JP2004328851A - Apparatus controller - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus controller which can easily minimize the total of the rates that the user should pay to an energy/resource providing company. <P>SOLUTION: Apparatuses 1-5 for resources are constituted as a space heater using electricity or gas as energy. When the user directs the operation of a space heater, a resource-using apparatus controller 10 receives rate unit price severally from an electric company A or a gas company B. The resource using apparatus controller 10 provisionally calculates the usage rate that the user should pay to the electric company or the gas company when the user operates each of the apparatuses 1-5, based on the received rate unit price of electricity or gas, and compares the results of provisional calculation, and operates an apparatus which can make the usage rate the lowest. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device control device, and more particularly to a device control device that controls the operation and non-operation of devices that use energy or resources.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Generally, utility charges such as electric power vary depending on the contents of a contract between a consumer (user) and a supplier. For example, in the case of electric power, the fee differs depending on the contract contents such as the maximum usage (the number of amps) and the use of late-night power. As a technique for reviewing the contents of a contract and optimizing a power rate paid by a user to a power company, for example, there is a technique described in JP-A-2002-101554 (Patent Document 1). In this technology, a user who uses a photovoltaic power generation system generates advice information based on the results of the amount of power sold and the price of power sold by photovoltaic power generation and the results of the amount of purchased power and the price of power purchase, and The user is informed of what contract should be made to minimize the fee paid to the power company.
[0003]
On the other hand, a technology for optimizing the power purchase cost of an electric power company that purchases electric power from a plurality of power generation companies and supplies the electric power to consumers is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-1986648 (Patent Document 2). There is technology. The power generation unit price of the power generation company changes depending on the power generation amount and the power generation time zone. In this technology, electric utilities use a constraint formula to calculate the total amount of power purchased from the power producers and the data on the upper limit of the amount of power sold by each power producer, and to use the data on the power sales price of each power producer. Create an optimization problem by reflecting it in each function. By solving this optimization problem, it is possible to formulate a power purchase plan that optimizes the number of times of switching the operation state of the power plant and the power purchase cost of the electric power company.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2002-101554 A [Patent Document 2]
JP-A-10-198648
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In recent years, the supply amount of energy or resources often fluctuates due to an accident or trouble on the energy or resource provider side, or due to weather fluctuation such as drought. In such a case, the energy or resource provider dynamically changes the tariff system, for example, raises the charge during periods or times when supply is in short supply, and when the supply or supply is excessive. It is conceivable to adopt a method of controlling the consumption of energy or resources by the customer by lowering the fee to maintain the balance between supply and demand.
[0006]
When the fee structure fluctuates dynamically as described above, consumers can use equipment that uses energy or resources at the time or time when the fee to be paid is the lowest to achieve the same purpose. There is a request to do it. However, since the technique described in Patent Document 1 creates advice information according to past performance, when using equipment that uses energy or resources, the equipment can be operated at any time or time zone. However, it is not possible to create advice information that informs the customer whether the fee to be paid can be minimized.
[0007]
Also, for example, when an electric stove and a gas stove having similar heating capacity are installed in the same room, the electric stove is used during a time period when the gas rate is higher than the electricity rate, and the gas rate is reduced. If the gas stove is used during a time period when the electricity rate is relatively high, the total of the electricity rate and the gas rate paid by the customer can be reduced. However, the technology described in Patent Literature 2 optimizes the purchase cost of electric power, which is the same kind of energy, and if any kind of energy or resource is used between different kinds of energy or resources, the total fee to be paid is Cannot be minimized.
[0008]
The present invention solves the above-described problem, and even when the unit price of resources or the like fluctuates, the total of usage fees of resources or the like to be paid to each resource provider company can be easily calculated without being particularly aware of the fluctuation. An object of the present invention is to provide a device control device that can be minimized.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the device control device of the present invention has functions that can be substituted for each other, controls a plurality of devices that operate using energy or resources, and controls the operation or non-operation of the plurality of devices. A device control device that performs a trial calculation of the energy or resource usage fee when each of the devices is operated in order to perform a target function based on a unit price of energy or resource. A trial calculation unit, a usage fee comparison unit for comparing the usage fees with each other, and a selection unit for selecting the device to be operated based on a comparison result of the usage fee comparison unit are provided.
[0010]
In the device control device of the present invention, when the user instructs the operation of the desired function, for example, instructs the operation of the heating function, the price estimation unit operates each device based on the unit price of energy or resources. At this time, the usage fees of energy and resources are estimated, and one or more devices that are actually operated are determined from a plurality of devices having functions that can be substituted for each other based on the estimation result. Therefore, the total amount of fees paid to energy and resource providers can be minimized without the user having to perform cumbersome calculations.
[0011]
The device control device of the present invention connects to a charge management server that manages the use charge of energy or resources possessed by a provider of energy or resources via an external network, and acquires the charge unit price from the charge server. It is preferable to further include a unit price acquisition unit. In this case, the charge estimation unit can estimate the use charges of energy and resources based on the latest received unit price.
[0012]
In the device control device of the present invention, the unit price can be changed according to at least one of a season and time. The energy or resource provider can change the unit price according to the time zone or season in the day, or can change it suddenly. Also in this case, the device control device can estimate the usage fee of energy and resources according to the time zone in which the device is operated.
[0013]
In the device control device according to the aspect of the invention, it is preferable that the usage fee estimation unit estimates the usage amount of energy or resources of the device and estimates the usage fee. The predicted value of the energy or resource usage can be obtained from the energy or resource utilization efficiency of each device that is input in advance. Based on the predicted values of the amounts of energy and resources used in this way and the unit price of charges, it is possible to estimate the charges of energy and resources.
[0014]
It is preferable that the device control device of the present invention further include a transmission unit that transmits the predicted energy or resource usage amount to the provider. In this case, the energy or resource provider can use the received predicted value of the energy or resource usage for drafting an energy or resource supply plan.
[0015]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail based on embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a resource use device control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The resource use device control system 100 includes a resource use device control device 10 that controls a plurality of resource use devices 1 to 5 via the home network 91. The resource use device control device 10 further includes a charge management server 20 and a customer resource use plan management server 50 owned by the company A (power company), and a charge management server 30 and customer resource use amount owned by the company B (gas company). The plan management server 60 is connected to the charge management server 40 and the customer resource usage plan management server 70 of the company C via a network 90 such as the Internet.
[0016]
The resource use devices 1 to 5 are devices that use energy or resources (hereinafter, also referred to as resources, etc.), for example, heating devices that mainly perform heating using electricity or gas. For example, the resource using device 1 (device name A) and the resource using device 2 (device name B) are air conditioners that use electric power, and the resource using device 3 (device name C) and the resource using device 4 (device name D). Is an electric stove that uses electric power, and the resource use equipment 5 (equipment name E) is a gas stove that uses gas. These resource use devices 1 to 5 are installed in the same room, for example.
[0017]
The resource use device control device 10 is configured as an information processing device such as a computer having a display device and an input device. In the resource use device control device 10, resource use devices to be controlled are registered in advance for each category, and setting of use or non-use of the registered resource use devices, and setting of each device such as a set temperature. Various common settings are input. In addition, the resource-usage device control device 10 receives the unit price of resources and the like from the charge management servers 20, 30, and 40 provided by the energy provider and the resource provider (hereinafter, also referred to as resource provider). The resource use device control device 10 estimates the estimated value of the usage of the resource and the like, and transmits the estimated value of the corresponding resource and the like to the customer resource usage plan management servers 50, 60, and 70.
[0018]
Each of the resource providing companies individually sets the unit price of the resources and the like supplied by the company in consideration of the supply plan of the resources and the like, and the fee management servers 20, 30, and 40 of the respective resource providing companies The charge unit price set by the company is stored, for example, as a charge table. The charge unit price of resources and the like managed by the charge management servers 20, 30, and 40 can be different depending on the season of use or the time of use. For example, the company A (power company) can set the power rate high in summer when power consumption is tight, and can set it low at night. The fee management servers 20, 30, and 40 transmit the unit price of the resource or the like to the resource use device control device 10 based on the request. Each of the customer resource usage plan management servers 50, 60, and 70 uses the predicted amount of the used resource and the like received from the resource using device control device 10 as a reference for the supply plan of the resource and the like.
[0019]
FIG. 2 shows an example of a display screen of the resource use device control device 10. Hereinafter, an operation example of the resource use device control system 100 will be described assuming that the control target is a heating device, while giving specific examples. The user selects a resource using device to be controlled from the resource using devices 1 to 5 registered in advance, and inputs a setting such as a set temperature common to the resource using devices 1 to 5. In the example of FIG. 2, resource use devices 1 to 5 are registered as cooling and heating devices, and a resource use device 1 (device name A) as an air conditioner, a resource use device 4 (device name D) as an electric stove, and a gas stove The resource use device 5 (device name E) is set to be usable, and the set temperatures of the resource use devices 1 to 5 are set to 20 degrees.
[0020]
When the user presses the setting button on the display screen of FIG. 2, the resource use device control device 10 stores the contents of the selection and setting by the user. When the user presses the operation button, the resource use device control device 10 checks which of the resource use devices 1 to 5 has been selected by the user, and provides the resources used by the selected resource use device. Inquires the charge management server of the resource etc. providing company about the charge unit price of the resources at the present time and time zone. In the example of FIG. 2, since the resources and the like used by the resource use devices 1, 4, and 5 selected by the user are electricity and gas, the resource use device control device 10 Inquire about the power rate per unit power amount, and inquire of the gas company charge management server 30 about the gas rate per unit amount.
[0021]
The resource-usage device control device 10 is based on the received electric power rate and gas rate, the set temperature, and the heating efficiency (heating efficiency with respect to the consumed energy) of each of the resource-usage devices 1, 4, and 5, which is input in advance. Then, when each of the resource using devices 1, 4, and 5 is operated, the estimated amount of the used resources and the usage fee of the used resources are estimated. The resource use device control device 10 determines which resource use device among the resource use devices 1, 4, and 5 selected by the user is actually used based on the estimated amount of the resources to be used and the trial calculation result of the usage fee. Is determined, and an operation command is transmitted to one or more resource using devices to be operated.
[0022]
For example, the results of calculations of the resource use device control apparatus 10, charge for such resources per unit time, a ¥ M _A To use air conditioner A, a ¥ M _D when using the electric stove D, When gas stove E is used, it is assumed that it is _ME circle. At this time, if M _A > M _E > M _D , the resource use equipment control device 10 determines that when the electric stove D is used, it is possible to minimize the usage fee of the resources and the like paid by the user, and An operation command is transmitted to D (resource use device 4). The resource using devices 1 to 5 start operating when receiving the operation command transmitted from the resource using device control device 10.
[0023]
When the operating state of any of the resource using devices changes from stop to operation, the “current operating state” on the display screen of the resource using device control device 10 is updated. The resource use device control device 10 causes any of the resource use devices to operate on the customer resource use planning servers 50, 60, and 70 of the resource etc. provider that supplies the resources and the like used by the activated resource use devices. The estimated amount of the resources to be used, which is calculated when determining whether or not to use, is transmitted.
[0024]
In the present embodiment, when the user instructs the operation of the resource use devices 1 to 5, the resource use device control device 10 uses the resources and the like that the user pays to each resource or the like providing company based on the unit price of the resources and the like. Automatically select a resource-using device capable of minimizing the total charge and operate the resource-using device. For this reason, even if the unit price of a resource or the like fluctuates, the user can easily minimize the total usage fee of the resource or the like to be paid to each resource providing company without being particularly aware of the fluctuation.
[0025]
Conventionally, for example, in a case where there are a plurality of heating devices installed in the same room, a complicated calculation by humans is required to find out which heating device can be used to minimize the total usage fee paid to the resource etc. provider company. Was needed. In addition, when resources and the like used by the heating devices differ between the devices, and when the unit price of the resources and the like fluctuates depending on the time and time zone, if any heating device is used, the usage fee paid to each resource or the like providing company is used. In order to determine whether or not the sum can be minimized, a particularly complicated calculation was required. In the present embodiment, even when the unit price of a plurality of resources and the like fluctuates depending on time and time zone, the user can easily calculate the usage fee paid to each resource or the like providing company without performing complicated calculations. The sum can be minimized.
[0026]
In each of the resource providing companies, the customer resource usage planning management server receives the predicted amount of the resource and the like to be used from the resource investment equipment control device 10. Can be created. In addition, the provider of resources etc. sets a higher price during periods or times when the amount of resources used is large, or when the supply of resources etc. seems to be short due to an accident or trouble, the unit price of resources etc. Is set to a high value, on the user side, the probability that the resource-usage device control device 10 activates the resource-usage device that uses the high-priced resource or the like is reduced, so that the user can suppress the consumption of the resource or the like. it can. Conversely, by setting a low price during a period or a time period when the usage of the resource or the like is small, the consumption of the resource or the like by the user can be increased, and the balance between supply and demand can be maintained. .
[0027]
FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a resource use device control system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the resource use device control system 101 is configured such that the resource use device control device 10 and each of the resource use devices 1 to 5 are directly connected to the resource use device 1 to 5 by the serial cable 92 instead of the home network 91. This is different from the resource use device control system 100 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. As in this example, the connection between the resource using device control device 10 and each of the resource using devices 1 to 5 is not limited to the home network 91, and may be a serial cable 92, or a connection between the home network 91 and the serial cable 92. May be mixed.
[0028]
In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which when the operation button (FIG. 2) is pressed, the charge management server is inquired about the charge unit price such as the resource of the current time and the time zone. The timing at which the user inquires the unit price of the resource or the like is not limited to this. For example, the resource-usage device control device 10 periodically inquires and stores the unit price of the resource or the like for each time zone, and stores the unit price of the resource or the like in the time zone when the operation button is pressed. It may be used by specifying from the unit price. When the reservation of the operation start time of the resource use device is set in the resource use device control device 10, the resource use device control device 10 sets the resource and the like at the operation start time at the timing when the reservation is input. The unit price may be inquired, or the unit price of a resource or the like may be inquired at the timing when the operation starts.
[0029]
In the above-described embodiment, an example is described in which the resource using device control device 10 controls the resource trial devices 1 to 5 as the cooling and heating devices. However, the same resource using device control device 10 includes categories other than the cooling and heating device. Can be connected to control the operation and non-operation of the device. In this case, for example, the resource use device control device 10 is configured to be capable of inputting various settings for each category, and the user selects which category of the resource use device is to be controlled on the master screen, A configuration for controlling the operation of the resource using device belonging to the category can be adopted.
[0030]
When the operation continuation time of the resource using device is long, the unit price of the resource or the like at the present time may be different from the unit price of the resource or the like at the start of operation. The resource use device control device 10 may, for example, inquire of the charge management server about the unit price of the resource for the next hour, for example, 5 minutes before the hour, and review the resource use device to be operated. In addition, when the operation end time is set in the resource use device control device 10 at the time of operation, the operation fee is set halfway so that the total of the usage fees of the resources and the like paid by the user to each resource and the like providing company is minimized. The operating resource using device may be switched.
[0031]
Depending on the type of the resource using device, for example, both electric power and gas energy may be used. In such a case, for example, when the rate of the gas rate is high and the rate of the power rate is negligibly low in view of the usage fee of the entire resource, the resource usage device control device 10 uses the resource usage device. The usage fee for resources and the like at that time may be estimated based on only the gas fee. When the rate of the power usage rate is not so low as to be negligible, the resource using device control device 10 may calculate the usage fee of the resources and the like when using the resource using device based on the gas fee and the power fee. .
[0032]
In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which all the resource etc. providing companies have the fee management server and the customer resource usage planning management server, but all the resource etc. providing companies have the customer resource usage planning management server. It is not necessary. For purchased resources such as kerosene, for example, the resource-usage equipment control device 10 uses the purchased unit prices of the resources and the like manually without inquiring the price management server of the unit prices of the resources and the like. It is also possible to estimate the usage fee for resources and the like.
[0033]
As described above, the present invention has been described based on the preferred embodiment. However, the device control device of the present invention is not limited to only the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and changes can be made from the configuration of the above-described embodiment. The modified device control device is also included in the scope of the present invention.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the device control device of the present invention estimates the usage fee of energy and resources when each device is operated based on the unit price of energy and resources, and mutually calculates the usage fee based on the calculation result. To determine the device to be actually operated from among a plurality of devices having replaceable functions, the user can easily change the unit price of energy and resources without being particularly aware of the change. In addition, it is possible to minimize the total usage fee of resources and the like paid to each resource provider.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a device control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a display screen example showing an example of a display screen of the resource use device control device 10.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a device control system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
100: device control system 1 to 5: resource use device 10: resource use device control device 20, 30, 40: fee management server 50, 60, 70: customer resource usage plan management server

Claims (5)

A plurality of devices that have functions that can be substituted for each other and operate using energy or resources, and a device control device that controls the operation or non-operation of the plurality of devices,
Based on the unit price of energy or resources, a usage fee estimation unit for individually calculating the usage fee of the energy or resource when each of the devices is operated to perform a desired function,
A usage fee comparison unit that compares the usage fees with each other,
A selection unit for selecting the device to be operated based on a comparison result of the usage charge comparison unit. The device control device is connected to a charge management server that manages the use fee of energy or resources possessed by a provider of energy or resources via an external network, and acquires the charge unit price from the charge server. The device control device according to claim 1, further comprising an acquisition unit. The device control device according to claim 1, wherein the unit price varies according to at least one of a season and time. 5. The device control device according to claim 2, wherein the usage fee estimation unit estimates the amount of energy or resources used by the device and estimates the usage fee. 6. The device control device according to claim 4, further comprising a transmission unit configured to transmit the predicted energy or resource usage amount to the provider.

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