SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UTILITY USAGE MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT
First Claim
1. A utilities management system for collecting, processing, and reporting utility usage data received from a plurality of utility meters, the plurality of utility meters being configured to monitor a utility resource at a user site, the utilities management system comprising:
- a first data collection device located remotely relative to the user site, the first data collection device being configured to receive the utility usage data from a first utility meter via a first communications network;
a second data collection device located remotely relative to the user site, the second data collection device being configured to receive the utility usage data from a second utility meter via a second communications network, the first communications network being different from the second communications network, the first utility meter being different from the second utility meter;
a database communicatively coupled to the first data collection device and the second data collection device, the database being configured to store the utility usage data received from the first data collection device and the second data collection device on a database server at a remote location relative to the user site; and
a reporting interface configured to permit users to interactively view utility information based on the utility usage data stored in the database.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
According to one aspect, a method of providing utility usage information to a user includes automatically receiving at a host system utility usage data collected by a plurality of utility meters at a user site, processing the received utility usage data, storing the processed utility usage data in a database, and reporting utility usage information based on the utility data, via a reporting interface, based on one or more interactive selections received from a user. The plurality of utility meters includes a plurality of different types of utility meters. The host system is at a location remote from the user site. A first portion of the utility usage data is received via a first communications network and a second portion of the utility usage data is received via a second communications network. The first communications network is different from the second communications network.
66 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A utilities management system for collecting, processing, and reporting utility usage data received from a plurality of utility meters, the plurality of utility meters being configured to monitor a utility resource at a user site, the utilities management system comprising:
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a first data collection device located remotely relative to the user site, the first data collection device being configured to receive the utility usage data from a first utility meter via a first communications network; a second data collection device located remotely relative to the user site, the second data collection device being configured to receive the utility usage data from a second utility meter via a second communications network, the first communications network being different from the second communications network, the first utility meter being different from the second utility meter; a database communicatively coupled to the first data collection device and the second data collection device, the database being configured to store the utility usage data received from the first data collection device and the second data collection device on a database server at a remote location relative to the user site; and a reporting interface configured to permit users to interactively view utility information based on the utility usage data stored in the database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of providing utility usage information to a user, the utility usage information being based on utility data determined by a plurality of utility meters located at a user site, the plurality of utility meters including a plurality of different types of utility meters, the method comprising:
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automatically receiving at a host system the utility usage data collected by the plurality of utility meters at a user site, the host system being at a location remote from the user site, a first portion of the utility usage data being received via a first communications network and a second portion of the utility usage data being received via a second communications network, the first communications network being different from the second communications network; processing the received utility usage data; storing the processed utility usage data in a database; and reporting the utility usage information, via a reporting interface, based on one or more interactive selections received from a user. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A utilities management system for collecting, processing, and reporting utility usage data received from a plurality of utility meters, the plurality of utility meters being configured to monitor a utility resource at a user site, the utilities management system comprising:
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a personnel sensor configured to monitor and generate occupancy data based on the presence of personnel at one or more locations within the user site; a data collection module located remotely relative to the user site, the data collection device being configured to receive the utility usage data from the plurality of utility meters and the occupancy data from the personnel sensor via at least one communications network; a data storage module communicatively coupled to the data collection module, the data storage module being configured to store the utility usage data and the occupancy data received from the data collection module; and a reporting module configured to permit users to interactively view one or more reports based on the utility usage data and the occupancy data.
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Specification