Utility monitoring and control systems
First Claim
1. A method of communication useful in remote utility demand control systems, automated utility data gathering systems and combined utility demand control and data systems, comprising:
- a. providing a plurality of utility demand control and/or consumption tracking units having communications means, said units being operationally associated with at least one utility consuming system located in at least a portion of a utility consumption domain;
b. providing at least one centralized command transmission and/or data gathering unit distanced from at least a portion of said demand control and/or consumption tracking units;
c. causing the communications means of the demand control and/or consumption tracking units to have recurring communications with the at least one centralized command transmission and/or data gathering unit via one or more communications media, including at least one computer information network; and
d. during at least a portion of said communications, establishing connections between, and causing two-way communications to occur between, the communications means and the at least one centralized command transmission and/or data gathering unit.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of communication useful in remote utility demand control systems, automated utility data gathering systems and combined utility demand control and data systems is disclosed. Also disclosed is an utility remote demand control and/or automated data gathering system. Different methods of communications between a utility demand control and consumption tracking unit, which is connected to different utility consuming devices, on the one hand, and a centralized command transmission and data gathering unit, on the other hand, are described. The communication between these units includes at least one computer information network.
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Citations
98 Claims
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1. A method of communication useful in remote utility demand control systems, automated utility data gathering systems and combined utility demand control and data systems, comprising:
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a. providing a plurality of utility demand control and/or consumption tracking units having communications means, said units being operationally associated with at least one utility consuming system located in at least a portion of a utility consumption domain;
b. providing at least one centralized command transmission and/or data gathering unit distanced from at least a portion of said demand control and/or consumption tracking units;
c. causing the communications means of the demand control and/or consumption tracking units to have recurring communications with the at least one centralized command transmission and/or data gathering unit via one or more communications media, including at least one computer information network; and
d. during at least a portion of said communications, establishing connections between, and causing two-way communications to occur between, the communications means and the at least one centralized command transmission and/or data gathering unit. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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2. A method of communication useful in remote utility demand control systems, automated utility data gathering systems and combined utility demand control and data systems, comprising:
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a. providing a plurality of utility demand control and/or consumption tracking units having communications means, said units being operationally associated with at least one utility consuming system located in at least a portion of a utility consumption domain;
b. providing at least one centralized command transmission and/or data gathering unit distanced from at least a portion of said demand control and/or consumption tracking units;
c. causing the communications means of the demand control and/or consumption tracking units to have recurring communications with the at least one centralized command transmission and/or data gathering unit via one or more communications media, including at least one computer information network; and
d. during at least a portion of said communications, causing transmission of consumption data through the communications means to the at least one centralized command transmission and/or data gathering unit to commence uncommanded by said data gathering and/or command transmission units. - View Dependent Claims (54)
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- 55. A utility remote demand control and/or automated data gathering system comprising a plurality of local subsystems with microprocessors, communications units and software, said local subsystems respectively representing demand control and/or consumption tracking units, said software comprising code that defines at least one common path for two-way transmissions, via at least one computer information network, between the communications units and at least one remote sub-system constituting at least one command transmission and/or data gathering unit.
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56. A utility combined control and data system comprising a plurality of local subsystems with microprocessors, communications units and software, said local subsystems respectively representing demand control and consumption tracking units, said software comprising code that defines at least one common path for two-way transmissions, via at least one computer information network, between the communications units and at least one remote sub-system constituting at least one command transmission and data gathering unit.
Specification