JP2014112423A - Consumption monitoring system and consumption monitoring unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a power consumption measuring unit capable of presenting a user a piece of information for encouraging reducing the consumption amount of electricity, gas and tap water.SOLUTION: A power consumption measuring unit 1 transmits a branch current and a branch voltage from a control section 10 to a monitoring device 3 which is detected by a sensor section CTi at real time. The monitoring device 3 creates a web content for a data processing section 30 to present a power consumption amount (power consumption amount) of each branch circuit and delivers the same to a presentation device through a network communication unit 31. Therefore, the power consumption amount used in a residence is presented to a user on a presentation unit via web content at real time. Thus, the user can check the consumption amount immediately and is encouraged to reduce the consumption amount of the electricity, gas and tap water.

Description

  The present invention relates to a usage monitoring system and a usage monitoring device for monitoring usage of electricity, gas, and tap water used in a house.

  In recent years, efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, which cause global warming, have been carried out worldwide, and the use of electricity and gas that are used on a daily basis in ordinary homes. It is recommended to reduce the amount. In areas where precipitation is decreasing due to climate change due to global warming, it is necessary to reduce the amount of tap water used in each house as a drought countermeasure.

  Conventionally, in order to reduce the amount of electricity and gas used in a house, an electricity usage monitoring system that monitors and reports (displays) the amount of electricity used in each house (for example, see Patent Document 1). In addition, a gas / tap water usage monitoring system (see, for example, Patent Document 2) that monitors and reports (displays) the usage of gas and tap water used in each house has been proposed.

JP 2008-92680 A JP 2008-157502 A

  However, in the usage amount monitoring system described in Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2, only the usage amount (integrated amount) is reported every hour, every day, or every month. Therefore, it was not possible to present enough information to encourage the reduction of electricity, gas and tap water usage.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the purpose of the present invention is to monitor the amount of use that can present sufficient information to encourage the user to reduce the amount of electricity, gas, and tap water used. To provide a system and a usage monitoring device.

  The usage monitoring system of the present invention is a usage monitoring system that monitors at least one of the usage of electricity, gas, or tap water used in a house, and measures the usage in real time. Create one or more types of measuring devices and web content for presenting the usage measured by each of the measuring devices to the user, and distribute the web content through a home network installed in the house The usage monitoring device updates the content of the web content according to the usage measured in real time by the measuring device.

  In this usage monitoring system, the usage monitoring device integrates the usage measured by the measuring device and calculates a fee charged according to the usage from the integrated value. It is preferable to create the web content including a fee.

  In this usage monitoring system, the measuring device measures the usage of electricity, and is provided for each of a plurality of branch circuits branched on the secondary side of a main switch incorporated in a residential distribution board. Measurement means for measuring the electricity usage of each branch circuit, and transmission means for transmitting measurement data of the electricity usage measured by each of the measurement means to the usage monitoring device, The amount monitoring device is for receiving measurement data transmitted from the transmission unit of the measurement device, and for presenting the amount of electricity used for each branch circuit to the user by the measurement data received by the reception unit. Data processing means for creating the web content, and network communication means for delivering the web content created by the data processing means through a home network Masui.

  In this usage monitoring system, the usage monitoring device compares the electrical usage for each branch circuit measured by the measuring means with a predetermined upper limit, and the electrical usage of any branch circuit has the upper limit. The electrical equipment control means for stopping the electrical equipment connected to the branch circuit when exceeded, the data processing means of the usage monitoring device, when the electrical equipment control means stops the electrical equipment, It is preferable to create the web content for presenting information related to electrical equipment.

  The usage monitoring system has a function of communicating with the usage monitoring device through an external network connected to the home network, and the usage measured by the measuring device by communicating with the usage monitoring device. The center device creates web content for warning the user when the usage amount acquired from the usage amount monitoring device exceeds a preset target value. It is preferable that the web content is distributed from the external network to the presentation device through the home network.

  The usage amount monitoring device of the present invention is a usage amount monitoring device that monitors at least one of the usage amounts of electricity, gas, or tap water used in a house, and measures the usage amount in real time. Creating web content for presenting the usage measured by one or more types of measuring devices to the user, distributing the web content through a home network installed in a house, and contents of the web content Is updated according to the amount of use measured in real time by the measuring device.

  The usage amount monitoring system and the usage amount monitoring device of the present invention use at least one of the usage amounts of electricity, gas, and tap water used in a house in real time by the web content presented on the presentation device. As a result, it is possible to immediately confirm the amount of usage at that time, and as a result, it is possible to present sufficient information to encourage the user to reduce the usage of electricity, gas, and tap water. effective.

It is a system configuration figure showing an embodiment of the present invention. (A)-(d) is explanatory drawing of the web content in the same as the above.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  The usage monitoring system of this embodiment is intended to monitor the usage of electricity, gas, and tap water. As shown in FIG. 1, an electricity usage measuring device 1 that measures the usage of electricity in real time. A gas usage measuring device (not shown) that measures the amount of gas used in the gas hot water supply device 2 in real time, and a gas hot water supply that is also built in the gas hot water supply device 2. Tap water usage measuring device (not shown) that measures the amount of tap water used in the hot water supply (water supply) through the device 2 in real time, and the usage (electricity usage, gas usage) measured by each measuring device , And create web content to present to the user (the amount of tap water used), and the web content through a home network installed in the house The amount monitoring device for signal (hereinafter, abbreviated. A monitor) 3, and a presentation device for presenting to the user receives a web content distributed from the monitoring device 3 is connected to the home network.

  The electricity usage measuring device 1 includes a plurality of sensor units CT1, CT2,..., CTn, and currents (branch currents) and voltages (branches) detected by the respective sensor units CTi (i = 1, 2,..., N). And a control unit 10 that takes in voltage), and is housed in a residential distribution board (housing board) PB installed for each dedicated unit of the apartment house. The housing board PB accommodates a main switch MB and a plurality of branch switches SB1, SB2,..., SBn, and a sensor unit CTi for each of a plurality of branch circuits branched on the secondary side of the main switch MB. And a branch switch SBi.

  Although not shown, the control unit 10 includes an A / D converter that performs A / D conversion on the current detection signal and the voltage detection signal output from the sensor unit CTi, and an A / D converted current detection signal (branch current). Data) and a voltage detection signal (branch voltage data), and a transmission circuit for transmitting the branch current data and the branch voltage data read from the buffer memory to the monitoring device 3. As a result, the amount of electricity used in each branch circuit is always measured in real time by the electricity usage measuring device 1 and sent to the monitoring device 3.

  On the other hand, the gas usage measuring device built in the gas hot water supply device 2 detects the amount of gas (gas usage amount) supplied to the gas hot water supply device 2 through the gas pipe with the flow sensor, and is output from the flow sensor. Gas usage data obtained by A / D converting the detection signal is transmitted to the monitoring device 3. The tap water usage measuring device built in the gas water heater 2 detects the amount of tap water (tap water usage) supplied to the gas hot water device 2 through a water pipe by a flow sensor and outputs it from the flow sensor. The tap water usage data obtained by A / D converting the detected signal is transmitted to the monitoring device 3. However, since such a gas usage measuring device and a tap water usage measuring device are well known in the art as described in Patent Document 2, for example, detailed illustration and description thereof are omitted.

  The monitoring device 3 includes a data processing unit 30 whose main component is a microcomputer, a network communication unit 31 that communicates with a presentation device and the like through a home network, and an electrically rewritable nonvolatile semiconductor memory (flash memory, EEPROM, etc.) ) And an electric device control unit 33 that controls the operation (operation / stop) of the electric device EW described later. The network communication unit 31 is compliant with a standard LAN standard (for example, 100BASE-TX) and transmits packets via a twisted pair cable (LAN cable). The network communication unit 31 is connected to a communication port (not shown) of the hub device HB by a LAN cable.

  The data processing unit 30 determines the branch circuit from the branch current data and the branch voltage data for each branch circuit received from the electricity usage measuring device 1 and the power factor of the load (electric device) connected to each branch circuit. By calculating another power [W (watt)] and accumulating the power, the power amount [Wh (watt hour)] for each branch circuit is calculated, and the calculation result, that is, the electricity usage for each branch circuit The amount (power or power amount) is stored in the storage unit 32. Further, the data processing unit 30 stores data on the gas usage and the tap water usage received from the gas usage measuring device and the tap water usage measuring device in the storage unit 32. In addition, the time stamp (time) when each data was measured (stored) is attached to each data (measurement data) of the electric consumption, the gas usage, and the tap water usage stored in the storage unit 32. Has been.

  In addition, the data processing unit 30 includes a web content creation function for creating web content for presenting a user with real-time electricity usage, gas usage, and tap water usage based on measurement data, and a device for presenting the created web content. And a web server function for delivering to the Internet.

  The presentation apparatus according to the present embodiment is, for example, a personal computer PC having a network communication function and a web browser, a television receiver TV, an interphone device (house information board) HI, or the like, and each communication port is a hub via a LAN cable. It is connected to the communication port of the device HB. Then, as will be described later, the web content distributed from the monitoring device 3 is presented by the web browser of each presentation device of the personal computer PC, the television receiver TV, and the house information board HI via the hub device HB.

  The electrical equipment control unit 33 of the monitoring device 3 controls the operation (operation / stop) of electrical equipment (air conditioners, hot water heaters, etc.) EW that conforms to the Japan Electric Manufacturers' Association (JEMA) unified standard. Based on an instruction from the processing unit 30, the operation and stop of the electric device EW can be switched by outputting a control signal in conformity with the unified standard.

  Here, a housing information board HI, which is one of the presentation devices, is connected to an entrance cordless handset (not shown) installed at the exterior entrance of each house (unit dedicated to housing), and to the common part of the apartment house It is also connected to the installed alarm monitoring panel AM via a communication line. In addition, a lobby intercom LI installed at the entrance (common entrance) of the apartment housing common part is connected to the alarm monitoring board AM via a communication line. When a visitor operates the numeric key switch provided on the lobby intercom LI and inputs the number of the visited house (dwelling unit number), the dwelling unit number is transmitted from the lobby intercom LI to the alarm monitoring board AM via the communication line. Is done. The alarm monitoring panel AM transmits a calling signal to the housing information panel HI installed in the house (residential unit exclusive section) corresponding to the housing unit number received from the lobby intercom LI, and also the video (visited by the camera of the lobby intercom LI) Image of the person) is also transmitted to the housing information board HI. The house information board HI that has received the call signal sounds a ringing tone from the speaker, receives the video transmitted from the alarm monitoring board AM, and displays it on the monitor (liquid crystal display). When the user presses a response button provided on the housing information panel HI, a communication path is formed between the housing information panel HI and the lobby intercom LI via the alarm monitoring panel AM, and the user (the house A call between a resident and a visitor becomes possible.

  Further, in the housing complex shared section, there are a switching hub apparatus SH connected by a LAN cable with a hub apparatus HB installed in each residential unit exclusive section, and a router apparatus RT connected to the Internet by a communication medium such as an optical fiber. The home network (home LAN) in each private unit is connected to the local network (local LAN) by the hub device HB and the switching hub device SH, and further connected to the Internet via the router device RT. . Here, a gateway device GW connected to the alarm monitoring board AM and the switching hub device SH is installed in the apartment building common part. This gateway device GW has a function of connecting a home information board system (a system comprising a home information board HI, an alarm monitoring board AM, and a lobby intercom LI) to a local network (local LAN), and transmits packets transmitted through the local network. It is possible to transmit to the alarm monitoring panel AM and the housing information panel HI via the communication line of the housing information panel system, and to transmit information transmitted from the housing information panel HI and the alarm monitoring panel AM to the Internet through the local network. Become.

  The monitoring device 3 is connected to the Internet from the home network (home LAN) and the private network (private LAN) via the router device RT, and performs data communication via the Internet with the center device 4 installed at a remote place. It can be performed. The center device 4 collects measurement data (electricity consumption, gas consumption, tap water usage data) from the monitoring device 3 installed in the house, and based on the collected measurement data, Analyzes the usage status of gas and tap water, selects the advice suitable for each dwelling unit (advice on reduction of usage of electricity, gas and tap water) and distributes it to the monitoring device 3 of the house doing. For example, the center device 4 includes web content including a message for warning the user of excessive use of electricity when the amount of electricity used acquired from the monitoring device 3 exceeds a preset target value (FIG. 2D). )) Is created and distributed to the monitoring device 3.

  In the data processing unit 30, for example, web contents as shown in FIGS. 2A to 2D are created. The web content shown in FIG. 2 (a) shows the temporal transition of measurement data (data on the amount of electricity used, amount of gas used or amount of tap water; the same applies hereinafter), and the horizontal axis represents time. The vertical axis indicates the magnitude of the measured value. The web content shown in FIG. 2B is a bar graph representing the amount of electricity used (accumulated power amount) for each branch circuit. The web content shown in FIG. 2 (c) is a real-time electricity usage (electric power) for each branch circuit represented by a level meter, and the number of segments corresponding to the electricity usage from bottom to top. Is highlighted. The web content shown in FIG. 2D represents a bar graph representing the amount of electricity used (integrated power amount) for each branch circuit and advice (message) distributed from the center device 4. Based on the measurement data received in real time from each measuring device (electricity usage measuring device 1, gas usage measuring device and tap water usage measuring device), the data processing unit 30 is configured to include the contents (electricity usage) of each web content described above. Volume, gas usage, tap water usage).

  Further, the data processing unit 30 holds web contents (homepages) linked to the respective web contents shown in FIGS. 2A to 2D and is accessed from a web browser of any presentation device. The homepage is distributed first. When any link destination is selected from the home page presented by the web browser of the presentation device, the web content of the link destination is distributed, and the web content is presented (displayed on the screen) by the web browser of the presentation device. Will be.

  As described above, according to the usage monitoring system of the present embodiment, the usage of electricity, gas, and tap water used in the house is presented to the user in real time by the web content presented on the presentation device. The amount of usage at that time can be confirmed immediately, and as a result, sufficient information can be presented to encourage the user to reduce the amount of electricity, gas, and tap water used. Here, in the data processing unit 30 of the monitoring device 3, charges (electricity charges, gas charges, water charges) charged according to the electricity usage, gas usage, and tap water usage measured by each measuring device are calculated. If the web content including these fees is calculated and distributed, the fee according to the amount of usage is presented to the user in real time by the web content presented on the presentation device. Can be further promoted.

  Further, the data processing unit 30 of the monitoring device 3 compares the amount of electricity used for each branch circuit with a predetermined upper limit value, and any one of the branch circuits (the electric device EW that can be controlled by the electric device control unit 33 is connected). When the electrical usage amount of the branch circuit) exceeds the upper limit value, the electrical device control unit 33 is instructed to stop the electrical device EW connected to the branch circuit, and when the electrical device EW is stopped, Web content for presenting information related to the electrical device EW (the amount of electricity used by the branch circuit immediately before stopping) is created and distributed. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the amount of electricity used by automatically stopping the electrical equipment EW that has used too much electricity, and also to let the user recognize the electrical equipment EW that has used too much electricity and use too much electricity. You can call attention to not.

  In addition to the web content as described above, the center device 4 has a relatively high power consumption and web content ranked by comparing the amount of electricity used, the amount of gas used, and the amount of tap water used for each house. Web content showing the results of comparison with the amount of electricity used in the latest models of specific electrical equipment, such as air conditioning equipment (air conditioners), IH cookers, or constantly operating electrical equipment, such as refrigerators May be created and distributed to the monitoring device 3.

1 Electricity usage measuring device 3 Monitoring device (Usage monitoring device)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Control part CT1, CT2, ..., CTn Sensor part 30 Data processing part 31 Network communication part PC Personal computer (presentation apparatus)
TV TV receiver (presentation device)
HI Housing information board (presentation device)

Claims (6)

A usage monitoring system for monitoring the usage of at least one of electricity, gas or tap water used in a house,
One or more types of measuring devices for measuring the usage amount in real time, and creating web content for presenting the usage amount measured by each of the measuring devices to the user, and placing the web content in a house A usage monitoring device that distributes through the installed home network,
The usage monitoring apparatus updates the content of the web content according to the usage measured in real time by the measuring device.   The usage monitoring device integrates the usage measured by the measuring device, calculates a fee charged according to the usage from the integrated value, and calculates the web content including the integrated value and the fee. The usage monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the usage monitoring system is created. The measuring device measures the amount of electricity used and is provided for each of a plurality of branch circuits branched on the secondary side of a main switch incorporated in a residential distribution board. Measuring means for measuring the amount of electricity used, and transmission means for transmitting measurement data of the amount of electricity used measured by each of the measuring means to the usage amount monitoring device,
The usage monitoring device presents a user with measurement data transmitted from the transmission unit of the measurement device, and presents to the user the electrical usage for each branch circuit by the measurement data received by the reception unit. 3. The usage amount according to claim 1, further comprising: data processing means for creating the web content for use; and network communication means for delivering the web content created by the data processing means through a home network. Monitoring system. The usage monitoring device compares the electrical usage of each branch circuit measured by the measuring means with a predetermined upper limit value, and when the electrical usage of any branch circuit exceeds the upper limit value, the branch circuit Electric device control means for stopping the electric device connected to the
4. The data processing means of the usage monitoring device creates the web content for presenting information relating to the electrical equipment when the electrical equipment control means stops the electrical equipment. Usage monitoring system. A center device having a function of communicating with the usage monitoring device through an external network connected to the home network and acquiring the usage measured by the measuring device by communicating with the usage monitoring device; ,
The center device creates web content to warn a user when the usage amount acquired from the usage amount monitoring device exceeds a preset target value, and sends the web content from the external network. The usage monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the usage monitoring system is distributed to a presentation device through the home network. A usage monitoring device for monitoring the usage of at least one of electricity, gas or tap water used in a house,
Web content for presenting the usage amount measured by one or more types of measuring devices that measure the usage amount in real time to a user is created and the web content is transmitted through a home network installed in a house. Deliver,
The usage monitoring apparatus updates the content of the web content according to the usage measured in real time by the measuring device.

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