Prepayment metering system using encoded purchase cards

• US 4,731,575 A
• Filed: 12/08/1986
• Issued: 03/15/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aclara Software, Inc. (ESCO Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CIC SYSTEMS, INC.
• Inventors: Sloan, Joseph W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Strecker, Gerard R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baker, Stephen M.
• Application Number:
  US06/939,175
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/378, 235/381, 235/382, 235/382.5, 324/112, 324/113, 324/116, 340/870.02, 340/825.31, 340/825.33, 340/825.34, 340/825.35, 346/14 MR, 377/2
• US Class Current: 324/113
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3672 initialising or reloading thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/003 for electricity
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00

Abstract

A prepayment utility metering method and apparatus which uses encoded mag-stripe cards to transfer purchase information from the utility billing office to the customer'"'"'s premises. The mag-stripe cards are read at the customer'"'"'s premises by a microprocessor-controlled utility metering and control device which meters the utilities according to the amount purchased at the utility billing office. The value information encoded on the mag-stripe cards is comprised of the amount of the purchase coded in terms of number of shaft revolutions of the metering disk, a rate schedule for metering the value of the utilities consumed, and a special sequential password containing an encrypted combination of the consumer'"'"'s account number, the consumer'"'"'s site identification, and the sequence number of the current purchase. This encoding scheme for prepayment of utilities provides an effective and economical method of distributing utilities that prevents fraud and tampering. The present invention also includes a method and apparatus for providing an emergency credit to utility consumers when the prepurchased amount is exhausted. An emergency mag-stripe card is used to credit the user'"'"'s account with a purchased amount of utilities adequate to tide the consumer over until the billing office opens on the next business day. The emergency mag-stripe card cannot be used more than once, and the credit amount in the meter must be replenished by a new purchase of utilities before the emergency card can be used again.

Claims

1. A prepayment metering system for dispensing utilities using mag-stripe cards, comprising:

first control means for encrypting a value message;

mag-stripe card writer means electrically connected to said first control means for writing said encrypted value message onto the mag-stripe cards;

mag-stripe card reader means for reading said encrypted value message from the mag-stripe cards;

means for sensing utility usage;

utility disconnect means for connecting and disconnecting the utilities;

second control means electrically connected to said mag-stripe card reader means, said means for sensing utility usage and said utility disconnect means, said second control means operable for (1) decrypting said value message, (2) storing said value message into a memory, (3) monitoring utility usage, and (4) disconnecting and connecting the utilities in response to the utility usage and said value message; and

said encrypted value message comprising;

purchased value component having a monetary value;

rate component having a value corresponding to the cost of utilities purchased; and

password formed by a combination of a customer account number, a site identification number, and a sequential transaction number.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said value message further includes one or more additional rate components corresponding to a rate structure different from said rate component;

and

one or more stage components operable for specifying when said additional rate should apply.

3. A method of vending utilities, comprising:

(a) receiving advance payment at a vending site in exchange for utility usage at a consumption site;

(b) forming an encrypted password by combining a purchaser'"'"'s account number, a purchase sequence number, and a site identification number in a mathematic algorithm;

(c) writing a mag-stripe card at the vending site with the value of the payment, a utility rate schedule, and the encrypted password;

(d) transporting the mag-stripe card to the consumption site and inserting said card into a utility control device;

(e) reading said mag-stripe card and decoding said password; and

(f) controlling the consumption of utilities through the utility control device according to the information written on said mag-stripe card.

4. The method according to claim 3 further including the steps of:

(g) writing an emergency mag-stripe card at the vending site with the value of a purchase credit;

(h) transporting the emergency mag-stripe card to the consumption site and inserting said emergency mag-stripe card into said utility control device;

(i) reading and decoding said emergency mag-stripe card;

(j) setting a lockout flag to prevent re-reading of said emergency mag-stripe card;

(k) controlling the consumption of utilities through said utility control device according to the credit information written on said emergency mag-stripe card; and

(l) removing said lockout flag to allow the reuse of said emergency mag-stripe card upon the reading of said mag-stripe containing the value of payment which exceeds the value of credit on said emergency mag-stripe card.