JP5149510B2 - Remote control of water heater with gas usage display function - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a remote controller for a hot water supply apparatus that can display the amount of gas used by the gas hot water supply apparatus. By appropriately displaying the amount of gas used by the gas hot water supply apparatus and making the user recognize this, the present invention This is effective in reducing gas consumption.

Gas use in most ordinary households is roughly divided into cooking and hot water supply, and there is not much possibility of saving by using gas in cooking, but gas by a gas hot water supply device (hereinafter simply referred to as “hot water supply device”) Use is likely to save. There is gas use by a gas heater, but this is not very common. In recent years, warm water heating such as floor heating and bathroom heating using hot water by hot water supply devices has become widespread, and the proportion of gas use by hot water supply devices has been increasing. Therefore, the amount of gas used by hot water supply devices has increased. Saving as much as possible is becoming increasingly important.
On the other hand, if the monthly gas usage amount of the hot water supply device can be easily and appropriately confirmed, it is possible to increase the awareness of saving use of gas (gas consciousness) and promote the saving.
The monthly gas usage can be recorded and displayed on a display, and this allows easy confirmation of the monthly gas usage. Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 55-106822 (full text) In addition, the amount of gas used by the hot water supply device can be displayed on the remote controller of the hot water supply device so that the amount of gas used for a given period can be easily and appropriately confirmed on any given day. Is described in Japanese Patent No. 3061215 (hereinafter referred to as the prior art). The configuration of this prior art is as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 7. For example, integration management is performed during a predetermined period such as every month, and the usage amount for each predetermined period can be appropriately displayed by a remote controller. is there.
The integration period setting means 71 includes a numeric input key for setting a reference date for integration, a digital switch for setting a reference date, and the like.

  The time measuring means 72 is constituted by a clock circuit having a calendar function, and supplies so-called time measuring data 72a such as month, day, hour, minute, etc. to the period-by-period integration managing means 73, and also integrates the gas amount. The means 74 (or water amount integrating means 75) integrates the gas amount consumed by the hot water supply device based on the gas amount (or water amount) detected by the gas amount detecting means (or water amount detecting means), and also manages by period. The integrated value is cleared based on a reset signal 73a (or 73b) supplied from 73, and the integration is restarted from zero. Integration data 74a (or 75a) of the integration means 74 (or integration means 75) is supplied to the display means 76 via the period-by-period integration management means 73, and the integration result is displayed.

The period-by-period integration management means 73 compares the reference date data 71a set by the integration period setting means 71 with the time measurement data 72a supplied from the time measurement means 72, and each integration means 74, After the 75 accumulated results are stored in the storage means 77 in association with the gas and water types and year / month data, the reset signal 73a (or 73b) is generated.
Further, when the display switching unit 78 designates the year and month and a display request for past integration results is made, the period-by-period integration management unit 73 reads the corresponding data from the storage unit 78 and supplies it to the display unit 76. Is configured to display.
With the above configuration, the amount of gas (or water) used in the hot water supply device is integrated for each period such as day, week, month, etc. according to a preset calendar, and the integration result is stored, so that every predetermined period is stored. The amount of usage can be managed.

  In the above known example, the amount of gas used is accumulated by an accumulator for each predetermined period such as day and month on the calendar, the accumulated value is stored in the storage means when the predetermined period expires, and the accumulator is reset. As a prior art, for example, the usage amount for every hour is sequentially stored, and this is added every predetermined period or every predetermined time. Some values are stored in another memory, and an additional value for each arbitrary period or time is displayed on the remote controller of the hot water supply apparatus (hereinafter referred to as “prior art”).

The system outline of this prior art is as shown in the “prior art system configuration diagram” of FIG. This is a mechanism as shown in the above "prior art system configuration diagram", and each usage amount of gas or water is integrated for 1.5 hours in units of 1.5 seconds by the gas amount integrating means S1 or the water amount integrating means S2. The usage amount per hour, the usage amount per day, the usage amount per 30 days / month (a period in which 30 days are a month unit, the same applies hereinafter), etc. are recorded and displayed as follows.
That is, the hourly usage amount of gas (or water) is recorded in the hourly memory 11 for 24 hours, and the hourly usage amount for one day (24 hours) is recorded in the current day memory 11. At this time, it is stored in the memory 12 for the previous day as it is, and further, hourly usage (24 hours) for the current day is totaled and the total value is sequentially recorded in the current month memory 13 for 30 days / one month. Further, the usage amount for 30 days in the current month memory 13 is totaled to obtain the monthly usage amount, and the monthly usage amount for 12 months is sequentially recorded in the monthly memory 14.

The hourly usage amount for the current day and the previous day is read from the current day memory 11 and the previous day memory 12, and appropriately displayed as a numerical value or a bar graph. Also, the daily usage amount for the current month, 30 days / month The monthly usage amount is appropriately displayed based on the current month memory 13 and the monthly memory 14.
The hourly usage amount on the day is accumulated by an accumulator every hour from 1 o'clock to 24:00, and the accumulated value is overwritten and registered in the memory 11 on the day sequentially by time.
From 1 o'clock to 23 o'clock, the data for the current day overwritten and the data for the previous day not overwritten exist in the memory 11 for the current day.

At 24 o'clock every day (12:00 p.m.), the hourly usage in the memory 11 for the day is totaled to calculate the usage for the day, and this daily usage is overwritten and recorded in the memory 13 for the current month. In addition, the hourly usage amount (data) for 24 hours recorded in the memory 11 for the current day is transferred to the memory 12 for the previous day and stored there.
In order to simplify the period management, the daily usage amount recorded in the current month memory 13 is 30 days, and the 30 days are managed as a unit of one month. New January data, that is, “current month data” is overwritten and recorded on the last month data.
Then, when all the daily usage for (30 days / January) is overwritten in the current month memory 13 (12:00 pm on the 30th of the current month), the daily usage of the current month memory 13 is summed. The amount used for the current month is calculated and recorded in the monthly memory 14 sequentially.
Furthermore, the monthly memory 14 is for 30 months / 12 months, and the monthly usage is sequentially overwritten and recorded.

  The configuration of the above prior art is as shown in the “prior art block diagram” of FIG. 2 for gas or water. Note that the integrating means S21 (gas amount integrating means or water amount integrating means) in the block diagram is means for integrating 1 hour in units of 1.5 seconds in response to a signal from the time measuring means 22, and this 1 hour The unit integration is performed in response to a signal from the time measuring means 23, and data for the current day, data for the current month, monthly data, etc. are recorded, and these data can be selectively selected by operating the display switching means 27. It is displayed on the display means 15.

In addition, the configuration of the prior art includes a management unit 24 for realizing recording and display of the above-described usage amount, and further includes a storage unit 25, a display unit 15, and a display switching unit 27.
The management unit 24 includes a current day data management unit 24a, a current month data management unit 24b, a monthly management unit 24c, a previous day data management unit 24d, and the like.
The current day data management unit 24a controls the recording to the current day memory 11 receives a signal clock unit T ₁ of the 24 hours.
Also, the current month data management unit 24b further controls the recording in response to a signal clock unit T ₂ of the 30-day to the current month memory 13, monthly management unit 24c, recently content data management means 24d, monthly memory 14 The writing of each data to the memory 12 for the previous day is controlled.

The storage means 25 is based on the recording system shown in “Recording system diagram” in FIG. 3. This recording system includes the current day memory 11, the previous day memory 12, the current month memory 13, and the monthly memory 14. I have.
The current day memory 11 is provided with hourly storage areas for 24 hours from 1 o'clock to 24 o'clock (12 o'clock in the afternoon), and new hourly data is sequentially overwritten and recorded. The previous day memory 12 is the same memory as the current day memory 11, and this is recorded by overwriting the 24 hours of the current day at 24 o'clock (12 o'clock in the afternoon).
The current month memory 13 has a daily recording area for 30 days from the first day to the 30th day, and new daily data (usage amount) is sequentially overwritten and recorded.
The monthly memory 14 includes monthly storage areas for 12 months from January to December, and new monthly data is sequentially overwritten and recorded.

The recorded data in the current day memory 11 is totaled at 24:00 (12:00 pm) to calculate the usage amount for 24 hours on the current day, and this is sequentially recorded in the current month memory 13. Further, the data recorded in the current month memory 13 is totaled at 24 o'clock (12:00 pm) on the 30th day to calculate the current month usage, which is sequentially recorded in the monthly memory 14.
In the prior art shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the hourly data (usage amount) for the current day overwritten and recorded in the above-mentioned “memory for the current day 11” is totaled, and this is calculated as of the current day. It can be displayed as a minute usage amount, and the daily usage amount of the current month that has been overwritten and recorded in the “current month memory” can be aggregated and displayed as the usage amount for the current month. it can.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 55-106822 (full text) Japanese Patent No. 3061215

Incidentally, the conventional example described in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent No. 3061215 and the prior art shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 display the usage amount for a predetermined period (for example, daily unit, monthly unit) by the display operation of the remote controller. For example, it is possible to know the amount used last month and promote the reduction of this month's usage in relation to it, but let the user recognize the relationship with the expected total amount used this month in advance. , We can't encourage further savings this month.
As mentioned above, both the conventional example and the prior art show the amount of usage in the past (the past portion of the current month, the previous day, the previous month, etc.), but the predicted usage amount for the current month (predicted usage until the end of the current month) It is more effective to reduce the amount of gas used this month and to achieve the target in this way. A stronger sense of achievement can be obtained.
Therefore, the present invention can display the gas usage amount in the past predetermined period such as the previous day and the previous month in order to increase the effect of reducing the gas usage amount, and can easily predict and display the total usage amount in the current month. Is to do so.

Means for solving the above-mentioned problems include gas accumulation means, management means, storage means, display means, display switching means, measure the amount of gas used by the hot water supply device for a predetermined period, and measure the measured data as described above. The following (a) to (f) are based on the premise of a remote controller of a hot water supply device that records and saves in the storage means and can selectively read out the recorded data by the display switching means and display it on the display means.
(B) a day-of-day memory having a 24-hour data recording area and a current-day memory having a daily data storage area of 30 days;
(B) Data management means for the day and data management means for the current month
(C) It has usage forecasting means for the current month,
(D) Overwrite recording of hourly data to the memory for the current day is overwrite recording, and writing of daily data to the memory for the current month is overwrite recording.
(E) Predicting the total usage for the current month using the current month's data in the current month's memory and the previous month's data, using the current month's usage forecasting means,
(F) The predicted usage amount for the current month is selectively displayed on the display of the remote controller by the display selection means.

  The above-mentioned daily data is data of daily usage, and the monthly data is data of usage of 30 days / month. In addition, the current month's data in the current month's memory is the current month's data that has been overwritten in the current month's memory, and the "current month's memory ... last month's data" is not overwritten in the current month's memory. Last month's data.

The memory for the current month may have a storage area for 31 days so that it can be managed for each month according to the calendar. However, in this case, it is necessary to make January a month on the calendar and to store the data for each period according to the calendar by the data management means for the current month. In this case, data is recorded for each day by the number of days in each month using the storage area for 31 days, but the number of days in the previous month is less than the number of days in the current month, and therefore the number of days in both months does not match. In some cases, and vice versa. In such a case, when using the last month's data to predict the current month's usage, it is necessary to correct this discrepancy by deleting the last month's data or replenishing the shortage. There is.
In addition, the current month usage forecasting means forecasts based on the current month's data and last month's data in the current month's memory, but the monthly gas usage varies greatly due to various factors. Predicting with high accuracy is difficult in the first place, and only approximate prediction is possible. However, if the present invention is for the purpose of predicting the amount of gas used in the current month, there is no shortage in practice.

Therefore, the prediction method by this prediction means does not need to be particularly advanced, and any method can be used as long as it can provide a rough prediction value to the gas user and thereby further promote the reduction of gas usage. . One of them is to simply add the current month's data and the previous month's data in the current month's memory, or multiply this added value by a correction coefficient to increase the accuracy of the predicted value. However, if the data for the current month is small (for example, 1/6 or less of the total), the forecast value will be very close to the amount used for the previous month, and if this is multiplied by the correction factor for the seasonal change, this correction will eventually occur. It becomes only the difference by the value. When the number of data of the current month is not small (for example, after the 10th day), the correction as the seasonal change is sufficient as the predicted value. For this reason, for example, it is not necessary to predict the current month's usage at the stage before the 5th day, and it is considered sufficient if the predicted value can be shown at the stage after the 10th day in view of the object of the present invention. It is done.
Therefore, for example, at the beginning of the month, such as before the fifth day, it is possible to show the increase / decrease of the comparison with the previous month without showing the predicted value, and to display the predicted value after the 10th day.

  Further, for example, a tolerance can be displayed in the predicted value (000 ± Δ). However, as a practical matter, monthly usage is expected to vary considerably due to various factors (for example, fluctuations of 10% or more), and it is difficult to predict the fluctuation range almost accurately. Indicating the tolerance ± Δ as described above does not necessarily have a special meaning in practice.

Since each hourly data of the current day is overwritten and saved in each recording area of the current day memory, the current day's data that has been overwritten and the other day's data that has not yet been overwritten are stored in that day's memory. Is saved. Therefore, by summing up the data that has been overwritten and recorded, the usage amount for the current day is summed up and displayed.
Also, since the current month's data is overwritten and recorded in the daily recording area of the current month's memory, the current month's overwritten data (the data for each day of the current month) is still recorded in the current month's memory. Last month's data that has not been overwritten (data for each day of the previous month) is recorded.
Therefore, by summing up the data recorded by overwriting, the usage amount for the current month up to the previous day at that time is summed up and displayed.

By the way, with regard to 30 days / month, the amount of use for each day is large and small, but it directly affects the amount used for the current month (the total amount used at the end of the month; the same applies hereinafter).
On the other hand, the difference in gas consumption between January last month and January this month is greatly influenced by seasonal changes, but it seems that there are no other external factors that have a significant effect.

  Based on the above assumptions, the current month's usage can be predicted using the data in the current month's memory. The simplest prediction method is to simply add the recorded data in the memory for the current month (some data for the current month and other data for the previous month). For example, if the data in the current month's memory on the 16th day of the middle of the month, that is, the data for the 15th day of the current month and the data for the 15th day of the previous month, are simply added, The amount of usage for the current month is roughly predicted. The accuracy of the predicted value in the middle of the month is high, the accuracy of the predicted value at the beginning of the month is low, and the accuracy of the predicted value at the end of the month is extremely high.

In addition, at the turn of the season of spring, summer, autumn and winter, the effect of the seasonal change is large, and this influence makes a big difference in the consumption of last month and this month. In this case, the average seasonal change rate at the turn of this season Multiplying the data of last month and adding this to the data of the current month can correct the seasonal change.
Moreover, it is preferable to set correction coefficients for seasonal changes between the preceding and succeeding months from January to December, except for the change of seasons, and use these to correct the seasonal changes.
The above seasonal change rate may be set in advance for each region based on empirical rules, but in any case, it is a correction for the seasonal change of the forecast for the previous month's data in the current month's memory. The effect of the error is small, and therefore the error of the prediction result is relatively small.

It is also possible to display the minimum amount that can be realized as follows, and to promote saving with this as a target.
Regarding the amount of gas used (saving), it has been found that there is a general tendency as follows. In other words, when the amount of use up to that point is displayed and confirmed in the middle of the month, efforts are made to save for a while (2 to 3 days), and thereafter there is little saving with particular attention. This is repeated several times a month.
Based on the above, the average value (reduced usage) for the next three days, including the day with the least amount of usage in the last month's data in the current month's memory, is calculated, and this is averaged for the remaining days of the current month This can be added to the current month's data as an amount, and this can be regarded as the minimum amount of current month that can be realized.

Conversely, the average value for the next three days including the day with the highest usage in the last month's data in the current month's memory is obtained, and this is added to the current month's data as the average usage for the remaining day of the current month. Thus, the addition result can be regarded as the maximum usage amount of this month that may be realized.
By predicting in this way and showing the maximum predicted value and the minimum predicted value, it is possible to show the difference between the case of not trying to save and the case of saving.

  The present invention predicts the usage amount of the current month by using the data of the current month and the data of the previous month in the memory for the current month. Similarly, the monthly memory provided with the monthly recording areas for 12 months. Using the current year data (monthly data) and the previous year data (monthly data), the usage amount of this year (use amount up to the end of the current year) can be predicted and displayed. However, in this case, the predicted value is not very meaningful unless a certain number of months (for example, four months) have elapsed.

Similarly, the usage amount of the current day can be predicted and displayed using today's data and the previous day's data in the current day memory.
In addition, if you set the target usage for the current month, predict the usage for the current month, compare the predicted usage for the current month with the target usage, and display the difference. This makes it possible to further raise awareness of saving.

The present invention is based on the prior art shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, and the current month prediction means is added to the system configuration, and the current month data and the previous month data are used for the current month memory. The usage amount is predicted, and the current year's usage amount (total usage amount until the end of the year) is predicted using the current year's data in the monthly memory and the previous year's data.
Note that the usage amount for a predetermined period such as one month or one year may be displayed as the amount of gas used, may be displayed as an index, or may be displayed as an amount to be paid.
This embodiment is shown in FIGS. The system configuration diagram and the recording system diagram of this embodiment are for the amount of gas used or the amount of water used in the same manner as the prior art of FIGS. 1 to 3. Each usage amount is recorded and displayed.

Since the same range as the configuration of the prior art shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 has already been described, the description thereof is omitted here.
In this embodiment, the system configuration includes a current month forecasting means 16 and a current year forecasting means 17 controlled by the controller C. The current month forecasting means 16 is supplied from the current month data management means 24 with the current month data D1 and the last month data D2 recorded in the current month memory 13, respectively. The data D3 of the current year and the data D4 of the previous year recorded in the above are respectively supplied.

When a request for prediction for the current month is issued by operating the display switching means 27, the current month prediction means 16 is activated to add the data D1 of the current month recorded in the current month memory 13 and the data D2 of the previous month, The prediction value is calculated by multiplying the change rate and making corrections. An example of this can be expressed as follows.
Current month forecast value A = D1 + D2 × α
However, α is a coefficient for correcting the seasonal change, and is larger than 1.0. And when calculating a predicted value in this way, it is desirable that the data D1 for the current month is 4 months or more (D1> 4 months).
Further, α is a coefficient determined for each month, which is preset in the memory of the current month prediction means, and is read according to each month to perform the above calculation.

Similarly, when a request for prediction for the current year is issued, the prediction means 17 for the current year operates, and the predicted value is calculated by simply adding the data D3 of the current year recorded in the monthly memory 14 and the data D4 of the previous year. To do. This can be expressed as follows.
Current year forecast B = D3 + D4
However, it is desirable that D3> 4 months.

In addition, when a request for prediction for the current month is made, a mark is recorded on the corresponding day of the current month's memory, and when overwriting the current month's data, the previous month's mark is deleted while the current month's mark is deleted. If this is sequentially recorded, the maximum value and the minimum value of the predicted value for the current month can be calculated using this as follows.
That is, for example, when the mark is recorded on the 10th day, 15th day, 20th day, 25th day of the memory for the current month, try to save gas on the 2nd to 3rd day after these days. Presumed to have been. Therefore, for example, assuming that the prediction request for the current month has been made on the 12th day, the data for the 12th day is the data for the previous month because the data for the current month has not been overwritten yet. So, add the 3rd day of 12th day, 15th, 16th and 17th, 3rd day of 20th, 21st and 22nd, 3rd day of 25th, 26th and 27th, and average The value is regarded as an average value from the 12th to the 30th day, and the total usage is calculated from the 12th to the 30th day. Then, the seasonal change is corrected by the seasonal change coefficient α, and the minimum usage amount (Dx) between the 12th and 30th days is predicted. By adding the data D1 for the current month up to the 11th and the minimum usage amount Dx, the minimum usage amount for the current month is predicted. The predicted minimum usage is the minimum usage for the current month that can be achieved by trying to save.

In the above example, 12 days, 17 days, 18 days, 19 days and 3 days 27, 28, 29 days are added, and the average value from the 12th day to the 30th day is averaged. This is regarded as a value, and the usage amount from the 12th day to the 30th day is predicted. Then, the seasonal change is corrected by the seasonal change coefficient α, and the maximum usage amount Dy between the 12th and 30th days is predicted. By adding the data D1 for the current month up to the 11th and the maximum usage amount Dy, the maximum usage amount for the current month is predicted. The predicted maximum usage for the current month is the maximum usage for the current month that could be used if you do not try to save.
In addition to average prediction, the maximum and minimum predictions described above may be performed, or only one of them may be possible.

These are the system block diagrams of the means to implement | achieve the display function of the gas usage-amount and water usage-amount of the remote control of the hot water supply apparatus which concerns on a prior art. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a prior art. These are the recording system figures of the various data regarding the gas usage-amount of a prior art. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. These are block diagrams which show the structure of the said Example. These are the recording system figures of the various data of the gas usage-amount of an Example. FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram of a conventional example.

Explanation of symbols

C: Controller S1: Gas amount integrating means S2: Water amount integrating means S21: Accumulating means T ₁ : Time measuring means (24 hours)
T ₂ : Timekeeping means (30 days)
11: Current day memory 12: Previous day memory 13: Current month memory 14: Monthly memory 15: Display means 22: Time measuring means (1.5 seconds)
23: Timekeeping means (1 hour)
24: Management means 24a: Current day data management means 24b: Current month data management means 24c: Monthly management means 24d: Previous day data management means 25: Storage means 27: Display switching means

Claims (4)

It has gas integration means, management means, storage means, display means, display switching means, measures the amount of gas used for a predetermined period by the water heater, records this measured data in the storage means, saves it, and displays it A remote controller for a water heater capable of selectively reading out the recorded data by a switching means and displaying it on the display means,
A day-of-day memory having a 24-hour data recording area and a current-day memory having a daily data storage area of 30 days,
It has data management means for the day and data management means for the current month,
It has a means for predicting usage for the current month,
Writing the hourly data to the memory for the current day is overwrite recording, and writing the daily data to the memory for the current month is overwrite recording.
Use the current month's data and last month's data in the current month's memory to calculate the current month's usage, and use the current month's usage forecasting means to predict
A remote controller for a water heater, wherein the display selection means selectively displays the predicted usage amount for the current month on the display of the remote controller.    The remote controller for a hot water heater according to claim 1, wherein the current month usage amount prediction means adds the current month data and the previous month data in the current month memory.   The remote controller for a hot water heater according to claim 1, wherein the use amount prediction means for the current month adds the current month data in the current month memory and a correction value obtained by multiplying the previous month data by a seasonal variation coefficient.   The remote controller for a hot water heater according to claim 1, wherein the use amount prediction means for the current month predicts both the maximum use amount and the minimum use amount.

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