The 6

th
IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Data Acquisition and Advanced Computing Systems: Technology and Applications
15-17 September 2011, Prague, Czech Republic
978-1-4577-1425-2/11/$26.00 2011 IEEE 812
A System Concept of an Energy Information
System in Flats Using Wireless Technologies and
Smart Metering Devices
Ingo Kunold, Markus Kuller, Joerg Bauer, Nursi Karaoglan
Institute of Communications Technology, Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts,
Sonnenstrasse 96-100 44139 Dortmund Germany, ikt@fh-dortmund.de, http://www.ikt.fh-dortmund.de

AbstractThe solid supply with electrical power in
Europe needs the development of smart grids [1], [2]. To
solve the control problems of these grids, smart metering
devices and energy information systems (SCADA) are
needed on the carrier level [3]. Considering private
households and small enterprises, it is therefore required to
replace plain old energy meters by modern smart metering
components. Smart meters offer a lot of new features, for
example handling of different dynamic tariffs and in
addition to their carrier interface a data access capability
for in-house applications. Using these capabilities an
embedded in-house energy information system with a smart
energy controller (SEC) will be proposed, which allows
displaying real-time data information and analysis of power
consumption as well as power generation. The concept is
also useful to combine smart home applications with smart
grid functions, if data exchange with a multi utility
controller (MUC) with SML [4], and smart meter devices,
e.g. eHZ [4] is used. In that case, in connection with actors,
demand side management functions may be executed by the
controller. This was one of the intentions of the e-energy
projects EENEAS, e-energy@home and E-DeMa
1
.

Keywords smart grid; smart metering; demand side
managemen; e-energy; wireless communication; user
interfaces; mobile devices; multi utility controller; in-house
power management
I. INTRODUCTION
Most of todays power grids are organized in a
hierarchical order. Power plants insert electrical power at
an entry point and the consumers extract the energy at
different places in the grid. In the future power grids will
migrate to smart grids and the consumer will migrate to a
so called prosumer [3], i.e. he will not only consume
power, but he will produce it e.g. by photovoltaic or wind
energy plants. To control, manage, maintain and account a
distributed system, which contains these generation units,
it is needed to develop energy information systems as
developed in the with several data interfaces [5] for the
different roles in an energy supply environment.

1
Funded by the Federal Government of Germany, the Federal State
Government of North-Rhine-Westfalia, RWE AG and DEW21 GmbH
On the one hand, especially for energy efficiency in
smart grids with renewable energy components, it is
helpful to control the load in smart grids in order to
respond to variation of regenerative power feeding. In this
case, control energy can be saved in a smart grid.
On the other hand, rational use of energy means the
consumption of energy in the case of an (temporary)
oversupply in the grid. So it is useful for the grid control
to be able to control the load. There are two possibilities to
achieve this. First, tariff changes depending on the
available power. Then, a local controller can switch the
suitable loads according to predefined conditions. Second,
the grid control is allowed to switch these suitable loads
by a control message.
The SCADA system, being the global information
system of the smart grid, is able to provide internet access
to historical smart metering data. However, the delay of
data transfer from a smart meter via the data base of a
SCADA system to an internet user is too large for real
time visualization. In this case, a local smart energy
controller is useful to carry out these functions (Fig. 1).

Figure 1. System overview of the communication processes in an
e-energy flat environment
A smart energy controller as an embedded system with
low power consumption is useful for smart metering data

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processing, in-house data communication and load
control.
II. RELATED WORK
In 2006 the European Commission started community
research on the smart grid model. Several European
projects are currently working [2] on different aspects in
this field. In Germany six research projects in model
regions are currently funded by the national government.
They are in progress since January 2009. These projects
shall develop energy information systems and applications
for smart grids. Goals are the lowering of emissions, the
reduction of power consumption, the integration of
renewable energy components as well as the development
of an e-energy market place of the future.
III. METHODOLOGY
Based on the metering and control model depicted in
Fig. 2, a hardware structure was configured [6] based on
smart metering components for gas, water and electric
power. Standard interfaces and bus systems as LAN
WLAN, wireless Mbus [7], [8], KNX [9] were used to
communicate with the different devices. This basic
structure was completed with additional sensors and
actors, e.g. using ZigBee [10], [11] or KNX components.

Figure 2. Hardware structure of a smart metering and control
environment
An embedded system, running Linux or embedded
WinXP with the mentioned interfaces, has been defined
for the smart energy controller. The system software is
implemented on a Java virtual machine. For easy
expandability for other interfaces, a modular software
concept as depicted in Fig. 3 has been developed.

Figure 3. Software structure of the smart energy controller
Data communication and handling between the
controller and metering as well as switchable devices will
be done by the OSGI framework [12].
From the application view, the controller software is
arranged in 4 sections,

1. E_ASM, for management and control of the whole
multithreading system.

2. ESA, i.e. energy storage archive, with E_M and
E_DB for rapid data access of real time data (E_M),
system conditions, parameters and historical data
(E_DB). Time critical data are held in system
memory by the E_M-module and periodical saved by
reducing the sampling rate to E_DB for long term
storage.

3. EDU, i.e. energy device unit. Any data access for
data acquisition control or visualization is carried out
by the EDU , which allows data access with different
data formats e.g. SML, Mbus protocol and different
physical interfaces, e.g. ZigBee, Mbus, KNX or
standard interfaces like LAN, WLAN for in-house
communications and mobile and remote access.

4. ESU, i.e. energy services unit. The component E_UI
realizes object oriented data access for the JavaFX
rich internet application for browser or desktop use.
The component E_DSM accomplishes the schedule
management for switchable loads as well as tariff
dependent and conditioned control functions, e.g. for
charge control. (Condition data are held in the E_M
module for fast data access and real time use.)
E_NTM organizes tariff dependent time shift of
loads and generates device specific switching
conditions.

The generic device driver module handles the different
devices and converts all data to a system standard format
and reads/writes data from/to the database as any other
module of the controller. The energy service unit has to
handle the interfaces. For data transmission between
controller and a thin client in a flat environment an
encrypted LAN or WLAN data exchange is intended
using VPN and/or SSL/TLS.
IV. SENSOR AND ACTOR COMMUNICATIONS
Smart metering data deliver the sum of power
consumption of a flat. In order to detect detailed power
consumption and for power switching of different devices,
to limit the sum, it is useful to gather more information
about the behavior of the relevant in-house devices.
Additional metering data from these devices, e.g. heating
or cooling systems, dryer, washer and others are needed.
In this case, it is useful to get KNX or ZigBee sensor and
actor systems.

814
For continuous measurements and switching, a ZigBee
sensor actor communication with heartbeat is helpful. Fig.
4 shows an example of a communication diagram which is
implemented for the smart energy controller using
ZigBee.

Figure 4. ZigBee commnication diagram using heartbeat loops
2

If no continuous data acquisition is needed, it is
helpful to use threshold functions of the sensor actor
devices (Fig. 5).

Figure 5. ZigBee commnication diagram using on demand
loops
In order to detect the switched on state of a device,
this predefined threshold level initializes that a message is

2
MV: power consumption of the device; measured by the
sensor; ML: configurable threshold; Sensor: power
measurement; Actor: on-off switch; SEC: smart energy
controller; Dev.: device; DevInfo: device information
(e.g. actor status, power consumption); POW: power
send to the smart energy controller. When this message is
received, the service thread starts data exchange until
ready state is detected.
Sensor actor communications poses installation
problems based on the ZigBee technology. Primarily in
multiple dwelling units, where various ZigBee network
systems could be installed in the future, i.e. one for each
apartment, installation problems, for instance by adding
new actors / sensors, have forced to be reckoned with. The
following considerations are based on a ZigBee star
communication system with two types of nodes:
FullFunctionDevices (FFD) and ReducedFunctionDevices
(RFD). As implied by the wording, FFDs have full
standard functions. As a rule, they serve administrational
functions within the communication network. Therefore,
they cannot be operated by batteries, such as coordinators.
RFDs are sensors such as temperature sensors or multiple
sensors or actors. They have reduced standard functions
and remain in a low-current mode most of the time. In a
star network topology one FFD per network assumes the
superior role of a PAN (Personal Area Network)
coordinator. It asses the PAN identifier that separates the
network from other IEEE-802.15.4 networks within radio
range, while, in Slotted Mode, it synchronises all nodes. A
network can consist of a total of 254 nodes.
One problem is to solve in this case: As soon as there
are various PAN coordinators for one end device only
which allows admission, login at a specified coordinator is
no longer guaranteed as can be seen in Fig. 6.
A solution for this problem is: The ZigBee API
command NJ (configuration of the permit joining
property) enables the coordinator to reduce the access of
other devices. Access can be allowed by default, thus
posing the above mentioned problems, or a time frame is
set, where access is granted. With the parameter "Permit
Joining" < 0xFF (NJ=0xFF, coordinator allows access at
any time), devices such as routers or end devices can
register within a set time frame (max. 254 seconds).

Figure 6. Interacting PAN coordinators in multiple Zigbee
networks
In order to allow a successful installation or expansion
of a ZigBee network, the smart energy controller offers a

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configuration facility to the prosumer via the user
interface. The Permit Joining can be parameterized at the
coordinator by using a software switch. The access
function for the network is automatically disabled when
the time slot has elapsed. Therefore, the permanent
disablement of the joining function for ZigBee
coordinators in operation mode should be considered. So
access can be allowed only by the user for a defined time
frame.
V. USER INTERFACE
The user interface for non mobile devices was
designed as a thin client browser application. The user
interface shows a solution of the visualization of a time
variable tariff for one day in Fig. 7.
The different tariff zones are colored with green for
the cheapest tariff, yellow for the normal tariff and red for
max. tariff. The indicator shows the actual time on a 24
hours watch.

Figure 7. User interface example of the visualization of time
varying tariffs (3 tariffs: low, middle, high)
Fig. 8 shows the actual power consumption for real
time view at the UI. This needs a low delay of the data
transmission channel.
The user interface is refreshed every 2 seconds
(transmission frequency). The packet length amounts
73/99 byte for request/response (TCP-Payload). The SEC
provides the data via a TCP/IP connection for the user
interface (fig. 3, ESA/E_M for rapid data access of real
time data). Asynchronously, the SEC and the electronic
domestic supply meter communicate via another TCP/IP
connection. Using the application protocol SML
3
the SEC
(source) records data of the smart meter sampled per
second (transmission frequency) in a request/response
process at a packet length of 165/295 bytes. The packet
length corresponds to the TCP-payload with SSL
4
. The
RTT
5
is recoded at 389.53 msec
6
for an SML request.

3
Smart Message Language
4
Secure Sockets Layer
5
Round Trip Time
6
Average value for 100 SML requests (100 Mbit ethernet
without additional significant net load).

Figure 8. Visualization of actual power consumption at a UI
measured by a smart meter
Real time metering data are stored during a window in
data memory of the controller (E_M module). After that,
power consumption data are stored with lower data rate in
the system database for a period up to one year. This is
done in order to generate long term reference data. For
even longer terms, data have to be saved externally, using
an advisory rich client application for further data
analysis. Fig. 9 shows an example for data analysis of the
power consumption at the UI for the last day.
This shows the possibilities to visualize the short term
specific power consumption behavior and to find a basic
daily criterion to save energy costs on one hand and to
shift energy load in a smart grid in a daily period on the
other hand.

Figure 9. Visualization of Power consumption history (last day)
depending on time variing tariffs
The user interface for mobile devices was designed as
a thin client browser application, as well. Data
communication over the internet is protected, using VPN
or a peer-to-peer (PTP) modem channel.
Data transfer was implemented, using web services
with SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) and Web
Service Description Language (WSDL) - both based on
XML (Extensible Markup Language). Mobile devices
based on Android, Windows mobile and Apple iOS will
be supported.

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VI. LOAD CONTROL EXAMPLE
The DSM module can be used to control shiftable
loads by condition estimation in an automatic way.
Clearly, the better the system behavior is known, the
better is the estimation of the real behavior.
In a simple case, we define shiftable loads, which
can be switched on or off, and which will stop running, if
their duty cycle is done. During their duty cycle, they may
have a nearly constant (LTI) behavior or a set of
adjustable constant functions.

Figure 10. Index card with parameters for switchable load devices
A device, in this case for example a washer, has some
parameters which are able to describe some basic
characteristics (Fig. 10). By measuring and by monitoring
the actual power consumption and, additionally, some
other relevant parameters, the states stop (or smart
start), running, waiting and operating time can be
detected or estimated. In this case, we can create a time
table as shown in Fig. 11.

Figure 11. Visualization of a timetable for shiftable loads
Using this time table and interrelating this with a
quotation oriented tariff scheme, we have developed an
algorithm that decreases energy costs, moves power
consumption to the tariff interval with the lowest possible
price and shifts it to times, where the energy quotation in a
smart grid is high. So the energy controller can be part of
a distributed demand side management system in an m2m
network.
VII. RESUME
In this paper, a concept for an in-house energy
information system is shown which allows real-time data
acquisition, visualization, analysis and switching.
Interfaces for different wireless and wired bus systems
allow the integration of various sensors. A common
database synchronizes measurement and visualization. It
also collects smart metering and additional sensor data
and allows displaying of data by LAN and WLAN based
services. It supports consumers in energy and cost saving
by graphical illustrated tariff information as well as real-
time and previous metering data. With time varying
tariffs, the controller is basically able to control the energy
consumption of the energy devices of flats - depending on
a given consumption roadmap (maximum start tariff).
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This work has been realized in the projects EENEAS,
e-energy@home and E-DeMa. The project EENEAS aims
to the guidance for optimum energy consumption
behavior. The project e-energy@home aims at the
development of in-house controller systems for
optimization of power consumption, as well as load
shifting in flats. E-DeMa aims at the development of a
future internet energy market place. The authors would
like to thank the partners of these projects for their
contribution.
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