Patent ID: 8825215

Claim:
A utility meter system comprising: an electronic interface configured to provide to a consumer a request not to run a particular type of power-consuming device during a forthcoming demand response event in exchange for an incentive, wherein the particular type of power-consuming device is configured to be prevented from running by the consumer rather than an external entity during the demand response event; power sampling circuitry configured to obtain a power usage profile representing total power consumed over time by all power-consuming devices on consumer premises run by the consumer for a period of time, wherein the period of time includes at least the demand response event when the consumer has agreed not to run the particular type of power-consuming device during the demand response event and ends approximately when the demand response event ends; and communication circuitry configured to provide the power usage profile but not an express status of the particular type of power-consuming device to an external entity to enable the external entity to determine whether the consumer complied with the agreement not to run the particular type of power-consuming device during the demand response event; wherein the power usage profile represents power consumption by the consumer at a plurality of specific points in time over the period of time.