Command Activities

Smart meter commands are managed by activities. Activities orchestrate one or more communications and execute any completion events associated with the command.

Key Algorithms

This section outlines some of the important algorithms executed as part of the command activity’s lifecycle.

Some algorithms are directly shared by multiple business objects and multiple lifecycle states. In other cases, unique algorithms will perform the same role across business objects. The following section refers to the algorithms generically.


Lifecycle State	Algorithms
Validate	The Validate state is an opportunity to check whether the command should execute. Check Device Command Eligibility: Checks whether the command request is eligible for the device by calling the Determine Eligible Commands Business Service (D1-DetermineEligibleCommands). The command request is considered eligible if it exists in the eligible commands list returned by the business service. Validate Head End’s Capability to Perform Activity: This algorithm checks to ensure that the head end system has the capability to support the command requested. It accomplishes this by invoking the Determine Service Providers and Methods Business Service. Check for Existing Active Request: This algorithm looks for non-Final Activities with the same Device and of the same type. This prevents duplicate requests from being sent to the head end system.
Validation Error	If the Activity fails validation, it transitions to the Validation Error state. From this state the activity can be retried and create To Do entriesto notify users of the error. Retry BO In Error: Reprocesses the BO by transitioning it to its original state. Create To Do Entry for BO in Error: This algorithm attempts to create a To Do entry using the To Do type and role specified by the algorithm parameters. Generic To Do Completion for BOs: This algorithm completes all To Do entries with Drill Keys = Current Business Object's prime keys except for To Do Types with Characteristic Type and Value as specified by algorithm parameters. This prevents the existence of multiple To Do entries for the same command and device.
Waiting For Effective Date	Prior to sending the request to the head end system, the activity enters this state. Wait Time Out - Transition to Rejection: This algorithm rejects the business object if the expiration date time has been reached. Wait for Effective Date: When the required date is reached, this algorithm transitions the business object to the next configured state. Send Response to External Requester: This algorithm sends an acknowledging received response outbound message to the requester if the business object is configured to do so.
Connection Ready	The Connection Ready state shows that the activity can be executed and creates the proper outbound communication business object. This state can be re-entered when there are multiple outbound communications that are required by the head end system’s API. Create Outbound Communication: This algorithm creates an outbound communication instance if the value of the completion flag specified by an algorithm parameter is false. Create Results Outbound based on Completion Flag: This algorithm triggers a secondary communication to the head end system based on the value of an algorithm parameter. Typically, this indicates the successful completion of an initial outbound communication.
Communication In Progress	This lifecycle state indicates that an outbound communication is in-progress. Wait Time Out - Transition to Exception: If the business object has been in the In Progress state too long, this algorithm transitions the business object to an exception state. Check Children Communications: If all of the outbound communication business object instances related to this activity have completed, the algorithm transitions the business object to the next state.
Communication Error	An error-handling lifecycle state to which the business object transitions when the communication encounters a problem. The algorithms are similar to those in the Validation Error state. Wait Time Out - Transition to Rejection: If the business object has been in the In Progress state too long, this algorithm transitions the business object to a rejection state. Retry BO In Error: This algorithm reprocesses the business object by transitioning it to its original state. Create To Do Entry for BO in Error: This algorithm attempts to create a To Do entry using the To Do type and role specified by the algorithm parameters. Generic To Do Completion for BOs: This algorithm completes all To Do entries with Drill Keys = Current Business Object's prime keys except for To Do Types with Characteristic Type and Value as specified by algorithm parameters. This prevents the existence of multiple To Do entries for the same command and device
Retry	The lifecycle state responsible for discarding existing outbound communications and transitioning the activity back to Connection Ready.
Execute Completion Events	This lifecycle state collates the information acquired by the communications and creates some result. For example, in a DeviceStatusCheck, the overall results are set. Execute Completion Events: Fires the completion events associated with the activity.
Completion Event Error	This is another error-handling state similar to the Validation Error and the Communication Error states. The algorithms are the same as in those states.
Completed	This is the final state representing a successful activity. Finishing tasks are performed and external requesters are notified.
Discarded	Similarly to the Completed state, the Discarded state finishes the activity and indicates an overall failure. External requesters are notified of the failure and other finishing tasks are performed.