POWER CONTROL UNIT

• US 20130024045A1
• Filed: 07/19/2012
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Appliances Incorporated (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Consumer Electronics Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Mayuko, Fujiwara, Takayuki
• Application Number:
  US13/553,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20130024045A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/297
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/20 The dispersed energy generation being of renewable origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/40 wherein a plurality of decentralised, dispersed or local energy generation technologies are operated simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/004 Generation forecast, e.g. methods or systems for forecasting future energy generation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/46 Controlling of the sharing of output between the generators, converters, or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/32 for charging batteries from a charging set comprising a non-electric prime mover rotating at constant speed
• 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 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/123 the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/221 General power management systems
• 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 weather information database stores weather information acquired from a weather information provider. A power generation unit selection unit selects a power generation unit with a high generating efficiency from a plurality of power generation units having different power generation schemes, in accordance with the current weather condition. A power generation electric energy database stores the power generation electric energy of a power generation unit, while an electric energy consumption database stores the electric energy consumption of a plurality of electrical appliances. A power transmission destination selection unit selects an electrical appliance whose electric energy consumption is lower than the generated energy from the plurality of electrical appliances, when the past generated energy in the current time zone is lower than the past total electric power consumption, and transmits electric power thereto.

Claims

1. A power control unit which supplies electric power to an electrical appliance from a plurality of power generation units having different power generation schemes, comprising:

an information management unit which acquires weather information from a weather information provider;

a weather information database which stores the acquired weather information; and

a power generation unit selection unit which selects a power generation unit to be operated, by referring to the weather information database,

wherein the power generation unit selection unit selects a power generation unit with a high generating efficiency, of the plurality of power generation units in accordance with a current weather condition.

2. A power control unit which supplies electric power to a plurality of electrical appliances from a power generation unit, comprising:

an information management unit which acquires information regarding power generation electric energy of the power generation unit and electric power consumption of the plurality of electrical appliances;

a power generation electric energy database which stores the acquired power generation electric energy;

an electric power consumption database which stores the acquired electric power consumption; and

a power transmission destination selection unit which selects an electrical appliance to which power generated by the power generation unit is transmitted, by referring to the power generation electric energy database and the electric power consumption database,

wherein the power transmission destination selection unit selects an electrical appliance whose electric power consumption is less than the power generation electric energy, of the plurality of electrical appliances, when past power generation electric energy in a current time zone is lower than past total electric power consumption.

3. A power control unit which charges a charging unit with electric power generated by a power generation unit and supplies electric power to a plurality of electrical appliances, comprising:

a charging unit management unit which controls a charging operation for the charging unit from the power generation unit, and measures charged electric energy of the charging unit;

an information management unit which acquires information regarding electric energy consumption of the plurality of electrical appliances;

an electric energy consumption database which stores the acquired electric energy consumption; and

a power transmission destination selection unit which selects an electrical appliance which transmits charged electric power of the charging unit, by referring to the electric energy consumption database,

wherein the power transmission destination selection unit selects an electrical appliance whose electric energy consumption is less than the charged electric energy, from the plurality of electrical appliances, when current charged electric energy is lower than past total electric energy consumption in a current time zone.

4. The power control unit according to claim 3, wherein

the charging unit management unit continues a charging operation from the charging unit, until the charged electric energy of the charging unit reaches a predetermined threshold value.

5. A power control unit which charges a charging unit with generated power from a piezoelectric generation unit which generates electric power using step pressure of a passenger, comprising:

a piezoelectric generation control unit which controls the piezoelectric generation unit and measures power generation electric energy;

a piezoelectric generation database which stores the measured power generation electric energy; and

a charging unit management unit which controls a charging operation for the charging unit from the piezoelectric generation unit,

wherein the piezoelectric generation control unit sets a time zone in which power generation electric energy is equal to or greater than a reference value for charging, by referring to the piezoelectric generation database, and

wherein the charging unit management unit executes a charging operation for the charging unit from the piezoelectric generation unit, in the set time zone.