Featured Technology: AMR/AMI Technologies for the Utilities Space

Image Courtesy: iFusionIT

 iFusionIT, LLC, a Bellevue, Washington based multinational technology company, has launched itself into building applications and expertise in the Utilities domain with the launch of three customer funded projects in the space of AMR/AMI technologies. ZCON (Zero Consumption), ReX Relationship Exceptions) are built as part of the MPA (Meter Performance Analytics) initiative and the last one being the TAT (Technology Assessment Tool).

On many occasions a meter transmitting read over the network could go faulty and report NO USAGE or sometimes a perfect meter reports NO USAGE. Utilities spend huge amount of resources, and money to investigate such meters. Most of the time such meters are either seasonal (Ex: Agriculture Meters), Vacation Homes and many other possible situations. ZCON (Zero Consumption) is a .NET, WCF, WPF based application with Oracle and SQL Server as the backend.

The system tracks every meter reporting zero usage using batch, real-time interfaces and a web front-end from the start to finish (meters start consuming or are replaced). This tool has allowed our clients to have visibility, monitor all ZERO CONSUMPTION meters and allowed for proper tracking of every meter reporting ZERO CONSUMPTION.

Built using latest Microsoft Technologies, this tool enhances the user’s ability to report vintage dates and resolution of meters. Reporting features were built using SSRS and SSIS to report on different categories and irregular use codes. Various levels of reports from operations to Analytical Reports were custom built. The data structures and design is architected to produce auto tracking and progression of meters over a period of time from a NEW and UNKNOWN category to a Service Order Creation and resolution of the meter.

The middle tier Web services focused to provide smooth integration between various systems within the organization is built on a solid foundation from Microsoft’s WCF platform. Webservice’s defined and developed follow CIM compliance models with a message envelope and a Payload. These web services are built as listeners and provide data outputs and data validations for various systems integrating within ZCON called the ReX (Relationship Experience) modules. The services connect to SQL and Oracle databases with calls to stored procedures and functions to display customer history, customer power usage patterns and seasonal analysis. Our later version will include Silverlight features and a complete SSIS integration into the current software design.

The System exposes 20 services to add meter exceptions, to add events, to add new exceptions and admin functionality.


For more information about iFusionIT, LLC and its technological initiatives, you may contact them at Contactus@ifusionit.com .


Source: iFusionIT.com