JP2002288557A - Energy rate computing method and energy rate computing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize a method to discount a rate of energy to be charged to a customer so as to promote use of a specific instrument at a facility of the customer simply under an energy rate computing method of gas etc. SOLUTION: An information collecting process to collect information free to recognize driving time of the specific instrument 13 in a specified period of time from the specific instrument 13 by a communicating means 51 and a discount amount setting process to set a discount amount to apply to energy rate in accordance with the driving time recognized from the collected information in the information collecting process and in the specified period of time so that it becomes larger as the driving time becomes longer are carried out.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an energy charge calculation method for calculating an energy charge charged to a customer from an amount of energy supplied to the customer's facility during a predetermined period.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The amount of gas, electricity, water and the like supplied as energy to a customer's house or business facility is measured by a meter provided at the facility. The energy supply company that supplies the energy reads the meter readings of the meter at predetermined intervals, such as once a month, and recognizes the amount of energy supplied to the customer's facility during the predetermined period based on the readings. The energy charge to be charged to the customer has been calculated from the supply amount and the preset unit price of the energy. Further, as a method of reading the pointer value of the meter, a meter reader visually reads the pointer value of the meter provided at the customer's facility, or a meter provided at the customer's facility via a communication network. Then, there is a method in which the meter is connected to an automatic meter reading system that performs remote meter reading of the meter, and in the automatic meter reading system, meter reading data on the needle value is collected from the meter and the needle value is automatically read.

[0003] On the other hand, examples of equipment that consumes gas as energy include a water heater, a gas stove, a bathroom heater / dryer, an air conditioner, a dishwasher / dryer, a hot water floor heater, and a cogeneration system. In such equipment, a gas billed to a customer when the particular equipment is installed and operated in a customer facility for the purpose of promoting the use of the particular equipment such as a bathroom heater / dryer and a hot water floor heater. Energy rate calculation methods of discounting rates are being studied.

[0004] As such an energy fee calculation method, apart from the total supply amount of gas and the like supplied to the facility of the customer,
A new submeter for measuring the consumption of gas etc. in a specific device is newly installed, and a specific discounted specific amount applied to the specific device is applied to the gas consumption of the specific device measured by the submeter. Apply a unit price, determine the discount rate of the energy fee from the gas consumption of the specific equipment measured by the submeter, or determine whether the customer who newly installed the specific equipment at the facility or the specific equipment A method of discounting energy charges for customers installed in the company can be considered.

[0005]

However, in the former method of calculating an energy fee, it is necessary to newly install a submeter, and it is necessary to read the pointer value of the submeter. In addition, it is not possible to provide a sufficient energy rate discount. Further, in the latter method of calculating an energy fee, the energy fee of the entire facility is discounted only on the condition that the user owns a specific device, and does not directly lead to promotion of use of the specific device.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances,
An object of the energy charge calculation method is to realize a method of easily discounting an energy charge charged to a customer so as to easily promote use of a specific device in a customer facility.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems [Configuration 1] An energy charge calculation method according to the present invention is as described in claim 1.
From a specific device that consumes energy provided at the customer's facility, via a communication line, a communication unit capable of collecting predetermined information, and a supply amount of the energy to the customer's facility during a predetermined period. An energy charge calculation method executed by an energy charge calculation system for calculating the energy charge to be charged to the customer from the energy price, wherein the communication unit is configured to perform the operation of the specific device during the predetermined period. An information collection step of collecting information capable of recognizing the operation time, and a discount amount applied to the energy fee, based on the operation time in the predetermined period, recognized from the information collected in the information collection step,
And a discount amount setting step of setting so as to increase as the operation time increases.

[Effects] According to the energy fee calculation method of the present configuration, which is executed by the above energy fee calculation system, first, an identification is provided at the customer's facility, for example, for which an energy supply company promotes use. The device is connected to a communication line, the specific device, or the adapter connected to the specific device, gas, electricity, water and the like as a communication means as a communication means of an energy supply company side, such as a communication system,
The communication device is configured to transmit, via a communication line, information capable of recognizing the operation time of the specific device. Further, on the communication means side, an energy charge for a predetermined period is calculated from the supply amount of energy supplied to the customer's facility for each predetermined period such as every month and the unit price of the energy,
The customer is billed for the calculated energy.
Therefore, according to the energy charge calculation method of the present configuration, the manager of the energy supply company or the energy charge calculation system that calculates the energy charge in this way performs the information collecting step and uses the communication means. And information that can recognize the operation time of a specific device in a customer facility during a predetermined period. Then, later, the discount amount setting step is performed, and the information can be recognized from the information collected in the information collecting step according to a relationship between a preset amount of operation time of a specific device and a discount amount (for example, a discount rate or a discount rate). The discount amount is set based on the operation time of a specific device in a predetermined period, and the set discount amount is set as the discount amount applied to the calculation of the energy fee charged to the customer. Accordingly, the energy fee is calculated at a high discount rate especially for a customer who has operated a specific device for a long time, so that use of the specific device by the customer can be promoted.
In addition, in this energy fee calculation method, a sub-meter or the like for measuring the amount of energy supplied to a specific device is not required. Connect a communication line to a specific device so that the information collection process collects the on / off information of the device and the accumulated operation time of the specific device every day or month measured at the customer's facility side in the information collection process. This can be easily realized.

[Structure 2] According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the structure of the energy rate calculation method of the first aspect, the energy charge calculation method according to the present invention further comprises an energy supply amount to the customer facility. Is connected via a communication network to an automatic meter reading system that performs remote meter reading of the meter, and the information collecting step is performed through the communication network as the communication line and the meter during the predetermined period. It is a step of collecting information capable of recognizing the operation time of a specific device.

[Effects] According to the present energy charge calculation method, a specific device provided at a customer facility is connected to a communication network connected to a meter and used in the so-called automatic meter reading system. Then, by configuring the specific device to transmit information capable of recognizing the operation time in a predetermined period to the communication network side, the communication network is used in the information collection step.
The present invention can be used as a communication line used to collect information capable of recognizing the operation time of a specific device provided in a facility on the customer side during a predetermined period. Therefore, it is not necessary to newly provide a communication line in order to carry out the energy fee calculation method of the present invention, and furthermore, since the communication network originally used by the energy supply company for the purpose of automatic meter reading is used, The communication cost for implementing the energy charge calculation method of the present invention can be reduced.

[Structure 3] According to a third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the energy rate calculation method of the first aspect, the information collecting step may include the step of collecting information as the communication line. A step of collecting, via a general communication line, information capable of recognizing the operation time of the specific device during the predetermined period.

According to the energy charge calculation method of the present invention, a specific device provided at a customer facility is connected to a public network such as a telephone line or the Internet conventionally provided at the customer facility. Then, by configuring the specific device to transmit information capable of recognizing the operation time during a predetermined period to the telephone line or a public network side such as the Internet, the gas meter not particularly connected to the automatic meter reading system. The energy fee calculation method of the present invention can be easily implemented even for a customer who has installed the system.

[0013] Further, in a customer facility that transmits information of a specific device to a communication network or a public network such as a telephone line or the Internet, the operation of a plurality of devices including the specific device is centrally controlled. It is also possible to configure so that only information of a specific device is transmitted from a remote control device, a control device, or the like.

[Structure 4] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an energy fee calculation method according to the present invention.
In addition to the configuration of any of the energy fee calculation method of, the information collected in the information collection step was recognized from the information,
The discount amount at the intermediate time is calculated based on the driving time at the intermediate time in the predetermined period, and information on the calculated discount amount is transmitted by the communication unit.
A discount amount displaying step of displaying the discount amount on a display unit provided at the customer facility via a communication line is performed.

[Effect] According to the energy charge calculation method of this configuration, the discount amount display step displays on the display unit of the customer's facility at the intermediate time, which is a halfway point within the predetermined period. The information about the discount amount of the energy fee calculated based on the operating time of the specific device will be displayed, so the customer can confirm the discount amount at the intermediate point, for example, a little more operation of the specific device If it is determined that the energy rate can be saved if the discount amount is increased by increasing the time, measures for saving the energy rate can be taken, such as actively operating a specific device. . Therefore, according to the energy fee calculation method of this configuration, it is possible to support the customer's energy cost saving measures and promote the use of specific equipment.

[Structure 5] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an energy fee calculation system comprising: an input unit for inputting an amount of energy supplied to a customer facility during a predetermined period; A charge calculating means for calculating the energy charge to be charged to the customer from the input supply amount and energy price, wherein the energy charge calculation system is provided at the customer facility. A communication device capable of collecting information from a specific device that consumes energy via a communication line, wherein the communication device collects information capable of recognizing an operation time of the specific device in the predetermined period. Collection means, recognition means for recognizing the operation time of the specific device from the information collected by the information collection means, and the recognition means recognized by the recognition means Based on the rolling time, the discount amount to be applied to the energy rates, the operation so that the time is increased larger, characterized in that a discount amount setting means for setting.

[Effects] According to the energy fee calculation system of the present configuration, the input means can be used automatically by an automatic meter reading system or manually by an operator or the like.
The amount of energy supplied to the customer's facility, such as months, is input. The energy charge calculating means calculates an energy charge for a predetermined period from the input supply amount and the energy price stored in advance in the storage means and the like, and calculates the calculated energy charge to the customer. Is stored in the storage means or the like in association with the recognition information of the customer, and the customer is charged for the stored energy.

Further, according to the energy charge calculation system of this configuration, the communication means can be used in an automatic meter reading system from a specific device provided at the customer's facility, for example, for which the energy supply company promotes use. Information of the specific device can be collected via a communication network, a telephone line, or a public network such as the Internet, and the information collecting means recognizes the operation time of the specific device in a predetermined period. Possible information can be collected. Then, the energy charge calculation system, from the information collected by the information collecting means, according to the relationship between the discount amount with respect to the operation time of the specific device, which is set in advance and stored in the storage means, by the discount amount setting means,
Recognizing the operation time of a specific device in a predetermined period, setting a discount amount based on the operation time, and setting the discount amount in the energy charge calculating means to the customer who has used the specific device. Is the discount amount applied to the energy fee charged to the customer. Therefore, especially for a customer who has operated a specific device for a long time, the energy fee is calculated with a high discount amount, so that the use of the specific device by the customer can be promoted. In addition, this energy fee calculation system does not require a meter or the like for measuring the amount of energy supplied to a specific device, and furthermore, on / off information of the specific device by a communication means, or on the customer facility side. Information such as the accumulated operation time of a specific device measured every day or month is configured to be collected via a communication line, and the operation time of the specific device in a predetermined period is recognized from the information. can do.

[0019]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an energy bill calculation method and an energy bill calculation system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic meter reading system 50 communicates with a communication device 3 connected to a gas meter 2 that measures a supply amount of gas (an example of energy) to a customer facility 1 via a communication network 4. The communication device 51 is configured to be able to communicate with the communication device 51. The communication device 51 collects meter reading data related to the pointer value of the gas meter 2 and supplies the meter data to the customer facility 1 during a predetermined period such as one month from the meter reading data. An automatic meter reading means 52 is provided which performs an automatic meter reading such that an amount is obtained and stored in the storage means 57 in association with an ID number capable of specifying the customer. The gas supply amount is used for calculating a gas fee charged to the customer.

The communication network 4 includes a central control station that performs wireless communication with the communication device 3 using a wireless line such as a specified low-power radio, a PHS transceiver mode, and Bluetooth, and the central control station. And a public line such as a public PHS line, a mobile telephone line, a fixed telephone line, and a packet communication line for communicating with the communication device 51 of the automatic meter reading system 50.

Next, a gas supply route in the customer facility 1 will be described. The gas supplied to the customer's facility 1 first passes through the gas meter 2 and is later supplied to respective gas appliances provided at the customer's facility. As the gas appliance, a heat source device 10 for heating water, a stove 20 for cooking, and the like are provided. In addition to the gas equipment described above, there is a device that consumes the heat energy of the hot water generated by the heat source device 10 as a device that consumes gas, and such a device can be used for automatic hot water filling and additional cooking. Bath 11 and hot water floor heater 12 for circulating hot water under the floor
Also, there is a bathroom heater / dryer 13 for circulating hot and cold water to heat and dry the bathroom.

Further, each of the above devices, especially the heat source device 1
0, bath 11, hot water floor heater 12, bathroom heater / dryer 13 and the like are provided with a remote controller 30 for centrally controlling the temperature of hot and cold water supplied, starting and stopping operation, and the like. Is connected to a display unit 31 for displaying the operating state and set values of the respective devices. The display unit 31 may be built in the remote controller 30. Further, the remote controller 30 is connected to the communication device 3 connected to the communication network 4 described above. The remote controller 30 also communicates with the communication system 50 via the communication network 4 with respect to predetermined information to be described later. It is configured to be able to communicate.

The automatic meter reading system 50 is also configured as an energy fee calculation system according to the present invention, and its characteristic configuration will be described below. Automatic meter reading system 5
The communication device 51 of the “0” is, for example, a specific device preset by a gas supply company among the devices consuming gas provided in the customer's facility 1 via the remote controller 30 and the communication network 4 described above. , Are configured as communication means in the present invention capable of collecting predetermined information. Further, the automatic meter reading system 50 is provided with an information collecting unit 53, and the information collecting unit 53 uses the communication unit described above.
It is possible to execute an information collecting step of collecting information capable of recognizing the operation time of the specific device for a predetermined period such as one month. Specifically, for example, a gas supply company aims to promote the use of the bathroom heating / drying machine 13 for customers,
When the bathroom heater / dryer 13 is set as a specific device,
The information collecting means 53 is provided with the remote controller 30 in the customer facility 1.
The operation of the bathroom heater / dryer 13 started in step o
on-time including n hours and off-time during which operation was stopped
off information is collected via the communication network 4 or the like,
The on / off information is stored in the storage unit 57 or the like in association with an ID number or the like capable of specifying a customer. Such o
The n-off information can calculate the one-month operation time of the bathroom heater / dryer 13 by accumulating the time from the on time to the off time in a predetermined period such as one month. The operation time of a specific device collected in this manner is substantially proportional to the gas consumption of the device, and in the energy charge calculation method of the present invention, this operation time is determined by the gas consumption of the specific device. Considering the quantity, the discount on the gas fee charged to the customer is made.

That is, the automatic meter reading system 50 is provided with a discount rate setting means 54 for setting a discount rate applied to a gas fee charged to a customer. Bathroom heating dryer 13 o
From the information such as n-off information, one of the bathroom heating / dryers 13
A monthly operation time is recognized, and a discount rate setting step (an example of a discount amount setting step) of setting a gas price for a gas rate charged to a customer for the operation time is performed. Specifically, the storage means 57 stores a discount rate set in advance corresponding to the operation time of the bathroom heating / drying machine 13 set as a specific device, and the discount rate setting means 54 stores the customer facility. 1, the operation time of the bathroom heater / dryer 13 in one month is recognized, the discount rate applied to the operation time is extracted from the storage means 57, and the extracted discount rate is applied to the customer for the discount. The discount rate is determined as a rate, and the determined discount rate is stored in the storage unit 57 or the like in association with an ID number or the like capable of specifying a customer. The charge calculating means 55 provided in the automatic meter reading system 50 stores the gas supply amount to the customer facility 1 collected by the automatic meter reading means 52 and stored in the storage means 57, and the gas supply company presets and stores the gas supply amount. From the unit price of gas stored in the means 57 and the discount rate determined by the discount rate setting means 54 and applied to the customer stored in the storage means 57, the gas rate charged to the customer is calculated. Calculate. And
The output means 58 such as a printer outputs a bill or the like indicating the gas rate calculated in this way, and the customer is charged with the gas rate later. Therefore, a gas rate is calculated at a high discount rate for a customer who has operated the bathroom heating / drying machine 13 for a long time, so that use of the bathroom heating / drying machine 13 by the customer can be promoted.

The discount rate set in advance corresponding to the operation time of a specific device stored in the storage means 57 in advance is such that the longer the operation time of the bathroom heating / drying machine 13 is, the higher the discount rate is. The increase in the discount rate with respect to the driving time may be a continuous proportional one as shown in FIG. 2 (A) or a stepwise one as shown in FIG. 2 (B).

In this embodiment, the amount of gas supplied to the customer's facility 1 for one month is automatically collected by the automatic meter reading means 52 and automatically input to the fee calculating means 55. However, means for inputting the gas supply amount to the customer's facility during a predetermined period in this way is referred to as input means.

Further, the automatic meter reading system 50 constituting the energy fee calculating system of the present invention is provided with a midway discount rate calculating means 56. The midway discount rate calculating means 56 calculates the gas rate of the bathroom heating / drying machine 13 from information such as on / off information of the bathroom heating / drying machine 13 collected by the information collecting means 53 (for example, one month).
Means for recognizing the driving time at a certain intermediate point in time, and extracting and calculating a discount rate applied to the driving time at the intermediate point from the storage means 57. Information about the discount rate such as the gas rate at an intermediate stage that can be calculated from the rate and the gas rate at the intermediate point is output to the remote controller 30 provided in the customer's facility 1 via the communication device 51 and the communication network 4. Then, the remote controller 30 displays the received information on the discount rate in the middle stage on the display unit 31. in this way,
The process of being executed by the energy fee calculation system 50 and displaying the information on the discount rate in the middle on the display unit 31 provided at the customer facility 1 is called a discount rate display step (an example of a discount amount display step). By such a discount rate display process,
It is possible to support the customer in saving gas charges and to promote the use of the bathroom heating / drying machine 13.

[Another Embodiment] Next, another embodiment of the energy fee calculation method and the energy fee calculation system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<1> In the above embodiment, an example in which the energy fee calculation system according to the present invention is constructed in the automatic meter reading system 50 has been described. Can be. When an energy rate calculation system different from the automatic meter reading system is configured as described above, the input means for inputting the gas supply amount to the customer's facility during a predetermined period such as one month may be an automatic input unit. The supply amount is automatically input from the meter reading system via a communication line or the like, or the gas supply amount to the customer's facility for one month collected by the automatic meter reading system or other meter reading means is measured. , Can be manually input by an operator or the like. Further, in the energy fee calculation system according to the present invention, the communication means for collecting information capable of recognizing the operation time of a specific device from the customer facility by the information collecting means,
In addition to the communication network used in the above automatic meter reading system, a public network such as a telephone line or the Internet can be used. In this case, a remote controller or the like that controls a specific device in the customer's facility 1 uses a telephone line or the Internet. And so on.

<2> In the above-described embodiment, in the discount rate display step of the energy charge calculation method according to the present invention, an intermediate stage at an intermediate point of a predetermined period displayed on the display unit 31 of the customer facility 1 The information on the discount rate is calculated and generated by the midway discount rate calculating means 56 of the automatic meter reading system 50 and received by the remote controller 30 via the communication network 4. Information on the discount rate can also be generated at the customer facility 1 side. That is, on the remote controller 30 or the like, the on / o of the bathroom heater / dryer 13 as a specific device is turned on / o.
The ff information is collected, and the integrated operation time of the bathroom heating / drying machine 13 in the month is measured from the on / off information. In addition, the remote controller 30 relates to the relationship between the operation time of the bathroom heating / dryer 13 set as a specific device and the discount rate from the automatic meter reading system as the energy fee calculation system according to the present invention via the communication network 4. Information is collected and stored, and from the driving time measured as described above and the stored relationship, a discount rate in the middle stage at the intermediate time can be obtained, and information on the discount rate in the middle stage can be obtained. Can be displayed on the display unit 31.

<3> In the energy fee calculation method of the present invention, for example, a customer is charged to promote the operation of a specific device such as an air conditioner or a hot water floor heater in a specific time zone such as midnight or early morning. It is also possible to calculate the energy bill to be charged. That is, the operating time of a specific device in the specific time zone is multiplied by, for example, a multiplier of two, and added to the integrated value of the operating time, or only the operating time of the specific device in the specific time zone is integrated. By calculating the operation time of a specific device during a predetermined period and setting a discount rate of the energy fee based on the operation time, the longer the operation time of the specific device in the specific time period, Since the energy rate to be charged is discounted at a high discount rate, use of a specific device in a specific time zone can be promoted.

<4> In the above embodiment, the specific equipment to be promoted for use is replaced with the bathroom heating / drying machine 1
Although described as 3, the other device or a plurality of devices may be used as the specific device, and the relationship of the discount rate corresponding to the operation time of each specific device may be set individually.

<5> In the above-described embodiment, the information collecting means 53 sets on / off information as recognition information capable of recognizing the operation time of a specific device provided at the customer facility 1 to the customer facility 1. Is collected from the remote controller 30 in the communication network 4 and the like.
The information collecting means may be configured to collect the recognition information directly from a specific device at a customer facility or from an adapter or the like connected to the specific device. If the specific device also consumes power, the adapter is configured to be able to recognize the state of power supply to the specific device, and the information collection unit 53 is configured to supply power to the specific device. In the state, the on-time, which is the time when the power supply over the predetermined amount is started, and the off time, which is the time when the power supply is below the predetermined amount
The on / off information including the time may be collected from the adapter.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an embodiment of an automatic meter reading system as an energy fee calculation system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing an increase in a discount rate with respect to driving time;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Customer's facility 2 Gas meter (meter) 3 Communication device 4 Communication network (communication line) 13 Bathroom heating / drying machine (specific equipment) 30 Remote control 31 Display unit 50 Automatic meter reading system (energy charge calculation system) 51 Communication device 52 Automatic meter reading Means 53 Information collection means 54 Discount rate setting means 55 Charge calculation means 56 Intermediate discount rate calculation means

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hikaru Ozaki 4-1-2 Hirano-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Inside Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. (72) Gen Fujii 4-chome, Hirano-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 1-2 No.2 in Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. 1-2-2, Machi-cho, Osaka Gas Co., Ltd.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A communication device capable of collecting predetermined information from a specific device consuming energy provided at a customer facility via a communication line, and transmitting the information to the customer facility during a predetermined period. An energy fee calculation method executed by an energy fee calculation system for calculating the energy fee to be charged to the customer based on an energy supply amount and an energy price, wherein the communication means includes: An information collection step of collecting information capable of recognizing the operation time of the specific device, and based on the operation time in the predetermined period, which is recognized from the information collected in the information collection step.
A discount amount setting step of setting a discount amount applied to the energy fee so as to increase as the operation time increases. 2. A meter for measuring the amount of energy supplied to the customer's facility is connected to an automatic meter reading system for remote meter reading of the meter via a communication network. 2. The energy charge calculation method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of collecting, via the communication network as a line, information capable of recognizing an operation time of the specific device during the predetermined period. 3. The information collecting step is a step of collecting, via a general communication line as the communication line, information capable of recognizing an operation time of the specific device during the predetermined period. Energy fee calculation method described in 1. 4. The discount amount at the intermediate time is calculated based on the operation time at an intermediate time within the predetermined period, which is recognized from the information collected in the information collecting step, and the calculated discount amount is calculated. The energy charge calculation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a discount amount display step of displaying information on the customer on a display unit provided at the facility of the customer by the communication means via a communication line is executed. Method. 5. An input means for inputting an amount of energy supply to a customer's facility during a predetermined period, and said customer charged based on said supply amount and energy price input by said input means. An energy charge calculation system comprising: a charge calculation unit for calculating an energy charge, wherein communication capable of collecting information from a specific energy-consuming device provided at the customer facility via a communication line. Information collecting means for collecting, by the communication means, information capable of recognizing the operation time of the specific device during the predetermined period; and information of the specific device from the information collected by the information collecting means. Recognition means for recognizing a driving time, based on the driving time recognized by the recognition means,
An energy charge calculation system comprising: a discount amount setting unit that sets a discount amount applied to the energy charge so as to increase as the operation time increases.