Apparatus and method for automated validation, estimation, and editing configuration

1. An apparatus for configuring validation, estimation, and editing (VEE) rules for performing VEE on a plurality of interval based energy consumption streams, the apparatus comprising:

a post VEE readings data stores, configured to provide a plurality of tagged energy consumption data sets that are each associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams, each of said plurality of tagged energy consumption data sets comprising:

first groups of contiguous interval values tagged as having been validated; and

second groups of contiguous interval values tagged as having been edited;

a rules processor, configured to read said post VEE readings data stores upon initiation of an event and, for said each of said plurality of tagged energy consumption data sets, configured to create a plurality of anomalies having a plurality of different durations using only said first groups of contiguous interval values, said first groups of contiguous interval values corresponding to correct data, and configured to generate a plurality of estimates for said plurality of anomalies by employing a plurality of estimation techniques for each of said plurality of different durations, and, for said each of said plurality of different durations, configured to select a corresponding one of said plurality of estimation techniques for subsequent employment when performing VEE of subsequent energy consumption data associated with said each of said plurality of different durations for said corresponding one of the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams; and

a process control element, coupled to said post VEE readings stores, wherein the process control element executes functions on the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams translated by said rules processor, and directs one or more of system elements to change state.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein said corresponding one of said plurality of estimation techniques is selected because its corresponding estimates are more accurate than estimates generated by remaining ones of said plurality of estimation techniques.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein said rules processor updates the estimation rules for all of the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams in parallel with real time processing of the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams within a network operations center, and wherein the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams are processed serially by said rules processor.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein VEE for the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams must be completed within five minutes, and wherein the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams comprises more than 10,000 interval based energy consumption streams.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein said plurality of estimation techniques comprises 10 or more estimation techniques.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein said event is signaled by a timer set to a periodic interval.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6 , wherein said periodic interval comprises 24 hours.

8. An apparatus for configuring validation, estimation, and editing (VEE) rules for performing VEE on a plurality of interval based energy consumption streams, the apparatus comprising:

a sources metadata stores, configured to provide said rules corresponding to each of the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams for performing VEE;

a post VEE readings data stores, configured to provide a plurality of tagged energy consumption data sets that are each associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams, each of said plurality of tagged energy consumption data sets comprising:

first groups of contiguous interval values tagged as having been validated; and

second groups of contiguous interval values tagged as having been edited;

a rules processor, configured to read said post VEE readings data stores upon initiation of an event and, for said each of said plurality of tagged energy consumption data sets, configured to create a plurality of anomalies having a plurality of different durations using only said first groups of contiguous interval values, said first groups of contiguous interval values corresponding to correct data, and configured to generate a plurality of estimates for said plurality of anomalies by employing a plurality of estimation techniques for each of said plurality of different durations and, for said each of said plurality of different durations, configured to select a corresponding one of said plurality of estimation techniques for subsequent employment when performing VEE of subsequent energy consumption data associated with said each of said plurality of different durations for said corresponding one of the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams, and configured to update said sources metadata stores with said one of said plurality of estimation techniques; and

a process control element, coupled to said post VEE readings stores, wherein the process control element executes functions on the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams translated by said rules processor, and directs one or more of system elements to change state.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 , wherein said corresponding one of said plurality of estimation techniques is selected because its corresponding estimates are more accurate than estimates generated by remaining ones of said plurality of estimation techniques.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 , wherein said rules processor updates said sources metadata stores with the estimation rules for all of the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams in parallel with real time processing of the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams within a network operations center, and wherein the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams are processed serially by said rules processor.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein VEE for the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams must be completed within five minutes, and wherein the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams comprises more than 10,000 interval based energy consumption streams.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 , wherein said plurality of estimation techniques comprises 10 or more estimation techniques.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 , wherein said event is signaled by a timer set to a periodic interval.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13 , wherein said periodic interval comprises 24 hours.

15. A method for configuring validation, estimation, and editing (VEE) rules for performing VEE on a plurality of interval based energy consumption streams, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of tagged energy consumption data sets that are each associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams, each of the plurality of tagged energy consumption data sets comprising:

first groups of contiguous interval values tagged as having been validated; and

second groups of contiguous interval values tagged as having been edited;

reading the post VEE readings data stores upon initiation of an event;

for the each of the plurality of tagged energy consumption data sets, creating a plurality of anomalies having a plurality of different durations using only the first groups of contiguous interval values, the first groups of contiguous interval values corresponding to correct data;

generating a plurality of estimates for the plurality of anomalies by employing a plurality of estimation techniques for each of the plurality of different durations;

for each of the plurality of different durations, selecting a corresponding one of the plurality of estimation techniques for subsequent employment when performing VEE of subsequent energy consumption data associated with the each of the plurality of different durations for the corresponding one of the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams; and

executing functions on the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams and directing one or more of system elements to change state.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the corresponding one of the plurality of estimation techniques is selected because its corresponding estimates are more accurate than estimates generated by remaining ones of the plurality of estimation techniques.

17. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the estimation rules for all of the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams are updated in parallel with real time processing of the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams within a network operations center, and wherein the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams are processed serially by the rules processor.

18. The method as recited in claim 17 , wherein VEE for the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams must be completed within five minutes, and wherein the plurality of interval based energy consumption streams comprises more than 10,000 interval based energy consumption streams.

19. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the plurality of estimation techniques comprises 10 or more estimation techniques.

20. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the event is signaled by a timer set to a periodic interval.