Energy network commerce system

• US 6,343,277 B1
• Filed: 11/02/1998
• Issued: 01/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Enermetrix.com Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Enermetrix.com Incorporated
• Inventors: Gaus, John, DeWeese, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): Stamber, Eric W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alvarez, Raquel
• Application Number:
  US09/184,612
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 705/37, 705/400, 705/26, 235/378
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A computer-assisted method of facilitating a transaction between an energy consumer-client desiring an energy contract and an energy supplier. The method includes posting a buy order where the supplier can access the buy order via a computer network and receiving a bid from the supplier via the network. The method also includes accepting the bid via the network when a precondition is met.

Claims

1. A computer-assisted method of facilitating a retail energy transaction between one or more energy consumer-clients desiring retail energy contracts and energy suppliers, comprising:

storing energy usage patterns for said one or more energy consumer-clients;

aggregating energy demand for said one or more energy consumer-clients based upon at least one similar attribute;

constructing an aggregated buy order that includes said usage patterns of said one or more energy-consumer clients;

posting said aggregated buy order in order to satisfy said aggregated energy demand where said energy suppliers can access said buy order via a computer network;

examining, by said energy suppliers, said usage patterns;

receiving bids from said energy suppliers via said network, each of said bids comprising one of a fixed price bid and a variably priced bid based on a market index;

ranking said bids based on one of a price difference between a highest bid and a lowest bid and a price difference relative to said market index;

accepting one of said bids via said network when a precondition is met; and

providing each of said one or more energy consumer-clients an account specific transaction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said precondition includes a most preferential bid.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said precondition includes a thresholds price.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating said buy order based on historical data.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising a database to determine if said energy client requires a contract for energy services.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein accepting said bid includes accepting said bid to form a contract when said precondition is met.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending notification to said supplier of said bid acceptance.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending notification to said client of said bid acceptance.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein ranking said bids comprises subtracting a lowest priced contract from a highest priced contract.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein aggregating energy demand comprises aggregating energy demand for a client having multiple accounts.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein constructing an aggregated buy order comprises including a particular target price.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein accepting one of said bids comprises a buyer accepting a best bid.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein posting said aggregated buy order comprises a consumer-client or agent posting a buy order to serve aggregated retail energy demand;

receiving bids comprises reviewing bids from energy suppliers over a period of time; and

accepting one of said bids comprises accepting a bid when the price for energy has dropped to a satisfactory price.

13. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause said processor to perform the steps of:

determining a plurality of energy consumer-clients'"'"' energy needs based on data in a database;

grouping a plurality of clients having at least one similar attribute to create at least one group of said clients;

creating at least one bulk purchase buy order for said group;

posting said bulk purchase buy order where said energy suppliers can access said buy order via a computer network;

receiving bids from said energy suppliers via said network;

ranking said bids based on one of a price difference between a highest bid and a lowest bid and a price difference relative to a market index;

accepting one of said bids via said network when a precondition is met; and

providing each of said one or more energy consumer-clients an account-specific transaction from said bulk purchase.

14. An apparatus for facilitating retail energy transactions, comprising:

means for storing energy usage patterns for one or more energy consumer-clients;

means for aggregating a retail energy demand for said one or more energy consumer-clients;

means for constructing an aggregated buy order that includes said usage patterns of said one or more energy consumer-clients;

means for posting said aggregated buy order to satisfy said aggregated retail energy demand where energy suppliers can access said buy order via a computer network;

means for examining, by said energy suppliers, said usage patterns;

means for receiving bids from said energy suppliers via said network;

means for ranking said bids based on one of a price difference between a highest bid and a lowest bid and a price difference relative to a market index;

means for accepting one of said bids via said network when a precondition is met; and

means for providing each of said one or more energy consumer-clients an account-specific transaction from said bulk purchase.