GB2510935A

GB2510935A - System for monitoring resources

Info

Publication number: GB2510935A
Application number: GB1318853.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenneth Hugh Mccorkindale; Harry William Bach
Original assignee: Tayeco Ltd
Current assignee: Tayeco Ltd
Priority date: 2012-11-11
Filing date: 2013-10-25
Publication date: 2014-08-20
Anticipated expiration: 2033-10-25
Also published as: GB201318853D0; GB2510935B; GB201220263D0

Abstract

A data transmission unit 10a,10b,10c for use with metered resources (e.g. water 14e, gas 14d, electricity 14a,b,c) can receive signals of more than one format and identify the format such that output signals can be generated in a single format for subsequent processing and/or transmission to a display 28. The unit can be connected 16 to utility meters 12 which provide signals in a variety of different signal formats (e.g. analogue or digital/pulsed), and provide consistent and comparable output signals. The unit can be used with existing or newly installed meters. The unit may be retrofitted to existing buildings. A resource monitoring system and a method for monitoring a resource using the data transmission unit are also described.

Description

SYSTEM FOR MONITORING RESOURCES

The present invention relates to a system for monitoring resources, and in particular, though not exclusively, the invention relates to a data transmission unit for use in a resource monitoring system for monitoring usage of resources such as utilities.

Excessive consumption of natural resources is an increasing problem. Such consumption depletes natural resources and, in turn, this can cause environmental problems as well as causing an increase in the cost of these resources, such as oil and gas. As a result, these rising costs can put significant strain on the budgets of users of the resources.

Awareness raising campaigns to try and encourage more careful use of natural resources on a personal basis has made knowledge of the issues mainstream.

However, awareness raising has not been successful in seeing the changes in behaviour required to see significant conservation of resources through decreased utility use.

When managing use of these resources, for example the use of electricity within a school building or office building or even within a home, the abstract measure of utility consumption based simply on the use of appliances means that it is difficult for individuals to conelate particular actions to, for example, a reduced use of power or water. This is compounded by the utilities companies sending out monthly or quarterly bills, which means that any specific action is lost within the context of utility consumption over a period of 30 days or more.

To overcome this disconnect between the actions which use the utilities and the overall resource consumption, a variety of different utility monitoring systems have been developed. Currently these utility monitoring systems monitor the consumption of electricity and provide a numerical display of consumption typically correlated to an estimated cost. By a user seeing a constant visual display of how much they are spending, they can react and adjust their consumption. EWGECO ® provide a utility monitoring system which gives a graphic display of multiple utilities such as gas, electricity and water. A strong visual display in the form of colours analogous to traffic lights' provides an easy to interpret display which enables users to assess the current level of usage and compare this to an optimum or a maximum desired level of usage. By having the connection between actual usage and optimal usage clearly visible and easy to interpret, users can, in real time, modify their behaviour and see the results in terms of utility consumption.

To provide a real time indication of usage, many current energy monitors operate by attaching a transmitter at or near the meter so as to receive a hard-wired digital signal from the meter. The signal is then transmitted, either by cable or wirelessly, to a remote display for viewing energy consumption.

However, currently, energy monitoring can only be performed on meters which provide a digital output. While legislation is in place to make all new meters installed be smart meters' which provide the digital output, this will not allow monitoring from old analogue meters and thus the functionality of said meters is limited to only being of use in new meter installations. Additionally, as consumers will want to monitor unmetered utilities such as oil, these will not be accessible as they are not required to have the new smart meters'.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system for monitoring resources such as utilities.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system for monitoring utility resources metered either by analogue or digital means.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a system for monitoring utility resources which facilitates real time management of resource usage.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a data transmission unit for use in a resource monitoring system, the data transmission unit comprising: an input module, in direct communication with a meter of a resource and operable to receive an input signal indicative of resource consumption in more than

I

one input signal format, identify said input signal format and act upon said input signal to provide a single format output signal which represents said input signal; and a transmitter module operable to transmit data representative of said resource consumption.

By having a data transmission unit which is provided with an input capability able to receive signals of more than one format and which is able to identi the format such that output signals can be generated in a single format for subsequent processing and/or transmission, the unit is suitable for use on a variety of different metered resources which provide signals in a variety of different siial formats and provide consistent and comparable output signals. Such a unit is able to be used on any metered resource regardless of whether the metered resource provides a digital or analogue output in any format and thus existing and newly installed metered resources can each be monitored by the unit. The unit may therefore be retrofitted to existing buildings.

While metered resources will be understood to herein refer to services used by the public which are supplied in a manner that involves metering, these resources including, but not limited to a various types of energy supplies such as electricity and gas as well as water supply, any resource to which a measurement device is attachable to provide a signal indicative of generation andlor consumption of the resource, will be considered as a metered resource for example, energy generation from solar panels and wind turbines located upon a building.

In referring to format, we mean both the type of signal, for example analogue or digital, and the nature of the signal, for example continuous, pulsed, coded, range.

The monitoring unit may be provided with a plurality of input units each in direct communication with one of a plurality of meters of a metered resource. By having a plurality of input units each associated with a discreet meter for an individual metered resource, each input unit can receive an input signal of differing format and act upon the signal to provide an output signal representative of the individual metered resource which is in a format consistent with the output from each of the other of the plurality of input units.

Preferably, the input unit is provided with a processing mechanism operable to identify the input signal format. Alternatively, the input unit is provided with an input interface into which data identifying the signal format output by the associated meter is input enabling the input signal format to be identified. The input interface may be for examplc, a user input interface or a digital connection interface such as a DC jack port. By provision of a mechanism to identi' the input signal format, the monitoring unit is able to be used with any metered resource regardless of format or age. An example analogue input signal may be from a current transducer. An example digital input may be from an JEC compliant pulsed meter. For currently unmetered supplies such as oil, a meter may be fitted to the exit line which may be in the form of any measurement device, and an output taken in any format to be input to the input unit.

Optionally, the data transmission unit also comprises a processor operable on the/each output signal. In this way, the output signals can be used in calculations to provide enhanced data for transmission. The processor may comprise an input interface as described above, to enable consumption information to be stored in the unit and used in the calculations. For example, an expected consumption rate of a resource may be input to the processor, the processor may then calculate the actual consumption rate from the output signal against the expected consumption rate and the data transmitted may be indicative of whether the expected rate is being exceeded. Alternatively, the output signal may be transmitted as the data signal for later processing.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a resource monitoring system for monitoring at least one resource, the system comprising: at least one data transmission unit according to the first aspect; and a display unit, operable to receive said transmitted data and provide a visual display indicative of resource consumption.

By having a resource monitoring system with a data transmission unit which is provided with an input capability able to receive signals of more than one format type and which is able to identify said format such that said output signals can be generated in a single format for subsequent transmission, the system is able to be used on a variety of different metered resources and provide consistent and comparable output signals. Such a system is able to be used with any metered resource regardless of whether the metered resource provides a digital or analogue data output and thus existing and newly installed metered resources can all be monitored by the system.

Preferably, a data transmission unit is connected to a plurality of meters. In this way, multiple resources can be monitored via a single data transmission unit. Preferably also there are a plurality of data transmission units. In this way, a data transmission unit can be located local to meters where the meters are together and, if the meters are spread a distance apart, separate data transmission units may be used.

Preferably, where a plurality of data transmission units are used, one unit will be assigned as the master and the remainder will be slaves. Preferably, the output signals are transmifted from the slave units to the master unit. More preferably, the master unit includes a processor operable on each output signal. In this way, the output signals can be used together in calculations to provide enhanced data for transmission.

Preferably also, the master unit provides transmitted data to the display. In this way, a wireless network is set-up to monitor resources in a building such as a home, office or factory.

Optionally, the display unit includes a processor operable to provide calculations on the transmitted data. In this way, output signals may be transmitted from each data transmission unit and all processing is performed in the display unit. The display unit may include a user interface so that commands and/or additional data may be input to the processor. Alternatively and/or additionally, the display unit may include a digital interface so that additional data and commands may be downloaded to the display by wireless RE communication or via a USB port.

Preferably, the display unit gives a visual display of a plurality of resources. The resources may be selected from a group comprising: electricity, water, gas, oil, LPG and renewables. In an embodiment the display unit is a EWGECO® display unit.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for monitoring a resource, the method comprising the steps of: receiving an input signal from a meter of a resource; identing the input signal format generating a single format output representative of input signal; transmitting data representative of said single format output.

By providing a single format output, any meter can be monitored whether it be an existing meter in a building or if it is newly installed, such as a smart meter'. The method is also applicable where old meters are replaced by new smart meters'.

Preferably, the method includes the step of receiving an input fixm a plurality of meters. In this way morn than one resource such as utilities including electricity, water and gas, can be monitored by a single monitoring system.

Preferably, the method includes the step of displaying the transmitted data in a visual display. More preferably, the display is graphic having no numerical symbols. In this way, a user can obtain an easily interpretable indication of theft resource usage.

Preferably, the method includes the step of processing the single format output with additional data to provide an enhanced visual display.

Embodiments of thc present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the Ibllowing figures, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an installed data transmission unit in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a resource monitoring system in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of units within a resource monitoring system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring initially to Figure 1 there is illustrated a data transnüssion unit, generally indicated by reference numeral 10, for use in monitoring a resource according to an embodiment of the present invention. A resource, in the tbrm of a known utility such as electricity, is typically provided with a meter 12 located on the electrical supply line 14. The meter 12 may bc provided in a building such as a house, office or factory where an electrical supply is required.

Old electrical meters operate by counting rotations of a spinning disc. Each revolution is designated as a part of a unit and a counter clocks up the units. There is no output as such, with consumption being determined purely by the number of units being clocked-up. Meter readers still visit properties in order to read the meter' by noting the clocked-up number of units. The meters tend to be in high cupboards with difficult accessibility to discourage tampering, but it also means that the display is not easily accessible to a user and even if it were, they cannot equate the units' with the charge on their bill or the usage in the property. An analogue output was artificially created from these old meters by arranging a laser to be incident upon the disc and note the number of recordings electronically. Such a system is disclosed in US 5214587 which provides an electrical signal indicative of the units used. New electricity meters are now provided with an output port providing a signal in the form of an IEC compliant pulsed meter. The present invention provides a data transmitter unit which would allow both of the above described electricity meters which produce an electrical signal to be monitored via the same resource monitoring system.

Electricity meter 12 is hard wired by a cable 16 to the data transmission unit 10.

Ideally the transmitter unit 10 is located adjacent to the meter 12, but where more than one meter is to be connected to the transmitter unit 10, the unit 10 may be located at any suitable position and the lengths of the cables 16 adjusted to reach each of the meters. Alternatively, and as will be described later, multiple data transmission units may be used.

Data transmission unit 10 comprises an input unit 18 into which the cabled communication link 16 is provided, an interface unit 20, into which data relevant to the meter 12 can be input, a processing unit 22 and a transmitter unit 24.

The interface unit 20 may be a user input keypad, a USB port for connection to a suitable electronic device thus enabling direct downloading of relevant meter information, or a wireless receiver to enable wireless reception of the necessary data.

Data relating to the meter 12, such as meter model and technical data including whether the meter is analogue or digitalis input via interface unit 20.

The processor unit 22 may store information in relation to known meters 12 and parameters associated with such meters. The processor unit 22 may also have analytical circuits and software to determine the nature of the signal at the input 17 such as whether it is an analogue or digital signal, to identi' the format of the input signal from the meter 12. Using the information from the interface unit 20 together with the analysis in the processor unit 22, the input signal format is identified. The input signal is then routed through a conversion circuit and associated software, if required, to convert the input signal into a desired output signal of a predefined format. This predefined format may be a digital pulsed signal 26 which is suitable for wireless transmission from the transmission unit 24.

Thus as the input signal 17 carries information on electricity usage from the meter 12, this information is converted to another format, but is still carried over to be wirelessly transmitted from the unit 10. Thus any format of data input from a meter 12 at the input 17 will be converted to the desired format for onward transmission from the transmitter unit 24.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the input signal is converted to the desired format and transmitted in its entirety to provide an output signal 26 with the same data as is contained in the input signal 17. In an alternative embodiment, the processor unit 22 is additionally used to condition the input signal 17 and provide one or more outputs in the desired format which provide additional data in respect to the electricity usage. For example, a user may program the processor 22, via the interface 20, to record electricity consumption over a seven day period. The processor 22 may then determine the rate of usage against the previous week's usage and instead of providing an output signal indicative of current usage, it may alternatively or additionally, transmit an output signal indicative of the relative electricity usage. In this way, enhanced data can be transmitted from the unit 10.

Advantages of the use of a data transmission system can be seen with the aid of Figure 2. In Figure 2 there is shown a resource monitoring system 30 in which five metered resource supplies 12a-e are monitored, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The three meters 12a-c are each connected to an electricity supply 14a-c respectively.

The supplies 14a-c may be independent electricity supplies or they may represent individual rings from a main supply. By locating a meter on individual rings of a supply, consumption for separate areas or zones of a building can be determined.

Alternatively, the meters I 2a-e may relate to different ages of meters, for example, meter 12e may be a newly installed smart meter' provided when a renovation or extension of the building was completed, while meters 12a and 12b may be of an older analogue style.

Each of the three meters I 2a-c are likely to be arranged close to the mains supply entering the building and thus a data transmission unit 1 0a can also be located close to this site. Each output of the meters 12a-c is input to the unit lOa via cabled connections 16a-c respectively. As the meters 12a-c are typically out of view and the unit lOa does not require to be in view, these devices and cables can be located inside cupboards. Indeed, the newer meters may be installed in a cupboard on an outside wall of a property as is currently done, so that they may be read by a meter reader without requiring access to the building.

A further meter 12d is also located in the building close to a meter of a resource, in this case a utility, being gas. Gas meters are currently available but commonly have no outputs, providing only a reading which a visiting meter reader will view and note down. In the present invention, the meter 12d provides a digital output being IEC compliant or, alternatively, a flow meter can be attached to the supply line 14d and a measurement taken from the flow meter. In either case the meter 12d is cabled lGd to a data transmission unit lOb.

In a yet further location in the property a meter 12e is arranged to meter the water supply 14e. It provides a digital output being IEC compliant. This output is also cabled 16e to a data transmission unit lOc. Accordingly, each data transmission unit IOa-c is arranged in proximity to a meter of a resource at locations throughout the building.

Each data transmission unit is as described hereinbcforc with reference to Figure 1.

Each data transmission unit lOa-c may have a number of input ports, or units lOb,lOc may be provided with a single port with a known connector configuration. However, it is more preferable for the data transmission unit 1 Oa-c to have a number of inputs of potentially different plug configurations to suit the connector configurations from the respective meters. It will be recognised that the inputs could be uniform and adapters used to provide the required connections.

Pre-programmed information in respect to each meter 12a-e may be input through the respective interface 20 of each unit 10. Using the processor 22, each unit lOa-c will generate an output signal 26a-e indicative of the utility consumption of each resource I 4a-e to be transmitted to a remote display unit 28 which enables the output data to be collated and used to generate a user accessible visible output 32.

In this arrangement, each unit lOa-c is operable to act upon the received data from each meter 12a-e, to identify the input signal format and act upon said input signal to provide a suitable single format output signal, in this case a digital output signal, which represents said input signal. The transmitter unit 24 in each unit lOa-c then receives this output signal and thus transmits a data signal 26a-c representative of said output signal. Each unit lOa-c is arranged to operate such that regardless of the format of the input signals generated by the meters 12a-e and received by the data transmission units lOa-c, the output signal 26a-e which is generated by the input unit 18 and provided to the transmitter unit 24 is generated in the same format as each other output signal generated by the other data transmission units 10 within the system 30.

On receipt of the output signals 26a-c, which are transmitted wirelessly through the building, the display unit 28 also processes the signals 26 and provides a visual display 32 of resource consumption. In Figure 2, the three utilities, water, gas and electricity are shown separately in vertical strips of coloured bands. If the data has been processed using historical usage information, the bands in each strip can be colour-coded from green, through amber to red to indicate current usage against historical usage. Numerical information may also be provided. Such a display unit is produced by EWOECO®.

As the format of each output signal from monitoring units lOa-c is the same as for each other monitoring unit output signal, the signals received by the display unit 28 have a consistent and comparable format. Thus the system 30 is able to implement a consistent approach on the managing of each signal thus providing a comprehensive output which ensures the resources are managed both individually, and in combination, in a more effective and valuable manner. Thus the system 30 is suitable for implementation within premises in which the existing services arc individually managed by different resource signal generation types.

In an alternative embodiment, the unit I Oa may act as a master unit, with the units I Ob and lOc acting as slave units. In this embodiment, the outputs 26b and 26c are transmitted wirelessly to the master unit 1 Oa. There is generally no requirement for a processor 22 in the slave units lOb,c. The outputs 26b,c will have the same uniform desired format and on reception at the master unit lOa, can be processed in the processer 22 of the master unit I Oa, to provide one combined output signal 26a for onward transmission to the display unit 28.

Reference is now made to Figure 3 of the drawings which illustrates a more detailed arrangement of the unit 10 according to an embodimcnt of the present invention. Up to three meter inputs can be connected to the screw terminal inputs 40. The processor 42 selects the utility type and routes the signal accordingly via a utility measurement type selector 44. For pulse inputs the signal is routed via the pulse conditioning circuitry 46 and into the processor 42, where the period between pulses is measured and captured. For current transducer outputs the voltage signal is routed to an RMS/DC converter 48 and measured by the processor 42 via an analogue-digital converter 50. Information regarding the meter and consumption scaling is programmed into the processor 42 via the USB port 52, or via the wireless interface 54 from the display (not shown). Consumption data is relayed to the display via the wireless transceiver 56 via an antenna 58.

II

The principle advantage of the invention is that it provides a data transmission unit for usc in a resource monitoring system which allows any meter regardless of it's output format to be monitored using the resource monitoring system.

A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides a resource monitoring system which can monitor multiple resources and display the consumption on a single display unit.

A yet further advantage of the present invention is that it provides a resource monitoring system which can be fitted to new buildings and retro-fitted in older buildings to facilitate real time management of resource usage.

It will be appreciated to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made to the invention herein described without departing from the scope thereof For example, although water, gas and electricity have been given as example utilities, any meterable utility may be monitored by the system, including, but not limited to LPG, oil, chemicals, grain or the like. Additionally, while a transmitter is described as being a master, the display unit may act as the master with the transmitters as slaves.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A data transmission unit for use in a resource monitoring system, the data transmission unit comprising: an input module including an input unit in direct communication with a meter of a resource and operable to receive an input signal indicative of resource consumption in more than one input signal format, identify said input signal format and act upon said input signal to provide a single format output signal which represents said input signal; and a transmitter module operable to transmit data representative of said resource consumption to a display unit.
2. A data transmission unit according to claim I wherein the input module is provided with a plurality of input units each in direct communication with one of a plurality of meters of a metered resource.
3. A data transmission unit according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the input unit is provided with a processing mechanism operable to identify the input signal format.
4. A data transmission unit according to claim I or claim 2 wherein the input unit is provided with an input interface into which data identifying the signal format output by the associated meter is input enabling the input signal format to be identified.
5. A data transmission unit according to claim 4 wherein the input interface is a user input interface.
6. A data transmission unit according to claim 4 wherein the input interface is digital connection interface.
7. A data transmission unit according to any preceding claim wherein the data transmission unit also comprises a processor operable on the/each single format output signal.
8. A data transmission unit according to claim 7 wherein the processor comprises an input interface to enable consumption information to be stored in the unit and used in the calculations.
9. A resource monitoring system for monitoring at least one resource, the system comprising: at least one data transmission unit according to any one of claims ito 8; and a display unit, operable to receive said transmitted data and provide a visual display indicative of resource consumption.
10. A resource monitoring system according to claim 9 wherein a data transmission unit is connected to a plurality of meters.
ii. A resource monitoring system according to claim 9 wherein there are is a plurality of data transmission units each connected to one of a plurality of meters.
12. A resource monitoring system according to claim i 1 wherein one unit is assied as the master and remainder units are slaves.
13. A resource monitoring system according to claim 12 wherein the output signals arc transmittcd from thc slave units to the mastcr unit.
14. A resource monitoring system according to claim ii or claim 12 wherein the master unit includes a processor operable on each output signal.
15. A resource monitoring system according to any one of claims 12 to i4 wherein the master unit provides transmitted data to the display.
16. A resource monitoring system according to any preceding daim wherein display unit includes a processor operable to provide calculations on the transmitted data.
17. A resource monitoring system according to any preceding claim wherein display unit includes a user interface to input commands and/or additional data to the processor.
18. A resource monitoring system according to any preceding claim wherein display unit includes a digital interface.
19. A resource monitoring system according to any preceding claim wherein display unit gives a visual display of a plurality of resources.
20. A resource monitoring system according to claim 19 wherein the resources are selected fttm a group comprising: electricity, water, gas, oil, LPG and itnewablcs.
21. A method for monitoring a resource, the method comprising the steps oi receiving an input signal ftxm a meter of a resource; identing the input signal fotmat generating a single format output representative of the input signal; and transmitting data representative of said single format output.
22. A method for monitoring a resource according to claim 21 wherein the method includes the step of receiving an input from a plurality of meters.
23. A method for monitoring a resource according to claim 21 or claim 22 wherein the method includes the step of displaying the transmitted data in a visual display.
24. A method for monitoring a resource according to claim 23 wherein the display is graphic having no numerical symbols.
25. A method for monitoring a resource according to claim 23 or claim 24 wherein the method includes the step of processing the single format output with additional data to provide an enhanced visual display.Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows:CLAIMSI. A resource monitoring system for monitoring at least one resource, the system comprising: at least one data transmission unit; the data transmission unit comprising: an input module including an input unit in direct communication with a meter of a resource and operable to receive an input signal indicative of resource consumption in more than one input signal format, identify said input signal format and act upon said input signal to provide a single format output signal which represents said input signal; and a transmitter module operable to transmit data representative of said resource consumption to a display unit; and a display unit, operable to receive said transmitted data and provide a visual display indicative of resource consumption; wherein there is a plurality of data transmission units each connected to one of a plurality of meters and one data transmission unit is assigned as the master o and remainder data transmission units are slaves.-20 2. A resource monitoring system according to claim I wherein the input module is provided with a plurality of input units each in direct communication with one of a plurality of meters of a metered resource.3. A resource monitoring system according to claim I or claim 2 wherein the input unit is provided with a processing mechanism operable to identify the input signal format.4. A resource monitoring system according to claim I or claim 2 wherein the input unit is provided with an input interface into which data identifying the signal format output by the associated meter is input enabling the input signal format to be identified.S. A resource monitoring system according to claim 4 wherein the input interface is a user input interface.6. A resource monitoring system according to claim 4 wherein the input interface is digital connection interface.7. A resource monitoring system according to any preceding claim wherein the data transmission unit also comprises a processor operable on the/each single format output signal.8. A resource monitoring system according to claim 7 wherein the processor comprises an input interface to enable consumption information to be stored in the unit and used in the calculations.9. A resource monitoring system according to any preceding claim wherein the output signals are transmitted from the slave units to the master unit.10. A resource monitoring system according to any preceding claim wherein the master unit includes a processor operable on each output signal.It. A resource monitoring system according to any preceding claim wherein the o 20 master unit provides transmitted data to the display.12. A resource monitoring system according to any preceding claim wherein display unit includes a processor operable to provide calculations on the transmitted data.H. A resource monitoring system according to any preceding claim wherein display unit includes a user interface to input commands and/or additional data to the processor.14. A resource monitoring system according to any preceding claim wherein display unit includes a digital interface.15. A resource monitoring system according to any preceding claim wherein display unit gives a visual display of a plurality of resources.6. A resource monitoring system according to claim 15 wherein the resources are selected from a group comprising: electricity, water, gas, oil, LPG and renewables.17. A method for monitoring a resource, the method comprising the steps of: providing a resource monitoring system according to any one of claims I to 16; receiving an input signal from a meter of a resource; identifying the input signal format; generating a sing'e format output representative of the input signal; and transmitting data representative of said single format output.8. A method for monitoring a resource according to claim 7 wherein the method includes the step of receiving an input from a plurality of meters.19. A method for monitoring a resource according to claim 17 or claim 18 wherein the method includes the step of displaying the transmitted data in a visual o display.20. A method for monitoring a resource according to claim 19 wherein the display is graphic having no numerical symbols.21. A method for monitoring a resource according to claim 19 or claim 20 wherein the method includes the step of processing the single format output with additional data to provide an enhanced visual display.