Forensic analysis of resource consumption data

Abstract

Following an explosion, fire, flood, water damage, or other event, consumption data of utility resources such as gas and water may be used to determine a cause of the event. For example, an interrogation may be used to read data logging data from a data collection device. The data logging data may include a record of consumption data for a resource spanning a time of an event. The data logging data may be analyzed to determine whether a utility providing the resource was responsible for the event.

1 . A method comprising:
 under control of a computing device configured with computer-executable instructions:
 reading data logging data from a data collection device, the data logging data comprising a record of consumption data for a resource over time, the data logging data including data spanning a time of an event; 
 analyzing the data logging data including the data spanning the time of the event; and 
 determining, based on the analysis of the data logging data, whether a utility providing the resource was responsible for the event. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the resource comprises natural gas and the event comprises an explosion or fire. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the resource comprises water and the event comprises a flood or water damage. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data collection device comprises an encoder/transmitter/receiver (ERT) configured to be coupled to, or integral with, a utility meter. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein reading the data logging data from the data collection device comprises transmitting a command to the data collection device and receiving a record of consumption data for a predetermined number of days. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the record of consumption data comprises 40 days of hourly consumption data. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein analyzing the data logging data comprises comparing resource consumption values during a first period of normal usage to consumption values during a second period of abnormal usage leading up to the event. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein determining whether the utility providing the resource was responsible for the event comprises determining, based on the analyzing of the data logging data, whether the resource consumption during the second period leading up to the event was sufficient to have caused the event. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 under control of a data collection device configured with computer-executable instructions:
 receiving a command from an interrogation device to provide data logging data stored in memory of the data collection device, the data logging data comprising a record of consumption data for a resource over time, the data logging data including data spanning a time of an event; and 
 providing, in response to receiving the command, the data logging data to the interrogation device for use in determining whether a utility providing the resource was responsible for the event. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the resource comprises natural gas and the event comprises an explosion or fire. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the resource comprises water and the event comprises a flood or water damage. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the data collection device comprises an encoder/transmitter/receiver (ERT) configured to be coupled to, or integral with, a utility meter. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein providing the data logging data comprises transmitting a record of consumption data for a predetermined number of days. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the record of consumption data comprises 40 days of hourly consumption data. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the data logging data comprises a first period of normal resource consumption and a second period of abnormal resource consumption leading up to the event. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the resource consumption during the second period leading up to the event is sufficient to have caused the event. 
     
     
         17 . A data collection device comprising:
 one or more processors;   memory communicatively coupled to the one or more processors;   a data logging module stored in the memory and executable by the one or more processors to log resource consumption data over time;   a data record stored in the memory, the data record storing resource consumption data for a period spanning an event; and   a communication module configured to provide the data record to an interrogation tool in response to receipt of an interrogation command from the interrogation tool.   
     
     
         18 . The data collection device of  claim 17 , wherein the data collection device comprises a natural gas consumption data collection device or a water consumption data collection device. 
     
     
         19 . The data collection device of  claim 17 , wherein the data collection device comprises an encoder/transmitter/receiver (ERT) configured to be coupled to, or integral with, a utility meter. 
     
     
         20 . The data collection device of  claim 17 , wherein the record of consumption data comprises 40 days of hourly consumption data. 
     
     
         21 . The data collection device of  claim 17 , wherein the record of consumption data comprises a first period of normal resource consumption and a second period of abnormal resource consumption leading up to the event, the abnormal resource consumption during the second period being sufficient to have caused the event.