Systems and Methods for Providing Controls for Aggregated Weather-Based Work
First Claim
1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer program instructions for causing a computer device to implement a method for estimating costs to perform weather-dependent work at a plurality of work locations, the method comprising:
- utilizing a weather information source providing historical weather information relating to a historical need for performance of weather-dependent work at a selected work location of the plurality of work locations to generate an estimate of an anticipated frequency with which weather-dependent work will be necessary at the selected work location;
utilizing information about conditions at the selected work location and information about the cost of performing weather-dependent work in the area of the selected work location to estimate an anticipated cost per incident for performing weather-dependent work at the selected work location;
repeating the steps of generating an estimate of the anticipated frequency of performing weather-dependent work and estimating an anticipated cost per incident for performing weather-dependent work for all of the plurality of work locations; and
generating an aggregate bid for performing weather-dependent work at all of the plurality of work locations based on the anticipated frequency of performing weather dependent work and the anticipated cost per incident for performing the weather-dependent work at each of the plurality of work locations.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, methods, non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer program instructions for causing a computer device to implement methods, and the like utilize weather information from one or a variety of locations to estimate costs for providing weather-dependent work, and to provide financial controls for weather-dependent work allegedly performed. One method includes utilizing historical weather information relating to performance of weather-dependent work at a work location to generate an estimate of an anticipated frequency with which weather-dependent work will be necessary, utilizing information to estimate an anticipated cost per incident for performing weather-dependent work at the selected work location, and using such information at a plurality of locations to generate an aggregate bid for performing weather-dependent work at the locations. Weather information is also used to audit weather-dependent work allegedly performed at the work locations to provide financial controls to the aggregated weather-dependent work in compliance with law and regulation.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer program instructions for causing a computer device to implement a method for estimating costs to perform weather-dependent work at a plurality of work locations, the method comprising:
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utilizing a weather information source providing historical weather information relating to a historical need for performance of weather-dependent work at a selected work location of the plurality of work locations to generate an estimate of an anticipated frequency with which weather-dependent work will be necessary at the selected work location; utilizing information about conditions at the selected work location and information about the cost of performing weather-dependent work in the area of the selected work location to estimate an anticipated cost per incident for performing weather-dependent work at the selected work location; repeating the steps of generating an estimate of the anticipated frequency of performing weather-dependent work and estimating an anticipated cost per incident for performing weather-dependent work for all of the plurality of work locations; and generating an aggregate bid for performing weather-dependent work at all of the plurality of work locations based on the anticipated frequency of performing weather dependent work and the anticipated cost per incident for performing the weather-dependent work at each of the plurality of work locations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer program instructions for causing a computer device to implement a method for auditing invoiced weather-dependent work at a first location, the method comprising:
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locating a weather information source providing weather information indicative of a need to perform weather-dependent work at a work location; receiving an invoice for weather-dependent work allegedly performed at the work location; and evaluating the invoice for weather-dependent work allegedly performed at the first location in light of the weather information near the time of alleged performance of the weather-related work at the work location to determine a likelihood that the weather-related work was necessary and actually performed.
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13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the method further comprises, when an evaluation of the weather-dependent work allegedly performed at the work location in light of the weather information is indicative that the weather-dependent work was not necessary, placing a hold on paying for the weather-dependent work allegedly performed at the work location until a service provider can prove that the weather-dependent work was necessary and was performed.
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14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer program instructions for causing a computer device to implement a method for providing controls related to weather-dependent work at a first location, the method comprising:
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locating a first weather information source providing weather information relating to a second location, the second location being estimated to have weather similar to weather occurring at the first location; determining a correlation between the weather information relating to the second location and a need for weather-dependent work at the first location by comparing weather history data relating to the second location from the first weather information source to work history data for weather-dependent work at the first location; monitoring the first weather information source for current weather information related to possible weather-related events suggesting a need for weather-dependent work at the first location; recording possible weather-related events suggesting a need for weather-dependent work at the first location; determining whether an invoice for weather-dependent work at the first location has been received corresponding to all recorded possible weather-related events; notifying a service provider of weather-dependent work at the first location when no invoice for weather-dependent work at the first location has been received corresponding to any possible weather-related event suggesting a need for weather-dependent work at the first location; and auditing the invoice for weather-dependent work at the first location when the invoice is received.
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15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, further comprising notifying a service provider of a potential need to perform weather-dependent work at a time proximate to a detected weather event.
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16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the service provider is notified of a potential need to perform weather-dependent work only when the service provider has not checked in within a certain time frame after detection of the detected weather event.
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17. A system for use in verification of services performed, in a large scale service provider environment, the system providing:
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a weather observation and reporting site; a computer in communication with said weather observation and reporting site to either receive reports when a preset parameter is reached or to review regular reports from the site and determine when a preset parameter has been received; a service period in which it has been determined that a service provider should notice the weather has reached said preset parameter and responded by performing for a client a snow removal service; and a computer generated communication sent to the client requesting a response to a query regarding whether the snow removal service was performed and whether it was satisfactory. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification