UTILITY NETWORK INTERFACE DEVICE CONFIGURED TO DETECT AND REPORT ABNORMAL OPERATING CONDITION

A utility network interface device is provided for operation with a utility network. The utility network interface device includes a detector configured to produce a state signal upon occurrence of a prescribed state that interferes with the ability of a utility meter, with which the utility network interface device is associated, to measure consumption of a commodity and/or report consumption of the commodity. The utility network interface device also includes a control unit configured to detect a tampering with the utility meter in accordance with the state signal produced by the detector. The control unit automatically controls a notification unit to output, external to the utility meter, notification of the tampering detected by the control unit, in response to the detection of the tampering. Also provided are a utility network including the utility network interface device, a method of operating a utility network interface device, and a computer-readable recording medium having a computer program recorded thereon for operating a utility network interface device.