Method and apparatus for monitoring the provision of a utility

• US 20040204914A1
• Filed: 05/13/2004
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert John Milland
• Original Assignee: Robert John Milland
• Inventors: Milland, Robert John
• Application Number:
  US10/483,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204914A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4542 Blocking scenes or portions of the received content, e.g. censoring scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6583 Acknowledgement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A method of remotely monitoring the provision of a utility at a plurality of locations. The method comprises the steps of remotely interrogating control devices at their locations with each of the devices having a unique address. Each of the interrogated devices responds with a return signal which can be processed to obtain information concerning the usage of the utility at each of the locations.

Claims

1. A method of remotely monitoring the provision of at least one utility at one or more locations in substantially real-time, the utility being provided via a TV transmission line, the method comprising the steps of:

remotely interrogating at least one control device via the TV transmission line at at least one of the locations, the or each control device having a unique address; and

the or each interrogated control device, via the TV transmission line, responding with a return signal which can be processed to obtain substantially real-time information concerning the current usage of the or each utility at the or each location.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the or each utility relates to the broadcast of at least one TV signal via the TV transmission line and wherein the step of processing the return signal comprises identifying if the consumer associated with the address is authorised to receive the or each TV broadcasted signal.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 comprising the additional step of sending at least one blocking-signal to the address and thus blocking the consumer reception of the or each TV broadcasted signal.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the or each utility relates to access to the world-wide-web via the TV transmission line and wherein the step of processing the return signal comprises identifying if the consumer associated with the address is authorised to access the world-wide-web.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 comprising the additional step of sending at least one blocking-signal to the address and thus blocking the consumer access the world wide web.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the or each utility relates to medication or medical treatment and the return signal contains information concerning a patients health, the method comprising the additional step of sending at least one signal to a device at a respective one of the electronic addresses to regulate the provision of the medication or to effect the treatment.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the or each utility relates to medication or medical treatment and the return signal contains information concerning a patients health, the method comprising the additional step of sending at least one signal to a health service provider such as a hospital.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the or each utility relates to a security service, the return signal comprising information concerning security of at least one of the locations and the method comprising the additional step of sending an alarm-signal to the or each respective electronic address to trigger emission of a visible or audible alarm sound.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the or each utility relates to a security service, the return signal comprising information concerning security of at least one of the locations and the method comprising the additional step of sending at least one alarm-signal to a security service provider.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the return signal comprises video-signal information.

10. The method as claimed in comprising the additional step of externally programming the control-device by a programmer associated with the provider of the or each utility.

12. A control device including an electronic circuit and being operatively coupled via a TV transmission line to at least one utility provided by the TV transmission line, the circuit having a unique address and comprising:

a receiving circuit being adapted to be remotely interrogated; and

a transmitting circuit being coupled to the receiving circuit and being adapted, on interrogation of the receiving circuit, to respond with a return signal which can be processed to obtain substantially real-time information concerning the current usage of the or each utility.