Patent ID: 8542685

Claim:
A method for priority delivery of messages on a communications network between a server in communication with an electric utility and a client device at a service point, comprising the steps of: receiving a plurality of regulated data messages for electric utility priority load management, and a plurality of unregulated data messages at a bidirectional gateway in the client device; separating the plurality of regulated data messages for electric utility priority load management, and the plurality of unregulated data messages at the bidirectional gateway into a plurality of data queues based on a priority assigned to and associated with each data message; processing the plurality of regulated data messages for electric utility priority load management, at the bidirectional gateway in a plurality of regulated data queues and routing the plurality of regulated data messages for electric utility priority load management to a regulated data message destination device; and processing the plurality of unregulated data messages at the bidirectional gateway in a plurality of unregulated data queues and routing the plurality of unregulated data messages to an unregulated data message destination device following the routing of all messages in the plurality of regulated data queues.