Abstract:
The present invention relates to a means for monitoring the utility usage in a building with individual units but serviced by a single utility company meter. The individual units receive a pulse flow meter which is hard wired to a central unit and then sent to the internet for reading and then splitting the utility bill into prorated utility bills based on actual usage rather than size of the individual unit as a percentage of the whole unit.

Description:
COPYRIGHT NOTICE 
       [0001]    A portion of the disclosure of this patent contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for metering water usage in a commercial structure by individually monitoring each units within the structure and optionally sending the information to the internet for reading. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    The metering of large commercial buildings, such as a large industrial building with individual bays each bay leased or owned by a different entity, has been accomplished mainly by a single meter and the usage divided amongst the users of the building. It has been impractical in many cases to place individual meters on each unit because of the frequent combining and separating of the units merely by erecting walls. 
         [0006]    Normally when the single metered building receives a water, gas or electric bill, the owner or manager of the building divides the bill based on the square feet occupied by each of the tenants within the building. While a prorated means of apportionment is considered fair within the trade it is not reflective of the actual utility usage of each of the tenants and some tenants may be subsidizing other tenant&#39;s high usage. 
         [0007]    Individual meters can be installed in each unit but meters from the utility company are relatively expensive and frequent changes in the operative size of the buildings leads to frequent changes of utility company meters and thus a high cost associated with that approach. 
         [0008]    Some approaches have been used in situations where for water utilities plumbing in a building is extremely complex. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,986,573 Issued Nov. 16, 1999 to Franklin et al. there is disclosed a method and apparatus for metering building structures with a plurality of service outlets each having control valves having a transmission system for wirelessly sending signal from each of the meters. Once again the cost of such a system is extremely high on a per unit basis since a transmitter is necessary for each meter and is impractical in all except high end applications. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention is an apparatus and method for measuring the utility usage of individualized units within a commercial building where a single utility meter services those individualized units. 
         [0010]    In one version the present invention there is a method for metering utility consumption in a single building, serviced by a single utility meter, for each of a plurality of individual units within the building comprising:
   a) identifying each of the individual units to be metered in the building;   b) connecting a pulse flow meter to each identified unit the flow meter capable of continuously sending a flow data signal via a wire;   c) connecting a receiving device at the building for receiving the flow data signal via the wire from each of the identified individual units and storing the data in the receiving device for each of the individual units;   d) a means in the receiving device for reading the data from a selected identified unit by a receiving device user.   
 
         [0015]    In another embodiment of the invention there is an apparatus for metering the utility consumption in a single building, serviced by a single utility meter, for each of a plurality of individual units within the building comprising:
       a) a plurality of pulse flow meters capable of sending flow data via a wire wherein there is one flow meter per individual unit;   b) a single receiving device for receiving flow data from each of the individual unit flow meters, capable of receiving the flow data signal via the wire from each of the identified individual units and storing the data in the receiving device for each of the individual units;   c) a means within the receiving device for storing the flow data and reading the flow data by a receiving device user.       
 
         [0019]    In yet another embodiment, there is a system for monitoring the utility usage in a plurality of individual units within a single building metered by a utility meter comprising:
       a) a building metered by a single utility meter and having a plurality of individual units;   b) a plurality of pulse flow meters capable of sending flow data via a wire wherein there is one flow meter per individual unit;   c) a single receiving device for receiving flow data from each of the individual unit flow meters, capable of receiving the flow data signal via the wire from each of the identified individual units and storing the data in the receiving device for each of the individual units;   d) a means within the receiving device for storing the flow data and reading the flow data by a receiving device user;   e) a means for prorating utility usage measured by the utility meter to each of the individual units.       
 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0025]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of the construction of the present invention and system within a building. 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  is a relationship diagram of the present metering system invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0027]    While this invention is susceptible to embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail specific embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure of such embodiments is to be considered as an example of the principles and not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments shown and described. In the description below, like reference numerals are used to describe the same, similar or corresponding parts in the several views of the drawings. This detailed description defines the meaning of the terms used herein and specifically describes embodiments in order for those skilled in the art to practice the invention. 
         [0028]    The terms “a” or “an”, as used herein, are defined as one or as more than one. The term “plurality”, as used herein, is defined as two or as more than two. The term “another”, as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms “including” and/or “having”, as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term “coupled”, as used herein, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. 
         [0029]    Reference throughout this document to “one embodiment”, “certain embodiments”, and “an embodiment” or similar terms means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of such phrases or in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments without limitation. 
         [0030]    The term “or” as used herein is to be interpreted as an inclusive or meaning any one or any combination. Therefore, “A, B or C” means any of the following: “A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A, B and C”. An exception to this definition will occur only when a combination of elements, functions, steps or acts are in some way inherently mutually exclusive. 
         [0031]    The drawings featured in the figures are for the purpose of illustrating certain convenient embodiments of the present invention, and are not to be considered as limitation thereto. Term “means” preceding a present participle of an operation indicates a desired function for which there is one or more embodiments, i.e., one or more methods, devices, or apparatuses for achieving the desired function and that one skilled in the art could select from these or their equivalent in view of the disclosure herein and use of the term “means” is not intended to be limiting. 
         [0032]    As used herein the term “utility” refers to the provision of water, gas or electric services to a particular building. While references may be made to a particular utility where applicable the substitution of individual utilities or multiple utilizes is intended within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0033]    As used herein the term “single building” refers to a commercial building wherein there is a plurality of users, owners, leasers or the like, each taking a portion of the building and receiving utility service. The building will have a single utility meter servicing the building from the utility company and a divider pipe or wire providing individualized utility to each of the plurality of users, owners, leasers or the like, each of which occupies an “individual unit” within the building. 
         [0034]    By use of the phrase “flow meters” herein refers to a meter for measuring the amount of water passing a particular point and sending a data signal as to the amount of water flowing via a wire connection. One flow meter per unit is utilized in the practice of the invention. While any flow meter having a wire connection may be used in the practice of the invention one embodiment comprises a pulse flow meter. These meters are relatively cost effective and easy to install. They can be purchased at most any meter store and are available for gas, water and electric services. In the practice of the invention there can be 2 or more but versions where there are 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or more meters per system of the invention or per building is certainly within the scope of the invention. 
         [0035]    By “receiving device” refers to a single device for receiving each of the data signals from each of the individual units via a plurality of wires. The receiving device will have a connection for each of the wires from each of the plurality of flow meters of the present invention. The receiving device will have appropriate memory and processing capability such that the receiving device can individually store each of the data signals from each of the individual unit flow meters. In addition to storing the data the receiving device will have appropriate means for reading the data for a selected unit. A readout screen and appropriate buttons, or the like, can be used by an individual accessing the device and reading the flow of any selected flow meter. 
         [0036]    In addition, the receiving device can comprise a means for hooking up to a network. The connection would be such that the stored data and the ability to read the data for each individual unit would then be transferred to the network for reading via a network reader. In some embodiments, the network is the internet and one could read the stored data on the receiving device by accessing the device on the internet. In yet other embodiments, all or some of the functions of the receiving device can be accessed or operated via the network or internet connection. 
         [0037]    The receiving device in some embodiments can have additional controls, for example, zeroing out values in the stored data setting time date, a password for the device or individual units and the like. In one embodiment, there is a means either in the receiving device on the internet, or otherwise, which takes the total amount of water usage from the utility meter or elsewhere (such as adding up all the individual units and prorates the water bill based on each individualized units proportion of all the utility used in the measured building. The stored data regarding the proration can then be used to calculate the individualized unit&#39;s portion of the monthly utility bill. 
         [0038]    Now referring to the drawings  FIG. 1  is a diagram of an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention. In this view commercial building  2  comprises 3 individual units  2   a,    2   b  and  2   c.  While 3 units are represented, any number of units could be part of the apparatus. Each of these units represent an individual lease, owner or the like, having control of a portion of the entire building  2 . 
         [0039]    Utility  10  (which is depicted as a water utility but could be any utility as described above) supplies water to building  2  via pipeline  11 . The water utility  10  has placed a Utility company meter  12  in the pipeline  11  to monitor the water flow into building  2  and thus calculate a water usage charge for the entire building  2 . The pipeline  11  is split in to individual unit pipelines  11   a,    11   b  and  11   c  which provide water to units  2   a,    2   b  and  2   c  respectively. 
         [0040]    In each of the unit pipelines there has been placed a pulse flow meter  20 . The pulse flow meter  20  has a wired connection  21  for distribution of the flow water data from the flow meter  20  to a desired location. The wired connection  21  connects to receiving device  25 . Receiving device  25  is designed for processing the signals from each of the flow meters  20  and storing the data individually for each meter. An individual user can access the stored data via user interface  26 . The user interface  26  can also be utilized to zero out any of the data in the receiving unit set times enter passwords and the like as desired. The user interface could also print out a hard copy of any desired data. 
         [0041]    In this embodiment of the present invention there is an internet connection device  30  connected to the receiving device  25 . While in this embodiment the internet connection device  30  is shown as a separate attached device, the internet connection device could be inside the receiving device  25  and part of its circuitry is located, not attached, but relatively close with a wire connection between the two. 
         [0042]    The internet connection device  30  can take the data stored in the receiving device  25  regarding water flow, and in this embodiment, transfer it to the internet  35 . Once at the internet, users  36  can access the internet  35  and read the data or otherwise control the receiving unit like one can from the user interface  26 . 
         [0043]    The system of the present invention is represented by a dotted line  40  and comprises the apparatus and the building together. 
         [0044]    In  FIG. 2  there is shown an embodiment of the operation of a receiving device  25 . The receiving device  25  has input output ports  45  for connection of the connecting wires  21  from the flow meters  20  shown in  FIG. 1 . The data is transferred to memory  47  for a variety of uses. In one flow path the data in memory  47  is transferred to a processing unit  48  which is responsible for converting data to readable form, performing reset time functions, and the like, as necessary for the receiving device  25 . 
         [0045]    As in  FIG. 1  the receiving device  25  shown in  FIG. 2  has a user readout  26  so that a selected individual can access the data stored in memory  47 , reset data, calculate the water bill or prorated portion of the water bill, and the like. In the alternative the memory  47  stored data can be transferred to an interface  49 . The interface then can connect to an internet connection device  30  which can then send the data to the internet. The data can be converted at an internet site or otherwise manipulated or the receiving device controlled as it can be at the readout  26 . 
         [0046]    It is clear that the above drawings are not intended to be limiting on the invention. Other methods of collecting and presenting data in the receiving device or otherwise selecting flow meters or other delivery means are within the contemplation of the present invention and the claims which follow are to be so read.