Device Communication Overview
The basic communication for all business processing is essentially the same. A communication request is sent from the Oracle Utilities application to the head-end system. This request would be for a connect/disconnect, commission/decommission, measurement data, an on-demand read, or another type of request that the head-end system supports. The head-end system receives the message, acts on the request, and returns a reply.
See Communications in the Business User Guide, and About Communications in the Administrative User Guide for basic information about command activities and communications.
Native Implementation Command Processing
When using native implementation of Smart Grid Gateway adapters, including with Oracle Utilities cloud services, command processing works slightly differently than it does in midddleware (on-premises) implementations.
The table below provides a brief description of the communication process, and lists example objects used by the Oracle Utilities Smart Grid Gateway Adapter for Itron OpenWay. Note that the process outlined below has been simplified for illustrative purposes, and does not reference every step performed in this process.
|
Step |
Process |
Example Data |
|---|---|---|
|
1. |
A user initiates a remote connect command for a device. A remote connect activity business object is instantiated for the command. |
Activity Business Object: Remote Connect (D1-RemoteConnect) |
|
2. |
The remote connect command activity business object creates an outbound communication. The specific type of outbound communication business object created is determined by the head end system (based on the processing role defined in an Enter algorithm of the “Connection Ready” status of the command activity business object’s lifecycle). |
Outbound Communication Business Object: Itron - Reconnect Meter (Remote Connect) (D8-ReconnectMeterDR) |
|
3. |
The outbound communication creates an outbound message. The specific type of outbound message created is determined by the head end system (based on the processing role defined in an Enter algorithm of the “Awaiting Response” status of the outbound communication business object’s lifecycle). |
Outbound Message Type Business Object: Outbound Message for Itron connect command (D8-ItronRemoteConnectOutbndMsg) |
|
4. |
The outbound message is sent to the head end system via an External System, Message Sender, and Outbound Message Type. The head end system sends a synchronous response to acknowledge receipt of the request. |
External System: Itron OpenWayHead End System Message Sender: Itron – Remote Connect (D8-Reconnect) Outbound Message Type: Itron – Remote Connect (D8-RemoteConnect) |
|
5. |
As the status of the command request is updated, the head end system sends periodic messages. These messages are received by an Inbound Web Service which creates instances of an inbound communication business object. The specific type of inbound communication business object created is determined by the Inbound Web Service. |
Inbound Communication Business Object: Itron – StatusChanged (D8-StatusChanged) |
|
6. |
When the command request has been completed, it sends a status changed inbound communication with a “Completed” status. This transitions the outbound communication business object to its “Completed” state. |
Inbound Communication Business Object: Itron – StatusChanged (D8-StatusChanged) |
|
7. |
The remote connect command activity business object creates a “results” outbound communication. The specific type of outbound communication business object created is determined by the head end system (based on the processing role defined in an Enter algorithm of the “Connection Ready” status of the command activity business object’s lifecycle). |
Outbound Communication Business Object: Itron - Reconnect Meter Results (D8-ReconnectMeterResultDR) |
|
8. |
The outbound communication creates an outbound message. The specific type of outbound message created is determined by the head end system (based on the processing role defined in an Enter algorithm of the “Awaiting Response” status of the outbound communication business object’s lifecycle). |
Outbound Message Type Business Object: Outbound Message for Itron connect result command (D8-ItronRemoteCntRsltOutMsg) |
|
9. |
An Enter Algorithm on the “Evaluate Response” status of the outbound message business object’s lifecycle evaluates the response. |
Enter Algorithm: Evaluate Get Reconnect Results Response (D8-EVGRCMRST) |
|
10. |
The “result” outbound communication creates a completion event to update the status of the device to indicate it has been connected. The specific type of completion event business object created is specified in an Enter algorithm on the “Create Completion Event” Status of the outbound communication business object’s lifecycle. |
Algorithm: Create Connect Completion Event from Result (D8-CRCNCER) Completion Event Business Object: Connect Device (D1-ConnectDevice) |
|
11. |
The outbound communication updates the “Connect/Disconnect Completion Flag” and the original activity business object. This update is performed by an Enter algorithm on the “Completed” Status of the outbound communication business object’s lifecycle. |
In the case of commands that also request usage readings, such as On Demand Read or Scheduled Read, usage readings are sent separately via DataArrived messages separately to the DataSubscriberService Inbound Web Service, where they can be routed to Object storage for payload processing.