Transmitting Utility Usage Data via a Network Interface Device

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provides devices, systems and methods that overcome certain deficiencies in the prior art. One exemplary embodiment of the invention comprises an integrated system for providing video and data services to a customer premises. The integrated system comprises a digital broadcast satellite receiver, a data source, and an integrated network interface device. The integrated network interface device can be coupled to the receiver and/or the data source, and the integrated network interface device can be configured to receive video information from the receiver and data (e.g. Internet Protocol data) from the data source. In accordance with certain embodiments, the integrated network interface device can further be configured to distribute the data to the customer premises via a first internal transport medium and/or distribute the video information to the customer premises via a second internal transport medium. In one aspect, network interference devices can be attached to an external wall of customer premises.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for transmitting data about utility usage, the system comprising:
 a power line;   a utility meter in communication with the power line and configured to provide utility usage data;   a network interface device comprising a housing defining at least a network area and a physically separated consumer area, said network interface device being located on the exterior of a customer premises in communication through a single medium with the utility meter, the network interface device comprising:
 a digital subscriber line (“DSL”) modem in communication with a local loop of a public switched telephone network; and 
 an isolation device for providing an interface between the power line and the DSL modem; and 
   a DSL distribution point in communication with the local loop;   wherein the network interface device is configured to:
 receive, at the isolation device, the utility usage data from the utility meter; and 
 transmit the utility usage data to the DSL distribution point via the local loop, such the utility usage data can be transmitted from the DSL distribution point to a utility provider, to allow the utility provider to monitor and bill utility usage based on the utility usage data. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system recited by  claim 1 , wherein communication between the utility meter and the network interface device is provided by the power line. 
     
     
         3 . The system recited by  claim 1 , wherein the utility provider is selected from the group consisting of a city water department and an electrical utility. 
     
     
         4 . The system recited by  claim 1 , wherein the public network is the Internet. 
     
     
         5 . The system recited by  claim 4 , wherein the network interface device is configured to transmit the utility usage data over a virtual private network. 
     
     
         6 . The system recited by  claim 1 , wherein the network interface device is attached to an exterior wall of a customer premises. 
     
     
         7 . The system recited by  claim 1 , wherein the network interface device is co-located with the DSL distribution point. 
     
     
         8 . (The system recited by  claim 1 , wherein the DSL distribution point comprises a digital subscriber line access multiplexer (“DSLAM”). 
     
     
         9 . The system recited by  claim 1 , wherein the utility meter is configured to transmit the utility usage data using Internet Protocol (“IP”). 
     
     
         10 . A network interface device comprising a housing defining at least a network area and a physically separated consumer area, said network interface device being located on the exterior of a customer premises in communication with a first transport medium and a second transport medium, the network interface device being configured to:
 receive utility usage data from one or more utility meters via the one or more first transport media; and   transmit the utility usage data via the second transport medium for reception by a utility provider, to allow the utility provider to monitor utility usage.   
     
     
         11 . The network interface device recited by  claim 10 , wherein the one or more first transport media comprise a wireless transport medium. 
     
     
         12 . The network interface device recited by  claim 10 , wherein the one or more first transport media comprise a power line. 
     
     
         13 . The network interface device recited by  claim 10 , wherein the one or more first transport media comprise an Ethernet cable. 
     
     
         14 . The network interface device recited by  claim 10 , wherein the second transport medium is a local loop of a public switched telephone network, and wherein the network interface device comprises a digital subscriber line (“DSL”) modem in communication with the local loop. 
     
     
         15 . The network interface device recited by  claim 10 , wherein the second transport medium is a coaxial cable, and wherein the network interface device comprises a cable modem in communication with the coaxial cable. 
     
     
         16 . The network interface device recited by  claim 10 , wherein the second transport medium is a wireless transport medium. 
     
     
         17 . The network interface device recited by  claim 10 , wherein the network interface device is configured to transmit the utility usage data via a public broadband network for reception by the utility provider. 
     
     
         18 . The network interface device recited by  claim 17 , wherein the network interface device is configured to transmit the utility usage data over a virtual private network via the public broadband network. 
     
     
         19 . The network interface device recited by  claim 10 , wherein the one or more utility meters are a plurality of utility meters, and wherein the network interface device comprises a router for aggregating the utility usage data from the plurality of utility meters. 
     
     
         20 . A method of transmitting utility usage data, the method comprising:
 providing communication between a network interface device and one or more first transport media, wherein the network interface device comprises a housing defining at least a network area and a physically separated consumer area, said network interface device being located at a customer premises;   providing communication between the network interface device and a second transport medium;   receiving, at the network interface device, utility usage data from one or more utility meters via the one or more first transport media; and   transmitting the utility usage data from the network interface device, via the second transport medium and for reception by a utility provider, to allow the utility provider to monitor utility usage.