025]    Turning now to  FIG. 3 , a flow diagram is presented, illustrating an embodiment of a process  60  suitable for authenticating and/or authorizing a mobile device (via an optical detection) to communicatively couple a utility meter to one or more auxiliary devices by using, for example, the mobile device  38  depicted in  FIG. 2 . Thus, the process  60  may include code or instructions stored in a non-transitory machine-readable medium (e.g., a memory of the mobile device  38 ) and executed, for example, by one or more processors included in the mobile device  38 . The process  60  may begin with the mobile device  38  receiving (block  62 ) an indication to connect the utility meter  30  to one or more auxiliary devices  40 . For example, as previously discussed, a user (e.g., technician or consumer  32 ,  34 ) of the mobile device  38  may desire to communicative couple one or more domestic appliances or other domestic equipment to the utility meter  30  via a network such as any of various HAN, LAN, or PAN networks. The process  60  may then continue with the mobile device  38  detecting (block  64 ) a unique identifier  48  of the utility meter  30  via a camera  50  of the mobile device  38 . For example, as discussed with respect to  FIG. 2 , the mobile device  38  may read the unique identifier  48  of the utility meter  30 , in which the unique identifier  48  may include, for example, a QR code, a bar code, a serial number, an EPC code, an Aztec code, an encrypted identification code, a HCCB code, an alphanumeric key, a holographic image, or other system of characters and/or images that may be used to identify a particular utility meter  30 . 
         [0026]    The process  60  may then continue with the mobile device  38  requesting (block  66 ) authentication acknowledgment from the utility provider  12  based on one or more authentication factors of the unique identifier  48 . Specifically, the unique identifier  48  may include a two-factor authentication (TFA) and/or multi-factor authentication (MFA) mechanism in which the user (e.g., utility technician, consumer  32 ,  34 ) of the mobile device  38  may use the mobile device  38  to satisfy the authentication and/or authorization requirements to connect the mobile device  38  to the utility meter  30 . For example, as previously noted, upon the user using the mobile device  38  to capture the unique identifier  48  by way of the camera  50 , the mobile device  38  may then decode the unique identifier  48 , and transmit a request to the utility control center  14  for access to the utility meter  30 . The utility control center  14  and/or utility provider  12  may receive the request from the mobile device  38 , and may then re-transmit a request over the network  54  to the mobile device  38  that may include a request for a private key, a digital certificate, an authentication token, a biometric input, or other mechanism useful in providing added security in authenticating the user of the mobile device  38 . Upon the mobile device  38  receiving access to communicatively couple to, or communicatively access the utility meter  30 , the process  60  may conclude with the mobile device  38  initiating (block  68 ) a connection between the utility meter  30  and the one or more auxiliary devices  40 . Particularly, the mobile device  38  may be then used as a medium to couple the auxiliary devices  40 , as well as future auxiliary devices, to the utility meter  30 . In this way, the utility provider  12  may not need to dispense technicians, for example, to the consumer  32 ,  34  each time a new auxiliary device  40  is to be communicatively coupled to the utility meter  30  of the consumers  32 ,  34 . 
         [0027]    Similar to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4  is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a process  70  suitable for authenticating and/or authorizing a mobile device to communicatively couple a utility meter to one or more auxiliary devices (via a short-range communication channel) by using, for example, the mobile device  38  depicted in  FIG. 2 . Thus, in a similar manner to process  60 , the process  70  may include code or instructions stored in a non-transitory machine-readable medium (e.g., a memory of the mobile device  38 ) and executed, for example, by one or more processors included in the mobile device  38 . The process  70  may begin with the mobile device  38  receiving (block  72 ) an indication to connect the utility meter  30  to one or more auxiliary devices  40 . For example, as previously discussed, a user (e.g., technician or consumer  32 ,  34 ) of the mobile device  38  may desire to communicative couple one or more domestic appliances or other domestic equipment to the utility meter  30  via a network such as any of various HAN, LAN, or PAN networks. The process  70  may then continue with the mobile device  38  detecting (block  74 ) a unique identifier  48  of the utility meter  30 . For example, in this embodiment, the mobile device  38  may interrogate the utility meter  30  for the unique identifier  48  through a short-range communication link  52 , which may include, for example, a near-field communication (NFC) link, a Bluetooth link, a ZigBee link, an infrared (IrDA) link, a 6LoWPAN (e.g., IPv6 over low-power wireless personal area network) link, a radio frequency identification (e.g., RFID) link, a Z-wave link, a WirelessUSB link, and/or other similar short-range communication channel. 
         [0028]    The process  70  may then continue with the mobile device  38  requesting (block  76 ) authentication acknowledgment from the utility provider  12  based on one or more authentication factors of the unique identifier  48 . As noted above with respect to  FIG. 3 , the unique identifier  48  may include a two-factor authentication (TFA) and/or multi-factor authentication (MFA) mechanism in which the user (e.g., utility technician, consumer  32 ,  34 ) of the mobile device  38  may use the mobile device  38  to satisfy the authentication and/or authorization requirements to connect the mobile device  38  to the utility meter  30 . Upon the mobile device  38  receiving access to communicatively couple to, or communicatively access the utility meter  30 , the process  70  may conclude with the mobile device  38  initiating (block  78 ) a connection between the utility meter  30  and the one or more auxiliary devices  40 . Again, as previously noted, in this way, the utility provider  12  may not need to dispense technicians, for example, to the consumer  32 ,  34  each time a new auxiliary device  40  is to be communicatively coupled to the utility meter  30  of the consumers  32 ,  34 . Furthermore, by providing a multifactor authentication (e.g., TFA, MFA) mechanism, the present embodiments may provide for added security in authenticating and/or authorizing users requesting access to utility meters. 
         [0029]    Technical effects of the disclosed embodiments relate to systems and methods for communicatively coupling a mobile electronic device (e.g., a cell phone) to a utility meter to commission and synchronize one or more domestic auxiliary devices (e.g., indoor consumer appliances, outdoor electrical equipment, and so forth) with the utility meter. In particular, the mobile electronic device may retrieve a unique identifier of the utility meter, and request authentication and/or authorization from, for example, the utility provider to access certain functionalities of the utility meter. In certain embodiments, the authentication and/or authorization mechanism to couple the mobile electronic device to the utility meter may include two-factor authentication (TFA) or a multifactor authentication (MFA) mechanism that may require a user (utility technician or utility consumer) to satisfy at least two levels of authentication before being granted access to certain functionalities of the utility meter. However, once authenticated and/or authorized to access the utility meter by, for example, the utility provider, the mobile electronic device may be used as a gateway that may then directly connect present auxiliary devices or future auxiliary devices to the utility meter. In this way, the utility provider may not need to dispense technicians, for example, to the residences of consumers each time a new auxiliary device is to be connected to the utility meter. Thus, the present embodiments may vastly facilitate the coupling of auxiliary devices to utility meters, and by extension, to the utility providers, and may also provide for improved security in authenticating and/or authorizing users requesting access to such utility meters. 
         [0030]    This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.