science

MultiSpeak

MultiSpeak is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand MultiSpeak rather than just read about it. In short: MultiSpeak is a specification that defines standardized interfaces among software applications commonly used by electric utilities, defining details of data that must be exchanged between software applications to support common utility processes. It is funded by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).

Key takeaways

MultiSpeak belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect MultiSpeak to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of MultiSpeak from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

MultiSpeak is a specification that defines standardized interfaces among software applications commonly used by electric utilities, defining details of data that must be exchanged between software applications to support common utility processes. It is funded by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed a Smart Grid Conceptual Reference Model as part of its Smart Grid Standards Framework and Roadmap, and has identified 42 standards to support this vision. NIST chose MultiSpeak as a key standard in the Operations area of the NIST Conceptual Model. The MultiSpeak specification is the most widely applied integration standard in North American distribution utilities. It is currently used in the daily operations of more than 600 electric cooperatives, investor-owned utilities, municipals, and public power districts in at least 15 countries. Over 80 software vendors have joined the MultiSpeak initiative and contribute their experience to refining the standard. The MultiSpeak standard utilizes three components:

Definitions of common data semantics: Details of data that is exchanged, documented in XML schema. Definitions of message structure: Message structures supporting data interchanges. Web services calls with specific structures are used for real-time exchanges. Definition of messages required to support specific business process steps: Details of the business process steps to accomplish the data.

Comparison between CIM and MultiSpeak CIM covers transmission, generation and distribution whereas MultiSpeak is distribution focused. MultiSpeak is focused to meet the needs of electric cooperatives in the US, while IEC 61968 / CIM is focused towards all utilities in the international marketplace. IEC 61968 is transport independent while MultiSpeak is transport specific. SOAP messages using HTTP, TCP/IP sockets connections directly between applications, and file-based transfers are used for transferring data in MultiSpeak. Both standards use XML Schema for definition of messages and focus on interfaces between applications, as opposed to data structures internal to applications. Message headers can be readily mapped between MultiSpeak and IEC 61968 but mapping of message content between the two is more complex.

Harmonization between MultiSpeak and 61968 In June 2008 MultiSpeak and WG14 announced an initiative to establish two sets of standards that will lead towards harmonization of their respective specifications. After completion of the same, this will provide a mapping between MultiSpeak Version 4.0, IEC 61970 Version 13, and IEC 61968 Version 10. Two sets of standard work planned for the same are listed below:

IEC 61968-14-1-3 to 14-1-10 — Proposed IEC Standards to Map IEC61968 and MultiSpeak Standards. IEC 61968-14-2-3 to 14-2-10 — Proposed IEC Standards to Create a CIM Profile to Implement MultiSpeak Functionality.

MultiSpeak Versions MultiSpeak version 5.0 was first released 2/18/2015. MultiSpeak version 4.1 was first released 6/30/2010. MultiSpeak version 3.0 was first released 10/20/2005.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with MultiSpeak

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what MultiSpeak claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to MultiSpeak before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about MultiSpeak ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of MultiSpeak

In research: MultiSpeak appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses MultiSpeak in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: MultiSpeak is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Communications protocols, Electric power, Smart grid, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for MultiSpeak outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study MultiSpeak in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what MultiSpeak means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain MultiSpeak out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is MultiSpeak in simple terms?

Why does MultiSpeak matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study MultiSpeak?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on MultiSpeak.