Sensus is partnering with meter data management system (MDMS) provider Ecologic Analytics to provide a pre-validated, pre-integrated communications solution for electricity customers using the Sensus FlexNet advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system.
Providing end-to-end, best of breed solutions requires interoperability. The Sensus FlexNet and Ecologic MDMS solution is based on the IEC 61968 Part 9 interface, the interoperability standard to provide a CIM (common interface model) gateway for meter reading and control data to be exchanged between the Sensus radio network interface (RNI) head end system and the Ecologic MDMS application.
Using this standards-based approach to pre-integrate and test the systems is a fundamental principle for the strategic alliance between Sensus and Ecologic Analytics. The pre-integration and testing work eliminates time spent in the field building ad-hoc interfaces that extend the duration of the project.
The integration between systems includes the following functionality that is now available for electric meter data:
- Daily register reads from RNI to MDMS
- 15-minute and hourly interval data from RNI to MDMS
- Remote connect/disconnect requests from MDMS to RNI
- On-demand read requests from MDMS to RNI
- Meter diagnostic data such as alerts, alarms and flags (e.g. tamper flags and others) from RNI to MDMS
- On-demand power status check requests from MDMS to RNI
- Peak demand data from RNI to MDMS
Both companies see the new partnership as a solid pathway to expand nationally and globally in large-scale deployments for multi-service utilities providing electric, water and gas. The pre-integrated Ecologic MDMS to RNI solution for electric meter data is now generally available with water and natural gas meter data becoming available in Q4’2011.
