JP3351326B2 - Power management system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for managing the sum of power consumption of devices in an environment where one or more devices consuming power exist.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an environment in which one or more devices consuming power exist, for example, in a general household, the total power consumed by devices such as an air conditioner, a refrigerator, and a television is calculated as a contract between each home and a power company. It is necessary to keep the power consumption below a certain value and the power consumption of the whole area below the allowable capacity of the power company. For this reason, a method of installing a current limiter in each home according to the contract power installed by the power company and installing a circuit breaker for each power line wiring in the home has been adopted.
A method called (Demand Side Management) for managing power supply from an electric power company to each home has been experimentally performed. This is to change the maximum contract value of each home for each time or season based on a contract between each home and a power company. That is, the total power consumption is restricted and managed by the circuit breaker of each home, so that the total power does not exceed the contract value.

However, in such a method, when the power consumption of the equipment on the power line exceeds the breaking condition of the circuit breaker,
Since all the power supply to the power line is cut off, the power supply to all the devices on the power line is stopped, and the device is suddenly stopped.

A conventional power consumption management system will be described below. FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a conventional power consumption management system. The apparatus 300 includes devices 300 and 400 and a centralized management device 100 that manages the devices. The centralized management device 100 includes a maximum power consumption value holding unit 110 that holds an allowable maximum power consumption value based on a contract power value with a power company.
A power consumption holding unit 111 that totals the power consumption of each device and holds the total value, a power consumption value comparison unit 112 that compares the total value and the allowable maximum power consumption value,
The device 300 or 400 includes a display unit 120 that displays a comparison result of the power consumption value comparison unit 112, and the devices 300 and 400 store information related to their own power consumption.
Power request notification means 30 for notifying the central management device 100 of the necessity of power supply via the communication means 101
2 is provided. Further, a communication unit 101 for performing communication between each of the devices 300 and 400 and the centralized management device 100 is provided in each of the devices 300 and 400 and the centralized management device 100. Further, each of the devices 300 and 400 includes a power supply stop unit 350 that stops power supply to each device in response to a stop instruction of the central management device 100, and a power consumption adjustment unit that adjusts power consumption in accordance with an instruction from the central management device 100. It has self-information notifying means 360 for holding self-information, which is general information of each device, and for notifying the self-information to the central management apparatus 100, and the information is managed by the management target information holding means 160 of the central management apparatus 100. Things.

[0005]

As described above, in the conventional power consumption management system, the information of each device is managed, individual power control is performed, and the device to be managed is clarified to thereby reduce the power consumption. Had been managing. However, the conventional power consumption management system cannot perform the management in consideration of the difference due to the usage of consumers. Therefore, the following three problems arise.

First, the first problem is that there is a difference in usage of each device among households, and this cannot be considered. For example, regarding lighting, there is a great difference in the usage of lighting between a home living in a sunny house living with sunrise and sunset and a home living in a sunny place. Regarding air conditioning, the use state is completely different between the case where the elderly and the people who are vulnerable to temperature live and the case where the healthy people live.

A second problem is that it is not possible to take in information such as a family structure and a lifestyle of a resident, and thus it is not possible to control the power consumption of the device most appropriately and effectively for the resident. It is. It is indispensable to input the information of the resident about how much power consumption of which equipment can be reduced.For example, air conditioning in the room where the vulnerable person lives needs to be respected as much as possible. It is anticipated that there will be no significant effect on air conditioning in rooms where healthy people who are trying to improve their lives.

[0008] A third problem is that there is no means for displaying the degree of deterioration of convenience and / or comfort brought about by the consumer when selecting DSM control, along with advantages such as environmental contribution and saving on electricity bills. So, instead of being reluctant to select DSM control,
The point is that the M control may excessively react to the inconvenience caused by the M control.

The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems of the conventional power consumption management system, and has provided a system capable of learning and staging the use status of various devices with respect to the first problem.
It provides a system that can control the optimal power consumption by learning and patterning the information of consumers for the third problem, and provides the consumer with the control of power consumption for the third problem. It is an object of the present invention to provide a system that can simultaneously display advantages and disadvantages that are expected to occur.

[0010]

[0011]

[0012]

[0013]

[0014]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a centralized management device for centrally managing the power consumption of each device, and a device installed at each device for measuring and holding at least the power consumption of each device. Power consumption information holding means, power supply stopping means for stopping power supply to each device according to a stop instruction of the centralized management device, and self-information, which is general information of each device, and stores it in the centralized management. A self-information notifying unit for notifying the device, and a communication unit for communicating between the centralized management device and each device, wherein the centralized management device holds a total value of power consumption of each device. And maximum power consumption value holding means for holding an allowable maximum power consumption value;
A power consumption value comparing unit that compares the total value and the allowable maximum power consumption value; and a control unit that controls power consumption of each device in accordance with a total value of power consumption of each device. Discomfort prediction means for presenting to the user, depending on the stage, when information is input to the power value holding means, of a decrease in comfort and / or convenience, which is also expected A power consumption management system comprising: a power saving prediction means for presenting power savings by reducing power consumption and a reward.

That is, the operation of the present invention is as follows. The maximum power consumption value holding means is determined by a contract with a power company, but the stage to be set is left to the judgment of the consumer. Therefore, when setting, depending on the user's stage, a decrease in comfort and / or convenience expected to occur in the discomfort prediction means and a reduction in power consumption also expected in the saving prediction means And the savings on electricity bills such as rewards.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
It is a block diagram which shows the power consumption management system in embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the power consumption management system according to the present embodiment has a first power consumption
Device 300, second device 400, third device 500 ...
.. And a centralized management device 100 that manages this. The centralized management device 100 holds a maximum power consumption value holding unit 1 that holds an allowable maximum power consumption value based on a contract power value with a power company.
A power consumption holding unit 111 for holding a total value of power consumption of all devices managed as 10 and a power consumption holding unit 1
11 and the display means 120 for displaying the comparison result of the power consumption comparing means 112 and the maximum power consumption holding means 110 for comparing the total value held at 11 and the aforementioned allowable maximum power consumption value. As means for updating the information, the external communication means 130 for transferring update information from the outside through a public line or the like, and time information such as counting time information such as date and time and sensing information such as outside temperature to notify the central management device. The information holding means 131, the input means 121 for directly inputting to the centralized management device, the control means 150 for controlling the power consumption of the first device 300, the second device 400, the third device 500,... Management information storing means 160 for collecting and storing target information, and learning the power consumption value of each device by classifying the power consumption value by system and classifying various devices. , And a system-specific power consumption holding unit 162 that totals the power consumption for each system rank of each device and holds the total value. The devices 300, 400, 500,... Power consumption information holding means 301 for holding information related to power consumption
Power request notifying means 302 for notifying the central management device 100 of the necessity of power supply and the necessity of power supply via the communication means 101
A power supply unit 350 and a power adjustment unit 351 controlled by the central management device 100 via the communication unit 101 and
A self-information notifying unit 360 that holds self-information, which is general information of each device, and notifies the central management device 100 via the communication unit 101 is provided. In addition, each device 300, 40
The communication means 101 for performing communication between the central control device 100 and the devices 300, 400, 500,.
And the central management device 100.

Next, the operation of the embodiment will be described. In the maximum power consumption holding means 110 of the centralized management device 100, an allowable maximum power consumption value based on a contract power value with a power company is set. This allowable maximum power consumption value is set to a value smaller than the contract power value. The power consumption information holding means 301 of the first device 300 and the second device 400 holds the power consumed by each device. This information is collected in the power consumption holding unit of the centralized management device 100 via the communication unit 101.

Further, the self information notified by the self information notifying means 360 of each device via the communication means 101 is stored in the managed information storing means 160. The self information referred to here is information such as own device address, device classification (name), manufacturer name, function, maximum power consumption, and the like. Further, the power management unit 100 is notified of the power supply necessity from the power request notification unit 302 of each device via the communication unit 101. The power supply necessity indicates the priority of power supply to a device such as a refrigerator that may be refrigerated when the power is turned off and that may be rotten. Such information is notified to the control target information holding means,
It is read by the system ranking means.

The procedure in the system ranking means will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Step 70 in FIG.
The device which cannot shut off the power supply such as the refrigerator in 1 is set to the priority 0, and the process is ended so as not to cut off the supply. Next, step 702 is performed to separate the other devices by system.
From 705, the air conditioner, AV equipment, hot water supply equipment, lighting equipment and the like are classified by type. For each of them, the daily power consumption is learned in steps 706 to 709, and the power consumption state is ranked according to the time. In steps 710 to 713, each system is classified into priority 1 to 3. For example, learning of power consumption in the case of air conditioning will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step 751 of FIG. 3, information is selected for each day, and in step 752, the total value of power consumption per day is calculated for each air conditioner. At step 753, information on the outside air temperature taken in through the external communication means 130 is read from the time information storage means, and a representative value such as an average value is calculated. At step 754, power consumption is calculated as a function of the outside air temperature. By reading the value in step 710 of step 2, ranking is performed from the power consumption status of each air conditioner with respect to the outside air temperature. Similarly, if there is an element that greatly influences other systems such as AV equipment, hot water supply, and lighting, ranking is performed by taking the function of the element.

At step 710 in FIG. 2, the priority is classified into AIR1, AIR2, and AIR3 in descending order of consumption status, and at step 711, AV1, AV2, and AV3 are similarly determined.
3. In step 712, BOI1, BOI2, BOI
3. In step 713, LIG1, LIG2, LIG3
And the average power consumption of each rank or the information of the average function for each important element in each rank is stored in the system-specific power consumption holding unit 162. The system-specific power consumption holding means 162 holds current power consumption information in addition to the above-described average information of each system and each rank.

The power consumption value comparing means 112 of the centralized management device 100 compares the allowable maximum power consumption value held by the maximum power consumption value holding means 110 with the total value of the power consumption of each device held by the power consumption holding means 111. If the total value exceeds the allowable maximum power consumption value, the fact is displayed on the display means 120, and the average information of the total of each rank of each system held in the system-specific power consumption holding means 162 is displayed. And the total value of the current power consumption in each system and rank from the one with the lowest priority (large number) .If the current power consumption exceeds the average information, the power supply is sequentially turned on. In the control unit 150, the power is controlled by the power consumption adjusting unit via the communication unit 101 so as to decrease according to the degree. If the total value of the power consumption exceeds the allowable maximum power consumption value even after making a round of the devices from low priority to high priority, the power consumption may be controlled by the power supply stop means in order.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
An embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a power consumption management system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment described above in that the consumer information holding means 170 of the present invention is provided.
And operation status holding means 17 for holding the operation status of each device
1 and consumer information input means 122. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description is omitted. Unless otherwise described, it is the same as the first embodiment.

The configuration shown in FIG. 4 is different from the configuration shown in FIG. 1 in that an operation status holding means 171 for holding the usage status operated and set by the consumer such as the operation mode of the first device 300 and the second device 400 is provided. The priorities ranked in the first embodiment are changed due to sudden onset of hay fever or other reasons, or the consumer information input means 122 for initially inputting the composition of a family or the use of a room in advance. And a life pattern is learned from information input from the time information storage unit 131, the operation status storage unit 171, and the consumer information input unit 122,
In this case, a consumer information holding means 170 to be held is added.

Next, the operation of the embodiment will be described. Since the centralized management device 100 has the function of the centralized management device in the first embodiment described above,
It can be determined whether or not the total value of the power consumption exceeds the allowable maximum power consumption value, and the power consumption, the power supply necessity, and the self information of each device are known. Life patterns that can be input by consumers include, for example, necessary usage conditions and family structure along with the date and time, their own room allocation, health status, etc.
By inputting the necessary use situation, the minimum required comfort or convenience is prioritized. For example, if you are doing office work at home during the day, turn on that time
(Lighting) is mandatory and higher than the priority of general daytime lighting, so it is necessary to learn this. For this purpose, the daily operation history is held, the life pattern is learned, and ranking according to time is performed. If the user wants to learn this immediately, he or she must directly rewrite the part holding the information with such priority.

The procedure in this method will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. It is assumed that the procedure of FIG. 5 flows continuously while the power consumption management system is operating. FIG.
In step 801, it is confirmed whether information from the consumer information input means 122 has been input. It is confirmed that no information has been input, and it is confirmed in step 802 whether there is any change in the operation of the device or the like. If not, step 801
In some cases, the information is read from the time information storage unit 131 and stored in step 803 together with the changed operation information. For example, FIG. 6 shows a storage format in a case where the set temperature of the air conditioner at address 27 whose main user is A is changed from 27 ° C. to 25 ° C. FIG. 7 shows the storage format when the setting of the general ventilation at address 03 is changed from the appropriate amount ventilation mode using the CO ₂ sensor to the full power mode.

In step 803, the external conditions expected to affect each device and the operation time of each setting are learned, and the operation pattern of each device is calculated. In step 804, the presence / absence or behavior of the consumer is determined. The user learns driving patterns corresponding to several types of life patterns such as situations. At step 800, information is obtained on whether or not the total value of the power consumption exceeds the allowable maximum power consumption value. When the information exceeds the allowable maximum power consumption value, at step 805, the driving pattern corresponding to the life pattern and the driving pattern at that time are compared. In step 806, power consumption is controlled by changing the operation pattern from a device that can determine that the current operation consumes excessive power consumption with respect to the operation pattern corresponding to the life pattern. However, if the amount of power consumed does not fall below the permissible amount even after controlling the device that consumes excessive power, further control is performed in consideration of the priority described in the second embodiment from the driving pattern according to the life pattern. Alternatively, power supply can be stopped.
In any case, a warning and / or display is given to the consumer on the display means 120. If the necessary usage status along the date and time has been input from the consumer information input unit 122 in step 801, the priority information is rewritten in step 807 to change the priority of the information to the maximum. However, when the life pattern is not learned, a default value can be set in advance according to the resident from information such as the family structure.

(Third Embodiment) Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
An embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a power consumption management system according to the third embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment includes an uncomfortable estimating unit 180 and a saving estimating unit 181 of the present invention in addition to the above-described first and second embodiments. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment and the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. Also, those not particularly described are described in the first embodiment and the second embodiment.
It is assumed to be the same as the embodiment.

The configuration of FIG. 8 is different from the configurations of FIGS.
Similarly to the discomfort prediction means 180 for presenting to the user a decrease in comfort and / or convenience expected to occur according to the stage when information is input to the maximum power consumption value holding means, It is provided with a savings prediction unit 181 for presenting expected savings in power consumption due to expected reductions in power consumption and rewards.

Next, the operation of the embodiment will be described. Since the centralized management device 100 has the function of the centralized management device in the above-described first and second embodiments, it is determined whether the total value of the power consumption exceeds the allowable maximum power consumption value. It is possible to judge, and also know the power consumption of each device, the necessity of power supply, and self-information, and learn the driving pattern based on the life pattern. When the consumer activates the input means when inputting the allowable maximum power consumption value, for example, a screen as shown in FIG. 9 is displayed, and a balance with the life pattern or the necessary use situation input from the consumer information input means is provided. The most appropriate savings are selected from the forecasts, and the expected savings from the current comfort and convenience and the savings resulting from the incentives and reductions in power consumption based on the contract with the power company are estimated. And present it to the consumer at the same time. The procedure at this time in the discomfort prediction means 180 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step 901, the consumer information holding means 170
, The current life pattern is determined, and the operation pattern corresponding to the current life pattern is read. In step 902, the priority of each device described in the first embodiment is read.

In step 903, the power consumption holding means 111
The current total value of the power consumption held in the above is compared with each of the allowable maximum power consumption values that can be set in the contract with the power company, and the following procedure is performed for each of them. If the total value of the power consumption exceeds the allowable maximum power consumption value in step 903,
The control value of each device is calculated from the comparison between the operation pattern read in step 901 and the current operation status and the priority read in step 902. For example, if the device is an air conditioner in step 905, the control value is calculated in step 904. The predicted indoor temperature due to the change in the set temperature or the stop of the power supply at the set control value is calculated, and in step 906, the degree of discomfort with respect to the current temperature is set to, for example, "2 ° C. A display means such as "becomes" is selected and displayed in step 910 in an easy-to-understand manner. Also, if the air conditioner is not an air conditioner in step 905, for example, if it is confirmed in step 907 that it is a lighting device, similarly, in step 908, the degree of deterioration of the illuminance due to reduction or stop of the power supply is set to, for example, "illuminance is 50 lx
It will be inadequate for office work because it will be reduced, but there is no problem with identification etc. at all. "And the like, and the display is made easy to understand in step 910.
Similarly, for the ventilation equipment, the hot water supply equipment, and the like, an appropriate degree of comfort or convenience deterioration is displayed in step 910. If the total value of the power consumption is equal to or smaller than the allowable maximum power consumption value in step 903, it is determined in step 909 that there is no deterioration from the current comfort and convenience, and the content is displayed in step 910.

FIG. 11 shows the procedure of the saving prediction means 181.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step 951, the current life pattern is determined from the consumer information holding means 170, and the driving pattern corresponding to the current life pattern is read.
In step 952, the priority of each device described in the first embodiment is read. In step 953, the total value of the current power consumption held by the power consumption holding unit 111 is compared with each of the allowable maximum power consumption values that can be set in the contract with the power company, and the following procedure is performed for each of them. Step 95
In step 3, information such as a reward or a discount price provided by the power company for each allowable maximum power consumption is extracted from the external communication means 130. If the total value of the power consumption exceeds the allowable maximum power consumption value in step 954, the control value of each device is compared with the operation pattern read in step 951 and the current operation state, and based on the priority read in step 952. Then, the power consumption of each device is calculated, the electricity cost is calculated based on the information in step 953, and the electricity cost that can be saved in comparison with the current electricity cost is displayed in step 957. If it is not more than the allowable maximum power consumption value in step 954, the power consumption of each device is calculated in step 954, and
The electricity bill is calculated based on the information of 53, and step 957
Displays the electricity bill that can be saved compared to the current electricity bill.

In the description of the first to third embodiments, the medium stores a program for causing a computer to execute all or a part of the above-described units.

[0034]

As apparent from the above description,
In addition, by limiting the power supply from devices that are expected to be excessively consumed according to the usage pattern of each device, it is possible to perform control in consideration of the difference in power consumption due to the difference in the use state of the device. . In addition, it is possible to reduce the power consumption most appropriate for the resident at that time according to the resident's family structure, lifestyle, and special circumstances at that time.

Further , advantages and disadvantages that can be expected to be brought to consumers by controlling power consumption can be displayed simultaneously. In other words, by displaying the details of bargaining that would be hesitant when a consumer selects control to suppress power consumption, it is possible to contract for a reduction in power consumption that can be satisfied by the consumer.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a power consumption management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the power consumption management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an operation of the power consumption management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a power consumption management system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a power consumption management system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view showing contents of a part of data of the power consumption management system according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing contents of a part of data of the power consumption management system according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a power consumption management system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen of a power consumption management system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a power consumption management system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a power consumption management system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a power consumption management system in a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 centralized management device 101 communication means 111 maximum power consumption holding means 112 power consumption value comparison means 120 display means 121 input means 130 external communication means 131 time information holding means 132 control means 161 system ranking means 162 system power consumption holding means 170 Consumer information holding unit 171 Operation status holding unit 172 Consumer information input unit 180 Discomfort prediction unit 181 Saving prediction unit 300 First device 301 Power consumption status holding unit 302 Power request notification unit 350 Power supply stop unit 351 Power consumption adjustment unit 360 self-information notifying means 400 second device 500 third device

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-5-49169 (JP, A) JP-A-5-103425 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H02J 3/00-5/00 H02J 13/00-13/00 311

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A centralized management device for centrally managing power consumption of each device; a power consumption information holding unit installed for each device and measuring and holding at least power consumption of each device; Power supply stopping means for stopping power supply to each device in response to a stop instruction of the centralized management device, and self-information notifying means for holding self-information which is general information of each device and notifying the self-information to the centralized management device And a communication unit for performing communication between the centralized management device and each of the devices, wherein the centralized management device includes a power consumption holding unit that holds a total value of power consumption of each device, and a maximum allowable power consumption value. The maximum power consumption value holding means to be held, the power consumption value comparing means for comparing the total value and the allowable maximum power consumption value, and the power consumption of each device are controlled according to the total value of the power consumption of each device. Control means And discomfort prediction means for presenting to the user, when information is input to the maximum power consumption value holding means, a decrease in comfort and / or convenience expected to occur according to the stage. And a savings prediction unit for presenting the expected savings of electricity and savings of the electricity bill by reward money and the like. 2. A power management system according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a display means for displaying the predicted result by the unpleasant predicting means and said save predicting means.