PROVIDING AN ENERGY TARGET FOR HIGH ENERGY USERS

• US 20150310019A1
• Filed: 08/12/2014
• Published: 10/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Opower, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Opower, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Royer, David, Yu, Suelyn, Morabito, Kerri
• Granted Patent: US 10,108,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

The subject technology provides for identifying a set of similar users. Energy usage data is retrieved for the set of similar users. Next, based at least on the retrieved energy usage data, a comparison of energy usage of each user in the set of similar users is performed. Based on the comparison of energy usage, at least one user is selected from the set of similar users to include in a campaign. A target for energy usage is then identified for the at least one user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a set of similar users;

retrieving energy usage data for the set of similar users;

performing, based at least on the retrieved energy usage data, a comparison of energy usage of each user in the set of similar users;

selecting, based on the comparison of energy usage, at least one user from the set of similar users to include in a campaign; and

selecting a target for the at least one user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a set of users that use more energy than a threshold percentage of the set of similar users is selected to receive a campaign communication.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the threshold percentage is 75%.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the target is selected based on a measure of standard deviation of energy usage of the set of similar users.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the target is based on the energy usage data of the at least one user or a rank among the set of similar users for a period before the campaign begins.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the campaign lasts for a campaign period and the energy usage data is retrieved from a previous period one year prior to the campaign period.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the campaign period is six months.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the previous period is five months.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the rank is rounded down to the lowest number divisible by five.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the target is based on an average ranking of the at least one user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending an outbound communication to the at least one user, the outbound communication comprising information regarding whether the at least one user has reached the target.

12. A system comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory device including instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

identify a high energy user based on a comparison of energy usage of each user in a set of similar users;

determine a target for the high energy user based on a rank of the high energy user among the set of similar users; and

transmit to the high energy user a communication comprising the determined target.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

select a subset of users from the set of similar users that use more energy than a threshold percentage to receive a campaign communication.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

provide updates to the user on progress being made to the determined target.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the target is further based on energy usage data of the high energy user.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein a campaign lasts for a campaign period and the energy usage data is retrieved from a previous period one year prior to the campaign period.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the rank is rounded down to the lowest number divisible by five.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the target is based on an average ranking of the high energy user.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein to provide updates to the user further causes the processor to:

send a second communication to the high energy user, the second communication comprising information regarding whether the high energy user has reached the determined target.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

identify a set of similar users;

identify a high energy user based on a comparison of energy usage of each user in the set of similar users;

select, based on the comparison of energy usage, the high energy user to include in a campaign;

determine a target for the high energy user based on a rank of the high energy user among the set of similar users; and

transmit to the high energy user a communication comprising the determined target.