The Open Metering System initiative of the manufacturers associations figawa, KNX and ZVEI has published an open, manufacturer independent, interoperable device and interface definition called an Open Metering System Specification.
The Open Metering System (OMS) is Europe's only system definition representing a uniform approach for all media (electricity, gas, heat and water, including sub-metering). At present, the OMS specifications are being reviewed by the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) as European new work item proposal TC 294. The OMS specification is available on the internet at www.openmetering.org.
From May 2007, several working groups of the Open Metering initiative checked the use of existing standards and defined supplements or concretions where necessary. For the data transfer between the actual meters and the data concentrator MUC - defined as primary communication - the EN 13757 standard was identified as the only current standard applicable to metering devices. This standard defines the M-Bus as a physical interface (wired and wireless), as well as a data protocol. EN 13757 also complies with the KNX standard.
The remote communication is defined by approved internet standards, with transfer either directly via a DSL hook-up in the building, via mobile phone networks such as GPRS, or via PLC technology on the power distribution line.
For detailed visualisation (consumption visualisation), connection of the building automation system at the end customer, and for future services such as tariff and load management, the widespread KNX standard (ISO/IEC 14543) applies.
