The present invention relates to a data concentration unit and an operating method thereof. To this end, the data concentration unit of the present invention includes: a substrate; and a data communication unit for collecting meter reading data of a plurality of customers through communications with power metering communication modems respectively connected to watt-hour meters provided for the plurality of customers, wherein the data communication unit includes at least one wired communication module for performing wired communication with power metering wired communication modems, and at least one wireless communication module for performing wireless communication with power metering wireless communication modems, and the wired communication module and the wireless communication module are inserted and provided into the substrate.

A method for monitoring power consumption of an appliance within a space is provided. The method includes obtaining a first set of data indicative of power consumption of the appliance during an interval of time and determining a profile indicative of power consumption of the appliance based, at least in part, on the first set of data. The method includes obtaining a second set of data indicative of power consumption of the appliance subsequent to obtaining the first set of data. The method includes determining whether power consumption of the appliance deviates from the profile based, at least in part, on the second set of data. Furthermore, in response to determining power consumption of the appliance deviates from the profile, the method includes providing a notification indicative of power consumption of the appliance deviating from the profile.

A method of registering and locating a water resource includes incentivizing an owner for registering the water resource and associating owner contact information and coordinate location data of the water resource to the water resource. An online database stores the coordinate location data of the water resource, the owner of the water resource, and the owner contact information received from the first electronic device. A second electronic device displays on an electronic map the coordinate location data of the water resource within an area of the electronic map. The user of the second electronic device is informed, after selection of the water resource, the name of the owner of the water resource, the owner contact information of the water resource, the coordinate location data of the water resource, and an account of the owner is credited if the water resource is used.

A method of capturing usage data of a usage area, which includes an automatic meter reading (AMR) device that broadcasts the usage data over a sequence of radio-frequency (RF) channels via a frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) signal. The method includes the steps of providing an RF receiver for the usage area, determining the sequence of RF channels, and receiving the usage data by tuning the RF receiver to an RF channel based on the sequence of RF channels. The sequence of RF channels includes an array of RF channels assigned to and ordered based on a channel position.

A modem of a smart electricity meter obtains, following a registration in the powerline communication network of the ad hoc type, routing information and encryption information, by exchanges of messages in the powerline communication network. The smart electricity meter saves in non-volatile memory the routing information and the encryption information, the routing information being saved in association with information representing an instant at which the backup is made. At the time of a subsequent re-registration of the smart electricity meter following a disconnection of the powerline communication network, the smart electricity meter retrieves the routing and encryption information previously saved in the non-volatile memory, updates it by deleting any route information that is no longer valid, and uses it to communicate in the powerline communication network.

A system includes a central analysis station and a display. The central analysis station may be configured to receive a unique identifier and performance data from each of a plurality of solar panels. The central analysis station may detect a problem in at least one of the plurality of solar panels based on the performance data. A display may be configured to display a status of the at least one of the plurality of solar panels based on the detected problem.

There is provided an intelligent electronic device for responding to user data and information requests regarding power usage and power quality for any metered point within a power distribution system. The intelligent electronic device includes a first network interface which receives client side information and data requests, which are processed in accordance with a network protocol and forwarded to a network interface via a network socket interface translator which translates management signals to facilitate the eventual data transfer. Protocol routines process the requests by constructing an internal data request in certain cases and forwards the internal data request to a data interface for translation from an internal data request format of the protocol routine format to a native database format. The database receives the translated request, and retrieves the requested data from a measuring unit of the electric power meter, and forwards the data back to the requesting client.

Gas meters are provided including a housing and a pressure regulator integrated with the housing. The pressure regulator is configured to adjust pressure of gas flowing through the gas meter responsive to a signal from a remote location or automatically based on a predetermined pressure threshold programmed into the gas meter.

Embodiments implement non-intrusive load monitoring using a novel learning scheme. A trained machine learning model configured to disaggregate device energy usage from household energy usage can be stored, where the machine learning model is trained to predict energy usage for a target device from household energy usage. Household energy usage over a period of time can be received, where the household energy usage includes energy consumed by the target device and energy consumed by a plurality of other devices. Using the trained machine learning model, energy usage for the target device over the period of time can be predicted based on the received household energy usage.

Techniques determine if an appliance having a fixed-rate of gas-consumption is degrading over time. In one example, a flowrate of gas at a service site is obtained. The flowrate of gas is disaggregated to obtain a flowrate of gas corresponding to an appliance having a generally fixed-rate of gas-consumption. The flowrate of gas of the appliance is compared to historical gas consumption by the appliance. Based at least in part on the comparing, it may be determined that performance of the appliance has changed over time. For example, the gas consumption of a hot water tank may increase due to mineral build-up in the bottom of the tank. Responsive to the determined degradation of the appliance, warnings may be sent, repairs may be made, and/or appliance(s) may be replaced.