Smart Metering and Home Automation System Design

In collaboration with

– Energy Australia (present), – China Electric Power Research Institute (future)

Join us, join the best!

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Introduction

We are seeking motivated and capable students to develop, build and deploy a range of exciting telecommunication technologies in a smart metering and home automation system.

Take a whole year project to get credit for two units of study for your Master studies.

Responsibilities:• Attend a weekly meeting to report the progress (Friday 10:30am, Rm 712);

• Develop the assigned project and finish on time;

• Two written reports for whole year (one report/semester, around 40 - 50 pages);

• no assignments,

• no labs,

• no tutorials,

• no final exams.

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Introduction Benefits:

Practical experience in design and implementation of wireless communications system;

Getting familiar with the latest telecommunication technology;

Work experience with researchers and communication experts;

Opportunities to participate in Research Conversazione;

Flexible time schedule;

Improve your communication skills (oral and written) ;

Postgraduate coursework scholarship opportunity (second year);

We provide: Relaxed environment;

Dynamic and friendly team as well as comfortable work place;

Golden reputation + reference letter = job opportunities;

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Introduction

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Backgrounds

General:

Positive attitude, a passion to learn and work in team and independently;

Hardware:

Fundamental knowledge of electrical circuit and electronics;

Computer science knowledge;

Basic programming skills, i.e. C language;

Software (strong programming skills):

Object oriented software design (Java, C++);

Database background (SQL);

Graphic user interface (VB, Java);

Implementations on Linux OS, particularly in Android [1] for Google phone;

Communication module development (C language );

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Projects Description

• Smart Metering System:

To design a wireless sensor network, which

connects utility meters to a network;

interfaces the network to cellular networks and further to the database;

builds the foundations of a smart grid [2];

realizes communications between the providers and consumers;

contributes to energy saving and carbon emission reductions;

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Projects Description

Note: According to The National Minimum Functionality for Smart Meters Defined by The Ministerial Council on Energy.

• Smart Metering System:

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Projects Description

• Software Design for Smart Metering System:

1. Zena [3] (wireless network analyzer ) GUI design analyzes complete network traffic;

graphically displays decoded packets;

2. Handheld Device Functions Implemented on Google TM Phone Alternative solution for handheld device;

To be able to communicate with a coordinator (various interface);

To be able to control home appliance;

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Projects Description

• Software Design for Smart Metering System:

3. USB Interface Design and Programming Data storage;

Micro-controlled interface to the USB port communications (PC and microcontroller);

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Projects Description

• Power Line Communication for Smart Metering System:

Develop a home plug modem to establish an Ethernet connection via a power line communication (PLC) system [4];

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Projects Description

• Home Automation System:

To develop a low-cost intelligent home system by using wireless networks (Zigbee/ PLC): each terminal consists of a microcontroller and a wireless module.

The main functions of the to be designed system are:

to control the terminal devices through a zigbee/PLC network;

to self-calibrate and adapt according to the environmental change at home;

to receive commands from the user through internet and SMS phone messages;

to store the sampling data and send them to the users;

Current stage: a multi-node communication system.

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Projects Description

• Home automation System:

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References

[1.] Android OS, URL: http://developer.android.com/index.html

[2.] Smart grid, URL: http://www.environment.gov.au/smartgrid/index.html

[3.] ZENA Network Analyzer, URL: http://www.microchip.com/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=1406&dDocName=en514682

[4.] IEEE 1901 Draft Standard for Broadband over Power Line Networks: Medium Access Control and Physical Layer Specifications, URL: http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/1901/

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Contact us: kpang@ee.usyd.edu.au (Kun Pang, 庞昆 )

Visit us: Rm 712, EE building, Friday (5th March)10:30 am

Questions?