1.-20. (canceled)
21. Apparatus for sensing water quality at a water metering system end point, the apparatus comprising:
a fluid flow metering element and a device that converts metering signals or movements of a flow metering element to electrical signals representing units of consumption;
communication interface circuitry for converting the electrical signals representing units of consumption to meter data signals;
means for electronically communicating the meter data signals to an external data collection device; and
a sensor disposed in or near the fluid flow metering element to associated therewith and to sense a quality of the water, said sensor producing a water quality status signal to the communication interface circuitry, and
wherein the communication interface circuitry is responsive to the water quality status signal to incorporate said water quality status signal into a group of data signals including meter data signals; and
wherein said means for electronically communicating the meter data will also communicate the water quality status signal in a transmission to a collection station in a water meter data collection network.
22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for communicating the meter data signals includes a data port for communicating meter data signals from the meter register device to an external transmitter.
23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the communication interface circuitry includes circuitry for producing radio frequency meter data signals and wherein the means for communicating the meter data signals to an external device includes an antenna for communicating the radio frequency meter data signals to an external device.
24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the water quality status signal is representative of at least one of a chemical, biological or environmental parameter.
25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the apparatus is installed as part of a metering system at a site of one water utility customer.
26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the apparatus is installed as a zone meter for measuring water quality in a branch of a water distribution system serving a plurality of water utility customers.
27. A system comprising a plurality of apparatuses as recited in claim 21, wherein the apparatuses are each associated with, and are adapted to electrically communicate with, respective sensors for sensing various different ones of a plurality of chemical biological, or environmental parameters of water quality in a water distribution system, said sensors generating electrical signals that can be communicated through a wireless network to a fixed, non-mobile meter data collection station.
28. The system of claim 27, wherein there are a plurality of sensors for different biological, chemical or environmental parameter that are distributed to respective distribution end points within a specified zone of the water metering network and wherein said sensors generate electrical signals that are communicated to the data collection station to provide data on a plurality of parameters related to water quality with the specified zone.
29. The system of claim 27, wherein there are no more than two biological, chemical or environmental sensors associated with each respective water metering system end point.
30. The system of claim 27, wherein each water metering system end point comprises a meter and wherein at least one biological, chemical or environmental sensor that is located in a distribution line in a vicinity of the meter.
31. The system of claim 27, wherein each water metering system end point is represented by a meter and wherein the at least one sensor is located within the meter.
32. The system of claim 27, wherein the apparatuses are installed as part of a water metering system at respective sites for a plurality of respective residential customers.
33. The system of claim 27, wherein the apparatuses are installed as zone meters for measuring water quality in respective branches of a water distribution system, wherein said branches distribute water to respective pluralities of residential customers.
34. A method for sensing water quality at a water metering system end point, the method comprising:
converting movements of a fluid flow metering element to electrical signals representing units of consumption;
converting the electrical signals representing units of consumption to meter data signals;
electronically communicating the meter data signals to an external data collection device; and
sensing a quality of the water in or near the fluid flow metering element, said sensor producing a water quality status signal; and
including said water quality status signal in a group of meter data signals to be transmitted to a collection station; and
electronically communicating the water status signal with the meter data to a collection station in a water meter data collection network.
35. The method of claim 34, wherein the water quality status signal is representative of at least one of a chemical, biological or environmental parameter.
36. The method of claim 34, wherein the water quality status signal is sensed by a water consumption meter adapted to be installed at the site of one water utility customer.
37. The method of claim 34, wherein the water quality status signal is sensed by a zone meter that is configured for measuring water quality in a branch of a water distribution system serving a plurality of water utility customers.
38. The method of claim 34, wherein respective sensors for sensing various different ones of a plurality of chemical biological, or environmental parameters of water quality are distributed with a plurality of water meters in a water distribution system, said sensors generating electrical signals through the water meter system end points and through a wireless network to a fixed, non-mobile meter data collection station.
39. The method of claim 34, wherein there are a plurality of sensors for different biological, chemical or environmental parameter that are distributed to respective meter data end points within a specified zone of the water metering network and wherein said sensors generate electrical signals that are communicated to the data collection station to provide data on a plurality of parameters related to water quality with the specified zone.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An Internet-enabled method for facilitating generation of lighting effects by an LED-based lighting device, the method comprising:
uploading information to a web site via the Internet; and
downloading at least one lighting program from the web site for storing on the LED-based lighting device, wherein the at least one lighting program is generated based at least in part on the uploaded information and wherein the at least one lighting program includes at least one lighting effect.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one lighting effect includes dynamic color-changing pattern.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one lighting program is downloaded directly to a memory of the LED-based lighting device.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one lighting program is downloaded to the LED-based lighting device via a programming device having access to the web site via the Internet.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the programming device is selected from the group consisting of: a personal digital assistant (PDA), a cellular phone, and a media player.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein the programming device is a general purpose computer.
7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:
wirelessly transferring the lighting program from the programming device to the LED-based lighting device.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing the downloaded at least one lighting program so as to reproduce the at least one lighting effect.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one lighting effect includes at least one theme-based lighting effect or at least one holiday lighting effect.
10. An Internet-enabled system for facilitating generation of lighting effects by an LED-based lighting device, the system comprising:
a programming device connected to the Internet for downloading a lighting program from a web site to the LED-based lighting device,
wherein the lighting program includes at least one lighting effect;
wherein the at least one lighting effect is generated via the web site based at least partially on user input; and
wherein the LED-based lighting device is configured to execute the downloaded lighting program so as to reproduce the at least one lighting effect.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the LED-based lighting device includes a memory, and wherein the programming device facilitates downloading of the lighting program directly to the memory of the LED-based lighting device.
12. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one lighting effect includes dynamic color-changing pattern.
13. The system of claim 10, wherein the programming device is selected from the group consisting of: a personal digital assistant (PDA), a cellular phone, and a media player.
14. The system of claim 10, wherein the programming device is a general purpose computer.
15. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one programming device wirelessly transfers the downloaded lighting program from the programming device to the LED-based lighting device.
16. The system of claim 10, wherein the web site is configured to display a plurality of user-selectable lighting programs on the web site, each of the lighting programs including at least one lighting effect; receive a user selection of a lighting program from the plurality of lighting programs over the Internet; and make the user-selected lighting program available for downloading to the LED-based lighting device.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the web site is further configured to assist a user in creating the at least one lighting effect based at least partially on the user input.
18. An Internet-enabled method for facilitating generation of lighting effects by an LED-based lighting device, the method comprising:
A) making available a plurality of user-selectable lighting programs on a web site, each of the plurality of lighting programs including at least one lighting effect;
B) receiving, over the Internet, a user selection of a lighting program from the plurality of lighting programs;
C) creating, via the web site and based on input from the user, the user-selected lighting program for generating the at least one lighting effect; and
D) making the user-selected lighting program available for downloading to the LED-based lighting device, the LED-based lighting device configured to execute the downloaded lighting program so as to reproduce the at least one lighting effect.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of creating the lighting program includes assisting the user, via the web site, to create the at least one lighting effect at least partially based on the user input.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one lighting effect includes dynamic color-changing pattern.
21. An Internet-enabled method for facilitating generation of lighting effects by an LED-based lighting device, the method comprising:
A) making available a plurality of user-selectable lighting programs on a web site, each of the programs including at least one lighting effect featuring changing colors;
B) receiving, over the Internet, a user selection of a lighting program from the plurality of lighting programs; and
C) making the user-selected lighting program available for downloading to the LED-based lighting device, the LED-based lighting device configured to execute the downloaded lighting program so as to reproduce the at least one lighting effect.
22. An Internet-enabled system for facilitating generation of lighting effects by an LED-based lighting device, the system comprising:
a programming device connected to the Internet for downloading a lighting program from a web site to the LED-based lighting device,
wherein the lighting program includes at least one lighting effect featuring changing colors; and
wherein the LED-based lighting device is configured to execute the downloaded lighting program so as to reproduce the at least one lighting effect.