Systems and Methods for Weather-Based Estimation, Auditing, and Exception Reporting
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 first location, the method comprising:
- 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; and
utilizing the correlation and a history of the weather information relating to the second location to generate an estimated need for future weather-dependent work at the first location.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Weather information from one or a variety of locations is used to estimate costs for providing weather-dependent work, to audit weather-dependent work allegedly performed, and to improve billing and provide exception reporting for unbilled weather-dependent work such as snow removal and landscaping. A variety of stand-alone and networked computer systems, sensors, weather information sources, and historical data are used to provide such functions. To estimate costs to perform weather-dependent work at a first location, a weather information source providing weather information relating to a second location estimated to have weather similar to weather occurring at the first location is located, and a correlation is made between the weather information and a history of weather-dependent work at the first location to generate an estimated need for future weather-dependent work at the first location. Current weather information is used to perform auditing of invoiced work and to perform exception reporting.
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Citations
15 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 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; and utilizing the correlation and a history of the weather information relating to the second location to generate an estimated need for future weather-dependent work at the first location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer program instructions for causing a computer device to implement a method for improved billing 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; and 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. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification