SMOOTHING DEVICE, SMOOTHING SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT

• US 20130173066A1
• Filed: 12/17/2012
• Published: 07/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kaneko, Yu, Matsuzawa, Shigeo
• Granted Patent: US 9,250,617 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a smoothing device includes an acquiring unit, a determining unit, and selecting unit. The acquiring unit acquires weather information of a plurality of operation areas. A facility device that performs environmental control according to a control value resulting from operation based on the weather information is installed in each of the operation areas. The determining unit determines whether or not an amount of change in weather exceeds a predetermined first threshold in each of the operation areas. The selecting unit selects at least one first operation area that is an operation area in which the amount of change exceeds the first threshold as a halt area for which the operation of the control value used by the facility device installed in the first operation area is halted when the number of first operation areas exceeds a predetermined second threshold.

Claims

1. A smoothing device comprising:

an acquiring unit configured to acquire weather information of a plurality of operation areas, a facility device that performs environmental control according to a control value resulting from operation based on the weather information being installed in each of the operation areas;

a determining unit configured to determine whether or not an amount of change in weather exceeds a predetermined first threshold in each of the operation areas; and

a selecting unit configured to select at least one first operation area that is an operation area in which the amount of change exceeds the first threshold as a halt area for which the operation of the control value used by the facility device installed in the first operation area is halted when the number of first operation areas exceeds a predetermined second threshold.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a distributing unit configured to distribute the weather information to be used for operation of control value each used by the facility device installed in each of operation executing areas resulting from excluding the halt area from the operation areas to executing devices that execute the operation.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the selecting unit selects halt areas such that halt rates of halting operation become equal among the operation areas.

4. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a first storage unit configured to store in advance identification information for identifying each of the operation areas and classification information of classification of the operation areas into predetermined categories in association with one another, wherein

the selecting unit selects halt areas so that halt rates of halting operation become equal among the categories.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the selecting unit selects as the halt area the first operation area different from the operation area previously selected as the halt area among the first operation areas.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the selecting unit selects at least one of the first operation areas as the halt area in ascending order of a halt rate of halting the operation among the first operation areas.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the selecting unit selects at least one of the first operation areas as the halt area in ascending order of power consumption of the facility device installed therein among the first operation areas.

8. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium containing a smoothing program executed by a computer, the program causing the computer to execute:

acquiring weather information of a plurality of operation areas, a facility device that performs environmental control according to a control value resulting from operation based on the weather information being installed in each of the operation areas;

determining whether or not an amount of change in weather exceeds a predetermined first threshold in each of the operation areas; and

selecting at least one first operation area that is an operation area in which the amount of change exceeds the first threshold as a halt area for which the operation of the control value used by the facility device installed in the first operation area is halted when the number of first operation areas exceeds a predetermined second threshold.

9. A smoothing system comprising:

a smoothing device;

executing devices connected to the smoothing device; and

facility devices connected to the executing devices, wherein

the smoothing device includes

an acquiring unit configured to acquire weather information of a plurality of operation areas in which the facility devices that perform environmental control according to control values resulting from operation based on the weather information are installed;

a determining unit configured to determine whether or not an amount of change in weather exceeds a predetermined first threshold in each of the operation areas;

a selecting unit configured to select at least one first operation area that is an operation area in which the amount of change exceeds the first threshold as a halt area for which the operation of the control value used by the facility device installed in the first operation area is halted when the number of first operation areas exceeds a predetermined second threshold; and

a distributing unit configured to distribute weather information to be used for operation of control values used by the facility devices installed in operation executing areas resulting from excluding the halt area from the operation areas to the executing devices that execute the operation,

the executing devices execute the operation on the basis of the weather information and calculate the control values to be used by the facility devices installed in the operation executing areas, and

the facility devices control environment of the operation areas in which the facility devices are installed according to the control values.