Patent ID: 8036929

Claim:
A computer-based method, comprising: obtaining via a computer operational data for each of a multiplicity of items each equipped with measurement instrumentation, the operational data being based at least in part on at least one physical quantity other than time measured by the measurement instrumentation, wherein the multiplicity of items are used by a multiplicity of different respective individual end-user consumers remote from the computer, and the operational data is automatically obtained and automatically transmitted to the computer; storing via the computer the operational data in a database; receiving from a requesting individual end-user consumer via the computer a request for data based upon an analysis of at least a portion of the operational data corresponding to at least a plurality of the multiplicity of items; and generating via the computer the data based upon the analysis, wherein the computer is operated by a party whose interest in the use of the items includes none of ownership, operation, service, maintenance, legal regulation, manufacture, distribution, and insurance of the item, and wherein further, the data based upon the analysis is generated as a service to a requesting individual end-user consumer having an interest in using an item of a same group as the multiplicity of items.