Design and implementation of an IoT assisted real-time ZigBee mesh WSN based AMR system for deployment in smart cities

In this paper, we focus on the design and development of an Internet-of-Things (IoT) assisted real-time automatic meter reading (AMR) system for deployment in smart cities. At the bottom layer, the system is supported by a ZigBee mesh wireless sensor network (WSN), in which electricity meters are the end user nodes. A ZigBee gateway node enables communication between the electricity meters and the utility. Code running in the electricity metering nodes enables real-time periodic reporting of electrical parameters and consumption data via the gateway node to a cloud. Access to the collected metering information, visualization, and data analytics is done through a program interface that runs on the cloud. The proposed cloud based AMR WSN system provides utilities with a better demand side management and control over electricity demand, while allowing customers to monitor and optimize their electricity usage and help reduce the peak load. Experimental results with the proposed AMR testbed demonstrate the significant potential of the system for implementation in smart cities.