POWER ELECTRONICS DEVICE, POWER CONNECTION INSPECTION METHOD AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM

• US 20140288719A1
• Filed: 03/06/2014
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishibayashi, Yasuyuki, Teramoto, Keiichi, Yonezawa, Yuki, Ise, Kotaro, Aoyama, Ikuya, Kanayama, Fumiaki
• Application Number:
  US14/199,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20140288719A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/10 Batteries in stationary systems, e.g. emergency power source in plant
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/20 The dispersed energy generation being of renewable origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/32 using batteries with converting means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/123 the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/14 Energy storage units
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

According to one embodiment, there is provided a power electronics device including: a connection unit connected to a first power line; a communication unit; at least one unit of an electricity change unit and an electricity detection unit; and a control unit. The communication unit performs communication with other power electronics devices. The electricity change unit changes an energization state of the first power line and the electricity detection unit detects a change in the energization state of the first power line. The control unit specifies a power electronics device connected to the first power line out of the other power electronics devices using the communication unit and said at least one unit of the electricity change unit and the electricity detection unit.

Claims

1. A power electronics device comprising:

a connection unit connected to a first power line;

a communication unit performing communication with other power electronics devices;

at least one unit of an electricity change unit changing an energization state of the first power line and an electricity detection unit detecting a change in the energization state of the first power line; and

a control unit specifying a power electronics device connected to the first power line out of the other power electronics devices using the communication unit and said at least one unit of the electricity change unit and the electricity detection unit.

2. The power electronics device according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit performs communication with the other power electronics devices using a communication medium different from the first power line.

3. The power electronics device according to claim 1, wherein:

the electricity change unit changes the first power line from non-conductive state to a conductive state or changes a characteristic of an electrical signal in the first power line, as the change in the energization state; and

the electricity detection unit detects the change in the first power line from the non-conductive state to the conductive state or the change in the characteristic of the electrical signal in the first power line, as the change in the energization state.

4. The power electronics device according to claim 1, wherein:

the communication unit receives a notice from a first power electronics device that is one of the other power electronics devices that a energization state of a power line connected to the first power electronics device is to be changed, or performs communication to build a consensus with the first power electronics device that the energization state of the power line is to be changed by the first power electronics device; and

the control unit decides whether the first power electronics device is connected to the first power line, depending on whether the electricity detection unit detects the change in the energization state of the first power line after the communication unit receives the notice or builds the consensus.

5. The power electronics device according to claim 1, wherein:

the communication unit transmits a request to a first power electronics device that is one of the other power electronics devices so as to change an energization state of a power line connected to the first power electronics device; and

the control unit decides whether the first power electronics device is connected to the first power line, depending on whether the electricity detection unit detects the change in the energization state of the first power line after the communication unit transmits the request.

6. The power electronics device according to claim 1, wherein:

the communication unit transmits a notification to the other power electronics devices that the energization state of the first power line is to be changed;

the electricity change unit changes the energization state of the first power line concurrently with or after the transmission of the notification by the communication unit; and

the control unit decides that a first power electronics device that is one of the other power electronics devices is connected to the first power line in a case where detection of the change in the energization state is reported from the first power electronics device.

7. The power electronics device according to claim 1, wherein:

the electricity detection unit detects the change in the energization state of the first power line; and

the control unit decides that a first power electronics device that is one of the other power electronics devices is connected to the first power line in a case where the communication unit receives a notification of having changed the energization state from the first power electronics device after the electricity detection unit detects the change in the energization state.

8. The power electronics device according to claim 1, wherein:

the electricity change unit changes the energization state of the first power line;

the communication unit transmits a notification of having changed the energization state to the other power electronics devices after the electricity change unit changes the energization state; and

the control unit decides that a first power electronics device that is one of the other power electronics devices is connected to the first power line in a case where detection of the change in the energization state is reported from the first power electronics device.

9. The power electronics device according to claim 1, wherein, when it is decided that a first power electronics device that is one of the other power electronics devices is connected to the first power line, the communication unit transmits power connection information that the first power electronics device is connected to the first power line, to at least one of the other power electronics devices.

10. A power electronics device comprising:

a connection unit connected to a first power line;

a communication unit performing communication with other power electronics devices; and

a control unit, wherein;

the communication unit receives power source information on power lines connected to the other power electronics devices, from the other power electronics devices; and

the control unit decides whether the other power electronics devices each are connected to the first power line, based on the power source information received from the other power electronics devices and power source information on the first power line.

11. The power electronics device according to claim 10, wherein the communication unit performs communication with the other power electronics devices using a communication medium different from the first power line.

12. A power connection inspection method performed in a power electronics device connected to a first power line, comprising:

performing communication with other power electronics devices;

performing at least one of changing an energization state of the first power line and detecting a change in the energization state of the first power line; and

specifying a power electronics device connected to the first power line out of the other power electronics devices based on the communication and said at least one of changing the energization state and detecting the change in the energization state.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the communication is performed using a communication medium different from the first power line.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions stored therein, which cause, when executed by a processor in a power electronics device connected to a first power line, to execute steps comprising:

performing communication with other power electronics devices;

performing at least one of changing an energization state of the first power line and detecting a change in the energization state of the first power line; and

specifying a power electronics device connected to the first power line out of the other power electronics devices based on the communication and said at least one of changing the energization state and detecting the change in the energization state.

15. The medium according to claim 14, wherein the communication is performed using a communication medium different from the first power line.