Patent ID: 7643908

Claim:
A system for use in a multi-unit building by which an occupant of a unit of the multi-unit building controls an appliance associated with the unit, the system comprising: an actuator which is accessible to the occupant; a processing unit to control the appliance, operative in a first mode, based on occupant instructions, to change the mode of the appliance based on an actuation of the actuator and to control the appliance, operative in a second mode, according to a preselected schedule; a networking unit to inform, via communications, a monitor of the multi-unit building as to when the appliance operates in the second mode; and an exterior indicator, external from the unit and coupled to the monitor, which activates in response to the networking unit informing the monitor as to when the appliance operates in the second mode and instructs managing staff of the multi-unit building to modify service to the occupant.