Method and apparatus for utility usage monitoring

• US 8,299,939 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2009
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Gudlavenkatasiva, Bhaskar R., Hughes, George L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lam T
• Application Number:
  US12/605,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20110095903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 725/14, 725/139, 725/93, 725/109, 725/32, 725/91, 725/87, 725/102, 725/148, 340/870.02
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/18 Remote displaying of utility meter readings
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0607 Regulated
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

An approach is provided for monitoring utility usage and generating notifications. A platform collects utility data from a utility meter of a subscriber and determines whether the utility data satisfies a usage threshold. The platform generates a notification based on the determination and presents the notification.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

collecting utility data, at a set-top box, from a utility meter of a subscriber;

determining whether the utility data satisfies a usage threshold of the subscriber;

generating a notification based on the determination;

presenting the notification via the set-top box;

prompting, via the set-top box, to determine whether deviation from the usage threshold is acceptable to the subscriber; and

prompting, via the set-top box, for dispatching a utility service technician of a utility provider associated with the utility meter.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the set-top box is associated with a service provider, the method further comprising:

transmitting the utility data via the set-top box over a data network to a database managed by the service provider.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

presenting a list of third party vendors capable of performing maintenance and repair of a utility service measured by the utility meter.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a third party vendor capable of performing maintenance and repair;

generating a service request based on at least one of the utility data, the usage threshold, and the selected third party vendor; and

transmitting the service request to the selected third party vendor.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving information associated to a third party vendor capable of performing maintenance and repair of a utility service measured by the utility meter;

generating a service request based on at least one of the utility data, the usage threshold, and the third party vendor; and

transmitting the service request to the third party vendor.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the set-top box is configured to present broadcast content.

7. A set-top box apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store utility data collected from a utility meter of a subscriber; and

a processor configured to;

determine whether the utility data satisfies a usage threshold of the subscriber;

generate a notification based on the determination;

present the notification;

generate a prompt for determining whether deviation from the usage threshold is acceptable to the subscriber; and

generate a prompt for dispatching a utility service technician of a utility provider associated with the utility meter.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the apparatus is associated with a service provider, the apparatus further comprising:

a communication interface configured to transmit the utility data over a data network to a database managed by the service provider.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to initiate presentation of a list of third party vendors capable of performing maintenance and repair of a utility service measured by the utility meter.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a selection of a third party vendor capable of performing maintenance and repair, to generate a service request based on at least one of the utility data, the usage threshold, and the selected third party vendor, and to transmit the service request to the selected third party vendor.

11. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to retrieve information associated to a third party vendor capable of performing maintenance and repair of a utility service measured by the utility meter, to generate a service request based on at least one of the utility data, the usage threshold, and the third party vendor, and to transmit the service request to the third party vendor.

12. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to initiate presentation of broadcast content.

13. A method comprising:

receiving utility data from a plurality of set-top boxes of a respective plurality of subscribers corresponding to a service provider, wherein the utility data is collected from a plurality of meters maintained by a utility provider;

storing the utility data in a database maintained by the service provider;

storing a profile for one of the subscribers, wherein the profile specifies a usage threshold of the one subscriber;

determining whether the utility data of the one subscriber satisfies the usage threshold;

generating a notification based on the determination; and

transmitting the notification to a corresponding one of the set-top boxes of the one subscriber.

14. A system comprising:

a utility monitoring platform configured to receive utility data from a plurality of set-top boxes of a respective plurality of subscribers corresponding to a service provider, wherein the utility data is collected from a plurality of meters maintained by a utility provider; and

a database configured to store the utility data in a database maintained by the service provider and a profile for one of the subscribers, wherein the profile specifies a usage threshold of the one subscriber,

wherein the platform is further configured to determine whether the utility data of the one subscriber satisfies the usage threshold, to generate a notification based on the determination, and to initiate transmission of the notification to a corresponding one of the set-top boxes of the one subscriber.