Renewal management system

• US 5,485,628 A
• Filed: 06/23/1993
• Issued: 01/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jay S. Clements
• Original Assignee: Jay S. Clements
• Inventors: Clements, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): GECKIL, MEHMET B
• Application Number:
  US08/079,948
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 395/800, 395/425, 395/700, 395/375, 395/725, 395/550, 235/380, 235/381, 235/392, 340/627, 340/566, 340/932.2, 364/464.04
• US Class Current: 700/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/21 having a variable access code
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/12 in which metering is on a time basis
• 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 system for enabling a central location to control a service at a plurality of remote locations. The system includes a plurality of control modules for controlling the length of time for actuation of a switch at remote locations. A magnetic stripe card programs one of the plurality control modules to provide a service to the remote location for a predetermined period of time. The magnetic stripe card also programs the remote control module with a series of progressive warning modes. A central site manager programs the magnetic stripe cards for use with a specific control module. The central site manager contains a storage means containing information concerning each control module under the control of the site manager and information concerning all of the magnetic stripe cards issued by the central site manager.

Claims

1. A system enabling a central location to control a time interval for actuation of a switch at a plurality of remote locations having control modules, comprising;

a central site controller at the central location for generating a set of programming instructions to provide switch actuation at a remote location after a predetermined period of time and to provide actuation and control of a plurality of progressive alarm modes at the remote location;

portable means for receiving and storing the set of programming instructions generated by the central site controller, and including means for enabling to enable transfer of the set of programming instructions to the plurality of remote locations; and

a plurality of control modules at the plurality of remote locations receiving a set of programming instructions from said portable means and responsive to the set of programming instructions generated by the central site controller for controlling the actuation of a switch at any of the remote locations upon expiration of the predetermined period of time and for controlling actuation of the plurality of progressive alarm modes prior to the expiration of the predetermined period of time, each of the plurality of control modules comprising,

means for reading the set of programming instructions from the portable means for storing;

processing means for generating operating signals in response to the set of programming instructions read by the means for reading;

means connected to the processing means for storing programming instructions for the control module;

means for monitoring the predetermined period of time, said means for monitoring including means for timing time periods between the progressive alarm modes; and

means responsive to the operating signals for actuation of the switch at the remote location,

wherein each alarm mode is activated successively and having programmable time periods between each successive alarm mode.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the processing means further comprises means for performing diagnostic and maintenance functions on the control module in response to commands from an external computer interfaced with the control module.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the processing means further comprises:

means for enabling a quiet mode;

means for enabling an advanced alert mode;

means for enabling a caution alert mode;

means for enabling a warning alert mode; and

means for enabling a disconnect mode.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the portable means for storing comprises a magnetic stripe card, said card having a data storage area comprising:

a name identification field for storing the identity of a card holder;

a card identification field for storing inventory control information on the magnetic stripe card;

an alert initiation field for storing information describing when to initiate the progressive alarm modes; and

an alarm set field for storing data controlling actuation and function of the progressive alarm modes.