Building marketing system

Abstract

In one general aspect, a home marketing system may include an appliance, a communications network connected to the appliance, a processor connected to the communications network for monitoring appliance data signals, and a service provider. The service provider may provide a service based on the monitored data appliance signals. The service provided may be information about the appliance, maintenance of the appliance, or an extended warranty for the appliance.

1 . A home marketing system comprising: 
 an appliance;    a communications network connected to the appliance;    a processor connected to the communications network for monitoring appliance data signals; and    a service provider, 
 wherein the service provider provides a service based on the monitored data appliance signals.  
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the service provided comprises providing information about the appliance.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the service provided comprises providing or recommending maintenance of the appliance.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the service provided comprises an extended warranty for the appliance.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  comprising: 
 a user interface connected to at least one of the appliance, the communications network, and the processor, 
 wherein the service provided comprises an electronic coupon that is conveyed by the user interface.  
 
 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the processor determines a state of operation of the appliance from the monitored data signals and the service provider provides the service based on the determined state of operation.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  comprising: 
 a user interface connected to at least one of the appliance, the communications network, and the processor, 
 wherein the service provided comprises an electronic coupon that is conveyed by the user interface.  
 
 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6  comprising: 
 a user interface connected to at least one of the appliance, the communications network, and the processor, 
 wherein the service provided comprises information about the appliance.  
 
 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6  further comprising: 
 a user interface connected to at least one of the appliance, the communications network, and the processor, 
 wherein the service provided comprises maintenance of the appliance.  
 
 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  comprising: 
 a plug, connected to the appliance and the communications network, for supplying the appliance data signals to the processor, 
 wherein the communications network comprises a power line carrier network.  
 
 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the processor determines a state of operation of the appliance from the monitored data signals and the service provider supplies the service based on the determined state of operation.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  comprising: 
 a user interface connected to at least one of the appliance, the communications network, and the processor, 
 wherein the service provided comprises an electronic coupon that is conveyed by the user interface.  
 
 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the service provided comprises maintenance of the appliance.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11  comprising: 
 a user interface connected to at least one of the appliance, the communications network, and the processor, 
 wherein the service provided comprises information about the appliance that is conveyed by the user interface.  
 
 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the service provided comprises an extended warranty.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the appliance presents content and the processor monitors the presented content.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the processor monitors the time at which the content is presented and the source of the content to determine what content is presented to a user of the appliance.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the content comprises a commercial and the processor determines what commercial is being presented.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16  comprising: 
 a personal identification device sending a personal identification signal, 
 wherein the processor receives the personal identification signal and determines to whom the content comprises presented based on the personal identification signal.  
 
 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16  comprising: 
 a personal identification device sending a personal identification signal, 
 wherein the processor monitors the personal identification signal and the service provider determines to whom the content is presented based on the monitored personal identification signal.  
 
 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the processor provides the service provider data indicating what content is presented and to whom the content is presented.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the service provider transmits content to the appliance based on the monitored content.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  16  wherein the content includes video content.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the appliance comprises a television.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the appliance comprises a computer.  
     
     
         25 . A building control system comprising: 
 an appliance;    a communications network connected to the appliance; and    a control server connected to the communications network, wherein 
 the use of the appliance is monitored by the control server.  
   
     
     
         26 . The building control system of  claim 25  comprising: 
 a retrofit plug connected to the appliance for monitoring the appliance, 
 wherein the retrofit plug sends monitored appliance data to the control server.  
 
 
     
     
         27 . The building control system of  claim 25  wherein the control server includes building manager software that controls the appliance according to a number of modes of operation.  
     
     
         28 . The building control system of  claim 26  wherein the modes of operation include at least one: a stay mode, a wake-up mode, a bedtime mode, a sleep mode, and a custom mode.  
     
     
         29 . The building control system of  claim 25  comprising: 
 a display device, 
 wherein the communications network includes a video distribution network connected to the display device.  
 
 
     
     
         30 . The building control system of  claim 29  wherein the control server includes a video module providing a video channel for display on the display device and the control server displays a message on the video channel.  
     
     
         31 . The building control system of  claim 29  wherein the message comprises information about the appliance.  
     
     
         32 . The building control system of  claim 29  wherein the message comprises an alarm.  
     
     
         33 . The building control system of  claim 29  wherein the message comprises a commercial and the commercial is presented based on use of the monitored appliance.  
     
     
         34 . The building control system of  claim 29  wherein the control server includes a video module providing a video channel for display on the display device and the control sever displays virtual controls for control of the appliance on the video channel.  
     
     
         35 . The building control system of  claim 29  wherein the display device comprises a television and the control server records a channel that is displayed on the television and a time that the channel was displayed.  
     
     
         36 . The building control system of  claim 35  wherein the recorded channel and time are used to determine what content is being viewed.  
     
     
         37 . The building control system of  claim 36  comprising a personal identification device storing a personal identification for identifying an individual, 
 wherein the control server records the identification of an individual in a proximity to the display device to determine who is viewing the content.  
 
     
     
         38 . The building control system of  claim 25  wherein the control server monitors who uses the appliance.  
     
     
         39 . The building control system of  claim 25  comprising a user interface for controlling the appliance.  
     
     
         40 . The building control system of  claim 39  wherein the control server presents a message on the user interface based on the monitored use of the appliance.  
     
     
         41 . The building control system of claim  40  wherein the message comprises an advertisement.  
     
     
         42 . The building control system of claim  41  wherein the message comprises an electronic coupon.  
     
     
         43 . The building control system of  claim 25  comprising: 
 a user interface for displaying a virtual control panel of the appliance for remote control of the appliance.