GB2029058A - Method and Apparatus for Controlling the Acquisition of a Consumable Product - Google Patents

Abstract

A certain quantity of the consumable product is released to the consumer (9) by a remote control operation (8, 11, 12, 5). After the product has been consumed the further acquisition thereof is blocked until ordering or purchasing of a further quantity of the consumable product. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method and Apparatus for Controlling the Acquisition of a Consumable Product The present invention relates to a method of, and apparatus for, controlling the acquisition of, for example, a consumable product.

In the context of the present invention it is to be understood that the expression "consumable product", includes for example, electrical active energy, electrical reactive or wattless energy, a random energy supply or carrier, such as natural gas, heating oil, a thermal carrier, such as hot water, hot steam or vapour and fresh or usable water.

At present, electrical energy is generally registered at the site where it is consumed by means of kilowatt-hour meters, and specifically, as a rule, at the location where the electrical energy is fed into the region of installation of the load. The meters are equipped with counters which are normally read by an individual who is periodically sent by the electric energy supplier to the location of the meter. The result of the meter reading constitutes the basis for billing the customer for the amount of energy which he has acquired. Collection of the amount due can be accomplished either by immediate payment on by the customer, or else, following reading of the 'meter the energy supplier can send a bill to the customer or consumer.

Although this traditional, widely used technique, has the advantage of employing inexpensive and reliable kilowatthour meters, it is associated with a number of drawbacks.

Overcoming such drawbacks would result in an appreciable saving for the energy supplier in the operations which are associated with costs, complications and inconveniences.

In many instances, the meter is located at the residence of the customer. It frequentiy happens that the meter reader cannot obtain access to the meter because for example the customer is not at home. This requires the meter reader to make repeative visits, which are associated with operational costs, in order that the meter may finally be read.

Particularly in unsafe areas, many customers maintain watch dogs or other animals for security purposes. Frequently the person sent to read the meter is bitten or otherwise attacked by such animal. Equally, reading meters in areas having high crime rates is known to be quite dangerous.

Employees of energy supplier who have been sent to read such meters have, in fact, been assulted and even killed.

Also the high mobility of the population and the associated rapid turnover of residences causes, with the reading and invoicing techniques used at present, additional costs and operations.

Large apartment complexes are known in which the average duration of occupancy amounts only to about six months. Every time a tenant moves it is necessary that an extra reading of the meter be made. Frequently, a tenant who has moved does not pay the last bill, resulting considerable work and additional costs to obtain payment.

Tardy or dilatory payers are a particular problem. After the customer has failed to pay his bill for a considerable amount of time and repeated reminders have gone unanswered, the energy supplier is usually left with no other choice but to send a service operator to the customer or consumer in order to cut-off the supply of further energy. After the customer has made payment then a second visit is necessary in order to turn on the energy supply again.

If these procedures are repeated too often, then the possibility of installing a coin operated meter is available. To acquire energy the customer then must insert for example, coins into the meter or chips which he has purchased from the energy supplier. The insertion of such coins or chips into the meter releases a further supply of energy. While this technique solves the problem of tardy payment of bills, it nontheless, like before, requires an employee of the energy supplier to visit the customer in order to collect the coins or chips by emptying the meter. Here also, the question of accessibility of the meter reader at the site where the meter is located and equaliy the danger which he might experience, as explained above, still exists. Also, coin operated meters are expensive and prone to malfunction.In particular, this is the case with those special meters in which, after insertion the ship is destroyed and ejected, in order to render superfluous any chip collection operation.

With the foregoing in mind, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method of, an apparatus for, controlling the acquisition of a consumable product, in a manner not associated with the aforementioned drawbacks and limitations of the prior art proposals.

A further object of the present invention is to device a method for guaranteeing payment of the consumed goods acquired by a customer, especially electrical energy, wherein the procurement of the consumable goods or product only is possible upon previous payment.

Another object of the present invention aims at devising an apparatus for controlling the acquisition of a consumable product, which is suitable for the performance of the method according to the invention, and insures that acquisition of the consumable product is only possible upon pre-payment or, if the supplier desires, particularly in the case of credit worthy customers, when the supplier has satisfied himself that there is little risk in furnishing such particular customer with an additional quantity of the consumable product without pre-payment.

Still a further object of the invention aims at providing a method of, and apparatus for, controlling the acquisition of a consumable product in a highly reliable, simple and accurate manner, while dispensing with the need for reading of a meter and eliminating the aforementioned dangers and drawbacks associated therewith.

Generally speaking, the invention exploits the concept of rendering possible the acquisition of the consumable product only by means of a remotely controlled release device. The individually accomplished release of certain quantities of the relevant consumable product for each customer or consumer, is accomplished, for instance, in the case of credit worthy customers when they place their order, or else in the case of other customers only after payment has been made for the requested amount, by remotely controlling a remotely controllable release device sited at, for example the customer location. The remote control operation can be accomplished by means of, for example, a random remote control system, for instance by radio or wireless system, ripple control and wirebound systems, such as telephone.What is decisive for the selection of the remote control system is in most cases, the number of channels which must be made or can be made available.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of controlling the acquisition of a consumable product, comprising the steps of: providing a release device at at least one site al which the consumable product is used; transmitting information by remote control from a central station to the release device; and utilising such information at the or each site of consumption of the consumable product for releasing the acquisition of a predetermined quantity of the consumable product.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for controlling the acquisition of a consumable product by at least one consumer, comprising: a central station for controlling the acquisition of the consumable product by the at least one consumer; a remote control system cooperating with said central station and said consumer; input means provided for the central station for controlling the remote control system; transmission channel means arranged btween th central station and said at least one consumer for transmitting information; a receiver device for receiving said information located at the site of the consumer; and a release device for controlling the acquisition of the consumable product operatively associated with said receiver device.

The present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein throughout the Figures the same or analogous elements are denoted by the same reference characters and in which: Figure 1 is an exemplary embodiment, shown schematically, a system having a release device which is remotely controlled by a ripple control installation; Figure 2 is a block circuit diagram of a first embodiment of remotely controllable release device; Figure 3 is a block circuit diagram of a further embodiment of remotely controllable release device; Figure 4 is a circuit diagram of apparatus for delivering pulses; Figure 5 is an exemplary embodiment of an electromagnetic and mechanical counter; and Figure 6 is a block circuit diagram of an embodiment of an electronic counter.

In Figure 1 there is illustrated, by way of example, an embodiment of a system by means of which a release device, arranged at the site of the consumer or customer, has infed thereto appropriate information by utilizing the well known techniques of ripple control or remote control. Ripple control and remote control systems are available and known to the art in many different constructional variations. By way of example, a system suitable for use with the invention has been disclosed for instance in British Pat. No. 146835, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Turning attention now more specifically to Figure 1, it is to be understood that numeral 1 designates a high-voltage transformer which is connected at its primary side with a side-voltage line or network 1 a. Connected with the secondary side of the high-voltage transformer 1 is an intermediate or medium voltage line or network 2 which supplies electrical energy to an area which is to be serviced. By means of an intermediate voltage transformer 3, connected at its primary side at the intermediate voltage network 2, the electrical energy is infed by means of a 220 volt low voltage line or network 4, to for example a customer or consumer. Here, by way of example, the customer is assumed to be the occupant of a dwelling, such as a house.Preferably, at the region of infeeding the low voltage to the customer's home there is arranged a remotely controlled release device or release means 5 having a display or indicator device 6. By means of the remotely controlled release device 5 electrical energy is delivered to a load 7 or even different loads 7 which are located at the customer location. Various exemplary embodiments of release devices of release means 5 will be described more fully hereinafter in conjunction with Figures 2 and 3. At this point it is simply mentioned that the release device 5 is provided with the display device or display means 6 which displays the quantity of energy which is still available to the customer or consumer at a certain point in time. Furthermore, this release device 5, as best seen by referring for instance to Figures 2 and 3, has a switching element or switching means 26 which serves to interrupt the infeed of further energy to the load or loads 7, as soon as the display device 6 indicates a pre-set value, for instance constituted by the position null.

Leading from the site of the customer or consumer is any suitable information connection or communication system 8, for instance a telephone line or connection, to a central station, here assumed to be an electrical utility company or supplier 10, which supplies the region in question with electrical energy. A customer 9, at whose display device 6 there has been indicated the complete or almost complete consumption of the previously ordered quantity of energy, now with the system under discussion, has the possibility, by means of the communication connection or line 8, to order from an employee 1 Oa, of the electrical supplier 10 a further fixed quantity of energy.If it is assumed that the customer, as indicated by reference character 9a, is one whom the electrical supplier 10 does not consider to be credit worthy, then the company can demand prior payment for the newly ordered quantity of energy, for instance by requiring cash payment by such customer 9a at the cashiers window of the electrical supplier 10.

If the electrical supplier 10 is prepared to furnish a further quantity of energy, then this can be accomplished by actuating a control device or input means 11 by means of a conventional known ripple or remote control installation 12, for example, as mentioned above, of the type disclosed in United States Patent No. 3,986,121.

Consequently, each individual customer 9 and, in turn, more specifically each release device 5 provided for such customer has allocated thereto an individual, preferably coded command. If based upon the aforementioned actuation of the control device 11 the remote control or ripple control installation 12 causes transmission of the command which is correlated to the aforementioned customer or consumer 9, then this command is transmitted by means of the intermediate voltage network 2, the low voltage transformer 3 and the low voltage line 4 to the release device 5 located at the site of the customer 9. Thereafter, in the release device 5 there is added the just ordered or purchased additional quantity of energy, which is then displayed at the display device 6 and is freed for consumption by the customer 9.

If, at a later point in time, the quantity of energy which has been released for consumption runs low or, in fact, is depleted, then there is repeated the sequence of ordering or purchase of a further quantity of energy, and the transmission of the appropriate control command and the summing up of the newly acquired energy and so forth.

Since there is no longer needed a person to read the meter, the question of access to the residence of the customer becomes moot. The same is equally true as concerns the danger of the meter reader being attacked by dogs or other animals, and also criminal assault of the meter reader sent by the electric utility company or energy supplier. In the event that a tenant moves out of his apartment or residence, then it is up to the new tenant to purchase further energy supplies. The quantity of energy which has been previously released and is still available in the release device 5 can be acquired by the new tenant. Since with the described principles of the invention it is possible to request advance payment for the energy procurement, problems no longer prevail as concerns tardy paying customers.Therefore, it is also superfluous to resort to the use of a solution requiring coin operated meters at the location of the individual consumers, this solution being associated with considerable costs and service requirements, as previously explained. Nonetheless, as far as credit worthy customers are concerned, there can be still retained the system of sending them an invoice for the acquired quantity of energy.

Now in Figures 2 and 3 there are shown respective block circuit diagrams of exemplary embodiments of remotely controllable release devices 5. The delivered electrical energy flows from an input terminal or connection 21 through the release device or release means 5 to an output terminal or connection 22. The release device 5 also has a signal input terminal 23. If in a given case there is employed a remote control or ripple control system for the information transmission between the electrical supplier and the customer, then the signal input terminal 23 is connected with the low voltage line 4. In the release device 5 the input terminal 21 is connected by means of a kilowatt-hour meter 24 and a switching element or switch means 26 with the output terminal 22.The release device 5 comprises a remote control receiver 25 of conventional design, which for instance may be constructed in the manner disclosed in the aforementioned United States Patent No.

3,986,121. As already mentioned, different constructions of remote control receivers, and in general remote control systems, as are well known in this technology, can be used. A counter 27 is influenced both by the kilowatt-hour meter 24 and also by the remote control receiver 25.

The counter 27 is structured such that upon reaching a predetermined counter state, for example null, there can be delivered to the switching element 26 a switching pulse for actuating such switching element 26.

Having now had the benefit of the foregoing description, there will be considered the mode of operation of the release device shown in Figure 2, which is as follows: The electrical energy flows from the input terminal 21 by way of the kilowatt-hour meter 24 to the switching element 26, and, when the latter is closed, to the output terminal 22, which, in turn, is connected with the various installations or loads 7 of the consumer. For each acquired energy unit the kflowatt-hour meter 24 delivers a pulse to the counter or counter means 27, which, in turn, contains a memory as will be considered more fully hereinafter. The pulses of the kilowatthour meter 24 are processed in such memory being for instance negatively summed-up or added. The remote control receiver 25, upon the reception of appropriate signals infed thereto, likewise delivers pulses to the counter 27.These are, for instance positively added in the memory.

Hence, as a consequence thereof, the memory contains the balance between the pulses of the kilowatt-hour meter 24 and those of the remote control receiver 25. This balance of difference is displayed by the display device 6. If the balance assumes a predetermined value, for instance null, then the counter 27 opens the switching element 26 and thus supresses any further procurement of energy. Now if the balance in the memory of the counter 27 again becomes positive owing to the infeed of appropriate pulses from the remote control receiver 25 because corresponding information has been delivered from the electrical utility company 10 to the remote control receiver 25, then the counter 27 again actuates the switching element 26, i.e., it brings the switching element 26 again into its closed position, so that energy can again be supplied to the customer's load or loads 7.During this energy consumption the kilowatt-hour meter 24 again delivers the aforementioned pulses to the counter 27, reducing the counter state of such counter 27, and thus, the supply of previously acquired energy. If there is again reached the predetermined or set value of the counter state, for instance null, then the counter 27 actuates the switching element 26 once again, i.e., places such into its open position. Consequently, after the previously acquired quantity of energy has been drawn the further delivery of energy of the load or loads 7 is interupted until the customer 9 has purchased or otherwise acquired a new supply of energy.

It is to be understood that the division and arrangement of the components into the configuration described, is not absolutely mandatory for the practice of the present invention, and modifications are readily possible and will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. For instance, the counter 27 could be accommodated at the kilowatt-hour meter 24 or combined therewith. Also there are possible combinations beween the display device 6 and the counter 27 and the kilowatt-hour meter 24.

Furthermore, in the aforementioned case, where the energy and the remote control signals are infed by a remote control or ripple control system, through one and the same current supply network, it is possible to combine the terminals 21 and 23 of the release device 5. This results in a particularly advantageous construction having only one input terminal. Moreover, the remote control receiver 25 can be equipped with further switches 29 which in conventional manner can be employed, for instance, for the periodic blocking and actuation of hot water bbilers or heaters and for performing other control function.

According to a simple constructional embodiment of the invention, the counter 27 correlates a pulse received from the remote control receiver 25, for instance to the value of 100 kilowatt-hours. A kilowatt-hour meter 24 delivers for instance, to the counter 27 one pulse per kilowatt-hour so that the supply infed by a pulse from the remote control receiver 25 is depleted after 100 pulses of the kilowatt-hour meter 24. As best recognized by referring to the modification of Figure 3, the remote control receiver 25 can be, however, also constructed such that it possesses a number of pulse contacts 25a for the delivery of pulses to the counter 27.

The counter 27, in turn, is structured such that, for instance, a pulse of the first pulse contact is correlated to the value of 100 kilowatt-hours, a pulse of the second pulse contact to the value of 1000 kilowatt-hours, and a pulse of the third pulse contact to the value of 10,000 kilowatthours.

In order to insure positive transmission between the other energy supplier 10 and the relevant release device 5 of a predetermined customer 9, i.e., to make absolutely certain that the customer really has furnished thereto the purchased or acquired quantity of energy, it is advantagious to design the system such that, for instance signals which have not been received for any reason can be repeated, without the danger an accumulation of the relevant acquired energy quantity occurring. Thus, for instance, the number of transmissions which are initiated for a certain customer, i.e., the information transmission, can be counted both at the transmitting end and at the receiving end. The individual transmissions contain, apart from the address of the customer and the value of the transmission in kilowatthours, also the number of the transmission.The transmission then is only accepted by the receiver when its number is, for instance, higher by one than that which is displayed by the receiver correlated-transmission counter. A simpler security against cumulative repetitions can be realized in that, the remote control receiver is equipped with a switch and the transmission is accomplished in alternating fashion with "ON" and "OFF"-transmissions, as will be explained more fully in conjunction with Figure 4.

An exemplary embodiment of apparatus for delivering pulses from the remote control receiver 25 to the counter 27 is shown in Figure 4. From a positive supply voltage (+), by means of a switch 25a, the current circuit is closed by means of a parallel circuit of a resistor 30 and a capacitor 31 or a capacitor 32 and a resistor 33, via the counter 27, to the negative terminal (-) of the current source.

Now in order to deliver a pulse to the counter 27, the switch or switch means 25a of the remote control receiver 25 must be shifted from the "NO" position to the "OFF" positive or vice versa. In the position illustrated in Figure 4, the capacitor 32 is charged and only a small residual current flows by means of the discharge resistor 33, to the counter 27. If the switch 25a is placed in its other position, then the capacitor 31 charges with a powerful current pulse, which also flows through the counter 27, whereas the capacitor 32 discharges by means of the resistor 33. An analogous procedure is also accomplished when the switch 25a is again placed in the "OFF" position.Now if for any reason attributable to a disturbance in the system, a transmission signifying for the customer a value of 100, 1,000 or 10,000 kilowatt-hours, does not arrive, then such signal can be readily repeated a number of times. In the event that the switch 25a in fact still remains in the its earlier valid, but now false position, then the switch 25a is now actuated and thus properly positioned. However, the actuation can only be accomplished once, since all repetitive transmissions do not contain alternating, rather always the same expression or meaning "ON" or "OFF", respectively.

There can be used as the kilowatt-hour meter 24 for instance a kilowatt-hour meter having a pulse transmitter installed therein, such as has been disclosed in the brochure of the German firm AEG, entitled "AEG Fernzahlgerate mit elektronischer Impulsgabe" (roughly translated: "AEG Remote Counter Devices Having Electronic Pulse Transmission"), Publication Z SV 55536 a/L-Passage 0710/July 1 962. As mentioned, remote control receivers 25 have been well known in the ripple control art for a number of years and as demonstrated by the aforementioned United States Patent No.

3,986,121 by way of example. For instance, there are commercially available remote control receivers which selectively can be equipped with up to six switches, each of which can have correlated thereto a certain, individual commands.

Thus apart from there being available switches having an "ON", "OFF" or reversing switching function, there are also available pulse switches which, upon receiving a command, only briefly open, close or switch. One or number of these switches can be employed, for example, for additional control functions as has already been mentioned for the switch 29 during the description of the embodiment of Figure 2.

An exemplary embodiment of an electromagnetic or mechanically operating counter 27 having a display device 6 now will be considered in greater detail in conjunction with Figure 5. The counter 27 possesses an electromagnet 41 a containing a coil 41 to which current pulses can be fed in by means of the pair of connection terminals 40, from the remote control receiver 25 (see also Figures 2 and 3). An armature 42 of the electromagnet 41 a, and cooperating with the coil 41, is drawn by such current pulses into the electromagnet coil 41.

Retraction of the armature 42, draws by means of a linkage arrangement 43 and a return lever 44, a pawl 45 towards a ratchet wheel 46 or equivalent structure. By virtue of the force exerted by the pawl 45 upon the ratchet wheel 46, the ratchet wheel 46 together with its shaft 47 is rotated, in the direction of the arrow 46a, through less than one-half of a revolution. After decay of the current pulse in the electromagnet coil 41, a spring 48, which has been tensioned during the presence of the current and which is anchored at the frame or housing 49 of the counter 27, again pulls the armature 42, by means of the return or restoring lever 44 and the linkage arrangement or linkage means 43, out of the electromagnet coil 41 of the electromagnet 41 a.

Due to the described operation a reading and release wheel 50, likewise secured upon the rotatable shaft 47, is rotated through a certain angular distance in the direction of the arrow 51.

A scale 52 provided upon the reading and release wheel 50, indicates at a marker 53 the quantity of energy which is still available for consumption.

Due to the aforementioned rotation of the reading and release wheel 50 in the direction of the arrow 51, the scale 52 is positioned at a higher value of the still available energy quantity.

A release pin 53a mounted at the reading and release wheel 50, is spaced from the site of a pair of release contacts 54 due to the movement in the direction of the arrow 51. At the connection terminals 55 of the pair of release contacts 54 there is connected the current circuit by means of which the counter 27 actuates the switching element 26 as previously explained in conjunction with the embodiments of Figures 2 and 3.

By means of the mechanism shown in Figure 5 to the right of the reading and release wheel 50, in each case information concerning a quantity of energy which is to be made available by means of the remote control receiver 25 (see also Figures 2 and 3) is fed into the reading and release wheel 50.

By means of a further mechanism, illustrated in Figure 5 to the left of the reading and release wheel 50, information concerning the actually consumed energy quantity, is fed into the reading and release wheel 50. This information is expressed in terms of a corresponding rotation of the reading and release wheel 50 in the direction of the arrow 51a.

For this purpose, the reading and release wheel 50 which is secured to the shaft 47, is driven by a gear 56 attached to this shaft 47, as a function of the actual energy consumption. The gear 56, in turn, is driven by an intermediate gear train comprising further gears 57 and 58 and always through a certain amount when the gear 58 is placed into a defined rotational movement by means of its shaft 59 owing to rotation of a further ratchet wheel 60. The defined rotational movement of the further ratchet wheel 60 is accomplished by virtue of a downward movement of a further pawl 61. Such downward movement of the further pawl 61 occurs when the futther pawl 61 is drawn in to a further electromagnet coil 63, by the action of a traction rod 61 a connected with the electromagnet armature 62.

This always occurs when a current pulse is fed into the further electromagnet coil 63, by means of its connection terminals 64, from the kilowatt hour meter 24 provided with a pulse contact, this current pulse designating the acquisition of an energy unit. In the currentless state of the electromagnet coil 63, a conventional spring, which is not shown in Figure 5, returns the armature 62 back into its upper position.

Thus, the consumption of energy causes the reading and release wheel 50 to be rotated in the direction of the arrow 51a and the marker 53 will then indicate the quantity of energy momentarily still available at the scale 52. if no further release of a predetermined energy quantity is accomplished then, the reading and release wheel 50 is finally rotated in the direction of the arrow 51 a, to an extent that the release pin 53a actuates the pair of release contacts 54, and thus, the counter 27 actuates, in the described manner, the switching element 26, i.e., opens such switching element, so that the further procurement of energy is blocked.

Only when the electrical supplier 10 in response to a new energy call or energy purchase by the customer, delivers by means of the ripple control or remote control installation 12 (Figure 1) an appropriate information to the remote control receiver 25 (Figures 2 and 3) is a rotation of the reading and release wheel 50 in the direction of the arrow 51 accomplished in the described manner. As a result, the release contact pair 54 is again opened, i.e., as a result the switching element 26 (Figures 2 and 3) is again closed, and a further energy acquisition by the customer or consumer 9 can be accomplished.

The apparatus also can be equipped with prewarming contacts i.e., can be provided with suitable further release pins at the reading and release wheel 50 and related contacts, so that there can be ordered or purchased at the proper time further quantities of energy.

Of course, the here described apparatus is not only suitable for registering or detecting electrical active energy, but also for other quantities of consumable products or goods, such as for instance, electrical reactive or wattless energy.

Also the field of application is not limited to the detection of electrical eriergy, but can also be employed in analogous fashion for recording the acquisition and consumption of, for example, gas, thermal energy carriers, drinking water and useful water, if there are provided suitable, known counters, such as the counter 24.

It is also possible to provide a design and construction of the counter 27 of an electronic nature, as will be described hereinafter in conjunction with the illustration of Figure 6. The exemplary embodiment of electronic counter and release device, shown in Figure 6, will be seen to comprise a direct-current voltage source which has not been particularly shown in Figure 6 since it is part of the state-of-art, and thus, only the positive terminal (+) and negative terminal (-) of such current source have been shown. This exemplary embodiment is provided, for instance, for the purchase or acquisition of up to a maximum of 100 kilowatt-hours of electrical energy.A transmission of the ripple control or remote control installation 12 which causes at the relevant customer or consumer 9 a brief closing of a pulse contact 70 of the related remote control receiver 25, is correlated to the value of the 10 kilowatt-hours. Such pulse, firstly, switches-on the bistable switching element 26 (Figures 2 and 3), in the event it should be located in the "OFF" position and furthermore, energizes the positive counter input of a counter i3. As an example, a commercially available decade counter of the type HEF 401 92B available from Philips Company can be advantageously employed as the counter 73.

The pulses of the kilowatt-hour meter 24 (Figure 2 and 3) are delivered to the negative counter input of a further counter 72. The previously mentioned decade counter available from Philips Company can for example, also be used for this counter 72. After the infeed of ten such pulses, the counter 72 delivers, by means of its output TCD, a pulse through the negative counter input CPD of the counter 73. When this counter 73 reaches the counter state or null, value then appears at its output TCD a pulse which, by means of an amplifier 74, actuates the bistable switching element 26 and causes such to turn-off. In this way, following consumption of the acquired quantity of energy, i.e., after reaching the counter null state, the further procurement of energy by the customer or consumer 9 is blocked.

The state of the counters 72 and 73 appears at their outputs 0o to 03 in binary-coded-decimal notation and can be rendered visible by suitable, known devices, such as light-emitting diodes.

Circuits suitable for this purpose are well known and belong to the state-of-the-art, and therefore need not be further considered here.

To prevent loss of the counter state in the event of power failure, the power supply the electronic circuit can be accomplished by means of a battery which in the normal state can be maintained in a charged condition by the network voltage by means of a rectifier arrangement. Here also these types of circuits are part of the stateof-the-art and therefore need not be further described.

With the embodiment of Figure 5 the reading and release wheel 50 constitutes the aforementioned memory of the release device.

The value stored therein is expressed by the position of the reading and release wheel 50. On the other hand, with the embodiment of Figure 6 the counters 72 and 73 constitute the aforementioned memory.

Claims (14)

Claims

1. A method of controlling the acquisition of a consumable product, comprising the steps of: providing a release device at at least one site at which the consumable product is used; transmitting information by remote control from a central station to the release device; and utilizing such information at the or each site of consumption of the consumable product for releasing the acquisition of a predetermined quantity of the consumable product.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the consumable product is energy.

3. A method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the consumable product is an energy corner.

4. A method as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the remote control operation is performed by means of a communication channel btween the central station and the or each site of consumption of the consumable product, which communication channel also being available for another purpose.

5. A method as claim in any preceding Claims, wherein the remote control operation is accomplished by means of a power supply network.

6. A method as claimed in Claim 1, further comprising the steps of: transmitting the information concerning the quantity of the consumable product which is to be freed for consumption, in a coded form as a command by means of a power supply network; correlating at least one such command to each consumer which it is to be controlled; and initiating storage of the quantity of the consumable product which is to be released by transmitting the command to the release device of the related consumer.

7. A method of controlling the acquisition of a consumable product by at least one consumer substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1 with or without reference to any of Figures 2 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

8. An apparatus for controlling the acquisition of a consumable product by at least one consumer, comprising: a central station for controlling the acquision of the consumable product by the at least one consumer; a remote control system cooperating with said central station and said consumer; input means provided for the central station for controlling the remote control system; transmission channel means arranged between the central station and said at least one consumer for transmitting information; a receiver device for receiving said information located at the site of the consumer; and a release device for controlling the acquisition of the consumable product operatively associated with said receiver device.

9. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 8, wherein: said release device comprises storage means for the quantity of consumable product which is to be released in accordance with the received information.

10. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 8 or 9, wherein said release device comprises a counter for the reception of a quantity of the consumable product which is to be released and for detecting the consumed quantity of said consumable product.

11. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 10, further comprising: a display device provided for the counter for the display of the difference between the acquired and consumed quantity of consumable product.

12. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 8 to 11, further comprising: means for preventing the accumulation of repetitely transmitted information.

13. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 8 to 12, wherein: said release device is provided with a common terminal for the infeed of the consumable product in the form of energy and the infeed of said information.

14. An apparatus for controlling the acquisition of a consumable product by at least one consumer, substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1 with or without reference to any of Figures 2 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.