Patent ID: 8027809

Claim:
A system comprising: a programmable microprocessor; at least one input mechanism; a first memory having program instructions; a display; at least one power consuming device; at least one sensor configured to (i) monitor and collect usage data associated with operation of the power consuming device and (ii) produce one or more signals carrying the usage data; a transceiver device connectable in signal communication with both the programmable microprocessor and the sensor; and a housing containing the programmable microprocessor, the input mechanism, the first memory, the display, the sensor and the transceiver device, wherein the program instructions are executable by the programmable microprocessor to, (i) cause information stored in the first memory to be presented to a power consumer on the display, (ii) collect consumer data from an interaction of the power consumer with the input mechanism in response to the display and store the consumer data in the first memory, (iii) collect the usage data from the sensor and store the usage data in the first memory, (iv) cause the usage data and the consumer data to be transmitted via a communication channel to a server remotely located from the housing, (v) cause the information to be received via the communication channel from the server, wherein the information facilitates changes in behavior of the power consumer through education and/or feedback based on the consumer data and the usage data, and (vi) store the information in the first memory, wherein (i) the program instructions in the first memory further cause the programmable microprocessor to display one or more menus on the display, (ii) operation of one or more switches aligned with the menus allows the power consumer to control the programmable microprocessor and the transceiver device and (iii) the operation of the switches further controls (a) processing of the usage data, (b) transmission of the signals from the transceiver device to the programmable microprocessor and (c) the display of the information on the display.