Data processing: financial – business practice – management – or co – For cost/price – Utility usage
Reexamination Certificate
2005-12-27
2005-12-27
Dixon, Thomas A. (Department: 3639)
Data processing: financial, business practice, management, or co
For cost/price
Utility usage
Reexamination Certificate
active
06980973
ABSTRACT:
A payment service enables a credit account or a debit account of a customer to be automatically billed for utility usage based on a reading that is automatically taken by an electronic utility meter. A method for processing information relating to usage of a utility includes receiving a utility reading that is a measure of the usage of the utility by a customer. The utility reading is received from a customer site across a first transmission medium. The method next determines an amount using the utility reading and transmitting the amount to a utility provider that is arranged to cause the amount to be paid. The amount is transmitted to the second remote location across a second transmission medium. The first transmission medium and the second transmission medium are each either a network communications line, a fiberoptic line, or a telephone line. The smart utility meter includes an electronic meter reader, a processor unit, a memory, a configuration interface, a network interface, and a power supply.
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Beyer Weaver & Thomas LLP
Dixon Thomas A.
Visa International Service Association
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