Understanding Time of Use Map Types

TOU Map Types define important properties of TOU maps of the type, including the interval size and the valid TOU map templates.

Attributes used to define TOU map types include the following:

  • Time Zone: the time zone to be used when generating the TOU map data. Refer to Multiple Time Zone Support for more information about how time zones impact TOU map data in multiple time zone environments.
  • Interval Size: the size of the intervals for TOU map data created from maps of this type, represented as hours:minutes:seconds (HH:MI:SS). The interval size cannot be larger than the interval size defined on the Default TOU Map Template or any of the Override TOU Map Templates.
  • Default TOU Map Template: the default TOU map template used by maps of this type
  • Override TOU Map Templates: one or more TOU map templates that can be used as an override on TOU maps of this type.

TOU Map Type Interval Size

The SPI of a TOU map must divide evenly into the SPI of any measuring component that uses the map (because the system joins the date/time of the measurement to the date/time of the TOU data). This means that it is possible to use a 15 minute TOU map with a 60 minute measuring component. However, it is not OK to have a 60 minute TOU map used with a 15 minute measuring component because the join will miss 3 out of 4 measurements.

However, it is important to note that the TOU mapping process is at its most efficient when the measurement data that is being mapped is of the same interval size as the TOU schedule it is being mapped against. When there are differences in the interval size the process must first convert the measurement data into the appropriate interval size for the TOU Map prior to applying the TOU Map.

This means that for each TOU Map Template you should have sufficient TOU Map Types to cover the various interval sizes that will be supported by your measurement data. For example, if you have measuring components with interval sizes of 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and 60 minutes then for each TOU Map Template there should be TOU Map Types with interval sizes of 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and 60 minutes.

Default and Override TOU Map Templates

While most TOU maps will use the TOU map template defined on the TOU map type, TOU maps also support a fallback/override pattern used in other areas of the system.

  • A TOU map's TOU map type defines the default (or "fallback") TOU map template that's used to generate its TOU data.
  • A TOU map's type defines the TOU map templates that can be referenced on individual TOU maps to override the "fallback" template.
  • An individual TOU map can have an override template. If the TOU map doesn't have an override template, the fallback template defined on the TOU map type is used to generate the map's TOU data.

Important Time of Use Map System Events

The TOU Map business object that is associated to a given TOU map type supports a special system event that is used in the generation of TOU map data:

  • Create TOU Map Data: receives a date range and for that date range it will create the appropriate TOU map data for the TOU map. See the Create TOU Map Data (D2-CRETMD-CT) algorithm type as an example.