System and method for disconnecting utility services

• US 20040243525A1
• Filed: 07/02/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Greer Commission Of Public Works
• Original Assignee: Greer Commission Of Public Works
• Inventors: Forrester, Brian
• Application Number:
  US10/884,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20040243525A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/412
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A system for assisting in administration of utility service. The system contains two computer readable media. A set of customer information is embodied in the first computer readable medium having account information for customers. A first set of computer readable instructions is for retrieving account information for at least one customer that is delinquent in payment, determining whether the utility service of the customer should be disconnected, creating disconnection information containing customer location information, sending disconnection information to the second computer readable medium representing the customer'"'"'s service is to be disconnected. The system may also include a second set of computer readable instructions for receiving disconnection information from the first computer readable medium to provide the location of at least one customer to have utility services disconnected, and receiving status information representing the status of the disconnection process, and transmitting the status information to the first computer readable medium.

Claims

1. A system for assisting in administration of utility services comprising:

a first computer readable medium;

a second computer readable medium in communication with said first computer readable medium;

a set of customer information embodied in said first computer readable medium having account information representing customers'"'"' information;

a first set of computer readable instructions in communication with said first computer readable medium for retrieving said account information for at least one customer that is delinquent in payment, determining whether the utility service of said customer should be disconnected, creating disconnection information containing customer location information, sending disconnection information from said first computer readable medium to said second computer readable medium representing that the customer'"'"'s service is to be disconnected;

a second set of computer readable instructions in communication with said second computer readable medium for receiving said disconnection information from said first computer readable medium so that the location of said at least one customer to have utility services disconnected is provided.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said second set of computer readable instructions includes instructions for receiving status information representing the status of the disconnection process.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said second set of computer readable instructions includes instructions for transmitting said status information to said first computer readable medium.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said first set of computer readable instructions includes instructions for updating said account information with status information from said second computer readable medium, to reflect updated disconnection status.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said first set of computer readable instructions include instructions for creating a work order representing disconnection information for a customer who is delinquent in payment.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a manager computer readable medium in communication with said first computer readable medium and said second computer readable medium; and

,

a set of computer readable manager instructions in communication with said manager computer readable medium for approving customers who are delinquent in payment for disconnection of service prior to sending said disconnection information to said second computer readable medium.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a third set of computer readable instructions in communication with said first computer readable medium for receiving disconnection information, formatting said disconnection information for access over the world wide web, and transmitting disconnection information over a network.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said third set of computer readable instructions include instructions for receiving and transmitting status information.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said second set of computer readable instructions include instructions for requesting updated disconnection information from said first computer readable medium, receiving said updated disconnection information, and providing said updated disconnection information to a user of said second computer readable medium.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said first computer readable medium communicates with said second computer readable medium through a wireless medium.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising a portable housing, wherein said second computer readable medium is embodied in said portable housing.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising a display device in communication with said second computer readable medium for displaying disconnection information to a user of said second computer readable medium.

13. A system for assisting in the administration of utility services comprising:

a computer readable medium;

a set of computer readable instructions in communication with said computer readable medium for receiving disconnection information representing the delinquency of at least one customer having customer location information, providing said disconnection information to a user so that the user is informed of the customer and location to perform a disconnection activity, receiving status information entered from the user representing the status of the disconnection activity, and transmitting said status information representing the status of the disconnection activity.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said set of computer readable instructions include instructions for requesting updated disconnection information, receiving said updated disconnection information representing the current delinquency status of at least one customer, and providing said updated disconnection information to the user.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said computer readable instructions include instructions for communicating through a wireless medium.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein said set of computer readable instructions include instructions for creating a map representing the location for at least one customer for which a disconnection activity is to be performed.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein said set of computer readable instructions include instructions for tracking the physical location of said computer readable medium.

18. A system for assisting in administration of utility services comprising:

a computer readable medium;

a set of customer information embodied in said computer readable medium having account information for customers;

a set of computer readable instructions in communication with said computer readable medium for retrieving said account information for at least one customer that is delinquent in payment, determining whether the utility service of said customer should be disconnected, creating disconnection information containing customer location information, sending disconnection information from said computer readable medium to a second computer readable medium representing that the customer'"'"'s service is to be disconnected.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said set of computer readable instructions includes instructions for updating said account information with status information received from the second computer readable medium to reflect updated disconnection status.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein said set of computer readable instructions include instructions for creating a work order representing disconnection information for a customer who is delinquent in payment.

21. The system of claim 18 further comprising:

a manager computer readable medium in communication with said first computer readable medium and said second computer readable medium; and

,

a set of computer readable manager instructions in communication with said manager computer readable medium for approving customers who are delinquent in payment for disconnection of service prior to sending said disconnection information to said second computer readable medium.

22. The system of claim 18 further comprising a third set of computer readable instructions in communication with said first computer readable medium for receiving disconnection information, formatting said disconnection information for access over the world wide web, and transmitting disconnection information over a network.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein said third set of computer readable instructions include instructions for receiving and transmitting status information.

24. The system of claim 18 wherein said set of first computer readable instructions include instructions for creating a list of customers who are delinquent in payment.