# US 2018/0322592 A1 · System and method for transferring service provider information

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2018/0322592 A1
- Document ID: US20180322592A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/971,064
- Filed: 2018-05-04
- Published: 2018-11-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-05-05
- Inventors: Dean Schiller; James Sepe
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180322592A1

## CPC

- G06Q 50/06: Energy or water supply
- G06Q 30/0283: Price estimation or determination
- G06Q 30/04: Billing or invoicing
- H04M 15/51: {for resellers, retailers or service providers}
- H04M 15/70: {Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges}
- H04M 15/83: {Notification aspects}
- H04M 15/84: {Types of notifications}
- H04M 15/85: {characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification}
- H04M 15/851: {Determined tariff}
- H04W 4/24: Accounting or billing
- H04L 65/1096: Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding (systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A utility information system is disclosed. The utility information system has a data services module, comprising computer-executable code stored in non-volatile memory, a processor, and a notification device including one or more indicator display components that are user-visible. The data services module, the processor, and the notification device are configured to create a data packet including utility information, transfer the data packet from the data services module to the notification device, and control a display of the indicator display components, without user input, based on the data packet.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A utility information system, comprising:
a data services module, comprising computer-executable code stored in non-volatile memory;
a processor; and
a notification device including one or more indicator display components that are user-visible;
wherein the data services module, the processor, and the notification device are configured to:
create a data packet including utility information;
transfer the data packet from the data services module to the notification device; and
control a display of the indicator display components, without user input, based on the data packet.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The utility information system of claim 1, wherein the utility information includes a utility pricing schedule.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The utility information system of claim 1, wherein the notification device includes an audio assembly configured to emit an audio alert.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The utility information system of claim 1, further comprising an enhanced display module.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The utility information system of claim 4, wherein the data services module, the enhanced display module, the processor, and the notification device are configured to create an enhanced data packet including the utility information and additional information.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The utility information system of claim 5, wherein the enhanced data packet is transferred to an enhanced display that is located remotely from the notification device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The utility information system of claim 1, wherein the data services module, the processor, and the notification device are configured to create a second data packet including updated utility information.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The utility information system of claim 1, wherein the utility information includes a variable utility pricing Time of Use schedule describing pricing based on the time of day that utility services are consumed.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The utility information system of claim 1, wherein the utility information includes a scheduled energy event.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The utility information system of claim 1, further comprising a control application module that provides network credentials to the notification device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The utility information system of claim 1, wherein the utility information includes electric utility information or water utility information.

### Claim 12

An apparatus, comprising:
a housing;
one or more indicator display components that are disposed on a surface of the housing; and
a communications assembly;
wherein the communications assembly is configured to receive a data packet;
wherein the data packet includes data indicating a first time period having a utility price that is lowest relative to a second time period;
wherein the first time period is shorter than the second time period and both begins and ends during the second time period; and
wherein the one or more indicator display components operate to indicate when the first time period occurs.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the utility price that is lowest relative to the second time period is an electricity price.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a power assembly and an audio assembly configured to emit an audio alert.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the power assembly includes an electrical plug.

### Claim 16

A method, comprising:
providing a relative utility pricing apparatus;
providing a plurality of indicator lights on a surface of the relative utility pricing apparatus;
transferring a data packet to the relative utility pricing apparatus;
providing data in the data packet indicating a first time period having a utility price that is lowest relative to a second time period; and
controlling the plurality of indicator lights to indicate when the first time period occurs;
wherein the first time period is shorter than the second time period and occurs during the second time period.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the data packet includes electric utility information or water utility information.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the relative utility pricing apparatus includes an audio assembly configured to emit an audio alert.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the utility price that is lowest relative to the second time period is an electricity price.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising providing the data in the data packet to a remote computing device.