A method for automated topology discovery and management of meter nodes in a power grid is described. In the discovery mode any of the meter nodes is able to act as a proxy for a data concentrator to sort out the topology, and to determine the best path for communicating between a concentrator and each of the meter nodes.

An intelligent receptacle (or receptacle device) enables individually monitoring and/or controlling consumption of utility service by one or more loads through a supply outlet that is associated with the receptacle device. A client device may enable a user to remotely control a provision of the utility service from the supply outlet through the receptacle device. Furthermore, a utility metering device may include a virtual metering device instance that is configured to collect utility consumption data associated with the supply outlet from the receptacle device and help calibration or synchronization of utility consumption readings of the receptacle device.

An intelligent receptacle (or receptacle device) enables individually monitoring and/or controlling consumption of utility service by one or more loads through a supply outlet that is associated with the receptacle device. A client device may enable a user to remotely control a provision of the utility service from the supply outlet through the receptacle device. Furthermore, a utility metering device may include a virtual metering device instance that is configured to collect utility consumption data associated with the supply outlet from the receptacle device and help calibration or synchronization of utility consumption readings of the receptacle device.

A wireless consumption meter, such as an ultrasonic flow meter, and a test and calibration system; the wireless consumption meter including a test mode which changes the wireless communication parameters to transmit less data, with less power, faster and more often, than in a normal operating mode. The test and calibration system includes test boxes arranged to receive measurement data from the consumption meters under the test mode circumstances and a common control unit arranged to control the start and stop of the testing and to establish a test or calibration result based on the received measurements from the consumption meters and by comparing with a reference value from a reference device. Further, methods performed by the consumption meter and the test and calibration system are disclosed.

Examples of generating power through the flow of water are disclosed. In one example, remote water meter monitoring system includes an energy converter and a sensor. The energy converter is in fluid connectivity with water flowing through a pipe, the energy convertor being driven by a mechanical energy of water flowing through the pipe to convert the mechanical energy into an electrical energy for charging a battery connected to the energy converter. The sensor detects a level of a property of the water, the sensor being powered by the battery connected to the energy converter.

Provided is a network system. The network system includes: at least one unit selected from an energy receiving unit receiving energy and an energy management unit managing the energy receiving unit. An energy usage amount or energy usage rate of the energy receiving unit is adjusted; an energy usage amount or usage rate when the unit is controlled based on information relating to at least an energy rate is less than that when the unit is controlled without the base of information relating to at least an energy rate; the energy receiving unit comprises a plurality of components; and an operation of one component among the plurality of components is controlled based on the energy rate related information.

Data of a utility node that is unreliably heard may be relayed through another utility node. In some examples, utility nodes of a star network may attempt to transmit data to a collector, a repeater, a relay, a router, or a mobile device. When it is determined that a utility node is unable to reliably transmit data, a relay relationship may be established so that data of the unreliable utility node is relayed through the network.

A method and system for estimating energy consumption of a utility population includes organizing the utility population comprising energy consumers into a plurality of groups. Next, a distribution of energy consumption against the plurality of groups may be calculated. Subsequently, statistically representative groups based on the energy distribution and the plurality of groups may be determined. Data is then collected from the statistically representative groups at predefined intervals from a communications network. Energy consumption of the utility population may then be estimated based on the data collected from the statistically representative groups. The communications network comprises an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) network.

A monitoring system.

Example embodiments relate to providing visual analytics of spatial time series data. In example embodiments, sensors may be located at regions within a building for collecting sensor data at regular time intervals. A sensor hierarchy can be generated including sensor nodes that are hierarchically arranged according to a physical infrastructure of the building, where each of the sensor nodes corresponds to a sensor. Sensor data can be obtained from the sensors, and a pixel calendar tree can be generated based on the sensor data and the sensor hierarchy, where the pixel calendar tree is recursively subdivided into tree portions according to a proportion of the sensor data attributable to each of the sensors. The pixel calendar tree can be displayed, where each of the tree portions includes time series sensor data of a corresponding region that is generated based on the sensor data.