Open Source solution for AMR systems

Sept. 20, 2010 - PRLog -- As automatic meter reading (AMR) is getting a more and more popular way to keep track of electricity consumption, Gurux Ltd has released a protocol component for meters that support DLMS/COSEM protocol. To simplify both building an AMR system, and the communication with  DLMS/COSEM meters, the component has a clear user interface, called GXDLMSDirector. At this stage, the Gurux AMR solution supports electricity meters manufactured by ISKRAEMECO and Landis+Gyr, and the connection type can be selected between serial port and network (TCP/IP).

The Gurux AMR solution brings all registers of the meter available, because, once the connection is established, the register objects are retrieved directly from the meter itself. After that, the user can select, which registers to use. The profile of the meter and its registers can then be saved as a file, so when starting to communicate with the meter the next time, the registers are not needed to retrieve again.

Because not all users are experts of the actual protocol, the user interface application, GXDLMSDirector, is designed to simplify both the building of an AMR system, and the communication with physical DLMS/COSEM meters. The initial task of the UI application, is to ensure that the component has access to all the settings it needs, to communicate with physical meters. In addition to normal menus, the UI also has shortcut icons for most common commands, such as connect, and read. This way the end-user needs no programming skills, nor any know-how of how the protocol actually works.

Building an AMR system is started with creating a parenting collection for the meters, with just two mouse clicks. Then all the required meters are added into the collection, one after another. This is done by giving the meter a unique name, then selecting the device manufacturer, and connection type, and determining the settings for the device and the connection. Once all meters are added, their register objects are retrieved directly from the physical meters, the required registers are selected to keep listed, and the rest can be deleted. After this the system is all set. When retrieving the register objects from the physical meter itself, also the OBIS codes become available to be viewed, and, in some extend, to be edited. This way the user can change, for example, the description of the OBIS code.  

The amount of collections, or the amount of meters in a collection is not limited. This way the solution is suitable for any scale systems, from a one single meter to vast amount of remote meters. The UI application always comes with the component included, but developers and programmers can also get solely the component, and customize it the required way.

Gurux Ltd published both the protocol component, and the user interface for it, in the beginning of September, 2010, as Open Source. This means that anyone can download the component, with or without the UI application, from Internet, and use them both under GPL2 license.

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Gurux Ltd (est. 1998) produces easy-to-use COM tehcnology based Open Source components for device communication.
With Gurux products you can easily gather data from any physical device, with no limitations of connection type, protocol or device type.