SUMMARY: The information system for data reading and management of energy consumption is an important tool for building of accounting and control systems. Using electronic energy meters increases the reliability and accuracy of user accounted data. HHU reading of the electronic energy meters and PC processing with present software package represent a base for full automation of the accounting process.
 

Keywords:  Electronic energy meter, Collector terminal, Accounting software, Tcl/Tk.

    The electronic power metering is an innovative approach used in industrial and home energy systems. A lot of European and worldwide companies are currently working in this direction. Basari Electronic A.S. (Turkey) had a requirement for optical readout of two types of home type static electronic watt-hour meters (one and three phases four tariffs).
    This paper describes the software package for accounting, processing and management of energy consumption using Basari energy meters. It was developed, tested and experimented commonly in a joint
effort of three companies.
    The basic hardware configuration required for the software package consist:

• Electronic energy meter;
• Data collector terminal (HHU);
• Infrared optical head - for data reading;
• PC.

    The reading of the energy meters is based on using of optical interface between the energy meters and the collector terminal (HHU). The collector terminal is used for saving and processing of measured data and printing of consumer fees. The PC functions include reading from HHU, the updating of DTBS, the processing of queries and supporting of history archive.
    The accounted data from the terminal is transferred to the PC using serial port RS 232 C. The protocol and the technology used for the data transfer exchange between the terminal and the optical head is based on the IEC 61107 standard.
    The software package has modular structure. The modules are structured as bellow:

• Module for configuration of data collector terminal – this operation is compulsory when the terminal is started for the first time. It creates in the default directory a text file, containing a sequence of operators for the terminal configuration;
• Module for creating group of electronic meters– it creates file for a group of electronic meters (which will be read and processed together). Using special designed form, operator need to enter group name and data field, which will be observed;
• Module for initial loading of electronic meters group into the data collector terminal – the terminal is connected to the active port of the computer and writes data in the terminal;
• Module for terminal data reading - reading of collected data from terminal to the PC;
• Module for data base queries - it operates with collected data from terminal and executes data base queries (searching, sorting, viewing);
• Module for printing of the results of the queries - this module supports a lot of types of printing forms.

    In the program is built distributed database for accounting information. It is divided in the groups (groups of consumer data from electronic meters). Each of the groups has own copy of the information saved in corresponding sub directory. The group's name is the same as the directory name for this group.
    The database for each of the groups contains account information for each included consumer.
    At the current moment is active only one of the groups. This group contains information for current accounted consumer and is available for collector terminal actions or data base query. It is possible to export the current group to other file, or import the contents of external file to the current.
    The program uses possibility of Tcl/Tk for special server building and realizes the client– server conception [7]. The basic goals of the server are to control the transfer and to process encrypted information from the measuring [1,4].
    The access to the database of the current group is available on the Host computer, after executing the menu command.
    The accounting technology allows the operator to account (using portable data collector terminal) data for group of electronic meters. After collecting the data, the operator connects it to the computer and transfers the collected data in the PC (in a structured field from local database).
    It is possible to transfer configuration information for another group by importing from external file.
    The security of the software package is implemented by using of two types of passwords:

• Subscriber password;
• Configure password.

(a)	(b)
(c)	(d)

    Each terminal can store data for up to 2000 electronic meter [3]. The data fields for each electronic meter consists: meter number, consumer number, accounted data, and data for 4 consumption tariffs.
     The tariff data in to DTBS is structured in the following fields: new reading, old reading, difference value (between new and old reading) and summarized value.
    Other set of measured data includes the current status of the collector terminal. This data is saved in to history archive file into the PC. Both the accounted data (from DTBS) and archive file are accessible for the computer.

    As it was said before, the system allows transfer of accounted data from data collector terminal to the PC, using serial port RS 232 C. The database for the selected group of electronic meters is updated with the new accounted data.
    The button READ (from the MAIN MENU, showed on fig.2-a ) activate the basic function of the system - reading data from the collector terminal and writing to the PC and writing configuration information into the data collector terminal.
    This button is intended to start reading the terminal. It is assumed that the active group, which was loaded, has an attribute “Old”. This means that a database was created for this group and accounting could be performed. The terminal should be connected to the “active port” of the computer. Pressing the button READ starts the information transfer from the terminal to the computer. The database for this group is updated with the new information. A history archive file is also updated.
    If the information transfer is interrupted due to some reason, a message appears “RS communication problem”, and the procedure is repeated until successful finish.
    To view the information in the database, the operator has to select menu “Query” (fig.2-b) and any of others sub-buttons (Search, Viewer, View Log File).
    The second pull-down menu "Subscriber" (fig.2-c) is used for editing of the electronic meter group (Edit group) and writing the group information into the collector terminal.
    The third menu "Configure" (fig. 2-d) includes some functional sub buttons for configuration actions on the system.
    The second and the third menus are controlled by passwords.
    The work sequence of operations with the package is:

(1). Configuration of the terminal;

(2). Creating electronic meters groups;

(3). Initial loading of the group configuration into the terminal;

(4). Accounting, using the data collector terminal;

(5). Terminal reading;

(6). Working with the database (queries) for the different groups.

    There are realized four basic functions, which can be started from the menu bar (the top of the frame, showed on fig.2-a, b, c, d):

• Query;
• Subscriber;
• Configure;
• Help.

    The program supports distributed database for accounted information. It is divided into groups (groups of electronic meters).
     All of these queries work with the database (using module Mk4Tcl), and are realized as separate program modules. The operator must fill special form to create user query. The queries return information for any property or combination of them.
    Fig. 3 shows query form.

    The program processes sequentially any of them and forms the result as database structure. It can be displayed or printed.
    The history archive file (log file) is generated, after reading of collector terminal data. This file can be displayed by selecting of the sub button "View Log File".

4.2. Subscriber

    This menu has two functions: editing of groups and writing of group information into the collector terminal. The first function shows the list of electronic meters in the group and editing data for electronic energy meters, included in it
    The second function is intended to write configuration information into the terminal. This information configures the collector terminal for working with the corresponding electronic meters group. Writing should be done only when the change of the group is needed. If the group remains the same when it is accounted, it will only be READ-ed.

4.3. Configure

    This menu includes six submenus: Import configuration text file; Export configuration text file; Configuration of the terminal; Change group name; 1-3 row text items, Write:

• Import configuration text file- this module is used for importing of the text file from external location to the work group buffer. After importing the file it's contents is encrypted.

• Export configuration text file - this module is used for exporting of the configuration file to external location. Before exporting it is decrypted

• Configuration of the terminal - this action allows the operator to configure the collector terminal. The file (terminal.cfg) contains information for terminal parameters (printing, timing, memory size, and etc.). File information is structured as set of commands, executed by driver programs. The file is loaded after pressing sub button "Configuration of the terminal".
• Change group name - this function change the name of the energy meters group. This name is used for each of documents produced by package work.
• 1–3 row text items - this command generates the text for rows with number 1 to 3. These texts could be printed, when it prints the customer receipts.
• Write - this is same "Write", described in the menu "Subscriber".

    This menu starts html application, including explicit information for installing and working with the program.
 
 

    The described system includes an original program realization for operating with structured data and communication based on client–server application. [2].
    The structuring of the software package for accounting, processing and management of energy consumption is done in several levels and use several communications protocols [6].
    The presented program realization has some advantages:

• The software modules are based on program language Tcl/Tk;
• The requirements for PC configuration are minimal – Windows95/98/NT or LINUX;
• Data manipulation in the data base is easy;
• The program supports special module, for access control and information security.

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