JP2017011779A - Communication apparatus, communication method, and communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication apparatus capable of displaying a piece of information on power consumption by a piece of equipment when the equipment operates.SOLUTION: A communication apparatus includes: an acquisition section 11 that acquires a piece of information on power consumption by a piece of equipment 3; a detection section 12 that detects operation of the equipment 3; an association section 13 that makes an association between the equipment and a piece of group information; and a display unit 14 that, when the detection section 12 detects an operation of the equipment 3, displays the group information of the equipment 3 which is associated by the association section 13 and the power consumption information by the equipment 3 acquired by the acquisition section 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a communication device, a communication method, and a communication system.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for displaying power consumption for each room in which a display device is placed.

JP 2010-288388

  However, in the system of Patent Document 1, it is necessary to set in advance a device or a room to be displayed on the display device. For example, when the power consumption of a predetermined room is set to be displayed in advance, when the user carries the display device and moves to another room, the power information of the room cannot be obtained.

  The communication apparatus according to the present embodiment includes an acquisition unit that acquires power consumption information of a device, a detection unit that detects an operation of the device, a correspondence unit that associates the device with affiliation information, and the detection unit includes the device And a display unit that displays the affiliation information associated with the corresponding unit and the power consumption information of the device acquired by the acquiring unit.

  According to this embodiment, when a device is operated, the power consumption of the device can be displayed.

1 is a configuration diagram of a communication system according to a first embodiment. Example of correspondence table according to the first embodiment Example of display according to the first embodiment Example of display according to the first embodiment Operation sequence diagram according to the first embodiment Configuration diagram of a communication system according to the first embodiment Configuration diagram of communication system according to modification Example of correspondence table according to modification Example of correspondence table according to modification Example of display according to modification Example of display according to modification

The communication apparatus according to the present embodiment includes an acquisition unit that acquires power consumption information of a device, a detection unit that detects an operation of the device, a correspondence unit that associates the device with affiliation information, and the detection unit includes the device And a display unit that displays the affiliation information associated with the corresponding unit and the power consumption information of the device acquired by the acquiring unit.

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

(First embodiment)

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a communication system S1 including the communication device 1 of the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the communication device 1 is connected to the air conditioner 3A in the living room, the television 3A, the air conditioner 3B in the children's room, and the television 3B, which are the devices 3 installed in each room in the house. A description will be given using an example in which the information on the designated room is set as affiliation information.

The communication device 1 includes an acquisition unit 12 that acquires power consumption information of the device 3, a detection unit 12 that detects an operation of the device 3, a correspondence unit 13 that associates the device 3 with its affiliation information, and a detection unit 12. When the operation of the device 3 is detected, the display unit 14 displays the affiliation information associated with the correspondence unit 13 and the power consumption information of the device 3 acquired by the acquisition unit 11.

The communication device 1 is a terminal having a communication function, a display function, and the like such as a personal computer, a tablet, and a smartphone. The device 3 is a network-compatible home appliance, and has a function of receiving and executing a control command and a function of notifying its own state using, for example, the ECHONET / ECHONET Lite communication standard.

  The communication device 1 is connected to at least one device 3 in the home via a communication unit 10 by any wireless or wired communication means.

  The acquisition unit 11 communicates with at least one device 3 and acquires power information of the device 3. For example, the power information of the device 3 has a function of measuring the instantaneous value or integrated value of the power consumption of the device 3 and transmits the measurement result. The acquisition unit 11 may acquire the power consumption of the device 3 after receiving a notification from the detection unit 12 to be described later, or the instantaneous power consumption and integration by communicating with each device 3 at a predetermined interval. The power consumption may be stored in a storage area such as a database. Here, when the power information acquisition interval is short, the collected data becomes detailed, but the database required for storage becomes huge and costs increase, or the power required for communication processing is applied. For this reason, only when a notification from the detection unit 12 is received, the acquisition interval for the device 3 may be dynamically adjusted so as to be reduced by a predetermined time. Specifically, for example, it is possible to realize the power consumption information providing function of ECHONET Lite by using the device 3 corresponding to ECHONET Lite.

  The detection unit 12 communicates with each device 3 and detects that the user has operated the device 3 using a main body switch of the device 3 or an attached remote controller. Specifically, for example, it can be realized by the state change notification function of ECHONET Lite using the device 3 corresponding to ECHONET Lite.

  The correspondence unit 13 refers to the corresponding information based on the device 3 or the affiliation information from the correspondence table of the device 3 and the affiliation information as shown in FIG. The affiliation information is, for example, the name of the room in which the device 3 is installed, and is set in advance by the user. The identification information of the device 3 required for constructing the correspondence table as shown in FIG. 2 is, for example, an IP address, a hardware address, identification information that can be acquired by ECHONET Lite, and a manufacturer code and type that can be acquired by ECHONET Lite. It may be a name or a combination thereof. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, “AC3A”, “TV3A”, “AC3B”, and “TV3B” will be described as identification information for convenience. Note that the correspondence table may be held by the correspondence unit 13, held by any configuration of the communication device 1, or held by a device connected from the outside of the communication device 1 via a network.

Based on the user's operation, the display unit 14 uses the information from the acquisition unit 11 and the correspondence unit 13 to associate the device 3 with the predetermined room, the room information where the device 3 is installed, Displays the total power consumption of the room. Specifically, the power information acquired by the acquisition unit 11 and the affiliation information associated by the correspondence unit 13 are used to associate the power consumption of each device 3 or the room in which the device is installed. The total power consumption of the room, which is the total power consumption of the devices 3, or the power consumption of the entire house, which is the sum of the total power consumption of the rooms, can be displayed on the display unit 14. The above calculation process may be performed by any configuration of the communication system S1.

  FIG. 3 shows a display example of the display unit 14. For example, the display unit 14 indicates that the total power consumption of the affiliation information “children's room” is 900 W, and the power consumption of the air conditioner that is the device 3 associated with “children's room” is 600 W. It shows that the power consumption of the television is 300W. Moreover, you may show collectively the power consumption of the whole house like FIG. The power consumption of the entire house is calculated by summing the power consumption of each room. It should be noted that the device 3 that has been operated and the room in which the device 3 is installed may be highlighted to display a portion where the power consumption has changed.

Of course, only the power consumption of the operated device 3 may be displayed. Furthermore, as described above, if the instantaneous power consumption and the integrated power consumption of each device 3 are stored in a storage area such as a database, the “currently operated device 3 A “power consumption graph” or the like may be displayed.

  An example of the operation of the communication apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment will be described using the operation sequence shown in FIG.

  The user sets a correspondence table between the device 3 and its affiliation information, that is, the installed room, in the correspondence unit 13 in advance. Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the air conditioner 3A and the television 3A installed in the living room are associated with the belonging information “living”, and the air conditioner 3B and the television 3B installed in the child room are associated with the belonging information “child room”. Is set.

  First, a user having the communication device 1 provided with the display unit 14 enters a child's room and operates the air conditioner 3B with the remote controller attached to the air conditioner 3B (S1). With this operation, the air conditioner 3B transmits a state change notification to the communication device 1 (S2). This state change notification includes identification information of the device 3, which is “AC3B” in the present embodiment.

  When the communication unit 10 (not shown) of the communication device 1 receives the state change notification, the detection unit 12 detects the state change notification of the air conditioner 3B (S3) and responds to the identification information of the device 3 included in the state change notification. Delivered to the unit 13 (S4). The correspondence unit 13 reads out affiliation information associated with the identification information “AC3B” from the correspondence table set in advance (S5), and recognizes that the air conditioner 3B is in the “child's room”. Further, the correspondence unit 13 reads the identification information “AC3B” and “TV3B” associated with “children's room” from the correspondence table (S6) and transfers them to the acquisition unit 11 (S7).

  Receiving this, the acquisition part 11 communicates with the air conditioner 3B and the television 3B, and obtains each power consumption (S8). Specifically, it can be realized by transmitting a signal including a power consumption inquiry command to the device 3 having the identification information “AC3B” and “TV3B” and receiving a response.

The display unit 14 displays values obtained by adding these as the power consumption of the air conditioner 3B, the power consumption of the television 3B, and the power consumption of the child room acquired by the acquisition unit 11 (S9). Note that the display method in S9 may be actively displayed by, for example, a push method, or information may be updated according to a user instruction.

Note that it is preferable that the user can immediately know the power consumption of the operated air conditioner 3B, but the power consumption of the other device 3 such as the television 3B that is not operated at that time is the last time the television 3B was operated. It is enough to know the power consumption information. Here, when the air conditioner 3B is operated, the power consumption amount of the television 3B is not inquired, and the power consumption amount value of the television 3B acquired last time is stored in an arbitrary configuration and read to reduce the communication amount. It is done.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to above-described embodiment, The deformation | transformation in the range of the summary is possible. For example, the correspondence unit 13 and the display unit 14 described in the first embodiment may be physically separated from the communication device 1.

Specifically, as in the communication system S2 shown in FIG. 6, the in-house server device as the communication device 1 that can communicate with the device 3 using wired or wireless communication means, and the communication function directly with the device 3 Although it does not have, it may be comprised by the terminals 2, such as a personal computer, a tablet, a smart phone, etc. which have the display part 14 which communicates with the communication apparatus 1 and receives and displays only screen information. In this case, the communication device 1 operates the process of S9 shown in FIG. 5 using the terminal 2 connected to the home network, the terminal 2 registered via the server 4, or an arbitrary method. The terminal 2 located in the same room as the device 3 may be identified and screen information to be displayed may be transmitted to the terminal 2. The location of the terminal 2 can be determined by, for example, a beacon or communication with the device 3. Further, the correspondence table may be stored in the server 4 outside the home, and the correspondence unit 13 may be referred to each time.

(Effect of embodiment)

According to the present embodiment, when a user who has a communication device including a display unit operates a device installed in a predetermined room, the power consumption of the device operated by the user is set in the room. It is possible to display the power consumption of other devices, the total power consumption of the room, and the like on the display unit without any special operation.

(Modification)

  When the device 3 does not have a power consumption providing function, the acquisition unit 11 may acquire power information from a power consumption measuring device that is installed separately instead of the device 3.

For example, in a distribution board installed in a house as in the communication system S3 shown in FIG. 7, when a branch circuit is linked to the device 3, the power consumption of each device 3 is branched using the measuring device 5. The power consumption of the circuit may be measured and the measurement result may be acquired from the measurement device 5 by the acquisition unit 11. In this case, the correspondence between each branch breaker and the device 3 is a configuration of the communication device 1, the measuring device 5, or the system S2 of FIG. 6 by generating a correspondence table as shown in FIG. In this case, the server 4 holds the server.

  For example, when the branch circuit is associated with room information, the acquisition unit 11 can directly acquire the total power consumption of the predetermined room. Alternatively, even when a plurality of branch circuits are linked to the information of one room, the total power consumption of the predetermined room can be obtained in the same manner by adding them together.

As shown in FIG. 9, when the branch circuit for an air conditioner is installed independently, the power consumption is measured separately from the general home appliance. At this time, when it is desired to obtain the total power consumption of the child room, the communication device 1 inquires the power consumption amount to the branch identification information “1” and “2”, and the result of addition is shown as the total power consumption of the entire room. 10 is displayed on the display unit 14. In addition, when communication with the television 3B in the child room is possible and the power consumption of the television 3B can be acquired, the power consumption of the device 3 that cannot communicate with others by subtracting the power consumption of the television 3B from the branch identification information “2”. The amount can be calculated and displayed on the display unit 14 as “other” power consumption.

Further, the system S3 may calculate the power consumption by appropriately combining the correspondence tables in FIGS. 2 and 9. For example, the total power consumption amount of the device 3 associated with the child room calculated by the correspondence unit 14 with reference to the correspondence table of FIG. 2 is the power consumption amount of the branch circuit associated with the child room in the correspondence table of FIG. In other words, the shortage can be displayed as “other” or the like.

  When the measuring device 5 measures the power consumption of the main breaker or when the communication device 1 can acquire power information from the smart meter, the power consumption of the entire house can be directly acquired. Can be displayed as shown in FIG.

For example, when the air conditioner 3B in the child room is operated, the display unit 14 indicates that the total power consumption of the affiliation information “child room” is 1000 W, and the air conditioner is the device 3 associated with the “child room”. Indicates that the power consumption amount of the TV set as the device 3 is 300 W. In addition, if the total power consumption of all the devices 3 associated with the “kid room” does not reach the total power consumption of the “kid room” acquired from the measuring device 5, a difference is calculated and the child power is calculated. Displayed as “Other” power consumption of the room. In this case, the power consumption amount of “others” may be displayed by subtracting the power consumption amounts of the air conditioner and the television from the total power consumption amount of the child room. Further, the total power consumption of the belonging information “living” and the power consumption of the device 3 associated with “living” are read from a storage unit (not shown) of the communication device 1 in which the previously updated value is stored, The total value of 2600W added to the total power consumption of "" and the total power consumption of 2700W measured by the main breaker can be compared, and the difference of 100W can be displayed as the "other" power consumption.

(Effect of modification)

  According to the present embodiment, when a user who has a communication device including a display unit operates a device installed in a predetermined room, the power consumption of the device operated by the user is set in the room. It is possible to display the power consumption of other devices, the total power consumption of the room, and the like on the display unit without any special operation.

In addition, since the power consumption of the trunk or branch circuit is measured using a measuring device, it is possible to obtain power consumption information for devices that do not have communication functions, and display more accurate power consumption information for the entire room or the entire house. can do.

In addition, although this embodiment demonstrated the example which displays the electric power information for every room in a house, embodiment may be applied not only to this but arbitrary facilities, such as an office, a factory, a school, for example. . Of course, the device 3 is not limited to the home appliance, and may be any electric device arranged in these facilities.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using embodiment, the technical scope of this invention is not limited to the range as described in the said embodiment. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be made to the above-described embodiment. In addition, it is apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiments added with such changes or improvements can be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

Claims (6)

An acquisition unit for acquiring power consumption information of the device;
A detection unit for detecting an operation of the device;
A corresponding unit that associates the device with affiliation information;
When the detection unit detects an operation of the device, a display unit that displays affiliation information associated with the corresponding unit and power consumption information of the device acquired by the acquisition unit;
A communication apparatus comprising: The acquisition unit
The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein power consumption information of a device detected by the detection unit and a device associated with the same affiliation information as the device by the corresponding unit is acquired. The acquisition unit
The frequency of acquiring power consumption information of a device detected by the detection unit and a device associated with the same affiliation information as the device by the corresponding unit is increased. Communication equipment. The display unit
When the overall power consumption information belonging to the device detected by the detection unit can be acquired, the total power consumption information belonging to the device is displayed. When the total power consumption information belonging to the device cannot be obtained, the organization associated with the device 5. The communication according to claim 1, wherein a total value of power consumption of devices associated with the same affiliation information as the information is displayed as the total power consumption information of the affiliation. apparatus. Means for detecting that the device has been operated; means for acquiring power consumption information of the device when the device is operated; and displays the power consumption information of the device and affiliation information associated with the device A communication method characterized by means. An acquisition unit for acquiring power consumption information of the device;
A detection unit for detecting an operation of the device;
A corresponding unit that associates the device with affiliation information;
When the detection unit detects an operation of the device, a display unit that displays affiliation information associated with the corresponding unit and power consumption information of the device acquired by the acquisition unit;
A communication system comprising:

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