JP2007292482A - Electric energy consumption acquisition system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric energy consumption acquisition system installed for a user and given an alteration preventing means on information/data corresponding to electric energy consumption outputted from a watt-hour meter of the user. <P>SOLUTION: This electric energy consumption acquisition system for acquiring electric energy consumption is equipped with the means for preventing the alteration of information/data corresponding to electric energy consumption and transmitted/received between the watt-hour meter 20 installed for the user of electric power and terminal devices 30, and of electric energy consumption data calculated from the above information/data transmitted/received between the plurality of terminal devices 30 installed for respective users and an electric energy acquisition server 50. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a system for grasping the amount of power used by a watt-hour meter that outputs information data corresponding to the amount of power used, and a program used in the system.

  Conventionally, the amount of power used (demand) for high-voltage power contracts used in factories, etc. can be determined by connecting a wire to the terminal for outputting the pulse in the watt hour meter to the outside. This is done by outputting and integrating the pulses.

  On the other hand, consumers such as ordinary households and small stores generally have low-voltage power contracts. Grasping the amount of power used by consumers is usually done once a month by a meter reader visiting the watt-hour meter meter and viewing it. The low-voltage watt-hour meter is installed and used by general electric utilities such as electric power companies for consumers, and is standardized to some extent. Unlike the high-voltage watt-hour meter, most of the low-voltage watt-hour meters do not include a terminal for outputting a pulse to the outside.

  Low-voltage watt-hour meters used in Japan are mainly classified into electronic watt-hour meters and inductive watt-hour meters. At present, the inductive watt hour meter has been replaced with an electronic watt hour meter, and it is the electronic watt hour meter that has a need for grasping the used power amount from now on.

  With the recent liberalization of electric power, there is a possibility that household electric power may be purchased from an electric power company outside the current area, and the electric power in the time unit on the power supply side and the demand side should be measured from a remote location. Therefore, it is expected that general electric utilities will need to confirm the balance of income and expenditure.

  Under such circumstances, it is possible to grasp the amount of power used from the electronic watt-hour meter used on the consumer side, which is easy to install, inexpensive and has a high security level. Realization is desired.

  As a related technique, an apparatus for performing an operation check using an operation checker for an electronic watt-hour meter has been introduced (see Patent Document 1).

  As another related technique, the management server receives the measurement result of the electric energy from the customer terminal via the network, obtains the power usage form based on the measurement result, and transmits the usage information to the customer terminal. A power usage information providing system has been introduced (see Patent Document 2).

  Furthermore, as another related technology, an energy measurement system is introduced that detects the infrared pulse for accuracy calibration emitted from the energy meter with an infrared sensor and measures the energy based on the infrared pulse per fixed time. (See Patent Document 3).

  Furthermore, as another related technique, a demand monitoring apparatus that introduces demand electronic calculation from electric energy and corresponds to the actual situation of equipment in various situations has been introduced (see Patent Document 4).

Furthermore, as another related technique, a measuring terminal that transmits the number of pulses of the pulse signal output from the watt-hour meter to the central monitoring device and simultaneously transmits it to the abnormality notifying means to compare whether or not it is within the set range An instrument and a meter reading system have been introduced (Patent Document 5).
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 8-1503 JP 2003-256966 A JP 2002-168880 A JP 2000-9757 A JP-A-8-320347

  In most low-voltage electronic watt-hour meters installed on the customer side, since there is no terminal for outputting the pulse in the watt-hour meter to the outside, it is not possible to connect the electric wire for transmitting the pulse to the terminal.

  Further, when grasping the power consumption, it is indispensable to prevent data tampering because it is impossible to grasp the precise power consumption data if there is data tampering in the middle of data transmission.

  Furthermore, in view of future liberalization of electric power, electric power companies that supply other electric power need to know that electric power provided by themselves has been provided to consumers.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and provides a system for grasping the power consumption of a watt hour meter that outputs a pulse of the power consumption, and a program used in the system. The purpose is to do.

  In order to solve the above problems, the inventor has made the following inventions from an infrared pulse output function, a data transmission function via the Internet, and a data falsification prevention function used at the time of verification of an electronic watt-hour meter.

  (1) A plurality of watt-hour meters (for example, the watt-hour meter 20 in the embodiment), a plurality of terminal devices (for example, the terminal device 30 in the embodiment), and a power amount grasping server (for example, in the embodiment) The terminal device and the power amount grasping server are connected to each other via a communication line (for example, the communication line 40 in the embodiment). An electricity amount grasping system installed in each consumer, wherein each watt hour meter outputs information data (for example, an infrared pulse in the embodiment) corresponding to the consumer's consumed electric energy ( For example, the measurement pulse unit 21 in the embodiment is provided, and each terminal device receives reception information (for example, a CPU that performs the process of step S103 in the embodiment) 010), calculation means for calculating power consumption data from the information data (for example, the CPU 3010 that performs the process of step S104 in the embodiment), and transmission for transmitting the power consumption data via the communication line Means (for example, the CPU 3010 that performs the process of step S106 in the embodiment), and the power amount grasping server performs storage means (for example, the process of step S303 in the embodiment) that stores the used power amount data. A power amount grasping system including a hard disk 5070) to be performed.

  According to the invention of (1), information data corresponding to the amount of power used is output from the watt-hour meter. Therefore, for example, the terminal device calculates the power consumption data every 30 minutes using the information data. The power usage amount data is transmitted to the power amount grasping server. The power amount grasping server stores the received power consumption amount data, for example, for each consumer in the hard disk of the server. By using the power consumption data stored in the hard disk, it is possible to grasp, for example, the power consumption for each customer on a daily and hourly basis, and the total power consumption for each hour or day. In addition, PPS (Power Producer and Supplier) can grasp the power consumption of the contractor using the power consumption data stored in the hard disk. PPS is an electric power company that can carry out an electric power retail business that sells electric power to extra-high consumers with contracted electric power of 2000 kW or higher and a receiving voltage of 20 kV or higher, for example, based on the consignment rules established by electric power companies.

  (2) The power amount grasping system according to (1), further including a falsification preventing unit (for example, a CPU 3010 that performs the process of step S105 in the embodiment) between the output unit and the receiving unit.

  According to the invention of (2), the information data output from the watt-hour meter is prevented from being tampered with by the tamper-proof means, so that the watt-hour meter transmits the information data corresponding to the accurate power consumption to the terminal device. be able to. Therefore, a system with a high security level can be realized.

  (3) The amount of power described in (2), wherein the information data output from each watt-hour meter uses a wireless technology (for example, a spread spectrum communication system in the embodiment) between the output unit and the reception unit. Grasp system.

  According to the invention of (3), it is possible to transmit information data to the terminal device by using wireless technology for information data output from the watt-hour meter according to the amount of power used. Therefore, it is possible to provide a power amount grasping system only by circumscribing a transmitter / receiver for wireless transmission to a power meter and a terminal device.

  (4) The power amount grasping system according to (1), wherein each terminal device and the power amount grasping server include a falsification preventing unit for the used power amount data.

  According to the invention of (4), it is possible to transmit accurate power consumption data from the terminal device to the power amount grasping server by providing the tamper-preventing means in both the terminal device and the power amount grasping server. . Therefore, the power amount grasping server can grasp the accurate power consumption amount.

  (5) The power consumption data tampering prevention means is provided in each terminal device, and encrypts the power consumption data (for example, the CPU 3010 that performs the process of step S202 in the embodiment); (4) having a decryption means (for example, a CPU of the power amount grasping server 50 that performs the processing of step S302 in the embodiment) provided in the power amount grasping server and decrypting the encrypted power consumption amount data. The power consumption grasp system described.

  According to the invention of (5), by the tampering prevention means, the terminal device encrypts the used power amount data and then transmits it to the power amount grasping server, and the power amount grasping server receives the encrypted used power amount. Data can be decrypted. Therefore, eavesdropping and tampering between transmissions of the power consumption data can be prevented, and the power consumption grasping server can grasp the accurate power consumption.

  (6) A plurality of watt-hour meters, a plurality of terminal devices, and a power amount grasping server are provided, and the terminal device and the power amount grasping server are connected to each other via a communication line. Is a program for causing a computer to function as each terminal device in a power amount grasping system installed in a power consumer, receiving means for receiving information data corresponding to the power amount, and the information data A program for functioning as a calculation means for calculating power consumption data and a transmission means for transmitting the power consumption data via a communication line.

  According to the invention of (6), a program that causes a computer to function as a terminal device receives information data corresponding to the amount of power, calculates power consumption data from the information data, and transmits the power consumption data. be able to. For example, by installing the program in a personal computer as an existing terminal device in the consumer, the function can be realized, and the amount of power used by the consumer can be grasped.

  (7) The program according to (6), further comprising means for functioning as a falsification preventing means for preventing falsification of the power consumption data.

  According to the invention of (7), the program for causing the terminal device to function can apply the tampering prevention means to the power consumption data and transmit it. For example, by installing the program in a personal computer as an existing terminal device at the consumer, the tamper-preventing means can be applied to transmit accurate power consumption data, and the consumer's accurate power consumption It becomes possible to grasp the amount.

  (8) The program according to (7), wherein the falsification preventing means is means for encrypting the power consumption data.

  According to the invention of (8), the program for causing the terminal device to function can be transmitted after the encryption processing is performed on the power consumption data as the tampering prevention means. For example, by installing the program in a personal computer as an existing terminal device at a consumer, it is possible to transmit the power consumption data by performing encryption as a means for preventing falsification. It is possible to prevent eavesdropping and tampering between transmissions, and as a result, it is possible to grasp the exact amount of power used by consumers.

  According to the present invention, the power consumption data is calculated from the information data corresponding to the power consumption output from the power meter, transmitted to the power consumption grasping server, and the power consumption data is stored in the hard disk. It becomes possible.

  Furthermore, since each communication can be equipped with a tamper-prevention means, it is possible to construct a highly secure power amount grasping system, so that the power consumed by the consumer is accurately stored in the hard disk of the power amount grasping server. Is possible.

  In addition, by installing a program with this function on a personal computer that is now widely used by consumers, the power consumption data is calculated from the information data according to the power consumption received from the consumer watt-hour meter. The power consumption data can be transmitted. Therefore, installation is easy and an environment can be constructed at a low cost, and the power consumption of the consumer can be grasped at the transmission destination.

  Furthermore, information data corresponding to the amount of power used output from the watt-hour meter is transmitted by arranging a wireless device in the watt-hour meter, and the wireless device is similarly arranged in the terminal device to send the information data. By receiving, it is possible to construct a power amount grasping system at low cost only by software and a wireless device.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. This is merely an example, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to this.

[First embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the power amount grasping system of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the watt-hour meter. FIG. 3 is an example of an installation diagram for using the power amount grasping system in the consumer of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the terminal device of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of processing in the terminal device of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the encryption process. FIG. 7 is a flowchart of processing in the power amount grasping server of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1 of the present invention, the power amount grasping system 10 includes a terminal device 30 and a power meter 20 installed for each consumer, a consumer terminal device 30 and a power installed in a general electric utility. It is comprised by the communication line 40 connected so that communication with the quantity grasping | ascertainment server 50 was possible.

  In the power amount grasping system 10 shown in FIG. 1, as will be described later, the terminal device 30 receives information data corresponding to the used power amount output from the electricity meter 20 of each consumer. After calculating the power consumption data from the data, the power consumption data is transmitted to the power grasping server 50 via the communication line 40. The power amount grasping server 50 stores the received power consumption data in the hard disk 5070.

  Here, the communication line 40 uses, for example, an existing common infrastructure such as an Internet communication network. Further, a PPS terminal 60 installed in the PPS is further connected to the communication line 40.

  Here, the electric energy grasping server 50 can be realized by a server computer.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the watt-hour meter 20 used in the power amount grasping system 10 of the present invention. In general, the low voltage electronic watt-hour meter 20 is provided with a metering pulse unit 21 from which infrared pulses corresponding to the amount of power used are emitted.

  FIG. 3 is an installation diagram for using the power amount grasping system 10 in a consumer according to an example of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The watt hour meter 20 of each consumer who uses the power amount grasping system 10 is provided with a wireless transmitter 25 at a light receiving port from which an infrared pulse is output. The terminal device 30 is provided with a wireless receiver 31 by connecting to, for example, a USB port 3090 (see FIG. 4). The wireless transmitter 25 receives the infrared pulse emitted from the watt-hour meter 20, and transmits the infrared pulse as information data to the wireless receiver 31 using wireless technology. The transmitted information data is transmitted to the terminal device 30 via the wireless receiver 31.

  When transmitting / receiving information data, measures are taken to prevent falsification so that the information data is not falsified. For example, the spread spectrum communication method (SS) is adopted in the case of transmitting and receiving information data by radio wave method as wireless communication. As a result, even if there is noise at a specific frequency, signals of other frequencies can be communicated without being disturbed, so that information data resistant to noise can be transmitted and received. Also, since a special code is used to send a wide frequency signal at the same time and the data signal cannot be received correctly without knowing this code, the contents of communication are rarely intercepted by third parties. It is possible to transmit and receive information data by a communication method excellent in the above. Note that wireless data communication employing the spread spectrum communication method is possible even at a distance of about 300 m, and basically satisfies the range of the distance between the watt-hour meter 20 and the terminal device 30.

  FIG. 4 is a block configuration diagram of the terminal device 30. The terminal device 30 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 3010, a bus 3005, a clock device 3030, a communication I / F 3040, a main memory 3050, a BIOS (Basic Input Output System) 3060, a USB port 3090, a graphic controller 3020, an I / O A controller 3070 and a keyboard and mouse adapter 3100 are provided.

  The CPU 3010 is an information calculation processing device that performs calculation and processing of information. In addition, the CPU 3010 controls the entire terminal device 30, loads various programs stored in the hard disk 3074 to the main memory 3050 as appropriate, and executes the various programs. The function is realized.

  A display device 3022 is connected to the graphic controller 3020. The display device 3022 includes a display device such as a cathode ray tube display device (CRT) or a liquid crystal display device (LCD).

  The clock device 3030 includes a clock built in the terminal device 30 and gives time information to the CPU 3010. Here, since the time of the clock device 3030 is required to be accurate, the terminal device 30 communicates with the power amount grasping server 50 via the communication I / F 3040 and acquires the accurate time from the power amount grasping server 50. By doing so, the time of the clock device 3030 may be adjusted.

  The communication I / F 3040 is a network adapter for enabling the terminal device 30 to be connected to the power amount grasping server 50 via the communication line 40. Information data from the watt-hour meter 20 is also transmitted to the bus 3005 via the communication I / F 3040. The communication I / F 3040 may include a modem, a cable modem, and an Ethernet (registered trademark) adapter.

  The BIOS 3060 stores a boot program executed by the CPU 3010 when the terminal device 30 is started up, a program depending on the hardware of the terminal device 30, and the like.

  Storage means such as a flexible disk (FD) drive 3072, a hard disk 3074, an optical disk drive 3076, and a semiconductor memory 3078 can be connected to the I / O controller 3070.

  The hard disk 3074 controlled by the I / O controller 3070 may include a local memory used in combination with the CPU 3010 for program execution. Computer readable media that implement hard disk 3074 may include those that are implemented electrically, magnetically, optically, or electromagnetically. More specifically, a semiconductor storage device, a magnetic tape, a flexible disk, a random access memory (RAM), and a read only memory (ROM) are included.

  As the optical disk drive 3076 controlled by the I / O controller 3070, for example, a DVD-ROM drive, a CD-ROM drive, a DVD-RAM drive, or a CD-RAM drive can be used.

  The USB port 3090 is a port for connecting the bus 3005 and an external device. When connecting various external devices, if the external device has a USB terminal, the USB port 3090 can be used to connect to the bus 3005. For example, the wireless receiver 31 may be connected to the bus 3005 using the USB port 3090 as described above.

  Here, processing in the terminal device 30 will be described. FIG. 5 shows processing in the terminal device 30 according to an example of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. For example, the CPU 3010 of the terminal device 30 receives information data output from the measurement pulse unit 21 every 30 minutes via the communication I / F 3040 (step S101 to step S103). In addition, you may change the time which the terminal device 30 receives information data according to a request | requirement of a consumer or a general electric utility. In that case, the condition in step S102 is changed to the required time (minutes).

  Next, the CPU 3010 calculates power consumption data from the information data (step S104). The pulse speed as information data emitted from the watt-hour meter 20 differs depending on the type of meter. For example, in the case of a 30A contract with a single-phase two-wire 100V meter, the meter constant is 1,000 / 3 (pulse / KWs), so the CPU 3010 uses the meter constant to calculate the amount of power used from the information data. Calculate the data. The CPU 3010 transmits the calculated power consumption data to the power amount grasping server 50 via the communication I / F 3040 (step S106). In addition, for example, an ID number indicating a consumer and data indicating a data acquisition date are added to the power consumption data to be transmitted to the power amount grasping server 50 in advance. To understand the attributes of The instrument type may be set in advance in the terminal device 30 or may be controlled by transmitting information from the power amount grasping server 50 to the terminal device 30. The processing in FIG. 5 is periodically executed until the system is terminated (step S107).

  Furthermore, before transmitting the power consumption data to the power consumption grasping server 50, the CPU 3010 encrypts the power consumption data to prevent tampering (step S105). With encryption, if there is an unauthorized tampering process by a third party during transmission, it can be grasped by the power amount grasping server 50 as the transmission destination, so that tampering can be prevented and precise power consumption data can be obtained. It is possible to transmit to the power amount grasping server 50.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing details of the encryption process (step S105) described in the flowchart of FIG. First, the CPU 3010 loads the encryption program stored in the hard disk 3074 into the main memory 3050. The loaded encryption program reads power consumption data (step S201). Then, the read power consumption data is encrypted by an encryption algorithm to generate encrypted power consumption data (step S202). As the encryption technique, for example, a known technique such as a public key cryptosystem RSA system is used. By encrypting the power consumption data, it is possible to prevent data tampering between the terminal device 30 and the power grasping server 50. Furthermore, for example, in order to maintain data in the terminal device 30, the processing in the terminal device 30 is performed at once without being divided into a plurality of processes. As a result, it is possible to prevent an unauthorized operation by a customer in the terminal device 30, and it is possible to construct a more reliable system.

  Next, the process in the electric energy grasping | ascertainment server 50 in a general electric utility is demonstrated. FIG. 7 shows processing of the power amount grasping server 50 according to an example of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Upon receiving the encrypted power consumption data transmitted from the terminal device 30 (step S301), the CPU of the power amount grasping server 50 loads the decryption program and loads the decryption program loaded. Reads the encrypted power consumption data. Then, the read power consumption data is decrypted by a decryption algorithm to generate power consumption data before being encrypted (step S302). The CPU of the power amount grasping server 50 stores the used power amount data in the information on the hard disk 5070 via the power amount grasping server 50 for each customer (step S303). Therefore, if the hard disk 5070 in which the power consumption data is stored is used, the power consumption can be grasped. For example, the database stored in the hard disk 5070 includes a customer information table in which customer information is stored, an hourly electric energy table in which total electric energy is stored for each customer's time zone, and the like. It may be provided separately to make the processing at the time of inquiry faster.

[Second Embodiment]
In the above example, the power amount grasping system has been mainly described. However, by installing a program having the function described in the power amount grasping system in a computer and operating the computer as the power amount grasping system, the first method is described. It can implement | achieve similarly to the electric energy grasping | ascertainment system of the Example. As a result, the same effects as those described in the first embodiment can be obtained.

[Third embodiment]
Furthermore, if the hard disk 5070 in which the power consumption data is stored is used, the power consumption can be grasped from various terminals connected to the power grasping server 50 via the communication line 40.

  As mentioned above, although demonstrated using embodiment of this invention, the technical scope of this invention is not limited to the range as described in the said embodiment. Various modifications or improvements can be added to the above embodiment. It is apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiments added with such changes or improvements can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention. For example, the process of converting the detected infrared pulse into the power consumption data can be performed by a dedicated device as long as it is a device capable of such control, not by a personal computer. Further, as the tampering prevention means, not only encryption but also other tampering prevention means such as a digital signature can be used.

It is a block diagram of the electric energy grasping | ascertaining system in this invention. It is a schematic diagram of a watt-hour meter. It is an installation figure for using the electric energy grasping system in a consumer. It is a block block diagram of a terminal device. It is a flowchart of the process in a terminal device. It is a flowchart of an encryption process. It is a flowchart of the process in an electric energy grasping | ascertainment server.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Electricity amount grasping | assembling system 20 Electricity meter 21 Measurement pulse part 25 Wireless transmitter 30 Terminal device 31 Wireless receiver 40 Communication line 50 Electricity amount grasping server 60 PPS terminal 3005 Bus 3010 CPU
3022 Display device 3030 Clock device 3040 Communication I / F
3050 Main memory 3070 I / O controller 3074 Hard disk 3090 USB port 5070 Hard disk

Claims (8)

A plurality of watt-hour meters, a plurality of terminal devices, and a power amount grasping server are provided, and the terminal device and the power amount grasping server are connected to each other via a communication line. A system for grasping the amount of electricity installed in consumers
Each watt-hour meter includes output means for outputting information data according to the amount of power used by the consumer,
Each terminal device
Receiving means for receiving the information data;
A calculation means for calculating power consumption data from the information data;
Transmission means for transmitting the power consumption data via the communication line,
The power amount grasping server
An electric energy grasping system comprising storage means for storing the used electric energy data.   The power amount grasping system according to claim 1, further comprising means for preventing falsification of the information data between the output unit and the receiving unit.   The power amount grasping system according to claim 2, wherein the information data output from each watt-hour meter uses a wireless technology between the output means and the receiving means.   The power amount grasping system according to claim 1, wherein each terminal device and the power amount grasping server include means for preventing falsification of the used power amount data. The tampering prevention means for the power consumption data is:
An encryption unit provided in each terminal device for encrypting the power consumption data;
5. The power amount grasping system according to claim 4, further comprising: a decrypting unit that is provided in the power amount grasping server and decrypts the encrypted power consumption amount data. A plurality of watt-hour meters, a plurality of terminal devices, and a power amount grasping server are provided, and the terminal device and the power amount grasping server are connected to each other via a communication line. In a system for grasping the amount of electric power installed in a consumer of a computer, a program for causing a computer to function as each terminal device,
Receiving means for receiving information data according to the amount of power;
A calculation means for calculating power consumption data from the information data;
A program for causing the power consumption data to function as transmission means for transmitting via a communication line.   The program according to claim 6, further comprising means for functioning as a falsification preventing means for preventing falsification of the power consumption data. The program according to claim 7, wherein the tampering prevention means is means for encrypting the power consumption data.

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