U.S. patent application number 15/697512 was filed with the patent office on 2017-12-21 for secure utility metering monitoring module.
This patent application is currently assigned to Nagravision S.A.. The applicant listed for this patent is Nagravision S.A.. Invention is credited to Joel CONUS, Corinne LE BUHAN, Christophe NICOLAS, Joel WENGER.
Application Number | 20170364909 15/697512 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44462088 |
Filed Date | 2017-12-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170364909 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LE BUHAN; Corinne ; et
al. |
December 21, 2017 |
SECURE UTILITY METERING MONITORING MODULE
Abstract
The object of the invention is to provide a secure detachable
utility monitoring device to be appended to a utility metering
apparatus for controlling at least one utility usage consumption.
This is achieved thanks to a detachable metering monitoring device
to be connected with a utility meter for controlling at least one
utility consumption metered by said utility meter comprising: means
to acquire a utility consumption value metered by said utility
meter, a first memory to store at least a unique identifier ID and
a personal key, both pertaining to said device, means to generate a
cryptogram from information data comprising at least the utility
consumption value, said cryptogram being encrypted with said
personal key, means to generate an information message including at
least said cryptogram and the unique identifier ID, means to send
the information message to a remote management center.
Inventors: |
LE BUHAN; Corinne; (Les
Paccots, CH) ; NICOLAS; Christophe; (Saint-Prex,
CH) ; CONUS; Joel; (Essertines-sur-Yverdon, CH)
; WENGER; Joel; (Etoy, CH) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Nagravision S.A. |
Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne |
|
CH |
|
|
Assignee: |
Nagravision S.A.
Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne
CH
|
Family ID: |
44462088 |
Appl. No.: |
15/697512 |
Filed: |
September 7, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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15187830 |
Jun 21, 2016 |
9805367 |
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15697512 |
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13995516 |
Jun 19, 2013 |
9395207 |
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PCT/EP2011/072127 |
Dec 7, 2011 |
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15187830 |
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61425830 |
Dec 22, 2010 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02B 1/063 20130101;
G01R 11/04 20130101; Y04S 40/20 20130101; G06Q 50/06 20130101; G01R
22/065 20130101; H04L 9/00 20130101; G01D 4/008 20130101; G06Q
20/382 20130101; G01D 4/00 20130101; H04Q 2209/60 20130101; H02B
1/06 20130101; G01D 4/002 20130101; G01R 21/133 20130101; Y02B
90/20 20130101; G08C 15/06 20130101; G01R 11/00 20130101; G01R
19/25 20130101; Y04S 20/30 20130101; H04Q 9/00 20130101; G01F 1/00
20130101; G01R 21/00 20130101; H02B 1/015 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 20/38 20120101
G06Q020/38; G01D 4/00 20060101 G01D004/00; G01F 1/00 20060101
G01F001/00; G06Q 50/06 20120101 G06Q050/06; G01R 21/133 20060101
G01R021/133 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 18, 2011 |
EP |
11162894.7 |
Claims
1. A detachable metering monitoring device (DM) to be connected
with a utility meter (LM) for controlling at least one utility
consumption metered by said utility meter (LM), comprising: a usage
reading interface (READ) to acquire a utility consumption value
metered by said utility meter, a first secure memory (SMEM) to
store at least a unique identifier ID and a personal key, both
pertaining to said device, a crypto processor (CRYPTO) to generate
a cryptogram from information data comprising at least the utility
consumption value, said cryptogram being encrypted with said
personal key, a message generator (MGEN) to generate an information
message including at least said cryptogram and the unique
identifier ID, a communication network interface (GRID) comprising
a sending unit to send said information message to a remote
management center.
Description
[0001] This application is a continuation application of and claims
priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.120/121 to U.S. application Ser. No.
15/187,830 filed Jun. 21, 2016, which is a continuation application
of Ser. No. 13/995,516 filed Jun. 19, 2013, which is the national
phase under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.371 of PCT International Application
No. PCT/EP2011/072127 which has an International filing date of
Dec. 7, 2011, which designated the United States of America and
which claims priority to European patent application number EP
11162894.7 filed Apr. 18, 2011 and U.S. provisional application No.
61/425,830 filed Dec. 22, 2010, the entire contents of each of
which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention concerns the field of securing utility usage
monitoring against various hacking threats by means of meter reader
plug-ins.
TECHNICAL BACKGROUND
[0003] The on-going deregulation in worldwide energy distribution
markets is driving the need for smart utility distribution grids
and smart meters, enabling both utility providers and consumers to
monitor the detailed consumption of an end user at any time through
open communication networks. The energy market is particularly
concerned as of today but related issues are also relevant to other
utility markets such as water or gas.
[0004] While a number of legacy meters already implement some
point-to-point automated reading protocols using for instance
standard optical or modem interfaces, they are not able to interact
with either the end user home area network devices or the remote
utility monitoring facilities using wireless or power line
communication networks. The industry answer to this regulatory
requirement in the next decade will therefore consist in swapping
the legacy meters for so-called smart meters, which raises
tremendous costs for the utility vendors and the consumers in the
end.
[0005] Moreover, the resulting dependency of the basic metering
functionality on remote communication messages raises significant
concerns on the effective robustness to software bugs as well as
emerging threats such as smart grid worms and viruses taking
advantage of smart meter security design flaws that may not be
known at the time of deployment, but may become critical later.
This is particularly evident in the case of the remote disconnect
feature, as a major disruption target for cyber-terrorism but also
a possible entry point for local thieves as a way to disconnect
some house alarms from their power source.
[0006] In practice, today's security designs for smart grids and
smart meters are largely inspired by the telecommunication industry
and a large part of them is subject to emerging standardization by
international committees such as ANSI or IEC. However the
requirements are very different, as telecommunication end devices
such as mobile phones, set-top-boxes or even television receivers
seldom exceed an operational lifetime of 10 to 20 years. In
contrast, metering equipment is typically installed at the time of
a house building and meant to last at least 20 years, if not 50 to
100 years.
[0007] Once the standard specifications are defined, it is no
longer possible to update the design (for instance, cryptographic
algorithms, key lengths and key management systems) without
breaking compliance, which is a major issue in deregulated markets
where any metering device model from any manufacturer needs to
operate with any utility provider infrastructure and this possibly
for the next 50 to 100 years.
[0008] There is therefore a need for alternative solutions clearly
separating the advanced but complex and security sensitive
monitoring functionality from the basic but proven utility delivery
and consumption measurement functionality. In this approach, the
fully operational legacy meters do not need to be upgraded, which
also helps saving upgrade costs and smart meter manufacturing
energy.
[0009] Separation of the remote monitoring functionality from the
basic legacy metering functionality typically requires a detachable
monitoring device, including at least: [0010] A reader sensor
interface to be connected to the legacy meter display or electrical
reading interface (serial, optical etc). [0011] A memory to buffer
the utility usage information prior to reporting it. [0012] One or
several network communication interfaces to report back the data to
either the utility network and/or the end user home area network,
in compliance with existing regulations and relevant technical
standards. [0013] A processor in charge with monitoring the
reading, storing and reporting operations.
[0014] Such detachable monitoring solutions and associated data
management systems have already been described, for instance in
WO07134397 or GB 2460517. Some related devices are also now
commercialized for instance by PilotSystems
(http://www.pilotsystems.com) and Xemtec (http://www.xemtec.ch),
but none of this prior art addresses the security enforcement
functionality.
[0015] In order to fully address the utility usage consumption
hacking threat, it is important to prevent hacking on all
individual components in the end-to-end communication chain. As
opposed to smart meters, legacy meters LM as the first component in
the end-to-end communication chain have no interfaces to open
networks, so their hacking requires a local mechanical operation
with certain safety and tamper evidence concerns, as meters are
typically sealed by utility vendors everywhere in the world. On the
other end of the chain, state of the art cryptographic design is
applied to communications between the monitoring module and the
utility infrastructure over open networks, but this security is
just as secure as the secrecy of underlying keys. A tamper proof
design on the monitoring module device side is therefore of primary
importance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0016] The object of the invention is thus to eliminate the
drawbacks of the prior art and to provide a secure detachable
utility monitoring device to be appended to a utility metering
apparatus for controlling at least one utility usage
consumption.
[0017] This is achieved thanks to a detachable metering monitoring
device to be connected with a utility meter for controlling at
least one utility consumption metered by said utility meter,
comprising: [0018] a usage reading interface to acquire a utility
consumption value metered by said utility meter, [0019] a first
secure memory to store at least a unique identifier ID and a
personal key, both pertaining to said device, [0020] a crypto
processor to generate a cryptogram from information data comprising
at least the utility consumption value, said cryptogram being
encrypted with said personal key, [0021] a message generator to
generate an information message including at least said cryptogram
and the unique identifier ID, [0022] a sending unit to send the
information message to a remote management center.
[0023] The utility metering apparatus permanently (or periodically)
measures the utility usage consumption while the detachable
metering monitoring device reads the utility usage consumption from
said apparatus on a regular basis with a usage reading interface or
any means to acquire at least one utility consumption metered by
the utility metering apparatus. The detachable metering monitoring
device can buffer the utility consumption and is able to report it
to a utility usage monitoring infrastructure through a
communication interface, in particular to a remote management
center by means of a sending unit. The detachable metering
monitoring device is also provided with a first secure memory to
store at least a unique identifier ID and a personal key; this
unique identifier and this private key pertaining to this device.
The detachable metering monitoring device is provided with a crypto
processor to generate a cryptogram from information data comprising
at least the utility consumption value; this cryptogram being
encrypted with the personal key of the detachable metering
monitoring device. This device also comprises a message generator
or any other means to generate an information message including at
least the cryptogram and the unique identifier ID. This information
message can be sent to the remote management center by using the
sending unit of the communication interface.
[0024] The device could further comprise a security module in
charge with handling the security sensitive data, security
processing and security messaging associated with said reporting to
said utility usage monitoring infrastructure.
[0025] Other embodiments of the present invention will be described
in the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] FIG. 1 shows a legacy meter LM and a detachable monitoring
device DM that can be appended to the legacy meter.
[0027] FIG. 2 shows the legacy meter LM of FIG. 1 extended with the
detachable monitoring device DM operationally connected to the
metering usage display DISP of the legacy meter.
[0028] FIG. 3 shows the legacy meter LM of FIG. 1 extended with the
detachable monitoring device DM operationally connected to the
optional metering usage electrical reading connector RD of the
legacy meter.
[0029] FIG. 4 shows a detachable monitoring device DM with its main
components and interfaces.
[0030] FIG. 5 shows the detachable monitoring device DM of FIG. 4
including a crypto processor CRYPTO in connection with a secure
memory SMEM.
[0031] FIG. 6 shows detachable monitoring device DM operationally
connected to a legacy meter LM, where the detachable monitoring
device DM further includes a security module interface SM.
[0032] FIG. 7 shows the detachable monitoring device DM of FIG. 4
together with a security module SM connected through a dedicated
interfaces SEC.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0033] Referring to FIG. 1, a secure detachable utility monitoring
device DM is shown as being connectable in a removable manner to a
legacy meter LM, also referred to as utility meter, for controlling
a utility usage consumption, such as electrical power consumption,
water or gas consumptions. The illustrated legacy meter implements
the conventional metering usage display DISP as well as an optional
metering usage electrical reading connector RD. The legacy meter or
utility metering apparatus permanently measures at least one
utility usage consumption while the detachable metering monitoring
device DM reads this utility usage consumption, on a regular basis.
To this end and according to one embodiment, the legacy meter LM
can be extended with a detachable monitoring device DM
operationally connected to the metering usage display as shown in
FIG. 2. The detachable monitoring device illustrated here includes
an OCR reading interface and reports the legacy meter display onto
its own display to enable further manual reading of the metering
value.
[0034] Alternately and as shown in FIG. 3, the legacy meter LM can
be extended with a detachable monitoring device DM operationally
connected to the optional metering usage electrical reading
connector RD. The detachable monitoring device illustrated here
complies with the relevant metering usage communication industrial
standard such as IEC1107 or IEC61107, FLAG, ANSI C12.18 for optical
ports or ANSI C12.21 for modem ports.
[0035] The detachable monitoring device DM shown in FIG. 4
comprises a usage reading interface READ to acquire a utility
consumption value metered by the legacy meter LM in accordance with
any of the above described form, a usage memory buffer MEM for
storing at least temporarily utility consumption values read by the
usage reading interface READ, a remote utility monitoring interface
GRID for reporting at least these utility consumption values to a
remote management center, an optional home area network interface
HAN for optionally connecting a HAN device processing at least a
part of data read by the reading interface, an optional visual
display DISP and a central processor CTRL in charge with the
controlling the above components.
[0036] Referring to FIG. 5, the latter shows the detachable
monitoring device DM of FIG. 4 further comprising a crypto
processor CRYPTO providing cryptographic functionalities supported
by the central processor CTRL. The crypto processor CRYPTO can
generate a cryptogram from information data comprising at least the
utility consumption value. According to the preferred embodiment,
this cryptogram is encrypted with a personal key of the detachable
metering monitoring device DM. Owing to the crypto processor, the
utility consumption value read by the usage reading interface READ
can be input into a cryptographic function in order to get an
encrypted data that is not readable without knowing secret
information. For this reason, the crypto processor is in connection
with a secure memory SMEM to store sensitive information such as
secret cryptographic keys and a unique identifier ID belonging to
the detachable metering monitoring device DM (or to the utility
meter LM). The crypto processor implements various cryptographic
algorithms such as for instance, but not limited to, AES, IDEA-NXT,
RSA, SHA-256, ECC, etc. The crypto processor is also the single
component able to interact with the secure memory both in reading
and writing. The detachable monitoring device DM also comprises a
message generator MGEN for generating reporting messages that have
to be sent to the remote management center by means of the
communication network interface GRID. These reporting messages
comprise, in particular, information messages which include at
least the cryptogram and the aforementioned unique identifier
ID.
[0037] The usage memory buffer MEM is able to buffer the utility
consumption values in view to report them to a utility usage
monitoring infrastructure (such a remote management center) through
a communication interface.
[0038] The information data used as input for generating the
cryptogram may further comprise a predefined complementary data,
for instance a constant. Information data may further comprise the
unique identifier ID of the detachable metering monitoring device.
Information messages sent by this device may further comprise any
information about this device, for instance its status or
information about the version of this device, in particular the
version of its firmware. It could be also possible to send
information relating to the utility consumption, e.g. in view to
collect statistical data or for any other purposes.
[0039] The above-mentioned cryptogram could be a result of a hash
function (or an XOR function) on the information data. In this
case, the information message further includes the utility
consumption value.
[0040] The personal key pertaining to the device of the present
invention may further be an asymmetric key in a public/private
encryption scheme, the remote management center having the
corresponding asymmetric key. Thus, the private key and the public
key forming together a pair of keys which are used to encrypt and
to decrypt the exchanged messages.
[0041] The detachable monitoring device DM is appended to the
legacy meter shown in Error! Reference source not found. by means
of a meter interface, in particular the usage reading interface
READ which can take various forms to adapt to the meter technology:
OCR-reading for older legacy meters, standard optical or modem
interface reading for more recent legacy meters, and wireless or
power line communications based on smart metering standards in
order to enable future smart meters security renewability. The
monitoring device may implement any, a subset or all of the latter
possible interfaces as dictated by cost factors, implementation
issues (e.g. battery lifetime) and market needs.
[0042] To support old legacy meters without electrical reading
interface can only be visually read, the detachable monitoring
device DM from Error! Reference source not found. is connected to
the display of the legacy meter LM and the means to acquire the
utility consumption value of the monitoring device comprise an OCR
reading interface to read this utility consumption. The device also
reports the legacy meter display onto its own display to enable
further manual reading of the metering value.
[0043] Alternately, in the more recent legacy meter LM from Error!
Reference source not found. the detachable monitoring device DM can
be operationally connected to the metering usage electrical reading
connector RD. Thus, means to acquire the utility consumption value,
such as the usage reading interface READ in the device of the
present invention, could comprise an electrical connection provided
by the utility meter for transmitting the utility consumption
value.
[0044] The detachable monitoring device DM is attached to the
legacy meter by any means of mechanical fasteners like screws, or
chemical fasteners like glue, or magnets. Moreover, it is desirable
that the detachable monitoring device DM is further bound to the
legacy meter by means of a seal for tamper evidence purposes, so
that only authorized personnel can connect/disconnect the
detachable monitoring device DM to/from the legacy meter LM.
[0045] Both the crypto processor CRYPTO and the secure memory SMEM
have to be tamper proof against various types of attacks. To this
end, the crypto processor and secure memory may be implemented as
dedicated silicon circuitry or integrated into the monitoring
device hardware under careful isolation from the main processing
and communication facilities as shown in FIG. 5. The crypto
processor may include custom cryptography logic blocks. It is also
possible to emulate the security module SM functionality in an
isolated software component by means of obfuscation and white box
cryptography software security technologies.
[0046] In order to facilitate the crypto processor and secure
memory implementation, security design segmentation and
personalization in line with state of the art industrial practices
and processes, in another embodiment, the corresponding security
functionality is physically isolated by implementing it into a
separate security module.
[0047] In one embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the legacy meter LM is
extended with a detachable monitoring device DM operationally
connected to it and the detachable monitoring device DM further
include a security module interface SM suitable for instance to
host a smartcard, possibly in the SIM card form factor.
[0048] In accordance to another embodiment, FIG. 7 shows a
detachable monitoring device DM, similar to that of FIG. 4, where
the central processor CTRL also interacts with a security module SM
though a dedicated interface SEC. The security module SM implements
the crypto processor functionality CRYPTO in connection with the
secure memory SMEM to store sensitive information such as secret
cryptographic keys at least.
[0049] Beyond its security design and manufacturing advantages,
this separate security module enables to separate the security
renewability from the reading and reporting monitoring
functionality and communication device renewability. As a smartcard
or SIM card form factor is thin enough to be conveyed to the end
user by regular mail at the same cost as a simple letter, and the
security module can be renewed by the end user without any
intervention on the meter itself, i.e. without safety concerns, and
furthermore without requiring the utility personnel on-site
intervention to unseal and renew the detachable monitoring device
in the case where it is sealed.
[0050] In addition, for utility markets requiring a prepayment
business model support, the detachable monitoring device DM may
either embed a prepayment control functionality connected at
regular intervals to the remote utility server subscriber
authorization system through the central processor CTRL and the
communication network interface GRID, or a standard contact-based
or contactless interface SEC to a prepayment smartcard SM, in
various possible form factors such as, but not limited to, ISO7816,
SIM, SD, .mu.SD, MMC.
[0051] In a further embodiment, the security module can be combined
with a Home Area Network HAN interface in order to read, record and
securely report the data from further HAN devices to a further
Meter Data Management System. This interface is preferably of
wireless and low-power consumption nature such as Zigbee.
[0052] In another embodiment, in order to manage the various data
and control queries with possibly complex metering business models
in a secure way while supporting broadcast messaging optimization,
the security module preferably implements a relational
database.
[0053] In another embodiment, in order to ensure security
maintenance and renewability over time, the detachable monitoring
device DM implements a secure boot mechanism for its controller
processor CTRL under close control by the security module SM. In
the absence or malfunction of the security module SM, no or limited
communication functionality is supported so that an alarm is
triggered on the utility infrastructure side.
[0054] Another advantage of the device of the present invention is
to provide enhanced management of the consumption by enabling
management of more than one counters activated according to a time
schedule or by reception of command messages.
[0055] Another advantage of the detachable metering device of the
present invention is to provide enhanced management of the
consumption by enabling to differentiate the utility consumptions
metered under different tariffs and to totalize each of these
utility consumptions. This purpose may be reached for instance by
using a plurality of tariff counters, each of them being used to
count the utility consumption under a predetermined tariff. The
device can have different states (e.g. a normal operating state or
mode, a lowest operating state, a disrupted operating state, etc. .
. . ) which can correspond to the plurality tariffs applicable. The
assigning of a predetermined tariff by a selecting unit SELECT may
depend on a time scheduler, on the reception of a command message
from the remote management center or can be an action resulting
from a switching of the operating mode of the detachable metering
device.
[0056] According to a preferred embodiment, the detachable metering
device DM comprises a last updated memory to store the utility
consumption value while at least one tariff memory is updated. The
selecting unit SELECT or any selection means is used for defining
the use of a current predetermined tariff among different
predetermined tariffs. This selecting unit can switch from a
predetermined tariff to another one. To this end, the detachable
metering monitoring device DM comprises a plurality of tariff
memories TMEM to store the utility consumption according to
different states of the device DM, where a predetermined tariff is
assigned to each state. In particular, this device comprises at
least two tariff memories in order to memorize sums (i.e. cumulated
values) of utility consumptions metered under these different
predetermined tariffs; each tariff memory being assigned for
counting the utility consumption under one predetermined tariff.
Finally, this device comprises a consumption calculator CALC or any
means firstly to calculate a current consumption value from the
last updated memory and the acquired utility consumption value read
by the usage reading interface READ. To this end, the consumption
calculator CALC subtracts the utility consumption value stored in
the last updated memory from the acquired utility consumption
value. Then, a memory updating unit UPMEM updates the value stored
in the tariff memory TMEM corresponding to the current
predetermined tariff (i.e. selected by the selecting unit SELECT)
by adding this current consumption value. Then, the memory updating
unit UPMEM reloads the last updated memory with the value metered
during said acquisition step. Preferably, the memory updating unit
UPMEM comprises a processing unit to read the selected tariff
memory, to add the current consumption value to the selected tariff
memory and to write said sum to the selected tariff memory.
[0057] The values stored in the corresponding tariff memories TMEM
relating to consumptions carried out under predetermined tariffs
can be part of the information data used to generate the cryptogram
included in the information message sent to the remote management
center.
[0058] According to another embodiment, the device DM of the
present invention, in particular the communication network
interface GRID, further comprises a reception unit RECEIV or any
means for receiving at least one message sent by the remote
management center and an authenticating unit AUTH or any means to
authenticate this message by using the personal key of this device
DM. In case of successful authentication, these means may be able
to execute commands included in this message. If authentication
failed, the message could be merely dismissed or another action
could be triggered. For instance, the message received by the
reception unit RECEIV of the device DM from the management center
could be a command message ordering means for defining the use of
the current predetermined tariff to use a higher tariff than the
current one, e.g. the highest available tariff. Alternatively, the
command message could order means for defining the use of the
current predetermined tariff to switch the tariffs in accordance
with a time schedule. Such a time schedule could be stored, for
instance, in the first secure memory of the detachable metering
monitoring device and could be updated via a message sent by the
management center.
[0059] According to another embodiment, the device of the present
invention further comprises a validity counter VCOUNT or any means
to increment/decrement a validity value according to the utility
consumption or a time (e.g. a duration), a resetting unit RESET or
any means to update or substitute the value of the validity counter
by a new validity value, and a switch SWIT or any means to switch
the operating of the device DM from a normal operating mode to a
disrupted operating mode, depending on whether the value of the
validity counter reaches at least one predetermined threshold
value.
[0060] The disrupted operating mode could force means for defining
the use of a current predetermined tariff to use a tariff higher
than the current predetermined tariff, for instance the highest
tariff.
[0061] The validity counter VCOUNT could be a time counter or a
check pulses counter, incremented according to an internal clock.
In another embodiment, the validity counter could be incremented
according to the consumption of the utility so that the validity
counter could be based on counting of the utility consumption (e.g.
kWh for electrical power consumption or m.sup.3 for gas or water
consumption).
[0062] Besides, the personal key used by means to authenticate the
renewal message could be a private key pertaining to the detachable
metering monitoring device and, in this case, the renewal message
would be encrypted with a corresponding public key of this
device.
[0063] The new validity value used to reload the validity counter
and/or the threshold value which allows switching between the
normal operating mode and the disrupted operating mode can be
included within the renewal message or can be prestored in the
first secure memory SMEM of the detachable metering monitoring
device DM.
[0064] The renewal message may include updating information about
this device, for instance information relating to its firmware.
[0065] Before switching from the normal mode to another mode, e.g.
the disrupted mode, it could further be possible to alert the
consumer, via a message displayed on the screen of the device or
via any other means (sound, light, etc. . . . ), that the validity
counter of his device has reached a critical level. Such an
alerting means or alerting unit ALERT would be useful to warn the
consumer from any inconvenience, typically the interruption of the
utility consumption or any increasing tariff.
[0066] The utility which is metered by the utility meter could be
electric power, gas or water. Besides, it could be also possible to
imagine that the utility meter, to which the device of the present
invention is attached in a removable manner, could be able to meter
several utility consumptions, such as electric power consumption
and water or gas if needed. In this case, the device of the present
invention could be adapted to deal with these consumptions instead
of having several devices, i.e. one for each utility
consumption.
* * * * *
References