Patent ID: 6741915
Filing Date: 2004-05-25
Classification: F24F,G05B,G06Q,Y02P

Abstract:
A method, comprising:providing a usage monitoring heating ventilation and air conditioning control system including a programmable digital thermostat with an on board memory; issuing a plurality of personal identification numbers to a plurality of system users; storing a plurality of personal identification numbers in a first data structure in the on board memory; linking each one of the plurality of personal identification numbers in the first data structure by reference to at least one of a plurality of entries in a second data structure in the on board memory, the second data structure including a plurality of user types; receiving a request for an additional period of heating ventilation and air conditioning system services from a requesting system user; maintaining another data structure in the on board memory of the programmable thermostat, the another data structure including a list of time entries, each time entry associated with one of the plurality of system users; updating the another data structure by adding a duration in units of time to a time associated with the requesting system user; and uploading the another data structure to a central billing computer.