Method and system for signaling utility usage

• US 6,734,806 B1
• Filed: 07/15/1999
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charles W. Cratsley III
• Original Assignee: Charles W. Cratsley III
• Inventors: Cratsley, Charles W. III
• Primary Examiner(s): EDWARDS JR, TIMOTHY
• Application Number:
  US09/353,429
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.09, 340/310.01, 705/412, 702/61
• US Class Current: 340/870.09
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/18 Remote displaying of utility meter readings
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A method and system are provided to continuously signal a utility'"'"'s usage. A first device measures usage of the commodity in order to, for example, project usage over the course of a billing period and provide a first value indicative the projected usage. A second device allows a user to input a second value indicative of a threshold or budgeted level of usage. A processor generates a status value based on the difference between the first and second values. One or more of a plurality of different color indicators are displayed at any given time based on the status value. For example, three colored indicators (e.g., red, yellow and green) can be arranged to resemble a traffic signal where green can be indicative of a level of utility usage that is within budget, yellow can be indicative of utility usage that is approximately at budget, and red can be indicative of utility usage that is over budget.

Claims

1. A method of continuously signaling a utility'"'"'s usage, comprising the steps of:

providing a reconfigurable display capable of displaying at least one of a plurality of indicators;

providing a first value indicative of a threshold level of utility usage;

determining a second value indicative of a projected level of usage of a utility;

determining a status that is equal to a difference between said first value and said second value;

providing at least one third value indicative of a percentage of said first value; and

displaying at least one of said plurality of indicators on said reconfigurable display based on a comparison between said status and said at least one third value, wherein said at least one third value comprises two third values to establish three adjoining ranges of utility usage with a first range defining a lowest amount of utility usage, a second range defining a highest amount of utility usage and a third range defining an amount of utility usage that is between said first range and said second range, each of said two third values defining a boundary level between two adjoining ranges of said three adjoining ranges, each of said three adjoining ranges having a unique configuration of color associated therewith with said first range being associated with the color green, said second range being associated with the color red and said third range being associated with the color yellow wherein, during said step or displaying, said reconfigurable display only displays one of the colors green, red and yellow using at least one of said plurality of indicators.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said first value is a budget level of utility usage and said second value is a projected level of utility usage.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said first value is a peak level of utility usage and said second value is an instantaneous level of utility usage.

4. A method of continuously signaling with color a utility'"'"'s current projected usage, comprising the steps of:

providing a reconfigurable display capable of displaying at least one of a plurality of indicators that includes at least one indicator of a first color and at least one indicator of a second color;

providing at least one value indicative of a level of utility usage in correspondence with a billing period;

establishing at least one threshold of utility usage for said billing period using said value corresponding thereto, wherein a plurality of adjoining ranges of utility usage are defined by said at least one threshold for said billing period with each said at least one threshold defining a boundary between two adjoining ranges from said plurality of adjoining ranges, and wherein for said billing period, said value is in one of said plurality of adjoining ranges with at least a portion of one of said plurality of adjoining ranges defining utility usage that is below said value and at least a portion of another of said plurality of adjoining ranges defining utility usage that is above said value;

determining a projection value indicative of a projected level of utility usage for said billing period based on at least a level of utility usage occurring during an expended portion of said time billing period;

determining, for said billing period, a current range of utility usage based on which of said plurality of adjoining ranges said projection value lies within; and

displaying, at all times, at least one of said plurality of indicators on said reconfigurable display based on said current range wherein, for said billing period, each of said plurality of adjoining ranges specifies a unique configuration of color that is one of i) a single color, and ii) a combination of different colors displayed separately.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein, for said billing period and for at least one range from said plurality of adjoining ranges, said method further comprises the steps of:

establishing at least one sub-threshold of utility usage within said at least one range using said value corresponding thereto, wherein a plurality of adjoining sub-ranges of utility usage are defined by said at least one sub-threshold with each said at least one sub-threshold defining a boundary between two adjoining sub-ranges from said plurality of adjoining sub-ranges;

determining, for said current time period, a current sub-range of utility usage based on which of said plurality of adjoining sub-ranges said projection value lies within when said current range lies within said at least one range; and

displaying, based on said current sub-range, a unique arrangement of said plurality of indicators when said current range lies within said at least one range, wherein said unique arrangement is defined by one of i) a specified number of said plurality of indicators, ii) a specified position of said plurality of indicators, and iii) a combination of a specified number of said plurality of indicators and a specified position of said plurality of indicators.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of indicators include a plurality of red indicators and a plurality of green indicators, each of said plurality of adjoining ranges below said value being associated with a specific number of said plurality of green indicators and each of said plurality of adjoining ranges above said value being associated with a specific number of said plurality of red indicators.

7. A method according to claim 4, wherein said expended portion of said billing period is a window of time therefrom, and wherein said step of determining said projection value comprises the step of projecting said level of utility usage occurring during said window of time to a time base of said billing period.

8. A method according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of indicators further includes at least one indicator of a third color, and wherein said first color is green, said second color is yellow and said third color is red.

9. A method according to claim 4, wherein said step of providing further comprises the step of locating said reconfigurable display in proximity to a control that can regulate usage of the utility.

10. A method according to claim 4, wherein said at least one value is in monetary denominations.

11. A method according to claim 4, wherein said at least one value is in units of measure of a commodity provided by the utility.

12. A method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of applying a statistical smoothing function to said level of utility usage occurring during said expended portion of said billing period, wherein said statistical smoothing function compensates for varying levels of utility usage during said expended portion of said billing period.

13. A method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of displaying alphanumeric characters indicative of said current range.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of displaying said alphanumeric characters against a background color that is changed in accordance with said status.

15. A system for continuously signaling with color a utility'"'"'s current projected usage, comprising:

a reconfigurable display capable of displaying at least one of a plurality of indicators that includes at least one indicator of a first color and at least one indicator of a second color;

means for providing at least one value indicative of a level of utility usage in correspondence with a billing period;

means for establishing at least one threshold of utility usage for said billing period using said value corresponding thereto, wherein a plurality of adjoining ranges of utility usage are defined by said at least one threshold for said billing period with each said at least one threshold defining a boundary between two adjoining ranges from said plurality of adjoining ranges, and wherein for said billing period, said value is in one of said plurality of adjoining ranges with at least a portion of one of said plurality of adjoining ranges defining utility usage that is below said value and at least a portion of another of said plurality of adjoining ranges defining utility usage that is above said value;

means for determining a projection value indicative of a projected level of utility usage for said billing period based on at least a level of utility usage occurring during an expended portion of said billing period; and

means for determining, for said billing period, a current range of utility usage based on which of said plurality of adjoining ranges said projection value lies within, wherein at least one of said plurality of indicators on said reconfigurable display is displayed at all times based on said current range and wherein, for said billing period, each of said plurality of adjoining ranges specifies a unique configuration of color that is one of i) a single color, and ii) a combination of different colors displayed separately.

16. A system as in claim 15 wherein, for said billing period and for at least one range from said plurality of adjoining ranges, said system further comprises:

means for establishing at least one sub-threshold of utility usage within said at least one range using said value corresponding thereto, wherein a plurality of adjoining sub-ranges of utility usage are defined by said at least one sub-threshold with each said at least one sub-threshold defining a boundary between two adjoining sub-ranges from said plurality of adjoining sub-ranges; and

means for determining, for said current time period, a current sub-range of utility usage based on which of said plurality of adjoining sub-ranges said projection value lies within when said current range lies within said at least one range, wherein a unique arrangement of said plurality of indicators are displayed based on said current sub-range when said current range lies within said at least one range, wherein said unique arrangement is defined by one of i) a specified number of said plurality of indicators, ii) a specified position of said plurality of indicators, and iii) a combination of a specified number of said plurality of indicators and a specified position of said plurality of indicators.

17. A system as in claim 15, wherein said plurality of indicators include a plurality of red indicators and a plurality of green indicators, each of said plurality of adjoining ranges below said value being associated with a specific number of said Plurality of green indicators and each of said plurality of adjoining ranges above said value being associated with a specific number of said plurality of red indicators.

18. A system as in claim 15, wherein said plurality of indicators further includes at least one indicator of a third color, and wherein said first color is green, said second color is yellow and said third color is red.

19. A system as in claim 15, wherein said step of providing further comprises the step of locating said reconfigurable display in proximity to a control that can regulate usage of the utility.

20. A system as in claim 15, wherein said at least one value is in monetary denominations.

21. A system as in claim 15, wherein said at least one value is in units of measure of a commodity provided by the utility.

22. A system as in claim 15, further comprising means for applying a statistical smoothing function to said level of utility usage occurring during said expended portion of said billing period, wherein said statistical smoothing function compensates for varying levels of utility usage during said expended portion of said billing period.

23. A system as in claim 15, further comprising means for displaying alphanumeric characters indicative of said current range.

24. A system as in claim 23, further comprising means for displaying said alphanumeric characters against a background color that is changed in accordance with said status.