Devices and methods for determining the amount of individual usage of a shared commodity
US7766231B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 24, 2005 |
| Grant date | Aug 3, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 13, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY04S20/30
- WIPO fieldIT methods for management
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Devices and methods of commodity usage monitoring determine the amount of commodity used by individual elements of multi-element systems having a common source. An amount of commodity drawn from the source by all the users is determined. A user-state that indicates use of the commodity by each user is determined. Individual user consumption of the commodity for each of the users is determined using repeated determinations of the amount of the commodity and the user-state, for a number of repetitions greater than or equal to the number of users. Determining individual consumption can be performed using minimum least square estimation, singular value decomposition, discriminant function analysis, or other computational or analytical solution method. Duration and consumption information can be used to calculate the total amount of the commodity consumed by the particular user. Useful commodities include, but are not limited to, gas, electricity, mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and water.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.