Computer-assisted sales system for utilities

• US 6,169,979 B1
• Filed: 02/17/1998
• Issued: 01/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: France Brevets SAS
• Original Assignee: Clear With Computers LLC (f/k/a Orion IP, LLC) (Legacy Patent Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Johnson, Jerome D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosimano, Edward R.
• Application Number:
  US09/024,792
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: 364/528.26, 364/528.3, 705/1, 705/7, 705/11, 705/30, 705/35, 705/400, 705/412
• US Class Current: 705/412
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

A computer-based system for generating customized proposals relating to consumption and cost of utilities. The system receives and stores information related to a utility company'"'"'s services and conservation programs, utility rates, and a customer'"'"'s inventory. The system processes this information in order to determine how various factors and parameters will affect the customer'"'"'s utility consumption and cost. As a result of this processing, the system generates a customized proposal for the customer relating to how the customer can reduce consumption and cost of utilities.

Claims

1. A computer implemented sales system for assisting with the sale of utility products and services by generating customized reports related to how the customer can optimize its costs for utility products and services, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive data representative of customer utility usage, utility rates, and utility costs saving programs;

a memory arrangement coupled to the receiver and configured to store the data representing the customer utility usage, the utility rates, and the utility costs saving programs; and

a processor coupled to the memory arrangement and configured to;

process the data representing the customer utility usage, the utility rates, and the utility costs saving programs in order to select a utility service rate and a utility costs saving program for the customer, and

generate customized reports illustrating revised customer utility costs based on applying the customer utility usage to the data representative of the selected utility service rate, and the selected utility costs saving program.

2. The computer implemented sales system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to output customized reports on-line.

3. The computer implemented sales system of claim 1 wherein the receiver and memory are further configured to receive and store costs saving programs comprising conservation programs.

4. The computer implemented sales system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to generate customized reports which include graphs illustrating the affect the selected utility rate and the selected utility costs saving program has on the cost of utility products and services to the customer.

5. The computer implemented sales system of claim 1 wherein the receiver, memory arrangement and processor are further configured to receive, store and process data representative of customer utility usage comprising data representative of past usage of the utility by the customer in order to provide historical perspective of the customers utility usage and utility costs.

6. The computer implemented sales system of claim 1 wherein the receiver, memory arrangement and processor are further configured to receive, store and process data representative of customer utility usage comprising data representative of future usage of the utility by the customer in order to provide prospective view of utility usage and utility costs.

7. The computer implemented sales system of claim 1 wherein the receiver, memory arrangement and processor are further configured to receive, store and process data representative of customer utility usage comprising data representative of alternative use patterns of the utility by the customer in order to provide alternative perspectives of utility usage and utility costs.

8. The computer implemented sales system of claim 1 wherein the receiver, memory arrangement and processor are further configured to receive, store and process data representative of utility rates comprising utility product rates and utility service rates.

9. The computer implemented sales system of claim 1 wherein the receiver, memory arrangement and processor are further configured to receive, store and process data from an on-line connection.

10. The computer implemented sales system of claim 1 wherein the receiver, memory arrangement and processor are further configured to receive, store and process data from a data storage device.

11. The computer implemented sales system of claim 1 wherein the receiver, memory arrangement and processor are further configured to receive, store and process data concerning products or services offered by the utility company in order to generate a customized proposal for a customer comprising the customized report and a product and service report describing products or services offered by the utility company.

12. The computer implemented sales system of claim 1 including an output device provided to output the customized reports.

13. The computer implemented sales system of claim 12 wherein the output device is configured to output the customized reports in printed format or electronic format.

14. The computer implemented sales system of claim 1 wherein the receiver and memory arrangement are further configured to receive and store data representative of customer equipment inventory, and the processor is further configured to process the data representative of customer equipment inventory in order to:

select efficient customer equipment inventory comprised of at least one of replacement equipment and existing equipment, and

generate customized reports representing final revised customer utility costs based on applying to the data representative of customer utility usage, the data representative of the selected utility rate, the selected efficient customer equipment inventory and the selected utility costs saving program.

15. The computer implemented sales system of claim 14 wherein the receiver and memory arrangement are further configured to receive and store data representative of customer equipment inventory which uses the utility.

16. The computer implemented sales system of claim 14 wherein the receiver and memory arrangement are further configured to receive and store data representative of customer equipment inventory which does not use the utility.

17. The computer implemented sales system of claim 14 wherein the processor is further configured to generate customized reports comprising information describing financing costs for implementing the selected efficient customer equipment into the customer equipment inventory.

18. The computer implemented sales system of claim 14 wherein the processor is further configured to generate customized reports reflecting costs saving to the consumer resulting from implementing the selected customer equipment inventory into the customer equipment inventory.

19. The computer implemented sales system of claim 18 wherein the processor is further configured to generate customized reports reflecting utility costs savings, costs of the selected customer equipment inventory implemented and time period for cost of selected equipment payback to the customer.

20. A computer implemented sales system for assisting with the sale of utility products and services by generating customized reports related to how the customer can optimize its costs for utility products and services, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive data representative of customer utility usage, existing customer equipment inventory, utility rates, replacement equipment inventory and utility costs saving programs;

a memory arrangement coupled to the receiver and configured to store the data representing the customer utility usage, the existing customer equipment inventory, the utility rates, the replacement equipment inventory and the utility costs saving programs; and

a processor coupled to the memory arrangement and configured to;

process the information representing the customer utility usage, the existing customer equipment inventory, the utility rates, the replacement equipment inventory and the utility costs saving programs in order to select a utility service rate, a utility costs saving program, an efficient customer equipment inventory compromised of at least one of replacement equipment and existing equipment, and

generate customized reports illustrating revised customer utility costs based on applying the customer utility usage to the data representative of the selected utility service rate, the selected utility costs saving program and the selected efficient customer equipment inventory.

21. A computer implemented system for generating a customized proposal for selling utility products and services to particular customers, the system comprising:

a receiver configured to receive data representative of customer utility usage, utility rates, utility products and services, and utility costs saving programs;

a memory arrangement coupled to the receiver and configured to store the data representing the customer utility usage, the utility rates, the utility products and services and the utility costs saving programs; and

a processor coupled to the memory arrangement and configured to;

process the information representing the customer utility usage, the utility rates, the utility products and services and the utility costs saving programs, in order to select at least one utility service rate, at least one utility product and service, and at least one utility costs saving program for use in generating the customized proposals for the customer, and

generate the customized proposals including at least an application of the customer utility usage to the data representative of the at least one selected utility rate, the at least one utility product and service and the at least one selected utility costs saving program.

22. The computer implemented sales system of claim 21 including an output device provided to output the customized proposals.

23. The computer implemented sales system of claim 22 wherein the output device is configured to output the customized proposals on-line or in printed format or electronic format.

24. A computer system implemented method for facilitating sales of utility products and services by generating customized reports related to how the customer can optimize its costs for utility products and services, the computer system including a memory arrangement and at least one processing unit coupled to the memory arrangement, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving and storing in the memory arrangement data representing customer utility usage, utility rates, and utility costs saving programs;

selecting a utility rate and a utility costs saving program for the customer in response to processing the data representing the customer utility usage, the utility rates and the utility costs saving program; and

generating customized reports illustrating revised customer costs based on applying the customer utility usage to the data representative of the selected utility rate and the selected utility costs saving program.

25. The method as recited in claim 24 further comprising the step of outputting on-line the customized reports generated.

26. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the step of receiving and storing further comprises the step of receiving and storing cost savings programs comprising conservation programs.

27. The method as recited in claim 24 wherein the step of generating customized reports further comprises the step of generating customized reports which include graphs illustrating the affect the selected utility rate and the selected utility costs saving program has on the cost of utility products and services to the customer.

28. The method as recited in claim 24 wherein the step of receiving and storing further comprises the step of receiving and storing data representative of past customer utility usage in order to provide a historical perspective view of the customer'"'"'s utility usage and utility costs.

29. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the step of receiving and storing further comprises the step of receiving and storing data representative of future customer utility usage in order to provide a prospective view of the customer'"'"'s utility usage and utility costs.

30. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the step of receiving and storing further comprises the step of receiving and storing data representative of alternative customer utility usage patterns in order to provide alternative prospective views of the customer'"'"'s utility usage and utility costs.

31. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the step of receiving and storing further comprises the step of receiving and storing data representative of utility rates comprising product rates and utility service rates.

32. The method as recited in claim 24 further comprising the step of:

receiving, storing and processing data from an on-line connection.

33. The computer system implemented method as recited in claim 24, wherein the computer system further includes a data storage device, the method further comprising the step of receiving, storing and processing data retrieved from the data storage device.

34. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the step of receiving and storing further comprises the step of receiving and storing data concerning products and services offered by the utility company in order to generate a customized proposal for a customer comprising the customized report and a product and service report describing products or services offered by the utility company.

35. The computer system implemented method as recited in claim 24, wherein the computer system further includes an output device provided to perform the step of outputting the customized reports.

36. The method as recited in claim 35 wherein the step of outputting the customized reports further comprises the step of outputting the customized reports in printed format or electronic format.

37. The computer system implemented method as recited in claim 24 further comprising the steps of:

receiving and storing data representative of existing customer equipment inventory and replacement equipment;

selecting an efficient customer equipment inventory compiled of at least part of the existing customer equipment and at least one of the replacement equipment; and

generating customized reports representing final revised customer utility costs based on applying the data representing customer utility usage, to the data representative of the selected utility rate, the selected efficient customer equipment and the selected utility costs saving program.

38. The method as recited in claim 37, wherein the step of receiving and storing further comprising the step of receiving and storing data representative of customer equipment inventory which uses the utility.

39. The method as recited in claim 37, wherein the step of receiving and storing further comprising the step of receiving and storing data representative of customer equipment inventory which does not use the utility.

40. The method as recited in claim 37 further comprising the steps of:

receiving and storing data concerning financing costs for the existing customer equipment inventory; and

generating a customized report describing financing costs for implementing the selected efficient customer equipment inventory.

41. The method as recited in claim 37 further comprising the steps of:

receiving and storing data concerning financing costs for customer equipment inventory; and

generating a customized report reflecting costs saving to the consumer resulting from implementation of the selected efficient customer equipment inventory.

42. The method as recited in claim 37 wherein the step of generating customized reports further comprises the step of generating customized reports reflecting utility costs saving, cost of selected efficient customer equipment inventory and time period for cost of selected efficient equipment payback to the customer.

43. A computer system implemented method for facilitating sales of utility products and services by generating customized reports related to how the customer can optimize its costs for utility products and services, the computer system including a memory arrangement and at least one processing unit coupled to the memory arrangement, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving and storing in the memory arrangement data representative of customer utility usage, existing customer equipment inventory, utility rates, replacement equipment inventory and utility costs saving programs;

selecting a utility rate, an efficient customer equipment inventory comprised of at least one of the replacement equipment and existing equipment, and a utility costs saving program in response to processing the data representing the customer utility usage, the existing customer equipment inventory, the utility rates, the replacement equipment inventory and the utility costs saving programs; and

generating customized reports illustrating customer costs based on applying the data representing the customer utility usage to the data representative of the selected utility rate, the selected utility costs saving program and the efficient customer equipment inventory.

44. A computer system implemented method for generating customized proposals for selling utility products and services to particular customers, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving and storing in the memory arrangement data representing customer utility usage, utility rates, and utility costs saving programs;

selecting, for use in generating the customized proposals, at least one utility rate and at least one utility costs saving program for the customer in response to processing the data representing the customer utility usage, the utility rates and the utility costs saving program; and

generating customized proposals including at least an application of the customer utility usage to the data representative of the at least one selected utility rate, at least one utility product and service and the at least one selected utility costs saving program.

45. The computer system implemented method as recited in claim 44, wherein the computer system further includes an output device, the method further comprising the step of outputting the customized proposals through the output device.

46. The method as recited in claim 45 wherein the step of outputting the customized proposals further comprises the step of outputting the customized proposals in printed or electronic format.

47. A computer readable medium tangibly embodying instructions which, when executed by the computer, implement a process comprising the steps of:

receiving into the computer and storing information representing customer utility usage, utility service rates, and utility costs saving programs;

selecting a utility rate and a utility costs saving program for the customer in response to processing of the information representing the customer utility usage, the utility service rates and the utility costs saving program; and

generating customized reports illustrating revised customer utility costs based on applying the customer utility usage to the data representative of the selected utility rate and the selected utility costs saving program.

48. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 47, further comprising the steps of:

receiving into the computer and storing data representative of existing customer equipment inventory;

selecting efficient customer equipment in response to processing of the existing customer equipment inventory; and

generating customized reports representing efficient revised customer utility costs based on applying to the information representative of customer utility usage, the information representative of the selected utility rate, the information representative of the selected efficient customer equipment and the information representative of the selected utility costs saving program.

49. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 47, further comprising the steps of:

receiving into the computer and storing information concerning products and services offered by the utility company; and

generating a customized proposal for a customer comprising the customized report illustrating revised customer utility costs and a product and service report describing products or services offered by the utility company.

50. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 47, further comprising the steps of:

receiving into the computer and storing information concerning financing costs for the existing customer equipment inventory; and

generating a customized report describing financing costs for implementing the selected efficient customer equipment into the customer equipment inventory.