Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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f'OhiPL1'~'ER ASSTS'I'ED A1~TD~OR IMPLEMENTED PROCESS A_ND
8rt~~L,~TmEnmTTn'~ FOR WEB-BASED MONITORING OF ENERGY RELATED
USAGE A_~TD CLIENT ACCESSIBILITY THEREFOR
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Applicatson Serial No. 60/080,604, filed April 3, 1998
and incorporated herein by reference.
FTRT,D OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains generally to a method
and/or a computer architecture for monitoring resource
usage via a computer network, and more particularly to a
method and/or a computer architecture for monitoring
energy usage via local area networks ("LANs") and/or
global area networks such as the World Wide Web ("WWW" or
"Web" ) .
~,~KGROLT~1D OF THE IrIfVENTION
In many states, electricity consumers already have or
soon will have choices when they purchase their
electricity. The decades-old structure of area-specific
monopolies for electricity is being changed under what is
called "restructuring" or "deregulation."
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Deregulation of the electricity utility in California
is given herein by way of illustration. The following
discussion, however, is equally applicable to other
jurisdictions and other utilities, wherein the utilities
are being provided in a substantially free market
environment. A California law dramatically changed the
regulated market system that had been in place for more
than eighty years for serving the electricity needs of
California's homes, businesses, industry and farms. The
law:
~ recognized that new technology and new federal laws
allowed change from a highly regulated market
structure to one that relies on competition to set
the~,price of the generation component of electricity
bills;
~ authorized retail competition, which allows
customers to choose their electricity supplier; and
~ permitted new business opportunities to develop in
buying, selling or brokering electricity for
individual customers or customer groups.
Roughly 80 percent of electricity service in
California is provided by three electric utilities owned
by private investors and regulated by the California
Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). In the old market
structure, the investor-owned utilities were granted
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franchise areas in which they were given the exclusive
right to provide electricity service. In exchange for
this exclusive right, all aspects of their business have
been regulated. The CPUC set the standards for
electricity service, authorized utilities to invest in
new facilities such as power plants, transmission lines
or other equipment as necessary to meet their obligation
to provide service to all customers, and set rates that
different customers pay for electricity service.
Although the CPUC will continue to set service standards
and to regulate certain aspects of the new electricity
market, much of the market structure will change.
The law essentially treats the major private
utilities as having four distinct functions:
1. generation of electricity,
2. transmission of electricity along high voltage
transmission lines,
3. distribution of electricity to customers with
other customer services, and
4...metering and billing for electricity.
In the past, each of these functions had been
performed by a single utility company, subject to
regulatory oversight by the CPUC. Under the above-
mentioned law, these functions are done partly by the
utility company, partly through competitive businesses,
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and partly by new regulated entities created by the
legislation.
Power plant owners have the opportunity to sell
electricity to customers with whom they have negotiated
sales contracts, to sell electricity into a general
"pool" (the Power Exchange, described below) from which
large customers and distribution utilities may draw to
meet their needs, or to "aggregators," which are firms
that have signed contracts with many small customers to
provide their electricity needs. Existing private
utilities may sell many of their power plants to existing
or possibly new power generation firms, and additional
power plants will be constructed by power companies that
are not utilities, all to assure an adequate level of
competit~~~.on. Thus, competition among potential
generators of electricity will set the price for the
electricity component of a customer's electricity bill.
The role of regulators will be to make sure that
competition is allowed to flourish and that no firms can
dominate the market and set prices.
The distribution/customer service function, which
encompasses moving electricity through a service area to
customers, maintaining electricity lines, and providing
metering and billing services, will largely remain
monopoly activities at this time. The investor-owned
distribution utility will continue to be regulated by the
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CPUC. Some of the services, however, now performed by the
distribution/customer service company, such as metering
and billing, power conditioning or backup, may be
"unbundled" and provided by other private businesses in
the future.
A steadily increasing percentage of customers located
in the service territories of six of the seven
investor-owned utilities will be allowed to shop for
power in an open market. Customers will have "direct
access"vto generators. No longer restricted to buying
power only from their local utility company, they should
be able to compare one deal to another and pick the one
which meets their preferences. I have determined that
customer-specific packages of power and other services
may advantageously be offered, so that the customer can
choose the best overall value that meets their needs.
For example, some companies may not need high levels of
reliability, while others may need exceptional
reliability. Other companies may be able to shift their
loads to take advantage of lower prices at certain off-
peak times.
For a customer of, for example, one of the six
affected investor-owned utilities, I have determined that
receipt of offers from competing electricity providers
may depend on the amount electricity the customer
consumes, either at one location or at all locations
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under the customer's control. Businesses with multiple
locations, such as supermarkets and retail stores, I have
determined, may combine the electrical load at all
locations and contract with one service provider. At the
outset ~of the restructured market, new electricity
providers will likely approach large electricity users
first, and smaller consumers later because of the
relatively higher cost of signing up a large number of
small consumers.
The second major feature of the law is creation of
the Power Exchange ("PX"). The PX will accept a request
to buy a quantity of electricity at a given price. The
PX functions like an auction to match total demand for
power with generation of power. The PX will create a
"pool" or "spot market" where price information is
publicly: available. The PX will solicit bids from
electricity generators and choose the lowest bidders
until the PX has enough supply to meet the requests to
buy power. PX prices may even change on an hourly basis.
Many customers will pay for electrical power based on
this price, either directly through their distribution
utility or through a private power supply contract with
terms that are pegged to the PX price. Thus, consumers
who choose to enter into private contracts for power,
where the terms, conditions and price are not public
knowledge, may use the public information from the PX to
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gauge the attractiveness of supply or service offers they
receive.
The information that is monitored is, for example,
process-related information. For example, the process-
related information may include energy or gas
consumption, in terms of kilowatt-hours (kWh) on the
electric side, or million cubic feet (Mcf) on the gas
side. Other types of process-related data may also be
used where the process data may advantageously be
combined, for example, electricity, natural gas,
gasoline, cable television, band width,
telecommunications, short distance service, long distance
service, water, Internet usage, radio usage, cellular
usage, digital data (bits and/or quantities~thereof)
usage, satellite usage, and the like. Plainly, the
instant invention may be adapted to any resource usage
that may be monitored. Further, process-related data, as
given by way of example above, may be aggregated among
multiple users to present to a resource provider a larger
than otherwise possible consumer block, which may demand
price concessions because of the quantity of resource to
be sold,:ao the consumer block. Advantageously, users
having complementary resource usage may aggregate their
.usage requirements so as to provide substantially linear
usage requirement over time to a resource provider.
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California's efforts to restructure the state's
electricity market will accomplish several goals. First,
investments in new power plants will be made by those who
bear the risk of the investment decision. If a power
plant turns out to be uneconomical, the plant investors
will suffer the loss. Of course, as in all competitive
markets, if the plant is profitable, the investors retain
the profits. Second, consumers will have access to many
electricity suppliers. They will no longer be restricted
to just one supplier, on a "take it or leave it" basis.
Prices are negotiable. This will create the opportunity
for competition to occur with the likely outcome of
falling electricity prices for all consumers once the
transition period is finished. Third and most
importantly with respect to the instant invention, the
restructured market will allow new business
opporturi~.ties. New firms, selling new products and
services will appear.
Customers will be afforded the opportunity to buy
their electricity from an Electric Service Provider (ESP)
other than the utility that historically provided all
elements of electricity service. This is called Direct
Access."
Various promotional and marketing efforts by ESPs
will describe the prices and services they offer. In
general, ESPs will specialize in providing the
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electricity commodity ("generation services"). The
delivery of electricity to the customer premises
("distribution services") will still be provided by the
local utility, known as a Utility Distribution Company
("UDC"). The new ESPs may focus on reducing electricity
costs on average, or may offer long-term contracts to
provide greater certainty about electricity costs through
time, or may promote "green power" from renewable or
environmentally-friendly generation sources. Some ESPs
will offer electricity meters and metering services,
different billing options and information services, in
additiorl'to the electricity commodity.
Larger customers will be able to negotiate special
prices, terms and conditions that suit their
circumstances. For smaller customers, however, the costs
of customizing a service contract would likely exceed the
profit margin of most ESPs, so these customers will have
to "shop around" and select from among the standardized
offerings of ESPs the service contract that best meets
their needs. Some customers may be able to join
"aggregation groups" that form to develop enough group
buying power to obtain a better deal than the
standardized ESP service offerings. Such aggregation
groups may be created by neighborhood or civic
organizations, churches, or business or trade
'
associations, and may be able to obtain benefits for
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their members by "shopping around" and negotiating on
behalf of the whole group.
The primary business of ESPs is to provide the
electricity commodity. In addition, ESPs are allowed to
perform billing services. Depending on which ESP is
chosen, a consumer may receive a consolidated bill from
the ESP,~which includes charges for both the electricity
commodity provided by the ESP and the distribution
services provided by the UDC. Alternatively, the ESP may
choose not to do its own billing, in which case the
consumer will receive a consolidated bill from the UDC.
As a third alternative, the consumer may receive separate
bills from the ESP and the UDC for their respective
portions of the consumer's total charges.
ESPs will be allowed to provide electricity meters
and perform metering services for residential and small
commercial customers. They are already allowed to
performv=these services for large customers. Once
metering and related services become competitive for all
customers, one can expect greater variety in the service
offerings of ESPs.
Some ESPs may offer to provide natural gas as well as
electricity. The gas industry has allowed aggregation of
small customers for the past several years, but few
small-customer aggregators are active at this time. By
allowing ESPs to offer both electricity and natural gas
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to the same customer, the newly deregulated electricity
market may present the customer with a wide variety of
energy service combinations.
In view of the above, I have determined that it would
be desirable to provide a system and/or method to enable
a user to take advantage of the deregulated market for
resources by having access to energy management
information.
I have also determined that it would be desirable to
deliver the energy management information via zne
Internet. Preferably, the system for providing the
energy management system and method for providing the
same would be characterized by simplicity of use,
openness of communication for ease of use by the
customer, system flexibility, and maximum value to the
customer.
It is also desirable to have a system and/or method
for providing customers with the ability to access,
analyze, and display their energy and other process
information to optimize their business processes in
general, and their energy activities and purchases in
particular. To this end, it would be also be desirable
to provide a system and/or method by which those
customers can provide energy brokers and marketers the
best operational load information to command the best
value for their energy dollars.
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"Powerline Communications" by David Clark discloses
a communications system, as shown in Figure 1, that
enables the provision of Internet access via electric
power lines from utility companies. "Powerline
Communications," David Clark, IEEE Internet Computing,
pp. 10-11, January-February 1998, incorporated herein by
reference. However, Clark makes no mention of use of the
system to provide energy usage information to utility
users, for example, via the Internet.
U.S. Patent No. 5,699,276 to Roos, incorporated
herein by reference, discloses a utility meter interface
apparatus connected between a utility company and a home.
Referring to Figure 2, the utility meter interface
includes a utility meter for measuring utility usage and
a computer located external to the home. The computer is
connected to the utility meter and provides an interface
between a communication network and a device located in
the home. The computer is adapted to communicate with
the devibe over the home's internal wiring to provide a
digital service network over existing home telephone and
television lines.
Roos mentions that the electric company may produce
a record of both power use and factor by communicating
periodically with a meter interface. Roos further
mentions use of the utility meter for monitoring utility
usage, reporting billing, and managing loads to run
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equipment at off-peak hours. However, Roos makes no
mention, beyond the mere desirability of the feature, as
to a system or method for providing such utility usage
data. That is, for example, there is no teaching
anywhere in Roos of a global and/or local computer
network server, in operation, receiving a resource usage
data query from a user. Roos further does not describe
calling a database for resource usage data relevant to
the user, and presenting resource management information
based on the relevant resource usage data to the user via
a global and/or local computer network interface site.
~rmrtnrtARV OF THE IrnTENTION
It is, therefore, a feature and advantage of the
present invention to deliver, an Internet-based open
platform information system that provides energy
management information and/or service to, for example,
commercial, industrial, and/or residential customers.
The premise behind the development and implementation
of a system and/or method of providing an energy
management information service is simplicity of use,
openness of communication for the customer; system
flexibility, and maximum value to the customer. In the
new electric utility environment in California (and
eventually the pest of_the country), a premium is being
placed on information, and in particular energy
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information. An Open Platform Information System (OPIS)
is the ideal platform for this environment.
OPIS adapts to the dynamic world, including the
Internet. Thus, the present invention is able to give
customers the information they need to make efficient,
profitable purchases in the upcoming energy markets. By
obtaining the ability to access, analyze, and display
their energy and other process information, customers
will be.~able to optimize their business processes in
general, and their energy activities and purchases in
particular. ~It has been established by energy brokers
and marketers that those customers that can provide them
the best operational load information will be able to
command the best value for their energy dollars.
It is another feature and advantage of the instant
invention to enable. the customer to be able to
communicate this information clearly, easily, and in a
timely manner to their energy agent. It is also
advantageous that the present system and/or method has
the flexibility to aggregate customer load information
over multiple sites regardless of location for the
necessary time intervals. Additionally, the present
invention is capable of providing billing, profiling, and
forecasting for customers at the "click of a button" and
provides both electrical and systems control. Being,
optionally, World Wide Web-based, the instant invention
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takes full advantage Web technology, for example, from
HTML through advanced JAVA applets.
Because of these and additional features, the present
invention is at the forefront of customer energy
information systems by making energy information simple
and easy for end-user customers. After all, even the
most powerful system is of little, if any, value if the.
customer does not use. it.
More specifically, the instant invention provides a
computer architecture for global computer network-based
monitoring of resource usage. The computer architecture
includes a resource-metering data recorder, in operation,
recording, periodically or aperiodically, resource usage
measured by a resource meter. The invention further
includes a recorder translator, in operation,
periodically or aperiodically, calling the data recorder,
and periodically or aperiodically, transferring directly
or indirectly resource usage data from the data recorder
to a database. The invention also includes at least one
local and/or global computer network server, in
operation, receiving a resource usage data query from a
user, calling the database for resource usage data
relevant to the user, and presenting resource management
information based on the relevant resource usage data to
the user.
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Optionally, the data recorder includes a modem
connectable to a network, a public switched telephone
network or a wireless communications network, such as a
wireless telephone network. So configured, it is in
operative communication with the server, using any number
of communication methods, such as direct dial-up or
Internet Protocol.
Optionally, the server, in operation, presents the
resource management information to a computer network of
the user, to the user via a global computer network, and
in a downloadable data file.
Further, optionally, the server includes resource
management software having at load profiles and/or load
tables. The server optionally includes financial
management software having at least one of real-time
pricing, energy cost calculation, and cost allocation.
Rate analysis software is optionally included having rate
comparison with variable rate structures and pricing
options. The server may further include billing software
having billing estimation and/or a billing engine.
Optionally, the data recorder, in operation, records
meter identification, data stamp, time stamp, kilowatts,
kilowatt-hours, MCF of gas, flow rate in terms of gph,
temperature, pressure, volts, amperes, power quality,
water low indication, and/or pounds of steam.
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T h a computer architecture optionally inclueles
resource-metering data recorder/translator unit including
a computer network node and/or a global computer network
node and, in operation, recording periodically or
aperiodically resource usage measured by an associated
resource meter. The server, in operation, stores the
resource usage data recorded by the data
recorder/translator unit in the database.
Alteinatively, the present invention provides far a
method of monitoring resource usage via a global computer
network. Resource usage, measured by a resource
meter, is recorded, periodically or aperiodically, using
a resource metering data recorder. The data recorder is
polled, periodically or aperiodically, for the resource
usage data. The resource usage data is stored,
periodically or aperiodically, in a database. The
recording step, the polling step, and the storing step
are optionally repeated at regular or irregular time
intervals.
A query from a user is optionally received at a
global computer network server, simultaneously to the
repeating step. When the query is received, resource
usage data relevant to the user is retrieved from the
database. Resource management information based on the
relevant resource usage data is presented at a global
computer network site or in a downloadable data file.
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Optionally, the determining step, the retrieving
step, and the presenting step are repeated at regular or
irregular intervals.
The recording step optionally includes recording one
or more of a meter identification, data stamp, time
stamp, kilowatts, kilowatt-hours, MCF of gas, gph,
temperature, pressure, volts, amperes, power quality,
water low indication, and pounds of steam.
Optionally, the inventive method includes using a
server,.which has resource management software having at
least one of load profiles and load tables, and/or
financial management software having at least one of
real-time pricing, energy cost calculation, and cost
allocation, and/or rate analysis software having rate
comparison with variable rate structures and pricing
options, and/or billing software having at least one of
billing estimation and a billing engine.
Alternatively, the instant invention provides for a
computer architecture for global computer network-based
monitoring of resource usage. The inventive computer
architecture includes a resource-metering data
recorder/translator unit having a global computer network
node and, in operation, recording, periodically or
aperiodically, resource usage measured by an associated
resource meter. The computer architecture also includes
at least one global computer network server, in
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operation, storing resource usage data recorded by the
data recorder/translator unit in the database. The
network server receives a resource usage data query from
a user, calls the database for resource usage data
relevant~to the user, and presents resource management
information based on the relevant resource usage data via
a global computer network site to the user.
Optionally, the data recorder/translator unit
includes a modem connectable to a public switched
telephone network or a wireless communications network,
such as a.wireless telephone network. So configured, the
data recorder/translator unit, in operation, communicates
with the server using standard communication methods
such as direct dial-up, Internet Protocol, or a
publish/subscribe network communication protocol.
Optionally, the data recorder/translator unit
includes a World Wide Web site, which in operation
displays at least one of the resource usage data recorded
by the data recorder/translator unit and the energy
management information.
Optionally, the server, in operation, presents the
resource management information to the user via a local
open network, and via the global computer network, or in
a downloadable data file.
Optionally, the server includes at least one of
resource management software having at least one of load
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profiles and load tables, and/or financial management
software having at least one of real-time pricing, energy
cost calculation, and cost allocation, and/or rate
analysis software having rate comparison with variable
rate structures and pricing options, and/or billing
software having at least one of a billing estimator and
a billing engine.
Optionally, the data recorder/translator unit, in
operation, records at least one of meter identification,
data stamp, time stamp, kilowatts, kilowatt-hours, MCF of
gas, gph., temperature, pressure, volts, amperes, power
quality, water low indication, and pounds of steam.
Optionally, the computer architecture further
includes a resource-metering data recorder, in operation,
recording, periodically or aperiodically, resource usage
data measured by an associated resource meter. The
computer architecture optionally includes a recorder
translator, in operation, calling, periodically or
aperiodically, the data recorder, and transferring,
periodically or aperiodically, the resource usage data
from the data recorder to the database.
Alternatively, the instant invention provides for a
method of monitoring resource usage via a global computer
network. Resource usage data measured by a resource
meter is recorded, periodically or aperiodically, using
a resource usage data recorder/translator unit. The
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recorded resource usage data is published, periodically
or aperiodically, on a network, such as a local and/or
global computer network via a publish/subscribe network
communication protocol, using the data
recorder/translator unit. At least one local and/or
global ..computer network server subscribes to the
published resource usage data, periodically or
aperiodically. .The subscribed resource usage data is
stored, periodically or aperiodically, to a database.
The recording step, the publishing step, the subscribing
step, and the storing step are repeated at regular or
irregular time intervals.
The server optionally determines whether a query from
a user is received simultaneous with the repeating step.
When a query is received, resource usage data relevant to
the user is retrieved from the database. Resource
management information based on the relevant resource
usage data is presented to the user at a. personal
computer, work station, local and/or global computer
network site or in a downloadable data file. The
inventive method optionally further includes the step of
selectively repeating the determining step, the
retrieving step, and the presenting step.
The recording step optionally includes recording at
least one of a meter identification, data stamp, time
stamp, kilowatts, kilowatt-hours, MCF of gas, gph,
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temperature, pressure, volts, amperes, power quality,
water low indication, and pounds of steam.
Optionally, the inventive method includes a server,
which includes at least one of resource management
software having at least one of load profiles and load
tables, and/or financial management software having at
least one of real-time pricing, energy cost calculation,
and cost allocation, and/or rate analysis software having
rate comparison with variable rate structures and pricing
options, and/or billing software having at least one of
billing estimation and a billing engine.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the
more important features of the invention in order that
the detailed description thereof that follows may be
better understood, and in order that the present
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There
are, of course, additional features of the invention that
will be described hereinafter and which will form the
subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one
embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be
understood that the invention is not limited in its
application to the details of construction and to the
arrangements of the components set forth in the following
description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention
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is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced
and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be
understood that the phraseology and terminology employed
herein are for the purpose of description and should not
be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate
that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based,
may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of
other structures, methods and systems for carrying out
the several purposes of the present invention. It is
important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as
including such equivalent constructions insofar as they
do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present
invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to
enable the U.S. Patent and~Trademark Office and the
public ~_generally, and especially the scientists,
engineers and practitioners in the art who are not
familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to
determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature
and essence of the technical disclosure of the
application. The abstract is neither intended to define
the invention of the application, which is measured by
the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the
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scope of the invention in any way. These together with
other objects of the invention, along with the various
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are
pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to
and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better
understanding of the invention, its operating advantages
and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference
should be had to the accompanying drawings and
descriptive matter in which there is illustrated
preferred embodiments of the invention.
BRTEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a schematic of a prior art communications
system;
Figure 2 is a schematic of a prior art utility meter
interface apparatus;
Figure 3 is a schematic of a preferred embodiment of
the instant invention;
Figure 4 is a generalized or conceptual schematic of
the preferred embodiment shown in Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a method according to the instant
invention;
Figure 6 is another embodiment of the method
according to the instant invention;
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Figure 7 is a sample energy usage graph for two
customers;
Figure 8 is another sample energy usage graph for
five customers;
Figure 9 is a sample energy management information
output or report;
Figure 10 is another sample energy management
information output or report; and
Figure 11 is still another sample energy management
information output or report.
p,FTATT ED DESCRIPTION OF THE BEST MODE OF THE IrT'TENTION
The instant invention includes an Open Platform
Information System (OPIS) and an Energy Management
Information System (EMIS).
Open Platform Information System Architecture Overview
The Open Platform Information System is rooted in the
principles of Total Quality Management as practiced by
successful operations management. The goal is to help
firms improve their level of profitability via
intelligent process monitoring and control. It began
with the premise of creating an information system that
enables customers to gather, analyze, and present
meaningful process information anytime, anywhere. It was
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realized, early on, that a new kind of information
technology business is emerging.
OPI~' is unique and is used for activities such as
load and energy information, billing information, and/or
cost allocation. Customers are also achieving
significant savings in their acquisition and usage of
energy via the present invention. It is believed for a
system to be successful --success defined as the ability
to bring value to the end-use customer -- the service
and/or product must address four criteria:
~' Ease of use
~ Ease of information, ability to understand/act upon
~ Responsive to customers' needs
~ Scalability
Ease of Use: If a system is not utilized, it is of
no value. Because OPIS is Internet/WAN/LAN based or
other open data protocol, it can be used anywhere,
anytime and on any platform where there is connectivity.
Ease of Information: It is the mission to develop
and support leading edge information systems that create
measurable value for those that use it with minimal work
by those that manage it. The EMIS/OPIS system focuses
the customer on the relevant information, not the process
required to get it.
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Responsiveness to Customers' Needa: One of the
operational tenets of EMIS/OPIS is to provide solutions
faster than the competing information services. This is
accomplished through forward thinking and putting the
concept in front of the customer better, sooner, faster
than the competition, and then acting on feedback from
the customers.
Scalability:. OPIS draws upon the technologies of the
rich and~'diverse computing environment, which ranges from
individual workstations and departmental NT servers all
the way up to clusters of ultra high end servers, such
as, Sun Enterprise Servers, and mainframes, such as, IBM
mainframes. OPIS optionally incorporates a Hewlett-
Packard Vantera-type information bus which utilizes the
same messaging technologies, i.e., publish/subscribe as
Wall Street does to process several hundred million
trades a day. Other comparable alternatives may also be
used.
The OPIS system was founded, in part, on the concept
that the.:.customer owns the energy information specific to
their locale or operation. To enable the information to
be utilized in a~manner that is highly customer friendly,
OPIS was designed to take full advantage of the most
ubiquitous open information system available today, for
example, the Internet:
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The need for consumers to have quick and accurate
process information to help optimize those operational
processes has been the keystone in the field of Total
Quality~Management, for almost a century. The fathers of
modern process management and control, such as W. Edwards
Deming, Walter Shewart, and others, consistently stress
the informational data requirements as the starting
points for process optimization.
OPIS provides the user with operational process
information in an easy-to-use, easy-to-understand manner
to help firms optimize their processes and subsequently,
become more profitable. Because of the inherent concept
of "Open Systems", OPIS incorporates a variety of input
systems for accessing process data, and is a flexible,
user-friendly platform for delivering a variety of
information "packages" to the customer. The use of
public switched telephone network (PSTN) and, for
example, the Internet as possible means of accessing and
delivering the information to the customer completes the
loop of operational information delivery.
This business model incorporates the. fact that
different segments have different needs for products
and/or services that are delivered through the
information system, described here as OPIS. By uniquely
subscribing to the concept of OPIS open systems, OPIS
eliminates barriers to data transportability and systems
CA 02343468 2001-04-05
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X8124-102 -29-
integration for the end-user. Business support in this
model requires low barriers to entry, and needs to
accommodate as many systems as possible. In contrast,
locking into a single technology limits the amount of
information a customer can get and typically raises the
price to the customer. The key is information
transferability - openness. What is attempted is high
barriers to exit; a primary one being that the value of
the system is so high that the customer does not want to
leave it-.
Customer size, complexity, needs, and wants may
optionally determine the design configuration. A key to
success for this is mass customization in how OPIS is
employed to provide customer specific
features/functionality. The ability to process large
amounts of information in a manner that is customized to
each site or customer brings value to the customer.
There is therefore a need to determine the type,
flow, and level of detail of information the customer
wants. One concept of the present invention is to
provide.-operational information that will allow the
customer to run their business better. Monitoring and
control information, as a product, is the physical system
to allow the customer to get the information they want,
and as a service, is quality control skills and insights
into the operations of the firm's operation processes to
CA 02343468 2001-04-05
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enable a customer to perform better in business, not
necessarily to be the fix itself.
One goal of the present invention is to provide
information inexpensively for more effectively executing
business. A natural outgrowth of this is for OPIS to
encompass facility coordination and consultative services
-- as part of a full service platform. Although OPIS
provides the customer with requested information
regarding core operations, OPIS handles information
acquisition, required analysis, and information delivery
to help the customer become as efficient as possible in
operations of concern. Typically the customer will
determine how to best run its business, and once it has
the necessary information, it will be able to do that
intelligently. Additionally, OPIS facilitates the
monitoring, analysis, information delivery, and control
of ancillary operations, which are a burden to the
customer's core activities. These ancillary operations
draw attention, people, and resources away from full
focus on the customer's core business.
Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of the OPIS
architecture. Figure 4 is a schematic derived from
Figure 3, but having more generalized components. The
system relies on the integration of various components
including hardware and software servers, node and
recorder information acquisition, applications software,
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database engines, firewall and SSL security, production
back-up systems, and/or applications interface software.
The configuration is network-based and optionally
utilizes the Internet as an exemplary primary interface
with the customer for information delivery.
Meters
In the Open Platform Information System (OPIS)
architecture illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the customer
gathers or collects the information; which is then
compiled'into the system and then gets presented back to
the customer. Figure 4 depicts end-use collection
devices including standard utility meters 10, 12, 14,
and/or intelligent meters 20, 22, 24, 26. Such standard
utility meters 10 may include, for example, Power
Measurement's 7700 ION load profile data recorder. Such
intelligent meters may include, for example, Hewlett
Packard's Vantera nodes. The system has the ability to
dial out to these standard meters 10, 12, 14 and/or
intelligent meters 20, 22, 24, 26 using, for example,
either public switched telephone network (PSTN), and/or
the Internet with Internet Protocol (IP) addressing, to
Vantera nodes. In addition to or alternatively, other
standard end-use collection devices may be used.
The primary function of the meter information or the
recorder information is to capture information from a
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measurement device and to store the information. Once
the information is stored, the information is captured
from the recorder. An intelligent recorder/meter, such
as a Vantera-type node, has all the capabilities of a
standard load data recorder. That is, the Vantera-type
node, in'addition to collecting the information, can, for
example, send control signals. By way of illustration,
the Vantera-type node or other intelligent node may
include a predetermined value that indicates "above some
level, take some action,"for example, send a signal. In
addition, the Vantera-type node can actually serve up ,
or react responsive to, its own web page. So, the
customer can dial into the web page directly accessing
the Vantera-type node, instead of dialing into the
service provider network to access the web. page.
The Vantera-type node is, for example, a PC and has,
for example, a megabyte of flash memory. One of the
applications that is on the Vantera-type node, is a web-
serving device. So, the Vantera node, itself, can be
accessed' directly through, for example, a modem or
indirectly through the Internet 100. Normally, the
information on the Vantera-type node is accessible via
telephone or other standard communication technique. The
Vantera-type technology provides the capability of
accessing over, for example, Ethernet, or other networks.
However, some customers may not like such access, either
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because they have to interact with their own information
technology (IT) departments, or they just feel there
might be a security issue. A PCMCIA may alternatively be
provided in the Vantera-type node itself, and may be used
to access the nodes.
A Vantera-type node is called, for example, every
hour, to obtain the information just as any other meter
or recorder. .However, if the customer wants the
information in real-time, where the customer wants to see
specifically what is presently happening, the customer
may dial the node up itself and initiate a communication
session~~with the node via the direct phone line into the
node using, for example, the standard web browser in the
node. No contact with the Internet 100 is necessary.
Every Vantera-type node has its own IP address. The
Vantera-type node indicates its IP address or similar
location information to a customer or sends back to the
customer a URL or other locator for the node. The
customer then accesses that web server on the Vantera-
type node itself to see the information, for example, in
real-time. A customer may look at the data history to
the extent permitted by the amount of available storage
on the node itself. However, if the customer wants to
see something current, or over the past couple of days,
the customer may take a look at that information in this
manner. After the customer has finished accessing the
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Vantera-type node and read the node for utility data when
the customer is off-hook, the collected data is available
for analysis. Thus, the present invention advantageously
permits optional real-time access to users, while also
collecting the information over time, without losing the
information, for analysis.
The information that is monitored is, for example,
process-related information. For example, the process-
related information may include energy or gas
consumption, in terms of kilowatt-hours (kWh) on the
electric side, or million cubic feet (Mcf) on the gas
side. Other types of process-related data may also be
used where the process data may advantageously be
combined, for example, electricity, natural gas,
gasoline, cable television, band width (copper, optical
fiber, etc.), telecommunications, short distance service,
long distance service, water, Internet usage, radio
usage, cellular usage, digital usage, satellite usage,
and the like.
Plainly, the instant invention may be adapted to any
resource usage that may be monitored. Further, process-
related data, as given by way of example above, may be
aggregated among multiple users to present to a resource
provider a larger than otherwise possible consumer block,
which may demand price concessions because of the
quantity of resource to be sold to the consumer block.
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Advantageously, users having complementary resource usage
may aggregate their usage requirements so as to provide
substantially linear usage requirement over time to a
resource provider.
Service Provider Network
Typically, a standard fuel unit measurement in, for
example, million cubic feet may be accessed via a
standard recorder translator 30, such as MV-90,
manufactured by Utility Translation Systems. By way of
illustration, MV-90 is a universal recorder translator ,
that allows utilities to retrieve and analyze data from
metering equipment of substantially all major
manufacturers for revenue billing, load research, and
system analysis applications. A standard recorder
translator, such as, the MV-90 system queries almost any
type of low data recorder that is in the field today used
by just about every electric utility. This supports the
concept of the open platform, which underlies the instant
invention, by providing the ability to look at a variety
of end-use collection devices that are used by utilities.
Collection device interrogation may occur at any desired
interval, for example, hourly or daily. One specific
process for customers is that, for example, every hour
a phone call to the recorder is made to access the
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previous hour s energy or load information. Other
interval collections may also be used.
The data is returned to the MV-90, for example, which
serves as a retrieval and translation mechanism in a
sense that it brings back the information as the recorder
translates the information into engineering units, such
as K4~h,..a standard unit of measurement for electricity or
kr, a standard unit of measurement for oil, for example.
The MV-90, for example, collects information that is a
component of energy usage or other form of chargeable
usage, and may then optionally deposit that information
via an FTP file transfer to a database 40.
The database 40 is on a standard server, for example,
a small Sun Sparc 50 or other remote location. The
database 40 is optionally an MSQL , MYSQL, mini sequel
server MiniSQL, or Oracle. Information is stored in the
database 40,~ presented to customers, and optionally
stored and backed up by a back-up server 60, periodically
or aperiodically, for example, every night along with all
other data in the servers that are behind the corporate
firewall 70 into a back-up storage facility 80. Back-up
storage facility 80 comprises, for example, one of three
tape silos that are also used to back up the entire
network every night. Data security of customers data is
advantageously maintained. The information flow for the
Vantera-type node information is similar. In general,
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the data that was run through MV-90, for example, will
eventually get stored, for example, on a platform which
may, for~example be UNIX-based.
The database 40 is in, for example, a UNIX format,
but other standard data formats may also be used.
Windows NT, for example, is used to access the HP
Vantera-type products, but other standard operating
systems may also-be used. But, eventually that data then
gets translated also and drops into the UNIX database,
via, for example, a UNIX translator, or other data format
translator, if needed. A file format may be created that
sets out for a given timetable load information, time, an
identifier, a psuedo identifier such as a name or a mute
number, and/or the actual data intervals of information.
Once it is read by the dialer on the NT side, the
information then may be sent, for example, by file
transfer protocol ("FTP'd") or other transfer protocol in
the same or similar file format as comes out of for
example, an MV-90 such that it is transparent to the
database 40 where the information is coming from. All
the information then gets stored in the MSQL-type
database, or optionally, an Oracle-type database.
Optionally, database 40 includes a conversion system
capable of receiving data in various standard formats.
On ~~the information distribution side from the
customer's perspective, the customer may always go via
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the public Internet or other suitable network and look at
its specific information at any time from any location as
long.as it has Internet or other suitable access. For
example, the customer opens its standard web browser,
goes to the address that is specified for its load data,
and optionally fills out a user ID to log on, and a
password to identify it as the specific user or the
specific customer of that particular information. This
information is entered to access the entire set of load
data, or a portion thereof, collected over time for at
least one of the site or sites that may be remotely
located from each other, for example, in different states
and/or countries of the world, particular or relevant to
that customer.
Information may be, for example, collected since
January 1 of a given year and can go back all the way to
January 1 of the previous year. Once this information is
accessible, it may be presented in whatever time period
the customer wishes to see or analyze in terms of a load
profile.of that information showing load characteristics,
including amount, duration, periodicity, standard
deviations of usage on a periodic or aperiodic basis, and
the like.
Optional first firewall 70 is used to secure at least
the database 40. The web server and/or FTP server 90 are
optionally outside the firewall. Optionally, customers
CA 02343468 2001-04-05
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cannot directly access database 40 itself. Thus, for
example, the customer issues a query to the web server
90, which then calls for or retrieves the data, which in
turn transmits the data through the application server 50
(optionally, the same server as the database server)
which is then presented to the customer.
Optionally, security of the networks is as tight as
possible such that the data, not only customer data, but
any information which is beyond the firewall 70 is always
protected against any kind of potential intrusion. Thus,
data from the Web server 90 has to go through optional
first firewall 70 as well.
Optionally, a second firewall 72 may be placed in
front of the web server 90. The customer or other
authorized user ("customer"), once at the web site, can
move or navigate around to the various pages that
comprise an energy management information service
according to the instant invention, which sits on the
OPIS platform. The customer, and, indeed, multiple
customers concurrently can look at the same information.
Advantageously, having this system on the Internet
enables customers at various locations throughout an area
of the country or the world, to actually come to the same
site at. the same time and enter into a discussion or talk
group as to what they are seeing, what it means, and
maybe what they can do with that information.
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The present invention, therefore, helps
troubleshooting, by providing an understanding, for
example, of the quality of energy or the electric service
that is being provided, such as, voltage fluctuations
and/or momentary spikes. Customers thus are provided the
ability to do analysis, e.g., power quality analysis,
over the Internet or other suitable network that is able
to capture their resource usage in various different
forms, for example, natural gas, gasoline, electricity,
propane, band width, cable television signals, cellular
communications signals, local telephone service, long
distance telephone service, Internet usage, satellite
signals, and the like. So, for example, a consultant
such as an engineer, may be in Delaware and the site may
be in Ohio. The engineer may look at the information, do
analysis, and perhaps even resolve an issue without ever
going to the site . The types of information that the
customer may see, include, for example, the load in
energy; the actual building layout/structure, historical
bills, and/or a forecasting component that helps forecast
the amount of energy a customer may use based upon a
forecast for a given location or a given customer site.
Optionally, the instant invention includes a front end
that displays news and weather and industry-specific
. information so that a particular customer may track the
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customer's particular industry, for example, by standard
linking to public Internet sites.
Advantageously, the customer is provided the
capability of downloading any piece, part or all of the
data that the instant invention has collected or
calculated for it. So, any piece of stored load
information is, optionally, always available to the
customer, for example, by simply requesting a flat ASCII
file download feature. Thus, if the customer requests
such information, for example, from January through March
of a particular year, the customer will receive all of
that information, optionally along with associated price
estimates.
The standard "File, Save as" facility in standard
browsers: may be used to save the information, for
example, to a local PC, and then imported into a
standard spreadsheet or database for analysis. A further
advantage of the present invention is that all of the
data is firewalled off from anybody making intrusion of
getting into or accessing the data.
Operation of the Instant Invention
Referring to Figure 5, operation of the instant
invention according to an exemplary embodiment is
described as follows. In Step 5100, a resource-metering
data recorder 10, 12, 14 periodically or aperiodically
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records resource usage data measured by one or more
resource meters, which is responsively connected to one
or more resource consuming devices. In Step S102,-the
resource usage data recorder is polled, for example, by
a recorder translator 30, for the recorded resource usage
at the associated resource meter(s). In Step 5104, the
resource usage data is stored in a searchable database
40.
In Step 5106, the Internet server 90 determines
whether~.a user query has been received. If no query has
been received, the server may wait. If a query has been
received, in Step 5108, resource-metering data relevant
to the user is retrieved from the database 40. In Step
5110, the relevant resource-metering data is presented or
transmitted to the user via a World Wide Web page and/or
a data file downloadable by FTP.
Referring to Figure 6, operation of the instant
invention according to an alternative embodiment is
described as follows. In Step 5200, a resource-metering
data recorder/translator unit, i.e., an intelligent meter
22,24, 26, periodically or aperiodically records resource
usage. In Step 5202, the' data recorder/translator unit
publishes the resource usage data on a global computer
network, for example, the Internet 200, using standard
publish/subscribe network communication protocol. In
Step S204, an Internet server 110 subscribes to the
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published resource usage data. In Step S206, the
resource usage data is stored in a searchable database
40.
In Step 5214, the data recorder/translator unit
determines whether a user query has been received at its
Internet node, for example, its World Wide Web site. If
no such user query has been received, the data
recorder/translator unit may wait. In Step S216, if a
user query is received, the data recorder/translator unit
l0 retrieves resource usage data relevant to the user. In
Step 5218, the data recorder/translator unit presents or
transmits the relevant resource usage data on a World .
Wide Web page and/or a data file downloadable via FTP.
In Step 5208, an Internet server 90 determines
whether a user query has been received. If no query has
been received, the server may wait. If a query has been
received, in Step 5210, resource-metering data relevant
to the user is retrieved from the database 40. In Step
S212, the relevant resource-metering data is presented or
transmitted to the user via a World Wide Web page and/or
a data file downloadable by ftp.
As discussed, one of the virtues of the present
invention is the ability to aggregate usage information.
The present invention provides the ability of going to an
energy supplier as a single aggregate site or aggregate
energy~units/capacity. For example, the customer alone
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may not have as much buying power for its own energy
needs, or the customer profile may not be as beneficial
in terms of getting a good price. The present invention
advantageously permits identification of complimentary
loads or energy needs, aggregation of same, and
estimation of the aggregate needs to provide the customer
the feature of obtaining a larger block of energy for a
better price, based on a larger volume/quantity request.
That way, the customer can then go out and buy energy
with a better high or low factor profile, to obtain
energy at a lower price by requesting a larger block of
energy, thereby effecting a customer profile having a
higher than otherwise load factor.
So, the system allows the customer or user to monitor
fairly closely the energy usage of multiple and
optionally remote facilities, and then make an aggregate
energy usage estimate of the facilities altogether. The
user or customer is then in a position to purchase a
larger chunk of energy for more facilities at once to
achieve economy of scale. Customer groups may be, for
example, chains, that may utilize this aggregation
feature~,_to aggregate as they see fit. The users or
customers may also optionally take groups of customers if
they have the information and put them together in any
manner, and create a load profile for them, to develop a
more satisfying purchase.
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For example, a user may be a utility that aggregates
together different customers which were never aggregated
before. Alternatively, if a discount department store
chain has, for example, 300 stores in a predetermined
region or regions, the chain itself, or other energy
provider'could put some or all the stores together alone
or in combination with other blocks of stores/energy as
a company or a single organization from the perspective
of a utility supplier. The supplier can also look at
different types of customers. For example, hospitals,
schools, and/or churches may be linked by load profile
needs so that a supplier may create a predictable,
complimentary, energy usage profile of all the entities
together.
Resource Managemeat Iaforinatioa Output
Figtl~re 7 is a sample resource management graph
generated to show the energy usage of two hypothetical
customers A and B, who live in, for example, States X and
. Y, respectively. Plainly, A and B may be, for example,
two sites of a single customer. Also, A and B may be
located in the same state. As can be seen from Figure 7,
customer A and customer B have approximately
complementary resource usage requirements over a given
time span. Consequently, the average resource usage,
illustrated by a line comprised of a dot and a dash
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combinations, and aggregate resource usage, illustrated
by a line comprised of two dots and a dash combinations,
of the two customers are substantially linear.
The aggregate resource usage requirements may
advantageously be presented to a resource provider, if
customer A and customer B unite as a buying block.
Customers A and B may thus obtain, for example, a lower
resource usage rate than individual resource usage rates.
That is, the possible lower rates may result from the
substantially linear aggregate usage requirements, which
may facilitate the resource provider s planning with
respect'to resource production and management.
Figure 8 expands the example provided in Figure 7 to
include five customers C, D, E, F, and G. As seen from
the graph, all five customers have differing resource
usage requirements. Yet, aggregating their usage
requirements yields a substantially linear curve, which
may be attractive to a prospective resource. provider.
Customers C, D, E, F, and G may be, for example, five
sites of a single customer, five individual customers,
two sites of one customer and three sites of another
customer, or any other feasible combination. Also, the
customers and/or sites may be located in the same state
or in different states.
Figure 9 depicts a sample resource management report
generated for a large industrial customer that has an
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interruptible rate.. During the time period around
July 12 - 18, there were curtailments and this customer
was able to constantly view the real-time portion of the
rate structure to determine its economic decision to "buy
through" the curtailment or reduce operation. As shown
in Figure 9, the top-most line as seen from the left is
the customer's load, the middle line as seen from the
left is the real time price signal, and the bottom-most
line as seen from the left is its total contracted bill.
The customer can discern this information on any interval
down to, for example, one hour.
Figure 10 illustrates a sample resource management
report generated for the same customer as in Figure 9
depicted for the previous 24 hours with their load and
the two pricing information lines. In addition to the
load information, the customer can view estimates for its
hourly costs of electric. This allows the customer to
make better economic decisions as to its operational
profitability.
Figure 11 illustrates a sample resource management
report generated for a multi-site enterprise to
demonstrate aggregation. The white background in this
case illustrates the capability to print without the
black background, which is easier on the printer
resources. Once again there are load and price curves,
in this case for the previous 24 hours. As with all of
CA 02343468 2001-04-05
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the load and cost profiles, the information is optionally
downloadable in, for example, an ASCII comma delimited
file or other file format.
The present invention optionally enables users to
approach energy suppliers with the energy information.
For example, the present invention provides the ability
to tie energy with equipment that monitors, for example,
air conditioning units or other loads. Based upon
operational characteristics that are being monitored, the
present invention alerts the customer whether the
equipment is failing or whether it is functioning
properly. If the equipment looks like it is going to
fail, a'maintenance or service person is optionally
issued a call to go to that location prior to failure.
For example, an indicator of malfunctioning equipment
includes equipment using more or less energy than it
would normally use. Each piece of refrigeration
equipment, for example, has a band of operational
characteristics in which it should operate to function
efficiently. Monitored variables include, for example,
energy input and temperature output. If the instant
system monitors energy in and the temperature out that is
characteristic of this device, the system monitors values
within that band of operational acceptance.
The more the equipment tends to exceed the
operational characteristics, the more likely predictive
CA 02343468 2001-04-05
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maintenance will be necessary. Thus, advantageously, not
as much time, money or resources are necessary to keep
the process running properly. Optionally, for durable
goods, such as a refrigerator, instead of calling on or
sampling it once a year, or once every six months, an
operational check may need only be issued once in a year
and half. Maintenance cost may thereby be reduced, while
still providing at least the same high quality service to
the customer.
In addition, advantageously the savings may be
transferred to the customer so it has a pricing center to
go to with this offering, to actually produce better
quality equipment at a lower price by virtually having
this information system in place. At the same time,
consumption for the electricity and gas usage of the port
is also monitored and collected to understand the
customer's total energy needs.
The instant system also advantageously provides a
layered'~approach that facilitates the ability to change
or cater the system to specific customer needs. Standard
Perl CGI scripts form the core of the system, and are
layered on top of standard HTML scripts that create the
web page look. Thus, the actual development can go on in
parallel, and a different CGI script underneath that H'TML
page can be created or a different HTML page can be
created for the CGI script. Thus, the present invention
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does not limit the creation or production of one area by
any of the other areas.
Further, advantageously the present invention
optionally also allows seamless transitioning between
databases. The customer need never see the transitioning
from, for example, MSQL-type databases to, for example,
ORACLE-type databases for providing at least the same
functionality while providing more capabilities and/or
more programming efficiencies.
Advantageously, the present invention significantly
reduces operating costs. Long distance telephone service
for costs, for example, 7~ cents per minute to make calls
to the standard meters and/or intelligent meters. Each
call takes, for example, possibly less than 40 seconds,
often between forty seconds and one minute, and possibly
greater than one minute depending upon the type of system
used. The Vantera-type nodes take a longer time to
complete the call than standard meters. The phone usage
cost is the largest single component of the operations
cost, and by reducing same, significant reductions in
cost can be obtained by accessing the nodes through
alternative means, such as the Internet or through
service providers such as Connectiv Communications.
Sample Cbmputer System
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The database/application/administrative web server 50
may, for example, include Sun Ultra Enterprise 6000
Server running, for example, Solaris 2.5.1 operating
system, that has six-200 MHZ CPUs, and is scalable up to
multi-terabyte or greater storage. Documentation is
available via Sun Microsystems online at
http://www.sun.com. The server 50 optionally runs at
least one of Netscape, Apache, and Oracle, or other
suitable software.
The instant invention may include a
network/dialer/application server 110, for example, a
Compaq server based on a Pentium II processor, running
for example, Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 for data
collection and testing. Documentation and
troubleshooting information for Windows NT is available
at http://www.microsoft.com. The network server runs,
for example, MS SQL Server 6.5, IIS 3Ø Windows NT also
permits. a shrink-wrapped product where the metering,
database, and web publishing software may be installed
on an existing NT server at a customer's site, for
example, on a corporate intranet enabling those customers
who may not feel completely comfortable with the open
world of the Internet to easily utilize it.
System interface with other servers is accomplished
through, for example, FTP, Oracle, and/or SQULnet. The
system interface is optionally built around C-callable
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libraries, wrapped by a simple standard COM interface to
facilitate use in languages, such as, Microsoft Visual
Basic or Borland Delphi. Standard database security,
standard operating system access rights, standard fire
walls and standard secure sockets encryption are all
optionally provided.
The Open Platform Information System is capable of
providing a variety of formatted file types to any
specific server via FTP. Although the preferred format
is a flat ASCII data file for which are provided field
definitions, the information may alternatively be
provided in other file formats, such as, packed decimal
format-,- SAS dataset format, MS Access or any other
standard database format, and stored on a physical media,
such as.diskette, cartridge, and/or CD. HP Vantera-type
technology supports data transfer via industry standard
TCP and IP protocols.
The present invention uses, for example, an ORACLE
database engine. Once again, the storage requirements
can be easily supplied at any level within the needs of
the service territory by adaption by one of ordinary
skill in the art.
Data storage capability is not an issue on the
platform. As mentioned above, the present invention
employs a powerful database/application/administration
web server, such as, a SUN Enterprise 6000 with six CPUs
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with 600 Gigabytes of information storage capacity. Such
a system is optionally easily and cost effectively
upgradeable to four tera-bytes or more storage space. An
estimate of data storage needs is 2.5 tera-bytes for
100,000 customers with 5 years of data on-line depending
on information storage fields and application. Capacity
on, for example, a hypermedia system Chimera server,
based on a SUN Enterprise 6000 is 600 Gigabytes or more.
It...should be noted that the database sizing
requirements are based on five years of customer history
at an average of one interval per hour. Although, some
customers may require more, most customers relate best to
the information at the time interval for which they are
billed. For this reason, generally, the ISO dispatches
and charges in one hour increments. Internet-based
solutions, such as Netscape Commerce server, Oracle, Perl
5.003 are also optionally used to accommodate these
requirements.
The. present invention is also optionally implemented
using, for example, at least one of the following
programming language(s): Perl 5.003, Visual C++ 5.0,
Visual Basic 5.0, GNU C/C++, Java, IIS 3.0 Active Server
Pages server-side VBScript and client-side JavaScript.
Also, the instant invention optionally includes standard
Unix shell scripting CSH, TSH along with NT VBA, Oracle
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ProC standard libraries, CGI library, or Oracle ProC
libraries.
Optionally, all data in the system is time and date
stamped_~by customer and trade channel. In other words,
all the data is optionally broken down into its least
common denominator. This archival format allows for the
re-construction and/or aggregation of any like type of
information. Standard reporting may include line and bar
graphs, HTML tables, comma delimited ASCII for import
into any spreadsheet or summary bill report.
When the customer wants to retrieve any information,
it specifies the pieces) of information and over what
time range it wbuld like to see the information. The
data is optionally available for any time period for
which the data has been collected. The customer also has
the ability to aggregate information, e.g., at least by
site, process, region, and state. The customers with
multiple sites, may pick them by name. The account
number is an optionally available field.
The system logs some and preferably all significant
activity by a customer. Optionally, the instant system
includes standard tools for assessing demographics by
content type to determine needs of different markets by
tracking content usage of each market.
The customer can, at the customer's discretion, query
the data at any time to generate tables, graphs, and/or
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raw data. This would be accomplished through, for
example, the Web based interface utilizing a standard Web
browsers. The customer enters in the date/time and
specific pieces and/or aggregates of desired information.
The customer than optionally elects the desired report,
and receives usage information. Information can be
created in a specified report that the customer may
choose, for example, a generic flat, comma delimited
ASCII file to import directly into any of their systems.
The~.present invention optionally provides a standard
set of reports, which may be customized to an end-user's
specifications. That is, although the instant invention
includes a library of standard reports, 'customized'
reports for the end-user may optionally be provided based
on standard mass customization techniques. For example,
from a series of standard reports, the end-user would
choose those that most closely fit their needs. The
customer may retain the option of downloading the raw
data from the database to create a user-specific, one-
time report on a spreadsheet, database, or the user's own
personal reporting system. The belief is that the
information belongs to the customer and as such, the
customer has access to it as deemed appropriate.
The present invention also enables import and export
of data to interface with other applications. For
example, a comma delimited flat ASCII file output format
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of the system would permit such data importing and
exporting. A file indicating the file layout of the data
may optionally accompany the data file.
Remote meter configuration is handled in a standard
Utilityv2ranslation Systems MV-90-type format described
in detail hereinbelow, via telephone connection, or
through current hand-held reading/programming devices.
With a Hewlett Packard Vantera-type node, the process is
simpler. The activity is handled remotely or on-site via
the system's Windows Explorer. Optionally, standard drag
and copy techniques to the nodes' configurations once
they are addressed via their IP address are permissible
according to the instant invention.
Because of the ease by which reconfiguring and
general administration of intelligent meters, such as HP
Vantera-:type nodes, can be accomplished, the instant
invention optionally includes the implementation of such
Vantera-type technology in places where it makes economic
sense, in lieu of other conventional load data recorder
technology.
Preferably, all sub-systems that are not Microsoft-
based, are Y2K compliant. This is one of the main
reasons MV-90-type software, an example of recorder
translator, accesses the data and not a database engine.
Hourly (1 hour and 15-minute interval) customer data
acquisition by phone may optionally be supplemented with
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a call once a day to capture data missed during that
day's hourly readings. This information then optionally
submitted to the server in an end-of-day file, which
updates for any holes in the previous time periods'
interrogations. The system may also optionally be
'loaded' with historical data from earlier periods.
If there are still 'holes' in the data, a. standard
re-read program~may be run for a period of time to
acquire the missing data. This is done prior to the
"rolling over" of the data in the load profile data
recorder:; which can vary by recorder depending on the
time interval being recorded and the storage capacity of
the recorder. If the reading fails to provide the
information, a call is optionally made to the meter
department of the utility provider to make a special
pick-up. Presuming the information is acquired in the
above-described manner, the data is fed into the
database directly or indirectly from a data file
generated by the MV-90-type software. At this point in
time, if the data is unattainable from these methods, it
is left blank. Optionally, "patching" the data, as is
common. in load research departments and in some meter
departments, may be employed to overcome the missing
data.
Recorders may be verified for their assigned customer
and data measurement parameters. Information is compared
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to billing data from the customer information system to
verify that the information is for the appropriate
customer. Customer verification is optionally performed
through the utilization of the MV-90-type software's
Master Data File in the utility supplier's Meter
Department. Customer verification parameters may
include, for example, at least one of customer ID,
current transformer (CT) and power transformer(PT)
ratios, phone numbers, multipliers, off-sets, meter ID,
and/or account number.
Database servers 50, for example, SUN Enterprise
servers may be backed up regularly, for example, nightly
to the back-up storage facility 80, for example, a main
tape silo system. Production tapes, by way of
illustration, may be copied and stored off-site. The
network servers are, for example, Compaq Proliant RAID5
NY servers with mirrored 9-Gig drives. All off-site
production tapes optionally may be recovered and re-
loaded within, for example, six hours. There is also
optionally the capability to run some of the production,
for example, on leased servers off-site. The data center
optionally includes Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS),
which may be implemented in multiple parallel modules,
Battery Back-up systems, Automatic Transfer Switches
(ATS) and/or power generator back-up, along with multiple
electric circuit feeds. By way of illustration, an
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Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) is a device that
provides a clean, reliable source of power to maintain
systems in the event of power disturbances and/or
interruptions. The UPS device may include a
rectifier/charger, inverter and a battery system. The
battery system may include one or more, for example,
sealed lead-acid (SLA), Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cd) and/or
Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries. In all there are,
for example, five seta of back-up redundancy for the
1p instant invention. Fewer or greater seta are acceptable
depending on the need for fault tolerance.
Server/Software
Raw meter data may be manipulated at either the
server or client level depending on the appropriateness
of the solution based on the need for system integrity,
speed and quality before the customer. That is, system
level manipulations necessary to be performed on the
server will have that solution. Customer end-use
manipulation of data will tend to be performed locally at
the client to avoid slowing system processing.
The client data manipulation and analysis can be
handled-~~through standard program objects written for
distributed environments, for example, JAVA applets. The
system design also optionally enables the customer to
download meter data tables, for example, to a flat ASCII
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file for input into customer specific applications, e.g.,
Excel, Lotus and Access databases through, for example,
a standard "File Save As" facility in standard browsers.
With such an option, advantageously, all of the current
and future associated infrastructure features built into
the standard Web browser platforms such as the saving of
files, ~e-mail capabilities, and, for example, JAVA
applets are automatically encompassed in the system.
The OPIS foundation is optionally a scalable server
design providing greater flexibility and convenience as
the system grows in number of customers, communication
frequency and sequential database fields. The system's
capability is flexible enough to parallel systems and/or
upgrade information system technologies to accommodate
system needs and requirements.
The Energy Management Information Service (EMIS)
software include the following features:
~ energy management features, such as, load profiles
and load tables for use by customer to more
effectively procure energy and manage energy;
~ financial management features, such as, real-time
pricing, energy cost calculations and cost
allocation;
~ rate analysis features, such as, rate comparison
with variable rate structures and pricing options is
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an enhancement to the billing/energy cost
application; and
~ billing features, such as, bill estimation, bill
simulation and billing engine (for example, billing
and/or payment over the Internet) software
applications.
The EMIS/OPIS system foundation is based on the
system's capability to acquire data and translate data
from virtually every metering device. OPIS translates
data from most, and preterably, all Known meLer~ug
devices via its standard universal translation system.
This capability is dynamic and keeps pace with new
developments as they come into the market. It enables
the system to provide customers complete flexibility with
regards to the existing and/or planned load data
acquisition installation necessary in the new energy
markets.
Information integration is transparent to customers.
They view an intelligent collection of energy information
tools that enables them to buy energy at one or more
competitive prices. This configuration also allows the
customer to take advantage of and grow with system
enhancements and upgrades as technology advances. The
system metering and monitoring design includes at least
one of these metering technologies:
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~ energy recorders, e.g., data pulse recorders;
~ energy meters, e.g., all under glass meters and
recorders, ABB;
~ energy monitors, e.g.,. Square D circuit monitor, PSI
Quad4, PML power monitoring;
~ new intelligent monitoring technologies, e.g.,
Hewlett-Packard Vantera;
The present invention has the capability to read at
least substantially all of the indicated meters and
recorders by using Utility Translation Systems' MV-90
type software 30, and forwarding the resulting
translations to the database 40 for reporting by the Web
application interface. Optionally, a commercially
available Translation Interface Module (TIM) is used in
connection with the MV-90 software.
The system also optionally interfaces with the Square
D 'Circuit Monitor' line of data acquisition products,
which i's an installed base, especially among larger
customers. OPIS optionally includes a Vantera Open
Platform information backplane of the data acquisition
products for permitting access to load and process other
information at the customer and sub-meter level across
almost any data collection instrument.
In those cases where the load data recorder is modem
enabled, only a PSTN phone line is necessary. Although
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a dedicated line may be preferred, a splitter to share
existing phone lines is also acceptable. In those
instances where there is a meter and no recording device,
for example, an HP Vantera LPR node to access,
accumulate, and provide the necessary load data may be
included.
The read capability of~ OPIS only requires the
appropriate transducer be installed to allow for
information to flow to the appropriate recording device
so that, for example, at least one of kWh, kilowatts(KW),
kilo-Volt-Ampere-Reactance (KVAR), MCF, volts, amperes,
temperature, and gallons may be read. The system is
predicated and designed on an "Open Platform" concept,
such that it can access and display' any measurable
variable.
The standard databases are capable of retrieving,
storing, transmitting, and displaying information down to
the sub-cycle level, depending on the application.
Typically, utility information is collected and stored at
the level required for load and billing information, for
example, on an hourly 'interval. For hourly and 15-minute
information interrogation intervals, data may be
acquired, for example, once an hour via phone (PSTN)
connection. Information may be acquired at more discrete
intervals down to real-time reads for those applications
such as power quality (PQ) which require it, utilizing,
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for example, the Internet and/or ISDN connections.
Although recorders may be interrogated at virtually
any time interval down to real-time, it is a goal to
access and provide the information at an appropriate time
interval for the customer. Thus, for example, in
accordance with one application the Vantera platform
reads and displays information at a one-minute interval
level. For the power quality applications, for example,
information is read and displayed at the millisecond
level to perform the PQ analyses for customers.
The present invention optionally and advantageously
reads sub-meters. The sub-metered loads are defined as
"Shredderl, 2, etc." along with their respective cost
curves as shown in Figure 6. Sub-meter reading is
accomplished through the connection of pulse initiators
from the sub-metered loads to the load data recorder.
Those connections provide the necessary pulse information
to the recorder and are identified on the recorder's
channels by their end-use. The individual recorders are
then accumulated to the enterprise level. At least
substantially all data is stored at the channel level
such that any configuration and/or amount of channels or
submeters can be aggregated in any combination desired to
produce aggregated load and cost profiles. Customers
with existing regulatory agency-approved Direct Access
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meters would be "good to go" once the modem and phone
line are installed.
As indicated above, the information requested is read
at a substantially instantaneous time level. This is
accomplished through the use of the appropriate standard
measurement equipment (i.e., PQNodes, Square D Circuit
Monitors, etc.). The open architecture, characteristic
of the instant invention, permits an interface with these
systems. Simplistic measurement equipment displays may
be presented using, for example, Square D, whereas
optional services may be included with the more detailed
displays using, for example, a PQNode-based application.
The EMIS/OPIS design is based on the current and
anticipated future informational needs of customers. For
that specific reason, it is not designed to provide only
information regarding electricity usage. The system's
design provides the maximum capability and flexibility
for the customer in the highly competitive future. The
instant invention provides the ability for the customer
to combine and aggregate monitored information, be it
energy or other processes. For example, gas customers,
optionally having combination gas and electric accounts,
may monitor and nominate their maximum daily quantity
(MDQ) amounts through the Web to their energy suppliers.
Similarly, as discussed above, other types of usage
information that may be monitored include: band width
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(copper, optical fiber, etc.), telecommunication time,
local telephone service, long distance telephone service,
natural gas, gasoline, cable television signals,
Internet-type signals, radio usage, wireless
'communications device usage, cellular communications
device usage, digital usage, satellite usage, and the
like.
At-bottom, optionally, the instant invention reads,
aggregates, and/or communicates with the customer, any
signal that can be processed and relates the usage
information. This includes, but. is not limited to
temperature, pressure, water level, pounds of steam,
power quality, etc. Because the vision is one of
providing customers process information such that they or
their agents.can optimize their operational processes,
thereby making them more profitable, the instant
invention optionally includes intelligent components,
such as Hewlett-Packard Vantera technology which permits
the cost-effective access, monitoring, display, and where
necessary, control of virtually any information signal a
customer~may need to optimize operations.
By optionally using existing installed lines and
utility installed recorders where possible, the instant
invention provides low costs of data acquisition.
Recorder information may be accessed via radio, or via
linkages with, for example, MetroCom Ricochet'H and
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cellular digital packet data (CDPD) cellular phone
systems.
The Web page addresses provided with a response to a
request...for information displays the system's present
capability to aggregate and display multiple facilities
and sub-meters. The system design permits the delay and
analysis features to be performed at, for example, the
sub-meter level 'for all data accessed, e.g., interval
load and pricing applications.
The flexibility of OPIS is demonstrated throughout,
from data acquisition through customer reports. OPIS
reads load data recorders in the field, for example, via
a phone line, over networks via TCP/IP protocol, and if
necessary, from the existing meter translation system
database. The data retrieved from the recorders
optionally includes at least one of, but is not limited
to, kW, kWh, and KVAR, over the desired time intervals.
Many common issues related to network acquisition and
display of load data have been solved by creating
Internet access and display of information while
"touching" the customer's network only when necessary at
least in part to address customer needs for custom
solutions.
Other optional measurement factors read are MCF of
gas, temperature, and chiller inlet and outlet water
CA 02343468 2001-04-05
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X8124-102 -
flows, and "live" hourly marginal prices for real-time
pricing solutions.
Data is accessed via a standard translation system
and transferred to the server and then posed to the
Internet. In general terms, it is a multi-tier system
whose components include a SQL data warehouse, a metering
and business rule abstraction layer, and an HTTP server.
Operations, maintenance and administration
requirements may average, for example, two hours per
week. There may be non-linear increasing returns to
scale benefit for the maintenance and administration as
the data acquisition system scales up in size.
Flexibility is also present at this level. That is, it
may be possible to proceed from initial access of a
customer's load information to display of the customer's
Internet solution, for example, in less than four hours.
This margin may be reduced further by standard dynamic
content creation development, whereby data may be
available on the Internet as soon as the recorders are
"plugged in."
The server capacity is, for example, approximately
500 customers, using a comparatively low-end workstation,
and can be simply scaled via introduction of faster
hardware, or alternatively across multiple machines. The
crossover point from straight serial connection to
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9-
publish/subscribe technology is in the 2,000 to 3,000
range.
For example, the instant invention may include a SQL
system~for data storage. But, it is important to note
that the. instant invention is only very loosely coupled
to the brand of SQL server in use. This invention does
not rely on proprietary extensions to ANSI SQL standards
for performance and functionality. Thus, it is possible
to "plug and play" database servers.
Optionally, the instant invention may collect and
display power quality information for analysis and
resolution drawn to the milli-cycle level or less, for
those customers that desire the service.
Given the easy scalability, capacity utilization may
be maximized on the instant server. The instant
invention's energy management information service may
provide load information, for example, over the following
time intervals at the indicated frequencies:,
~ Once a month, hourly reads
~ Once a day, hourly reads
~ Once an hour, hourly reads
~ Once every 15 minutes, hourly reads
~ Once every minute, hourly reads
Data Acquisition/Communicatioa
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OPIS supports standard phone protocol (both PSTN and
cellular) and/or Internet Protocol (IP) for data
acquisition. The PSTN hardware includes the standard
phone line and connection to the modem in the recorder.
The modem is part of the recorder hardware and thus, at
minimum, the modem must be able to "speak" with the
recorder. Alternatively, PCMCIA modem cards, for
example, may be used to access HP Vantera-type nodes.
The modems may be read available at all baud rates, for
example, from 300 and 1200 (typical in most load data
recorders) through 33.6K or greater via the phone modem.
IP transmission rates are up through 1.5 Mbps via T-1
connectivity, for example, and higher if necessary
through greater bandwidth.
Standard PSTN or cellular protocol or Internet
Protocol is used as exemplary communication protocol for
one or more of the following reasons. PSTN is available
virtually everywhere. Such a protocol system may
'translate' information from substantially all of the
different data recorders and then publish that
information for the customer on its network, over the
Internet, as well as in, fox example, a comma delimited,
downloadable flat ASCII file. This always insures that
virtually any customer may access and use its energy
information. The means of data distribution ensures that
all translation activity is 'transparent' to the
CA 02343468 2001-04-05
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customer; all a customer sees is the information it
wants. The Internet, by way of example, takes advantage
of the most open system for communicating, displaying,
and downloading information. Internet Protocol, for
example, is the primary protocol for communicating over
the Internet today and likely in the future, although the
present invention can be easily adapted to accept/utilize
other protocols developed in the future.
Utilizing HP Vantera-type technology, the instant
invention may optionally communicate in at least the two
phone and IP protocols, or by "publish/subscribe"
technology. The latter technology permits the movement
and dissemination of large amounts of information, that
is, when simultaneous information transfer to or from,
for example, in excess of 2,000 separate recorders.
Vantera-type nodes and associated software provide for
the 'broadcast' and 'subscription' of information to,
from, and between the nodes over virtually any time
interval.
Alternative to Hewlett Packard Vantera-type
intelligent recorder/translator units, the network server
110 may include a client program and an intelligent
recorder/translator unit may include a server, thereby
implementing standard push technology. The client
program resident in the network server 110 may capture a
resource meter profile and may then periodically initiate
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requests'for information on the network server's behalf
from the server of the recorder/translator unit.
The instant invention supports HTTP, FTP, and HTTPS,
which layer on TCP/IP from the server to any location in
the world. Optionally, the system includes formats
compatible with standard Internet browsers, such as
Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape. Optionally,
EMIS/OPIS is fully interlaceable with standard software
applications, for example, application suites, such as MS
Office. Optionally, native WIN32 NCOM may be used in the
applications designs.
At least some of the information and systems is
hosted on the servers. The system reads, for example,
Meter ID, date and time stamp, kW, kWh, kVAR, MCF,
gallons per hour (gph), temperature (°F or °C), pressure,
volts, amperes, and/or PQ data. Data may be read on the
necessary periodic bases. The recorder is read (via
telephone or over the Internet or other customer
supported network) and the data, validated by a recorder
translator, such as, MV-90, or the on-board Vantera-type
system. The read dates can be set to as long as a one-
month interval or greater, or as short as a one-minute
interval., or less through the software programming in the
translation system. It is then set in a file, which is
then, for example, FTP'd to the server where it is
CA 02343468 2001-04-05
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~8'! 24-102
collected~automatically, by way of illustration, in the
MS SQL database.
The customer information is stored in the database by
channel for each load recorder ID, so that the data is
always available in its 'least common denominator' format
for any time period. This database optionally may be
migrated to an ORACLE-type database as the economics
warrant. To this extend, the SQL database is completely
portable to an ORACLE-type database.and has the capacity
of, for example, more than 6,000 customers worth of
information. Once the data is in the database, it is
available or queryable by, for example, any practicable
number of customers. Each customer optionally may have
an individually secured page to access and review their
data at any time. However, cost-conscious and/or privacy-
indifferent customers may opt to share one or more Web
pages.
By v.way of illustration, the instant invention's
capability of transmitting data include the following
sample read intervals using a phone component or Vantera-
type component:
1. monthly
2. weekly
3. daily
4. hourly
5. 15-min
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6. 1-min.
7. instantaneous
The ability to transmit the data requirements for the
customers as indicated here, for example, 100,000 or more
may be supported by the use of ORACLE-type database
engines along with the Web servers running on, for
example, SUN Ultra SPARC 1000 machines. Additionally,
the HP Vantera-type technology provides the following
capabilities for mass data transmission.
Intelligent Meter Communication Services
The ~HP Vantera-type communication services, for
example, use an advanced commercially available messaging
system for network efficient data transfer. Based on
industry standard TCP/IP protocols, the messaging
services may use publish/subscribe middleware to
broadcast information to, from, and between servers and
nodes in a true peer-to-peer fashion. Information
transmission may be published from any source or pulled
from any receiver in a manner similar to accessed
information over the World Wide Web.
The Vantera-type communication model is much more
efficient in large-scale metering systems than
traditional point-to-point connection-oriented systems,
which must individually poll each metering node, usually
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over a serial line. Not only does polling consume much
time to establish each connection, but these traditional
systems also make it difficult to add new metering nodes,
because a central data collector may require
reconfiguring or reprogramming to accept changes in the
number and/or location of meters.
Use of the power of the HP Vantera-type communication
architecture, system and network management is a key
component of large scale systems intending utilize tools
for system and network management. Commercially
available user-friendly tools, such as those of HP
Vantera, allow users to download software to nodes over
the network from geographically distributed locations,
interrogate the network to determine which nodes are on-
line, and browse the node via Web-based tools to
determine the state of any node on the network. Using
such features as electronic data sheets, node information
can be displayed via standard system administration
tools . --
First-hop communications architecture
First-hop communications architecture can also
advantageously be achieved through a number of options
available to HP Vantera-type nodes. The first option is
to put the information directly onto the Internet, for
access to either the end user or the service provider.
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By utilizing the Internet, users may, for example, get
direct access to their energy usage, on their corporate
intranet.
Using, for example, either the PCMCIA slot, or the
RS-232C interface, telephony modems-wireline or wireless
may optionally be integrated into the node. Such modems
may communicate through dedicated phone lines, PBXs or
cellular stations to communications servers that
aggregate and coordinate telephony communications.
Customer Interface and the Internet
The. EMIS/OPIS system's intention and existence is
based on enabling technology to provide customers
convenient access and an easy to use interface for
information collection, analysis and display. The
system's value proposition providing complex information
in a simple, easy-to-understand, management-style format.
The interface technology requires that the customer
only have a standard computer network browser, such as MS
Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator, therefore,
requiring little or no investment in software. The
system also leverages the flexibility and the
connectivity of the Internet. This is accomplished by
leveraging the functionality that is inherent in
standard- major browsers, i.e., JAVA applets which
i
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optionally provide the customer with information
flexibility.
Internet Data Delivery
Once they reach the network communications
server/scheduler 110, HP Vantera-type packets may be
shipped over the Internet via, for example, standard WAN
devices. As "TCP/IP-friendly" packets, HP Vantera-type
messages' may be shipped over standard data networking
equipment, e.g., bridges, routers and/or hubs.
Using, for example, the WAN, geographically
distributed communications servers can transport
information to enterprise or utility-based applications
which use the information for billing, outage awareness
and/or other functions.
Advantageously, phone numbers may be verified to
ensure that the correct customer is being accessed.
Every time the call is placed, a 'handshake' may take
place, which verifies, for example, the meter/recorder
ID, and/or other translation parameters. Validation
takes place on the translator, and the data is then
'reported' to an output file which is then FTP'd to the
database server 50. The database server 50 verifies
translator (customer) IDs. That data, along with an
optional time stamp, is then stored on the database,
ready for manipulation.
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Data is transferred to the database 40 over networks
utilizing, by way of example, Transmission Control
Protocol (TCP). TCP, by its very nature, is currently
the mostyrobust protocol in terms of reliability due to
its inherent integrity checks on data packets, and
resending feature if the~data packets get damaged, lost,
or mis-routed. TCP/IP provides the foundation of over
100 different acceptable standard protocols for governing
data movement among computers on a network.
Information service provider servers are monitored
and maintained by the network operations personnel.
Availability rates may be:
99~% for the Web Server 90, and 99.9+% for the
database servers) 50.
The 'meter translation system optionally performs
periodic or aperiodic security checks with the recorder
to ensure that the information is coming from the correct
recorder. For example, the security checks may be
performed at every interrogation. For example, hourly
customer data acquisition by phone may receive a call at
the end of the day to capture any data that was missed
during the day's hourly readings. That information may
then be submitted to the server in, for example, an end-
of-day file, which updates for any 'holes' in the
previous time periods interrogations. The system can
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optionally also be "loaded" with historical data from
earlier periods.
Optionally, data loss beyond a time period, for
example, one day, may be checked with the utility
provider's meter department for verification of signal
loss. In many cases, given the industrial nature of the
customers, signal loss from the phone-based technology
resulting from downed private phone lines, typically due
to site construction. The instant system also includes
the capability to notify the meter department far in
advance of their normal identification of data
acquisition issues at the customer's site, since they are
typically read once a month by the meter reader.
Optionally, the system maintains a database of
intervals that need to be called. If necessary, the
system optionally may redial meters that need to be re
read. Additionally, a user-definable retry cycle allows
tuning of metering applications to accommodate more
error-prone environments. Except for some components of
the MV-90-type recorder translation system, the entire
system may optionally be managed via the Internet.
The Web server 90 comprises, for example, a Sun Ultra
2 having Solaris 2.5.1, Standard Sun documentation.
Security optionally includes at least one of HTTPS
encryption, client certificates and userid/password
access levels verified against a standard world wide
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database. An HP Vantera-type system provides multiple
mechanisms to maintain security of customer data.
As to authentication, Vantera-type nodes may be
configured to require authentication from any IP address
that requests its data. Regarding encryption, because
Vantera-type nodes though remote are complete processors,
standard programs that reside in them, such as, Node
Applications, may use any encryption algorithm to code
data that it publishes.
With respect to network security hardware using
standard TCP/IP, the Vantera-type communication system
may utilize firewalls, routers, and proxy servers for
restricting access to unauthorized users. Many
alternative optional architectures are possible to the
extent that a firewall server limits access from a
limited number of known addresses, and/or to a limited
number of internal servers within a secure network. For
example, standard precautions may include threat
monitoring, call-back, and even a standard complete iron
box keyable to particular incoming IDs or activity
patterns for trapping crackers.
Once the customer is on its secured account, the
customer has the option of changing its password. The
customer can perform this action any number of times per
day or a finite number of times per day.
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Exemplary features include: the availability of load
and cost curves for electric; load curves, MDQ plots, and
nomination capability for gas; power quality; billing
information; weather data, which is optionally specific
to a customer's locale; real-time energy prices; and/or
utility cost management. Linking is as simple as, for
example, providing a hot link to a relevant Web site, for
example. w
A customer may use, for example, Netscape 3.0,
Microsoft Internet Explore 3.0 or above, or any other
comparable standard computer network browser (e.g., an
AOL Web browser) to allow the customer to take advantage
of optional frame technology of the pages. The customer
can optionally click on "On-line' help, FAQ, e-mail the
"Webmaster" and/or call for human interface.
All data is, for example, available in comma
delimited flat ASCII files and can be saved using any
standard browser "File Save As" function, to a customer
PC or network. Alternative, suitable file formats may be
implemented in the instant invention, such as Windows
NT's Unicode Worldwide Character Standard and IBM
OS/390's~EBCDIC. Additionally, conversion programs may
be included to allow different operating systems to
change a file from one code to another. It should be
understood that universal appeal of the instant invention
may include presentation in languages other than English,
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which have a larger alphabet than English. Such
presentation may require formats for downloadable files
that, unlike ASCII, for example, have eight-bit, or more,
character sets to accommodate larger non-English
alphabets.
The customer may also take advantage of opening up
and saving various PC office suite application files
through local office applications, e.g., saving the Excel
spreadsheet imbedded in the Web page as a spreadsheet on
their local machine. Thus, such actions are as easy as
"point and click." No programming on the customer's part
is required. Further, other data formats may also be
used as needed to accommodate customer data processing
applications.
EMIS/OPIS can create any variable of interest, for
example,. averages, on-pk (on-peak), off-pk (off-peak),
totals,.mins (minimums), and maxs (maximums), as part of
the standard system, thereby effecting customization for
individual customers. Otherwise, the customization
process may be handled by the customer through a standard
file download routine.
The system stores at least some of the data at the
channel level and optionally creates aggregations as
required by the customer. As long as individual channel
data is available, it may be the data of choice. At
least some of the information is aggregatable according
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to customer needs. Two or more channels of data may be
brought together for aggregation as long as they are
common in what they represent.
According to the present invention, EMIS/OPIS
includes helping validate bills from an energy provider,
optionally signaling the customer. when there is an
"abnormal" energy consumption, analysis of variable rate
options, budgeting and accrual, measurement metrics, such
as energy/sq. no. ft., per day, etc. determined by the
customer and/or the utility provider, for example, within
bounds o~ the models.
There are, however, some optional enhancements to the
various types of analyses that can be readily done for
the customer. Chief among them is the ability to
accurately forecast energy and demand for customer
planning and economic analyses. Other optional
enhancements may include data quality indicators, such
that the customer not only sees the data, but also
understands the quality of the data. Another optional
aspect is the "on the fly" what-if scenario analysis
tool. That is, "What if I change my load profile -- what
is the economic impact?"
Implementation thereof is dependent on the specific
customers who enter into this program. Those with, for
example, LPRs and phone lines need only have, for
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example, their TIM file provided, and calling out to the
recorders may take place from facilities.
The system is optionally completely scalable up
through millions of customers or more. A Vantera-type
platform may be directed at the enterprise solution with
hundreds; thousands, and even millions of nodes installed
throughout various enterprises at multiple levels and
sub-levels to help provide for overall enterprise
operations and economic efficiency. Given its open
architecture design and its incredible scalability, an
intelligent meter platform, such as the Vantera-type
platform, is advantageously the long-range system of
choice.
The specific platform on which the system operates is
optionally predicated on the number of customers
participating and the technologies they are willing to
employ to allow for energy and related information to be
gathered.
The present invention utilizes load data recorders,
which are capable of being interrogated by phone, i.e.,
modem enabled and optionally are approved by an
appropriate regulatory agency. Once the level of that
accessibility is determined, modifications may be made to
the recorder translator system, such as an MV-90-type
translator system to mirror what is present in the energy
information provider facilities. This accomplishes a few
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things.~'First, it provides some redundancy. Secondly,
there is no re-inventing of the wheel. That is, because
the configuration standard of MV-90-type recorder
translators is known, it will perform the tasks required
by the instant invention. Also, it allows energy usage
information service providers to work with personnel who
are familiar with standard, commercially available
recorder translators. It also provides a new experience
for customers, who may, as a result, need some 'hand-
holding'. This will provide an excellent opportunity for
an information service provider to get even closer to its
customer . It also allows the solution to fit the
specific application and will ultimately provide for
cost-effective solutions.
Billing Engine
The OPIS system may provide customer billing
estimates based on a customer's existing billing
structure and determinants. For specific customers, OPIS
optionally creates a billing comparison, for example, a
comparison between an existing rate structure and real
time pricing. The present invention provides bill
estimates for customers ranging in size from 50 kW or
less through 60,000 kW or more, on a number, for example,
seven different rate structures in at least one or more
states. Estimated billing comparisons may be integrated
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into the system to assist the customer in determining
relative, value of potential offerings from alternate
suppliers.
The instant invention may include optional Internet
billing and payment features and/or elements for
customers both in the local service territory, and/or
those iri-regions where competitive energy markets exist.
Power Quality
The OPIS system also optionally links with and
publishes, for example, power quality information
outages, voltage dips and sags, power factor, phase
information for power, amps, and volts, and/or harmonics.
Standard high-end, mid- and/or low-end monitoring devices
in the field today may be used in the instant invention.
Optionally, as the monitoring technology for power
quality information moves into lower-end recording
devices;: customers who use such lower-end recording
devices may also be provided with power quality
information. The key in presenting these more~complex
activities is the underlying concept of the system
whereby an "open" system capable of reading information
from a wide variety of input devices and systems is
maintained.
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Scalability
A basic tenet of the EMIS/OPIS system is its
scalability. Therefore, the design is optionally based
on a fully scalable platform that may serve up to a
million customers with the same logic and capabilities as
when it serves only one customer. This same scalability
logic optionally flows through the entire information
acquisition and delivery system. For example, the
Vantera-type enterprise monitoring system is designed to
handle and effectively communicate over. millions of
nodes.
The same relative capabilities may be achieved with
the tra~i~islation system for interrogating meters and
recorders in the field. The vision behind the instant
invention is also demonstrated by the utilization of the
Internet as an exemplary communications platform wherein,
for all intents and purposes, there are few, if any,
geographical bounds of communications.
Scalability may also be considered when evaluating
the system relative to those that run on local PCS. The
customer interface with an information distribution
system has been optimized, via a Web interface with JAVA
applets, so that there is true mass customization,
allowing:for support of the system software at little or
no cost to the customer.
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Optionally, the billing engine library may be
callable via a program, function, and/or subroutine. On
the Windows NT side, the library may be wrapped with an
OLE Automation layer for convenience. Depending upon the
practicality of Java-based billing, the billing engine
may be exposed, for example, via Java Beans.
The billing engine modules are optionally scripted
into, for example, PERL scripts for specific customers to
whom are provided, for example, Internet-based load and
bill information. Rate structures may be evaluated as
described in the tariffs, the implementation of which is
straightforward to one of ordinary skill in the art. The
customers may optionally be billed on a variety of rate
structures that include, for example, customer charges,
ratcheted and not-ratcheted demand, time-of-use (TOU)
differentiated energy charges, seasonal changes based on
billing month and Daylight Saving Time, various
surcharges, taxes, and/or special contract riders and/or
adjustments.
Optional billing estimations may be provided to major
industrial customers that are billed on a combined tariff
and/or individual real-time energy usage component. ESP
'price curves may be optionally provided for customers
utilizing both tariff rates and/or real-time prices.
Lead load-shifting scenarios are optionally provided,
as well as real-time rate comparisons for customers.
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Aggregation has always been an inherent component of
OPIS. EMIS components optionally provide utility cost
management information which may include a variety of
utility bill consolidations for at least billing,
budgeting, variance reporting, accrual, load factor,
and/or power factor analyses to assist the customer in
its efforts to achieve overall profitability.
The system's~front-end is highly flexible. That is,
because of HTNOJ and JAVA use, for example, to create the
'look' for the customer, mass customization for customers
is possible by taking advantage of these programming
tools. There are multiple benefits to this, not the
least of which is that system revisions and singular
customers revisions can be released, all with the same
easy, short production cycle. Optionally and
advantageously, no diskettes or CDS need be issued. The
changes may be implemented in a manner that is virtual to
the customer, all the while, allowing immediate feedback
from the customer, via, for example, the browser and
Internet technology. The present invention minimizes
production costs far below those market participants that
deal in stand-alone PC-based systems. The 'look' of the
system may literally be changed "on the fly" as
necessitated or desired.
Optionally, a link to a database of tariff
information may be provided. That information could be
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provided, for example, to the instant invention on a
daily basis via FTP data transfer, for use in a billing
module, for example, to feed a bill calculation engine,
which would reside on the server. For this, a customers'
unique recorder and channel identifier may be needed so
that they can be integrated with the customer's load
information and presented over the Internet to the
customer.
One~of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that
with respect to the above-described computer network, the
scope of the instant invention includes any suitable
Internet (lower case), i.e., any set of networks
interconnected with devices, such as routers, that
forward messages or fragments of messages between
networks or intranets. Naturally, the Internet (upper
case) is one of the largest examples of an Internet.
To this end, it is to be understood that the elements
of the service provider network, shown for illustrative
purposes in Figure 3 and, more simply, in Figure 4 as
being located in geographic proximity to one another in
a substantially centralized processing environment, may
alternatively be arranged in a standard distributed
processing environment so as to leverage resources, e.g.,
servers and storage devices, located at two or more
sites.
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In an alternative embodiment, the above-mentioned
computer network may include a virtual private network
(VPN), thereby taking advantage of existing PSTN
infrastructure while providing a secure and private
environment for information exchange regarding resource
usage. Advantageously, data sent from the VPN is
encrypted, thereby enhancing the privacy of customers.
That is, because, the VPN includes a tunneling protocol,
the instant invention effectively uses the Internet as
part of a private secure network. That is, the "tunnel"
is the particular path that a given company message or
file might travel through the Internet.
In another embodiment, the above-described computer
network may alternatively include an extranet, wherein
customers may securely exchange large volumes of resource
usage data using a standard data exchange format, for
example, Electronic Data Interchange. To this extent, an
extranet may enable customers to share news of common
interest, for example, aggregated resource usage,
exclusively with partner companies.
It should be understood that although standard
graphical user interface browsers have been discussed,
standard text-only browsers, such as Lynx, may be used
for UNIX shell and VMS users. Users of such- text-only
browsers may download comma-delimited ASCII files of, for
example;-their usage data.
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An Appendix is included which contains examples of
the reports that are available to the user.
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Browser A browser is a program that provides a way
to look at, read, and even hear all the
information on the World Wide Web.
Technically, a Web browser is a client
program that uses the Hypertext Transfer
Protocol (HTTP) to make requests of Web
servers throughout the Internet on behalf of
the browser user.
Extranet An extranet is a private network that uses
the Internet protocols and the public tele-
communication system to securely share part
of a business's information or operations
with suppliers, vendors, partners,
customers, or other businesses. An extranet
can be viewed as part of a company's
intranet that is extended to users outside
the company. The same benefits that HTML,
HTTP, SMTP, and other Internet technologies
have brought to the Internet and to
corporate intranets now seem designed to
accelerate business between businesses. An
extranet requires security and privacy.
These require firewall server management,
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the issuance and use of digital certificates
or similar means of user authentication,
encryption of messages, and the use of
virtual private networks (VPNs) that tunnel
through the public network.
Firewall A firewall is a set of related programs,
located at a network gateway server, that
protects the resources of a private network
from users from other networks. A firewall,
working closely with a router program,
filters all network packets to determine
whether to forward them toward their
destination. A firewall also includes or
works with a proxy server that makes network
requests on behalf of workstation users. A
firewall is often installed in a specially
designated computer separate from the rest
of the network so that no incoming request
can get directly at private network
resources.
FTP File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is one of the
suite of protocols that are part of TCP/IP,
the client/server , program that every
Internet server and client PC or workstation
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uses . FTP has a user command interface for
establishing contact with a server, logging
in, and sending, receiving, or otherwise
changing files. Or, a utility that offers a
graphical interface therebetween may be
installed. Thus, FTP enables a user to send
or to receive files to or from a server.
FTP may also be used to update (delete,
rename, move, and copy) files at a server.
HTML HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is the set
of "markup" symbols or codes inserted in a
file intended for display on a World Wide
Web browser. The markup tells the Web
browser how to display a Web page's words
and images for the user.
HTTP The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is
the set of rules for exchanging files (text,
graphic images, sound, video, and other
multimedia files) on the World Wide Web.
Relative to the TCP/IP suite of protocols
(which are the basis for information
exchange on the Internet), HTTP is an
application protocol. Concepts that are part
of HTTP include (as its name implies) the
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idea that files can contain references to
other files whose selection will elicit
additional transfer requests. Any Web server
machine contains, in addition to the HTML
and other files it can serve, an HTTP
daemon, a program that is designed to wait
for HTTP requests and handle them when they
arrive. Your Web browser is an HTTP client,
sending requests to server machines. When
the browser user enters file requests by
either "opening" a Web file (typing in a
Uniform Resource Locator or URL) or clicking
on a hypertext link, the browser builds an
HTTP request and sends it to the Internet
Protocol address indicated by the URL. The
HTTP daemon in the destination server
machine receives the request and, after any
necessary processing, the requested file is
returned.
HTTPS HTTPS (Secure HTTP) allows you to get secure
access to a Web site or certain pages on a
Web site, using the Secure Socket Layer
(SSL) .
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Ip The Internet Protocol (IP) is the method or
protocol by which data is sent from one
computer to another on the Internet. Each
computer (known as a host) on the Internet
'S has at least one address that uniquely
identifies it from all other computers on
the Internet. When data are.sent or received
(for~example, an e-mail note or a Web page),
the data are divided into little chunks
called packets. Each of these packets
contains both the sender's Internet address
and the receiver's address. Any packet is
sent first to a gateway computer that
understands a small part of the Internet.
The gateway computer reads the destination
address and forwards the packet to an
adjacent gateway that in turn reads the
'V destination address and so forth across the
Internet until one gateway recognizes the
packet as belonging to a computer within its
immediate neighborhood or domain. That
gateway then forwards the packet directly to
the computer whose address is specified.
IP Address An IP address has two parts: the identifier
of a particular network on the Internet and
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an identifier of the particular device
(which can be a server or a workstation)
within that network. On the Internet itself,
that is, between the routers that move
packets from one point to another along the
route, only the network part of the address
is relevant.
Iron box An iron box is a special environment set up
to trap a cracker logging in over remote
connections long enough to be traced. It
._ may include a modified shell restricting the
cracker's movements in unobvious ways, and
"bait" files designed to keep the cracker
interested and logged on.
Link Using hypertext, a link is a selectable
connection from one word, picture, or
information object to another. In a
multimedia environment' such as the World
Wide Web, such objects can include sound and
motion video sequences. The most common
form of link is the highlighted word or
picture that can be selected by the user
(with a mouse or in some other fashion),
resulting in the immediate delivery and view
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of another file. The highlighted object is
referred to as an anchor. The anchor
reference and the object referred to
constitute a hypertext link.
Plug-in Plug-in applications are programs that can
-- easily be installed and used as part of your
Web ~browser. A plug-in application is
recognized automatically by the browser and
its function is integrated into the main
HTML file that is being presented.
SSL SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a program
layer created by Netscape for managing the
security of message transmissions in a
network. Netscape's idea is that the
programming for keeping messages
confidential ought to be contained in a
program layer between an application (such
as a Web browser or HTTP) and the Internet's
TCP/IP layers. The "sockets" part of the
term refers to the sockets method of passing
data back and forth between a client and a
server program in a network or between
program layers in the same computer.
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SQL SQL is a standard interactive and
programming language for getting information
from and updating a database. Although SQL
is both an ANSI and an ISO standard, many
database products support SQL with
proprietary extensions to the standard
language. Queries take the form of a
command language that lets a user select,
insert, update, find out the location of
data, and so forth. There is also a
programming interface.
TCP .' Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is a
method, i.e., a protocol, used along with
the Internet Protocol (IP) to send data in
the form of message units between computers
over the Internet. While IP takes care of
handling the actual delivery of the data,
TCP takes care of keeping track of the
individual units of data (called, packets)
that a message is divided into for efficient
routing through the Internet. TCP is known
as a connection-oriented protocol, which
means that a connection is established and
maintained until such time as the message or
messages to be exchanged by the application
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programs at each end have been exchanged.
TCP is responsible for ensuring that a
message is divided into the packets that IP
manages and for reassembling the packets
back into the complete message at the other
end.
VPN A virtual private network (VPN) is a private
data network that makes use of the public
telecommunication infrastructure,
maintaining privacy through the use of a
tunneling protocol and security procedures.
A virtual private network can be contrasted
with a system of owned or leased lines that
can only be used by one company. The idea
of the VPN is to give the company the same
capabilities at much lower cost by sharing
__ the public infrastructure. Phone companies
have provided secure shared resources for
voice messages. A virtual private network
makes it possible to have the same secure
sharing of public resources for data.
Companies today are looking at using a .
private virtual network for both extranets
and wide-area intranets. Using a virtual
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private network involves encrypting data
before sending it through the public network
and decrypting it at the receiving end. An
additional level of security involves
encrypting not only the data but also the
originating and receiving network addresses.
WWW World Wide Web (WWW or Web) includes all the
resources and users on the Internet that are
using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
to exchange network-accessible information.
Individual Web sites may include graphical
user interfaces to the Internet at large.
The many features and advantages of the invention are
apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is
intended by the appended claims to cover all such
features and advantages of the invention which fall
within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
Further, since numerous modifications and variations will
readily occur to those skilled in the art, it~ is not
desired to limit the invention to the exact construction
and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly,
all suitable modifications and equivalents may be
resorted: to, falling within the scope of the invention.
