A system that detects energy resource outages includes: resource monitors, each disposed within radio range of resource meters that transmit corresponding radio signals indicative of meter identifiers and current readings, where the resource monitors are configured to receive and decode the radio signals to obtain one or more of the meter identifiers and current readings, and where the each of the resource monitors transmits the one or more of the meter identifiers and current readings over the internet cloud; and a resource server, operatively coupled to the resource monitors via the internet cloud, configured to receive the one or more meter identifiers and current readings from the resource monitors, and configured to employ the current readings to detect an outage within a geographic area, and configured to send alerts to a resource provider that correspond to the outage.

An electronic electricity meter (102) for monitoring electrical power consumption due to a plurality of loads, comprising electric power sensor (506A, 506, 502, 504, 508) configured to register, optionally in a substantially real-time fashion, data indicative of aggregate power demand (202) of a number of loads coupled to a common electrical power source, such as one or more phases of a polyphase system, load tracker (506B, 506, 502, 504) configured to detect the effect of individual loads on the basis of distinctive load patterns in said data, wherein the tracker is configured to utilize a distinctive load pattern detected in said data as at least a basis for a reference pattern (304, 306, 308) for subsequent detections (304a, 306a, 308a) of the effect of the same load in the data, accuracy analyzer (506C, 506, 502, 504) configured to, on the basis of comparisons of subsequent detections with the corresponding references, determine (312, 314, 316) whether the comparisons relating to at least two, preferably three, loads each indicate the difference between the subsequently detected pattern and the corresponding reference exceeding a predetermined threshold, and notifier (506D, 506, 502, 504, 508) configured to send, provided that positive determination has taken place (318), a notification signal indicative of potential fault with the electricity meter towards an external entity (106, 108). Corresponding arrangement and method are presented.

An inductive drawing or feeding device for inductively drawing off or feeding in electrical energy/electricity by electric vehicles is connected to a power grid. The inductive drawing or feeding device includes a measuring device configured to measure at least one physical parameter representing the electrical energy inductively transmitted through the associated drawing or feeding device. The inductive drawing or feeding device also includes an identifier for identifying the owner of the connection of the inductive drawing or feeding device. The inductive drawing of feeding device further includes a comparing device configured to compare the at least one physical parameter measured at a connecting side with at least one physical parameter measured at a drawing off or feeding side.

An inductive drawing or feeding device for inductively drawing off or feeding in electrical energy/electricity by electric vehicles is connected to a power grid. The inductive drawing or feeding device includes a measuring device configured to measure at least one physical parameter representing the electrical energy inductively transmitted through the associated drawing or feeding device. The inductive drawing or feeding device also includes an identifier for identifying the owner of the connection of the inductive drawing or feeding device. The inductive drawing of feeding device further includes a comparing device configured to compare the at least one physical parameter measured at a connecting side with at least one physical parameter measured at a drawing off or feeding side.

A mesh network topology assessment mechanism is provided. The mechanism includes a wireless router, coupled to other wireless routers over a multi-hop mesh network, responsive to a message having a link assessment mode, configured to introduce a unique delay into forwarding of the message to a next one of the other wireless routers in route to a destination device. The router has a store-and-forward controller, having a unique delay time corresponding to the unique delay, where the unique delay time is substantial and thus provides for creation of measurable latency in the message sent between an origination device and the destination device.

Device power consumption is reduced by operating using both one-way and two-way communication techniques. In an aspect a device operates in a first mode enabling one-way communication to an other device for a first portion of device operation time. The first mode includes transmitting a first set of messages to the other device while turning off a power supply used by a receiver of the device. The device switches between operating in the first mode and the second mode. The second mode enables two-way communication between the device and the other device for a second portion of device operation time less than the first portion of device operation. The second mode includes transmitting a second message to the other device, and in response to the transmitting the second message, turning on the power supply used by the receiver.

Disclosed are technologies for a communication system for a utility infrastructure system. The communication system includes a host configured to aggregate and collect utility data. The communication system also includes a remote, battery-powered node connected to a utility device of the utility infrastructure system. According to some examples, the node is configured to initiate a first communication message to the host via a first type of communication channel. The first type of communication channel is short message service (SMS), and the first communication message includes the utility data. The node is also configured to receive a SMS reply from the host, wherein the SMS reply includes information for communicating with the host via a second type of communication channel.

An abnormal consumption detection system is provided with remote valve control for a distributed water infrastructure. The system may comprise an electronically controllable valve, a remote communication transmitter, a remote communication receiver, at least one sensor for measuring water flow information associated with the distributed water infrastructure, and at least one processor. The system may determine from the water flow information obtained from the at least one sensor a potential abnormal consumption associated with the distributed water infrastructure. The system may automatically close a valve, without human intervention, when the potential abnormal consumption is determined. The system may transmit, via the remote communication transmitter to a remote administrator, alert information about the potential abnormal consumption to enable an administrator to decide based on the transmitted information whether to reopen the valve. The system may receive from the administrator via the remote communication receiver a control signal to reopen the valve, despite the information about the potential abnormal consumption, and reopen the valve.

A system for analyzing energy usage measures one or more parameters indicative of energy usage for a plurality of sub-circuits, where the sampling rate for the measuring is substantially continuous, and automatically transmits information related to at least one of the measured parameters at a rate that enables monitoring of current energy usage. The system further detects a significant change in a measured parameter, determines whether the significant change in the measured parameter is caused by a change in energy usage, and automatically transmits information related to the significant change in the measured parameter caused by the change in energy usage after detecting the significant change.

There is provided an information processing apparatus including a control section which performs control of presenting, in association with each other, actual energy consumption representing an amount of energy consumed by a device in a case where a user performs any one of user actions, the user actions each being capable of being carried out by the user, and estimated energy consumption representing an amount of energy consumed by the device in a case where the user does not perform the user action.