OpenWay CENTRON Endpoints

OpenWay is Itron’s advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system, using state-of-the-art CENTRON electricity meters at homes and businesses.

Each OpenWay CENTRON meter incorporates the following features:

  • A built-in endpoint, called a communication module.
  • A ZigBee radio that transmits data presentment, load control, and demand response information to the home or business.
  • Support for time-of-use pricing, load profile data, and other data-intensive applications, and for smart grid requirements.
  • A load-limiting remote disconnect and reconnect switch.
  • Power outage detection and restoration notification.
  • Voltage monitoring.
  • Automatic tamper and theft detection.
  • Full two-way wireless communications with other OpenWay devices over an Itron RFLAN (radio-frequency local-area network).
  • The ability to reprogram the meter remotely and upload new firmware through the network.

For detailed information about the OpenWay CENTRON’s characteristics and capabilities, see the OpenWay® CENTRON® Meter Technical Reference Guide. For an explanation of the OpenWay Collection Engine and the OpenWay RFLAN network, see the OpenWay® Collection Engine User Guide.

Note:  Because the OpenWay CENTRON contains a built-in endpoint, the terms meter and endpoint are often used interchangeably in reference to it. The OpenWay Collection Engine user interface usually uses endpoint. This guide uses whichever term is more appropriate to the context it appears in.

OpenWay CENTRON meters are known as smart meters. They measure energy consumption, but have capabilities beyond a traditional meter. OpenWay CENTRONs have a two-piece design combining a base metrology module with a variety of optional personality modules. The metrology module contains all measurement circuitry and calibration information, and the personality modules provide the register and communication functionalities.

OpenWay CENTRON meters are known as smart meters. They measure energy consumption, but have capabilities beyond a traditional meter. OpenWay CENTRONs have a two-piece design combining a base metrology module with a variety of optional personality modules. The metrology module contains all measurement circuitry and calibration information, and the personality modules provide the register and communication functionalities.

Firmware determines the capabilities of each module in the OpenWay CENTRON, and each module accepts updates to its firmware to improve or expand those capabilities. The OpenWay Collection Engine typically sends firmware updates to OpenWay CENTRON endpoints over the RFLAN. FDM provides an alternative way to update the firmware in OpenWay CENTRON devices, through the FDM mobile application (for more information, see “Working with OpenWay CENTRON Meters” in the Field Deployment Manager Field Service Representative’s Guide).

Firmware you can update through FDM includes but is not limited to:

  • Meter register firmware
  • Meter display firmware
  • RFLAN firmware
  • ZigBee® HAN (home-area network) firmware

Device configurations for the OpenWay CENTRON endpoint can include several firmware versions, which a system administrator can make available to his or her business units. A given business unit might have one production firmware version running on installed endpoints, another version for testing, and another that is an unimplemented update.

The Device Configurations view lets you attach one or more firmware versions to the OpenWay CENTRON device type, making them available to your business units.