Apparatus and method for remote sensor monitoring, metering and control

1. A method for remote monitoring of sensors adapted for automatic communication with a central complex through a telephone line, said central complex having a telephone number assigned thereto, comprising the steps of:

selectively seizing said telephone line at a predetermined real time;

generating signals onto said telephone line representative of said central complex telephone number to address said central complex;

generating, responsive to acknowledgement signals from said central complex, coded signals indicative of the identity of said sensors, and data indicative of the states of said sensors; and

receiving and storing subsequent signals from said central complex indicative of the time of the next scheduled seizure of said telephone line.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said selectively seizing step comprises:

generating signals indicative of real time;

comparing said real time to said stored next scheduled seizure time; and

generating a callback signal upon occurrence of said stored seizure time as indicated by a coincidence in said comparing step, said callback signal effecting said generating telephone number signal step.

3. A method for remote monitoring of a parameter wherein a remote unit communicates with a central complex through a telephone line comprising the steps of:

generating indicia of said parameter;

generating, from stored representations of instruction signals transmitted by telephone from said central complex in response to the last previous communication from the remote unit, a callback signal indicative of the occurrence of a desired callback time;

generating, responsive to said callback signal, dial signals on said telephone line to effect a telephone connection between said remote unit and said central complex;

effecting, responsive to a signal from said central complex indicative of a completed telephone connection, a data transmission including indicia of the identity of said remote unit and a representation of said indicia of said parameter; and

receiving and storing instruction signals from said central complex in response to said data transmission, said instruction signals including indicia of the next desired callback time.

4. In a system for remotely monitoring consumption of the type comprising a remote unit cooperating with a consumption meter and a central complex, said central complex and said remote unit being adapted for selective interconnection by a telephone system, the improvement wherein said remote unit comprises:

first index register means, responsive to signals indicative of consumption, for generating indicia of cumulative consumption;

instruction input means, responsive to instruction signals applied thereto and a clock signal, for storing representations of said instruction signals and generating respective control signals in accordance therewith;

said control signals including a callback control signal indicative of the occurrence of a desired callback time;

means, responsive to said callback control signal for generating dial signals to said telephone system to effect a telephone call from said remote unit to said central complex;

sync detector means, responsive to said instruction signals for generating a sync signal indicative of reception of a proper sync signal transmitted from said central complex in acknowledgement of a completed telephone connection;

means, responsive to said good sync signal, for effecting a data transmission to said central complex, said data transmission including a portion indicative of said indicia of cumulative consumption;

said central complex generating said instruction signals to said remote unit in response to reception of said data transmission.

5. The remote unit of claim 4 wherein said instruction input means comprises:

input byte decoder means, responsive to serial instruction signals applied thereto, for generating sequential parallel instruction bytes and instruction byte control signals indicative thereof, said instruction bytes including representations of said desired callback time; and

instruction data register means, responsive to said instruction bytes and instruction byte control signals, and a clock signal applied thereto, for storing said instruction bytes and generating said respective control signals in accordance with said instruction bytes.

6. The remote unit of claim 4 wherein said instruction signals include respective portions representative of a consumption threshold value, and sampling period and said remote unit further includes;

first counter means, responsive to signals indicative of power consumption, for selectively accumulating a count indicative of consumption during said sampling periods; and

comparator means, for comparing said count to said consumption threshold value and upon an unfavorable comparison generating a comparison signal to effect control of a predetermined consuming appliance.

7. The remote unit of claim 6 further including:

consumer over-ride means, for generating an over-ride signal to effect release of control of said predetermined consuming appliance; and

second counter means, receptive of signals indicative of power consumption, said over-ride signal and said comparison signal, for selectively accumulating a premium count indicative of consumption during periods when a disabling of said predetermined consuming appliance is over-ridden, said data transmission including portion representative of said premium count.

8. The remote unit of claims 6 or 7 further including:

means, responsive to said comparison signal for selectively controlling in predetermined sequence further consuming appliances, upon successive unfavorable comparisons, and for releasing control of said consuming appliances in predetermined sequence upon subsequent favorable comparisons.

9. The remote unit of claim 4 wherein said instruction signals include portions representative of a sampling period and said remote unit further includes:

counter means, responsive to signals indicative of consumption and reset signals applied thereto, for selectively accumulating counts indicative of consumption during said sampling periods;

a storage register, coupled to said counter means, and responsive to load signals applied thereto for selectively storing the instantaneous count in said counter means; and

comparator means, for comparing the instantaneous count in said counter means and the contents of said storage register, and upon an unfavorable comparison, generating a comparison signal to effect loading of said storage register with said instantaneous count.

10. In a system for remote monitoring of a sensor wherein communications between said sensor and a central computer are effected through a telephone system, a remote monitoring unit comprising:

means, coupled to said sensor, for storing indicia of the status of said sensor;

means for storing an instruction word including a representation of a desired callback time;

means for generating a representation of real time and generating a callback control signal at said desired callback time;

means, responsive to said callback control signal, for establishing a telephone call from said remote monitoring unit to said central computer at said desired callback time, said central computer acknowledging a completed telephone connection by transmitting a first synchronization signal to said remote monitoring unit through said telephone system; and

means, responsive to said first synchronization signal, for transmitting a data word to said central computer, said data word including a portion representative of the identity of the remote unit and a portion representative of said stored indicia of the status of said sensor.

11. Apparatus for remote monitoring of sensor, said apparatus being adapted for operative connection into a telephone system and for automatic communication to a central complex through said telephone system, said central complex having a predetermined telephone number assigned thereto, said apparatus comprising:

means for storing said central complex telephone number and indicia of the identity of said sensor;

means, coupled to said sensor, for storing indicia of the state of said sensor;

clock means for providing a clock signal indicative of real time;

means, responsive to said clock signal and a signal representative of a desired callback time, for generating a call back control signal at said desired callback time;

means, responsive to control signals applied thereto, for selectively seizing a telephone line in said telephone system at a predetermined real time corresponding to said desired callback time and generating signals onto said telephone line representative of said central complex telephone number to address said central complex;

means coupled to both of said means for storing, responsive to signals indicative of a completed connection to said central complex, for transmitting signals representative of said identity indicia and state indicia over said telephone lines to said central complex;

means, receptive of instruction signals for generating said signal representative of said desired callback time.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further including:

input means, for generating signals indicative of additional data; and means, responsive to signals indicative of said additional data for storing indicia of additional data;

signals representative of said stored additional data being transmitted with said signals representative of said identity indicia and status indicia to said central complex.

13. A system for remote monitoring of a sensor, said monitoring system being of the type including a remote unit coupled to said sensor and a central computer, said remote unit and central computer both being adapted for connection into a telephone system, said monitoring system comprising:

means in said remote unit for storing indicia of the status of said sensor;

means, in said remote unit, connected to receive and to store an instruction word transmitted from said central computer including a representation of a desired callback time;

means, in said remote unit, for generating a representation of real time and generating a callback control signal at said desired callback time;

means, in said remote unit and responsive to said callback control signal, for establishing a telephone call from said remote unit to said central computer at said desired callback time; and

means, in said remote unit and responsive to a first synchronization signal from said central computer indicative of a completed connection, for transmitting through said telephone system to said central computer a data word, said data word including a portion indicative of the identity of said remote unit and a portion representative of said stored indicia of the status of said sensor;

said central computer, in response to successful reception of said data word transmitting to said remote unit said instruction word through said telephone system.

14. The system of claim 13 adapted for monitoring electrical power consumed over a power line wherein said sensor comprises a solid state meter including:

means, for generating a signal indicative of current passing through the power line;

means, for generating a signal indicative of voltage across the power line; and

means, responsive to said signals indicative of current voltages, for generating a signal indicative of the product of said voltage and current to thereby provide indicia of power consumed.

15. Apparatus for automatically communicating data to a central complex comprising, in combination;

means for providing first, second, third and fourth clock signals, each of said clock signals comprising a train of pulses having leading and lagging edges and recurring at respective predetermined frequencies;

means, for selectively generating sequential information byte signals, said information byte signals including a predetermined number of bytes representative of the respective digits of a telephone number corresponding to said central complex, and a predetermined number of data bytes representative of said data;

means, responsive to said information byte signals for generating translated information byte signals whereby each information bytes is represented by a translated information byte having a value at least equal to one;

first logic means responsive to said first, second and third clock signals, and control signals applied thereto, for selectively generating a sequence of pulses at said third clock signal frequency, in timed relation with the lagging edge of each pulse of a chosen one of said first and second clock signals, said chosen one of said first and second clock signals being in accordance with the control signals applied to said first logic means;

gating means responsive to said first, second and fourth clock signals, and mode control signals and a mark enable signal applied thereto, for selectively providing, in accordance with said mode control signals, first or second output signals respectively indicative of said telephone number digits and said data bytes, said telephone number digits being represented by a number of pulses of said first clock signal, delineated by an absence of pulses during a predetermined period corresponding to a predetermined number of cycles of said first clock signal, and said data bytes being represented by bursts of said fourth clock signal during periods defined by a number of pulses of said second clock signal, delineated by an absence of pulses during a predetermined period corresponding to a predetermined number of cycles of said second clock signal;

a first counter means, responsive to a first of said timing pulses and to a signal indicative of said mark enable signal for selectively accumulating a count indicative of the number of pulses provided by said gating means;

comparator means, coupled to said first counter means and responsive to said translated information bytes and a second timing pulse subsequent to said first timing pulse, for comparing said accumulated count and said translated information byte after each time said first counter means is incremented, and generating said mark enable signal during periods when said accumulated count is less than the value of said translated information byte and a space enable signal when said first counter means accumulated count is equal to said translated information byte value, said first counter means being reset in response to generation of said space enable signal;

second counter means, responsive to said space enable signal, a signal indicative of said mode control signals and said first timing pulse for generating respective control signals to said comparator means to effect regeneration of said mark enable signal after a predetermined time period corresponding to said predetermined number of cycles of said chosen one of said first and second clock signals;

said mark enable signal enabling the generation of said first or second output signals, whereby said telephone number digits are represented by a number of said first clock signal pulses corresponding to the value of the associated translated information byte and said data bytes are represented by a number of bursts of said fourth clock signal corresponding to the value of the associated translated information byte.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said means for selectively generating sequential information byte signals comprises:

input means, for generating input signals indicative of said data; and

memory means, cooperating with said memory means for selectively reading out said memory means to generate said information byte signals.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said input means includes a keyboard.

18. In a system for remotely monitoring a parameter, said system being of the type comprising a remote unit cooperating with a sensor for providing signals indicative of said parameter and a central complex, said central complex and said remote unit being adapted for selective interconnection through a telephone system, the improvement wherein said remote unit comprises:

first index register means, responsive to signals indicative of said parameter for generating cumulative indicia of said parameter;

instruction input means, responsive to instruction signals applied thereto and a clock signal, for storing representations of said instruction signals and generating respective control signals in accordance therewith;

said control signals including a callback control signal indicative of the occurrence of a desired callback time;

means, responsive to said callback control signal for generating dial signals to said telephone system to effect a telephone call from said remote unit to said central complex;

sync detector means, responsive to said instruction signals for generating a sync signal indicative of reception of a proper sync signal transmitted from said central complex in acknowledgement of a completed telephone connection;

means, responsive to said good sync signal, and coupled to said first index register means for effecting a data transmission to said central complex, said data transmission including a portion indicative of the identity of said remote unit and a portion indicative of said cumulative indicia of said parameter; and

said central complex generating said instruction signals to said remote unit in response to reception of said data transmission.

19. The remote unit of claim 18 wherein said instruction input means comprises:

input byte decoder means, responsive to serial instruction signals applied thereto, for generating sequential parallel instruction bytes and instruction byte control signals indicative thereof, said instruction bytes including representations of said desired callback time; and

instruction data register means, responsive to said instruction bytes and instruction byte control signals, and a clock signal applied thereto, for storing said instruction bytes and generating said respective control signals in accordance with said instruction bytes.

20. The remote unit of claim 18 wherein said instruction signals include respective portions representative of a parameter threshold value, and a sampling period and said remote unit further includes;

first counter means, responsive to signals indicative of said parameter for selectively accumulating a count indicative of said parameter during said sampling periods; and

comparator means, for comparing said count to said parameter threshold value and upon an unfavorable comparison generating a comparison signal to effect a control of a predetermined device.

21. The remote unit of claim 20 further including:

consumer over-ride means, for generating an over-ride signal to decontrol said predetermined device; and

second counter means, receptive of signals indicative of said parameter, said over-ride signal and said comparison signal, for selectively accumulating a premium count indicative of said parameter during periods when control of said predetermined consuming appliance is over-ridden, said data transmission including portion representative of said premium count.

22. The remote unit of claims 20 or 21 further including:

means, responsive to said comparison signal for selectively controlling in predetermined sequence further devices upon successive unfavorable comparisons, and for decontrolling said consuming appliances in predetermined sequence upon subsequent favorable comparisons.

23. The remote unit of claim 18 wherein said instruction signals include portions representative of a sampling period and said remote unit further includes:

counter means, responsive to signals indicative of said parameter and reset signals applied thereto, for selectively accumulating a count indicative of consumption during said sampling periods;

a storage register, coupled to said counter means, and responsive to load signals applied thereto for selectively storing said count; and

comparator means, for comparing said count and the contents of said storage register, upon an unfavorable comparison, generating a comparison signal to effect loading of said storage register with said count.

24. In a system for monitoring a parameter of the type comprising a remote unit coupled to a sensor for providing signals indicative of said parameter and a read out unit, the improvement wherein said remote unit comprises:

means for selectively connecting said remote unit to said read out unit for generating instruction signals to said remote unit;

first index register means, responsive to signals indicative of said parameter for generating cumulative indicia of said parameter;

instruction input means, responsive to said instruction signals and a clock signal, for storing representations of said instruction signals and generating respective control signals in accordance therewith;

means, for selectively generating a callback signal in response to connection of said remote unit to said read out unit;

sync detector means, responsive to said instruction signals for generating a sync signal indicative of reception of a proper sync signal transmitted from said read out unit in acknowledgement of a completed connection;

means, responsive to said good sync signal, for effecting a data transmission to said reader unit, said data transmission including a portion indicative of the identity of said remote unit and a portion indicative of said cumulative indicia of said parameter; and

said reader unit generating said instruction signals to said remote unit in response to reception of said data transmission.

25. The remote unit of claims 18 or 24 further including display means, responsive to said cumulative indicia of said data and control signals applied thereto, for controllably generating indicia of consumer billing.

26. The remote unit of claim 24 wherein said instruction signals include respective portions representative of a parameter threshold value, and a sampling period and said remote unit further includes:

first counter means, responsive to signals indicative of said parameter for selectively accumulating a count indicative of said parameter during said sampling periods; and

comparator means, for comparing said count to said parameter threshold value and upon an unfavorable comparison generating a comparison signal to effect a control of a predetermined device.

27. The remote unit of claim 26 further including:

consumer over-ride means, for generating an over-ride signal to decontrol said predetermined device; and

second counter means, receptive of signals indicative of said parameter, said over-ride signal and said comparison signal, for selectively accumulating a premium count indicative of said parameter during periods when control of said predetermined consuming appliance is over-ridden, said data transmission including portion representative of said premium count.

28. The remote unit of claims 26 or 27 further including:

means, responsive to said comparison signal for selectively controlling in predetermined sequence further devices upon successive unfavorable comparisons, and for decontrolling said consuming appliances in predetermined sequence upon subsequent favorable comparisons.

29. The remote unit of claim 24 wherein said instruction signals include portions representative of a sampling period and said remote unit further includes:

counter means, responsive to signals indicative of said parameter and reset signals applied thereto, for selectively accumulating a count indicative of consumption during said sampling periods;

a storage register, coupled to said counter means, and responsive to load signals applied thereto for selectively storing said count; and

comparator means, for comparing said count and the contents of said storage register, upon an unfavorable comparison, generating a comparison signal to effect loading of said storage register with said count.

30. In a system wherein a remote unit periodically communicates information relating to a metered parameter to a central complex, said communication being effected through a telephone system, said remote unit being coupled to telephone lines, a remote unit comprising:

index register means, responsive to signals indicative of said metered parameter, for accumulating said information relating to said metered parameter;

memory means, for storing indicia of the telephone number of said central complex and indicia of said remote unit identity;

line test means, responsive to a callback command signal applied thereto, for testing said telephone line and generating a line availability signal indicative of the availability of said line;

means, responsive to said line availability signal for generating a start dial mode signal if said line is available, and if not available, effecting a further testing of said telephone line after a predetermined period;

output means for generating signals through said telephone system to said central complex, said output means including dialing means, coupled to said memory means and responsive to said start dial mode signal, for sequentially generating signals indicative of the respective digits of said stored telephone number and effectively addressing said telephone number digits to said telephone system;

said output means further including data output means, responsive to a signal indicative of a completed telephone connection to said central complex, for sequentially generating sequential data signals indicative of said stored indicia of remote unit identity and said accumulated information and communicating said stored indicia and said accumulated information to said central station through said telephone system;

error code processor means, for generating an error code from sequential signals applied thereto, said sequential data signals being applied to said error code generator means to develop a data word error code, signals representative of said data word error code being applied to said data output means for communicating to said central complex; and

instruction input means, receptive of sequential instruction signals indicative of an instruction word through said telephone system from said central complex, for storing indicia of said instruction word, and generating respective control signals in accordance with said instruction word;

said instruction word including indicia of a desired callback time and indicia of an instruction word error code;

said instruction input means including real time clock means for providing an indicia of real time, and first comparator means, responsive to signals indicative of said desired callback time and the instantaneous real time, for generating said callback command signal upon occurrence of said desired callback time;

said sequential instruction signals also being applied to error code processor means to produce a derived error code for said instruction word;

said error code processor means including second comparator means, responsive to signals indicative of said instruction word error code and signals indicative of said derived error code, for generating a bad error code signal when said instruction word error code and said derived error code compare unfavorably to effect a further callback to said central complex after a predetermined time period.

31. The remote unit of claim 30 wherein said instruction word contains indicia of a desired operational mode and indicia of time periods during which said desired operational mode is to be effected and said instruction input means includes means, responsive to signals indicative of said indicia of said time periods during which said desired operational mode is to be effected, for selectively enabling a portion of said index register means during said time periods.

32. The remote unit of claim 30 further including display means, responsive to signals indicative of said accumulated information of said data and control signals applied thereto, for controllably generating indicia of consumer billing.

33. The apparatus of claims 25 or 32 wherein said display means is a printer.

34. In a system wherein a remote unit periodically communicates information relating to a given parameter to a central complex, said communications being effected through a telephone system, the remote unit comprising:

index register means, responsive to signals indicative of said parameter, for accumulating said information relating to said parameter;

memory means, for storing indicia of the telephone number of said central complex and indicia of said remote unit identity;

means, responsive to a callback command signal applied thereto, for generating a start dial mode signal;

output means for generating signals through said telephone system to said central complex, said output means including dialing means, coupled to said memory means and responsive to said start dial mode signal, for sequentially generating signals indicative of the respective digits of said stored telephone number and addressing said telephone number digits to said telephone system to effect a telephone connection between said remote unit and said central complex;

said output means further including data output means responsive to a signal indicative of a completed telephone connection to said central complex, for sequentially generating sequential data signals indicative of said stored indicia of remote unit identity and said accumulated information, and communicating said stored indicia and said accumulated information to said central complex through said telephone system;

instruction input means, receptive of sequential instruction signals indicative of an instruction word through said telephone system from said central complex;

means for storing indicia of said instruction word, and generating respective control signals in accordance with said instruction word, said instruction word including indicia of a desired callback time; and

said instruction word means including real time clock means for providing an indicia of real time and first comparator means, responsive to signals indicative of said desired callback time and the instantaneous real time, for generating said callback command signals upon occurrence of said desired callback time.

35. The remote unit of claim 34 further including:

error code processing means, for generating an error code from sequential signals applied thereto, said sequential data signals being applied to said error code generator means to develop a data word error code, signals representative of said data word error code being applied to said data output means for communicating to said central complex;

said instruction word including indicia of an instruction word error code; and

said sequential instruction signals also being applied to error code processor menas to produce a derived error code for said instruction word;

said error code processor means including second comparator means, responsive to signals indicative of said instruction word error code and signals indicative of said derived error code, for generating a bad error code signal when said instruction word error code and said derived error code compare unfavorably to effect a further callback to said central complex after a predetermined time period.

36. The remote unit of claims 30 or 35 wherein said sequential data signals and said sequential instruction signals comprise sequential bytes of predetermined bit length, and said error code processor means comprises:

a longitudinal redundancy code (LRC) generator;

means for selectively applying the least significant bits of said sequential bytes to said BCH code generator and the remaining bits to said LRC generator; and

said LRC and said BCH code generator being selectively coupled to said second comparator means.

37. The remote unit of claims 30 or 34 wherein said sequential instruction signals comprise respective sequential groupings of bursts of a predetermined modulation frequency signal, said signal bursts being of a duration and spacing in accordance with a predetermined data frequency signal, said grouping being representative of respective bytes of said instruction word and separated by an absence of said bursts for a period corresponding to predetermined number of cycles of said data frequency signal, and said instruction input means comprises:

demodulator means, responsive to said signal bursts for generating demodulation signals indicative of the corresponding pulses of said data frequency signal;

pulse counter means, responsive to said demodulated signals and a reset signal applied thereto for accumulating an instruction byte count indicative of the number of pulses in the respective sequential grouping;

end-of-byte detector means, responsive to said demodulated signal, for detecting absence of pulses over said predetermined number of cycles of said data frequency signal, and generating sequential end-of-byte timing signals indicative of said detected absence;

instruction byte control means, responsive to a first of said sequential end-of-byte timing signals, for generating an instruction byte control signal indicative of the relative placement of the instruction word byte represented by said instruction byte count within said instruction word;

a subsequent of said end-of-timing signals being applied as said reset signal to said instruction byte counter means, to facilitate accumulation of the instruction byte count indicative of the next successive sequential grouping;

instruction byte storage means, associated with respective instruction word bytes and responsive to said instruction word byte control signals, for storing indicia of the instruction byte count corresponding to the associated respective instruction word bytes.

38. The remote unit of claim 37 wherein said instruction word includes bytes representative of the real time minutes and hours at which the instruction word is generated wherein said real time clock means comprises:

presettable counter logic, preset with said bytes representative of said instruction word bytes representative of said real time minutes and hours and incremented by a clock signal applied thereto; and

said instruction byte storage means includes a callback time register for storing said bytes representative of said desired callback time;

said presettable counter logic and said callback time register providing input signals to said comparator means.

39. The remote unit of claims 30 or 34 further including:

means, for generating additional information signals representative of additional information;

means for storing indicia of said additional information; and

means for selectively applying signals indicative of said stored additional data, to effect generation of sequential data signals indicative of said additional information.

40. The remote unit of claim 30 or 34 wherein said instruction word contains indicia of a desired operational mode indicia of a threshold value, and indicia of designated time periods during which said desired operational mode is to be effected; and

said instruction input means including means responsive to signals indicative of said indicia of a desired operation mode, for generating respective DMD mode, L-M mode, and sample command signals, and means responsive to signals indicative of said indicia of said designated time periods for generating an ENB signal during said designated time periods; and

said index register means includes first gating means, responsive to signals indicative of said metered parameter and said ENB signal, for providing output signals indicative of said parameter during said time periods;

first counter means, responsive to said first gating means output signal and a reset signal applied thereto, for accumulating a count indicative of said first gating means output signal;

pulse generator means, responsive to said sample command signal, for generating sequences of timing pulses at sampling intervals in accordance with said sample command signal;

Q register means, cooperating with said first counter and said instruction input means and responsive to said L-M mode control signal, a first one of said pulse generator timing pulses, and a comparison signal applied thereto, for controllably storing indicia of said threshold value, or said first counter means count in accordance with said L-M mode control signal;

third comparator means, for comparing the indicia stored in said Q register means with said first counter means count at said sampling intervals and generating said comparison signal upon an unfavorable comparison;

said Q register means including means, responsive to said DMD signal and said comparison signal, for effecting storing of said first counter means count in response to said comparison signal;

said index register means further comprising load control means, responsive to said L-M signal and said comparison signal and a consumer over-ride signal for selectively effecting control designated apparatus in response to unfavorable comparisons;

said load control means releasing control of said designated apparatus in response to said consumer over-ride signal;

second gating means, responsive to signals indicative of said metered parameter, said L-M control signal, and a consumer over-ride signal, for selectively generating an output signal indicative of said metered parameter during load management over-ride time periods in accordance with said consumer over-ride signal;

second counter means, for generating a count indicative of said second gating means output signal; and

means for controllably providing output signals indicative of the indicia stored in said Q register means and said second register count.

41. The remote unit of claim 30 or 34 wherein said output means comprises:

means for providing first, second, third and fourth clock signals, each of said clock signals comprising a train of pulses having leading and lagging edges and recurring at respective predetermined frequencies;

means for selectively generating sequential information byte signals, said information byte signals including a predetermined number of bytes representative of the respective digits of said stored telephone number, and a predetermined number of data bytes representative of said stored indicia of identity and said information accumulated by said index register means;

means, responsive to said information byte signals for generating translated information byte signals whereby each information byte is represented by a translated information byte having a value at least equal to one;

clock selection logic means responsive to said first, second and third clock signals, said start dial mode signal and said signal indicative of a completed telephone connection, for selectively generating mode control signals and generating a sequence of pulses at said third clock signal frequency, in timed relation with the lagging edge of each pulse of a chosen one of said first and second clock signals, said chosen one of said first and second clock signals and said mode control signals being in accordance with said start dial mode signal and said signal indicative of a completed telephone connection;

output gating means, responsive to said first, second and fourth clock signals and mode control signals and a mark enable signal applied thereto, for selectively providing, in accordance with said mode control signals, first or second output signals respectively indicative of said telephone number digits and said data bytes, said telephone number digits being represented by a number of pulses of said first clock signal, delineated by an absence of pulses during a predetermined period corresponding to a predetermined number of cycles of said first clock signal, and said data bytes being represented by bursts of said fourth clock signal during periods defined by a number of pulses of said second clock signal, delineated by an absence of pulses during a predetermined period corresponding to a predetermined number of cycles of said second clock signal;

mark counter means, responsive to a first of said timing pulses and to a signal indicative of said mark enable signal for selectively accumulating a mark count indicative of the number of pulses provided by said output gating means;

mark comparator means, cooperating with said mark counter means and responsive to said translated information bytes and a second timing pulse subsequent to said first timing pulse, for comparing said accumulated mark count and said translated information byte after each time said first counter means is incremented, and generating said mark enable signal during periods when said accumulated mark count is less than the value of said translated information byte and a space enable signal when said accumulated mark count is equal to said translated information byte value, said mark counter means being reset in response to generation of said space enable signal;

space counter means, responsive to said space enable signal, a signal indicative of said mode control signals and said first timing pulse for generating respective control signals to said mark comparator means to effect regeneration of said mark enable signal after a predetermined time period corresponding to said predetermined number of cycles of said chosen one of said first and second clock signals;

said mark enable signal enabling the generation of said first or second output signals by said output gating means, whereby said telephone number digits are represented by a number of said first clock signal pulses corresponding to the value of the associated translated information byte and said data bytes are represented by a number of bursts of said fourth clock signal corresponding to the value of the associated translated information byte.

42. The remote unit of claim 30 or 34 wherein said index register means comprises a counter responsive to signals indicative of said metered parameter and means for controllably providing output signals indicative of the contents of said counter and wherein said remote unit further comprises auxiliary index register means, responsive to control signals applied thereto, and selectively responsive to signals indicative of said metered parameter, and signals indicative of the most significant bit of said first index register means counter register means, for selectively accumulating information relating to said metered parameter, and second index register means comprising:

first gating means, for selectively providing output signals indicative of said signals indicative of said parameter or said signals indicative of said most significant bit of said first register means counter, in accordance with control signals thereto;

second counter means, responsive to said first gating means output signal and a reset signal applied thereto, for accumulating a count indicative of said first gating means output signal;

second gating means, responsive to control signals applied thereto for selectively providing an output signal alternatively indicative of said metered parameter or indicative of the most significant bit of said second counter means;

third counter means, responsive to said second gating means output signal for accumulating a count indicative of said second gating means output signal;

Q register means, cooperating with said second counter means, responsive to signals indicative of said instruction word, and control signals applied thereto for controllably storing indicia of a chosen one of a predetermined portion of said instruction word or indicia of the contents of said second counter means, in accordance with the control signals applied thereto;

pulse generator means, responsive to a sample command signal, and control signals applied thereto, for controllably generating first and second sequential timing pulses in response to each sample command signal;

control logic means, selectively responsive to said first timing pulse or a comparison signal in accordance with control signals applied thereto, for controllably generating load command control signals to said Q register means;

third comparator means for comparing the contents of said second counter means and Q register means, and generating said comparison signal upon an unfavorable comparison;

means, responsive to said comparison signal for selectively effecting control of designated apparatus; and

means, for controllably providing output signals indicative of the contents of said Q register means and the contents of said third counter means;

said second timing pulse being applied as said reset signal to said second counter means.

43. The remote unit of claim 42 further including:

means, for generating additional information signals representative of additional information;

means, for storing indicia of said additional information; and

means, for selectively applying signals indicative of said stored additional data, to effect generation of sequential data signals indicative of said additional information.