METHODS, APPARATUS, AND MEDIA FOR CONTROLLING SUPPLY OF A UTILITY SERVICE TO A LOAD
First Claim
1. A method for monitoring usage of a utility service by a consumer from within the consumer site;
- the method comprising;
providing a programmable monitoring device at the consumer site;
providing a communication system at the consumer site operable to communicate with devices within, and/or remote from the consumer site;
providing at least one measurement device related to at least one consuming load at the consumer site for producing a data of measurement of;
utility supply, or product of the utilization of the utility by the load, or the efficiency of the load;
logically connecting said programmable monitoring device to said communication device and the measurement device;
providing a computer data storage device for the programmable monitoring device;
receiving by means of communication and/or direct input, data representing a usage range representation, in the storage device of the monitoring system;
wherein usage range representation comprises at least one range of anticipated value of input, and/or output, or product, or efficiency relating to the consuming load that can be input by;
consumer and/or the load, or issued in real time or in intervals by an authority located remote from the site;
monitoring the at least one measurement of the consumption by at least one load, and outputting a data signal resulting from processing the monitored data and the stored usage range representation by the programmable device, to an interface device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, apparatus, and media for controlling supply of a utility service to a load are disclosed. Generally, the embodiments can involve receiving representation of utility service supply to a load, receiving and storing in a storage device a usage range representation comprising at least one expected value of utility input to the load and/or at least one expected value of output from the load, and producing a control signal for use by a utility service supply controller when usage is outside of usage range representation. Control signal can be operable to cause the utility service supply controller to restrict or interrupt the supply of the utility service to the load.
49 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring usage of a utility service by a consumer from within the consumer site;
- the method comprising;
providing a programmable monitoring device at the consumer site; providing a communication system at the consumer site operable to communicate with devices within, and/or remote from the consumer site; providing at least one measurement device related to at least one consuming load at the consumer site for producing a data of measurement of; utility supply, or product of the utilization of the utility by the load, or the efficiency of the load; logically connecting said programmable monitoring device to said communication device and the measurement device; providing a computer data storage device for the programmable monitoring device; receiving by means of communication and/or direct input, data representing a usage range representation, in the storage device of the monitoring system;
wherein usage range representation comprises at least one range of anticipated value of input, and/or output, or product, or efficiency relating to the consuming load that can be input by;
consumer and/or the load, or issued in real time or in intervals by an authority located remote from the site;monitoring the at least one measurement of the consumption by at least one load, and outputting a data signal resulting from processing the monitored data and the stored usage range representation by the programmable device, to an interface device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
- the method comprising;
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11. An apparatus for monitoring usage of a utility service by a consumer from within the consumer site;
- the apparatus comprising at least one of;
a programmable device having data input/output, ports; a communication device; a data storage device; a communicating utility measurement device; and a signal generator device capable of producing code segments.
- the apparatus comprising at least one of;
Specification