Patent ID: 7945471
Filing Date: 2011-05-17
Classification: G06Q,G09B,Y02W

Abstract:
1. A communication system for a plurality of environmental equipment systems positioned at a plurality of physical locations, said plurality of environmental equipment systems being serviced by one or more service personnel from one or more service entities, a plurality of responsible parties being responsible for one or more payments related to said plurality of environmental equipment systems, each of said plurality of environmental equipment systems comprising one or more sensors for producing sensor data, said system comprising: a plurality of first communication nodes wherein respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes are mounted physically proximate to respective ones of said plurality of environmental equipment systems, said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes being operable for collecting said sensor data from said respective ones of said plurality of environmental equipment systems; a plurality of second communication nodes wherein respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes are mounted at a distance greater than zero yards and less than one hundred yards from said respective ones of said first communication nodes; a communication link between each of said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes and said respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes for transmitting said sensor data from said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes to said respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes, said respective ones of said plurality of second communication nodes receiving said sensor data only from said respective ones of said plurality of first communication nodes; one or more servers operable for receiving said sensor data from said plurality of environmental equipment systems; transmission circuitry in said plurality of second communication nodes for communicating with said one or more servers.