User-installable power consumption monitoring system

Abstract

A system and method for remotely monitoring power usage from a watt-hour meter or power meter. The system may include a sensor, sensor terminal, and data collection unit. The sensor may be disposed external from the power meter and be consumer installable in an unobstructive position for direct viewing of power meter registers. The sensor terminal may be coupled to the sensor and include a receiver and transmitter operable to receive and transmit information indicative of motion of a rotating disk in the power meter sensed by the sensor. A data collection unit in communication with the sensor terminal may include a display to display various information to the consumer, such as current bill and power network notification indicators. The data collection unit further may be communicate with a service center that performs power usage analysis to feedback to the data collection unit to display for the consumer.

1 - 15 . (canceled)  
     
     
         16 . A power usage monitor for displaying power usage information at an on-site location, said power usage monitor comprising: 
 a receiver operable to receive data from a server associated with a power provider, the received data including at least one data element being indicative of status of a power network;    a display operable to display the at least one data element of the received data; and    a processor coupled to said receiver and said display, said processor having software executing thereon to: 
 receive the data from said receiver;  
 parse the data including the at least one data element being indicative of the status of the power network; and  
 communicate the at least one data element to said display to notify a user at the on-site location of the status of the power network.  
   
     
     
         17 . The power usage monitor according to  claim 16 , wherein the on-site location includes at least one of the following: residential and commercial property.  
     
     
         18 . The power usage monitor according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one data element includes at least one of the following: local power shortage, peak power usage period in effect, brownout, rolling blackouts, and times of scheduled blackouts.  
     
     
         19 . The power usage monitor according to  claim 16 , wherein the received data further includes at least one of the following: billing rate changes, alert notifications, message notifications, power usage benchmark data, total current billing cycle estimated cost, projected current monthly total power bill, and advertisements.  
     
     
         20 . The power usage monitor according to  claim 19 , wherein the power usage benchmark data includes at least one of the following benchmarks for: day, month, and latest peak period.  
     
     
         21 . The power usage monitor according to  claim 16 , further comprising at least one of the following: an LED and a tone generator for notifying the user of the received data.  
     
     
         22 . The power usage monitor according to  claim 21 , wherein said processor communicates to the LED or tone generator upon a power network status being received to notify the user of the power network status.  
     
     
         23 . A method for displaying power usage information to a consumer of an energy provider of a power network, said method comprising: 
 receiving data from the energy provider, the data including at least one data element being indicative of a status of the power network;    parsing the data including the at least one data element being indicative of the status of the power network; and    displaying the at least one data element to notify the consumer of the status of the power network.    
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one data element includes at least one of the following: local power shortage, peak power usage period in effect, brownout, rolling blackouts, and times of scheduled blackouts.  
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the received data further includes at least one of the following: billing rate changes, alert notifications, message notifications, power usage benchmark data, total current billing cycle estimated cost, projected current monthly total power bill, and advertisements.  
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the power usage benchmark data includes at least one of the following benchmarks for: day, month, and latest peak period.  
     
     
         27 . A power usage monitor for displaying power usage information to a consumer of an energy provider of a power network, said power usage monitor comprising: 
 means for receiving data from the energy provider, the data including at least one data element being indicative of a status of the power network;    means for parsing the data including the at least one data element being indicative of the status of the power network status; and means for displaying the at least one data element to notify the consumer of the status of the power network.    
     
     
         28 - 75 . (canceled)  
     
     
         76 . The power usage monitor according to  claim 16 , further configured to communicate with a sensor terminal utilized to sense power usage as indicated by a power meter, store power usage data information received from the sensor terminal, and communicate the power usage data to a remote location to compute billing information.  
     
     
         77 . The power usage monitor according to  claim 16 , wherein the received data further includes news.  
     
     
         78 . The power usage monitor according to  claim 16 , wherein the received data further includes at least one of billing and payment information.  
     
     
         79 . The power usage monitor according to  claim 16 , wherein said processor is further configured to determine and notify the user of inefficient or malfunctioning equipment at the on-site location.  
     
     
         80 . The method according to  claim 23 , further comprising receiving sensed power usage data as indicated by a power meter, storing the received power usage data, and communicate the power usage data to a remote location to compute billing information.  
     
     
         81 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein said displaying further includes displaying news.  
     
     
         82 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein said receiving data includes receiving at least one of billing and payment information and said displaying includes displaying at least one of the billing and payment information.  
     
     
         83 . The method according to  claim 23 , further comprising determining and notifying the user of inefficient or malfunctioning equipment at a location of the consumer.