Abstract: A remotely-operable portable trail camera includes a processing unit, an image sensor, a zoom lens, and a zoom level detecting and adjusting circuit. A panhead permits the image sensor to be adjusted azimuthally in a left-right direction and elevationally in an upward-downward direction. A panning control circuit controls a motion of the panhead azimuthally in the left-right direction. A tilting control circuit controls a motion of the panhead elevationally in the upward-downward direction. An object detection circuit detects a motion of a target object. In response to the detection of the motion, the processing unit controls the panning control circuit, the tilting control circuit, and the zoom level detecting and adjusting circuit so as to aim the image sensor towards the target object.

Abstract: This invention relates to a recording node for receiving energy-related consumption meter data, for calculating consumption amount and consumption rate, and for storing such information. The invention further relates to networks into which the recording node is incorporated, or which can otherwise be accessed by the recording node. The recording node receives signals from a meter and calculates a current consumption rate value and a predicted consumption value for a time interval. At the end of the time interval, values calculated for the interval are stored in memory in the recording node and the recording node resets and begins calculating values for the next time interval. Price data may be received at the recording node from an external source, over a network, such as a distributed network, which includes the recording node. Consumption values and price data stored in the recording node are available to other nodes in the network. The network preferably does not include a central processor.