Process and System for Synchronizing Data From a Meter Collection Database to a Billing Database

• US 20140081815A1
• Filed: 09/19/2013
• Published: 03/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Flo-Tech, LLC
• Original Assignee: Flo-Tech, LLC
• Inventors: Miller, Joe
• Application Number:
  US14/031,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20140081815A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

There is provided a synchronization procedure built to gather customer multi-function printer (MFP) usage and to verify and aggregate gathered data and associate it with a customer and child sites associated with the customer. The aim of this procedure is to ensure that the client has been billed/credited properly and the services provider receives the monies that it is due.

Claims

1. A process for reconciling and billing cost per copy contracts, said process comprising the steps of:

electronically creating a cost per page contract;

electronically collecting information from meters on devices covered by said contract;

calculating pages printed by each said device from said collected information for a billing period;

comparing calculated printed pages to contracted pages for said billing period;

determining if usage is an overage or an underage; and

creating an invoice if said usage is an overage or creating a credit if said usage is an underage.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein said contract creating step comprises inputting start and end dates and inputting a billing frequency.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein said contract creating step comprises entering pricing information and a number of allotted pages for the billing period.

4. The process of claim 1, further comprising entering information about non-billable meters and devices as exceptions to the contract.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein said collecting information from said meters comprises establishing a baseline meter reading for each said device.

6. The process of claim 5, wherein said collecting information from said meters further comprises reading the meters on said contracted devices at a predetermined interval.

7. The process of claim 5, further comprising calculating an adjusted reading for each said meter which is a projected meter reading for a day that payment of an invoice would be due.

8. The process of claim 7, wherein said calculating step comprises subtracting a number of pages on a previous invoice from said adjusted reading.

9. The process of claim 1, further comprising electronically transmitting said invoice to a customer for approval.

10. The process of claim 9, further comprising designating said invoice as approved if said customer does not approve said invoice within a predetermined period.

11. The process of claim 9, further comprising posting said transmitted invoice to a general ledger in a memory when said invoice is designated as approved.

12. The process of claim 9, further comprising electronically transmitting said invoice to said customer for payment.

13. A process for synchronizing data from a meter collection database to a billing database comprises the steps of:

retrieving a meter value from a device and transmitting the retrieved meter value to a database;

reviewing identifiers associated with the device to determine if the device is a pre-existing device or a new device;

reviewing the meter value to determine that the meter value is valid;

saving said meter value to a meter ledger in said database; and

electronically transmitting said meter value to a billing ledger.

14. The process of claim 13, wherein said identifier reviewing step comprises determining that a customer and a location of said device are active.

15. The process of claim 13, wherein said identifier reviewing step comprises filtering the data to determine that the device is a known model.

16. The process of claim 13, wherein said identifier reviewing step comprises filtering the data to check for customer specific exclusions.

17. The process of claim 13, wherein said identifier reviewing step comprises processing the device as new unless found to be an existing device.

18. The process of claim 13, further comprising creating a new record in said database if said device is determined to be new.

19. The process of claim 13, further comprising retrieving data from each said meter for the last six months.

20. The process of claim 13, wherein said saving step comprises reviewing all meters in said database until all are saved to said meter ledger.

21. The process of claim 13, further comprising marking a record for review if a meter value is determined to be invalid or suspect.

22. The process of claim 13, further comprising electronically generating an invoice for a customer.

23. The process of claim 13, wherein said invoice generating step comprises using information only from verified valid meters.

24. A system for synchronizing data from a meter collection database to a billing database comprising:

a plurality of devices having a meter;

connecting said devices to a processor having a database;

each said device transmitting a meter value to said database;

said processor having means for reviewing identifiers associated with the device to determine if the device is a pre-existing device or a new device, means for reviewing the meter value to determine that the meter value is valid, and means for saving said meter value to a meter ledger in said database; and

a billing ledger for generating invoices to customers, said billing ledger receiving information from said meter ledger.