A location reporting paging communication system comprising space satellites, ground stations and a remote receiving unit adapted to resolve a global position from signals transmitted from a communication transmitter. The subscriber in possession of the remote receiving unit updates the paging network with global positioning information. A caller paging a subscriber in possession of the remote receiving unit may request the global location of the remote receiving unit. The paging network could divulge or block such information from a caller depending on the requirements of the subscriber.

Location reporting satellite paging system with optional blocking of location reporting

A personal communication and electronic commerce system for use by participating users and participating merchants in connection with incentive programs in the Network Economy. The system includes a cellular communication network that includes geographically spaced base stations that are linked to a fixed communication network. Users may have personal communication devices that can be used to allow a digital message generated on the personal communication devices by placing a call through one of the base stations and memory for storing a digital value corresponding to a monetary value. The personal communication device may also be used as a cellular position locator to determine one's geographic location and, if desired, to access information from a merchant information database containing information pertaining to a plurality of participating merchants located within the geographic territory covered by the cellular communication network. The merchant information may be stored on a database that is accessible by merchants so those merchants can add, delete or alter information contained in their respective listings. An incentive system is also provided for creating incentives for participating users to encourage. This computer implemented incentive program for encouraging certain participant actions includes a first reward program under which participants may earn points for certain actions and a second reward program through which the redemption rate associated with a particular participant is adjusted in response to certain participant action. The incentive program has a wide range of applications, including transportation, financial services and computer gaming.

System and method for promoting commerce, including sales agent assisted commerce, in a networked economy

Location sharing and tracking using mobile phones or other wireless devices

A system and method for real time monitoring and control of energy consumption at a number of facilities to allow aggregate control over the power consumption. A central location receives information over a communications network, such as a wireless network, from nodes placed at facilities. The nodes communicate with devices within the facility that monitor power consumption, and control electrical devices within the facility. The electrical devices may be activated or deactivated remotely by the central location. This provides the ability to load balance a power consumption grid and thereby proactively conserve power consumption as well as avoid expensive spikes in power consumption. The present invention also includes a wireless network for communicating with the number of facilities, and which allows other information to be collected and processed.

System and method for monitoring and controlling energy usage

Provided is a fully automated web service with location based services generally involved in transmission of situational location dependent information to automatically located mobile receiving data processing systems. The web service communicates with a receiving data processing system in a manner by delivering information to the device when appropriate without the device requesting it at the time of delivery. There are varieties of configurations made by different user types of the web service for configuring information to be delivered, and for receiving the information. The web service maximizes anonymity of users, provides granular privacy control with a default of complete privacy, and supports user configurable privileges and features for desired web service behavior and interoperability. The web service is fully automated to eliminate human resources required to operate services. Integrated with the web service are enhanced location based services providing map solutions, alerts, sharing of novel services between users, and complete user control for managing heterogeneous device interoperability through the web service.

System and method for anonymous location based services

An autonomous interrogatable information and position device combines the functionality of a satellite communications device capable of sending and receiving voice and digital data messages, a geo-location device capable of self-determining its positional location; an input/output port configured to allow attachment of the device to external local site sensors or equipment in order to obtain external local site sensor data or control the equipment, and a control processor capable of monitoring and responding to positional location information, input sensor data, and incoming voice and digital data messages.

Autonomous interrogatable information and position device

Utility consumption data is provided over power line carrier links to local nodes and routed through a network of local nodes over peer-to-peer line-of-sight RF links to a utility service provider. Backhauler nodes combine the utility consumption data from the local nodes within a coverage region for routing to the utility service provider. Consumer nodes include sensing elements for measuring the utility consumption data, and switching elements for connecting or disconnecting the utility from a consumer location. Messages are sent through the network requesting the utility consumption data and for activating the switching elements.

Data transfer system and method for communicating utility consumption data over power line carriers

A survival radio of the type useable in search and rescue operations and carried by the party to be rescued is described. The survival radio includes a GPS receiver, a transceiver and a microcontroller. The microcontroller responds to interrogation messages containing a predetermined identification code for the survival radio to cause a transceiver to transmit a geographic location of the survival radio as derived from GPS signals.

GPS based search and rescue transceiver

An electric power meter ( 102 ) includes a temperature sensor ( 114 ) and a controller ( 112 ). The controller ( 112 ) is operable, based on the temperature reported from the temperature sensor ( 114 ), to generate alarm(s) when the temperature exceeds certain alarm threshold(s) ( 307, 507, 508 ) and to activate a power disconnect switch ( 104 ), thereby shutting off power to a customer premises, when the temperature exceeds a shut off threshold ( 309, 509 ). The controller ( 112 ) is operable to activate the power disconnect switch ( 104 ) for non-payment of electricity cost, subject to secondary criteria based on regulatory requirements. A customer terminal ( 103 ) may be used to notify a customer of an alarm condition, to provide information regarding electrical power usage or to provide information regarding disconnection of electrical power.

Electric power meter including a temperature sensor and controller

A satellite based broadcast data communications service for a satellite communications system is presented which allows a data information service provider (40) to send large blocks of data information to mobile subscriber units (50). A satellite gateway (30) is coupled to a service provider (40) via a ground link (42) and to a satellite communications network (10) via a gateway link (36). A mobile subscriber unit (50) is coupled to the satellite communications network (10) via both a message link (56) and a high-speed high-bandwidth downlink (58). The mobile subscriber unit sends a data request for requested data information to service provider (40) via message link (56), satellite communications network (10), gateway link (36), gateway (30), and ground link (42). Service provider (40) responds by retrieving and sending the requested data information to the requesting subscriber unit (50) via ground link (42), gateway (30), gateway link (36), satellite communications network (10), and high-speed high-bandwidth downlink (58). Service provider (40) sends a set of standard data information to the satellite communications network (10) to be broadcast over the high-speed high-bandwidth downlinks (58). Each subscriber unit 50 receives the broadcast standard data information, preferably only those portions for which the subscriber unit (50) has access authorization. The satellite based broadcast data communications service provides for data requests, data delivery, data access control, delivery priority, and billing for use of the system.

Philip John Zucarelli

Papers

Autonomous interrogatable information and position device

Data transfer system and method for communicating utility consumption data over power line carriers

GPS based search and rescue transceiver

Electric power meter including a temperature sensor and controller

Satellite based high bandwidth data broadcast