The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 20, 2008
Filed:
May. 26, 2005
Jennifer E. King, Boulder, CO (US);
Robert R. Peterson, Rockledge, FL (US);
Jon F. Richter, Austin, TX (US);
Ian P. Spivey, Cambridge, MA (US);
Tyron Jerrod Stading, Austin, TX (US);
Rhys Ulerich, Austin, TX (US);
Jennifer E. King, Boulder, CO (US);
Robert R. Peterson, Rockledge, FL (US);
Jon F. Richter, Austin, TX (US);
Ian P. Spivey, Cambridge, MA (US);
Tyron Jerrod Stading, Austin, TX (US);
Rhys Ulerich, Austin, TX (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
Energy consumption meters are associated with owners who hold accounts with a power supplier. The meters are assigned meter identifiers and identifiers for their respective owners. Such a meter may be a parent meter having associated submeters. In response to being plugged into a power source from the power supplier, such a meter reports its owner identifier and meter identifier to the supplier. Also, in response to being plugged into a power source supplied by one of the parent meters, a meter communicates with the parent meter. This establishes that the parent meter is associated with the submeter. The submeter measures energy delivered reports this to the power supplier. Also, the indicated association of the submeter to the parent meter is reported to the power supplier. The receipt of this information enables the power supplier to debit and credit owner accounts in a manner permitting temporary associations of meters.