INTEGRATED METROLOGY SYSTEMS AND INFORMATION AND CONTROL APPARATUS FOR INTERACTION WITH INTEGRATED METROLOGY SYSTEMS
First Claim
1. A system at a location of a utility commodity subscriber for informing the subscriber of utility commodity cost and usage and for controlling utility commodity usage, the system comprising:
- at least one utility meter for measuring usage of at least one utility commodity and for generating at least one usage signal comprising a measurement of said subscriber'"'"'s usage of said at least one utility commodity;
an information and control apparatus comprising a microprocessor, a memory, a clock, and a user interface, for inputting and outputting information;
a first data communication link between said at least one utility meter and said information and control apparatus to provide said at least one usage signal to said information and control apparatus for storage in said memory; and
a second data communication link between said information and control apparatus and at least one central location associated with said at least one utility commodity, said second communication link providing rate information related to usage of said at least one utility commodity from said at least one central location to said information and control apparatus and providing utility commodity usage data from said information and control apparatus to said at least one central location;
wherein said microprocessor computes an accumulated cost of said at least one utility commodity for a predetermined period of time according to said clock, said at least one usage signal, and said rate information, and wherein information related to said accumulated cost is provided to said user interface for output to said subscriber.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system is disposed at a location of a utility commodity subscriber for informing the subscriber of and controlling utility commodity usage. The system includes utility meters, an information and control apparatus, and a first and second data communication link. The meters measure usage and generate usage signals. The information and control apparatus includes a microprocessor, a memory, a clock, and a user interface. The first data communication link is between the utility meters and the information and control apparatus, and the second data communication link is between the information and control apparatus and one or more central locations. The second communication link also provides rate information to the information and control apparatus and utility commodity usage data to the one or more central locations. The microprocessor computes an accumulated cost of utility commodity for a predetermined period of time. Information related to the accumulated cost is output to the subscriber.
74 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A system at a location of a utility commodity subscriber for informing the subscriber of utility commodity cost and usage and for controlling utility commodity usage, the system comprising:
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at least one utility meter for measuring usage of at least one utility commodity and for generating at least one usage signal comprising a measurement of said subscriber'"'"'s usage of said at least one utility commodity; an information and control apparatus comprising a microprocessor, a memory, a clock, and a user interface, for inputting and outputting information; a first data communication link between said at least one utility meter and said information and control apparatus to provide said at least one usage signal to said information and control apparatus for storage in said memory; and a second data communication link between said information and control apparatus and at least one central location associated with said at least one utility commodity, said second communication link providing rate information related to usage of said at least one utility commodity from said at least one central location to said information and control apparatus and providing utility commodity usage data from said information and control apparatus to said at least one central location; wherein said microprocessor computes an accumulated cost of said at least one utility commodity for a predetermined period of time according to said clock, said at least one usage signal, and said rate information, and wherein information related to said accumulated cost is provided to said user interface for output to said subscriber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for display at a subscriber'"'"'s location of utility commodity cost and usage data and for local or remote control of utility commodity usage;
- the system comprising;
at least one meter for measuring usage of at least one utility commodity and for generating at least one usage signal comprising a measurement of said subscriber'"'"'s usage of said at least one utility commodity; at least one central location for receiving said subscriber'"'"'s utility commodity usage data and a utility commodity cost for said subscriber and transmitting at least one utility commodity rate and utility commodity usage control signals to an information and control apparatus at the subscriber'"'"'s location; and said information and control apparatus comprising a microprocessor;
a memory;
a display;
a user interface;
a clock; and
display communication means for receiving said at least one utility commodity rate and said utility commodity usage control signals from said at least one central location, for receiving at least one usage signal from said at least one meter, and for transmitting said subscriber'"'"'s utility commodity usage and cost data to said at least one central location;wherein each of said at least one meter further comprises meter communication means for transmitting said at least one usage signal to said information and control apparatus and wherein each of said at least one central location further comprises center communication means for transmitting utility commodity rates and utility commodity usage control signals to said information and control apparatus and for receiving said subscriber'"'"'s utility commodity usage data from said information and control apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
- the system comprising;
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28. A meter-control system interface apparatus comprising:
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an interface memory for storing utility data received from at least one meter, said meter generating at least one usage signal comprising a measurement a subscriber'"'"'s usage of at least one utility commodity; interface communications means for receiving at least one usage signal from at least one meter; and a microprocessor comprising a clock, which is connected operably to said interface memory and which determines time interval usage data for said at least one utility commodity based on said measurement received in said at least one usage signal for said at least one utility commodity received from said at least one meter and transmits said time interval usage data for storage in said interface memory. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. An information and control apparatus comprising a microprocessor;
- a memory;
a display;
a user interface;
a clock; and
display communication means for receiving utility commodity rates and utility control signals from at least one central location, for receiving at least one usage signal from at least one meter, and for transmitting a subscriber'"'"'s utility data to said at least one central location over a wide area network;
said information and control apparatus further comprising a data input port by which utility commodity usage payment information is uploaded to or downloaded from said at least one central location. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
- a memory;
Specification