SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY TO DEVICES

• US 20120205975A1
• Filed: 08/30/2010
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takehara, Kiyotaka, Yanagi, Yasuhiro, Takamiya, Akiko
• Granted Patent: US 9,360,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/23
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/189 Power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/0075 for providing alternative feeding paths between load and source according to economic or energy efficiency considerations, e.g. economic dispatch
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances

Abstract

A system for controlling an electric power supply to devices is provided. The system includes a plurality of power supply sources, devices operated by an electric power, and a control part that determines the power supply source to be used for supplying the electric power to the devices. Further, the control part controls the amount of electric power to be supplied to the devices by the determined power supply source.

Claims

1. A system for controlling an electric power supply to devices comprising:

a plurality of power supply sources;

one or more devices which is driven by an electric power; and

a control part which determines a power supply source for each of the devices and controls an amount of the power to be supplied to the devices based on the determined power supply source.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the power supply sources includes a commercial power source, a distributed power source, and a secondary battery which is charged by at least one of the commercial power source and the distributed power source, the devices being driven by the power supplied from the power supply sources,

wherein the control part includes:

a power distribution control unit which performs a power distribution control by determining a power supply source for each of the devices based on at least one of an amount of the power supplied from the power supply sources and an amount of the power demanded by the devices and switching the power supply sources based on a result of the determination; and

a power saving control unit which performs a power saving control in accordance with the power supply source determined by the power distribution control unit, so that a power consumption of the corresponding device can be reduced.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the power distribution control unit performs one of power distribution control modes in which the power is supplied to the devices from the different power supply sources;

and

the power saving control unit performs one of power saving control patterns having different power consumptions, based on the power distribution control mode performed by the power distribution control unit.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the power distribution control unit performs one of the power distribution control modes comprising a mode using the commercial power source and a mode using a power supply source other than the commercial power source,

wherein, when the power distribution control unit operates in the mode using the power supply source including the commercial power source, the power saving control unit reduces the power consumption by a large amount, compared to when the power distribution control unit operates in the mode using the power supply source other than the commercial power source.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the distributed power source includes solar cells,

wherein the power distribution control unit performs one of the power distribution control modes comprising a mode using only the solar cells, a mode using the solar cells and the secondary battery, and the mode using the commercial power source;

and

the power saving control unit reduces the power consumption by a larger amount when the power distribution control unit operates in the mode using the power supply source including the commercial power source, than when the power distribution control unit operates in the mode using the solar cells and the secondary battery, and reduces the power consumption by a larger amount when the power distribution control unit operates in the mode using the solar cells and the secondary battery, than when the power distribution control unit operates in the mode using only the solar cells.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the power distribution control unit performs one of the power distribution control modes including a first mode using only the solar cells, a second mode using the solar cells and the secondary battery, a third mode using the solar cells, the secondary battery and the commercial power source, a fourth mode using the solar cells and the commercial power source, and a fifth mode using only the commercial power source;

and

the power saving control unit does not perform the power saving control when the power distribution control unit operates in the first mode, sets an amount of a reduction in the power consumption to a maximum value when the power distribution control unit operates in the fifth mode, and sets an amount of the reduction in the power consumption to a value larger than 0 and smaller than the maximum value when the power distribution control unit operates in the second, third or fourth mode.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the control part further includes a manipulation unit for allowing a user to set one of the power saving control patterns to be performed by the power saving control unit;

and

the power saving control unit sets the power saving control pattern in association with each of the power distribution control modes of the power distribution control unit, based on the intensity of the power saving control set by the user.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the commercial power source has unit electricity prices varying depending on time zones;

and, when the power distribution control unit operates in a mode using the commercial power source, the power saving control unit changes the power saving control pattern to be performed based on the unit electricity price of the commercial power source at current time zone.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the power saving control unit changes the power consumption to be reduced by the power saving control, before the power supply sources are switched.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the control part further includes a manipulation unit for allowing a user to set one of the power saving control patterns to be performed by the power saving control unit;

and

the power saving control unit sets the power saving control pattern in association with each of the power distribution control modes of the power distribution control unit, based on the intensity of the power saving control set by the user.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the commercial power source has unit electricity prices varying depending on time zones;

and, when the power distribution control unit operates in a mode using the commercial power source, the power saving control unit changes the power saving control pattern to be performed based on the unit electricity price of the commercial power source at current time zone.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the power saving control unit changes the power consumption to be reduced by the power saving control, before the power supply sources are switched.