System and method for trusted self-billing and payment for utilities including audit, verification, reconciliation and dispute resolution
First Claim
1. A method of validating service bills, comprising the steps of:
- monitoring service usage of a service user with a service entity by a first monitoring subsystem under the control of the user;
determining using the first monitoring subsystem at least one user-generated fee value representing an amount due to the service entity for service usage of the user over a predetermined billing period;
monitoring service usage of the user by a second monitoring subsystem under the control of the service entity, the first and second monitoring subsystems being distinct from one another;
determining using the second monitoring subsystem at least one service-generated fee value representing the amount due to the service entity for the service usage of the user over the predetermined billing period;
comparing the user and service-generated fee values;
determining that the user and service-generated fee values are within a predetermined threshold amount; and
,based upon said determination, validating the amount due determined from a predetermined one of the user and service-generated fee values.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for validating service bills includes a first monitoring subsystem associated with and under the control of a service user for determining user generated fee values associated with the amount due a service entity for service usage over a predetermined billing period. A second monitoring subsystem communicating with the first monitoring subsystem is associated with and under the control of the service entity for determining service generated fee values associated with the amount due the service entity for the service usage over the predetermined billing period. One of the monitoring subsystems compares the user and service generated fee values and thereupon validates the amount due determined by one of the user and service generated fee values if such fee values are within a predetermined threshold amount.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method of validating service bills, comprising the steps of:
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monitoring service usage of a service user with a service entity by a first monitoring subsystem under the control of the user; determining using the first monitoring subsystem at least one user-generated fee value representing an amount due to the service entity for service usage of the user over a predetermined billing period; monitoring service usage of the user by a second monitoring subsystem under the control of the service entity, the first and second monitoring subsystems being distinct from one another; determining using the second monitoring subsystem at least one service-generated fee value representing the amount due to the service entity for the service usage of the user over the predetermined billing period; comparing the user and service-generated fee values; determining that the user and service-generated fee values are within a predetermined threshold amount; and
,based upon said determination, validating the amount due determined from a predetermined one of the user and service-generated fee values. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for validating service bills, the system comprising:
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a first monitoring subsystem under the control of a service user for determining at least one user-generated fee value representing an amount due to a service entity for service usage of the user over a predetermined billing period; and a second monitoring subsystem communicating with the first monitoring subsystem, the second monitoring subsystem under the control of the service entity for determining at least one service-generated fee value representing the amount due to the service entity for the service usage of the user over the predetermined billing period, one of the first and second monitoring subsystems comparing the user and service-generated fee values; determining that the user and service-generated fee values are within a predetermined threshold amount; and
, based upon said determination, validating the amount due determined from a predetermined one of the user and service-generated fee values. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of paying utility bills, comprising the steps of:
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monitoring utility usage of a utility user by a first monitoring subsystem under control of the user; calculating using the first monitoring subsystem at least one user-generated fee value representing an amount due to a utility entity for utility usage of the user over a predetermined billing period; monitoring utility usage of the user by a second monitoring subsystem under control of the utility entity, the first and second monitoring subsystems being distinct from one another; calculating using the second monitoring subsystem at least one utility-generated fee value representing the amount due to the utility entity for the utility usage of the user over the predetermined billing period; comparing the user and utility-generated fee values; determining that the user and utility-generated fee values are within a predetermined threshold amount; and
,based upon said determination, authorizing a payment of the amount due determined from a predetermined one of the user and utility-generated fee values. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A system for paying utility bills, the system comprising:
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a first monitoring subsystem under the control of a utility user for calculating at least one user-generated fee value representing an amount due to a utility entity for utility usage of the user over a predetermined billing period; and a second monitoring subsystem communicating with the first monitoring subsystem, the second monitoring subsystem under the control of the utility entity for calculating at least one utility-generated fee value representing the amount due the utility entity for the utility usage of the user over the predetermined billing period, one of the first and second monitoring subsystems comparing the user and utility-generated fee values; determining that the user and utility-generated fee values are within a predetermined threshold amount; and
, based upon said determination, authorizing a payment of the amount due determined from a predetermined one of the user and utility-generated fee values. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
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Specification