Method and a system for automatic management of demand for non-durables
First Claim
1. A method for automatic management of demand for non-durables, said method comprising providing at End-users'"'"' premises specialized electronic boxes having microprocessor capability for performing the following functions:
- receiving broadcast control signals from a Multi Utility provider, calculating whether ON or OFF constitutes a correct condition for any connected non-durable consuming apparatus, on the basis of information contained in said broadcast control signals, stored algorithms and End-user adjustable parameter value settings, turning connected non-durable consuming apparatuses on and off in accordance with the results of said calculating, End-users programming said boxes by setting parameter values in accordance with End-users'"'"' priorities, broadcasting from a Multi Utility provider a control signal to be received by said boxes, said boxes taking automatic turn-off or turn-on action for some non-durable consuming apparatuses in accordance with stored control algorithms, parameter values set by said End-users and information provided by said control signal, and said boxes transmitting back to said Multi Utility provider instant or semi-instant non-durable consumption values at said End-users'"'"' premises, thereby collectively influencing market pricing of said non-durables.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Automatic management of demand for non-durables like electrical energy, gas, thermal energy and fresh water is provided by a two-way communication network between a Multi Utility provider (20) and many respective End-users (5). Specialized electronic boxes (27, 28) at the End-users'"'"' premises receive broadcast dowlink signals from the Multi Utility provider (20), initiate metering action and transmit to the Multi Utility Provider uplink return signals containing instant or semi-instant non-durables consumption values, thereby collectively influencing the Multi Utility provider'"'"'s pricing of non-durables.
249 Citations
42 Claims
-
1. A method for automatic management of demand for non-durables, said method comprising
providing at End-users'"'"' premises specialized electronic boxes having microprocessor capability for performing the following functions: -
receiving broadcast control signals from a Multi Utility provider, calculating whether ON or OFF constitutes a correct condition for any connected non-durable consuming apparatus, on the basis of information contained in said broadcast control signals, stored algorithms and End-user adjustable parameter value settings, turning connected non-durable consuming apparatuses on and off in accordance with the results of said calculating, End-users programming said boxes by setting parameter values in accordance with End-users'"'"' priorities, broadcasting from a Multi Utility provider a control signal to be received by said boxes, said boxes taking automatic turn-off or turn-on action for some non-durable consuming apparatuses in accordance with stored control algorithms, parameter values set by said End-users and information provided by said control signal, and said boxes transmitting back to said Multi Utility provider instant or semi-instant non-durable consumption values at said End-users'"'"' premises, thereby collectively influencing market pricing of said non-durables. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 34, 35)
-
-
20. A system for automatic management of demand for non-durables, said system
comprising specialized electronic boxes at End-users'"'"' premises, with microprocessor capability for performing the following functions: -
receiving broadcast control signals from a Multi Utility provider, calculating whether ON and OFF constitutes a correct condition for any connected non-durable consuming apparatus, on the basis of information contained in said broadcast control signals, stored algorithms and End-user adjustable parameter value settings, turning connected non-durable consuming apparatuses on and off in accordance with the results of said calculating, said system further comprising non-durable consumption metering devices at said End-users'"'"' premises, in communication with said electronic boxes, and a broadcasting network for broadcasting from a Multi Utility provider a control signal to be received by said electronic boxes, wherein said specialized electronic boxes are programmable by said End-users for setting parameter values in accordance with said End-users'"'"' priorities, said boxes are operative to take automatic turn-off and turn-on action for some non-durable consuming apparatuses in accordance with stored control algorithms, said parameter values and information provided by said control signal, and said boxes have transmitting capability for transmitting back to said Multi Utility provider instant or semi-instant non-durable consumption values, thereby to collectively influence market pricing of said non-durables. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
- 36. A control broadcast signal for providing operator information to specialized electronic boxes at End-users'"'"' premises, thereby to enable automatic management of demand for non-durables provided by a Multi Utility provider, said signal containing at least one of pricing information and rationing information regarding amount of consumption reduction.
-
40. In a system for automatic management of demand for non-durables, in which system a Multi Utility provider transmits control signals to a plurality of End-users on a broadcast channel, a data communication signal for providing End-user return information to said Multi Utility provider, thereby to enable non-durables delivery control and pricing influenced by demand, said signal containing at least non-durables consumption information and using a signal channel different from said broadcast channel.
-
41. A method for return signalling in a two-way communication network between a Multi Utility Provider and a plurality of End-users having intelligent home gateways and metering point gateways, wherein a broadcast signal wakes up one End-user'"'"'s gateways at a time for collecting non-durables consumption data, and a SIM card that is identical for all End-users, is used for establishing telephone or cellular connection to said Multi Utility Provider for delivering said data.
-
42. An apparatus for return signalling in a two-way communication network between a Multi Utility Provider and a plurality of End-users, said apparatus being an apparatus at each End-user'"'"'s premises and comprising
an intelligent home gateway operative to receive a wake-up broadcast signal that triggers metering action, and a metering point gateway operative to establish telephone or cellular connection to said Multi Utility Provider by means of a SIM card that is identical for all End-users, for delivering metering data regarding the respective End-user'"'"'s consumption of non-durables.
Specification