Pre-paid commodity system
DCFirst Claim
1. A system for the prepayment, metering and auditing of a utility service available from a service source and supplied to consumers, said system comprising:
- central means for auditing all system transactions;
means for transmitting distributor service credit information from said central means to a remote distributor;
portable authorizing means unique for each consumer for retaining information enterable in said authorizing means relating to a purchase of a service credit by a consumer;
a distributor terminal located at said remote distributor and including means for receiving said distributor service credit information from said means for transmitting and means for entering said information relating to a purchase of a service credit by a consumer in said authorizing means;
a consumer terminal located at said consumer and connected to said service source, said consumer terminal including means for reading said service credit information from said authorizing means, means for storing said service credit information, and means responsive to selected inputs for enabling transmission to said consumer from said service source of an amount of said service equal in value to said service credit;
an external meter means located at said consumer for monitoring usage of said service by said consumer, said meter means connected to said consumer terminal and having an information output;
a meter reader inluding means non-invasively interfacing with said information output of said meter means for reading through said meter means, said usage of service by said consumer and the information stored in said means for storing in said consumer terminal, and means for storing the information read;
means for transmitting the information read through said meter in said means for storing in said meter reader to said central means; and
means for transmitting said selected inputs from said central means to said consumer terminal to alter the operation of said means for enabling.
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Litigations
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention concerns a card activated prepayment and metering systgem for the sale of a utility service. Distributors are sold bulk sevice credits which they then resell in smaller quantities to individual customers. Customers are issued magnetic striped cards upon which information may be stored and from which information may be retrieved. Distributors issue credits on the cards which are later read by a customer'"'"'s home terminal. Periodically, credit information is dumped from the distributor'"'"'s terminal to a central computer. Similarly, audit information is periodically read and dumped from a customer'"'"'s terminal to the central computer. The computer controls each customer'"'"'s terminal through information broadcast over an FM transmitter, which is received by a receiver in each customer'"'"'s terminal.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for the prepayment, metering and auditing of a utility service available from a service source and supplied to consumers, said system comprising:
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central means for auditing all system transactions; means for transmitting distributor service credit information from said central means to a remote distributor; portable authorizing means unique for each consumer for retaining information enterable in said authorizing means relating to a purchase of a service credit by a consumer; a distributor terminal located at said remote distributor and including means for receiving said distributor service credit information from said means for transmitting and means for entering said information relating to a purchase of a service credit by a consumer in said authorizing means; a consumer terminal located at said consumer and connected to said service source, said consumer terminal including means for reading said service credit information from said authorizing means, means for storing said service credit information, and means responsive to selected inputs for enabling transmission to said consumer from said service source of an amount of said service equal in value to said service credit; an external meter means located at said consumer for monitoring usage of said service by said consumer, said meter means connected to said consumer terminal and having an information output; a meter reader inluding means non-invasively interfacing with said information output of said meter means for reading through said meter means, said usage of service by said consumer and the information stored in said means for storing in said consumer terminal, and means for storing the information read; means for transmitting the information read through said meter in said means for storing in said meter reader to said central means; and means for transmitting said selected inputs from said central means to said consumer terminal to alter the operation of said means for enabling. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for the prepayment, metering and auditing of a utility service available from a service source and supplied to consumers, said method comprising the following steps:
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(a) transmitting distributor service credit information from central means for auditing all system transactions to a remote distributor; (b) receiving said distributor service credit information from said central means; (c) entering information relating to a purchase of a service credit by a consumer in an authorizing means unique to said consumer for retaining said information; (d) reading said information in said authorizing means with a consumer terminal with means for reading said service credit information from said authorizing means; (e) storing said service credit in said consumer terminal; (f) enabling transmission of service from said service source of an amount of said service equal in value to said service credit in response to selected inputs; (g) monitoring usage of said service by said consumer with a meter with an information output; (h) non-invasively interfacing with said information output of said meter with a meter reader and reading through said meter said usage of said service and said information stored in said consumer terminal; (i) storing the information read through said meter in said meter reader; (j) transmitting said information stored in said meter reader to said central means; (k) transmitting selected inputs from said central means to said consumer terminal; and (l) auditing all system transactions. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system for the prepayment, metering and auditing of a utility service available from a service source and supplied to consumers, said system comprising:
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central means for auditing all system transactions; means for transmitting distributor service credit information from said central means to a remote distributor; portable authorizing means unique for each consumer for retaining information enterable in said authorizing means relating to a purchase of a service credit by a consumer; a distributor terminal located at said remote distributor and including means for receiving said distributor service credit information from said means for transmitting and means for entering said information relating to a purchase of a service credit by a consumer in said authorizing means; a consumer terminal located at said consumer and connected to said service source, said consumer terminal including means for reading said service credit information from said authorizing means, means for storing said service credit information, and means responsive to selected inputs for enabling transmission to said consumer from said service source of an amount of said service equal in value to said service credit; an external meter means located at said consumer for monitoring usage of said service by said consumer, said meter means connected to said consumer terminal and having an information output; a meter reader including means non-invasively interfacing with said information output of said meter means for reading through said meter means, said usage of service by said consumer and the information stored in said means for storing in said consumer terminal, and means for storing the information read; and means for transmitting the information read through said meter in said means for storing in said meter reader to said central means.
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25. A method for the prepayment, metering and auditing of a utility service available from a service source and supplied to consumers, said method comprising the following steps:
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(a) transmitting distributor service credit information means for auditing all system transactions to a remote distributor; (b) receiving said distributor service credit information from said central means; (c) entering information relating to a purchase of a service credit by a consumer in an authorizing means unique to said consumer for retaining said information; (d) reading said information in said authorizing means with a consumer terminal with means for reading said service credit information from said authorizing means; (e) storing said service credit on said consumer terminal; (f) enabling transmission of service from said service source of an amount of said service equal in value to said service credit in response to selected inputs; (g) monitoring usage of said service by said consumer with a meter with an information output; (h) non-invasively interfacing with said information output of said meter with a meter reader and reading through said meter, said usage of said service and said information stored in said consumer terminal; (i) storing the information read through said meter in said meter reader; (j) transmitting said information stored in said meter reader to said central means; and (k) auditing all system transactions.
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Specification