Method and apparatus for providing information to a subscriber over an electronic network

A method for indicating power consumption to a subscriber over an electronic network in response to commands provided by the subscriber, the method including the steps of:

• detecting with a remote unit power readings of a subscriber's electric power meter;
• feeding the detected power readings onto the network;
• transmitting with a remote device subscriber commands onto the network;
• detecting with a control device the subscriber commands and issuing request commands onto the network in response to the subscriber commands;
• computing with the control device a power consumption value from the detected power readings fed onto the network;
• and
• providing the power consumption value to the subscriber over the network.

A system for indicating power consumption to a subscriber over an electronic network in response to commands provided by the subscriber using a telephone, the system comprising:

• a remote unit including:
• (1) a sensor detecting power readings of an electronic power meter;
• (2) a first transmitter circuit connected to the network and responsive to an arming tone, a carrier signal, and a request command signal;
• a control device including:
• (1) a receiver circuit receiving the arming tone, the carrier signal, the command signals, and the detected power readings provided by the subscriber;
• (2) a computer responsive to the received command signals provided by the subscriber for generating the request signal command, and responsive to the received power readings for generating a power consumption value;
• and
• (3) a second transmitter circuit feeding the request signal command to the remote unit via the network and feeding the power consumption value to the subscriber via the network.