System and method for marketing sponsored energy services

• US 10,108,976 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2013
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bluenet Holdings, LLC (Vistra Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Bluenet Holdings, LLC (Vistra Corp.)
• Inventors: Burke, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Detweiler, James M
• Application Number:
  US14/038,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20140025475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,853 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0237 at kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/16 Energy services, e.g. dispersed generation or demand or load or energy savings aggregation

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for a retail energy marketing system including a server interacting with a remote display device, a sponsor, an energy market organization, and a set of financial services companies. The server executes an application for servicing customers while interacting with the remote display device and a sponsor application for sponsors to set up advertising and incentives for the retail energy marketing system. The server also executes a database, an ESI ID lookup application for validating customer eligibility for services and an accounting application for EMO energy usage transactions, EMO invoice transactions, customer bills, customer payments, treatment operations, customer incentives and sponsor commissions. A remote display device is placed at a retail location where customers can sign-up for energy services, view and print their billing and payment histories, and pay their bills. In return for using the remote display device, customers may receive incentives from the sponsor.

Claims

1. A system for sponsoring energy services from an energy provider at a remote display device comprising:

a server comprising a first memory and a first processor;

the remote display device configured as a kiosk, in communication with the server, and comprising a second memory, a second processor, a display, and a printer;

the first memory of the server comprising instructions that when executed by the first processor of the server cause the server to perform operations comprising;

receiving, by the server, a set of sponsor information, the set of sponsor information comprising the sponsor commission rate and sponsor commission rules that establish how to divide payments from the energy customer between an invoice amount from an energy market operator, a sponsor commission, and an energy provider payment for services;

receiving, by the server, a set of energy usage information related to the energy customer;

determining, by the server, at least a portion of the set of sponsor information to send to the remote display device;

sending, by the server, the set of energy usage information to the remote display device;

receiving, by the server, a set of payment information from the remote display device;

determining, by the server, the sponsor commission based on the set of energy usage information, the set of payment information, a tabulation of a set of energy customer bills, a tabulation of a set of energy customer payments, and a sponsor commission rate, the sponsor commission including a direct payment to the sponsor, a credit toward advertising, and a first incentive provided to the energy customer on behalf of the sponsor;

accounting, by the server, the first incentive to the energy customer as a credit on a bill of the energy customer based on the energy usage information and a retail purchase history by the energy customer with the sponsor;

sending, by the server, a second incentive to the energy customer via the remote display device, wherein the second incentive comprises a coupon with a pre-determined time limit to make a purchase while in a retail location of a sponsor where the remote display device is located;

associating the second incentive sent to the energy customer to an energy usage history of the energy customer, a payment history of the energy customer, a number of kiosk visits of the energy customer, and a customer profile of the energy customer;

interacting with the second processor at the remote display device to associate the energy customer with the sponsor in a database to compute the sponsor commission;

the second memory of the remote display device comprising instructions that when executed by the second processor, cause the remote display device to perform the operations of;

sending a payment request including the set of payment information;

receiving a payment confirmation; and

printing out the coupon using the printer.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the set of sponsor information includes an advertisement that is displayed on the kiosk.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the remote display device further comprises a handheld communication device and wherein the set of energy usage information is displayed on the handheld communication device.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the set of energy usage information includes a usage transaction and an invoice transaction.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein execution of the instructions in the first memory by the processor of the server further causes the server to perform the operation of:

matching, by the server, the usage transaction and the invoice transaction.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein execution of the instructions in the first memory by the processor of the server further causes the server to perform the operations of:

receiving, by the server, an energy customer address;

determining, by the server, a meter identifier for an energy meter at the energy customer address; and

,

determining, by the server, if the energy customer address is within an authorized geographic territory.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising,

a call center;

and

wherein execution of the instructions in the first memory by the processor of the server further causes the server to perform the operation of connecting the remote display device to the call center.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein execution of the instructions in the first memory by the processor of the server further causes the server to perform the operation of:

enabling transmission of a content communication between the remote display device and the energy provider.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the content communication is a written message.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the set of sponsor information includes at least one of the group of:

branding information, incentive information and advertising information.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the second incentive is related to the sponsor.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein execution of the instructions in the second memory by the second processor of the remote display device further causes the remote display device to perform the operation of:

receiving a payment.

13. A system for facilitating energy services for an energy provider at a remote display kiosk, comprising:

a server, having a first memory and a first processor;

the remote display kiosk, having a second memory, a second processor, a display, and a printer, in communication with the server;

the first memory of the server comprising instructions that when executed by the first processor of the server cause the server to perform operations comprising;

receiving a set of sponsor information comprising the sponsor commission rate and sponsor commission rules that establish how to divide payments from the energy customer between an invoice amount from an energy market operator, a sponsor commission, and an energy provider payment for services;

receiving a set of energy usage information related to the energy customer;

determining at least a portion of the set of sponsor information to send to the remote display kiosk;

sending the set of energy usage information to the remote display kiosk;

sending the portion of the set of sponsor information to the remote display kiosk;

receiving a set of payment information from the remote display kiosk;

determining the sponsor commission based on the set of energy usage information, the set of payment information, a tabulation of a set of energy customer bills, a tabulation of a set of energy customer payments, and a sponsor commission rate, the sponsor commission including a direct payment to the sponsor, a credit toward advertising, and a first incentive provided to the energy customer on behalf of the sponsor;

accounting for the first incentive to the energy customer as a credit on a bill of the energy customer based on the energy usage information and a retail purchase history by the energy customer with the sponsor;

sending a second incentive to the energy customer via the remote display kiosk, wherein the second incentive comprises a coupon with a pre-determined time limit to make a purchase while in a retail location of a sponsor where the remote display kiosk is located;

wherein the second incentive sent to the energy customer is based on an energy usage history of the energy customer, a payment history of the energy customer, a number of kiosk visits of the energy customer, and a customer profile of the energy customer;

interacting with the second processor at the remote display kiosk to associate the energy customer with the sponsor in a database to compute the sponsor commission;

the second memory of the remote display kiosk comprising instructions that when executed by the second processor, cause the remote display kiosk to perform the operations of;

sending a payment request including the set of payment information;

receiving a payment confirmation; and

printing out the coupon using the printer.