Control device, control method, and program

• US 10,243,364 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2015
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Nakaishi, Hiroshi, Kojima, Yukiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ly, Xuan
• Application Number:
  US15/312,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20170104330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,429 Days
• Field of Search: 307 52
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00 Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2203/20 Simulating, e g planning, reliability check, modelling or computer assisted design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

A control device (100) includes a communication unit (102) which receives power consumption information of a power control target from an electric energy meter, an acquisition unit (104) which acquires demand control information from at least one power supply source, and a control unit (106) which controls operation of the power control target based on the power consumption information and the demand control information.

Claims

1. A control device configured to control a power control target, wherein:

the control device is configured to perform wireless communication with an electric energy meter having a function for performing wireless communication;

the control device comprises a communication module including a communication unit configured to perform wireless communication with at least one power supply source;

the communication module is incorporated in the power control target;

the electric energy meter is provided outside the power control target; and

the control device comprises;

a reception unit configured to receive power consumption information of the power control target from the electric energy meter by using the communication unit;

an acquisition unit configured to acquire demand control information from the at least one power supply source by using the communication unit; and

a control unit configured to control operation of the power control target based on the power consumption information and the demand control information.

2. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a selection unit configured to select the at least one power supply source from among a plurality of power supply sources based on the demand control information from the plurality of power supply sources acquired by the acquisition unit and the power consumption information received by the reception unit; and

a power switching instruction unit configured to instruct a power switching device to switch, to power supplied from the selected at least one power supply source, power supplied to the power control target.

3. The control device according to claim 1,

wherein the communication unit of the communication module is configured to perform wireless communication with another power control target that is different from the power control target,

the reception unit further receives at least one of the power consumption information and operation information of the another power control target, and

the control unit is further configured to respectively control operations of the power control target and the another power control target based on at least one of the power consumption information and the operation information relating to the another power control target.

4. The control device according to claim 3,

wherein the reception unit acquires at least one of the power consumption information and the operation information of the another power control target through the electric energy meter.

5. The control device according to claim 3,

wherein the reception unit directly acquires at least one of the power consumption information and the operation information of the another power control target.

6. The control device according to claim 3,

wherein the control device is connected to a management device through a communication network,

the communication unit of the communication module performs wireless communication with the management device,

the acquisition unit further acquires a power control instruction from the management device, and

the control unit further controls respective operations of the power control target and the another power control target based on the power control instruction.

7. The control device according to claim 1,

wherein the demand control information includes electricity prices different for each time band, and

the control unit is configured to determine the future power consumption of the power control target in each time band based on the electricity prices and history information of the power consumption information of the power control target and to control operation of the power control target based on the determined power consumption.

8. The control device according to claim 7,

wherein the control unit is configured to stop operation of the power control target when it is determined that there is a time band in which the power consumption exceeds a predetermined value based on the history information of the power consumption information.

9. The control device according to claim 1,

wherein the demand control information includes information indicating that an incentive is given in a case where the power consumption of the power control target is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and

the control unit is configured to determine the future power consumption of the power control target based on the predetermined value and history information of the power consumption information of the power control target and to control operation of the power control target based on the determined power consumption.

10. The control device according to claim 9,

wherein the control unit is configured to stop operation of the power control target when it is determined that the power consumption exceeds the predetermined value based on the history information of the power consumption information.

11. The control device according to claim 10,

wherein the control unit is configured to select a device to be stopped in operation from among devices consuming power based on weather information.

12. The control device according to claim 1,

wherein the power control target is a vending machine,

the control device further comprises a commodity information acquisition unit configured to acquire commodity information indicating a fluctuation in the number of sales of commodities or in inventory quantity for each time period in the vending machine, and

the control unit is further configured to control the operation of the power control target based on the fluctuation in the number of sales of commodities or in inventory quantity.

13. The control device according to claim 1,

wherein the power control target has a temperature adjustment function, and

the control unit is configured to control operation of the temperature adjustment function of the power control target.

14. The control device according to claim 1,

wherein the power control target includes a storage battery or a power generator, and

the control unit is configured to control operation of the storage battery or the power generator.

15. The control device according to claim 2,

wherein the electric energy meter includes a power switching device which is configured to switch, to power supplied from the plurality of power supply sources, power supplied to the power control target, and

the power switching instruction unit is configured to instruct the power switching device to switch, to power supplied from the selected power supply source, power supplied to the power control target.

16. A control method performed by a control device to control a power control target, the method comprising:

performing wireless communication with an electric energy meter having a function for performing wireless communication;

performing wireless communication with at least one power supply source via a communication module including a communication unit, the communication module being incorporated in the power control target and the electric energy meter being provided outside the power control target;

receiving power consumption information of the power control target from the electric energy meter by using the communication unit;

acquiring demand control information from the at least one power supply source by using the communication unit; and

controlling operation of the power control target based on the power consumption information and the demand control information.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to execute a method for controlling a power control target, comprising:

performing wireless communication with an electric energy meter having a function for performing wireless communication;

performing wireless communication with at least one power supply source via a communication module including a communication unit, the communication module being incorporated in the power control target and the electric energy meter being provided outside the power control target;

receiving power consumption information of the power control target from the electric energy meter by using the communication unit;

acquiring demand control information from the at least one power supply source by using the communication unit; and

controlling operation of the power control target based on the power consumption information and the demand control information.