Synchronizing a cost estimate on an electronic device
A method for synchronizing a cost estimate on an electronic device is described. The method includes obtaining an estimated usage by an electronic device. The method also includes obtaining an estimated rate. The method further includes estimating, on the electronic device, a bill for a period-to-date to produce an estimated bill. The method also includes determining, on the electronic device, whether to synchronize. The method further includes synchronizing, on the electronic device, the estimated bill using actual bill information for the period-to-date if it is determined to synchronize.
1. A method for synchronizing a cost estimate on an electronic device, the method comprising:
obtaining, by the electronic device at a house, an estimated usage from a utility meter at the house, wherein the electronic device is an in-home display that controls at least one consuming device at the house;
obtaining, by the electronic device, an estimated cost per resource unit for a period of time, wherein the estimated cost per resource unit differs from an actual cost per resource unit that is set by a utility system for the period of time;
estimating, on the electronic device, a bill for a period-to-date based on the estimated usage and the estimated cost per resource unit to produce an estimated bill;
determining, on the electronic device, whether to synchronize the estimated bill with actual bill information on the utility system based on a schedule received from the utility system that indicates how frequently the electronic device is allowed to access the actual bill information, wherein the received schedule allows electronic devices using a broadband network connection to access the utility system more frequently than electronic devices using a mesh network of utility meters; and
synchronizing, on the electronic device at the house, the estimated bill using the actual bill information for the period-to-date in response to determining to synchronize, wherein the actual bill information comprises an actual bill, an actual usage and an actual cost per resource unit, wherein synchronizing the estimated bill using actual bill information for the period-to-date comprises:
sending authentication information to the utility system that is remote from the house;
requesting the actual bill information from the utility system;
receiving the actual bill information at the electronic device at the house from the utility system that is remote from the house; and
using the actual bill information to synchronize the estimated bill,
wherein synchronizing the estimated bill using the actual bill information for a period-to-date is performed according to the equation
C
n
=
B
k
+
∑
i
=
k
n
U
i
R
i
{
B
0
=
0
U
0
,
i
=
k
=
0
k
=
0
before
synchronization
k
=
n
at
synchronization
,
wherein C n is the estimated bill for a period-to-date for a current sample number n, B k is an actual bill, k is a sample number when a most recent synchronization occurs, i is an index number, U i is the estimated usage for a sample corresponding to index i and R i is the estimated cost per resource unit for a sample corresponding to index i.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein synchronizing the estimated bill using actual bill information comprises adjusting the estimated bill to match an actual bill for a period-to-date.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether to synchronize is performed without user interaction.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether to synchronize is performed further based on user interaction.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the estimated cost per resource unit differs from the actual cost per resource unit due to network latency.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the estimated cost per resource unit differs from the actual cost per resource unit due to a lack of synchronization between a utility system clock and an electronic device clock.
7. An electronic device for synchronizing a cost estimate, the electronic device comprising:
a processor;
memory in electronic communication with the processor;
instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable to:
obtain, by the electronic device at a house, an estimated usage from a utility meter at the house, wherein the electronic device is an in-home display that controls at least one consuming device at the house;
obtain an estimated cost per resource unit for a period of time, wherein the estimated cost per resource unit differs from an actual cost per resource unit that is set by a utility system for the period of time;
estimate a bill for a period-to-date based on the estimated usage and the estimated cost per resource unit to produce an estimated bill;
determine whether to synchronize the estimated bill with actual bill information on the utility system based on a schedule received from the utility system that indicates how frequently the electronic device is allowed to access the actual bill information, wherein the received schedule allows electronic devices using a broadband network connection to access the utility system more frequently than electronic devices using a mesh network of utility meters; and
synchronize, on the electronic device at the house, the estimated bill using the actual bill information for the period-to-date in response to determining to synchronize, wherein the actual bill information comprises an actual bill, an actual usage and an actual cost per resource unit, wherein synchronizing the estimated bill using actual bill information for the period-to-date comprises:
sending authentication information to the utility system that is remote from the house;
requesting the actual bill information from the utility system;
receiving the actual bill information at the electronic device at the house from the utility system that is remote from the house; and
using the actual bill information to synchronize the estimated bill,
wherein synchronizing the estimated bill using the actual bill information for a period-to-date is performed according to the equation
C
n
=
B
k
+
∑
i
=
k
n
U
i
R
i
{
B
0
=
0
U
0
,
i
=
k
=
0
k
=
0
before
synchronization
k
=
n
at
synchronization
,
wherein C n is the estimated bill for a period-to-date for a current sample number n, B k is an actual bill, k is a sample number when a most recent synchronization occurs, i is an index number, U i is the estimated usage for a sample corresponding to index i and R i is the estimated cost per resource unit for a sample corresponding to index i.
8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein synchronizing the estimated bill using actual bill information comprises adjusting the estimated bill to match an actual bill for a period-to-date.
9. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein determining whether to synchronize is performed without user interaction.
10. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein determining whether to synchronize is performed further based on user interaction.
11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to synchronize a cost estimate, comprising executable instructions for:
obtaining, by an electronic device at a house, an estimated usage from a utility meter at the house, wherein the electronic device is an in-home display that controls at least one consuming device at the house;
obtaining an estimated cost per resource unit for a period of time, wherein the estimated cost per resource unit differs from an actual cost per resource unit that is set by a utility system for the period of time;
estimating a bill for a period-to-date based on the estimated usage and the estimated cost per resource unit to produce an estimated bill;
determining whether to synchronize the estimated bill with actual bill information on the utility system based on a schedule received from the utility system that indicates how frequently the electronic device is allowed to access the actual bill information, wherein the received schedule allows electronic devices using a broadband network connection to access the utility system more frequently than electronic devices using a mesh network of utility meters; and
synchronizing, on the electronic device at the house, the estimated bill using the actual bill information for the period-to-date in response to determining to synchronize, wherein the actual bill information comprises an actual bill, an actual usage and an actual cost per resource unit, wherein synchronizing the estimated bill using actual bill information for the period-to-date comprises:
sending authentication information to the utility system that is remote from the house;
requesting the actual bill information from the utility system;
receiving the actual bill information at the electronic device at the house from the utility system that is remote from the house; and
using the actual bill information to synchronize the estimated bill,
wherein synchronizing the estimated bill using the actual bill information for a period-to-date is performed according to the equation
C
n
=
B
k
+
∑
i
=
k
n
U
i
R
i
{
B
0
=
0
U
0
,
i
=
k
=
0
k
=
0
before
synchronization
k
=
n
at
synchronization
,
wherein C n is the estimated bill for a period-to-date for a current sample number n, B k is an actual bill, k is a sample number when a most recent synchronization occurs, i is an index number, U i is the estimated usage for a sample corresponding to index i and R i is the estimated cost per resource unit for a sample corresponding to index i.