Resource Delivery

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for delivering resources. The methods, systems, and apparatus include actions of based on measurements of amounts of a resource that are delivered from one or more supply outlets against amounts of value of electronic prepayments that have been authorized by corresponding users of mobile devices for the delivery of the resource at the one or more supply outlets, causing the one or more supply outlets to enable delivery of the resource in aggregate amounts that are not outside amounts of value of electronic prepayments that have been authorized by the corresponding users of mobile devices for the delivery of the resource.

1 .- 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A server system that controls water to be dispensed at water supply outlets to end users at distributed geographic locations, the server system comprising:
 a memory configured to store account data, the account data comprising:   an identifier that identifies a remote supply outlet for dispensing a resource; and   credit data specifying an amount of the resource that is available for dispensing at the remote supply outlet; and   one or more processors configured to perform operations comprising:   receiving update data indicative of a change to particular credit data for a particular remote supply outlet, the update data including a particular identifier identifying the particular remote supply outlet;   accessing the memory to determine a particular amount of the resource that is available to dispense at the particular remote supply outlet; and   sending data to the particular remote supply outlet specifying the particular amount of the resource that is available to enable the particular remote supply outlet to dispense that particular amount of the resource.   
     
     
         32 . The server system of  claim 31 , the operations further comprising:
 receiving payment data from a remote client device, the payment data being associated with the particular identifier, the payment data specifying a payment amount; and   updating, based on the payment amount, the particular credit data associated with the particular remote supply outlet identified by the particular identifier.   
     
     
         33 . The server system of  claim 32 , the operations further comprising:
 in response to receiving the payment data from the remote client device, determining, based on the payment data, a given amount of the resource to credit to the particular remote supply outlet, the given amount based on a pricing function that specifies the given amount of the resource for a monetary amount specified in the pricing function; and   updating the credit data based on the given amount of the resource.   
     
     
         34 . The server system of  claim 32 , wherein the remote client device comprises a mobile phone, and wherein the remote supply outlet comprises a water meter. 
     
     
         35 . The server system of  claim 31 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving usage data specifying a dispensed amount of the resource that is dispensed at the particular remote supply outlet and a time stamp specifying when the resource is dispensed;   determining, based on the time stamp, a pricing function specifying a monetary amount for the amount of the resource; and   reducing a particular credit associated with the particular remote supply outlet based on the pricing function and the usage data.   
     
     
         36 . The server system of  claim 31 , wherein the update data are received using a short message service (SMS) format, a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) message, or an unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) message. 
     
     
         37 . The server system of  claim 31 , wherein the particular identifier is associated with a single remote supply output. 
     
     
         38 . The server system of  claim 31 , wherein the particular identifier is associated with multiple remote supply outputs. 
     
     
         39 . The server system of  claim 31 , wherein the one or more processors are included in a cloud computing platform. 
     
     
         40 . The server system of  claim 31 , the operations further comprising:
 receiving a usage request, from a remote client device, querying the particular amount of the resource that is available associated with the particular identifier; and   sending, in response to the usage request, data specifying the particular amount of the resource that is available.   
     
     
         41 . A device configured for dispensing a resource, the device comprising:
 a flow meter configured to measure an amount of the resource being dispensed and generate data representing the amount of the resource;   a valve configured to control dispensing of the resource; and   one or more processing devices configured to receive the data representing the amount of the resource and control operation of the valve, the one or more processing devices configured to perform operations comprising:   receiving, from a remote computing system, credit data specifying an available amount of the resource that is available for dispensing by the valve; and   controlling, based on the available amount of the resource, the valve to open to enable a particular amount of the resource to be dispensed.   
     
     
         42 . The device of  claim 41 , the operations further comprising:
 periodically updating a value specifying a dispensed amount of the resource including the particular amount; and   sending the data including the value specifying a dispensed amount to the remote computing system to cause the remote computing system to update the credit data at the remote computing system.   
     
     
         43 . The device of  claim 41 , further comprising a transceiver for sending data to and receiving data from the remote computing system. 
     
     
         44 . The device of  claim 43 , wherein the transceiver is configured to operate using a mobile communications network or a radio network. 
     
     
         45 . The device of  claim 41 , wherein controlling the valve to open to enable the particular amount of the resource to be dispensed occurs when the particular amount of the resource is less than the available amount of the resource. 
     
     
         46 . The device of  claim 41 , wherein controlling, based on the available amount of the resource, the valve to open to enable a particular amount of the resource to be dispensed occurs independent of a user interacting with a user interface of the device. 
     
     
         47 . The device of  claim 41 , wherein the remote computing system comprises a server system, and wherein the one or more processing devices are configured to send data to or receive data from the server system at in response to a change in a credit or a debit amount independent of controlling the valve to open to enable the particular amount of the resource to be dispensed.