Energy Consumption Monitoring System, Method, and Computer Program

• US 20130314073A1
• Filed: 01/18/2012
• Published: 11/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kazuaki Nebu
• Original Assignee: Kazuaki Nebu
• Inventors: Nebu, Kazuaki
• Granted Patent: US 9,267,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/103.R
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/00 Arrangements for measuring electric power or power factor G01R7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/70 Load identification
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• 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: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances

Abstract

The monitoring device includes: a load specifying information storage unit which stores, for each type of the load, information including typical energy consumption and a usage time slot of the load; and a recommended consumption information storage unit which stores recommended consumption of energy for each type of the load. Once consumption information is received from the measurement instrument, a load specification unit refers to the load specifying information storage unit and specifies a type of the load used. Then, a determination processing unit refers to the recommended consumption information storage unit and determines whether or not the energy consumption of the load falls within a range of the recommended consumption. An instruction to transmit a report signal is given to the measurement instrument when it is determined as a result of the determination that the energy consumption of the load exceeds the range of the recommended consumption.

Claims

1. An energy consumption monitoring system which monitors energy consumption by a load, comprising:

a measurement instrument which measures an amount of energy supply for each supply line supplying energy to a plurality of loads as energy consumption of the supply line; and

a monitoring device which collects information pertaining to the energy consumption measured, the measurement instrument and the monitoring device being configured to be able to communicate via a network, wherein

the measurement instrument includes;

measurement means which chronologically measures energy consumption of the each supply line;

first consumption information transmission means which transmits consumption information pertaining to the measured energy consumption to the monitoring device;

report instruction reception means which receives, from the monitoring device, an instruction to transmit a report signal in a case where the energy consumption by the load exceeds preset recommended consumption, the report signal reporting the case; and

report signal transmission means which transmits the report signal on the basis of the instruction received, and

the monitoring device includes;

load specifying information storage means which stores each type of the load in association with load specification information including typical energy consumption of the load and a typical usage time slot of the load;

recommended consumption information storage means which stores recommended consumption information pertaining to recommended consumption of energy for the each type of the load;

consumption information reception means which receives the consumption information from the measurement instrument;

load specification means which refers to the load specifying information storage means and specifies a type of the load used on the basis of the consumption information;

determination processing means which refers to the recommended consumption information storage means and determines whether or not the energy consumption by the load specified falls within a range of the recommended consumption pertaining to the recommended consumption information; and

report instruction transmission means which transmits an instruction to transmit the report signal to the measurement instrument when it is determined as a result of the determination process that the energy consumption pertaining to the consumption information exceeds the range of the recommended consumption pertaining to the recommended consumption information.

2. The energy consumption monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring device further comprises:

advertisement information storage means which stores advertisement information of a load that operates with the recommended consumption of energy for the each type of the load; and

advertisement information extraction means which refers to the advertisement information storage means and extracts advertisement information stored in association with the type of the load specified, when it is determined as a result of the determination process that the energy consumption by the load specified exceeds the range of the recommended consumption.

3. The energy consumption monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein

the first consumption information transmission means of the measurement instrument transmits to the monitoring device the consumption information pertaining to the measured energy consumption along with supply line identification information identifying the supply line,

the monitoring device further comprises:

corresponding information storage means which stores the supply line identification information in association with section identification information identifying a section in which the load is installed; and

section specification means which refers to the corresponding information storage means and specifies the section identification information stored in association with the supply line identification information received from the measurement instrument,

the consumption information reception means receives the consumption information along with the supply line identification information from the measurement instrument,

the load specifying information storage means stores, for the each section identification information, a type of the load installed in the section pertaining to the section identification information in association with load specification information including typical energy consumption of the load and a typical usage time slot of the load, and

the load specification means refers to the load specifying information storage means and specifies the type of the load used on the basis of the section identification information specified and the consumption information.

4. The energy consumption monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein

the system is configured to be able to further communicate with a customer terminal used by a customer who uses the load via the network, and

the monitoring device further comprises second consumption information transmission means which transmits, to the customer terminal, information pertaining to the energy consumption of the each load specified on the basis of the consumption information received by the consumption information reception means and the information pertaining to the type of the load specified by the load specification means.

5. A method of monitoring energy consumption by a computer which is configured to be able to communicate with a measurement instrument via a network, wherein

the measurement instrument includes:

measurement means which chronologically measures an amount of energy supply for each supply line supplying energy to a plurality of loads as energy consumption of the supply line;

consumption information transmission means which transmits consumption information pertaining to the energy consumption measured to a monitoring device which collects information pertaining to the energy consumption measured;

report instruction reception means which receives, from the monitoring device, an instruction to transmit a report signal in a case where the energy consumption by the load exceeds preset recommended consumption, the report signal reporting the case; and

report signal transmission means which transmits the report signal on the basis of the instruction received,

the computer includes;

load specifying information storage means which stores each type of the load in association with load specification information including typical energy consumption of the load and a typical usage time slot of the load; and

recommended consumption information storage means which stores recommended consumption information pertaining to recommended consumption of energy for the each type of the load, and

the method performs;

a process of receiving the consumption information from the measurement instrument;

a process of referring to the load specifying information storage means and specifying a type of the load used on the basis of the consumption information;

a process of referring to the recommended consumption information storage means and determining whether or not the energy consumption by the load specified falls within a range of the recommended consumption pertaining to the recommended consumption information; and

a process of transmitting the instruction to transmit the report signal to the measurement instrument when it is determined as a result of the determination process that the energy consumption pertaining to the consumption information exceeds the range of the recommended consumption pertaining to the recommended consumption information.

6. A computer program which allows a computer to function as a monitoring device monitoring energy consumption, wherein

the computer is configured to be able to communicate with a measurement instrument via a network, the measurement instrument including:

measurement means which chronologically measures an amount of energy supply for each supply line supplying energy to a plurality of loads as the energy consumption of the supply line;

consumption information transmission means which transmits consumption information pertaining to the energy consumption measured to a monitoring device which collects information pertaining to the energy consumption measured;

report instruction reception means which receives, from the monitoring device, an instruction to transmit a report signal in a case where the energy consumption by the load exceeds preset recommended consumption, the report signal reporting the case; and

report signal transmission means which transmits the report signal on the basis of the instruction received, and the computer including;

load specifying information storage means which stores each type of the load in association with load specification information including typical energy consumption of the load and a typical usage time slot of the load; and

recommended consumption information storage means which stores recommended consumption information pertaining to recommended consumption of energy for the each type of the load, and

the computer program causes the computer to perform;

a process of receiving the consumption information from the measurement instrument;

a process of referring to the load specifying information storage means and specifying a type of the load used on the basis of the consumption information;

a process of referring to the recommended consumption information storage means and determining whether or not the energy consumption by the load specified falls within a range of the recommended consumption pertaining to the recommended consumption information; and

a process of transmitting the instruction to transmit the report signal to the measurement instrument when it is determined as a result of the determination process that the energy consumption pertaining to the consumption information exceeds the range of the recommended consumption pertaining to the recommended consumption information.