Data processing: financial – business practice – management – or co – For cost/price – Utility usage
Patent
1997-12-23
2000-01-25
MacDonald, Allen R.
Data processing: financial, business practice, management, or co
For cost/price
Utility usage
455406, 37910603, 379114, 379130, G06F 1700
Patent
active
060187263
ABSTRACT:
A system for automatically billing information services in conjunction with utilities services. The system includes a main unit having a host computer with a database for storing data of various types, and a transceiver for radio communications. The system also includes a plurality of terminal units for receiving said data of various types. In operation, the main unit transmits data tagged with a unique data identification code, and each of the plurality of terminal units is provided with a utilization status counter for storing data identification codes of data actually executed. Each terminal unit then calculates service fee based on the stored data identification codes in the utilization status counter referring to fee conversion data which the main unit transmits at regular intervals. Service fee information is sent to a fee conversion adaptor connected to said terminal unit, and a signal provided from the adaptor is used to control the integrating meter which indicates the rate of usage of a public utility.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4126762 (1978-11-01), Martin et al.
patent: 4463354 (1984-07-01), Sears
patent: 4707852 (1987-11-01), Jahr et al.
patent: 4803632 (1989-02-01), Frew et al.
patent: 4804957 (1989-02-01), Selph et al.
patent: 4940976 (1990-07-01), Gastouniotis et al.
patent: 5056107 (1991-10-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 5218552 (1993-06-01), Stirk et al.
patent: 5729740 (1998-03-01), Tsumura
"Will AMR Ever Get Off the Ground?", Electrical World, vol. 206, No. 10, p. 54, Oct. 1992.
"Utility Meter Reading Goes Electronic: $800 Million Systems Market Predicted", Phillips Publishing Inc., May 23, 1988.
Mary J. Pitzer, "Will Meter Readers Go the Way of Milk Wagons?", Business Week, No. 2985, p. 104H, Feb. 16, 1987.
V. H. Frauenhofer, "Reading Meters by Radio", Pipeline Gas J., vol. 213:11, pp. 14-15, Nov. 1986.
News Briefs, "Data Compresssion for IBM", PC Week, vol. 5, No. 44, p. C4 (2), Oct. 1988.
"Business Communications: Challenges for the '80s", Fortune, vol. 107, p. 37 (22), Apr. 4, 1983.
MacDonald Allen R.
Meinecke-Diaz Susanna
Ricos Co., Ltd.
LandOfFree
Method of billing for information services in conjunction with u does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method of billing for information services in conjunction with u, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method of billing for information services in conjunction with u will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2323172