A power distribution system comprises a first Smart Meter device for metering the power absorbed or yielded by a domestic utility, in which said first Smart Meter device is connected to a power distribution grid and dialogs in real time with other Smart Meters connected to other domestic utilities, in which said other Smart Meters are connected to the same power grid of said first Smart Meter device, in which said power distribution system is provided with multiple and comprehensive interconnections which connect said first Smart Meter device to the other Smart Meter nodes so as to form a network, in which the information on the energy production and consumption status of the network is available in each Smart Meter node of the network at all times, thus allowing the information on the energy status of the network to be instantaneously available to an operator of the power grid by querying a single Smart Meter among those present in the network.

A power meter or other electrical device is provided having two independent and communicatively isolated Ethernet ports. The first Ethernet port is addressable by a first unique identifier and is configured for enabling full access to the power meter via an internal LAN. This enables a LAN operator to remotely access the power meter via the internal LAN for performing metering functions, such as full telemetry, control and programming. The second Ethernet port is addressable by a second unique identifier and is configured for being connected to the Internet. Since the second Ethernet port is communicatively isolated from the first Ethernet port, a user can access the power meter via the Internet, but cannot access the internal LAN by connecting to the power meter via the Internet.

A meshed networking of access points in a utility network provides a more efficient and cost effective arrangement for communicating data between meters and the utility by linking the access points of multiple subnetworks for purposes of communicating with the utility. As a result, each individual subnetwork is not required to directly communicate with the utility. For those access points that are relieved of the need to directly communicate with the utility, the communication mechanism, e.g., cellular modem, can be eliminated, or deactivated, to thereby reduce capital expenditures and/or operational costs. Additionally, links to a WAN can be selectively activated or disabled to provision bandwidth, for example, on demand, to react to changing conditions in the subnetworks.

A system including a transceiver that is in a first device and receives wirelessly or over a powerline and from a second device, (i) a voltage value of a voltage detected between bus bars of a power source, where the power source supplies power to a load, and where the load is distinct from the first and second devices, or (ii) a current value of a current detected by a current sensor and drawn from the power source by the load. A sensing module one of (i) if the transceiver receives the current, detects the voltage and timestamps the voltage value with a first timestamp, and (ii) if the transceiver receives the voltage, determines the current and timestamps the current value with a second timestamp. A parameter module determines a parameter of the load based on the voltage, the current, and the first and second timestamps.

Method and devices for wirelessly transmitting data packets in a meter reading system, wherein the method comprises generating at the meter device, a first data packet including payload data and a first message authentication code computed based the payload data and associated meter data stored in a memory of the meter device, transmitting the first data packet from the meter device to the receiver, and performing a primary authentication check of the first data packet and verifying the associated meter data at the receiver by recalculating the first message authentication code using the received payload data and current associated meter data stored in a memory of the receiver, as input.

A smart sensor group management service may be used to establish groups of smart sensors that are associated with one or more common characteristics, such as a common application associated with the smart sensors. The group management service may establish multiple physical groups per application so that multiple entities may have access to managing the groups. The physical groups may be associated with a virtual group that facilitates management of the physical groups and may be accessible by the entities. The entities may perform different types of management operations using the group management service, such as creating groups, adding smart sensors to groups, removing smart sensors from groups, and adjusting settings of features of the applications that are associated with the groups.

A data logging device including a data request and receiving module receiving an input, a switch circuit receiving said input, a resistive load interconnected to said switch circuit, a data request switch providing a signal to said data request and receiving module, a charge storage device interconnected with said resistive load, a transmitter interconnected with said data request and receiving module.

A metering device and method for assessing an incident detected by a safety monitoring system at a physical site at which the metering device is located, the method including: receiving at the metering device sensor layout information for safety monitoring system sensors, receiving a notification from the safety monitoring system including sensor data, determining an incident type and severity index(es) based on the sensor layout information and the sensor data, evaluating the severity index(es) against predetermined criteria, and taking an action based on the evaluation. The sensor data may include sensor identification as well as smoke intensities, temperatures, water pressure, and/or flood levels, etc., reported by the sensors. The actions taken may include disconnecting flow at the metering device, sending an instruction message to other metering device(s) to disconnect flow, and/or sending an alarm message to a device associated with a utility provider associated with the metering device.

A data logging device including a data request and receiving module receiving an input, a switch circuit receiving said input, a resistive load interconnected to said switch circuit, a data request switch providing a signal to said data request and receiving module, a charge storage device interconnected with said resistive load, a transmitter interconnected with said data request and receiving module.

A metering device and method for assessing an incident detected by a safety monitoring system at a physical site at which the metering device is located, the method including: receiving at the metering device sensor layout information for safety monitoring system sensors, receiving a notification from the safety monitoring system including sensor data, determining an incident type and severity index(es) based on the sensor layout information and the sensor data, evaluating the severity index(es) against predetermined criteria, and taking an action based on the evaluation. The sensor data may include sensor identification as well as smoke intensities, temperatures, water pressure, and/or flood levels, etc., reported by the sensors. The actions taken may include disconnecting flow at the metering device, sending an instruction message to other metering device(s) to disconnect flow, and/or sending an alarm message to a device associated with a utility provider associated with the metering device.