ZA200101136B - System for controlling consumption of a medium especially a mains-connected medium. - Google Patents

Description

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J “ ‘ WO 00/13291 : PCT/EP99/06132 . - 1 - ’ "System for monitoring the consumption of a medium, in particular a line-supplied medium”

The invention relates to a system for monitoring the consumption of a medium, in particular a line-supplied medium, such as electric power, gas, water, heat, at individual points of consumption, and to a consumption monitoring device, where each point of consumption can be allocated a respective consumption quantity of the medium, in particular in return for payment in advance or possibly on credit, which consumption quantity 1s to be provided by the central media supplier for the point of consumption.

The invention can be associated with the field of supply technology in the broader sense. In conventional supply technology, it 1s customary for media consumption, i.e. the consumed quantities of line-supplied media, such as water, gas, heat or electric power, to be measured with consumption meters and for the consumpticn measured to be charged to the source or to the owner of the point of consumption or to the owner of the point of use. In this sense, point cf consumption and point of use may be a home, a house, a factory installation, etc., that 1s to say a unit which 1s to be supplied with the relevant medium and for which the media consumption is to be billed or monitored in each case.

To record consumption, the consumption meters installed in situ at the points of consumpticn are usually monitored and read at regular intervals by readers, that is to say persons trained to do this job.

The consumption values read off are then input into an accounting system of the relevant supply company for the purposes of producing the bill for the customer.

A first opportunity for improvement is remote meter reading, where the counter reading of an (electronic) meter 1s transmitted toc the accounting point of the supply company by means of suitable

» . . - 2 - communication systems, so that it is no longer necessary to visit the point of consumption for the reading operation and, in this context, it 1s no longer necessary for readers to set foot in people’s homes.

This permits a considerable reduction in the personnel requirement for recording consumption data. In addition, reading and input errors can be drastically reduced.

Particularly in existing homes, installation of communication lines, bus systems, etc., creates considerable cost, however. In addition, installation work is disruptive for the heme owner.

Telecommunication of the consumption data to the aczoounting point by means of modem and telephone is uneconomical on account of the comparatively high telephone access charges, particularly when a meter is read only monthly, and even more so when a meter is read only annually.

Modern radio telephone systems, too, would require very high access charges in addition to the considerable appliance costs, and would therefore be uneconomical for transmitting the consumption data to the accounting point.

Another difficulty with this type of consumption recording and accounting is the organizational complexity for producing bills and monitoring payments.

In some countries, the so-called prepayment model 1s favoured, where the relevant medium is supplied in return for payment in advance. For this purpose, the consumption meter is equipped, in the simplest case, with a manipulation-proof coin-operated accounting and monitoring unit, with a shutoff element (shutoff valve or electricity switch) releasing a respective consumption quantity corresponding to the value of coins inserted for consumption. More modern solutions use cards instead of coins for entering the value (similar to common telephone cards). This permits

M . ) consumption quantities, for example in m’, kWh, etc., to be allocated as an alternative to monetary values, it being easier to relate allocated consumption quantities to the consumption display on customary consumption ! meters. Disadvantages of such a card solution are the cost of the cards, the cost of the automatic card readers and, in particular, handling and operation problems. For security reasons, only expensive smart cards and not simple magnetic cards are suitable. It is normally necessary to use special cards which have to be coded differently for each supplier, so that, with a number of separate suppliers for the individual media, the users would also need to buy a number of differently coded cards, or would need to have a number of differently coded cards loaded. Furthermore, a relatively large amount of effort is required in order to be able to operate the aforementioned prepayment systems such that they are reasonably manipulation- proof.

The invention is therefore based on the object of specifying a convenient and reliably operating consumption monitoring system or use monitoring system which can be operated with comparatively little effort.

To achieve this object, the invention proposes: a system for monitoring the consumption or use of a medium, such as electric power, gas, water, heat or the like, at individual points of consumption, where each point of consumption can be allocated a respective consumption quantity of the medium, in particular in return for payment in advance or possibly on credit, which consumption quantity is to be provided by the media supplier for the relevant point cof consumption, each point of consumption being equipped with a consumption monitoring device, and each consumption monitoring device comprising the following elements: a) a consumption measuring device for recording the actual media consumption at the relevant point of consumption,

) b) a controllable cutoff device which can be used to interrupt the supply of media to the relevant point of consumption if the allocated consumption quantity is used up by the actual media consumption, and c) a control device which controls the cutoff device, compares the actual media consumption recorded by means of the consumption quantity measuring device with the respective allocated consumption quantity and activates the cutoff device to cut off the supply of media to the point of consumption if the allocated consumption quantity is used up by the actual media consumption, the rcontrcl device comprising a receiver for receiving an information signal from a data transmission centre, which information signal contains information about the allocated consumption quantity.

Another subject of the invention is a consumption menitoring device which can be integrated into the system for installation at a point of consumption.

The system according to the invention can be operated as a prepayment system, where consumption quantities are allccated for each point of consumption and hence consumption quantities are monitored by means of information signal. In the system according to the invention, unidirectional data transmission to the receivers at the points of consumption is sufficient, which means that no transmission devices are necessary in situ at the points of consumption. } Provided that the unidirectional data transmission is to take place via lines, a line network which is installed anyway may possibly (also) be used for this purpose, for example a telephone network and/or a cable television cable network via which the transmission centre can transmit value messages, that is to say consumption quantity allocation data, addressed to the relevant points of consumption.

According to a more preferred embodiment of the invention, the unidirectional data transmission will take place by radio, however. In this case, the receiver 1s a radio receiver which receives the information signal as a radio signal from the transmission centre or from a transmitter communicating with the transmission centre. The installation of, in particular, battery-operated radio receivers in situ is possible with very little effort and gives rise to lower costs than the installation of line-connected data reception appliances.

Mixed forms of wireless and wired unidirectional data transmission from a transmission centre to the relevant points of consumption are also conceivable within the scope of the invention, so that, by way of example, part of the transmission link can be wireless and another part of the transmission point can be wired, with intermediate receivers and intermediate transmitters possibly being required.

Operation of the prepayment system in the broader sense can, by way of example, be organized such that the supply company supplying the relevant medium mariages accounts for the points of consumption included in the system. The account owners, namely the supply company's customers using the points of consumption, can make advance payments to their accounts, for example monthly interim payments, which are tailored to their particular media requirements. On the basis of the advance payment for the media consumption at a relevant point of consumption, a particular quantity of } the medium can be supplied to the point of consumption.

If the account level for the point of consumption being considered is updated, that is to say increased, by means of payment, an appropriate value can then be transmitted (transmission of new consumption quantity allocation data) from the supply company's transmission centre to the point of consumption's control device, preferably by radio. The radio signal (information signal) contains at least the unique address of the point of consumption and the new value information, which directly or indirectly indicates to the control device in question the consumption quantity which is to be provided for consumption at the point of consumption.

The value information may be an incremental value which corresponds to the current advance payment sum and which the particular control device addressed adds, in situ, toc any consumption quantity allocation credit there may still be, in order to calculate a new comparison value for comparison with the actual consumption.

What 1s preferred, however, is not transmission of the respective incremental consumpticn quantity allocations, but rather transmission of absolute values which the control device uses directly,

or possibly after multiplication with a conversion factor, for the consumption quantity comparison.

This absolute value is preferably a value which represents,

in relation to the consumption meter at the relevant point of consumption, the absolute future counter reading value which, when reached, means that the currently prepaid consumption quantity is used up.

The advantage of such transmission and processing of the absolute counter reading data instead of consumption quantity allccation increments is that the relevant value message can be transmitted from the transmission station to the relevant point of consumption a number of times for security reasons without any problems.

If just the consumption quantity allocation increments were transmitted and each added up in the relevant control devices, then it would be necessary to take care that, upon multiple transmission, the allocated consumption quantity is not duplicated or multiplied in situ at the point of consumption.

In the case of the preferred operation of the system according to the invention, with the absolute counter reading data being transmitted as consumption quantity allocation data,

there is no summation of the consumption quantity allocation data in situ in the control device, but rather the currently transmitted data are adopted for comparison with the actual consumption. The control device compares the (accumulated) value, recorded by means of the consumption measuring device, of the respective quantity of the medium actually consumed with the (absolute accumulated) value of the allocated consumption quantity which is to be released for the relevant point of consumption. If the actual media consumption exceeds the allocated consumption quantity, the control device causes the cutoff device to interrupt further supply of the medium to the point of ccrnsumption. The customer can then make another advance payment to the supply company in order to continue to be supplied with the medium. The supply company transmits the apprcpriate value message to the point of consumption, preferably by radio, and the cutoff device switches on the supply to the point of consumption again.

In most cases, the cutoff device will not need tec be activated at all, since appropriate advance payment in good time means that there is always a credit value for the point of consumption under consideration, each update of the credit value being transmitted to the point of consumption's monitoring device as new consumption quantity allocation information, preferably by radio.

The system according to the invention allows a, possibly prescribed, minimum basic supply to be } maintained irrespective of any payment in advance. By way of example, a particular basic supply quantity of the medium can be released at a relevant point of consumption by means of an information signal at particular times.

The system according to the invention has a whole series of advantages over consumpticn monitcring systems based on the prior art. Thus, by way of example, there is no need for any value cards such as were referred to above. This means that the costs, possibility of loss, incorrect operation, and possibility of the cards being copied and manipulated do not apply.

The radio receiver can be integrated into the housing of the respective control device so as to be water-tight and manipulation-proof. The consumption measuring device, the cutoff device and the control device can be combined te form a unit (consumption monitoring device in the form of an integrated prepayment terminal). In such an integrated prepayment terminal, the same display, for example, can display the counter reading of the consumption measuring device and the residual value still available, e.g. alternately.

By contrast with the prepayment card systems referred to above, the value allocation or consumption quantity allocation is linked to a particular receiver.

This means that, in the event of any dispute or doubt about the entitlement to supply of media which has been earned as a result of advance payment, the total consumption quota released for the relevant point of consumption can be compared with the consumption value recorded by the consumption measuring device and can be checked for consistency (consumption value must always be below the value of the consumption quota released), referring to the meter at all times. If the residual value available is displayed at the point of consumption, then, in the event of the consumption } measuring device, i.e. the consumption meter, being changed or in the event of the customer who uses the point of consumption changing, the value of the transmitted credit can always be guaranteed.

The unidirectional data communication system of the consumption monitoring system according to the invention does not have to satisfy very high demands, since the respective volumes of data and the data transmission rates during transmission of information from the transmitter to the points of consumption are low.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the consumption monitoring system according to the invention, the radio data communication system used is a so-called pager system.

In this case, a simple, centralistic, unidirectional data communication system is involved.

To date, pager systems have been used generally for sending short messages in the form of numbers or short texts cheaply to specifically determined persons by radio.

Currently operated pager systems have a low data rate (1200 bauds), a low RF total bandwidth, sensitive (-120 dBm) and power-saving recelvers (battery operating Time with button cells usually approximately 1000 hours} with a simple LCD display.

In such unidirectional radio data transmission systems, a central power transmitter is able - as with radio broadcasting - to cover a very large area, which means that the radio cell infrastructure can be implemented with a very wide mesh and economically, in contrast to the infrastructure in radic telephcne technology.

In additicn, the volume of data in such pager systems requires cn average less than one thousandth of the total transmission capacity as compared with radio telephone technology, on account of the low data rate and the short message length, which means that a single radio station is easily able to serve 100 000 pagers, not just in terms of radic but also in terms of data.

At the same time, the exclusively central opportunity for initiative and the ability to store and delay data transmission make controlling the occupancy and usability of the radio channel in these systems much simpler.

Since the terminals do not contain any transmitters, they can be of small and economical design, in which case they have a low power requirement.

In addition, the low reception data rate permits simple and sensitive receivers.

To protect against data loss during radio transmission,

pager messages are usually numbered and transmitted in multiples in expanding time intervals. In the event of a repetition being received, the pager receiver can then detect this and simply ignore the repetition. Each receiver is given a unique call number. An example of a pager system in Germany which may be mentioned is the "SCALL" product from Deutsche Telekom. The "SCALL" product has nec access charges due, but instead a fixed charge is demanded only for transmitting a message.

The advantages described above for the pager systems can be utilized in the consumption monitoring system according to the invention with unidirectional radio transmission.

As an alternative to such conventional pager services, other broadcast-type data transmission systems permitting transmission of a value message and a respective receiver address are also suitable. Since only a relatively small transmission capacity is required, radio transmission of the value messages (consumption quantity allocation information) could also take place using conventional radio broadcasting transmitters - e.g. outside the audic range, as in the

German RDS (Radic Data System) or possibly using conventional television transmitters in the television blanking interval, as in the case of the Teletext system.

Other transmission frequencies accessible to a utilities supplier could also be used to set up a dedicated centralized broadcast service, however. For the typical message length of a value message with a unique receiver address and consumption quantity allocation information or wvalue information of, in total, approximately 16 useful bytes and a total length including encryption and data link layer of, in total, 200 bits, for example, a transmission time of only 1/6 of a second results for a transmission rate of 120C bauds. If, for security reasons, the message is transmitted at different time intervals in each case,

e.g. six times in all, then on average up to 3600 points of consumption can be addressed per hour over a single radio channel, in order to switch on the supply of media or lengthen the time for which media is supplied, respectively. If the consumption quantity allocation is updated monthly on average, the communication capacity of just one transmitter for this applicaticn would then be sufficient for up to approximately 2.6 million peints of consumption.

Using modern encryption techniques, such as digital, time-dependent signature, it is possible for any unauthorized value transfer to be reliably prevented despite the open and unprotected standard communication channel to the receiver (Prepaymen:z pager} at the point of consumption. If, in one embodiment, operation of the system according to the invention should ke in a form such that the consumption quantity allocation data transmitted are incremental consumption quantity allocation values corresponding to the last advance payment sum paid in, then, by way of example, the character sequence of the value code may be encrypted on a time-dependent basis, so that interception of the value transmission message and subsequent repetition (that is say duplication of the value) can be detected and prevented. In addition, the destination number of the message, that is to say the address, can again be encrypted at the same time, so that any "diversion" of the value message to another point of consumption would also be detected. In addition, taking data protection considerations into account, not only can value allocation or consumption quantity allocation be cryptographically signed, but the transmitted value and the point of consumption address, e.g. the meter number of the associated consumption meter, can additionally be cryptographically encrypted as well.

Hence, to operate the consumption monitoring system according to the invention, conventional pager

~ - 12 - services can be used. Alternatively, any other broadcast-type data transmission methods which permit radio data transmission from a suitable centralized transmitter or from a group of transmitters to the points of consumption and which are able to transmit a unique receiver address concurrently for each message transmitted are suitable for the consumption monitoring system according to the invention.

The invention also relates to a system for monitoring the use of an information medium or service provided via lines or possibly via radio by a central provider, such as pay-TV programmes, database use facilities via computer networks and the like, at individual points of use, where each point of use can be allocated a respective use credit, in particular in return for payment in advance or possikly on credit, so that the relevant point of use can be supplied with the medium/service by the provider on the basis of the allocated use credit, each point of use being equipped with a use monitoring device, and each use monitoring device comprising the following elements: a) a measuring device for recording the actual media use at the relevant point of use, b) a controllable cutoff device which can be used to interrupt the facility to use the medium/service at the relevant point of use if the allocated use credit is used up by the actual use, and c) a contrcl device which controls the cutoff device, compares the actual use of the medium/service recorded by means of the measuring device with the } respective allocated use credit and activates the cutoff device to cut off the supply of the medium/service to the pecint of use or to interrupt the facility to use the point of use if the allocated use credit is used up by the actual use, the control device comprising a receiver for receiving an information signal from a data transmission centre,

which information signal contains information about the allocated use credit.

The design of the use monitoring system specified above is consistent with that of the consumption monitoring system for the supply media whose quantities can be recorded, such as power, gas, water, heat. To this extent, the advantages described in relation to the consumption monitoring system, and appropriately adapted features, can be transferred to the aforementioned use monitoring system for information media/services. In the context considered here, information media/services may be, by way of example: pay-TV services via cable or via satellite, racio, Celecommunicazion services, and databases, libraries and the like which can be accessed over the

Internet.

In the case of information media supplied in generally encrypted form, such as pay-TV services, the cutoff device will comprise a decoder which decodes or decrypts the program received in encrypted form and thus permits it to be used at the local point of use.

When the cutoff device changes to the cutoff state, the decoder is then automatically switched to passive mode, so that the program is no longer available in unencrypted form, until the use credit for the point of use is updated.

Developments of the system for monitoring the use of an information medium or service as specified in

Claim 18 are specified in Claims 19-25. Claims 26-32 claim a use monitoring device for the use monitoring system according to the invention.

In most cases, the use recording will be recording of the time for which the information medium/service is used, and provision may be made for the use times to be weighted using weighting factors.

An example of this which may be mentioned is the weighting of use times when a telephone service is used, specifically depending on whether a long distance

~ WO 00/13291 : PCT/EP99/06132 call or a local call is being made. In the case of a long distance call, the charge unit is always smaller than in the case of a local call.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to the block diagram shown in figure 1.

Figure 1 is a highly schematic illustration of part of a media supply network, specifically a line network 1 for supplying water to a multiplicity of peoints of consumption 3 which are connected via the line network 1 to a drinking water reservoir 5 of a relevant water supply company.

The supply points 3 may be houses, homes and the like for which consumption 1s recorded, separately in each case. The consumption measuring device installed at each point of consumption is a water meter 7 which increases its counter reading on the basis of the quantity of water drawn from the line network 1 at the point of consumption 3 under consideration, in order to record the actual water consumption at the point of consumption 3. The water meter 7 is cennected to an electronic control device 9 which receives counter reading data from the water meter 7 and compares the respective counter reading value with a consumption quantity allocation value in order to establish whether a water consumption quantity earned by means of advance payment is used up. If the control device 9 establishes that the actual water consumption value provided electronically by the water meter 7 exceeds the current consumption quantity allocation value, then the control device 9 puts a cutoff device 11, namely a shutoff valve 11 controlled by the control device 9, into the cutoff state, as a result cf which the supply of water to the point of consumption 3 concerned is interrupted.

The control device 9 has a consumption information display 17 and a radio receiver 13. The radio receiver 13 can be addressed by radio signal from a transmission station 15 in order to transmit consumption quantity allocation data with the radio signal selectively to the control device 9 for the relevant point of consumption 3. The transmission station 15 and the radio receivers 13 at the points of consumption 3 are elements of a so-called pager system, which is a simple, centralistic, unidirectional data communication system. The pager system can be integrated into a pager service's data communication system which 1s present anyway, in Germany, for example, into the "SCALL" system of Deutsche Telekom.

The elements 7, 9, 11 and 13 in figure 1 represent an illustrative embodiment of a consumption monitoring device 4 according To the invention.

With reference to the consumption monitoring system roughly sketched in figure 1, provision is made, for example, for an account to be managed at the supply company for each point of consumption 3. As soon as a payment is credited to the account for a particular point of consumption 3, radio transmission of a value message (consumption quantity allocation information) from the transmission station 5 to the addressed point of consumption 3 is triggered from an accounting centre of the supply company. The control device 9 at the relevant point of consumption 3 then updates the consumption quantity allocation value with which actual consumption 1s to be compared. If the cutoff device 11 was in its cutoff state before the consumption quantity allocation data were received, the control device 9 causes the cutoff device 11 to return to the open state and to switch on the supply of water to the relevant point of consumption 3.

As already mentioned, the consumption quantity monitoring system according to the invention is preferably organized such that the consumption quantity allocation information transmitted from the transmission station 15 to the relevant points of consumption 3 and taken into account by the control device 9 is not the increment corresponding to the current advance payment, but rather a value which represents, in relation to the consumption meter 7 at the relevant point of consumption 3, the absolute future counter reading value which, when reached, means that the currently prepaid consumption quantity is used up. The advantage of such transmission and processing of the absolute counter reading data instead of consumption quantity allocation increments is that the relevant value message can be transmitted from the transmission station 15 to the relevant point of consumption 3 a number of times for security reasons without any problems. If just the consumption quantity allocaticn increments were transmitted and each added up in the relevant control devices 9, then it would be necessary to take care that, upon multiple transmission, the allocated consumption quantity is not duplicated or multiplied in situ at the point of consumption 3. When the counter reading data are transmitted as consumption quantity allocation data, there 1s no summation of the consumption quantity allocation data in situ in the contrecl device 9, but rather the currently transmitted data are adopted for comparison with the water quantity actually consumed.

It should be pointed out that, in the system shown in figure 1, the prepayment consumption monitoring device 4 installed in situ at a respective point of consumption 3 can be formed from a consumption meter 7, a control device 9, a cutoff device 11 and a radio receiver 13 as an appliance unit drawing its } electrical operating power from a battery.

In particular depending on the circumstances of the respective points of consumption 3, it may also be useful to design the cutoff device 11, on the one hand, and the control device 9, on the other hand, to be separate from one another and to be logically connected to one ancther only by means of wired or wireless local communication systems. In this case too, the relatively simple unidirectional communication, this time from the control device 9 to the cutoff device 11, is sufficient. This communication system should also be protected against corruption, duplication, replay and other manipulation techniques by means of suitable cryptographic methods. Furthermore, the cutoff device 11 should be able to stop the supply of media at the associated point of consumption 3 even without external auxiliary power being supplied, if invalid signals, particularly any which are suspected of having been manipulated, are transmitted from the control device 9 to the cutoff device 11.

If the control device 9, on the cone hand, and the consumption meter 7 or cutoff device 11, on ths other hand, are designed to be separate, then, by way of example, the sum of a number of consumption meters (e.g. a number of tap point meters in a home) and, accordingly, a number of cutoff devices 11 can also be associated with a common control device 9S. If the elements 7, 9, 11, 13 of the consumption monitoring device 4 are designed to be separate, individual components can be produced so as to be mains operated, whereas other, battery-operated components can be coupled via radio. It is therefore possible for the consumption meter 7 and the cutoff device 11 to be provided at the point of consumption 3 at points of the water mains which are favourable for installation, whereas the radio receiver 13 is positioned at another point, which is more beneficial for radio.

To save power or to extend the battery ] lifetime, general provision may be made, within the scope of the invention, for the radic receivers not to be operated continuously, but rather just turned on intermittently, e.g. one minute every hour or one second every minute, etc. If these cyclical turn-on points are chosen on the basis of particular rules taking into account the transmission organization of the transmission centre 15, an appropriately coordinated transmission mode can be produced, in which the transmitter 15 only ever addresses a particular point of consumption when said point of consumption is ready to receive. In this context, one simplification would be, by way of example, for the respective turn-on intervals to be staggered in time on the basis of the last two digits of the radio address. The accounting centre can then sort value transmission orders which are waiting, for example, according to these last two digits of the destination address and can send each of the value transmission messages only in the appropriate time slot. Despite the time slot operation of the receivers 13, this does not reduce the maximum total transmission capacity ©I The <tTransmission system.

However, it does require synchronism between the clocks of the transmitter 15 and receiver 13. Since the transmitter 15 is also able to transmit, by way of example, regular general messages ("to all") in addition to the directed (addressed) value transmission messages, it could also use such broadcast communication to synchronize the clocks of all the receivers 13 on a regular basis.

The last aspect menticned can, of course, also be applied to the use monitoring system according to one of Claims 18-25.

Claims (32)

a - 19 - Claims

1. System for monitoring the consumption or use of a medium, such as electric power, gas, water, heat or the like, at individual points of consumption (3), where each point of consumption (3) can be allocated a respective consumption quantity of the medium, in particular in return for payment in advance or possibly on credit, which consumption quantity is to be provided by the media supplier for the relevant point of consumption, each point of consumption (3) being equipped with a consumption monitoring device (4), and each consumption monitoring device (4) comprising the Sollowing elements: a) a consumption measuring device (7) for recording the actual media consumption at the relevant point of consumption (3), : b) a controllable cutoff device (11) which can be used to interrupt the supply of media to the relevant point of consumption (3) if the allocated consumption quantity is used up by the actual media consumption, and ) c) a control device (9) which controls the cutoff device (11), compares the actual media consumption recorded by means of the consumption measuring device (7) with the respective allocated consumption quantity and activates the cutcff device (11) to cut off the supply of media to the point of consumption (3) if the allocated consumption quantity is used up by the actual media consumption, ) the control device (9) comprising a receiver (13) for receiving an information signal from a data transmission centre (15), which information signal contains information about the allocated consumption quantity.

2. System according to Claim 1, where the receiver ig connected to the transmission centre via lines in a line network, with data transmission being able to take place only in one direction from the transmission centre to the receiver.

3. System according to Claim 1, where the receiver is a radio receiver (13) and the information signal is a radio signal.

4. System according to one of the preceding claims, where each receiver (13) can be uniquely addressed from the data transmission centre using a respective information signal, in order tc be able to transmit consumption quantity allocation data individually for the respective point cf consumption

(3).

5. System according to one he [sic] of the rrecading claims, where the comsumption guantity allocation information transmitted with the information signal contains an absolute consumption quantity allocation value which is associated with the relevant : point of consumption (3) and 1s equivalent or proportional to a counter reading value on the consumption measuring device which, when reached, means that the currently allocated consumption quantity is used up, and where the contrcl device (9) is set up to compare the absolute consumption quantity allocation value, or possibly a value proportional thereto, with the actual media consumption at the point of consumption (3).

6. System according to one of Claims 3 to 5, where the transmission centre (15) and the radio receivers (13) associated with the points of consumption (3) are component parts of a unidirectional radio data communication system (pager system) affording data transmission in the direction from the transmission centre (15) to the radio receivers (13).

7. System according to one of the preceding claims, where data which are in each case cryptographically signed are transmitted from the transmissicn station (15) to the relevant receiver (13)

p WO 00/13291 : PCT/EP99/06132 with the information signal and can be processed by the relevant control device (9).

8. System according to one of the preceding claims, where data which are in each case cryptographically encrypted are transmitted from the transmission station (15) to the relevant receiver (13) with the information signal and can be prccessed by the relevant control device (9).

9. System according to one of the preceding claims, where each receiver (13) is switched to reception standby by its cecntrol device (8) only at particular times allocated to the respective receiver, in particular cyclically, and where the transmission centre (15, communicates wiZh the relevant receiver (13) only at the particular times.

10. System according to one of the preceding claims, where each control device (9) comprises an electronic timer and where the transmission centre (15) is able to transmit synchronization signals for synchronizing the timing of the clocks with one another to the control devices at all the points of consumption

(3).

11. Consumption monitoring device (4) according to Claim 1, containing a consumption measuring device (7), a controllable cutecff device (11) and a control device (9) with a receiver, in particular a radio receiver (13), for installation at a point of consumption (3).

12. Consumption monitoring device according to Claim 11, where the consumption measuring device, the cutoff device and the control device are combined to form an appliance unit.

13. Consumption monitoring device according to Claim 12, where the appliance unit obtains its operating current from a battery or a storage battery.

14. Consumption monitoring device according to Claim 11, where the preferably battery-operated consumption measuring device is arranged separately from the control device and the cutoff device and communicates with the control device at least unidirectionally, e.g. via radio.

15. Consumption monitoring device according to Claim 11, where the cutoff device is arranged separately from the consumption measuring device and the control device, and where the control device communicates with the cutoff device at least unidirectionally, e.g. via radio.

16. Consumption monitoring device according to one of Claims 11-15, where it has at least one display apparatus (17) for displaying consumption quantity allocation information and/or the actual media consumption and/or a consumption quantity credit balance.

17. Consumption monitoring device according to one of Claims 11-16, where the cutcff device (11) contains a safety mechanism which puts the cutoff device (11) inte the cutoff state if the consumption monitoring device adopts an irregular operating state, for example in the event of a short circuit, line breakage and the like.

18. System for monitoring the use of an information medium or service provided via lines or possibly via radio by a central provider, such as pay-TV programmes, at individual local points cof use, where each point of use can be allocated a respective use credit, in particular in return for payment in advance or possibly on credit, so that the relevant point of use can be supplied with the medium/service by the provider on the basis of the allocated use credit, each point of use being equipped with a use monitoring device, and each use monitoring device comprising the following elements: a) a measuring device for recording the actual media use at the relevant point of use, b) a controllable cutoff device which can be used to interrupt the facility to use the medium/service at the w - 23 - relevant point of use if the allocated use credit is ] used up by the actual use, and c) a control device which controls the cutoff device, compares the actual use of the medium/service recorded by means of the measuring device with the respective allocated use credit and activates the cutoff device to cut off the supply of the medium/service to the point of use if the allocated use credit is used up by the actual use, the control device comprising a receiver for receiving an information signal from a data transmission centre, which information signal contains information about the allocated use credit.

is. System accerding to Claim 18, where the receiver is connected to the transmission centre via lines in a line network, with data transmission being able to take place only in one direction from the transmission centre to the receiver.

20. System according to Claim 18, where the receiver 1s a radio receiver and the information signal is a radio signal.

21. System according to one of Claims 18-20, where each receiver can be uniquely addressed from the data transmission centre using a respective information signal, in order to be able to transmit use credit data individually for the respective point of consumption.

22. System according to one of Claims 18-21, where the use credit information transmitted with the information signal contains an absclute use credit allccation value which is associated with the relevant point of use and is equivalent or proportional to a counter reading of the measuring device which, when reached, means that the current use credit is used up, and where the control device is set up to compare the currently allocated use credit allocation value, or possibly a value proportional theretc, with the actual use of the medium or service at the point of use.

g WO 00/13291 : PCT/EP99/06132

23. System according to one of Claims 20 to 22, ] where the transmission centre and the radio receivers associated with the points of use are component parts of a unidirectional radio data communication system (pager system) affording data transmission in the direction from the transmission centre to the radio receivers.

24. System according to one of Claims 18 to 23, where data which are in each case cryptographically signed are transmitted from the transmission station to the relevant receiver with the information signal and can be processed by the relevant control device.

25. System according to one cof Claims 18 to 24, where data which are in each case cryptcgraphically encrypted are transmitted from the transmission station to the relevant receiver with the information signal and can be processed by the relevant control device.

26. Use monitoring device according to Claim 18, having a measuring device, a controllable cutoff device and a control device with a receiver, in particular a radio receiver, for installation at a point of use.

27. Use monitoring device according to Claim 26, where the measuring device, the cutoff device and the control device are combined tc form an appliance unit.

28. Use monitoring device according te Claim 26, where the appliance unit obtains its operating current from a battery or a storage battery.

29. Use monitoring device according to Claim 26, where the preferably battery-operated measuring device is arranged separately from the control device and the cutoff device and communicates with the control device at least unidirectionally, e.g. via radio.

30. Use monitoring device according to Claim 28, where the cutoff device is arranged separately from the measuring device and the control device, and where the control device communicates with the cutoff device at least unidirectionally, e.g. via radio.

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31. Use monitoring device according to one of Claims 26-30, where it has at least one display apparatus for displaying use credit allocation information and/or the actual media/service use and/or a use credit balance.

32. Use monitoring device according to one of Claims 26-31, where the cutcff device contains a safety mechanism which puts the cutoff device into the cutoff state if the use monitoring device adopts an irregular operating state, for example in the event of a short circuit, line breakage and the like.