US 8,571,907 B2 · Systems and methods for weather-based estimation, auditing, and exception reporting

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.

Claims14

Dependent claims

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.

1 more element

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.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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

Life of this patent

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

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14