Patent ID: 8203462

Claim:
A method of automatically configuring a monitoring device that is attachable to a network, the network coupled to a data collection system, the network having associated network parameters, the method comprising: coupling the monitoring device to an energy distribution system, the monitoring device measuring a characteristic of the energy distribution system and storing data representative of the measured characteristic; automatically establishing a first network communications link between the monitoring device and the network to identify network parameters to the monitoring device, the network parameters including an address of the data collection system; automatically establishing a second network communications link between the monitoring device and the data collection system based on the address of the data collection system, the second network communications link including identifying an address of the monitoring device to the data collection system; communicating nameplate information associated with the monitoring device and configuration information associated with the monitoring device from the monitoring device over the network to the data collection system; and acknowledging the registration of the monitoring device in the data collection system based on acceptance of the nameplate information and the configuration information by the data collection system.