Systems and methods for weather-based estimation, auditing, and exception reporting

• US 8,571,907 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2011
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbiot Business Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Symbiot Business Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Jones, Raymond P. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pats, Justin M
• Assistant Examiner(s): WALKER III, GEORGE H
• Application Number:
  US13/187,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20130024333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.11, 705/7.29, 705/7.31
• US Class Current: 705/7.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Weather information from one or a variety of locations is used to estimate costs for providing weather-dependent work, to audit weather-dependent work allegedly performed, and to improve billing and provide exception reporting for unbilled weather-dependent work such as snow removal and landscaping. A variety of stand-alone and networked computer systems, sensors, weather information sources, and historical data are used to provide such functions. To estimate costs to perform weather-dependent work at a first location, a weather information source providing weather information relating to a second location estimated to have weather similar to weather occurring at the first location is located, and a correlation is made between the weather information and a history of weather-dependent work at the first location to generate an estimated need for future weather-dependent work at the first location. Current weather information is used to perform auditing of invoiced work and to perform exception reporting.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer program instructions for causing a computer device to implement a method for auditing invoiced weather-dependent work at a first location, the method comprising:

locating a first weather information source providing weather information relating to a second location, the second location being estimated to have weather similar to weather occurring at the first location;

determining a correlation between the weather information relating to the second location and a need for weather-dependent work at the first location by comparing weather history data relating to the second location from the first weather information source to work history data for weather-dependent work at the first location; and

evaluating an invoice for weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location in light of weather data regarding the second location near the time of invoiced performance of the weather-related work at the first location to determine a likelihood that the weather-related work was necessary, based on occurrence of a trigger weather event or condition indicative of a need to perform weather-dependent work, and actually performed.

2. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises, when an evaluation of the weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location in light of weather data regarding the second location is indicative that the weather-dependent work was not necessary, placing a hold on paying for the weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location until a service provider can prove that the weather-dependent work was necessary and was performed.

3. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the method comprises:

locating a plurality of weather information sources providing weather information for at least one of the second location and one or more additional locations; and

determining a best correlation between the weather information of each weather information source and the work history data;

wherein weather information having the best correlation is utilized in evaluating invoices for weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein multiple weather information sources are used in evaluating invoices for weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein evaluating invoices for weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location comprises using the weather data regarding the second location near the time of invoiced performance of the weather-related work at the first location to predict trigger weather events or conditions at the first location that would normally be expected to require weather-dependent work at the first location, the trigger events or conditions being selected from the group of:

snowfall;

rainfall;

sunshine;

wind; and

temperature.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

when a determination is initially made from the invoice for weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location that the invoice contains a potential error, conducting an additional audit using weather information relating to information selected from the group consisting of;

additional weather sources; and

additional weather locations.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 6, wherein the method further comprises when the additional audit is indicative that the invoice for weather-dependent work is correct, approving the invoice for weather-dependent work.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer program instructions for causing a computer device to implement a method for auditing invoiced weather-dependent work at a first location, the method comprising:

locating a first weather information source providing weather information relating to a second location, the second location being estimated to have weather similar to weather occurring at the first location;

determining a correlation between the weather information relating to the second location and a need for weather-dependent work at the first location by comparing weather history data relating to the second location from the first weather information source to work history data for weather-dependent work at the first location;

receiving an invoice for weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location; and

evaluating the invoice for weather-dependent work in light of weather data regarding the second location near the time of invoiced performance of the weather-related work at the first location to determine a likelihood that the weather-related work was necessary, based on occurrence of a trigger weather event or condition indicative of a need to perform weather-dependent work, and actually performed.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the method further comprises, when an evaluation of the weather-dependent work in light of weather data regarding the second location is indicative that the weather-dependent work was not necessary, placing a hold on paying for the weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location until a service provider can prove that the weather-dependent work was necessary and was performed or otherwise corrects the invoice.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the method comprises:

locating a plurality of weather information sources providing weather information for at least one of the second location and one or more additional locations; and

determining a best correlation between the weather information of each weather information source and the work history data;

wherein weather information having the best correlation is utilized in evaluating invoices for weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein multiple weather information sources are used in evaluating invoices for weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein evaluating invoices for weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location comprises using the weather data regarding the second location near the time of invoiced performance of the weather-related work at the first location to predict trigger weather events or conditions at the first location that would normally be expected to require weather-dependent work at the first location, the trigger events or conditions being selected from the group of:

snowfall;

rainfall;

sunshine;

wind; and

temperature.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

when a determination is initially made from the invoice for weather-dependent work that the invoice contains a potential error, conducting an additional audit using weather information relating to information selected from the group consisting of;

additional weather sources; and

additional weather locations.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the method further comprises when the additional audit is indicative that the invoice for weather-dependent work is correct, approving the invoice for weather-dependent work.