IE85636B1

IE85636B1 - Remote control of commodity access and metering

Info

Publication number: IE85636B1
Application number: IE2008/0828A
Authority: IE
Inventors: Mottershead Neil; Jennings Peter
Original assignee: Landis+Gyr Limited
Filing date: 2008-10-10
Publication date: 2010-11-24

Abstract

ABSTRACT A system for remote control of commodity access and metering, comprising: a commodity suply network, including a network of point-of—sale terminals, consumer commodity terminals (e.g. household gas or electricity meters) operable to control a supply of the commodity, each consumer commodity terminal having including a communications device (eg. a GPRS or UMTS modern) and having at least one communications ID (e.g. cellular telephone number) associated therewith, whereby the consumer commodity terminal may recieve electronic messages (e.g. SMS messages) routed using the communications ID; wherein the point-of—sale terminals and the commodity supply network are linked by a communications link, and wherein the point-otlsale terminals are operable to obtain data from a consumer (e.g. magnetic stripe cards), the data including a commodity supplier ID and a terminal-related ID, wherein, a point-of-sale terminal is adapted to determine a communications ID from the obtained data and send a first message to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the communications ID, the first message indicating a quantity of commodity to be permitted by the consumer commodity terminal to be used. Preferably, the data is provided by the user by magnetic stripe card. The tcrrninal— related ID preferably comprises a jumbled form ofthe communications ID, the point- of—sale terminals being adapted to unjumble the terminal related ID. The communications device may comprise cellular phone type communications devices, eg. GPRS or UMTS modems, and the communications ID is in the form of a cellular telephone number, or may comprise internet protocal (IP) based modems, and the communications ID is in the form of an IP address, email address or equivalent. Preferably, a point—of—sale terminal is adapted to send a second message to a supplier associated with the commodity supplier ID, the second message indicating a quantity of commodity to be supplied to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the first message.

Description

The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to network based (resource control, and more particularly, although not exclusively, relates to remote control of commodity access and metering.

The invention has application to any system in which a resource, commodity, service, etc. may be used by a user in a measured way, and the user may in advance acquire the right or approval to use a given quantity (which may be ﬁxed or variable dependent on the amount requested by the user) of the resource, commodity, service, etc.

One example of such systems is pre-payment systems: it is becoming increasingiy common for utility companies to implement pre-payment systems in order to collect revenue when compared to conventional billing systems. Any non-pre-payment meter requires the honesty of the consumer and/or periodic readings to be taken by a utility appointed meter reader. Early methods of pre-payment relied upon the use of coins, which could be used in any meter. Examples of pre-payment systems inciudencard or ticket meters, magnetic card meters (with basic encryption), Key meters (where a non-volatile circuit memory device is integrated in a plastic key), Key tokens, keypad metering (utility meters provide predetermined amounts of a particular utility in response to the input of a code via a keypad). There are a number of electronic purse schemes available whereby a monetary value or commodity value may be stored upon a card, which monetary value can be used to credit a pre-payment device such as a utility meter.

Latterly, smart cards, or so-called memory cards, have been employed which have a silicon chip embedded into a credit card style card. Smart cards have microprocessors that can provide increased levels of security. An example of a smart card based system is disclosed in EP-A-1628269.

Figure 1 (PRIOR ART) illustrates the pre-payment of utilities in accordance with EP- A—1628269. A number of polnt—of—sale units 10 which are shown associated with point of sale operators 11a, b, c, cl, who enable the provision of a utility, for example, electricity 12 and/or gas 13 by way of bi-directional communication links (not referenced). A number of operators can be responsible for groups of point of sale machines. A consumer wishing to_ purchase electricity or another utility will present his smart card 15 into a correspondingly shaped oriﬁce 16 in a user panei interface 17 of a point-of—sale (POS) unit. Placement of the card in the machine enables data to be read from the card. Depending upon the nature of the pre- payment scheme, certain identity features are read from the card. Security data, such as a personal identiﬁcation number (PIN), may be input by the consumer whereby to ensure that the consumer is entitled to use the card and also to enable payment to be effected, although this is generally not implemented. Payment may be by electronic transfer or the point-of-sale unit may accept cash. The point of sale unit communicates via the operator to a network controller 18. The Central Quantum Ofﬁce is one such network controller in the United Kingdom for gas. In turn, the Central Quantum Ofﬁce communicates with service providers 19a, 19b, 19c, -such as British Gas Trading and Southern Electric for gas, and other regional suppliers. In deregulated markets such as the United Kingdom the actual generator of the electricity or initial source of gas is not necessarily the service provider, but amounts of utility purchased from a particular service provider are communicated with the utility provider. From the utility supply, a consumer will receive, by way of cable or other conduit, a supply to be metered, by way of a meter, 20a, 20b at his premises 24.

Problems with smart cards, and other systems where a quantity is stored on a card, is that the cards can be lost — potentially leaving the user at least for a time without the required resource (e.g. gas, electricity). Moreover, for such systems, it is aiso necessary to have a slot (with electrical contacts) in the consumer commodity terminal (e.g. gas or electricity meter) to receive a smart card, and the slot can become degraded by wear and tear or damaged and unusable, again potentially causing a loss of access to the resource, commodity, service, etc. V A further problem is that in current prepayment metering systems, such as with the existing afore-mentioned Quantum-based system, where tokens are used for the exchange of data, transactions are recorded against either a meter number or a customer reference number. This means that a transaction at a POS terminal must give rise to meter number or a customer reference number being routed to a central database (see discussion of Fig. 2 hereinafter) to determine which supplier of . 3 resource, commodity, service, etc. corresponds to the meter number or a customer reference number. It is then necessary ‘for a message to be routed to the relevant supplier containing the details of the amount of resource, commodity, service, etc. purchased and the customer to which it must be supplied. This builds in inﬂexibility in the control of supply and metering of the resource, commodity, service, etc. supplied.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to remove or reduce the aforementioned problems and provide an improved pre-payment. In particular, the present invention seeks to overcome issues related to routing of network communications.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a system for pre-payment metering and remote control of metered commodity access, comprising: a commodity supply network, including a network of point-of-sale terminals; consumer commodity terminals operable to control a supply of the metered commodity, each consumer commodity terminal having including a communications device and having at least one communications ID associated therewith, whereby the consumer routed using the commodity terminal receive electronic messages communications ID; wherein the point-of-sale terminals and the commodity supply network are iinked by a communications link, and wherein the point—of—sale terminals are operable to obtain data from a consumer, the data including at least a termina|~ related ID; wherein the terminal~related ID comprises a jumbled or otherwise obfuscated form of the communications ID, the point—of—sale terminals being adapted to unjumble the terminal-related ID to determine the communications ID from the obtained data and to send a ﬁrst message to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the communications ID, the ﬁrst message indicating a quantity of metered commodity to be permitted by the consumer commodity terminal to be used.

Preferably, the point-of-sale terminals are operable to obtain data from consumer cards, each consumer card having said commodity supplier ID and a terminai—related ID stored thereon, wherein the communications ID is determined following interaction with a consumer card. Alternatively, the point-of-sale terminals comprise web servers operable to obtain at least said terminal—re|ated ID from a consumer via said consumer's interaction with a website implemented by the web sewer, and to obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal-related ID ‘in a database. Alternatively, the point-of-sale terminals comprise computers located at a helpdesk, the computer being operable to obtain at least said terminal-related ID from a consumer via said consumer supplying said data to a helpdesk operator by telephone or other electronic communications method, and to obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal-related ID in a database.

The communications devices may comprise cellular phone type communications devices, e.g. GPRS or UMTS modems, and the communications ID is in the form of a cellular telephone number, and the ﬁrst message comprises, for example, an SMS.

Alternatively, the communications devices may comprise intemet protocol (IP) based modems, and the communications ID is in the form of an IP address, email address or equivalent.

Preferably, upon obtaining said data from the consumer, a point—of-sale terminal is adapted to send a second message to a supplier associated with the commodity supplier ID, the second message indicating a quantity of commodity to be supplied to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the first message.

Preferably, the commodity supply network further includes a transaction hub connected to the point-of—sa|e terminals, for transmitting the ﬁrst and/or second messages.

Preferably, at least some of the consumer commodity terminals incorporate commodity meters.

Preferably, the commodity supply network further includes a terminal read hub, for receiving meter read messages from consumer commodity terminals, each meter read message incorporating a current meter reading for the commodity.

Preferably, the commodity supply network further includes an installation hub, for transmitting installation data to a consumer commodity terminal, following new installation thereof.

Preferably, the commodity supply network further includes a messagehhub, for transmitting human readable messages to a consumer commodity terminal for display to a consumer.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a point-of-sale terminal operable in system for pre-payment metering and remote control of metered commodity access, the system comprising a commodity supply network, including a network of the point-of-sale terminals, consumer commodity terminals operable to control a supply of the metered commodity, each consumer commodity terminal having including a communications device and having at least one communications ID associated therewith, whereby the consumer commodity terminal may receive electronic messages routed using the communications ID; wherein the point-of-sale terminals and the commodity supply network are linked by a communications link, and wherein the point-of-sale terminals are operable to obtain data from a consumer, said data including at least a ten'ninal~re|ated ID; wherein the terminal-related ID comprises a jumbled or othenzvise obfuscated form of the communications ID, the point-of-sale terminals being adapted to unjumble the terminal-related ID to determine a communications ID from the obtained data and to send a ﬁrst message to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the communications ID, the ﬁrst message indicating a quantity of metered commodity to be permitted by the consumer commodity terminal to be used.

Preferably, the point-of-sale terminals are operable to obtain data from consumer cards, each consumer card having said commodity supplier ID and a terminal-related ID stored thereon, wherein the communications ID is determined following interaction with a consumer card. Alternatively, the point-of-sale terminals comprise web servers operable to obtain at least said terminal-related ID from a consumer via said consumer's interaction with a website implemented by the web server, and to obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal—re|ated ID in a database. Alternatively, the point-of-sale terminals comprise computers located at a helpdesk, the computer being operable to obtain at least said terminal-related ID from a consumer via said consumer supplying said data to a helpdesk operator by telephone or other electronic communications method, and to obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal-related ID in a database.

The communications devices may comprise cellular phone type communications devices, e.g. GPRS or UMTS modems, and the communications ID is in the form of a cellular telephone number, and the first message comprises, for example, an SMS.

Alternatively, the communications devices may comprise internet protocol (IP) based modems, and the communications ID is in the form of an IP address, email address or equivalent.

Preferably, upon obtaining said data from the consumer, a point-of-sale terminal is adapted to send a second message to a supplier associated with the commodity supplier ID, the second message indicating a quantity of commodity to be supplied to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the first message.

Preferably, the commodity supply network further includes a transaction hub connected to the point-of-sale terminals, for transmitting the first and/or second messages.

Preferably, the commodity supply network further includes a message hub, for transmitting human readable messages to a consumer commodity terminal for display to a consumer.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a consumer commodity terminal operable to control a supply of‘ a metered commodity in a . 7 system for pre-payment metering and remote controlof metered commodity access, the system comprising a commodity suppiy network, including a network of point-of- sale terminals; wherein the point-of-sale terminals and the commodity suppiy network are linked by a communications link, and wherein the point-of-sale terminais are operable to obtain data from a consumer, said data including at least a terminal- related ID; wherein the terminal-related ID comprises a jumbled or otherwise obfuscated form of the communications ID, the point-of-sale terminals being adapted to unjumble the terminal-related ID to determine a communications ID from the obtained data and to send a first message to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the communications ID, the first message indicating a quantity of metered commodity to be permitted by the consumer commodity terminal to be used; each consumer commodity terminal having including a communications device and having at least one communications ID associated therewith, whereby the consumer commodity terminal may receive electronic messages routed using the communications ID.

Preferably, the point-of-sale terminals are operable to obtain data from consumer cards, each consumer card having said commodity supplier ID and a termina|~relatecl ID stored thereon, wherein the communications ID is determined following interaction with a consumer card. Alternatively, the point-of-sale terminals comprise web servers operable to obtain at least said terminal-related ID from a consumer via said consumer's interaction with a website implemented by the web sewer, and to obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal-related ID in a database. Alternatively, the point-of-sale terminals comprise computers located at a helpdesk, the computer being operable to obtain at least said terminal-related ID from a consumer via said consumer supplying said data to a helpdesk operator by telephone or other electronic communications method, and to obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal-related ID in a database.

Preferably, upon obtaining said data from the consumer, a point-of-sale terminal is adapted to send a second message to a supplier associated with the commodity supplier ID, the second message indicating a quantity of commodity to be supplied to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the ﬂrst message.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a consumer card operable for use in a system for prepayment metering and remote control of metered commodity access, the system comprising a commodity supply network, including a network of point-of-sale terminals, consumer commodity terminals operable to control a supply of the metered commodity, each consumer commodity terminal having including a communications device and having at least one communications ID associated therewith, whereby the consumer commodity terminal may receive electronic messages routed using the communications ID; wherein the point-of-sale terminals and the commodity supply network are linked by a communications link, the polnt~of~sale terminals being operable to obtain data from consumer cards, and to send a ﬁrst message to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the communications ID, the ﬁrst message indicating a quantity of metered commodity to be permitted by the consumer commodity terminal to be used; and wherein each consumer card has stored thereon a commodity supplier ID and a terminai—related ID; wherein the consumer card includes means for transferring the terminai-related ID to a point-of-sale terminal upon interaction therewith; and wherein the terminal- related ID comprises a jumbled or otherwise obfuscated form of the communications ID, the point-of-sale terminals being adapted to unjumble the terminal-related ID.

Alternatively, the communications devices comprise internet protocol (IP) based modems, and the communications ID is in the form of an IP address, email address or equivalent.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of operating a system for prepayment metering and remote control of metered commodity access, the system comprising a commodity supply network, including a network of point-of—sale terminals, consumer commodity terminals operable to control a supply of the metered commodity, each consumer commodity terminal having including a communications device and having at least one communications ID associated therewith, whereby the consumer commodity terminal may receive electronic messages routed using the communications ID, wherein the point-of—sale terminals and the commodity supply network are linked by a communications iink, the method comprising operating the point-of-sale terminals to (i) obtain data from a consumer, said data including at least a terminal-related ID, wherein the termina|~related ID comprises a jumbled or othenivise obfuscated form of the communications ID, (ii) determine a communications ID from the obtained data by unjumbling the terminal- related ID, and (iii) send a ﬁrst message to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the communications ID, the ﬁrst message indicating a quantity of . 10 metered commodity to be permitted by the consumer commodity terminal to be used.

The method preferably further comprises operating the point—of~sa|e terminals to obtain data from consumer cards, each consumer card having said commodity supplier ID and a terminal-related ID stored thereon, wherein the communications ID is determined following interaction with a consumer card. Alternatively, the point—of~ sale terminals comprise web servers, the method further comprising operating the point-of-sale terminals to obtain at least said terminal-related ID from a consumer via said consumer's interaction with a website implemented by the web sewer, and to obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal-related ID in a database. Alternatively, the point-of-sale terminals comprise computers located at a helpdesk, the method further comprising receiving at a computer at least said terminal-related ID from a consumer following said consumer supplying said data to a helpdesk operator by telephone or other electronic communications method, and to obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal-related ID in a database. ’ O Preferably, the terminal-related ID comprises a jumbled or otherwise obfuscated form of the communications ID, the point~of-sale terminals being adapted to unjumble the terminal-related ID.

Preferably, upon obtaining said data from the consumer, a point-of-sale terminal is adapted to send a second message to a supplier associated with the commodity supplier ID, the second message indicating a quantity of commodity to be supplied to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the ﬂrst message. .11 Preferably, the commodity supply network further includes a transaction hub connected to the point-of-saie terminals, for transmitting the ﬁrst and/or second messages.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a point-of-sale terminal operable in system for remote control of commodity access and metering, the system comprising a commodity supply network, including a network of the point-of-sale terminals, consumer commodity terminals operable to control a supply of the commodity, each consumer commodity terminal having including a communications device and having at least one communications ID associated therewith, whereby the consumer commodity terminal may receive electronic messages routed using the communications ID; wherein the point-of-sale terminals and the commodity supply network are linked by a communications link, and wherein the point-of-sale terminals are operable to obtain data from a consumer, said data including at least a terminal-related ID; wherein, a point-of-sale terminal is adapted to determine a communications ID from the obtained data and to send a first message to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the communications ID, the first message indicating a quantity of commodity to be permitted by the consumer commodity terminal to be used. . 12 Preferably, the point-of-sale terminals are operable to obtain data from consumer cards, each consumer card having said commodity supplier ID and a terminal-related ID stored thereon, wherein the communications ID is determined following interaction with a consumer card. Alternatively, the point-of-sale terminals comprise web servers operable to obtain at least said terminal-related ID from a consumer via said consumer's interaction with a website implemented by the web server, and to obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal-related ID in a database. Alternatively, the point~of-sale terminals comprise computers located at a helpdesk, the computer being operable to obtain at least said terminal—related ID from a consumer via said consumer supplying said data to a helpdesk operator by telephone or other electronic communications method, and to obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal-related ID in a database.

Preferably, the terminal-related ID comprises a jumbled form of the communications ID, the point—of~sale terminals being adapted to unjumble the terminal-related ID.

Preferably, upon obtaining said data from the consumer, a point-of~sale terminal is adapted to send a second message to a supplier associated with the commodity supplier ID, the second message indicating a quantity of commodity to be supplied to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the ﬁrst message.

Preferably, the commodity supply network further includes a transaction hub connected to the point-of—sa|e terminals, for transmitting the first and/or second messages.

Preferably, at least some of the consumer commodity terminals incorporate commodity meters. . 13 Preferably, the commodity supply network further includes a terminal read hub, for receiving meter read messages from consumer commodity terminals, each meter read message incorporating a current meter reading for the commodity.

Preferabiy, the commodity supply network further includes an installation hub, for transmitting installation data to a consumer commodity terminal, following new installation thereof.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a consumer commodity terminal operable to control a supply of a commodity in a system for remote control of commodity access and metering, the system comprising a commodity supply network, including a network of point-of-sale terminals; wherein the point-of-sale terminals and the commodity supply network are linked by a communications link, and wherein the point-of-sale terminals are operable to obtain data from a consumer, said data including at least a terminal-related ID; wherein, a point-of—sale terminal is adapted to determine a communications ID from the obtained data and to send a ﬁrst message to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the communications ID, the first message indicating a quantity of commodity to be permitted by the consumer commodity terminal to be used; each consumer commodity terminal having including a communications device and having at least one communications ID associated therewith, whereby the consumer routed using the receive electronic messages commodity terminal may communications ID.

Preferably, the point-of-sale terminals are operable to obtain data from consumer cards, each consumer card having said commodity supplier ID and a terminal-related ID stored thereon, wherein the communications ID is determined following interaction with a consumer card. Alternatively, the point-of-sale terminals comprise web servers operable to obtain at least said terminai—related ID from a consumer via said consumer's interaction with a website implemented by the web server, and to obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal-related ID in a .14 database. Alternatively, the point-of-sale terminals comprise computers located at a helpdesk, the computer being operabie to obtain at least said terminal-related ID from a consumer via said consumer supplying said data to a heipdesk operator by telephone or other electronic communications method, and to obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal-related ID in a database.

Preferably, the terminal~related ID comprises a jumbled form of the communications ID, the point-of-sale terminals being adapted to unjumble the terminal-related ID.

Preferably, the commodity supply network further includes a message hub, for transmitting human readable messagesito a ‘consumer commodity terminal for display to a consumer.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a consumer card (30) operable for use in a system for remote control of commodity access and metering, the comprising a commodity supply network, including a network of point-of-sale terminals, consumer commodity terminals operable to control a supply of the commodity, each consumer commodity terminal having including a communications device and having at least one communications ID associated therewith, whereby the consumer commodity terminal may receive electronic messages routed using the communications ID; wherein the point-of-saie terminals and the commodity supply network are linked by a communications link, and wherein each consumer card has stored thereon a commodity supplier ID and a terrninal-related ID, the point-of-sale terminals being operable to obtain data from consumer cards, wherein, upon interaction with a consumer card, a point-of-sale terminal is adapted to determine a communications ID from the extracted data and send a ﬁrst message to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the communications ID, the ﬁrst message indicating a quantity of commodity to be permitted by the consumer commodity terminal to be used.

Preferably, the terminal-related ID comprises a jumbled form of the communications ID, the point-of-sale terminals being adapted to unjumble the terminal-related ID.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of operating a system for remote control of commodity access and metering, the system comprising a commodity supply network, including a network of point-of-sale . 16 terminals,- consumer commodity terminals operable to control a supply of the commodity, each consumer commodity terminal having including a communications device and having at least one communications'ID associated therewith, whereby the consumer commodity terminal may receive electronic messages routed using the communications ID, wherein the point-of-sale terminals and the commodity supply network are linked by a communications link, the method comprising operating the point—of~sa|e terminals to (I) obtain data from a consumer, said data including at least a terminal-related ID, (ii) determine a communications ID from the obtained data, and (iii) send a first message to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the communications ID, the ﬁrst message indicating a quantity of commodity to be permitted by the consumer commodity terminal to be used.

The method preferably further comprises operating the point-of-sale terminals to obtain data from consumer cards, each consumer card having said commodity supplier ID and a terminal-related ID stored thereon, wherein the communications ID is determined following interaction with a consumer card. Alternatively, the point—of- sale terminals comprise web servers, the method further comprising operating the point-of-sale terminals to obtain at least said terminal-related ID from a consumer via said consumer's interaction with a website implemented by the web server, and to obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal-related ID in a database. Alternatively, the point-of-sale terminals comprise computers located at a helpdesk, the method further comprising receiving at a computer at least said terminal-related ID from a consumer following said consumer supplying said data to a helpdesk operator by telephone or other electronic communications method, and to obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal—related ID in a database.

Preferably, the termina|—re|ated ID comprises a jumbled form of the communications ID, the point-of—sa|e terminals being adapted to unjumble the terminal-related ID.

The communications devices may comprise cellular phone type communications devices, e.g. GPRS or UMTS modems, and the communications ID is in the form of a cellular telephone number. Alternatively, the communications devices comprise internet protocol (IP) based modems, and the communications ID is in the form of an IP address, email address or equivalent.

Preferably, the method further comprises ‘operating the point-of-sale terminal to send a second message to a supplier associated with the commodity supplier ID, the second message indicating a quantity of commodity to be supplied to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the first message.

Preferably, the method further comprises transmitting the ﬁrst and/or second messages using a transaction hub connected to the point-of-sale terminals.

Preferably, the method further comprises receiving meter read messages from consumer commodity terminals at a terminal read hub, each meter read message incorporating a current meter reading for the commodity.

Preferably, the method further comprises transmitting installation data to a consumer commodity terminal, following new installation thereof using an installation hub.

Preferably, the method further comprises transmitting human readable messages to a consumer commodity terminal for display to a consumer using a message hub.

With the phone message based prepayment system in accordance with embodiments of the invention, the transaction at the POS terminal 40, 42 is recorded against the phone number of the meter 52. In this case the consumer identiﬁes himself to the sales outlet with a number that includes the meter’s phone number and the energy supplier code, following the credit purchase, the sales outlet arrange for a purchased credit message to be sent to the phone number given and the cash amount to be sent to the energy supplier identiﬁed.

An advantage of the invention is that the routing of messages based on ID and informing a given supplier that a quantity of commodity has been requested or purchased can be achieved without requiring the use of a central database.

A further advantage is that messages may be sent instantaneously following POS transaction to both a supplier of commodity (cased on Supplier ID) and to a consumer commodity terminal (based on communications ID, e.g. by SMS to a give mobile telephone number belonging to the consumer commodity terminal).

A further advantage of the invention is that the messages are essentially instantly received, and do not require the insertion of a smart card or other medium into the consumer commodity terminal in order to credit the terminal.

A further advantage of the invention is that the communications devices can receive messages (e.g. SMS) securely while contained in substantially tamper-proof housing.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 (PRIOR ART) illustrates the pre-payment of utilities in accordance with a known system; Figure 2 shows a system for remote control of commodity access and metering in accordance with the present invention.

In the description and drawings, like numerals are used to designate like elements.

Unless indicated otherwise, any individual design features and components may be used in combination with any other design features and components disclosed herein.

As used herein, “commodity" refers to any measurable resource, commodity, service, etc.

Referring to Fig. 2, some aspects of existing systems will ﬁrst be discussed. Such systems typically include multiple suppliers of commodities (e.g. gas, electricity), such as first supplier 30, second supplier 32 and third supplier 34. At a central processing location or institution 36, a database 38 is managed, the latter comprising records associating consumers or properties, via unique (consumer) ID number with a supplier ID denoting the supplier (30, 32, 34) that supplies the commodity to that consumer.

The consumer's property is indicated at 50, and includes a consumer commodity terminal or meter 52 for controlling the supply of commodity, receiving credits and metering the usage of the commodity. Although the various communications links . 19 44, 46, 48 are shown as simple links, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the communications infrastructure may comprises a number of (wired/wireless/combined) subnetworks coupled together, and Internet based system, optical or RF communications system, or the like.

With the existing systems, following a transaction at a POS terminal 40, 42 and payment for a quantity of commodity, the POS terminal 40, 42 sends a communication with a consumer ID to the central processing location 36 (either electronically or manually). The central processing location sends a second communication, with a consumer ID, to the supplier corresponding to the supplier ID, this time to have the supplier supply the quantity of commodity to the meter 52 associated with the consumer ID. This is cumbersome and increases the likelihood of communications errors and false or failed control of resource supply As well as placing the central processing location in a “monopoly position” in an otherwise open supply marketplace.

In accordance with this embodiment of the invention, mobile phone based metering for prepayment or “pay as you go" consumers -- where data is exchanged using phone based messaging systems — is adopted.

As can be seen, the consumer commodity terminal 52 includes a mobile (cellular) phone modem 54 (e.g. GPRS or UMTS), able (among other things) to receive and decode SMS messages.

Additionally, each supplier 30, 32, 34 may be provided with its own database, independent of the other databases and their management. Thus second supplier 32 has database 62 and third supplier 34 has database 64.

The consumer is provided with a magnetic stripe card 56 that contains a “jumbled phone number” and the energy supplier ID. The jumbled phone number contains the phone number of the meter 52 but with the digits jumbled up, so as to deter consumers from sending messages to their own meter. It will be appreciated that various forms of scrambling, encrypting or encoding of numbers and codes may be used; it being required only that the actual phone number can be extracted by suitable means by the POS terminal 42, 44. Alternatively, the communications ID ‘20 may comprise a string (e.g. john.smith@gasusers.com), and the terminal-related ID comprises an encrypted (and meaningless to humans) character string from which the communications ID can through suitable decoding techniques be extracted.

The transaction proceeds as follows. A consumer visits the point of sale operator at a POS terminal 42, 44 and pays for a credit transaction. (Although the P05 is described here in accordance with a typically machine in a shop or post ofﬁce with a magnetic stripe reader, it will be appreciated that the POS may take various forms, including the following. (a) The POS terminals may operable to obtain data from consumer cards, each consumer card having said commodity supplier ID and a terminal-related ID stored thereon, wherein the communications ID is determined following interaction with a consumer card. (b) The POS terminals may comprise web servers operable to obtain at least said terminal-related ID from a consumer via said consumer's interaction with a website implemented by the web server. (c) The POS terminals may comprise computers located at a helpdesk, the computer being operable to obtain at least said terminal-related ID from a consumer via said consumer supplying said data to a helpdesk operator by telephone or other electronic communications method.

Returning to Fig. 2, the POS operator scans the magnetic stripe card 56 with a reader (not shown) at the POS terminal 42, 44 to read the jumbled phone number.

After extracting the correct phone number, the POS terminal 42, 44 sends a message (via internet or wirelessly) to the transaction hub 58 to cause an SMS containing the cash amount of purchased credit to be sent to the consumer's meter 52. The P05 operator then also arranges for the cash to be paid to the energy supplier 30, 32, 34 identiﬁed from the card 56. Thus the point of sale operator does not need to know any further details in order to complete the transaction.

Energy Suppliers 30, 32, 34 need to know detaiis of which meter 52 is installed in which consumer's property and will maintain their own database (i.e. with records associating mobile phone number with address of property and/or consumer ID). .21 Optionally, the energy suppliers 30, 32, 34 can request meter read details via a shared meter reading hub or perhaps use their own hub. Similarly messages from suppliers (such as debt management messages or tariff updates) could be sent via a shared message hub 70 or alternatively using their own mobile phone hub.

Preferably, an installation hub 68 is set up and conﬁgured to receive an initialisation message from each new meter 52 installed, and to send out set up messages back to each meter, enabling the meter 52 to become operational.

In certain scenarios, the system may further include a message hub 70, for transmitting human readable messages to a consumer commodity terminal for display to a consumer. In addition, the message hub may be used for control messages as well as human readable messages. The control messages may include new tariff structures or debt control messages.

The use of the phone number and supplier code as the basis for the transaction allows cash transactions to take place without reference to a central database. The system also has increased ﬂexibility in comparison with the current Quantum smart card system, as alternative transaction hubs can be provided easily.

As an alternative, banks or credit card companies could provide transaction hubs, whereby they receive instructions via a telephone help desk or internet, and need only the jumbled number from the consumer in order to perform the transaction.

The system provides a replacement for the prepayment gas market which is currently maintained with the Quantum system, however there is no reason why the same or a similar system could not be used to provide prepayment for electricity, water or other measurably commodity.

Claims

Claims:

1. A system for prepayment metering and remote control of metered commodity access, comprising: a commodity supply network, including a network of point-of-sale terminals, consumer commodity terminals operable to control a supply of the metered commodity, each consumer commodity terminal having including a communications device and having at least one communications ID associated therewith, whereby the consumer commodity terminal may receive electronic messages routed using the communications ID; wherein the point-of—sale terminals and the commodity supply network are linked by a communications link, and wherein the point~of-sale terminals are operable to obtain data from a consumer, the data including at least a terminal- related ID, wherein the terminal-related ID comprises a jumbled or otherwise obfuscated form of the communications ID, the point-of—sale terminals being adapted to unjumble the terminal-related ID to determine a communications ID from the obtained data and to send a ﬂrst message to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the communications ID, the ﬁrst message indicating a quantity of metered commodity to be permitted by the consumer commodity terminal to be used.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the point-of-sale terminals are operable to obtain data from consumer cards, each consumer card having said commodity supplier ID and a terminal-related ID stored thereon, wherein the communications ID is determined following interaction with a consumer card.

3. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the point-of-sale terminals comprise web servers operable to obtain at least said terminal-related ID from a consumer via said consumer's interaction with a website implemented by the web sewer, and to obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal-related ID in a database.

4. The system of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the point-of-sale terminals comprise computers located at a helpdesk, the computer being operable to obtain at least said terminal-related ID from a consumer via said consumer supplying said data to a helpdesk operator by telephone or other electronic communications method, and to .24 obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal-related ID in a database. ‘ '

5. The system of any of the preceding claims, wherein the communications devices comprise cellular phone type communications devices, e.g. GPRS or UMTS modems, and the communications ID is in the form of a cellular telephone number, and the ﬁrst message comprises, for example, an SMS.

6. The system of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the communications devices comprise internet protocol (IP) based modems, and the communications ID is in the form of an IP address, email address or equivalent.

7. The system of any of the preceding claims, wherein, upon obtaining said data from the consumer, a point-of-sale terminal is adapted to send a second message to a supplier associated with the commodity supplier ID, the second message indicating a quantity of commodity to be supplied to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the ﬁrst message.

8. The system of any of the preceding claims, wherein the commodity supply network further includes a transaction hub connected to the point-of-sale terminals, for transmitting the ﬁrst and/or second messages.

9. The system of any of the preceding claims, wherein at least some of the consumer commodity terminals incorporate commodity meters.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein commodity supply network further includes a terminal read hub, for receiving meter read messages from consumer commodity terminals, each meter read message incorporating a current meter reading for the commodity.

11. The system of any of the preceding claims, wherein the commodity supply network further includes an installation hub, for transmitting installation data to a consumer commodity terminal, following new installation thereof. 35 .25

12. The system of any of the preceding claims, wherein the commodity supply network further includes a message hub, for transmitting human readable messages to a consumer commodity terminal for display to a consumer.

13. A point~of-sale terminal operable in system for prepayment metering and remote control of metered commodity access, the system comprising a commodity supply network, including a network of the point-of-sale terminals, consumer commodity terminals operable to control a supply of the metered commodity, each consumer commodity terminal having including a communications device and having at least one communications ID associated therewith, whereby the consumer commodity terminal may receive electronic messages routed using the communications ID; wherein the point-of-sale terminals and the commodity supply network are linked by a communications link, and wherein the point-of-sale terminals are operable to obtain data from a consumer, said data including at least a terminal- related ID, wherein the terminal-related ID comprises a jumbled or otherwise obfuscated form of the communications ID, the point—of-sale terminals being adapted to unjumble the terminal-related ID to determine a communications ID from the obtained data and to send a ﬁrst message to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the communications ID, the ﬁrst message indicating a quantity of metered commodity to be permitted by the consumer commodity terminal to be used.

14. The point—of-sale terminal of claim 13, wherein the point-of-sale terminals are operable to obtain data from consumer cards, each consumer card having said commodity supplier ID and a terminal-related ID stored thereon, wherein the communications ID is determined following interaction with a consumer card.

15. The point-of-sale terminal of claim 13 or 14, wherein the point—of-sale terminals comprise web servers operable to obtain at least said terminal-related ID from a consumer via said consumer's interaction with a website implemented by the web server, and to obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal- related ID in a database. .26

16. The point-of-sale terminal tem of claim 13, 14 or 15, wherein the point—of~ sale terminals comprise computers located at a helpdesk, the computer being operable to obtain at least said terminal-related ID from a consumer via said consumer supplying said data to a helpdesk operator by telephone or other electronic communications method, and to obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal-related ID in a database.

17. The point-of-sale terminai of any of claims claim 13 to 16, wherein the communications devices comprise cellular phone type communications devices, e.g. GPRS or UMTS modems, and the communications ID is in the form of a cellular telephone number, and the first message comprises, for example, an SMS.

18. The point-of-sale terminal of any of claims claim 13 to 17, wherein the communications devices comprise internet protocol (IP) based modems, and the communications ID is in the form of a an IP address, email address or equivalent.

19. The point-of-sale terminal of any of claims claim 13 to 18, wherein, upon obtaining said data from the consumer, a point-of-sale terminal is adapted to send a second message to a supplier associated with the commodity supplier ID, the second message indicating a quantity of commodity to be supplied to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the ﬁrst message.

20. The point-of-sale terminal of any of ciaims 13 to 19, wherein the commodity supply network further includes a transaction hub connected to the point-of-sale terminals, for transmitting the ﬁrst and/or second messages.

21. The point—of—sale terminal of any of claims 13 to 20, wherein at least some of the consumer commodity terminals incorporate commodity meters.

22. The point-of-sale terminal of claim 21, wherein commodity supply network further includes a terminai read hub, for receiving meter read messages from consumer commodity terminals, each meter read message incorporating a current meter reading for the commodity. 35 .27 ,

23. The point-of-sale terminal of any of claims 13 to 22, wherein the commodity supply network further includes an installation hub, for transmitting installation data to a consumer commodity terminal, following new installation thereof.

24. The point-of-sale terminal of any of claims 13 to 23, wherein the commodity supply network further includes a message hub, for transmitting human readable messages to a consumer commodity terminal for display to a consumer.

25. A consumer commodity terminal operable to control a supply of a metered commodity in a system for prepayment metering and remote control of metered commodity access, the system comprising a commodity supply network, including a network of point-of-sale terminals, wherein the point-of—sale terminals and the commodity supply network are linked by a communications link, and wherein the point-of-sale terminals are operable to obtain data from a consumer, said data including at least a terminal- related ID, wherein the terminal-related ID comprises a jumbled or otherwise obfuscated form of the communications ID, the point-of-sale terminals being adapted to unjumble the terminal-related ID.to determine a communications ID from the obtained data and to send a ﬁrst message to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the communications ID, the ﬁrst message indicating a quantity of metered commodity to be permitted by the consumer commodity terminal to be used; each consumer commodity terminal having including a communications device and having at least one communications ID associated therewith, whereby the consumer commodity terminal may receive electronic messages routed using the communications ID.

26. The consumer commodity terminal of claim 25, wherein the point-of-sale terminals are operable to obtain data from consumer cards, each consumer card having said commodity supplier ID and a terminal-related ID stored thereon, wherein the communications ID is determined following interaction with a consumer card.

27. The consumer commodity terminal of claim 25 or 26, wherein the point-of- sale terminals comprise web servers operable to obtain at least said terminal-related ID from a consumer via said consumer's interaction with a website implemented by the web server, and to obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal- related ID in a database.

28. The consumer commodity terminal of claim 25, 26 or 27, wherein the point- of-sale terminals comprise computers located at a helpdesk, the computer being operable to obtain at least said terminal—related ID from a consumer via said consumer supplying said data to a helpdesk operator by telephone or other electronic communications method, and to obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal-related ID in a database.

29. The consumer commodity terminal of any of claims claim 25 to 28, wherein the communications devices comprise cellular phone type communications devices, e.g. GPRS or UMTS modems, and the communications ID is in the form of a cellular telephone number, and the ﬁrst message comprises, for example, an SMS.

30. The consumer commodity terminal of any of claims claim 25 to 28, wherein the communications devices comprise internet protocol (IP) based modems, and the communications ID is in the form of an IP address, email address or equivalent.

31. The consumer commodity terminal of any of claims claim 25 to 30, wherein, upon obtaining said data from the consumer, a point-of—sa|e terminal is adapted to send a second message to a supplier associated with the commodity supplier ID, the second message indicating a quantity of commodity to be supplied to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the ﬁrst message.

32. The consumer commodity terminal of any of claims claim 25 to 31, wherein the commodity supply network further includes a transaction hub connected to the point-of-sale terminals, for transmitting the ﬁrst and/or second messages.

33. The consumer commodity terminal of any of claims claim 25 to 32, wherein at least some of the consumer commodity terminals incorporate commodity meters.

34. The consumer commodity terminal of claim 33, wherein commodity supply network further includes a terminal read hub, for receiving meter read messages 35 .29 from consumer commodity terminals, each meter read message incorporating a current meter reading for the commodity. ‘

35. The consumer commodity terminal of any of claims claim 25 to 34, wherein the commodity supply network further includes an installation hub, for transmitting installation data to a consumer commodity terminal, following new installation thereof.

36. The consumer commodity terminal of any of claims claim 25 to 35, wherein the commodity supply network further includes a message hub, for transmitting human readable messages to a consumer commodity terminal for display to a consumer.

37. A consumer card operable for use in a system for prepayment metering and remote control of metered commodity access, the system comprising a commodity supply network, including a network of point-of-sale terminals, consumer commodity terminals operable to control a supply of the metered commodity, each consumer commodity terminal having including a communications device and having at least one communications ID associated therewith, whereby the consumer commodity terminal may receive electronic messages routed using the communications ID; wherein the point—of-sale terminals and the commodity supply network are linked by a communications link, the point—of-sale terminals being operable to obtain data from consumer cards, and to send a ﬁrst message to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the communications ID, the ﬁrst message indicating a quantity of metered commodity to be permitted by the consumer commodity terminal to be used; and wherein each consumer card has stored thereon a commodity supplier ID and a terminai-related ID; wherein the consumer card includes means for transferring the terminal- related ID to a point-of-sale terminal upon interaction therewith; and wherein the terminal-related ID comprises a jumbled or otherwise obfuscated form of the communications ID, the point-of—sa|e terminals being adapted to unjumble the terminal-related ID. 35 .30

38. The consumer card of claim 37, wherein the communications devices comprise cellular phone type communications devices, e.g. GPRS or UMTS modems, and the communications ID is in the form of a cellular telephone number, and the ﬁrst message comprises, for example, an SMS.

39. The consumer card of claim 37, wherein the communications devices comprise internet protocol (IP) based modems, and the communications ID is in the form of an IP address, email address or equivalent.

40. A method of operating a system for prepayment metering and remote control of metered commodity access, the system comprising a commodity supply network, including a network of point-of-sale terminals, consumer commodity terminals operable to control a supply of the metered commodity, each consumer commodity terminal having including a communications device and having at least one communications ID associated therewith, whereby the consumer commodity terminal may receive electronic messages routed using the communications ID, wherein the point~of~sale terminals and the commodity supply network are linked by a communications link, the method comprising operating the point-of-sale terminals to (i) obtain data from a consumer, said data including at least a terminal- related ID, the terminal-related ID comprises a jumbled or otherwise obfuscated form of the communications ID, (ii) determine a communications ID from the obtained data by unjumbling the terminal-related ID, and (ill) send a ﬁrst message to the consumer commodity terminal associated with the communications ID, the ﬁrst message indicating a quantity of metered commodity to be permitted by the consumer commodity terminal to be used.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising operating the point-of-sale terminals to obtain data from consumer cards, each consumer card having said commodity supplier ID and a terminal-related ID stored thereon, wherein the communications ID is determined following interaction with a consumer card.

42. The method of claim 40 or 41, wherein the point-of~sale terminals comprise ' web servers, the method further comprising operating the point-of—sale terminals to obtain at least said terminal-related ID from a consumer via said consumer's 35 .31 interaction with a website implemented by the web server, and to obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal-related ID in a database.

43. The method of claim 40, 41 or 42, wherein the point-of-sale terminals comprise computers located at a helpdesk, the method further comprising receiving at a computer at least said terminal-related ID from a consumer following said consumer supplying said data to a helpdesk operator by telephone or other electronic communications method, and to obtain a commodity supplier ID associated with the terminal-related ID in a database.

44. The method of any of claims claim 40 to 43, wherein the communications devices comprise cellular phone type communications devices, e.g. GPRS or UMTS modems, and the communications ID is in the form of a cellular telephone number.

45. The method of any of claims claim 40 to 44, wherein the communications devices comprise internet protocol (IP) based modems, and the communications ID is in the form of an IP address, email address or equivalent.

46. The method of any of claims 40 to 45, further comprising operating the point- of-sale terminal to send a second message to a supplier associated with the commodity supplier ID, the second message indicating a quantity of commodity to be supplied to the consumer commodity terminai associated with the first message.

47. The method of any of claims 40 to 46, comprising transmitting the ﬁrst and/or second messages using a transaction hub connected to the point—of-sale terminals.

48. The method of any of claims 40 to 47, further comprising receiving meter read messages from consumer commodity terminals at a terminal read hub, each meter read message incorporating a current meter reading for the commodity.

49. The method of any of claims claim 40 to 48, further comprising transmitting installation data to a consumer commodity terminal, following new installation thereof using an installation hub. O

50. The method of any of claims claim 40 to 49, further comprising transmitting human readable messages to a consumer cdmmodity terminal for display to a consumer using a message hub.

51. A system for remote control of commodity access and metering substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to