Landis+Gyr GridStream Protocol
Protocol Analysis
Analysis and decoding of the packets used on the Landis+Gyr GridStream mesh network.
Packet Structure
Sync and Header
The sync word that the Landis+Gyr smart meters send is shown below, this can be used in GNU Radio or other tools to receive only packets transmitted by the meters. Note that at the start of the header we begin using start and stop bits. These must be stripped off of the rest of the data packet during processing.
Sync | Header | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0xAA | 0xAA | 0xAA | 0xAA | 0xAA | 0xA | 0x00 | 0xFF | 0x2A |
10101010 | 10101010 | 10101010 | 10101010 | 10101010 | 1010 | 0 00000000 1 | 0 11111111 1 | 0 00101010 1 |
Using GNU Radio it was found that shortening the Sync requirements a bit and incorporating part of the header leads to the cleanest data for further downstream processing. The modified sync shown in 8 bit chunks is shown below.
0xAA | 0xAA | 0xAA | 0xAA | 0xA0 | 0x05 | 0xFF |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10101010 | 10101010 | 10101010 | 10101010 | 10100000 | 00000101 | 11111111 |
The final byte of the sync (0x2A) along with it's start and stop bits are discarded as part of the processing.
Type, Length and Sub Type
So far only two types of packets have been observed, a 0x55 and a 0xD5 packet. Multiple lengths and SubTypes of these are listed below.
Type | Length | SubType | Packets Purpose | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 0x55 | 0x0023 | 0x30 | Report up-time and other unknown data |
2 | 0x55 | 0x0028 | 0x30 | |
3 | 0xD5 | 0x0011 | 0x21 | |
4 | 0xD5 | 0x0011 | 0x22 | |
5 | 0xD5 | 0x0011 | 0x29 | |
6 | 0xD5 | 0x0016 | 0x21 | |
8 | 0xD5 | 0x0016 | 0x29 | |
7 | 0xD5 | 0x0017 | 0x21 | |
9 | 0xD5 | 0x0017 | 0x29 | |
10 | 0xD5 | 0x001C | 0x21 | |
11 | 0xD5 | 0x001C | 0x29 | |
12 | 0xD5 | 0x001D | 0x29 | |
13 | 0xD5 | 0x0047 | 0x51 | |
14 | 0xD5 | 0x00FD | 0xC0 |
Data
Data varies per packet type but a common theme is the 0x55 packets appear to be broadcasts from the meters with only their own ID. 0xD5 packets usually contain two ID's and appear to be how data is routed across the network. Sometimes one of the meter ID's in a 0xD5 packet is FFFFFFFF which may be a broadcast packet. This was observed when packets were sent that appear to be updating the system time of the meters.
Checksum
C++ source code below used to calculate the CRC, different energy providers use a different initial CRC value. Assume this is to segment traffic, unsure if Routers/Collectors are shared by different providers to return traffic or not.
uint16_t Landis_crc16 (uint16_t crc, const std::vector<uint8_t> &data, size_t size) {
// CoServ CRC = 0x45F8
// Oncor CRC = 0x5FD6
// Hard coded Poly 0x1021
uint16_t i = 0;
while (size--) {
crc ^= data[i] << 8;
i++;
for (unsigned k = 0; k < 8; k++)
crc = crc & 0x8000 ? (crc << 1) ^ 0x1021 : crc << 1;
}
return crc;
}
Captured Meter Data
There have been two packet types observed thus far, a 0x55 and a 0xD5 packet.
- 0x55 appears to be broadcasts from the meters and happen frequently. They have been observed multiple times per minute from a single meter.
- 0xD5 appears to be a packet for transporting data across the mesh network. Each D5 packet will contain two meter ID's, Meter ID #1 and Meter ID #2. There are many 0xD5 packet length and types that have been observed, some are shown below.
0x55 Meter Data
The data below was captured from the same meter (F0EE36DB) and shows some of the values that can change with each transmission. Different meters have different fixed data and some of the data changes less frequently as well.
Pkt | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Not part of CRC calc | Data | |||||||||||||||||
Header | Type | Length | SubType | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Counter | Uptime | Unknown | Meter ID | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Checksum | Trailing | |
1 | 00FF2A | 55 | 0023 | 30 | FFFFFFFFFFFF | 50 | CF8DD9E2 | C0 | 0C | 0001ECBF | A483 | F0EE36DB | 0100 | 213204 | 384F | 7E80 | 0896 | 04 |
2 | 00FF2A | 55 | 0023 | 30 | FFFFFFFFFFFF | 50 | CF8DD9E2 | C0 | 16 | 0001ECC6 | A483 | F0EE36DB | 0100 | 213204 | 3AC5 | 7E80 | F47E | 04 |
3 | 00FF2A | 55 | 0023 | 30 | FFFFFFFFFFFF | 50 | CF8DD9E2 | C0 | 2A | 0001ED05 | A483 | F0EE36DB | 0100 | 213204 | 1207 | 7E80 | A412 | 04 |
4 | 00FF2A | 55 | 0023 | 30 | FFFFFFFFFFFF | 50 | CF8DD9E2 | C0 | 34 | 0001ED29 | A483 | F0EE36DB | 0100 | 213204 | 1FF9 | 7E80 | D9C4 | 04 |
5 | 00FF2A | 55 | 0023 | 30 | FFFFFFFFFFFF | 50 | CF8DD9E2 | C0 | 38 | 0001ED37 | A483 | F0EE36DB | 0100 | 213204 | 2571 | 7E80 | 963C | 04 |
6 | 00FF2A | 55 | 0023 | 30 | FFFFFFFFFFFF | 50 | CF8DD9E2 | C0 | 42 | 0001ED5C | A483 | F0EE36DB | 0100 | 213204 | 33A9 | 7E80 | 8384 | 04 |
7 | 00FF2A | 55 | 0023 | 30 | FFFFFFFFFFFF | 50 | CF8DD9E2 | C0 | 4C | 0001ED60 | A483 | F0EE36DB | 0100 | 213204 | 354D | 7E80 | 2CB6 | 04 |
8 | 00FF2A | 55 | 0023 | 30 | FFFFFFFFFFFF | 50 | CF8DD9E2 | C0 | 4E | 0001ED79 | A483 | F0EE36DB | 0100 | 213204 | 3F25 | 7E80 | 871A | 04 |
9 | 00FF2A | 55 | 0023 | 30 | FFFFFFFFFFFF | 50 | CF8DD9E2 | C0 | 60 | 0001EDA6 | A483 | F0EE36DB | 0100 | 213204 | 0F05 | 7E80 | 25C9 | 04 |
10 | 00FF2A | 55 | 0023 | 30 | FFFFFFFFFFFF | 50 | CF8DD9E2 | C0 | 6A | 0001EDCD | A483 | F0EE36DB | 0100 | 213204 | 1E55 | 7E80 | F33F | 04 |
Commentary on the data fields above, they have been grouped based on sample analysis but this could be wrong. If you see a new pattern not noticed before you may be correct.
- Field 5 - Never observed a packet with this length and subtype that wasn't all FF's
- Field 6 - Have only seen this change when comparing data from different energy providers
- Field 7 - Appears to either be location identifier (Oncor) or duplicate meter ID (Coserv)
- Field 9 - Increments some amount with each transmission and rolls over at 0xFF
- Field 10 - Value in seconds since meter powered on, easy way to see last time the meter experienced a power outage.
- Field 15 - This value counts from near 0 to around 3FFF and rolls over, not sure what it is. Have not been able to correlate the counting value or speed vs time to any sort of power utilization.
Pkt | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Not part of CRC calc | Data | |||||||||||||||||
Header | Type | Length | SubType | Unknown | Unknown | Meter ID | Unknown | Counter | Uptime | Unknown | Meter ID | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Checksum | Trailing | |
1 | 00FF2A | 55 | 0023 | 30 | FFFFFFFFFFFF | FE | 5021D005 | 00 | 7C | 0003FB20 | A403 | 5021D005 | 0100 | 072001 | 1E56 | 7E00 | 9032 | 04 |
2 | 00FF2A | 55 | 0023 | 30 | FFFFFFFFFFFF | FE | 5021D005 | 00 | AE | 0003FB9E | A403 | 5021D005 | 0100 | 072001 | 0DA8 | 7E00 | 83E8 | 04 |
3 | 00FF2A | 55 | 0023 | 30 | FFFFFFFFFFFF | FE | 5021D005 | 00 | B8 | 0003FBC1 | A403 | 5021D005 | 0100 | 072001 | 1B54 | 7E00 | 2924 | 04 |
4 | 00FF2A | 55 | 0023 | 30 | FFFFFFFFFFFF | FE | 5021D005 | 00 | C0 | 0003FC30 | A403 | 5021D005 | 0100 | 072001 | 052E | 7E00 | 09FC | 04 |
5 | 00FF2A | 55 | 0023 | 30 | FFFFFFFFFFFF | FE | 5021D005 | 00 | EA | 0003FC9F | A403 | 5021D005 | 0100 | 072001 | 3062 | 7E00 | C69A | 04 |
Power restored after an outage | ||||||||||||||||||
6 | 00FF2A | 55 | 0023 | 30 | FFFFFFFFFFFF | FE | 5021D005 | 00 | 06 | 0000000F | A403 | 5021D005 | 01EA | 6000FE | 26DA | 7E30 | 90CE | 04 |
7 | 00FF2A | 55 | 0023 | 30 | FFFFFFFFFFFF | FE | 5021D005 | 00 | 0E | 0000000F | A403 | 5021D005 | 01EA | 6000FE | 26EF | 7E10 | 2740 | 04 |
8 | 00FF2A | 55 | 0023 | 30 | FFFFFFFFFFFF | FE | 5021D005 | 00 | 20 | 00000011 | A403 | 5021D005 | 01EA | 6000FE | 2801 | 7E90 | 8B23 | 04 |
9 | 00FF2A | 55 | 0023 | 30 | FFFFFFFFFFFF | FE | 5021D005 | 00 | 2C | 00000013 | A403 | 5021D005 | 01EA | 6000FE | 2883 | 7E60 | 1A1A | 04 |
10 | 00FF2A | 55 | 0023 | 30 | FFFFFFFFFFFF | FE | 5021D005 | 00 | 54 | 00000017 | A403 | 5021D005 | 01EA | 6000FE | 2A72 | 7E80 | E3CD | 04 |
0xD5 Meter Data
There appear to be multiple packet lengths and styles for the 0xD5 packet. Some samples shown below.
Pkt | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Not part of CRC calc | Data | |||||||||||
Header | Type | Length | SubType | Meter ID #1 | Meter ID #2 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Checksum | Trailing | |
1 | 00FF2A | D5 | 0016 | 21 | F05FCB84 | F0FC4DB1 | E288 | 0100 | 273205 | 00781930 | CB72 | 00 |
Pkt | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Not part of CRC calc | Data (Oncor Meter) | |||||||||||||||||
Header | Type | Length | SubType | Meter ID1 | Meter ID2 | Counter | Epoch Time | Unknown
Reading? |
Uptime | Unknown | Unknown | OptionalID
Meter ID2 |
Meter ID2 | Unknown Data | Checksum | Trailing | ||
1 | 00FF2A | D5 | 0047 | 51 | F0C00020 | F03B9FFB | 18 | 60378AB1 | 00033D56 | 0006C31A | A483 | 010150 | CFB5D9E4 | 00 | F03B9FFB | 000103240602030705070704000000 04C2 C000 204C 0401 FA 2030208180 2163 1900 | 75F3 | 00 |
2 | 00FF2A | D5 | 0047 | 51 | F10679DE | F03B9FFB | 1E | 60378C72 | 00023F96 | 0006C4DB | A483 | 010150 | CFB5D9E4 | 00 | F03B9FFB | 000103240602030705070704000000 0718 6800 204C 0401 FA 2030208180 0BF7 1D30 | CDB4 | 00 |
3 | 00FF2A | D5 | 0047 | 51 | F159CD44 | F03B9FFB | B4 | 603A627C | 00028F50 | 00099AE5 | A483 | 010150 | CFB5D9E4 | 00 | F03B9FFB | 000103240602020705070805000000 02A3 C800 1E6C 0401 D9 2030208180 226A 1A10 | 7330 | 00 |
Data (CoServ Meter) | ||||||||||||||||||
4 | 00FF2A | D5 | 0047 | 51 | F143250D | 5021D005 | 1A | 603AD051 | 000130D8 | 000D10ED | A403 | 0101FE | 5021D005 | 00 | 5021D005 | 000103200000000000000000000000 02C3 0800 0E20 0200 E3 20301F8180 22F0 1C40 | 4FEB | 00 |
5 | 00FF2A | D5 | 0047 | 51 | F143248A | 5021D005 | 64 | 603AD09C | 000133C6 | 000D1138 | A403 | 0101FE | 5021D005 | 00 | 5021D005 | 000103200000000000000000000000 0BA0 9000 0E20 0200 E3 20301F8180 4076 1150 | 73A7 | 00 |
6 | 00FF2A | D5 | 0047 | 51 | 500F0DD6 | 5021D005 | 80 | 603AD0D3 | 000135EC | 000D116F | A403 | 0101FE | 5021D005 | 00 | 5021D005 | 000103200000000000000000000000 01D8 A800 0E20 0200 E3 20301F8180 1412 2E40 | ADC1 | 00 |
- Epoch time calculator and explanation can be found here, first convert time from hex to decimal then input into converter.
00FF2A D5 0016 21 F073B577 F062363D FA88 0100 1F6C04 14E93E70 CF80 04
00FF2A D5 0017 29 8073AEAC F0F28D56 1288 0100 1F3204 041CBB1930 2D2A 04
00FF2A D5 001B 21 F10679E2 8073CE7D F498 0100 106C02 0A15F9055F06571A80 37C5 00
00FF2A D5 001C 29 8073ADB3 8073CE7D 9088 0100 106C02 040A99CF055F3A4B1170 A696 04
00FF2A D5 0021 22 F05A1A60 8073CE7D D8010100106C020520301D81800A99CF055F3ADD1410 A560 04
00FF2A D5 0047 51 F05A4BCC F03D4CD7 5A6032F37F0001DA2E00022BE9 A483 010150D075D9E2E0 F03D4CD7
000103240403030806080801000000036EE8001F6C0401E9203020818018C22930 9294 00
Data captures
*Note: This file does not contain the trailing bytes shown in the captures above, it stops at the 16 bit Checksum.
Oncor Meter - F03B9FFB - 48 hours capture
Date | Time | Meter Read | On Demand Energy Usage |
---|---|---|---|
03/01/2021 | 14:31:08 | 37641.426 | 79.415 |
03/01/2021 | 16:44:40 | 37648.598 | 37.441 |
03/01/2021 | 22:14:01 | 37658.906 | 47.749 |
03/02/2021 | 21:17:07 | 37705.09 | 44.071 |
03/02/2021 | 21:22:58 | 37705.234 | 44.215 |
This table lists Real-time data requests from SmartMeterTexas.com which allows customers to request current meter readings. You will see 0xD5 packets in the data file closely linked to the times above. When the request is made on the website the meter generally responds within 10-15 seconds meaning the system can send a message to the mesh network, traverse across the meters and return fairly quickly.