Method for Remotely Managing an Environmental Control and Monitoring Device

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media for remotely managing an environmental control and monitoring device are provided. Remote management of an environmental control and monitoring device may be implemented by receiving, via a network, a device action including notification of at least one of an environmental, maintenance, repair or usage status of an environmental control and monitoring device. A management action is determined based on the device action, and the management action is transmitted, wherein the management action includes a command to execute an operation of the environmental control and monitoring device.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, via a network, a device action from a particular one of a plurality of environmental control and monitoring devices;   determining a management action based on the device action; and   transmitting the management action to one of the plurality of environmental control and monitoring device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a subset of the plurality of environmental control and monitoring devices is associated with a particular area. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the device action is received from a first device of the subset of the plurality of environmental control and monitoring devices and the management action is sent to a second device of the subset of the plurality of environmental control and monitoring devices. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the device action and the management action pertain to modification of an environment of the particular area. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device action indicates one of a consumable resource level, a filter states, or a request from a user of the particular environmental control and monitoring device, the consumable resource being a resource that must be replaced as a consequence of typical usage of the particular environmental control and monitoring device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising,
 transmitting a billing management action to a billing system in response to receiving the device action.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device action comprises a record of one or more previous device actions. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory to store computer program instructions, the computer program instructions when executed on the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:   receiving, via a network, a device action from a particular one of a plurality of environmental control and monitoring devices;   determining a management action based on the device action; and   transmitting the management action to one of the plurality of environmental control and monitoring device.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein a subset of the plurality of environmental control and monitoring devices is associated with a particular area. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the device action is received from a first device of the subset of the plurality of environmental control and monitoring devices and the management action is sent to a second device of the subset of the plurality of environmental control and monitoring devices. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the device action and the management action pertain to modification of an environment of the particular area. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the device action indicates one of a consumable resource level, a filter states, or a request from a user of the particular environmental control and monitoring device, the consumable resource being a resource that must be replaced as a consequence of typical usage of the particular environmental control and monitoring device. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , the operations further comprising:
 transmitting a billing management action to a billing system in response to receiving the device action.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the device action comprises a record of one or more previous device actions. 
     
     
         15 . A computer readable medium storing computer program instructions, which, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, via a network, a device action from a particular one of a plurality of environmental control and monitoring devices;   determining a management action based on the device action; and   transmitting the management action to one of the plurality of environmental control and monitoring device.   
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein a subset of the plurality of environmental control and monitoring devices is associated with a particular area. 
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the device action is received from a first device of the subset of the plurality of environmental control and monitoring devices and the management action is sent to a second device of the subset of the plurality of environmental control and monitoring devices. 
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the device action and the management action pertain to modification of an environment of the particular area. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the device action indicates one of a consumable resource level, a filter states, or a request from a user of the particular environmental control and monitoring device, the consumable resource being a resource that must be replaced as a consequence of typical usage of the particular environmental control and monitoring device. 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , the operations further comprising:
 transmitting a billing management action to a billing system in response to receiving the device action.