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GSM based smart wireless controlled digital energy meter

Conference Paper · December 2019

DOI: 10.1109/ICETAS48360.2019.9117479

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 2019 6th IEEE International Conference on Engineering Technologies and Applied Sciences (ICETAS)

GSM based smart wireless controlled digital energy meter

Zohaib Sultan You Jiang Adil Malik Syed Faiz Ahmed
College of Automation College of Automation College of Power and Energy College of Engineering
Harbin Engineering University Harbin Engineering University Harbin Engineering University American University of
Harbin, China Harbin, China Harbin, China Kurdistan
zohaibsultan18@yahoo.com youjiang@hrbeu.edu.cn adilmalik99@hotmail.com syedfaiz@pmail.ntu.edu.sg

Abstract—Smart meter is an electronic device that calculating and generating the bills. The latest technology is
measures the energy consumption by different time intervals, using a Global System for mobile Communication (GSM)
this time interval may be in minutes, hours, days or months. based system. This system had replaced the pervious
The proposed technology collects the data from meter and communication technology with Short Message Service
transfer that data to central database for storing data,
(SMS), so by this system the data had been sent to the
analyzing and also monitoring the safety related issues.
Moreover, it also includes the module which has provision of consumer and energy service provider through SMS. The
on demand units loading facility from the energy provider combination of the electronic meters with GSM is known as
company by just sending a request SMS. The proposed design Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI) because it uses two-
has been first implemented in software and then a prototype way communications technology for information collecting,
model has been developed, which communicates with the monitoring and controlling.
energy service provider for the consumed energy data through
GSM network. The purpose of this paper is to present theory
and implementation related to remote monitoring and
controlling of the energy meter by using GSM architecture.
This GSM based system enables the electricity department to
get the meter readings regularly while avoiding manual meter
reading. The work also enables prepaid billing, electricity
management, energy saving and implements a mechanism for
electricity theft detection.

Keywords— smart meter, GSM based energy meter, energy

meter.

I. INTRODUCTION
It is approximately 10 years that smart meter
technologies have been studied and developed. For
measuring the electrical consumptions different kind of Fig.1. Smart meter technology evolution
technologies have been developed and used. As for billing,
the consumer had to wait for whole month to get monthly As shown in Fig.2, not until the Smart Grid idea was
bill because energy provider had to generate bills by several established these meters and meter reading systems were not
methods. At the moment, most of developing countries are referred smart meters or smart meter systems. Hence, the
using the traditional electro-mechanical watt meters which present state of these technologies are appropriately referred
have manual meter reading system and the readings are not to as an evolution. The automatic reading system consist of
automated, which needs lot of man power to note the energy many distributed structure based on wireless sensor networks
consumption of the consumer. On the other hand, consumers which consists of measure units, sensor nodes, data
are also not satisfied with the services of energy provider. collectors, server and wireless communication networks.
Energy meter is a device that measures the amount of
electrical energy consumed by the residential or business Furthermore, in literature many researcher proposed
related consumers. The electrical consumption is measured different AMI system based on different types of
in kilowatt-hours (kWh) by all electrical services using communication technologies used for smart metering and
kilowatt-hours meters [1]. management. Some smart meters were based on Radio
Frequency (RF) technology for smart metering [3]. While,
After the electro-mechanical meter, the electronic meter some other used M2M (machine to machine) technology for
was introduced with similar function, but it only replaces metering for electric power companies [4]. Addition to this,
from analog to digital system. By along these lines customer some researchers proposed information and communication
can note down the voltage, control reading units and current (ICT) technology based smart meters to get the information
with time and date of vitality utilization. This framework about meter reading and management of load [5]. This
have a few preferences over the past meter reading technology has become an essential solution for energy
framework. After the electronic meters, the meter with providing companies to run the smart grid system. Win
various remote correspondence advancements have been Adiyansyah et al [6], had presented a smart meter system in
created which are known as Automatic Meter Reading which Arduino UNO is used as main controller which
(AMR) [2]. This system is wireless so personal computers connects different module and sensors so that they
could be used to save the energy consumption of the meter communicate with each other. In their work it is shown that
and also this data will be saved in central database for

978-1-7281-4082-7 /19/$31.00 ©2019 IEEE

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energy meter will send data to energy provider for billing
and that data will be stored in database. Rana Ali et al [7],

Fig.3. Proposed architecture of smart meter system

An EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read

only Memory) is attached with microcontroller because it is
Fig.2. Smart meter evolution non-volatile memory which is mostly used in electronic
devices for storing small amount of data [10]. Furthermore,
had proposed a design for smart meter using Arduino as RTC (Real Time Clocking) is used in embedded systems for
controller with GSM, which send the information about time keeping the current status of time [11]. There is another
of use, demand side management during peak hours and also module which will calculate the total load used by the
presented theft detecting feature in their work. Zahoor et al consumer at a time and will send that data to the
[8] designed a smart meter system which have feature to microcontroller by which service provider can control the
impose the power load allocation firmed by service provider power load management system. As current, voltage and
on different types of consumers. Their work also includes a power measuring devices are also attached with the
module that has provision of on demand electric power load microcontroller, through this modules total energy units are
facility from service provider by sending message. Some calculated and stored at data base. In this prototype SIM900
other smart meter system were based on different kind of discussed in [13] is used because it is a complete Quad band
technologies such as PLC (Power Line Communication), GSM/GPRS solution in a smart metering technology module
Bluetooth, ZigBee, Wi-Fi (Wireless fidelity) and GPRS which can be embedded in the customer applications. Here in
(General Packet Radio System). this section by tempering detection module microcontroller
continuously measure the voltage and current difference and
signal from the lever attached with the body of energy meter.
II. SMART METER SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE
So by this module tempering and theft is detected by
OVERVIEW microcontroller. 16 X 2 LCD discussed in [14] is used for
In this research, smart energy meter system have been displaying the data provided by microcontroller.
proposed and have been tested in control environment by
using bi-directional GSM communication network. SERVICE PROVIDER SECTION
Following Fig.3 shows the overview of the proposed
As from the block diagram it is also seen that service
architecture of smart meter system. This architecture
includes two main sections, one is consumer section and provider section also includes different servers which are
other is energy service provider section. Both sections have interconnected with each other so that the power load
very key role for data transmission and bi-directional management and controlling should be done in better and
communication between consumer section which have smart controlled way. Here Connectivity server is used for the
meter and service provider section which contain data base wireless connectivity between consumer section, service
unit. provider section and also with the consumer mobile phone.
While requesting server process the requests from consumer
CONSUMER SECTION and from service provider. The request for instance, billing
As from block diagram it is shown that consumer section and power unit allocation are received and process by it.
contain smart meter which contains different modules Different type of warning and informative alerts such as;
working together for energy consumption calculation and theft detection, additional power allocation and power status
also automatically transfer calculated information to the are handled by this server. General information like power
service provider section and also to the consumer. For doing limit, energy consumption, power reallocation, voltage and
such kind of work this section needs some important current are maintain by information server.
components for bi-directional communication between two
sections. First one is the microcontroller PIC18F452 which is III. PROTOTYPE FOR SMART WIRELESS CONTROLLED
discussed in [9] is the most important component in DIGITAL ENERGY METER.
proposed design because all other modules are attached with The physical prototype for proposed model and
it and it is responsible for controlling all the information schematic circuit in proteus8 is shown in the Fig.4 and Fig.5
given to it from different modules. Different software like respectively, which shows the consumer side energy meter
LABVIEW, C++ are used for giving input to the containing different energy calculating as well as
microcontroller. communication components. All these components performs

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different type of function which we already discussed in checks to find that whether consumer present units are equal
previous sections. to or less then the pre allotted units to it and if it is yes then it
perform other checks otherwise it automatically disconnects
This smart meter prototype perform following functions. the consumer power and sends the information to the service
• It have real time communication between smart meter provider and consumer. After that another check performed
and service provider. by controller is tempering or theft detection check that
whether any tempering or theft is detected or not if it is yes it
• Shows the real time power, energy, current, voltages also disconnects the power automatically and sends data, and
and units on LCD. also displays “THEFT DETECTED” on LCD. If there is no
• Gives the information about any tempering/theft done tempering or theft is detected then controller checks that is
by the consumer. service provider had given any command of power
disconnect or power reconnect to it or not. So these are the
• It allow to send request message to service provider some main and basic steps of smart meter performed on get
for additional units. started.
• Sends information about electricity to consumer as
well as service provider.
• Automatically connects and disconnects the power
load if service provider gives command to it.

Fig.4. Physical prototype for proposed model.

Fig.6: The flow chart for complete working of the prototype of energy meter

IV. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS AND DISCUSSION.

The working and the experimental results of smart
Fig.5. Schematic circuit in proteus wireless controlled digital energy meter is discussed in the
following section and also some block diagram are shown
The following flow chart in Fig.6 shows the complete just to explain each step:
working of the prototype of energy meter and shows that
First of all, when meter starts microcontroller
how each step of meter get started. As from flow chart it is
automatically turn on the GSM modem and take it to the read
clear that whenever meter get started some basic step should
mode for reading any information given to its first location.
be taken by the meter in order to give the initial information
It takes the present values of voltage, current, power, energy,
to energy provider and consumer which includes reading
present units and also the prepaid units from the energy
data from EEPROM, measured values of current, voltages
meter/energy measuring module attached with it and also
and power in real time from energy measuring module. After
displays these values on LCD as shown in Fig.7. The block
receiving data from EEPROM and energy measuring
diagram in Fig.8 clearly shows the process.
module, microcontroller sends this data to service provider
and also to the consumer, as well as displays that data on
LCD. After this, controller performs different types of

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 Fig.7. Voltage, Current, Power, Energy, Present unit, Prepaid unit

Fig.10. The block diagram of prepaid billing process

Fig.11. Command for prepaid unit through SMS

Fig.8. Startingof smart meter Latching:
As there is another feature of automatic disconnecting
and connecting the load for this purpose latching relay
After turning on, GSM modem sends message to the
TRIAC is used because it is good for both high power and
service provider that the meter is ON now this information is
low power system and its response is really fast as compared
provided in following codes. For each 30 seconds GSM takes
to the other components use for power on and off. So, if
the information about the present units and prepaid units
service provider realizes that energy consumption of the
value from the controller and send this to service provider in
consumer is beyond the limit then it can disconnect the load
the form of SMS. The SMS is shown in following Fig.9.
of the consumer by sending SMS to microcontroller through
GSM module. Following is the block diagram for the
latching process in Fig.12.

Fig. 9. Present unit, prepaid unit

Prepaid Billing:

Prepaid billing is another important feature in this system

of metering, here if the value of present units reaches to the
prepaid unit’s value then this meter will automatically
disconnect the load through the latching relay attached with
the controller for power connection and disconnection. This
meter will disconnects the power until the service provider
upload the new units on to the meter through GSM. Fig.10
shows the block diagram of prepaid billing process for smart
energy meter. Fig.12. The block diagram for the latching process

When GSM modem receives this information from the

service provider it displays the text “valid message” and The microcontroller then read the information provided
automatically send signal to the latching relay which then by service provider and sends the signal to latching relay to
reconnects the load. The load of consumer will be disconnect the consumer power and Fig.13 shows that these
disconnected until the service provider send the following reading will be displayed on LCD, ($AB123, C,0*) message
message shown in Fig.11 to the GSM modem: which will be sent to the GSM module by service provider
for purpose of power disconnecting the power.
$AB123, new value of prepaid units *
Similarly, if the service provider wants to reconnect the
load of consumer then ($AB123, C, 1*) message will be sent
to the microcontroller through GSM module.

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 changing the phase line, these change in state of lever switch
and change in phase current of meter is detected by
controller and then will disconnect the power of the
consumer. The load of the consumer will remain
disconnected until the consumer removes all types of
tempering, then service provider will have to send the
Fig.13. Output in case of latching $AB123, C, 1* message to GSM modem for reconnecting
the load.
Theft Detection:
V. CONCLUSION
The feature which makes this energy meter more
GSM based smart wireless controlled digital energy
important is its theft and tempering detection which is
meter is designed in order to enable electrical energy service
explained in the block diagram of Fig.14.
provider company to remotely monitor the consumer
monthly energy consumption, so that billing error should be
reduced to minimum extend and also to reduce human effort
needed to record the meter reading, by this method energy
provider companies can also manage the load power
according to the data provided by these meters. This system
is also use to allocate energy units to the consumer according
to their demand. It also enables service provider to get
known about meter security and also gives access to
remotely control meters by just sending SMS to the
microcontroller through GSM module. Moreover,
experimental results shows that how physical prototype
works and as GSM module is used in this prototype so it can
be accessible from anywhere by consumers through mobile
phones.

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