ENERGY USAGE DISPLAY UNIT

• US 20080154546A1
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rinnai Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rinnai Corporation
• Inventors: Mori, Hiroaki, Kitagawa, Hideki, Kato, Keiji, Suzuki, Yukihiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,065,097 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/187
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2225/22 heat losses
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/203 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/144 Measuring or calculating energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/395 Information to users, e.g. alarms
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/414 using electronic processing, e.g. computer-based
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/486 using timers

Abstract

An energy usage display unit for displaying energy usage of gas used for a water heater, water used for the water heater or electricity used in housing where the water heater is set, comprising:

• • a clock section for having a clock and calendar function;
  • a counting section for counting usage of gas, water or electricity;
  • a memory section for storing a count value of usage counted by the counting section retroactive to past by a predetermined number with a predetermined time unit;
  • a counting control section for writing the count value of usage from the counting section to the memory section at predetermined time;
  • a display control section for reading one or both of the count value of the counting section and a stored value in the memory section to prepare display data of usage, in accordance with a period unit required by a user; and
  • a display section for displaying usage based on the display data prepared by the display control section.

Claims

1. An energy usage display unit for displaying energy usage of gas used for a water heater, water used for the water heater or electricity used in a housing where the water heater is set, comprising:

a clock section for having a clock and calendar function;

a counting section for counting usage of gas, water or electricity;

a memory section for storing a count value of usage counted by the counting section retroactive to past by a predetermined number with a predetermined time unit;

a counting control section for writing the count value of usage from the counting section to the memory section at predetermined time;

a display control section for reading one or both of the count value of the counting section and a stored value in the memory section to prepare display data of usage, in accordance with a period unit required by a user; and

a display section for displaying usage based on the display data prepared by the display control section.

2. The energy usage display unit according to claim 1, wherein

the counting section includes an hourly counting section for adding up usage of gas, water or electricity sent through the water heater,

the memory section includes an hourly memory for storing the count value of usage retroactive to past by a predetermined now number with an hour unit, and

the counting control section controls such that at 0 minute every hour, the count value of at the hourly counting section added up usage from previous 0 minute to current 0 minute is written in the hourly memory as usage for one hour.

3. The energy usage display unit according to claim 2, wherein

the counting section includes a daily counting section for counting usage from 0 o'"'"'clock to 24 o'"'"'clock as usage for one day,

the memory section includes a daily memory for storing one day count value of usage retroactive to past by a predetermined day number with a day unit,

the daily counting section counts, as one day usage of yesterday, the one day count value obtain by adding usage of one hour from 23:

00 to 24;

00 of yesterday counted by the hourly counting section to usage from 0;

00 to 23;

00 of yesterday stored in the hourly memory at 0 o'"'"'clock, and

the counting control section controls such that the one day count value counted by the daily counting section is written in the daily memory as the one day usage of yesterday at 0 o'"'"'clock.

4. The energy usage display unit according to claim 2, wherein

the counting section includes an daily counting section for counting usage from 0 o'"'"'clock to 24 o'"'"'clock as usage for one day,

the memory section includes a daily memory for storing one day count value of usage retroactive to past by a predetermined day number with a day unit,

the daily counting section counts, as one day usage of yesterday, stored values of usage of last 24 hours in the hourly memory at o'"'"'clock, and

the control section controls such that at the one day count value counted by the daily counting section is written in the daily memory as the one day usage of yesterday at 0 o'"'"'clock.

5. The energy usage display unit according to claim 3, wherein

the counting section includes a monthly counting section for counting usage from the first day to the last day of the month as usage of that one month,

the memory section includes a monthly memory for storing one month count value of usage retroactive to past by a predetermined month number with a month unit,

the monthly counting section counts, as one month usage of last one month, stored values from the first day to the last day of the last month in the daily memory at 0 o'"'"'clock of the first day of the month, and

the counting control section controls such that the one month count value counted by the monthly counting section is written in the monthly memory as the one month usage of last one month at 0 o'"'"'clock of the first day of the month.

6. The energy usage display unit according to claim 1,

further comprising a past comparison display selecting section for selecting a comparison display between a current usage and a past usage in a comparison period, wherein

the display control section controls such that the count value of the counting section and the stored value of the memory section are read out and added to prepare the display data for displaying comparison the current usage with the past usage in the comparison period.

7. The energy usage display unit according to claim 1,

further comprising target value setting means for setting a target value, and

a target value comparison display selecting section for selecting a comparison display between a current usage and the target value in a comparison period, wherein

the display control section controls such that the count value of the counting section, or the count value of the counting section and the stored value of the memory section are read out and added to prepare the display data for displaying comparison the current usage with the target value in the comparison period.

8. The energy usage display unit according to claim 1,

further comprising a list display selecting section for selecting a list display of usage, wherein

the display control section controls such that the count value of the counting section and the stored value of the memory section are read and added to prepare the display data for displaying a current usage with a fixed time unit in chronological order.

9. The energy usage display unit according to claim 4, wherein

the counting section includes a monthly counting section for counting usage from the first day to the last day of the month as usage of that one month,

the memory section includes a monthly memory for storing one month count value of usage retroactive to past by a predetermined month number with a month unit,

the monthly counting section counts, as one month usage of last one month, stored values from the first day to the last day of the last month in the daily memory at 0 o'"'"'clock of the first day of the month, and

the counting control section controls such that the one month count value counted by the monthly counting section is written in the monthly memory as the one month usage of last one month at 0 o'"'"'clock of the first day of the month.

10. The energy usage display unit according to claim 2,

further comprising a past comparison display selecting section for selecting a comparison display between a current usage and a past usage in a comparison period, wherein

the display control section controls such that the count value of the counting section and the stored value of the memory section are read out and added to prepare the display data for displaying comparison the current usage with the past usage in the comparison period.

11. The energy usage display unit according to claim 2,

further comprising target value setting means for setting a target value, and

a target value comparison display selecting section for selecting a comparison display between a current usage and the target value in a comparison period, wherein

the display control section controls such that the count value of the counting section, or the count value of the counting section and the stored value of the memory section are read out and added to prepare the display data for displaying comparison the current usage with the target value in the comparison period.

12. The energy usage display unit according to claim 4, wherein

the counting section includes a monthly counting section for counting usage from the first day to the last day of the month as usage of that one month,

the memory section includes a monthly memory for storing one month count value of usage retroactive to past by a predetermined month number with a month unit,

the monthly counting section counts, as one month usage of last one month, stored values from the first day to the last day of the last month in the daily memory at 0 o'"'"'clock of the first day of the month, and

the counting control section controls such that the one month count value counted by the monthly counting section is written in the monthly memory as the one month usage of last one month at 0 o'"'"'clock of the first day of the month.

13. The energy usage display unit according to claim 2,

further comprising a past comparison display selecting section for selecting a comparison display between a current usage and a past usage in a comparison period, wherein

the display control section controls such that the count value of the counting section and the stored value of the memory section are read out and added to prepare the display data for displaying comparison the current usage with the past usage in the comparison period.

14. The energy usage display unit according to claim 2,

further comprising target value setting means for setting a target value, and

a target value comparison display selecting section for selecting a comparison display between a current usage and the target value in a comparison period, wherein

the display control section controls such that the count value of the counting section, or the count value of the counting section and the stored value of the memory section are read out and added to prepare the display data for displaying comparison the current usage with the target value in the comparison period.