Communication device for household electric appliances and monitoring system using said device

A communication device, for connecting one or more electrical appliances to a remote service centre, comprises a control unit (AMC), means (PLG) for connecting the device (HG) to an alternating voltage electric mains network (Vac) and means (SK) for supplying the alternating mains voltage (Vac) to a power supply line of an electric appliance. The device (HG) further comprises first communication means (CSA), prearranged for receiving information possibly generated by the electric appliance and transmitted through the power supply line thereof, second communication means (ZB), prearranged for establishing a connection with a local area network (HN1) and third communication means (GGM), prearranged for establishing a connection with a further communication network, different from the local network (HN1), to which the remote service centre is connected. The control unit (AMC) is prearranged for - acquiring by means of the first communication means (CSA), first information possibly generated by the electric appliance and transmitted through the power supply line thereof and/or second information regarding electric energy consumptions associated to the operation of the electric appliance, - acquiring, by means of the second communication means (ZB), third information possibly available on the local network (HN1), and - transmitting to the remote centre (RMC), by means of the third communication means (GGM), at least one of the first, second and third information.