Abstract: A remote data acquisition and transmission system and method are disclosed. A plurality of application controllers are interfaced with remote equipment from which operation data is acquired by the application controllers. The application controllers communicate with an application host via a local area network, and the application host can communicate with a network operations center using a wide area network interface. In one embodiment, each application controller interfaces with remote equipment that comprises a vending machine.

Abstract: A technical installation is planned using a computer-supported project planning tool, by interactively specifying a number of descriptions of technical elements and by describing their topology. For this purpose, a user either selects, from at least one catalogue of predefined, unchangeable standard description of elements, of which descriptions and a priority number is assigned, or specifies a different description of the project planning tool. The planned installation is assigned this priority number by the project planning tool only if such standard descriptions are specified.

Abstract: The invention provides a storage medium and a downloading method by which data can be downloaded comparatively simply and efficiently. Program information describing a downloading procedure is stored in a storage medium, and the storage medium is provided in this form to a user. When the user utilizes the storage medium, a procedure that can be executed to perform necessary processing without depending upon an operation of the user can be included in the process from accessing to a server to final downloading of desired content data. Consequently, the necessary number of operations by the user can be reduced as much.

Abstract: A prepaid communications account is shared by at least a first subscriber and a second subscriber whereby access to the prepaid account is locked in response to a first prepaid call originating from the first subscriber. A first portion of the total prepaid talk time in the account is allocated to the first prepaid call. The total prepaid talk time is updated as a first updated prepaid talk time by subtracting the first portion from the total prepaid talk time; unlocking access to the prepaid account; and, while the first prepaid call is ongoing, locking access to the prepaid account in response to a second prepaid call originating from the second subscriber. A second portion of the first updated prepaid talk time is allocated to the second prepaid call. The first updated prepaid talk time is updated to provide a second updated prepaid talk time by subtracting the second portion from the first updated prepaid talk time; and access to the prepaid account is unlocked.

Abstract: Conventional AMR and DA/DSM systems typically suffer from a lack of extensibility due to the monolithic nature of the master station software. In contrast, this patent describes a system that is comprised of small modules connected using a component object model. This system allows straightforward extension in the areas of applications, communications, metering devices, and databases without requiring recompilation or relinking of the system. Furthermore, this system allows commercial applications such as spreadsheets, word processors, statistical packages, report generators, et cetera to be integrated directly with this system, and allows extension and customization of the system using such packages. Such a flexible open architecture is very attractive to utilities in that it allows easy extension by the utility or other third party developers without the involvement of the original authors of the system.

Abstract: A method for verifying that the expected components of a postage metering system includes alternate embodiments for verifying a PSD coupled to a host system is the expected PSD. The method further includes verifying the host system as the expected host system. A first message is encrypted in the PSD using a first cryptographic key to obtain a first encrypted message. The first encrypted message is sent to the host system which decrypts the first encrypted message using a second cryptographic key. The host system then encrypts a second message derived from the decrypted first encrypted message using the second cryptographic key. The host system then sends the encrypted second message to the PSD which decrypts the second encrypted message in the PSD using the first cryptographic key.

Abstract: An interface layer and method is provided that permits applications, without modification, to operate with any type of meter. The interface comprises an abstraction layer and library or repository of descriptions specific to each meter type. The abstraction layer provides the capability to communicate with any meter through a variety of applications. Upon receiving an application request, the abstraction layer retrieves the description for the particular meter type from the repository and processes the request. In this manner, only one data representation is needed for applications to communicate with a wide variety of meters.

Abstract: In order to charge a fee according to a using condition of a treating apparatus, i.e. measuring or analyzing apparatus, the treating apparatus is connected to a terminal on a user's side and a server on a seller's side through an internet. The cost of the measuring or analyzing apparatus is charged according to the using condition through the internet, i.e. based on a measured rate system. The measuring or analyzing apparatus is transferred to the side of the user, but the user can start using the apparatus with a small sum of money.

Abstract: A system for Internet connections, which connects a user terminal to a network. The system generally comprises a section for relaying a network connection from a user through an access point, a monitoring section for monitoring the network connection from the user through the access point, and a network connection fee calculation section for calculating a network connection fee for the user based on a monitoring result of the monitoring unit. The connection fee calculation section comprises a line connection fee calculation section for calculating a line connection fee for a line connection made by the user to the access point based on user signal source information, which is provided from a telephone company, and a charge amount calculation section for calculating a charge amount for the user based on the line connection fee, calculated by the line connection fee calculation section.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and apparatuses for acquiring a physical measurement, and for creating a cryptographic certification of that measurement, such that its value and time can be verified by a party that was not necessarily present at the measurement. The certified measurement may also include corroborative information for associating the actual physical measurement process with the certified measurement. Such corroborative information may reflect the internal or external state of the measurement certification device, as well as witness identifiers of any persons that may have been present at the measurement acquisition and certification. The certification may include a signal receiver to receive timing signals from a satellite or other external source. The external timing signals may be used to generate the time included in the certified measurement, or could be used to determine the location of the measurement certification device for inclusion in the certified measurement.

Abstract: In a common carrier apparatus, a payer of rate for calls can be switched over to an information provider. When information associated with an acquisition request sent from a portable terminal is information recorded in a payer information database, an accounting processing apparatus refers to the payer information database, so as to inform an accounting server apparatus of the fact that the payer specified by a payer information should be charged. It is thereby possible to perform an accounting processing on the payer specified by the payer information. Therefore, for example, by setting the information provider to the payer, it is possible to more easily provide a user of the portable terminal with information concerning a corporate advertisement, a product advertisement, or the like, over the Internet without difficulty.

Abstract: A method for controlled acceptance mail accounting and evidencing, includes creating a mail batch including at least one mail piece having an encrypted indicia printed thereon. The encrypted indicia is generated by the use of a key K.sub.m. A statement of mailing file is created containing data related to the mail batch. The statement of mailing file including the key K.sub.m is encrypted with a public key of an authentication unit of a carrier distribution system. The public key has an associated private key. The mail batch and the statement of mailing file is submitted to the carrier distribution system and the mail batch and the mail documentation file is processed using the private key of the authentication unit of the carrier distribution system to decrypt the encrypted information and recover the K.sub.m. The key K.sub.m is then used in an authentication procedure related to the mail batch.