Utility management system

• US 20050149345A1
• Filed: 01/05/2004
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Northwrite, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Northwrite, Inc.
• Inventors: Daily, William Mark
• Application Number:
  US10/751,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20050149345A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/61
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• 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 remote site measures utility data and pushes the data to a processing site. The processing site processes the utility data into a utility usage report that takes into account customer desired spreadsheets, setup parameters, and utility tariff data. The usage report is pushed to the customer or other recipient in the form of an email or other communication.

Claims

1. A method for utility management comprising:

acquiring utility data;

processing the acquired utility data into processed utility data; and

pushing the processed utility data to a predetermined location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein acquiring the utility data includes reading a utility data sensing device that senses utility data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the utility data includes electricity, water, gas, sewage, cable television, satellite television, maintenance, occupancy, and Internet usage data.

4. The method of claim 1 and further including:

formatting the acquired utility data; and

pushing the acquired utility data to a processing device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the processing device is a computer device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the acquired utility data includes:

generating a utility report in response to predetermined parameters; and

generating an email containing the utility report.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein pushing the processed utility data comprises transmitting an email to the predetermined location.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein formatting the acquired utility data includes inputting the acquired utility data into a data spreadsheet.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein generating the utility report includes inputting the acquired utility data into a data spreadsheet.

10. A method for utility management comprising:

acquiring utility data from a utility data sensing device;

inputting the acquired utility data to a processing device;

processing the acquired utility data into processed utility data; and

pushing the processed utility data to a predetermined location.

11. A method for utility management comprising:

acquiring utility data from a utility meter;

formatting the acquired utility data into formatted acquired utility data;

pushing the formatted acquired utility data to a processing computer;

generating a utility usage data report in response to the formatted acquired utility data; and

pushing the processed utility data to a predetermined location.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the formatted acquired utility data is pushed over a wireless connection.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the processed utility data is pushed over a wireless connection.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein pushing comprises an emailing operation.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the emailing operation includes summarizing the utility data in a subject line of an email.

16. A method for utility management comprising:

acquiring utility data from a utility meter;

formatting the acquired utility data into formatted acquired utility data;

emailing the formatted acquired utility data to a processing computer;

generating a utility usage report in response to the formatted acquired utility data, predetermined report parameters, and utility data; and

emailing the processed utility data to a predetermined email address as an email attachment such that the email includes a summary of the formatted acquired utility data.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the predetermined report parameters include time intervals over which the utility usage report is generated, email addresses to which the report is transmitted, and information to be included in the report.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein utility data includes tariff data on the utility data.

19. A utility management system comprising:

a remote site comprising;

data acquisition hardware coupled to utility sensing devices, the data acquisition hardware acquiring utility data;

a receiving device that receives a formatted report comprising acquired utility data processed over a predetermined time interval; and

a processing site comprising;

a processing device that generates the formatted report in response to the acquired utility data and customer parameters; and

an email reporting engine that generates an email comprising the formatted report.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the utility data is acquired over predetermined time intervals.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the formatted report is an attachment to the email.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the formatted report is in both spreadsheet and graphical formats.

23. The system of claim 19 wherein the customer parameters comprise the predetermined time interval and an email address for the email.

24. The system of claim 19 wherein the receiving device is a wireless communication device.

25. A utility management system comprising:

a computer device that receives interval utility data and processes the interval utility data into a utility usage report in response to customer setup parameters, tariff data, and customer spreadsheet parameters; and

an email reporting engine that generates and transmits an email, containing the utility usage report, to an address specified in the customer setup parameters.