GB2550194A - In-home display for a smart metering system - Google Patents

Abstract

An in-home display (IHD) (30) for a smart metering system comprises a display (33), a user interface (33) and a first communications interface (32) for communicating with an in-home network connecting the smart metering system. The IHD (30) comprises a payment card reader module (34), such as a contactless card reader module. The IHD is configured to perform a payment transaction with a payment card using the payment card reader (34). The payment transaction can be for usage of a utility which is metered by the smart metering system (post-payment or pre-payment). The payment transaction can be for a purchase which is independent of the utilities being metered by the smart metering system, such as an internet purchase. The IHD may also have a second communications interface for communicating with an internet gateway. The first communications interface (32) could be a Zigbee(RTM) transceiver and the second communications interface (35) could be a WiFi(RTM) transceiver or Ethernet interface. The transaction may involve communication using both communications interfaces, with a request for a payment being received, the transaction details being displayed and the payment card reader performing a payment transaction with a payment card.

Description

IN-HOME DISPLAY FOR A SMART METERING SYSTEM

This invention relates to an in-home display (IHD) for a smart metering system.

Smart Metering uses electronic utility meters which can communicate directly with an energy supplier via a communications network, such as a wireless mobile phone operator’s network. The meter can send energy usage readings at regular intervals. An In-Home Display (IHD) communicates with the meters. The IHD can provide a consumer details of utility usage, such as a quantity of electricity and/or gas used within the past 24 hours and cost.

While smart meters improve metering of utility consumption, the process of paying for utility consumption has remained unchanged. Customers of a utility may pay a bill for their consumption, e.g. once per quarter, or make a regular direct debit payment which is then adjusted when a bill is issued. Alternatively, customers of a utility may pre-pay for their consumption. This requires a user to visit a Post Office or other outlet, pay an amount of money, and receive a code which is then entered into the meter.

An aspect of the present invention provides apparatus according to claim 1.

The In-Home Display (IHD) is a device, placed in a premises, such as a home, which is connected to the Smart Metering Home Area Network (SM-HAN). The IHD informs the consumer about their state of utility consumption (e.g. gas, electricity) and associated costs.

The IHD has a first communications interface for communicating with an in-home network connecting the smart metering system. For example, the first communications interface may be ZigBee. The in-home network connecting the smart metering apparatus may include a communications hub to connect the in-home network to other parts of the smart metering network, such as a utility company. The interface between the communications hub and these parts of the smart metering network may be a Wide Area Network (WAN), such as a wireless packet data network. The communications hub may be integrated with one of the meters, or separate from the meters.

The IHD in accordance with some embodiments of this invention may comprise a second communications interface for communicating with the internet, such as via an in-home internet gateway, broadband router (BBR) or similar device.

The IHD in accordance with some embodiments of this invention may include some, or all, of the functionality of a Consumer Access Device (CAD). Currently, the definitions of IHD and CAD are not rigidly defined. One definition of a CAD is a device, placed in the home, that bridges specific data sets obtained via the SM-HAN to other devices and/or the internet.

The term Ίη-Home Display” is one used in the UK, and adopted by the UK Government Department of Energy & Climate Change. Other countries/companies may use different terms to represent a device which has similar functionality as an IHD. For example, the ZigBee Alliance has used the term “In-Premises Display (IPD)”. The terms “ Smart Energy Display” or “Energy Information Display” are used in other parts of the world.

The payment card reader module may comprise all, or a sub-section of, the functionality found in a payment card reader used at a retail premises. For example, the payment card reader module may support one or more of: contactless payments; contact payments (via electrical pads on a payment card and electrical contacts on the reader); magnetic stripe payments; chip & PIN payments. In some embodiments, the payment card reader module may only support contactless payments, and may not support contact payments and/or magnetic stripe payments. An advantage of providing only a contactless card reader is that the IHD housing can be made tamper resistant and be environmentally sealed against dirt/dust/moisture ingress, as no card slot is required.

An advantage of at least one example of this disclosure is that a consumer can make secure electronic payments in their home using the IHD. Financial transaction details are secured through the contactless card module’s embedded encryption mechanism.

The IHD conventionally has a display of some kind and a user interface. By adding a payment card reader module, the display and user interface can be used to provide information to the consumer (e.g. an utility cost) and provide feedback to the customer during, and after, the payment transaction.

For example, the user interface (Ul) can be used to enter a card PIN or other verification code, as required during some payment transactions.

Another advantage of supporting payment transactions in this system is that the IHD is part of (tied to) a particular property which provides an additional integrity measure.

An advantage of at least one example of this disclosure is that a consumer can pay, or pre-pay, for utility usage.

An advantage of at least one example of this disclosure is a consumer can pay for an online purchase without needing to physically enter card details on their computer/tablet/phone. This allows the consumer to conduct a ‘PIN verified card present’ transaction in their own home.

The functionality described here can be implemented in hardware, software executed by a processing apparatus, or by a combination of hardware and software. The processing apparatus can comprise a computer, a processor, a state machine, a logic array or any other suitable processing apparatus. The processing apparatus can be a general-purpose processor which executes software to cause the general-purpose processor to perform the required tasks, or the processing apparatus can be dedicated to perform the required functions. Another aspect of the invention provides machine-readable instructions (software) which, when executed by a processor, perform any of the described methods. The machine-readable instructions may be stored on an electronic memory device, hard disk, optical disk or other machine-readable storage medium. The machine-readable instructions can be downloaded to the storage medium via a network connection.

Embodiments of the invention will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a Smart Metering system;

Figure 2 shows a Smart Metering system with internet connection;

Figure 3 shows a Smart Metering system with internet connection.

By way of background to the present invention, Figure 1 shows a Smart Metering system 1. The system includes apparatus at a consumer’s home 10, and apparatus belonging to a utility provider 5. A network 7 connects the home 10 to the utility provider 5. Apparatus at a consumer’s home 10 comprises one or more meters 11, 12, a communications hub 20 and an In-Home Display (IHD) 30. The meters can comprise an electricity meter 11 and/or a gas meter 12. The meters 11,12 each measure consumption of their respective utility. The communications hub 20 provides a communications interface 22 to a back-end network. The communications interface 22 can be a Wide Area Network (WAN) interface, such as General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) or any other suitable technology for data transfer. The communications hub 20 also provides a communications interface 21 to the meters 11, 12 and the IHD 30. The communications interface 21 supports a Home Area Network (HAN). The communications hub 20 may be physically incorporated into one of the meters 11, 12, or it may be separate from the meters 11, 12. In some countries, smart meters include a dedicated WAN interface, obviating the need for the communications hub 20. The communications hub 20 can be the prime controller of the HAN and can, for example, govern which devices can and cannot join the HAN and is the route for data to the WAN. Permitted devices can communicate directly with each other on the SM HAN network.

The communications interface 21 can be a wireless personal area network, such as ZigBee. The IHD 30 shows the consumer (or transfers to a 3rd party, data equivalent to the same) the state of energy consumption in the consumer’s home and additionally displays the value of energy consumed. The in-home-display (IHD) is connected (via the internet and/or the proprietary WAN) to the consumer’s energy supply company. The IHD 30 connects to a specific set of Smart Metering equipment (electricity meter 11, gas meter 12 and communications hub 20), installed in and physically associated and fixed in the home, using an exclusive, secure Smart Meter home area network (HAN). Further details of UK Smart Metering Program are described in the UK Government Department of Energy & Climate Change document “Smart Metering Implementation Programme, Smart Metering Equipment Technical Specifications, Version 2” January 2013. Smart Metering is also being implemented in other countries. In general, the utility provider 5 communicates with the smart metering apparatus in the home 10 to acquire meter readings of the meters 11, 12. The utility provider 5 can communicate with the smart metering apparatus in the home 10 to send utility tariff data.

Also by way of background to the present invention, Figure 2 shows a Smart Metering system 1 in which the IHD 30 also has a connection to the internet 40.

Figure 3 shows an example of a Smart Metering system according to the present invention. Apparatus at a consumer’s home 10 comprises one or more meters 11, 12, a communications hub 20 and an In-Flome Display (IHD) 30 as described above. The IHD 30 is additionally equipped with a payment card reader 34. In this example, the payment card reader 34 is a contactless payment card reader. A contactless payment card reader uses Near Field Communication (NFC) or some other communications means to communicate between an antenna in the card reader and an antenna embedded in a payment card. The contactless payment card reader module 34 can be a similar to those used in in-store card readers.

As will be described in more detail below, the payment card reader 34 makes it possible and convenient for the consumer to pay (or pre-pay) for energy which is metered by the meters 11, 12. The payment card reader 34 can also be used to pay for other services consumed in the home, or to pay for purchases made online, for example. The known physical location of the payment card reader 34 within the consumer’s home, provides an added level of integrity to making payments.

The functional units shown in Figure 3 will now be described.

The IHD 30 is a small electrical device with a display and a user interface (Ul). The IHD 30 may be a portable device, with dimensions similar to a smart phone or a tablet. The display may be a colour flat panel display, or may be a simpler display, such as a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). The user interface can comprise function specific buttons, a set of soft defined buttons (i.e. physical buttons located around the display, where the function of the buttons is defined by text and/or icons on the display), or a touch-sensitive display. The IHD works with a Smart meter 11, 12 to give the consumer all kinds of data about their energy use. The Ul 33 allows the consumer to interact with the IHD. The IHD display is that portion of the IHD that presents the consumer with the necessary data about energy, messages from their energy vendor and allows the consumer to interact with the display. The Ul can vary depending on the nature and cost of the IHD. This is the component that will be used to interact with the consumer in a payment transaction. Examples of an IHD are Green Energy Solutions under the names Solo™, Sololl™, Duetll™, BBIHD™.

The IHD 30 shown in Figure 3 is a combined In-Home Display & Consumer Access Device (CAD). Conventionally, a CAD is a physical or logical device that links the Smart Metering Home Area Network (SM HAN) and the consumer’s home area network - which in turn is linked to a wide range of fixed and portable service technologies. The CAD is permitted to pair with the SM HAN and extract real time data that can be utilised by the consumer or a permitted 3rd party e.g. for increased efficiency and cost effective use of their heating and hot water systems. Energy management systems in the home can utilise data from the SM HAN, in addition to other data sources to make the best decisions for the consumer: • Onsite micro-generation • Consumer needs • Weather • Inside and outside air temperature.

In Figures 2 and 3 the functionality of a CAD is shown within the dashed box 50.

ZigBee Radio & Stacks:

The ZigBee radio 32 is an IEEE 802.15.4 compliant radio running the ZigBee wireless ‘language’ - a collection of instructions that allow IEEE 802.15.4 devices to interoperate. ZigBee implements a number of different functional profiles - in this case the Smart Energy Profile (SEP) is used. It is necessary for a device to be both ZigBee and SEP compliant in order to be able to be connected to the home’s Smart Energy Home Area Network (HAN).

The IHD Application Processor 31 is the microprocessor that executes the application code for the IHD. This code governs the nature and look and feel of the Ul on the IHD as well as how the IHD responds to and deals with messages from devices on the SM HAN. The application code also manages the storage and analysis of the data collected on the IHD and implements the presentation of this data to the consumer. It is logically (and ideally) separate from the processor and code running the IEEE 802.15.4 stack and/or the ZigBee SEP implementation.

The Network Processor 35 is the subsystem responsible for managing the connection to servers and services in the internet. It is logically (and ideally physically) separated from the application processor to ensure that the secure HAN data is kept completely separate from the connection to the internet.

The Contactless Card Module (payment card reader) 34 is a module that allows debit card, credit card and contactless payment cards to be interacted with in a secure and well defined fashion. It is provisioned to read and write data over the Near Field Communication (NFC) link used to communicate with the contactless payment card. The Contactless Card Module 34 can comprise a secure element which performs processing associated with payment transactions. The secure element is logically (and ideally physically) separate from the main IHD processor 31. The Contactless Card Module uses fully-encrypted Chip and PIN technology along with industry strength risk and fraud management mechanisms.

Some use cases will now be described. 1. Pay for Pre-Paid energy: To pay for energy on a pre-payment meter, consumer Alice currently has to, either go to the corner shop at the end of her street to top up a prepayment card or call the energy company's pre-paid energy top-up line for a pre-payment top-up code which then needs to be entered into the meter via the meter's Ul or a Prepayment Meter Interface Device (PPMID). Alice can now use a contactless payment card to pay for an affordable quantity of energy by selecting the quantity of energy on the IHD 30 and offering up a contactless payment card to the IHD. This avoids the need to enter a long (20 or more character) prepayment code and allows Alice to make payments as frequently, and in increments as large or small, as she can afford. 2. Pay a Monthly Energy bill: To pay his monthly energy bill, Bob has to send his energy company a cheque or go online to his banking portal and pay the bill electronically. Bob's energy company offers a facility where he can pay his energy bill by direct debit but as an intermittently paid contractor he feels that he needs more control of his cash-flow and prefers to pay his bill when he can afford to. Bob can now view his energy bill on the IHD 30 and use a contactless payment card to pay his energy bill. 3. Pay any bill or make a payment for an Internet Purchase: When shopping online, Clara is reluctant to provide her credit or debit card details as she feels that she is being asked to trust a vendor that she barely knows and is also aware of the risk of spyware that might capture sensitive and confidential card information. Clara can use a contactless payment card to make a payment at the IHD 30 for her online purchase. Clara will select ‘Pay-by-IHD’ on the payments screen. The vendor site will ask (or have stored from a previous transaction or obtained from a 3rd party supplier) for the terminal/IHD ID (available on the IHD payments screen) and this is entered by Clara. This is used to locate and communicate with the selected card transaction company. The card company present the amount on the IHD display and Clara presents her contactless payment card to complete the transaction. If the payments company requires (randomly or because of the high value) it will ask Clara to provide a card related PIN or passphrase. The energy supplier (via the Smart Metering System WAN) or a trusted third party (via the WiFi or Ethernet connected LAN) could also act as a transaction broker, needing only to pass the necessary information on to the card transaction party.

An example of a data flow for use case 3 is shown in Figure 4: • The Consumer 60 completes his/her purchase selections 71 and chooses an option to “Pay-by-IHD”. • The Web Vendor requests 72 the Consumer’s IHD/terminal ID. The terminal ID, or payment terminal ID, is an identifier which identifies the payment terminal module 34. The IHD itself may have a different identifier e.g. a device serial number or another ID, the IHD ID. A consumer navigates to the payments screen on the IHD to get the terminal ID) and the Consumer returns their IHD ID 73. The IHD may obtain the terminal ID from the payment module 34 and show on the screen. The payment transaction will be encrypted for sending, including that ID. It may be possible that a 3rd party provides a mapping of Payment Terminal ID to serial number or IHD ID. • The Web Vendor 61 uses IHD/terminal ID to request a payment 75 transaction for the amount of the purchase via the relevant Payment Portal 62. • The payment amount and Web Vendor ID/name is shown 76 on the Consumer’s IHD along with a request for the Consumer ‘to touch the contactless card to the IHD’ appears on the IHD display. • The Consumer uses their preferred contactless card to confirm payment for the transaction 77. The IHD confirms locally that the card has been read. • The Payment Portal system will have, based on transaction value or by random selection determined whether the Consumer’s PIN is needed to verify the transaction and, if required, requests that the Consumer enter it via the IHD. The card & PIN relationship is verified locally 78 via the contactless card reader module. • The IHD reports the necessary transaction codes and messages back to the Payment Portal 79. • If the transaction is valid, the Payment Portal confirms payment for the transaction to the Web Vendor 80. • The Web Vendor informs the Consumer of the successful transaction 81.

The data flows 75, 79 can be routed via the internet connection to the IHD 30 (i.e. via BRR 41 and network processor 35, Fig. 3). Alternatively, the data flows 75, 79 can be routed via the smart metering communication channel(s) (i.e. via 6, 7, 20, 25, Fig. 3). Both paths can be made equally secure through the use of appropriate encryption strategies. The smart metering communication channel is always available but has cost associated with all transaction data. The internet route has little or no additional cost for transaction data but is only available if the consumer has an internet connection in the home.

Optionally, the IHD 30 may include its own WAN communications interface, such as a wireless WAN interface e.g. a GPRS modem, which can obviate the need for the WiFi or Ethernet connection. This can allow a more convenient and/or secure communications channel to a payment portal.

Energy companies can become a conduit for consumers making a variety of payments using contactless payment cards.

In examples described above, the IHD 30 has a contactless payment card reader 34. It is also possible to incorporate a contact card reader in the IHD 30.

Modifications and other embodiments of the disclosed invention will come to mind to one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure. Although specific terms may be employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims (14)

1. An in-home display (IHD) for a smart metering system comprising: a display; a user interface; a first communications interface for communicating with an in-home network connecting the smart metering system; and a payment card reader module.

2. An in-home display according to claim 1 comprising a second communications interface for communicating with an internet gateway.

3. An in-home display according to claim 1 comprising a wide area network (WAN) interface.

4. An in-home display according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the payment card reader is a contactless card reader module.

5. An in-home display according to any one of the preceding claims configured to perform a payment transaction with a payment card using the payment card reader.

6. An in-home display according to claim 5 wherein the payment transaction is for usage of a utility which is metered by the smart metering system.

7. An in-home display according to claim 5 or 6 wherein the payment transaction is pre-payment for usage of a utility which is metered by the smart metering system.

8. An in-home display according to claim 5 or 6 wherein the payment transaction is post-payment for usage of a utility which is metered by the smart metering system.

9. An in-home display according to claim 5 wherein the payment transaction is for a purchase which is independent of the utilities being metered by the smart metering system.

10. An in-home display according to claim 9 wherein the payment transaction is for an on-line purchase.

11. An in-home display according to claim 9 or 10 which is configured to: receive a request for a payment; display details of the requested payment; and perform the payment transaction with a payment card using the payment card reader.

12. An in-home display according to any one of claims 5 to 11 which is configured to use the first communications interface to process the payment transaction.

13. An in-home display according to any one of claims 5 to 11 comprising a second communications interface for communicating with an internet gateway, wherein the in-home display is configured to use the second communications interface to process the payment transaction.

14. An in-home display according to any one of claims 5 to 11 comprising a wide area network (WAN) interface, wherein the in-home display is configured to use the WAN interface to process the payment transaction.