SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING FINANCIAL CONTROLS FOR AGGREGATED WEATHER-BASED WORK

• US 20150100380A1
• Filed: 10/08/2013
• Published: 04/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2011
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Douglas S. Haymore II, Gregory G. Gonzales, Michael L Edwards, Raymond P. Jones Jr
• Original Assignee: Douglas S. Haymore II, Raymond P. Jones Jr
• Inventors: Jones, Raymond P. Jr., Gonzales, Gregory G., Edwards, Michael L., Haymore, Douglas S. II
• Application Number:
  US14/049,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20150100380A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.31
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0206 Price or cost determination based on market factors

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.

Claims

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.

2. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the method comprises:

locating a plurality of weather information sources providing weather information potentially corresponding to the work locations; and

determining a best correlation between the weather information of each weather information source and work history data for each work location;

wherein the best correlation is utilized in generating the anticipated frequency of performing weather-dependent work at each work location.

3. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein 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 comprises generating an estimate of an actual area on which weather-dependent work will be necessary.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 3, wherein generating an estimate of an actual area on which work will be necessary comprises:

obtaining imagery of the work location depicting the actual area on which work will be necessary; and

deriving, from the imagery, the estimate of the actual area in which weather-dependent work will be necessary.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 4, wherein the imagery comprises satellite imagery.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 4, wherein the imagery comprises street-level imagery.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 4, wherein the steps of obtaining imagery of the work location and deriving, from the imagery, the estimate of the actual work area are automatically performed.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 7, wherein the estimate of the actual work area is manually reviewed.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 4, wherein the steps of obtaining imagery of the work location and deriving, from the imagery, the estimate of the actual work area are manually performed.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 4, wherein when the estimate of the actual area in which weather-dependent work will be necessary cannot be determined with sufficient certainty, a request is made for an in-person estimate of the cost for performing weather-dependent work at the selected work location.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 3, wherein 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 further comprises incorporating information about the complexity of performing weather-dependent work at the selected work location.

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:

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.

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.

14. A system for use in verification of services performed, in a large scale service provider environment, the system providing:

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.

15. A system as recited in claim 14, further comprising an automatic alert sent to the service provider if the service was not performed or was not satisfactory.

16. A system as a recited in claim 14, further comprising an alert sent to a central control unit that a service was not performed.

17. A system as recited in claim 14, further comprising a notice of verification of service performed sent to an accounting center so an invoice can be generated for the service performed.

18. A system as recited in claim 17, further comprising a computer generated communication sent to the client as a follow-up to determine if the service was eventually provided.