Systems, methods, and apparatus are described that enable a serial bus to be operated in one or more modes that employ additional wires for communicating data. A method includes a method includes providing a first interrogating signal configured to cause a controller in a vehicle that is entering the parking facility to monitor status of the vehicle while the vehicle is present within the parking facility, and measure a duration of time in which the vehicle is parked within the parking facility. The method further incudes providing a second interrogating signal when the vehicle is exiting the parking facility, the second interrogating signal being configured to cause the controller to transmit information that includes the duration of time in which the vehicle was parked within the parking facility.

A distributed ledger based utility system architecture may be configured to enable secure payments, data transmission, and meter configuration of smart sensors. The utility system architecture may be a tiered architecture including multiple nodes at different levels of the architecture where each level may contain a different portion of the distributed ledger. As information is added to the distributed ledger, each portion of the distributed ledger may be updated based on whether the information is relevant to that node. The information may include rate contract transactions, meter configuration data transactions, payment transactions, or the like.

A product pre-purchase and storage method including the steps of a consumer locating a seller of a product, the consumer purchasing a quantity of product, the quantity of the product having a plurality of incremental-portions, from the seller at an initial-price, the consumer having the option of taking possession of one of the incremental-portions of the quantity of product, the consumer providing one of the incremental-portion of the quantity of product to a storage-owner, the storage-owner storing the incremental-portion of the quantity of product provided by the consumer, the storage-owner charging the consumer a storage-rate to store an incremental-portion of the quantity of product for a storage-term, and the consumer returning to optionally take possession one or more incremental-portions of the quantity of product from the storage-owner at a later time. Each transaction includes one or more transaction-fees.

The present invention provides a virtual code-based transaction system, method and program, wherein the method includes a virtual code reception step in which a virtual code verification means receives a virtual code, and the virtual code is generated by a virtual code generation function included in a virtual code generation means, searching, by the virtual code verification means, for a storage location of a User Identification (UID) in the virtual code, searching, by the virtual code verification means, for control command information stored by matching the searched UID, and performing a control command based on the extracted control command information, wherein the virtual code verification means stores a plurality of UIDs and changes control command information matched to each of the plurality of UIDs every preset period.

A distributed ledger based utility system architecture may be configured to enable secure payments, data transmission, and meter configuration of smart sensors. The utility system architecture may be a tiered architecture including multiple nodes at different levels of the architecture where each level may contain a different portion of the distributed ledger. As information is added to the distributed ledger, each portion of the distributed ledger may be updated based on whether the information is relevant to that node. The information may include rate contract transactions, meter configuration data transactions, payment transactions, or the like.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for delivering resources. The methods, systems, and apparatus include actions of based on measurements of amounts of a resource that are delivered from one or more supply outlets against amounts of value of electronic prepayments that have been authorized by corresponding users of mobile devices for the delivery of the resource at the one or more supply outlets, causing the one or more supply outlets to enable delivery of the resource in aggregate amounts that are not outside amounts of value of electronic prepayments that have been authorized by the corresponding users of mobile devices for the delivery of the resource.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for delivering resources. The methods, systems, and apparatus include actions of based on measurements of amounts of a resource that are delivered from one or more supply outlets against amounts of value of electronic prepayments that have been authorized by corresponding users of mobile devices for the delivery of the resource at the one or more supply outlets, causing the one or more supply outlets to enable delivery of the resource in aggregate amounts that are not outside amounts of value of electronic prepayments that have been authorized by the corresponding users of mobile devices for the delivery of the resource.

The present disclosure provides methods and systems for automatically controlling power supply from an electrical power supply system to a user location based on payment status. The method performed by a central control unit includes determining a payment status of the electrical power supply system at the user location. The payment status is determined based at least on a time credit associated with the electrical power supply system. The method further includes facilitating control of the power supply from the electrical power supply system to the user location based on determining the time credit. The power supply to the user location from the electrical power supply system is uninterrupted, if the time credit is greater than a predefined threshold value. The power supply to the user location from the electrical power supply system is disconnected, if the time credit is less than the predefined threshold value.

The present disclosure provides methods and systems for automatically controlling power supply from an electrical power supply system to a user location based on payment status. The method performed by a central control unit includes determining a payment status of the electrical power supply system at the user location. The payment status is determined based at least on a time credit associated with the electrical power supply system. The method further includes facilitating control of the power supply from the electrical power supply system to the user location based on determining the time credit. The power supply to the user location from the electrical power supply system is uninterrupted, if the time credit is greater than a predefined threshold value. The power supply to the user location from the electrical power supply system is disconnected, if the time credit is less than the predefined threshold value.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for delivering resources. The methods, systems, and apparatus include actions of based on measurements of amounts of a resource that are delivered from one or more supply outlets against amounts of value of electronic prepayments that have been authorized by corresponding users of mobile devices for the delivery of the resource at the one or more supply outlets, causing the one or more supply outlets to enable delivery of the resource in aggregate amounts that are not outside amounts of value of electronic prepayments that have been authorized by the corresponding users of mobile devices for the delivery of the resource.