1. FPGA-Based Smart Meter Interface
Devon Billiard, Roberto Cordova, Steven Garbe, Brandon Tran

2. Introduction
Create an electrical smart meter add-on using an FPGA board
Communication of information
Calculate kWh usage and costs
Provides information in a user friendly format

3. Background Microcontrollers FPGA Electromechanical meters Smart meters
Uses regular programming languages, less flexible
FPGA
Uses hardware design language
Allows custom circuit design to fit application
Allows for faster implementing changes
Electromechanical meters
One way system, only sends power to consumers, no data
Not as accurate as digital
Billing might be inaccurate
Smart meters
Two-way system, both power and data communication
More accurate

4. System Diagram

5. Design Methodology
Receive power consumption data from customer’s pre-existing AMI meter
Perform analysis using received data
Cost, Total Usage (in kWh)
Based on time period defined by customer
Relay Analyzed Data to Customer
Printable Data Sheet
Display

6. System Architecture
Two main elements make up the system architecture: Communication and Data Analysis
Communication
GE Energy I-210+c Single Phase Smart Meter
GE MeterMate Software
UART Transceiver
Xilinx Vivado Webpack Programming Suite
Nexys 4 Artix-7 FPGA Trainer Board
CSG324 Package
Data Analysis
Verilog

7. Constraints Design Performance Development Time
Initialization of GE Energy I-210+c Single Phase Smart Meter
Availability of MeterMate Software
Programming Device
Performance
Synchronization issues between FPGA clock and PC serial port
Code Optimization

8. Design Elements - Software
Transmit and receive usage data via the Universal Asynchronous Transmitter and Receiver (UART)
Process energy readings
Calculate Kilowatt hours used Hourly, Daily, Monthly, and Yearly
Calculate the cost of the power used Hourly, Daily, Monthly, and Yearly
Provide warnings if power consumption is unusually high
Present data in a user friendly format
Excel Document
7-Segment Display

9. Software Diagram

10. Integration and Testing Plan
Test UART
Ability to send and receive data
Test Calculations
Keep accurate track of Hours, Days, Months, Years
Accurately calculate a running total of usage on a hourly, daily, monthly, and yearly basis
Using calculated usage, determine the cost of power consumption
Integrate UART with Calculations
Insure the data received on the UART can be accessed by the calculations module
Create an Excel spreadsheet of all calculated data
Implement code on the FPGA board
Run the code on the physical FPGA board as opposed to the simulation

11. Ethical and Societal Considerations
Keeping transmitted data safe
Prevent manipulation of energy readings
Must be tamper-proof
ANSI C12 pertaining to meter accuracy and performance
Must be held to same standards as the AMI meter
Ensure accuracy of measurements and calculations

12. Conclusion Obtaining access to GE MeterMate software Reduce cost
Needed for initialization of GE Energy I-210+c Single Phase Smart Meter
Reduce cost
Researching different FPGA boards
Communication between hardware
Synchronization issues