Methods, apparatus, media, and signals for managing utility usage

• US 20050105703A1
• Filed: 12/23/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seismotech IP Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mohammad Reza Baraty
• Inventors: Baraty, Mohammad Reza
• Granted Patent: US 7,711,651 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/106.10
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/12 Determination or prediction of behaviour, e.g. likely power consumption or unusual usage patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/24 Identification of individual loads, e.g. by analysing current/voltage waveforms
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, computer readable media, and signals for managing utility usage are disclosed. Generally, each involves receiving a representation of a utility service usage at a load, receiving and storing a usage range representation, and producing a control signal for use by a utility service interrupter, when the usage is outside of the usage range representation. The control signal is operable to cause the utility service interrupter to interrupt a supply of the utility service to the load. Each also involves receiving a control signal indicating that a usage of the utility service at the load is outside of a usage range representation, and interrupting the supply of the utility service to the load in response to the control signal. Systems and methods for monitoring subscriber usage of a utility service and for billing a subscriber for utility service usage are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium for providing instruction codes executable by a programmable device, for directing said programmable device to:

receive in said device a measured input value of at least one utility consumed by a load device and a measured output value of at least one product of utilization of said at least one utility by said load device;

receive and store in said device a usage range representation associated with the load device; and

produce a control signal for use by a utility service interrupter, when said usage is outside of said usage range representation, said control signal being operable to cause said utility service interrupter to interrupt a supply of said utility to said load device.

2. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, the signal comprising code segments for directing a programmable device to:

receive in said device a measurement of a quantity of a utility consumed by a load and a measurement of at least one parameter indicative of an efficiency of the load;

receive and store in said device a usage range representation associated with a specific load device, the usage range representation comprising a value of expected utility usage by the load device; and

produce a control signal for use by a utility service interrupter, when said utility service usage is outside of said usage range representation, said control signal being operable to cause said utility service interrupter to interrupt a supply of said utility service to said load.

3. An apparatus for controlling usage of a utility, the apparatus comprising:

a communications device operable to receive a datum representing parameters of a utility service used by a load device, said datum of utility service usage comprising a measured value of at least one product of utilization of the load device, the communications device also being operable to receive a usage range representation comprising an expected value of said at least one product of utilization;

a data storage device operable to store said usage range representation; and

a controller, in communication with said communications device and said data storage device, said controller being operable to produce a control signal for use by a utility service interrupter, when said datum of utility service usage falls outside of said usage range representation, said control signal being operable to cause said utility service interrupter to interrupt a supply of said utility service to said load device.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said controller further comprises a control signal generator operable to produce said control signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said controller further comprises a processor circuit incorporating said control signal generator.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said communications device is operable to transmit said control signal to said utility service interrupter.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said communications device is operable to receive user input specifying said usage range representation.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said communications device is operable to receive a message from a communications system.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said processor circuit is operable to extract said usage range representation from said message according to a network protocol.

10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said communications device is operable to receive a plurality of data representing said utility service usage at said load device, and operable to receive a plurality of usage range representations.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said data storage device is operable to store said plurality of usage range representations.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said processor circuit is operable to produce a derived representation from said plurality of representations of said utility service usage, and operable to cause said control signal generator to produce said control signal when said derived representation is outside of said usage range representation.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said processor circuit is operable to compare said utility service usage data with respective usage range representations and operable to cause said control signal generator to produce said control signal when a set of data representing said utility service usage is outside of a corresponding set of usage range representations.

14. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said data storage device is operable to store said representation of said utility service usage.

15. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising an annunciation device operable to display said representation of said utility service usage.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said data storage device is operable to store an indication of whether or not said control signal is active.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said processor circuit is operable to direct said annunciation device to display said indication.

18. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said communications device is operable to transmit said representation of said utility service usage to a remote location.

19. An apparatus of controlling usage of a utility, the apparatus comprising:

a receiving means for receiving a representation of a utility usage of a load device, the representation of utility service usage comprising at least one value of said utility input to the device and a value of at least one output of the load device;

a receiving and storing means for receiving and storing a usage range representation; and

a producing means for producing a control signal for use by a utility service interrupter, when said usage is outside of said usage range representation, said control signal being operable to cause said utility service interrupter to interrupt a supply of said utility service to said load.

20. A method of controlling a supply of a utility service to a load device, the method comprising:

receiving a control signal indicating that a usage of said utility service at said load device is outside of a usage range representation;

analyzing a flow interruption procedure associated with the load device; and

interrupting the supply of said utility service to said load in response to said control signal if pre-determined conditions of said flow interruption procedure are met.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein receiving comprises receiving said control signal at a communications device in communication with a utility service interrupter.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein interrupting comprises actuating a valve.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein interrupting comprises actuating a switch.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising producing a representation of said usage of said utility service by said load, for use by a controller operable to produce said control signal.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising transmitting said representation of said usage to said controller.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein producing comprises measuring said usage of said utility service by said load to produce a measurement value representing said usage of said utility service by said load.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein producing comprises producing said representation of said usage from said measurement value.

28. A computer readable medium for providing instruction codes executable by a programmable device, for directing said programmable device to:

receive in said device a control signal indicating that a usage of a utility by a load device is outside of a usage range representation which includes an efficiency of said load or an expected utility consumption value of said load; and

interrupt the supply of said utility service to said load in response to said control signal.

29. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, the signal comprising code segments for directing a programmable device to:

receive in said device a control signal indicating that a usage of a utility service by a load device is outside of a usage range representation associated with the load device, wherein said usage of said utility service comprises a value of at least one output of the load device; and

interrupt the supply of said utility service to said load in response to said control signal.

30. An apparatus for controlling a supply of a utility service to a load device, the apparatus comprising:

a communications device operable to receive a control signal indicating that a usage of said utility service by said load device is outside of a usage range representation associated with the load device, the usage range representation comprising data selected from the group consisting of an efficiency rating, a flow rating and a quantity of a secondary by-product of said load; and

a utility service interrupter, in communication with said communications device, said utility service interrupter being operable to interrupt the supply of said utility service to said load in response to said control signal.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said utility service interrupter is operable to actuate a valve.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said utility service interrupter is operable to actuate a switch.

33. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising a processor circuit operable to produce a representation of said usage of said utility service by said load, for use by a controller operable to produce said control signal.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said communications device is operable to transmit said representation of said usage to said controller.

35. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising a measurement device in communication with said processor circuit, said measurement device being operable to measure said usage of said utility service by said load to produce a measurement value representing said usage of said utility service by said load.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein said processor circuit is operable to produce said representation from said measurement value.

37. An apparatus for controlling a supply of a utility service to a load, the apparatus comprising:

a receiving means for receiving a control signal indicating that a usage of said utility service at said load is outside of a usage range representation;

an analyzing means for determining whether interruption of the utility service to the load is permitted; and

an interrupting means for interrupting the supply of said utility service to said load in response to said control signal.