CONTROL DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD

• US 20130289773A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: WAKI, Yuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,600,016 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 5/00 Systems for regulating electric variables by detecting deviations in the electric input to the system and thereby controlling a device within the system to obtain a regulated output

Abstract

A control device includes: a receiving unit that receives a control request signal indicating a request for controlling a total consumed power amount during a predetermined period to be equal to or lower than a predetermined limit; an obtainment unit that obtains a consumed power consumption amount; and a control unit that controls the apparatus to operate according to the control request signal and control the total power amount to be equal to or lower than the predetermined limit. The control unit determines a first time in the predetermined period based on the power consumption amount obtained by the obtainment unit, controls the apparatus to operate during a first period up to the first time with power higher than average power, and controls the apparatus to operate during a second period from the first time with power lower than the average power.

Claims

1. A control device comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive a control request signal, the control request signal indicating a request for controlling a total power amount consumed by an apparatus during a predetermined period to be equal to or lower than a predetermined limit;

an obtainment unit configured to obtain a power consumption amount consumed by the apparatus; and

a control unit configured to control the apparatus to operate according to the control request signal received by the receiving unit, and control the total power amount consumed by the apparatus during the predetermined period to be equal to or lower than the predetermined limit,

wherein the control unit is configured to;

determine a first time in the predetermined period, based on the power consumption amount obtained by the obtainment unit;

control the apparatus to operate during a first period from a start of the predetermined period to the first time with power higher than average power calculated based on the predetermined limit and the predetermined period; and

control the apparatus to operate during a second period from the first time to end of the predetermined period with power lower than the average power.

2. The control device according to claim 1

wherein the control unit is configured to control the apparatus that is an air conditioner to operate to control the total power amount consumed by the apparatus during the predetermined period to be equal to or lower than the predetermined limit.

3. The control device according to claim 2,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the apparatus to operate during the second period with power that is equal to or lower than an upper limit, the upper limit being power for keeping a room air temperature in a predetermined range, the upper limit being power lower than the average power.

4. The control device according to claim 2,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the apparatus to operate during the second period with power that is equal to or lower than an upper limit, the upper limit being power for keeping a room air temperature to be equal to or lower than a room air temperature at the first time, the upper limit being power lower than the average power.

5. The control device according to claim 2,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the apparatus to operate during the second period with power that is equal to or lower than an upper limit, the upper limit being power for keeping a room air temperature to be equal to or higher than a room air temperature at the first time, and the upper limit being power lower than the average power.

6. The control device according to claim 3,

wherein the obtainment unit is configured to further obtain an outside air temperature and a room air temperature, and

the control unit is configured to calculate the upper limit according to the outside air temperature and the room air temperature, and control the apparatus to operate during the second period with power equal to or lower then the upper limit.

7. The control device according to claim 6,

wherein the control unit is configured to multiply (a) a temperature difference between the outside air temperature and the room air temperature by (b) a numeric value obtained from rated power consumption of the apparatus to obtain the upper limit.

8. The control device according to claim 6,

wherein the obtainment unit is configured to:

obtain the outside air temperature as a first outside air temperature and obtain the room air temperature as a first room air temperature; and

obtain a second outside air temperature in a stable state where a room air temperature is kept constant, a second room air temperature in the stable state, and a power consumption amount per unit time in the stable state, from a storage unit holding a plurality of outside air temperatures at past times, room air temperatures at the past times, and power consumption amounts per unit time at the past times, and

the control unit is configured to multiply (a) a ratio of (a-1) a temperature difference between the first outside air temperature and the first room air temperature to (a-2) a temperature difference between the second outside air temperature and the second room air temperature by (b) the power consumption amount per the unit time in the stable state to obtain the upper limit.

9. The control device according to claim 3,

wherein the obtainment unit is configured to obtain a power consumption amount during an operation period from start of the predetermined period to a current time, as the power consumption amount consumed by the apparatus,

wherein the control unit is configured to:

calculate a power consumption amount consumed by the apparatus during a remaining period from the current time to end of the predetermined time, when the apparatus operates during the remaining period with power equal to the upper limit; and

determine whether or not a sum of (a) the power consumption amount during the operating period and (b) the power consumption amount during the remaining period is equal to the predetermined limit, and if the sum is equal to the predetermined limit, determine the current time as the first time.

10. The control device according to claim 3,

wherein the obtainment unit is configured to obtain, as the power consumption amount consumed by the apparatus, a power consumption amount prior to the predetermined period from a storage unit holding the power consumption amount prior to the predetermined period,

the control unit is configured to:

estimate a power consumption amount consumed by the apparatus during an estimated target period from start of the predetermined period to a second time, according to the power consumption amount obtained by the obtainment unit;

calculate a power consumption amount consumed by the apparatus during a remaining period from the second time to the end of the predetermined time, when the apparatus operates during the remaining period with power equal to the upper limit; and

determine whether or not a sum of (a) the power consumption amount during the estimated target period and (b) the power consumption amount during the remaining period satisfies conditions determined according to the predetermined limit, and if the sum satisfies the conditions, decide the second time as the first time.

11. The control device according to claim 8,

wherein the obtainment unit is configured to:

obtain, from the storage unit, a power consumption amount per unit time in a fluctuating state different from the stable state, as the power consumption amount consumed by the apparatus; and

further obtain a third outside air temperature in the fluctuating state and a third room air temperature in the fluctuating state from the storage unit, and

the control unit is configured to;

multiply (a) a ratio of (a-1) a temperature difference between the first outside air temperature and the first room air temperature to (a-2) a temperature difference between the third outside air temperature and the third room air temperature by (b) the power consumption amount per the unit time in the fluctuating state, to estimate a power consumption amount consumed by the apparatus during an estimated target period from start of the predetermined period to the second time;

calculate a power consumption amount consumed by the apparatus during a remaining period from the second time to end of the predetermined time, when the apparatus operates during the remaining period with power equal to the upper limit; and

determine whether or not a sum of (a) the power consumption amount during the estimated target period and (b) the power consumption amount during the remaining period satisfies conditions determined according to the predetermined limit, and if the sum satisfies the conditions, decide the second time as the first time.

12. The control device according to claim 11,

wherein the obtainment unit is configured to obtain a fourth room air temperature after the fluctuating state from the storage unit,

the control unit is configured to:

estimate a room air temperature at the second time as the first room air temperature used to calculate the upper limit, according to the fourth room air temperature;

the control unit is configured to multiply (a) a ratio of (a-1) the temperature difference between the first outside air temperature and the first room air temperature to (a-2) the temperature difference between the second outside air temperature and the second room air temperature by (b) the power consumption amount per the unit time in the stable state to obtain the upper limit; and

calculate the power consumption amount consumed by the apparatus during the remaining period, when the apparatus operates during the remaining period with power equal to the upper limit.

13. The control device according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to:

control the apparatus to operate during the first period, by increasing power consumed by the apparatus to be higher than the average power; and

control the apparatus to operate during the second period, by decreasing the power consumed by the apparatus from the power higher than the average power to power lower than the average power.

14. The control device according to claim 1,

wherein the obtainment unit is configured to obtain, as the power consumption amount consumed by the apparatus, one of (a) power consumption that is a power consumption amount per unit time consumed by the apparatus at presence or in past, (b) a power consumption amount consumed by the apparatus up to the current time, and (c) a power consumption consumed by the apparatus up to a past time.

15. The control device according to claim 1,

wherein the control device is included in the apparatus.

16. The control device according to claim 1,

wherein the receiving unit is configured to receive the control request signal indicating a request for restricting the total power consumption consumed by a plurality of apparatuses each of which is the apparatus during the predetermined period, to be equal to or lower than the predetermined limit,

the obtainment unit is configured to obtain the power consumption amount consumed by the plurality of apparatuses, and

the control unit is configured to:

control the plurality of apparatuses to operate during the first period with power higher than the average power; and

control the plurality of apparatuses to operate during the second period with power lower than the average power.

17. A control method comprising:

receiving a control request signal, the control request signal indicating a request for controlling a total power amount consumed by an apparatus during a predetermined period to be equal to or lower than a predetermined limit;

obtaining a power consumption amount consumed by the apparatus; and

controlling the apparatus to operate according to the received control request signal, and control the total power amount consumed by the apparatus during the predetermined period to be equal to or lower than the predetermined limit,

wherein the controlling includes;

determining a first time in the predetermined period, based on the obtained power consumption amount;

controlling the apparatus to operate during a first period from a start of the predetermined period to the first time with power higher than average power calculated based on the predetermined limit and the predetermined period; and

controlling the apparatus to operate during a second period from the first time to end of the predetermined period with power lower than the average power.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium on which a program for causing a computer to execute the control method according to claim 17 is recorded.

19. An integrated circuit comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive a control request signal, the control request signal indicating a request for controlling a total power amount consumed by an apparatus during a predetermined period to be equal to or lower than a predetermined limit;

an obtainment unit configured to obtain a power consumption amount consumed by the apparatus; and

a control unit configured to control the apparatus to operate according to the control request signal received by the receiving unit, and control the total power amount consumed by the apparatus during the predetermined period to be equal to or lower than the predetermined limit,

wherein the control unit is configured to;

determine a first time in the predetermined period, based on the power consumption amount obtained by the obtainment unit;

controlling the apparatus to operate during a first period from a start of the predetermined period to the first time with power higher than average power calculated based on the predetermined limit and the predetermined period; and

controlling the apparatus to operate during a second period from the first time to end of the predetermined period with power lower than the average power.