Method and apparatus for reading a meter and providing customer service via the internet

• US 20020018545A1
• Filed: 06/19/2001
• Published: 02/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Henry Crichlow
• Original Assignee: Henry Crichlow
• Inventors: Crichlow, Henry
• Granted Patent: US 6,900,738 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/106.03
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/00 Arrangements for measuring time integral of electric power or current, e.g. electricity meters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0176 Billing arrangements using internet
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A method and system for monitoring usage of a utility at a remote location by a central station and incorporates a real time method for optimizing energy costs operationally by combining optimization algorithms and real time pricing data to lower costs to the energy user. The system includes a meter reading module for determining an amount of usage at the remote location and generating a data signal indicative of the determined amount of usage and a personal computer (PC) located at the remote location and connected to the meter reading module. The PC is connectable to the internet for receiving and storing the data signal from the meter reading module for transmission to a processor located at the central location via the internet. The meter reading module is connected to one of an electrical, gas or water meter. The processor determines an amount of usage of the utility based upon the data signal. The meter reading module is connected to the PC via one of a hardwired connection, X-10 technology or sent over existing telephone lines. The processor is able to generate a bill based upon a determined amount of usage and transmit the bill to the PC in the form of one of an e-mail message, Internet browser or other Internet related technologies. Payment of the bill by the PC at the remote location is performed automatically over the Internet via online banking protocols or other internet related payment technologies.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring usage of a utility at a location remote from a utility company supplying the utility, said system comprising:

a) a meter reading module for determining an amount of usage at the remote location and generating a data signal indicative of the determined amount of usage; and

b) a communication device located at the remote location connected to said meter reading module and connectable to the internet for receiving and storing the data signal from said meter reading module and transmitting the data signal to the central location, wherein the central location is able to communicate with said communication device via the internet for receiving the data signal from said communication device and determining an amount of usage of the utility.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said meter reading module is connected to said communication device via one of a hardwired connection, X-10 technology or sent over existing telephone lines at a frequency that does not interfere with other regular telephone communications.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said hardwired connection is formed by existing electric wiring at the remote location.

4. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said X10 technology is wireless.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said communications device is a personal computer.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the central location includes a processor for analyzing the data signal, generating a bill based upon a determined amount of usage and transmitting the bill to said communication device in the form of one of an e-mail message, Internet browser or other Internet related technologies.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said meter reading module is connected to one of an electrical, gas or water meter.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, further comprising an encoder device connected between said meter reading module and said gas meter.

9. The system as recited in claim 7, further comprising an encoder device connected between said meter reading module and said water meter.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of meter reading modules, each of said plurality of meter reading modules reading a respective meter for determining utility usage within a respective residence at the remote location.

11. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein payment of the bill received from the processor is payable from said communication device at the remote location.

12. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein payment of the bill by said communication device at the remote location is performed automatically over the Internet via online banking protocols or other internet related payment technologies.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising the step of transmitting the data signal to the central location via an internet communication.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the communication device stores the data signal from said meter reading module within a buffer therein prior to transmission to the central location for transmission.

16. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said step of connecting the meter reading module to the communication device is performed via one of a hardwired connection, X-10 technology or sent over existing telephone lines at a frequency that does not interfere with other regular telephone communications.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the hardwired connection is formed by existing electric wiring at the remote location.

18. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said X10 technology is wireless.

19. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the communications device is a personal computer.

20. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising the step of generating a bill at the central location based upon a determined amount of usage.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising the step of transmitting the bill to the communication device in the form of one of an e-mail message, Internet browser or other Internet related technologies.

22. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said step of connecting the meter reading module connects the meter reading module one of an electrical, gas or water meter.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, further comprising the step of connecting an encoder device between the meter reading module the gas meter.

24. The method as recited in claim 22, further comprising the step of connecting an encoder device between the meter reading module the water meter.

25. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said step of connecting the meter reading module connects a plurality of meter reading modules to a respective on of a plurality of meters for determining utility usage within a respective residence at the remote location.

26. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising the step of paying the generated bill received from the central location from the communication device at the remote location.

27. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein said step of paying the bill is performed automatically over the Internet via online banking protocols or other internet related payment technologies.

13. A method of monitoring usage of a utility at a location remote from a utility company supplying the utility, said method comprising the steps of:

a) connecting a meter reading module to a utility meter;

b) connecting the meter reading module to a communication device located at the remote location;

c) reading the meter by the meter reading module;

d) determining an amount of usage at the remote location;

e) generating a data signal indicative of the determined usage by the meter reading module;

f) providing the data signal to the communication device located at the remote location for eventual transmission to the central location.