# US 8,571,907 B2 · Systems and methods for weather-based estimation, auditing, and exception reporting > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,571,907 B2 - Document ID: US8571907B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/187,352 - Filed: 2011-07-20 - Published: 2013-01-24 - Granted: 2013-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2011-07-20 - Assignees: Symbiot Business Group, Inc. - Applicants: Raymond P. Jones, Jr. - Inventors: Raymond P. Jones, Jr. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8571907B2 ## CPC - G06Q 10/10: Office automation; Time management - 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 ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises, when an evaluation of the weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location in light of weather data regarding the second location is indicative that the weather-dependent work was not necessary, placing a hold on paying for the weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location until a service provider can prove that the weather-dependent work was necessary and was performed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the method comprises: locating a plurality of weather information sources providing weather information for at least one of the second location and one or more additional locations; and determining a best correlation between the weather information of each weather information source and the work history data; wherein weather information having the best correlation is utilized in evaluating invoices for weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein multiple weather information sources are used in evaluating invoices for weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein evaluating invoices for weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location comprises using the weather data regarding the second location near the time of invoiced performance of the weather-related work at the first location to predict trigger weather events or conditions at the first location that would normally be expected to require weather-dependent work at the first location, the trigger events or conditions being selected from the group of: snowfall; rainfall; sunshine; wind; and temperature. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: when a determination is initially made from the invoice for weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location that the invoice contains a potential error, conducting an additional audit using weather information relating to information selected from the group consisting of: additional weather sources; and additional weather locations. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 6, wherein the method further comprises when the additional audit is indicative that the invoice for weather-dependent work is correct, approving the invoice for weather-dependent work. ### Claim 8 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; 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. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the method further comprises, when an evaluation of the weather-dependent work in light of weather data regarding the second location is indicative that the weather-dependent work was not necessary, placing a hold on paying for the weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location until a service provider can prove that the weather-dependent work was necessary and was performed or otherwise corrects the invoice. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the method comprises: locating a plurality of weather information sources providing weather information for at least one of the second location and one or more additional locations; and determining a best correlation between the weather information of each weather information source and the work history data; wherein weather information having the best correlation is utilized in evaluating invoices for weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein multiple weather information sources are used in evaluating invoices for weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein evaluating invoices for weather-dependent work invoiced as being performed at the first location comprises using the weather data regarding the second location near the time of invoiced performance of the weather-related work at the first location to predict trigger weather events or conditions at the first location that would normally be expected to require weather-dependent work at the first location, the trigger events or conditions being selected from the group of: snowfall; rainfall; sunshine; wind; and temperature. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the method further comprises: when a determination is initially made from the invoice for weather-dependent work that the invoice contains a potential error, conducting an additional audit using weather information relating to information selected from the group consisting of: additional weather sources; and additional weather locations. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the method further comprises when the additional audit is indicative that the invoice for weather-dependent work is correct, approving the invoice for weather-dependent work.