SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ON-LINE MONITORING AND BILLING OF POWER CONSUMPTION

摘要

The present invention comprises systems and methods related to monitoring of energy usage on a power line. In a preferred embodiment, this system comprises: an electronic microprocessor-controlled digital electricity metering device (100) coupled to the power line and comprising a non-volatile non-battery-powered data-storage device (U5), wherein the metering device is capable of interval metering and of receiving a data request and transmitting data in response to the request over the power line; and a data collector (preferably, a transponder (130)) coupled to the metering device via the power line. The data collector is preferably capable of: receiving data from and transmitting data to the metering device over the power line; storing data received from the metering device over the power line; and receiving data from and transmitting data to a remotely located computer (preferably, a billing computer (140)).