Utility monitoring and billing systems, and methods
AssigneeAmerican Metering Services, Inc.
InventorMatthew Ortner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems using the method of calculating and charging for utility usage are disclosed. The method comprises the steps of, on a processing unit, obtaining a utility bill from a utility company for a multi-unit property, obtaining a reading from at least one submeter monitoring the usage of the utility for each unit of the multi-unit property, totaling the submetered usage, calculating a percent usage of the utility for each unit, calculating a charge for each unit based on the percentage usage for each unit, and billing each unit for the charge calculated for that unit.
Claims16
A method of calculating utility usage, comprising the steps of, on a processing unit:
- obtaining a utility bill from a utility company for a multi-unit property;
- obtaining a reading from at least one submeter monitoring the usage of the utility for each unit of the multi-unit property;
- totaling the submetered usage;
- calculating a percent usage of the utility for each unit;
- calculating a charge for each unit based on the percentage usage for each unit;
- and
- outputting for each unit the charge calculated for that unit.
A system for calculating utility usage in a multi-unit property, comprising:
- a plurality of submeters, each submeter monitoring the usage of at least one utility for each unit;
- a central processing unit in communication with each submeter;
- software executing on the central processing unit, wherein the software:
- obtains a utility bill from a utility company for a multi-unit property;
- obtains a reading from each submeter;
- totals the submetered usage;
- calculates a percent usage of the utility for each unit;
- calculates a charge for each unit based on the percentage usage for each unit;
- and
- outputs for each unit the charge calculated for that unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.