Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • 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
  • G06Q50/00—Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism
  • G06Q50/06—Energy or water supply
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • 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
  • G06Q30/00—Commerce
  • G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Definitions

• the present invention arranged such that it ensures that users of utility power or households at any time is a customer for utility power with the utility power provider who has the best utility power price agreement adapted to the needs and use pattern of the end user, automatically, and such that the end user does not have to keep track of the market at all times.
• the present invention is embodied by way of various program modules, preferably such that operates on the Linux operating system, to carry out the tasks on a computer which has a connection to customer registration devices of one or more utility power providers.
• the present invention is adapted to provide a survey of the utility power prices in the market, and changes the utility power provider for its customer when advantageous.
• Utility power products can mainly be divided into 3 groups, where there are certain variations within each group:
• Group 2 "Market power” (MK, spot price with mark up)
• the spot price is typically fixed by a broker institution, which in Norway may by Nordpool, for each hour in each geographical zone, and where each individual utility power provider has his or her mark up and his or her fixed monthly charges.
• Group 3 "Utility power at fixed price” (FP) This is usually fixed by each individual provider, and is typically valid for a certain period ahead, usually with a binding period.
• FP Ultrasonic power at fixed price
• Prior art solutions for covering needs corresponding to the purposes of the present invention are based only on price data collected from a common reporting point for provider prices (such as e.g. the website of the Norwegian "Konkurransetilsynet”), which by experience has shown to be incomplete with regard to obtaining the best possible exploitation of available offers for utility power.
• Webpages which include calculator functions adapted to calculate the utility power provider with the lowest cost for the user based on data provided by the user himself, but they do not include a technical connection to a real source of data.
• the present invention provides a computer apparatus for automatic selection of a utility power provider, characterised by the features recited in the accompanying independent patent claim 1.
• the present invention provides a method to be carried out in a computer apparatus for automatic selection of a utility power provider, characterised by the features recited in the accompanying independent patent claim 6.
• Fig. IA is a first flow chart part for illustrating a partial process for collecting information
• Fig. IB is a second flow chart part for illustrating a partial process for collecting information
• Fig. 2A is a first flow chart part for illustrating a partial process for generating migration proposal data and instructions
• Fig. 2B is a second flow chart part for illustrating a partial process for generating migration proposal data and instructions
• Fig. 3 A is a first flow chart part for illustrating a partial process for conveying and effecting migration proposal data and instructions
• Fig. 3B is a second flow chart part for illustrating a partial process for conveying and effecting migration proposal data and instructions
• Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration of an example of an advantageous structuring of data structures for a utility power user migration motor implementation of the present invention.
• the present invention includes a program which at predefined intervals, such as e.g. daily, collects prices for utility power from a price data source.
• a program which at predefined intervals, such as e.g. daily, collects prices for utility power from a price data source.
• price data sources in the form of a webpage, such as e.g. the web pages of the Norwegian "Konkurransetilsynet", which represent a common reporting point for utility power prices.
• the prices which follow the price structure decided by the provider of the price data source such as e.g. the price structure decided by the Norwegian
• the program system of the present invention is adapted such that it can handle a number of different web pages, as they normally are available at the different providers of utility power with price and product information.
• the web pages of the individual utility power providers are examined closely for acquiring prices and contracts, and a profile is prepared for each provider based on said acquired data.
• the provider profile typically includes:
• Price type (such as e.g. group, variation, or condition).
• the program of the invention has been developed to be particularly well adapted for searching and retrieving the relevant information from web pages, as no known template has been found for displaying information on the web.
• Some web pages include pure "html”, some include “frames”, and others make use of active Java script, often well hidden in several levels of Java script files.
• search criteria need to be entirely unique, to avoid retrieving wrong prices, and that small changes in a web page may easily make a search turn out wrong.
• the program system of the invention makes special records of those web pages that have been changed in such a way that the price information may no longer be retrieved. This is marked by a flag and triggers an examination of the web page, with a subsequent adjustment of these search criteria, for in such a way to achieve that the search function at all times is adapted according to any change made.
• the especially adapted script of the invention searches through web page, retrieves the price and stores it in the appropriate profile.
• the search may preferably be text based, and operates to find so-called "html tags", and possibly special text in the area surrounding a price data, for then to carry out extracting the actual number which represents the price, from the web page.
• All acquired information is formatted and made available within the administration system of the invention, which preferably may be web based. If so is preferred, here one may collect samples to perform a quality check of the information which has been acquired.
• the program system of the invention reviews all information acquired and determines the utility power provider and product arrangement which is the most favourable for each individual user in the area in which the user has his/her facility/- facilities, based on the interval consumption, such as e.g. the yearly consumption, of each individual facility.
• This is stored in a data base and a migration instruction is generated for those customers who are to change utility power provider to obtain utility power at a lower price.
• the migration instruction is transferred automatically, preferably by way of e-mail, for direct registration in the customer registration device of the new provider in the facility of the respective new provider, such as e.g. explained in the following.
• the system of the present invention by execution of a program in the computer, generates automatically lists of all facilities/meter points that are to be migrated to a new utility power provider. A list is made for each individual utility power provider who at migration to a new utility power provider is to receive new customers. Each list includes all information, which typically includes commands, which the system of the new utility power provider requires in order to receive and register in a new customer, including customer data by which customer conveys the power of attorney to the system to migrate his/her utility power customer relationship on his/her behalf. Further details of the instruction controlled migration are explained in the description of partial process 200.
• the lists are transferred automatically by way of electronic means to the customer control systems of the various utility power providers for electronic registration and activation as customer for delivery of utility power according to the data of the instructions.
• the system registers the change in customer relationship for customers affected, such that this becomes the basis for calculating/generating a next migration proposal.
• the customer After completed migration the customer will automatically receive a final invoice from the previous utility power provider, and later automatically an invoice for his/her continued consumption from the new provider.
• the present invention is contemplated to be realised as an apparatus or a system using a computer, wherein an advantageous embodiment of the apparatus of the invention comprises the following elements, and with the following functions which in operation will embody the method of the invention:
• reporting point profile register in D2: comprises: reporting point ID and reporting point data address and locations,
• profile comprise: provider ID and provider data address and -location - price element register D 1 , D3, DLW price elements comprise: provider ID, products, price data for each product customer register, in D2 customer data comprises: customer Id, metering point ID, utility power product in use, utility power consumption data, consumption statistics, acquisition mechanism which makes use of the profile information in the profile registers to search and acquire data according to the profiles in the respective profile registers, - updating device which based on the profile information and the acquired data updates corresponding data registers,
• the system computer will preferably be adapted with connections, which in operation will embody the method of the invention, to: a first data source (Dl) for reported utility power prices (price elements), in the reporting point, wherein: price elements include: provider ID, products, price data for each product a second data source (D2) for utility power consumption data, at user, wherein: utility power consumption data includes: utility power consumption, interval, and - a third data source (D3) for provider price data, at provider, wherein: provider price data includes: products, price data for each product.
• Dl first data source
• price elements include: provider ID, products, price data for each product
• D2 for utility power consumption data
• D2 for utility power consumption data
• utility power consumption data includes: utility power consumption, interval
• D3 third data source
• provider price data includes: products, price data for each product.
• the invention provides:
• a computer apparatus for automatic selection of utility power provider being characterised by that it is provided with means, which in operation will embody the method of the invention, to establish connections to: a first data source (Dl) for reported utility power prices (price elements), in the reporting point, a second data source (D2) for utility power consumption data, at customer, and a third data source (D3) for provider price data, at provider, and that it comprises a plurality of registers which include a reporting point profile register adapted to store reporting point ID and reporting point address and locations, a reporting point data address and locations, a provider profile register adapted to store provider ID and provider data address and location, a price element register adapted to store provider ID, products, price data for each product, a customer register adapted to store customer ID, product in use, utility power consumption data, and that it comprises computer processing and communication devices which include: an acquisition mechanism adapted to make use of profile information in the profile registers to search for and acquire data according to the profiles in the respective profile registers, an updating device adapted to update corresponding data registers on
• the invention provides:
• a method for execution by a computer device for automatic selection of a utility power provider being characterised by that it comprises method steps adapted to affect the functionality being specified by the means which are included in the computer device being disclosed in the section above. Details of the method of the invention are disclosed by way of the attached flow diagrams and corresponding description.
• Partial process 200 "Generate migration instructions", illustrated in fig. 2A and fig. 2B:
• the lowest price per IcWh for this5 metering point is computed.
• Total price/kWh price + fixed part/annual consumption Comparing results and selecting the lowest FP total price.
• L2 delivers SV for 39 ⁇ re/kWh + 600/year (j) No SV product on web (Ic) L2 delivers MK with 1 ⁇ re mark up per kWh + 600/year (from Dl) (1) Ll delivers MK with 2 ⁇ re mark up per kWh + 240/year (from D3)
• Kl may receive SV utility power at lowest price from Ll .
• Kl may receive MK utility power at lowest price from Ll .
• FP No calculations or selections, because neither Ll nor L2 offer fixed price.
• Kl is registered at provider with the lowest priced utility power at 42,6 ⁇ re/kWh, and at that the lowest priced utility power is of type SV. (The difference between the total price per kWh customer Kl pays to-day and the calculated lowest price for SV utility power from Ll is positive, resulting in a proposal to migrate to SV utility power from Ll in the next period.
• Partial process 300 "Perform migration", illustrated in fig. 3 A and fig. 3B:
• 301 retrieves "documents" with all migration/change proposal 302. A' repeating part with start in 302A and end in 302B, which includes the process elements 303, 304, 305 and 306, which are performed for each document previously generated in process element 215. 303. Retrieves stored address for receiver of the migration document (the new utility power provider), from DL. 304. Transmits the migration instructions of the document to the indicated address of the new utility power provider.
• a price element comprises at least one of the following information elements: 1) The identity (ID) of the utility power provider 2) Price type:
• MK Standard variable
• FP Fixed price
• Any optional price ceiling and charge for a price element (such as e.g. a type of standard variable price that never exceeds a certain value, with no ? (some??) higher charge
• total price per kWh utility power price (per kWh) + annual charge/annual consumption
• MK retrieves the spot price of to-day for this zone (geographic) in which the customer is located.
• Total price per kWh zone spot price + mark up + annual charge/annual consumption.

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Citations (4)

• 2008
  • 2008-07-15 NO NO20083141A patent/NO20083141L/no not_active Application Discontinuation
• 2009
  • 2009-07-15 WO PCT/NO2009/000265 patent/WO2010008301A1/en not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (4)

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