Utility Usage Data Classification for Critical Facility Prioritization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Utility delivery networks face challenges in prioritizing and managing utility distribution to various units based on their specific life conditions, such as occupancy and utility usage patterns, which can lead to interruptions and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method utilizing a classifier with stored parameters to determine the category of utility usage information, incorporating supplementary information like weather, demographic, and sensor data, to modify the utility delivery network by prioritizing or interrupting utility supply to units, ensuring uninterrupted power to critical facilities and optimizing resource allocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If utility delivery networks distribute utility resources uniformly to all units, then resource allocation is simple and consistent, but critical facilities may experience interruptions and overall system reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different priority levels to different utility units based on their specific characteristics and life conditions. Critical facilities such as hospitals and emergency services receive higher priority allocations, while non-essential units receive lower priority. This differentiated approach ensures that resource distribution is tailored to local needs, maintaining high reliability for critical services without requiring complex manual management of each individual unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the parameter of utility allocation priority based on detected life conditions and usage patterns. By monitoring parameters such as occupancy status, health conditions, and utility consumption patterns, the system adjusts priority levels in real-time, allowing critical facilities to receive increased resource allocation during periods of need while maintaining simple automated management.
2Reliability
If utility delivery networks monitor and categorize all utility units based on detailed life conditions, then service reliability for critical facilities improves, but system complexity and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the utility unit population into distinct priority categories based on life conditions and usage patterns. By dividing units into groups such as critical facilities, essential residential, and non-essential, the system can apply different allocation rules to each segment. This segmentation simplifies the classification process compared to individualized assessment while still ensuring reliable service to critical facilities through targeted category-based management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs self-service mechanisms by using automated monitoring of utility usage patterns and life condition data to automatically categorize units without requiring manual intervention. The classification process leverages data already collected for billing and monitoring purposes, allowing the system to self-upgrade its reliability capabilities through automated pattern recognition rather than complex manual assessment procedures.
3Productivity
If utility delivery networks interrupt service to low-priority units during resource shortages, then resource allocation efficiency improves, but service interruption risk increases for categorized units
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-categorizing utility units into priority levels based on their life conditions and essentiality before resource shortages occur. This advance classification ensures that when resource constraints arise, the system can immediately implement efficient allocation by directing resources to higher-priority units without needing to make complex real-time decisions. Critical facilities are pre-identified and protected, reducing service interruption risk while maintaining high allocation efficiency during shortages.
Data Source
AI summary
According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus comprising a memory configured to store classifier parameters, and at least one processing core configured to use a classifier and the classifier parameters to determine a category of least one data composition, the at least one data composition comprising utility usage information concerning a utility unit, the category comprising a life condition present in the at least one utility unit.