JP2001066331A - Watthour meter and method for controlling power of electric equipment by watthour meter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To control a power of an electric equipment responsive to a power consumption by transmitting power consumption information obtained by utilizing a measuring function of an electric energy to an equipment to be power controlled with an AC power line as a transmission line. SOLUTION: This watthour meter 1 is connected to a low voltage distribution line 2 (AC power line) and an equipment to be power controlled such as, for example, indoor wirings 3 for connecting to an air conditioner 4 through a distribution line and indoor wirings connecting terminals 5, 6. An electric energy measured by watthour measurement part 8 of the conditioner 4 is displayed on a display unit 9, and an information processor 10 calculates power consumption information how degree of a rate the power is consumed with respect to a set reference electric energy. A distribution line carrier signal modulated by the power consumption information is injected in the line 2 by a transceiver 11, and transmitted to the conditioner 4, and receives a response signal (distribution line carrier signal) from the conditioner 4. This response signal is processed by the processor 10, thereby controlling a contained switch 12 for opening/ closing the wirings 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a watt-hour meter connected to an AC power line for measuring an amount of AC power, and to a method of controlling power of electric equipment by the watt-hour meter.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, power control of an electric device (for example, an air conditioner) is performed by measuring current consumption and manually performed according to the current consumption value, or relying on a person's can when there is no measuring means. Had been done.

[0003] On the other hand, there is a conventional watt-hour meter with a communication function, which transmits a measured amount of power in response to a call signal from a power company such as a relay device.

[0004]

The power control of electric equipment has advantages such as energy saving and suppression of peak power. However, without accurate measuring means, it is impossible to consume power just below the contract power capacity. This results in inefficient power control. Further, even if there is a measuring means, there is no specific control means, so that it is necessary to always manually handle the control.

(Object of the Invention) It is an object of the present invention to provide a watt hour meter capable of controlling the power of electric equipment according to power consumption and a method of controlling the power of electric equipment by the watt hour meter.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a watt-hour meter for measuring the amount of electric power consumed by an electric appliance by utilizing a function of measuring the amount of electric power. Power consumption information is obtained, and the power consumption information is transmitted to a power control target device among the electric devices using an AC power line as a transmission line.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a watt-hour meter according to the first aspect.
It has a built-in switch and shuts off the built-in switch when power consumption exceeds a preset value.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a watt-hour meter for measuring the amount of electric power consumed by an electric device. Then, the power consumption information is transmitted to the power control target device among the electric devices using the AC power line as a transmission line, and the power control target device receives the power consumption information transmitted by the AC power line. And a power control method for electric equipment by a watt hour meter configured to perform power control according to the power consumption information.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a connection relationship between a watt-hour meter and a low-voltage air conditioner which is a power control target device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The watt-hour meter 1 is connected to the low-voltage power distribution line 2 (AC power line) on the one hand, and connected to the indoor wiring 3 on the other hand, and is connected to the indoor wiring 3 so that the electric energy of various electric appliances at home connected to the indoor wiring 3 can be measured. Is measured. In FIG. 1, an air conditioner 4 as a power control target device is connected to the indoor wiring 3 as one of various electric devices.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of watt hour meter 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a distribution line connection terminal, 6 is an indoor wiring connection terminal, 7 is a current transformer for measuring current, 8 is a power amount measuring unit for measuring power amount, 9
Is a display unit for displaying the measured electric energy or the like, and 10 is a ratio of a reference electric energy (for example, 6 kWh per hour = electric power contracted with an electric power company) set to the electric energy meter 1 in advance. An information processing unit for calculating power consumption information indicating whether power is consumed at 80%, for example, or processing a response signal sent from the air conditioner 4;
Injects the distribution line carrier signal modulated by the power consumption information into the distribution line 2 and transmits the signal to the air conditioner 4.
A transmission / reception unit 12 for receiving a distribution line carrier signal, which is a response signal from the system, is a built-in switch for opening and closing the indoor wiring 3 controlled by the information processing unit 10. The power consumption information may be not only the ratio to the reference power amount but also the power consumption amount itself. Further, the reference electric energy may vary depending on the day, hour, and day of the week. Although not shown, the built-in switch 12 can be opened and closed by a command from the outside. The distribution line carrier signal may be a signal of a type in which a modulated continuous frequency signal is superimposed on an AC power wave (commercial frequency) of a low-voltage distribution line, or a signal having a predetermined phase corresponding to the data of the AC power wave of the low-voltage distribution line. There is well known a type in which a phase pulse signal is formed by momentarily causing a short circuit between the distribution lines.

When the air conditioner 4 has no response function, the transmission / reception unit 11 transmits the same power consumption information a plurality of times.
A specific example of the distribution line carrier signal is a communication speed of 100 bp.
s, ASK modulation method, a signal which transmits a continuous frequency signal having a carrier frequency of 8.9 kHz in synchronization with the commercial frequency of the distribution line is used.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the air conditioner 4 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numeral 13 is an indoor wiring connection terminal, 14 is a compressor, 15 is an air conditioner control unit having a home automation terminal HA, 16 is a blower unit, 17 is a remote controller using infrared rays or the like, and 18 is a transmission / reception unit for wiring line carrier signals.
A portion A surrounded by a dotted line is a component similar to a conventional air conditioner.

Next, the operation of the watt-hour meter 1 and the air conditioner 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. Power consumption (Fig. 5
Is lower than the alarm set level L ₁ (FIG. 5), the watt-hour meter 1 transmits the low-voltage distribution line 2 to the air conditioner 4 as power distribution information S ₁ indicating the power consumption information indicating the ratio. The air conditioner 4 transmits the signal to the watt-hour meter 1 as a distribution line carrier signal S _A as necessary.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the power consumption exceeds the alarm set level L ₁ , the information processing unit 10 of the watt hour meter 1
Transmits to the air conditioner 4 power consumption information indicating an alarm setting exceeded the distribution line carrier signal S _2. The transmission / reception unit 18 of the air conditioner 4 receives the distribution line carrier signal S ₂ , determines that the alarm setting has been exceeded, and inputs the signal to the home automation terminal HA of the air conditioner control unit 15. Thereby, the air-conditioner control unit 15 sets the set temperature in a direction in which power consumption is reduced, that is,
Change to a higher temperature in summer and a lower temperature in winter. Then, if necessary to return to the energy meter 1 the change information (or change prohibition information) as distribution line carrier signal S _B.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the power consumption exceeds the stop set level L ₂ , the information processing unit 1 of the watt hour meter 1
0 is transmitted to the air conditioner 4 power consumption information indicating the stop setting exceeded the distribution line carrier signal S _3. The transmission / reception unit 18 of the air conditioner 4 receives the distribution line transport signal S ₃ , determines that the stop setting has been exceeded, and inputs the signal to the home automation terminal HA of the air conditioner control unit 15. Thereby, the air conditioner control unit 15 stops the compressor 14. Then, back to the energy meter 1 that stop information as distribution line carrier signal S _C as needed.

As shown in FIG. 5, the information processing unit 10 of the watt hour meter 1 keeps the power consumption at the stop set level even after a certain time T ₀ has elapsed from the time t ₁ when the stop information is received from the air conditioner 4. If the L ₂ does not fall below blocks the energy meter 1 of the internal switch 12.

The information returned from the air conditioner 4 to the watt-hour meter 1 by the distribution line carrier signals S _A , S _B , and S _C is transmitted in response to a command from a host (for example, a home computer). Is stored in the information processing unit 10. Further, the alarm set level L ₁ and the stop set level L ₂ are set in advance by communication from the upper side or by hand.

According to the above-described embodiment, the power control target device such as the air conditioner 4 can be controlled optimally without requiring the customer to know his or her contract power capacity. Power control can be performed. Further, by statistically examining the power consumption information transmitted from the watt hour meter 1, it is possible to easily know whether or not the contract power capacity needs to be changed.

Note that the air conditioner 4 is
However, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0022]

As described above, according to the first to third aspects of the present invention, it is possible to control the power of electric equipment according to the power consumption.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a connection relationship between a watt hour meter and an air conditioner which is a power control target device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an internal configuration of the watt hour meter of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of an internal configuration of the air conditioner of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating transmission and reception timings of various signals according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a relationship between power consumption, operation of an air conditioner, and operation of a built-in switch of a watt hour meter.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Watt hour meter 2 Low voltage distribution line (AC power line) 3 Indoor wiring 4 Air conditioner 7 Current transformer for current measurement 8 Electric energy measurement unit 10 Information processing unit 11 Transmission / reception unit 12 Built-in switch 14 Compressor 15 Air conditioner control unit 16 Blower unit 18 transceiver HA Home automation terminals S _1, S _2, S ₃ distribution line of the power consumption information carrying signal L ₁ alarm setting level L ₂ stop setting level

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A watt hour meter for measuring an amount of power consumed by an electric device, wherein power consumption information is obtained by using a power amount measurement function, and the power consumption information is obtained by using an AC power line as a transmission line. A watt hour meter for transmitting to a power control target device among electric devices. 2. The watt hour meter according to claim 1, further comprising a built-in switch, wherein when the power consumption exceeds a preset value, the built-in switch is shut off. 3. A watt hour meter for measuring an amount of power consumed by an electric device, obtains power consumption information by using a power amount measurement function, and uses the AC power line as a transmission line. Transmit to the power control target device among the electrical devices,
A power control method for an electric device using a watt hour meter, wherein the power control target device receives power consumption information transmitted via an AC power line and performs power control according to the power consumption information.