Customer interface unit

• US 7,047,216 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2001
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amatsia Kashti
• Original Assignee: Amatsia Kashti
• Inventors: Kashti, Amatsia
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer, Firmin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Greene, Daniel L.
• Application Number:
  US09/682,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20020046197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,726 Days
• Field of Search: 705/412, 705/26, 705/35, 705/63, 705/400, 702/61, 702/62, 709/224
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

The invention relates to a system which allows information to be transmitted from one or a number of utility providers to one of a number of customers, and vice versa. The information is received and accessible at the customer'"'"'s premises via a display screen and user selection means connected to the system. In another feature the system allows the consumption of a utility in the premises to be collated and profiles created and utility usage to be allocated to the usage of specific apparatus in the premises.

Claims

1. A method for the mutual transfer of data and information between a provider of water, gas, electricity, heating, telephone, Internet usage, and other household utilities and a family including at least one person, comprising the steps of providing a list of providers of said household utilities, transmitting information between each provider on said list of providers and a household of the family, providing display means in the household of the family for displaying such information from each provider, such display means being provided in the form of a monitor, home computer, or television, and providing selection means so tat said at least one person is capable of responding via said selection means by selecting a response to the information received and said response including a control signal allowing said at least one person to control the provision of a household utility from the household of the family.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing information received by the family from a provider that relates to the metering of the consumption of the household utility or a plurality of household utilities.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing said at least one person of said family to obtain entry into the selection means-by the introduction of a coded input.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing the at least one person to selectively operate said selection means for the controlled household utility within the household.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of making the display means a part of a household utility consumption metering apparatus in the household.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of transmitting information from the at least one person to a provider, said information relating to metering of the use of at least one household utility in the household, and allowing the reading and logging of information from at least one metering apparatus in the household to provide a record of household utility usage in any given time period to the provider.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of making the information accessible by the at least one person who, on the basis of information received from the provider, sends a command to one of a plurality of providers to receive said household utility from a selected provider.

8. A method for metering the use of one or a plurality of household utilities in a household, comprising the steps of reading and logging information from at least one metering apparatus in the household to provide, to a provider of water, electricity, gas, Internet usage, and other household utilities, a record, as utility usage profiles, of household utility usage in any given time period, said information being accessible by at least one person in a family accessing said information via a monitor, home computer, television, or other display means, providing communication means to allow said at least one person to selectively transmit data via the communication means and receive communication from one or more providers, and further allowing said at least one person, on the basis of information received from one or more providers, to send a command via said communication means to one of a plurality of providers to designate said family to receive said utility from a selected provider and said selected provider generates at least some of the information on the basis of household utility usage profiles transmitted by the family to the provider.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of monitoring data of the usage of the utility or utilities at pre-designated time intervals of usage of the utility or utilities.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of generating at least one profile of usage for usage of each household utility, based upon monitoring the usage of utilities, to allow subsequent setting of utility usage and supply.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of allocating utility usage data to the usage of apparatus within the household.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of allocating the usage of a plurality of household utilities over the same time period to the usage of specified apparatus within the household.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of providing the information received by the apparatus to the family, said information relating to the household utility usage profile information previously transmitted to the provider by the family.