Providing an energy target for high energy users

• US 10,108,973 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2014
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Opower, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Opower, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Royer, David, Yu, Suelyn, Morabito, Kerri
• Primary Examiner(s): Al Hashemi, Sana A
• Application Number:
  US14/458,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20150310019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

The subject technology provides for identifying a set of similar users. Energy usage data is retrieved for the set of similar users. Next, based at least on the retrieved energy usage data, a comparison of energy usage of each user in the set of similar users is performed. Based on the comparison of energy usage, at least one user is selected from the set of similar users to include in a campaign. A target for energy usage is then identified for the at least one user.

Claims

1. A method performed by a computing device including at least one processor, the method comprising:

identifying, by the at least one processor, a set of similar users;

retrieving, by the at least one processor, energy usage data for the set of similar users;

performing, by the at least one processor based at least on the retrieved energy usage data, a comparison of energy usage of each user in the set of similar users;

generating, by the at least one processor, a ranking of the set of similar users based on the energy usage of each user in the set of similar users;

selecting, by the at least one processor, based on the comparison of energy usage, at least one user from the set of similar users to include in a campaign communication, wherein the at least one user has a first rank in the ranking of the set of similar users;

selecting, by the at least one processor, a target for the at least one user wherein the target is a target rank of the at least one user to improve in the ranking by reducing energy usage, wherein the target rank is determined from the first rank being rounded down to a lower number that is divisible by five; and

generating and sending, by the at least one processor, the campaign communication to the at least one user, wherein the campaign communication comprises information regarding whether the at least one user has reached the target rank.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a set of users that use more energy than a threshold percentage of the set of similar users is selected to receive a campaign communication.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the target is based on an average ranking of the at least one user.

15. The method of claim 5, wherein the threshold percentage is 75%.

2. A method performed by a computing device including at least one processor, the method comprising:

identifying, by the at least one processor, a set of similar users;

retrieving from at least one data storage, by the at least one processor, energy usage data for the set of similar users;

performing, by the at least one processor, based at least on the retrieved energy usage data, a comparison of energy usage of each user in the set of similar users;

selecting, by the at least one processor based on the comparison of energy usage, at least one user from the set of similar users to include in a campaign; and

selecting, by the at least one processor, a target for the at least one user;

wherein the target is selected based on a measure of standard deviation of energy usage of the set of similar users and the target is rounded to a value that ends in zero or five.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the target is based on the energy usage data of the at least one user or a rank among the set of similar users for a period before the campaign begins.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the campaign lasts for a campaign period and the energy usage data is retrieved from a previous period one year prior to the campaign period.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

sending an outbound communication to the at least one user, the outbound communication comprising information regarding whether the at least one user has reached the target.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the campaign period is six months.

17. The method of claim 8 wherein the previous period is five months.

3. A system comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory device including instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

identify a high energy user based on a comparison of energy usage of each user in a set of similar users;

generating a ranking of the set of similar users based on the energy usage of each user in the set of similar users;

determine a target for the high energy user based on a rank of the high energy user among the set of similar users, wherein the target is a target rank of the high energy user to improve in the ranking by reducing energy usage;

wherein the target rank is rounded down to the lowest number divisible by five; and

transmit to the high energy user a communication comprising the determined target rank.

10. The system of claim 3, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

select a subset of users from the set of similar users that use more energy than a threshold percentage to receive a campaign communication.

11. The system of claim 3, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

provide updates to the high energy user in additional communications that indicate a progress being made to the determined target rank based on changes in the rank of the high energy user in the ranking.

12. The system of claim 3, wherein the target is further based on energy usage data of the high energy user.

13. The system of claim 3, wherein the target is based on an average ranking of the high energy user.

14. The system of claim 3, wherein to provide updates to the user further causes the processor to:

send a second communication to the high energy user, the second communication comprising information regarding whether the high energy user has reached the determined target rank.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the campaign communication is transmitted to the high energy user on an interval for a campaign period and the energy usage data is retrieved from a previous period one year prior to the campaign period.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

identify a set of similar users from energy usage data;

identify a high energy user based on a comparison of energy usage of each user in the set of similar users;

select, based on the comparison of energy usage, the high energy user to include in a campaign communication;

generating a ranking of the set of similar users based on the energy usage of each user in the set of similar users;

determine a target for the high energy user based on a rank of the high energy user in the ranking among the set of similar users, wherein the target is a target rank of the high energy user to improve in the ranking by reducing energy usage;

wherein the target rank is a rank value rounded to a value ending in zero or five; and

transmit to the high energy user, via a network communication, the campaign communication comprising the determined target rank.