Systems and methods for transferring data and revenue

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for transferring data, goods, information, and items of value between users, partners, and service providers. The data can be collected by a plurality of sensors installed in a space. Payments, rebates, and incentives can be provided in response to analysis of the collected data. The collected data can be analyzed to provide a monitoring system in a home or other environment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer system for facilitating the collection of data with respect to a state of an environment of a user, comprising:
 a communication interface that is in communication with (i) one or more data collection devices that each collects data with respect to a state of an environment of a user, and (ii) one or more service providers that each provides said user with a service or benefit in response to data collected by at least a subset of said one or more data collection devices, wherein a given data collection device of said one or more data collection devices is associated with a manufacturer that has manufactured said given data collection device; and   a computer processor that is communication with said communication interface and programmed to (i) collect said data from said one or more data collection devices, (ii) facilitate the transmission of said data or derivative thereof to said one or more service providers, (iii) calculating an item of value in exchange for facilitating the transmission of said data or derivative thereof, and (iv) facilitate the transmission of at least a portion of said item of value to said manufacturer, said user, said service provider or a partner of said service provider.   
     
     
         2 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein said communication interface is in communication with a plurality of data collection devices that collect different data with respect to said state. 
     
     
         3 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein said communication interface is in communication with a plurality of data collection devices that collect data with respect to a state of a respective environment of a given user among a plurality of users. 
     
     
         4 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein said communication interface is in communication with a plurality of service providers. 
     
     
         5 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein said state is selected from the group consisting of temperature, humidity, pressure, level of volatile organic compounds, level of one or more gases, level of one or more particulates, power usage, gas usage, water usage, Internet usage, and presence or absence of smoke. 
     
     
         6 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein said environment is at least one building. 
     
     
         7 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein said environment is adjacent to at least one building. 
     
     
         8 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein said environment is an enclosure in a building. 
     
     
         9 . The computer system of  claim 8 , wherein said enclosure is a room. 
     
     
         10 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein said computer processor is programmed to transform said data prior to facilitating the transmission of said data or derivative thereof to said one or more service providers. 
     
     
         11 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein said item of value is money. 
     
     
         12 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein said item of value is a service value token. 
     
     
         13 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein said item of value is the promise for future service. 
     
     
         14 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein said computer processor is programmed to collect at least a portion of said item of value from said user, said service provider or said partner. 
     
     
         15 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein said computer processor is programmed to collect at least a portion of said item of value from said user. 
     
     
         16 . A computer system for facilitating the collection of data with respect to a state of an environment of each of a plurality of users, comprising:
 a communication interface that is in communication with (i) a plurality of data collection devices that collect data with respect to a state of an environment of each of a plurality of users, and (ii) one or more service providers that each provides a given user among said plurality of users with a service or benefit in response to said data collected by said plurality of data collection devices; and   a computer processor that is in communication with said communication interface and programmed to (i) collect said data from said plurality of data collection devices and (ii) facilitate the transmission of said data or derivative thereof to said one or more service providers.   
     
     
         17 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein said plurality of service providers are different service providers. 
     
     
         18 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein said communication interface is in communication with a plurality of data collection devices that collect different data with respect to said state. 
     
     
         19 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein said communication interface is in communication with a plurality of data collection devices that collect data with respect to a state of a respective environment of a given user among a plurality of users. 
     
     
         20 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein said state is selected from the group consisting of temperature, humidity, pressure, level of volatile organic compounds, level of one or more gases, level of one or more particulates, power usage, gas usage, water usage, Internet usage, and presence or absence of smoke. 
     
     
         21 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein said environment is at least one building. 
     
     
         22 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein said environment is adjacent to at least one building. 
     
     
         23 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein said environment is an enclosure in a building. 
     
     
         24 . The computer system of  claim 23 , wherein said enclosure is a room. 
     
     
         25 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein said computer processor is programmed to transform said data prior to facilitating the transmission of said data to said service provider. 
     
     
         26 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein said computer processor is programmed to collect an item of value from said user, said service provider or a partner of said service provider in exchange for facilitating the transmission of said data or derivative thereof to said service provider. 
     
     
         27 . The computer system of  claim 26 , wherein said item of value is money. 
     
     
         28 . The computer system of  claim 26 , wherein said item of value is a service value token. 
     
     
         29 . The computer system of  claim 26 , wherein said item of value is the promise for future service. 
     
     
         30 . A method for facilitating the collection of data, comprising:
 (a) using a communication interface, collecting data from one or more data collection devices with respect to a state of an environment of a user, wherein a given data collection device of said one or more data collection devices is associated with a manufacturer that has manufactured said given data collection device;   (b) facilitating the transmission of said data or derivative thereof to one or more service providers;   (c) using a computer processor that is in communication with said communication interface, calculating an item of value in exchange for facilitating the transmission of said data or derivative thereof; and   (d) facilitating the transmission of at least a portion of said item of value to said manufacturer, said user, said service provider or a partner of said service provider.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising collecting at least a portion of said item of value from said user, said service provider or said partner. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein (b) further comprises transmitting said data or derivative thereof directly to said one or more service providers. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said data or derivative thereof is transmitted to said one or more service providers through one or more third parties. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein at least a subset of said one or more third partiers is a partner of said one or more service providers. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said communication interface is in communication with a plurality of data collection devices that collect different data with respect to said state. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said communication interface is in communication with a plurality of data collection devices that collect data with respect to a state of a respective environment of a given user among a plurality of users. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said state is selected from the group consisting of temperature, humidity, pressure, level of volatile organic compounds, level of one or more gases, level of one or more particulates, power usage, gas usage, water usage, Internet usage, and presence or absence of smoke. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said environment is at least one building. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said environment is adjacent to at least one building. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said environment is an enclosure in a building. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein said enclosure is a room. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising transforming said data prior to facilitating the transmission of said data or derivative thereof to one or more service providers. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising receiving from said user a request to have said data collected from said one or more data collection devices. 
     
     
         44 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising machine-executable code that, upon execution by one or more computer processors implements a method for facilitating the collection of data, the method comprising:
 (a) using a communication interface, collecting data from one or more data collection devices with respect to a state of an environment of a user, wherein a given data collection device of said one or more data collection devices is associated with a manufacturer that has manufactured said given data collection device;   (b) facilitating the transmission of said data or derivative thereof to one or more service providers;   (c) calculating an item of value in exchange for facilitating the transmission of said data or derivative thereof; and   (d) facilitating the transmission of at least a portion of said item of value to said manufacturer, said user, said service provider or a partner of said service provider.