Abstract: A home appliance system and an operation method thereof are disclosed. The home appliance outputs product information as a predetermined sound and transmits the sound through a connected communication network, thereby making it easier for a service center at a remote place to check a status of the home appliance. Further, the home appliance system and operation method thereof prevents noise or signal error generated in the procedure of converting product information into a signal of a predetermined frequency band in order to output the product information as a sound, thus enabling stable signal conversion and improving the accuracy of information transmission using the output of sound.

Abstract: A home appliance and a home appliance system are disclosed. Product information and status information of the home appliance are converted into at least one transmission acoustic signal, and a sound corresponding to the at least one transmission acoustic signal is output to the outside. The product information and status information are formed as a digital signal and stored in a storage device. The digital signal is encoded through a conversion device, and converted into at least one transmission acoustic signal. The at least one transmission acoustic signal is formed as an analog signal. Meanwhile, the at least one transmission acoustic signal can be dividedly formed.

Abstract: A home appliance and a home appliance system are provided. The home appliance may convert product information into an acoustic signal and externally output the same as a sound. The home appliance system may receive the sound, convert the same into the acoustic signal, and then inversely convert the acoustic signal into the product information and read the same. Accordingly, the home appliance may externally output the acoustic signal as the sound so that the user may be easily notified of transmission. Also, the home appliance system may easily transmit the sound to a management device to read the product information because the sound may be transmitted via a communications network.

Abstract: An alert notification system and method for neighborhood, business, work location, community and other groups for broadcasting an alert message from one member of the group to the other members of the group. A member of the group who sees or hears of an alert condition, which may be criminal activity, suspicious character(s), animal running loose, natural or man-made disaster or the like, becomes an alert initiator by calling a centrally based alert processing device that, after verifying the caller is a member of a group, allows the caller to record an audible alert message describing the alert situation. The processing device then broadcasts the alert message to each member of the alert initiator's group or groups so the alert recipients may take appropriate action to protect lives and/or property. The alert processing device stores information regarding the caller and the message for later auditing and retrieval purposes.

Abstract: The systems and methods disclosed herein relate to digital data communication systems, and more particularly, the systems and methods relate to systems and methods for facilitating digital communication between a modem equipped meter and a central data acquisition system. In one example, the system has the central data acquisition system, a first telemetry device that utilizes a modem for data communication, and a second telemetry device with a processor for communicating with the first telemetry device, and a digital cellular radio for communicating with the processor. The processor relays digital meter data from the first telemetry device to the digital cellular radio and the digital cellular radio transmits the digital meter data to the central data acquisition system. This system allows the utility company to transmit the reading of utility consumption by a consumer without the use of telephone lines.

Abstract: The systems and methods disclosed herein relate to digital data communication systems, and more particularly, the systems and methods relate to systems and methods for facilitating digital communication between a modem equipped meter and a central data acquisition system. In one example, the system has the central data acquisition system, a first telemetry device that utilizes a modem for data communication, and a second telemetry device with a processor for communicating with the first telemetry device, and a digital cellular radio for communicating with the processor. The processor relays digital meter data from the first telemetry device to the digital cellular radio and the digital cellular radio transmits the digital meter data to the central data acquisition system. This system allows the utility company to transmit the reading of utility consumption by a consumer without the use of telephone lines.

Abstract: A system for locating an individual in a facility, the system comprising a portable wireless transponder device borne by the individual; an interrogator; and a plurality of antennas distributed in the facility, the antennas being selectively separately connected to the interrogator, the interrogator when connected to any of the antennas having a communications range covering less than the area of the entire facility, the interrogator being configured to repeatedly transmit a wireless command to the portable wireless transponder device using alternating antennas, the portable wireless transponder device being configured to transmit data identifying the portable wireless transponder device in response to a command if the portable wireless transponder device is within communications range of the antenna sending the command, the individual being locatable by determining with which antenna the interrogator was able to establish communications with the portable wireless transponder device.

Abstract: A method for billing consumers of on-demand commodities consumed at a site remote from the site at which they are produced. It is modeled after certain contemporary telephone-company billing practices, though it is not limited to use with telephone companies. In one embodiment the method uses a telephone service provider to bill and collect for monies owed to the producer of the commodity for the amount of the full commodity units consumed during a billing period. In a simple embodiment of the method, commodity-consumption information is sent to the billing service by an automatically reading meter located at the point where the commodity is delivered for consumption. In particular, this commodity meter—such as an electric power meter—is designed to generate a discrete signal each time that a predetermined commodity-billing-unit has been consumed.

Abstract: A wireless network covering a large local geographic area is used to link a large number of payment terminals provided in the same area. Each payment terminal is located near a plurality of parking spaces, either at the curbside or in municipal lots. Parking data is gathered from motorists at the payment terminals, the parking data including vehicle identification data or parking space identification data. The parking data is sent from the payment terminals to the wireless network in response to payment made at the payment terminals. A plurality of portable terminals are provided for use by parking wardens inspecting the parking spaces of the local geographic area. The wireless network is used to transmit the parking data substantially upon receipt from the payment terminals to the portable terminals in the local geographic area.