OA16468A - Systems and methods for activation and deactivation of appliances. - Google Patents

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for an appliance system. The system includes an appliance, and a processor connected to the appliance such that the processor places the appliance in one of an enabled state and a disabled state. The processor is configured to track usage of the appliance and to place the appliance in a disabled state when the usage of the appliance exceeds a threshold amount. The system also includes a data receiving device configured to receive a code, wherein upon receipt of a valid code, the processor is configured to adjust the threshold amount to allow additional usage of the appliance.

Description

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ACTIVATION AND DEACTIVATION OF

APPLIANCES

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Pat. App. No. 13/042,611, filed

March 8, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for ail purposes.

TECHNIC AL FIELD [0002] The présent disclosure relates generally to appliance control and more specifically to appliance usage restriction.

BACKGROUND [0003] One in four people worldwide lack electricity. In many developing nations, centralized electrical production is not available and acquiring autonomous electrical 10 production capabilities and appliances for utilizing produced electricity is cost prohibitive.

The upfront costs of purchasing solar energy cells and related hardware as well as basic appliances such as lights, refrigerators, and fans is just too great for many people. Thus, a need exists for a System that enables persons on budgets to acquire electrical Systems that may greatly improve health and quality of life while ensuring that providers of those Systems 15 are properly compensated.

SUMMARY [0004] In accordance with the teachings provided herein, système and methods are provided for an appliance System. The System may include an appliance and a processor connected to the appliance such that the processor places the appliance in an enabled state or 20 a disabled state. The processor may be confîgured to track usage of the appliance and to place the appliance in a disabled state when the usage of the appliance exceeds a threshold amount. The System may also include a data receiving device confîgured to receive a code,

wherein upon receipt of a valid code, the processor is configured to adjust the threshold amount to allow additional usage of the appliance.

[0005] As another example, a method of operating an appliance may include determining a usage threshold amount and monitoring usage of the appliance. A code may be received using a human interface device or a machine-to-machine communication device, the code being associated with a crédit amount. A détermination may be made that the received code is a valid code, and the usage threshold amount may be adjusted based on the crédit amount associated with the valid code. The appliance may be disabled when the monitored usage exceeds the usage threshold amount.

[0006] The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0007] FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting an appliance usage monitoring system responsive to a télévision.

[0008] FIG. 2 is a block diagram depicting a charge controller that is part of a solar power génération system.

[0009] FIG. 3 depicts an example authorization code.

[0010] FIG. 4 depicts a network of appliances responsive to one or more appliance usage monitoring Systems.

[0011] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram depicting an example code vérification operation.

[0012] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram depicting example monitoring of usage of an appliance.

[0013] FIG. 7 depicts an example operational scénario.

[0014] FIG. 8 is a flow diagram depicting a method of operating an appliance.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0015] Electrical appliances as well as Systems for autonomous production and storage of electricity are often cost prohibitive, excluding a large portion of the population from using those appliances. While many are unable to pay the large upfront costs involved with purchasing electrical appliances outright, those people may be able to pay for such appliances via an installment payment plan (e.g., a rent-to-own plan or a continuous reniai plan).

Appliance providers may hâve interests that run counter to appliance users at times in that the appliance providers désiré to be paid in full for their goods. Appliance providers may prefer full payment of a purchase cost for an appliance upfront, thus guaranteeing payment.

Installment plans may be less attractive to a provider, as the provider assumes certain risk that the appliance user will default on his payment plan. Appliance providers may be more willing to offer appliances via installment plans if the risk of non-payment is mitigated.

[0016] An appliance usage monitoring System may provide such mitigation by selectively enabling or disabling an appliance or collection of appliances based on the status of payments 15 made by the user for the appliance and tracked usage of the appliances. When usage of the appliance exceeds a usage threshold that is set based on the current status of payments for the appliance, the appliance is disabled by the appliance usage monitoring System. The usage threshold may also be considered a balance of available usage (e.g., money crédit) that is subtracted from, where the usage threshold is exceeded and the appliance is disabled when 20 usage fees exceed a current balance. The appliance may be re-activated when payments for the appliance become current. Because the appliance is non-functional when payments are not current, users are more likely to make timely payments. Appliance providers may be more willing to provide appliances via installment payment plans based on this knowledge, making the appliances available to a larger segment of the population. Appliances may take 25 any number of forms and may include devices that provide electricity, devices that store

I electricity, devices that use electricity, or other devices that rely on chemical energy, mechanical energy, nuclear energy, or are otherwise powered that can be placed into an enabled or disabled state.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting an appliance usage monitoring system responsive to a télévision. An appliance usage monitoring system 102 is connected to a télévision 104 and controls whether the télévision is in an enabled or disabled state. An appliance usage monitoring system 102 may be manifest in a variety of forms including a data processor or a microcontroller. Herein, an appliance usage monitoring system 102 is, at certain points, referred to generally as a processor. Example processors that may be used include a Microchip PIC24FJ64, an Atmel AT89C51, a Zilog Encore Z8F0130, a similar 8bit, 16-bit, or 32-bit microcontroller, or others. A processor 102 may be attached to an appliance, such as a télévision 104, extemally or may be integrated into the appliance. The processor 102 may include some type of tamper-resistance protection.

[0018] The processor tracks usage of the appliance and is confîgured to place the appliance in a disabled state when usage of the appliance exceeds a usage threshold amount. Usage may be tracked in a variety of different ways. For example, usage may be tracked by the passage of time. In such a case, an installment plan may grant a user one rnonth of usage of an appliance for each payment made. In another example, usage may be tracked as an amount of time of active use. In such a case, an installment plan may grant a user 20 hours of active use (e.g., télévision watching) for a $5.00 payment. In a further example, usage may be tracked as an amount of energy generated, stored, or used. In such a case, an installment plan may grant a user access to produce and use lkWh of energy using a solar powered energy generation/storage system for a $10.00 payment. Other metrics for appliance usage may also be utilized.

I

A [0019] In addition to tracking usage of an appliance, an appliance usage monitoring system 102 tracks a usage threshold that détermines how much the appliance may be used before the appliance is to be placed into a disabled state. The usage threshold may be set according to terms of an installment payaient plan between an appliance provider and a user.

The usage threshold may be adjustable based on receipt of confirmation of payment to the application provider. For example, a user may agréé to an installment payment plan for a télévision, where the user is permitted to use the télévision for $5.00 per month. The user pays $5.00 at the time of agreement and the usage threshold is set to one month from the time of the agreement. When the appliance usage monitoring system 102 détermines that the month has expired, and no additional payment confirmations hâve been received, the appliance usage monitoring system 102 may place the télévision in a disabled state. Upon receipt of a payment confirmation, the appliance usage monitoring System 102 may adjust the usage threshold to one month from the receipt of payment confirmation. If a payment confirmation for one month of usage is received by the appliance usage monitoring system while the télévision is still in an enabled state, then the appliance usage monitoring system may extend the usage threshold one month from the current usage threshold.

[0020] Some appliance usage monitoring Systems 102 may also support an installment plan pay-off feature. A user may décidé to pay off the remaining balance of his installment plan instead of continuing to make installment payments. A spécial payment confirmation may be provided to the appliance usage monitoring system 102 associated with the now-paidoff appliance indicating that the appliance has been paid for in full. Upon receipt of such a message, the associated appliance usage monitoring system may allow continuai use of the appliance without placing the appliance in a disabled state. This may be accomplished in a variety of ways including extending the usage threshold to infinity or beyond the useful life of the appliance, discontinuing monitoring of usage of the appliance, setting a flag instructing t

* the system 102 not to place the appliance in a disabled state when usage exceeds the usage threshold, or other mechanisms.

[0021] The appliance usage monitoring system 102 may place an appliance in a disabled state in a variety of ways. For example, an appliance usage monitoring system 102 may disconnect an appliance, such as a télévision 104, from a power source, such that the appliance is completely disabled. The appliance usage monitoring System 102 may completely disabled an appliance via a number of other mechanisms as well. The appliance usage monitoring system 102 may disable an appliance by placing the appliance in a state of diminished usefulness. Such a disabling may allow some limited use of the appliance. For example, a disabled télévision may be limited to display of a single channel or a subset of channels that are available when the télévision is in an enabled state (e.g., only a channel displaying a message prompting the user to buy more crédit is viewable). A light appliance may be limited to only a lowest brightness setting. A fan appliance may be limited to a lowest speed setting. An amount of power generated, stored, or made available for use from a solar energy system may be limited (e.g., to 25% of enabled state) when the system is placed in a disabled state by an appliance usage monitoring system.

[0022] The appliance usage monitoring System 102 may be used in a variety of contexts. For example, the appliance usage monitoring system 102 may be incorporated into an autonomous solar power system that can operate without needing a connection to any electrical grid (e.g., a system may be used in remote locations having no connection to a centralized power provider). The system may include a solar panel, a wind turbine, or other energy capture device. A charge controller may control transfer of that captured energy to one or more batteries. Power from the one or more batteries may be supplied to one or more appliances via DC power or AC power via an inverter.

[0023] The appliance usage monitoring system may receive payment confirmation în a variety of ways. FIG. 2 is a block diagram depicting a charge controller that is part of a solar power génération System. The charge controller 202 includes a processor 204 connected to the charge controller 202 such that the processor 204 places the charge controller 202 in an enabled state or a disabled state. The processor 204 tracks usage of the charge controller 202 and places the charge controller 202 in a disabled state when usage of the charge controller 202 exceeds a thieshold amount (e.g., the charge controller 202 provides more than a threshold amount of energy to a battery for storage).

[0024] The charge controller 202 also includes a human interface device 206 for data entry. The data entry device 206 is configured to receive a code. When a valid code is received via the data entry device 206, the processor 204 is configured to adjust the threshold amount to allow additional usage of the appliance. Data entry devices may take a variety of forms. In the example of FIG. 2, the data entry device 206 is a keypad. Upon making an installment payment, a user may be provided a code. A user may type a code into the data entry device 206. The data entry device 206 or the processor 204 may verify the authenticity of the code in one of a variety of ways, as described further herein below. Upon vérification of the authenticity of the code, the threshold amount is adjusted. For example, when a user types a valid code using the data entry device 206, the processor 204 may extend the threshold amount such that the charge controller may be used in an active state for a longer period of time or may be made active for providing a further amount of energy to a battery for storage.

[0025] The code may be entered via a number of other mechanisms as well. A single button may be used, where the code can be entered in a Morse-code fashion. Multiple buttons could be arranged in sériés or in a keypad grid. A microphone could be used for receiving audible tones that convey the code (e.g., a mobile phone could be held close to the microphone, and tones representing a code could be played from the phone to the microphone). A barcode scanner could read an optical code printed on paper or displayed on a screen. Codes may also be entered wirelessly via an RFID scanning system (e.g., the system could include an RFID reader, where an RFID chip containing a code is placed close to the reader for transmission of the code) or an infrared receiver.

[0026] Some or ail of the code may also be sent directly to the device without user intervention via a wireless communication protocol such as 802.11 (Wi-Fi), GSM (Global System For Communications), SMS (Short Message Service), GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution), 3G (International Mobile

Telecommunications-2000), WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), or 4G (International Mobile Télécommunications Advanced).

[0027] Codes for extending threshold amounts or for unlocking appliances for unlimited use may take a variety of forms. Codes may be unsecured or may be encrypted or otherwise secured to confirm authenticity, prevent reuse, and otherwise ensure protection of an appliance provider’s investment by preventing misuse of the system. FIG. 3 depicts an example authorization code. The final code is a concaténation of a number of values that are interpreted by the system, such as via a processor, to détermine authenticity of the code and actions that should be taken by the system in response to receipt of a valid code (e.g., extending a usage threshold). The final code depicted in FIG. 3 is a concaténation of a device serial number, an amount of crédit that was purchased by a user, a sériés number, and a cryptographie signature. The device serial number may be included with each code to ensure that the code is used with the system for which payment was made. The system may refuse to adjust a threshold amount when the device serial number identified in the code does not match a device serial number of the appliance. The crédit amount identifies an amount by which a threshold amount should be adjusted based on a received payment. Ail payments may move the threshold amount a uniform amount, or larger payments may move the threshold amount larger amounts than smaller payments. A crédit amount may indicate that the appliance has been paid for in full, unlocking the appliance. Receipt of a certain number of payments or certain cumulative crédit amounts may also unlock the appliance (e.g., the appliance may be unlocked upon receipt of a code for a final installment payment).

[0028] A sériés number may be included to prevent reentry of a code (e.g., the system may only accept one code for each sériés number). Additionally, the code may include a cryptographie signature. The cryptographie signature may be generated in a variety of ways, such as via the public key infrastructure (PKI) (e.g., the cryptographie signature may be a digital signature created using a private key where the system vérifiés the authorship of the code using a public (e.g., RSA) key), or via a shared secret key using cryptographie algorithms such as AES, SHA1, or SHA256, or SHA512 to generate the signature. Such a key may authenticate the author and verify that the message has not been tampered with, such as via an error-checking value. The signature may be entered at the same time as the rest of the code, or the processor may request the signature separately via a wireless communication protocol.

[0029] An appliance usage monitoring system may be responsive to a single appliance or may function with a network of appliances. FIG. 4 depicts a network of appliances responsive to one or more appliance usage monitoring Systems. The network includes a solar panel 402, a charge controller 404, a battery 406, a light 408, a fan 410, a télévision 412, and a refrigerator 414. Each of the depicted appliances may include an autonomous appliance usage monitoring system, such as in the processors depicted at 416. Autonomous appliance usage monitoring Systems 416 may individually monitor usage of associated appliances, accept codes for those appliances, and place the associated appliances in enabled or disabled states.

[0030] In other implémentations, an appliance usage monitoring System may be centralized, having one master processor (e.g., the processor 418 connected to the charge controller 404) and several slave processors 416. Codes for each of the appliances or the network as a whole may be received via the data entry device 420 connected to the charge controller 404. In some implémentations, installment payments may be made for the entire network of appliances. In those cases, when usage of the appliances exceeds the usage threshold, the master processor 418 may send signais to the slave processors 416 instructing the slave processors 416 to place the appliances into a disabled state. In another implémentation, the master processor may coordinate installment payments for each of the appliances in the network îndividually. In those cases, usage for each of the appliances may be tracked, and the master processor may instruct that individual appliances be placed into a disabled state by their associated processor 416 when usage of those appliances exceeds the usage threshold. The usage threshold for each appliance may be extended îndividually through receipt of valid payment codes associated with those appliances.

[0031] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram depicting an example code vérification operation. At

502, a user enters an authorization code, for ex ample, through a human interface device, or the code may be received without user intervention through machine-to-machine communication. At 504, the System détermines whether the cryptographie signature included with the authorization code is valid. If the signature is not valid, then an error message is displayed 506, and the code is rejected. At 508, the System détermines whether the serial number included with the authorization code matches an identifier associated with the appliance. If the serial number does not match, then an error message is displayed 506, and the code is rejected. At 510, the System détermines whether the authorization code was previously used, such as via a sériés number value. If the code has already been entered, then an error message is displayed 506, and the code is rejected. At 512, a specified value (e.g., an amount corresponding to the payment amount identified in the authorization code) is added to the usage threshold. At 514, the sériés number of the authorization code is recorded to prevent reentry of an authorization code. If the appliance is in a disabled state, then the appliance is enabled at 516, and a success message is displayed at 518.

[0032] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram depicting example monitoring of usage of an appliance.

A delay is performed at 602, and a usage of one or more appliances during the delay is analyzed at 604. In the example of FIG. 6, a fee is calculated based on the detected usage (e.g., 1 minute of télévision watching is calculated as a $0.01 usage fee). At 606, the usage fee calculated at 604 is subtracted from a balance (e.g., an amount of crédit held on the device as identified by entered authorization codes). At 608, a détermination is made as to whether the balance is greater than zéro. If the balance is greater than zéro, then crédit remains and the process returns to the delay stage 602. If the balance is less than zéro, then the balance is set equal to zéro at 610, and the device(s) is disabled at 612. A message may be displayed prompting the user to purchase more crédit at 614.

[0033] FIG. 7 depicts an example operational scénario. On January 1, the appliance is enabled with $12.00 of crédit remaining. Usage during the period from January 1 to

January 5 reduces the crédit. On January 6, the crédit remaining reaches $0.00 and the appliance is placed into a disabled state. On January 9, the appliance is re-enabled with a crédit of $10.00, such as via entry of a valid code. From January 9 to January 13, usage of the appliance reduces the crédit to $2.00. On January 14, the appliance is further recharged by $13.00. The $13.00 crédit is added to the remaining $2.00 crédit, resulting in $15.00 of total crédit. Usage from January 14 to January 20 reduces the crédit to $0.00, whereupon the appliance is placed into a disabled state. On January 22, a code is entered stating that the appliance has been fully paid for and is to be permanently unlocked. As indicated, on and after January 22 crédits and usage may not be further tracked after permanent unlock.

[0034] FIG. 8 is a flow diagram depicting a method of operating an appliance. At 802, a usage threshold amount is determined, and usage of the appliance is monitored at 804. A code may be received at 806 using a human interface device or machine-to-machine communication device, the code being associated with a crédit amount. At 808, a détermination may be made that the received code is a valid code, and the usage threshold amount may be adjusted at 810 based on the crédit amount associated with the valid code. The appliance may be disabled at 812 when the monitored usage exceeds the usage threshold amount.

[0035] Embodiments of the subject matter and the functional operations described in this spécification can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer software, firmware, or hardware, including the structures disclosed in this spécification and their structural équivalents, or in combinations of one or more of them. Embodiments of the subject matter described in this spécification can be implemented as one or more computer program products, i.e., one or more modules of computer program instructions encoded on a computer-readable medium for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus.

[0036] The computer-readable medium can be a machine-readable storage device, a machine-readable storage substrate, a memory device, or a combination of one or more of them. The term “data processing apparatus” encompasses ail apparatus, devices, and machines for processing data, including by way of example a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple processors or computers. The apparatus can include, in addition to hardware, code that créâtes an execution environment for the computer program in question, e.g., code that constitutes processor firmware, a protocol stack, a database management system, an operating system, or a combination of one or more of them, A propagated signal is an artifïcîally generated signal, e.g., a machine-generated electrical, optical, or electromagnetic signal, that is generated to encode information for transmission to suitable receiver apparatus.

[0037] A computer program (also known as a program, software, software application, script, or code), can be written in any form of programming Ianguage, including compiled or interpreted languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program does not necessarily correspond to a file in a file System. A program can be stored in a portion of a file that holds other programs or data (e.g., on or more scripts stored in a markup Ianguage document), in a single file dedicated to the program in question, or in multiple coordînated files (e.g., files that store one or more modules, subprograms, or portions of code). A computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers that are located at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network.

[0038] The processes and logic flows described in this spécification can be performed by one or more programmable processors executing one or more computer programs to perform fonctions by operating on input data and generating output. The processes and logic flows can also be performed by, and apparatus can also be implemented as, spécial purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gâte array) or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit).

[0039] Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, by way of example, both general and spécial purpose mîcroprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. The essential éléments of a computer are a processor for performing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to receive data from or transfer data to, or both, one or more mass storage devices for storing data, e.g., magnetic, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks. However, a computer need not hâve such devices. Moreover, a computer can be embedded in another device, e.g., a mobile téléphoné, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile audio player, a Global

Positioning System (GPS) receiver, to name just a few. Computer-readable media suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include ail forms of nonvolatile memory, media, and memory devices, including by way of example semiconductor memory devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, e.g., internai hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and the memory can be supplemented by, or incorporated in, spécial purpose Iogic circuitry.

[0040] To provide for interaction with a user, embodiments of the subject matter described in this spécification can be implemented on a computer having a display device, e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) to LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor, for dïsplaying information to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device, e.g., a mouse or a trackball, by which the user can provide input to the computer. Other kinds of devices can be used to provide for interaction with a user as well; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback, e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input from the user can be received in any form, including acoustic, speech, or tactile input.

[0041] Embodiments of the subject matter described in this spécification can be implemented in a computing system that includes a back-end component, e.g., as a data server, or that includes a middleware component, e.g., an application server, or that includes a front-end component, e.g., a client computer having a graphical user interface or a Web browser through which a user can interact with an implémentation of the subject matter described in this spécification, or any combination of one or more such back-end, middleware, or front-end components. The components of the System can be interconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication, e.g., a communication network. Examples of communication networks include a local area network (“LAN”) and a wide area 5 network (“WAN”), e.g., the Internet.

[0042] The computing systern can include clients and servers. A client and server are generally remote from each other and typically interact through a communication network. The relationship of client and server arises by virtue of computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship to each other.

[0043] While this spécification contains many spécifies, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features spécifie to particular embodiments of the invention. Certain features that are described in this spécification in the context or separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation 20 of a subcombination.

[0044] Similarly, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that ail illustrated operations be performed, to achieve désirable results. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Moreover, the séparation of various systern components in the embodiments described above should not be understood as requiring such séparation in ail embodiments, and it should be understood that the described program components and Systems can generally be integrated together in a single software product or packaged into multiple software products.

[0045] Thus, particular embodiments of the invention have been described. Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. For example, the actions recited in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve désirable results

Claims (5)

WHAT IS CLAIMED:

1. An autonomously powered appliance control system, comprising:

a plurality of appliances;

at least one battery for supplying power to the plurality of appliances;

an energy capture device for charging the at least one battery, wherein the energy capture device and the at least one battery are not connected to an outside electrical grid;

a master processor, the master processor being configured to place each respective appliance in the plurality of appliances in an enabled state or a disabled state individually by transmitting an enable or a disable signal to a slave processor associated with that respective appliance, the master processor being configured to track usage of each appliance in the plurality of appliances, the master processor being configured to détermine when a respective appliance in the plurality of appliances is to be in a disabled state based on the usage of the respective appliance exceeding a predetermined threshold amount, the predetermined threshold amount being a period of time during which the respective appliance is to be in the enabled state or an amount of time for which the respective appliance is usable in the enabled state;

wherein each respective appliance in the plurality of appliances is responsive to a corresponding slave processor in a plurality of slave processors, a respective slave processor in the plurality of slave processors transmits a usage signal to the master processor based on usage of the appliance associated with the respective slave processor, and the respective slave processor enables and disables the associated appliance based on an enable or a disable signal received from the master processor;

a data receiving device configured to receive a code, wherein the master processor is configured to adjust, based upon receipt of a valid code, the predetermined threshold amount to allow additional usage of an appliance in the plurality of appliances designated by the code, wherein the code includes a signature, wherein the master processor vérifiés the signature to détermine whether the code is valid, the signature authenticates a source of the code and that the code has not been tampered, and the master processor is configured to prevent reuse of the code.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a respective slave processor in the plurality of slave processors is in the appliance in the plurality of appliances that is associated with the slave processor, and the respective slave processor disconnects the associated appliance from a power source when the associated appliance is placed in the disabled state.

3. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the respective slave processor is configured to extend the amount of time during which the associated appliance is to be in the enabled state when a valid code is received.

4. The system of any one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the predetermined threshold amount is an amount of power that may be used before an appliance in the plurality of appliances is to be placed in a disabled state.

5. The System of any one of claims 1 through 4, wherein the master processor or a slave processor in the plurality of slave processors is a Microchip PIC24FJ64, an Atmel AT89C51, a Zilog Encore Z8F0130, an Intel Core 2, an Intel Core i3, an Intel Core i5, an Intel Core i7, an AMD Athlon II, or an AMD Phenom II.

6. The system of any one of claims 1 through 4, wherein the master processor or a slave processor in the plurality of slave processors is a microcontroller or a microprocessor.

7. The system of any one of claims 1 through 6, wherein the signature is authenticated using

10 an AES, SHA1, SHA256, or SHA512 cryptographie fonction.

8. The system of any one of claims 1 through 7, wherein the energy capture device is a photovoltaic device.

15

9. The system of any one of claims 1 through 8, wherein the master processor is configured to remove any constraint on the time during which an appliance in the plurality of devices is to be in the enabled state when a predetermined valid code is received by the system.

10. The system of any one of claims 1 through 9, wherein the data receiving device is a

20 keypad, a button, a tone récognition device, a barcode scanner, an infrared receiver, an RFID reader or an tablet computer.

11. The system of any one of claims 1 through 9, wherein the data receiving device is a machine-to-machine communication device using the 802.11 Wi-Fi communication protocol,

25 GSM (Global System For Communications), SMS (Short Message Service), GPRS (General

Packet Radio Service), EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution), 3G (International Mobile Telecommunications-2000), WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), or 4G (International Mobile Télécommunications Advanced).

12. The system of any one of daims 1 through 11, wherein the master processor is configured to monitor renewable energy used by a consumer for the purpose of calculating carbon offset crédits.

13. The system of any one of daims 1 through 12 wherein the disabled state of an appliance in the plurality of appliances is characterized by a state of limited utility in which at least one feature of the appliance, which is available when the appliance is in an enabled state, is not available.

14. The system of any one of daims 1 through 12, wherein the disabled state of an appliance in the plurality of appliances is characterized by an inability to operate in a full operational mode.

15. The system of any one of daims 1 through 14, wherein the disabled state of an appliance in the plurality of appliances is characterized by preventing the running a fan associated with the appliance on other than a lowest level.

16. The system of any one of daims 1 through 14, wherein an appliance in the plurality of appliances is a télévision and the disabled state of the télévision prevents the télévision from being changed from a particular channel.

17. The System of any one of claims 1 through 14, wherein an appliance in the plural ity of appliances is a Iight and the disabled state of the Iight prevents the Iight from being changed from a low level setting.

5 18. The System of any one of claims 1 through 17, wherein the master processor is configured to disable a subset of the plurality of appliances without disabling appliances in the plurality of appliances that are in the subset of the plurality of appliances.

f t

AUTHORIZATION CODE DEVICE SERIAL NUMBER 1284 US DOLLAR RECHARGE VALUE 83.50 SERIES NUMBER 3 CRYPTOGRAPHIC SIGNATURE 547732 FINAL CODE; I28403503547732

Fig. 3