Slave suitable for energy management systems and energy management system

• US 9,518,838 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2013
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Shinji, Koyama, Masaki, Sasaki, Takayuki, Mizuta, Tomoaki, Furuya, Tomohide, Kuniyoshi, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eustaquio, Cal
• Application Number:
  US14/377,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20150345986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5433 Remote metering
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/546 Combination of signalling, telemetering, protection circuits for remote indication of supply or distribution network condition H02J13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/30 using a wired architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/70 Arrangements in the main station, i.e. central controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/82 where the sensing device takes the initiative of sending data
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/88 Providing power supply at the sub-station
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

The slave is used in an energy management system for collecting meter-reading data from an energy meter for measuring an amount of electric energy supplied from a power source to a predetermined place through a distribution line. The slave includes: a first interface unit configured to communicate with an upper device; a second interface unit configured to communicate with an electric appliance installed in the predetermined place; and a third interface unit configured to perform first wireless communication using an electric wave with a communication terminal. One of the first interface unit and the second interface unit is a wired communication unit configured to perform power line communication using the distribution line, and the other of the first interface unit and the second interface unit is a wireless communication unit configured to perform second wireless communication using an electric wave.

Claims

1. A slave suitable for energy management systems for collecting, from an energy meter for measuring an amount of electric energy supplied from a power source to a predetermined place through a distribution line, meter-reading data containing the amount of electric energy,

the slave comprising:

a first interface unit configured to communicate with an upper device;

a second interface unit configured to communicate with an electric appliance installed in the predetermined place;

a third interface unit configured to perform first wireless communication using an electric wave with a communication terminal; and

a controller having;

a function of obtaining the meter-reading data from the energy meter;

a function of controlling the first interface unit to send the meter-reading data to the upper device; and

a function of controlling the third interface unit to send the meter-reading data to the communication terminal,

one of the first interface unit and the second interface unit being a wired communication unit configured to perform power line communication using the distribution line, and

the other of the first interface unit and the second interface unit being a wireless communication unit configured to perform second wireless communication using an electric wave,

wherein the controller includes;

a channel selector configured to select a communication channel to be used for wireless communication from a plurality of channels,

an interference evaluator configured to judge whether interference of electric waves occurs in the communication channel, and

a change instructor configured to provide a change instruction to the channel selector when the interference evaluator determines that the interference occurs;

the channel selector is configured to change the communication channel in response to reception of the change instruction from the change instructor;

the channel selector is configured to designate a second communication channel to be used for the second wireless communication;

the third interface unit is configured to judge whether use of the communication terminal is started;

the change instructor is configured to, when the third interface unit determines that use of the communication terminal is started, provide to the channel selector the change instruction that indicates, as the second communication channel, a channel that does not cause interference with a channel used by the communication terminal; and

the channel selector is configured to, when receiving the change instruction from the change instructor, change the second communication channel to the channel indicated by the change instructor.

2. The slave suitable for energy management systems, according to claim 1, wherein:

the controller includes an identification information holding unit storing identification information unique to the slave;

the channel selector is configured to select from the plurality of channels an initial channel as a candidate for the communication channel, depending on the identification information stored in the identification information holding unit;

the channel selector is configured to, when receiving the change instruction from the change instructor, select from the plurality of channels a channel different from the initial channel, and set the selected channel as the communication channel; and

the channel selector is configured to, when not receiving the change instruction from the change instructor, set the initial channel as the communication channel.

3. The slave suitable for energy management systems, according to claim 1, wherein:

the interference evaluator is configured to judge whether the plurality of channels includes at least one available channel that does not cause interference of the electric wave;

the interference evaluator is configured to, when determining that the plurality of channels includes the available channel, provide available channel information identifying the at least one available channel to the change instructor;

the change instructor is configured to select a designated available channel to be set as the communication channel from the at least one available channel identified by the available channel information, and provide the change instruction indicating the designated available channel to the channel selector; and

the channel selector is configured to, when receiving the change instruction from the change instructor, set the designated available channel indicated by the change instruction as the communication channel.

4. The slave suitable for energy management systems, according to claim 1, wherein the controller further includes:

a communication quality evaluator configured to evaluate a communication quality of the communication channel selected by the channel selector, and

a power instructor configured to set an intensity of an electric wave allocated to the communication channel to a lower limit of a range of intensities allowing the communication quality evaluated by the communication quality evaluator to satisfy a predetermined condition.

5. The slave suitable for energy management systems, according to claim 1, wherein the controller further includes:

a second communication quality evaluator configured to evaluate a communication quality of the second communication channel selected by the channel selector, and

a second power instructor configured to set an intensity of an electric wave allocated to the second communication channel to a lower limit of a range of intensities allowing the communication quality evaluated by the communication quality evaluator to satisfy a predetermined condition.

6. The slave suitable for energy management systems according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of channel is defined by a frequency, a time slot, or a combination of a frequency and a time slot.

7. The slave suitable for energy management systems according to claim 2, wherein the identification information is given by the upper device to the slave.

8. An energy management system comprising:

a slave configured to obtain, from an energy meter for measuring an amount of electric energy supplied from a power source to a predetermined place through a distribution line, meter-reading data containing the amount of electric energy;

an upper device configured to obtain the meter-reading data from the slave;

a communication terminal configured to obtain the meter-reading data from the slave,

the slave including;

a first interface unit configured to communicate with the upper device;

a second interface unit configured to communicate with an electric appliance installed in the predetermined place;

a third interface unit configured to perform first wireless communication using an electric wave with the communication terminal; and

a controller having;

a function of obtaining the meter-reading data from the energy meter;

a function of controlling the first interface unit to send the meter-reading data to the upper device; and

a function of controlling the third interface unit to send the meter-reading data to the communication terminal,

one of the first interface unit and the second interface unit being a wired communication unit configured to perform power line communication using the distribution line, and

the other of the first interface unit and the second interface unit being a wireless communication unit configured to perform second wireless communication using an electric wave,

wherein the controller includes;

a channel selector configured to select a communication channel to be used for wireless communication from a plurality of channels,

an interference evaluator configured to judge whether interference of electric waves occurs in the communication channel, and

a change instructor configured to provide a change instruction to the channel selector when the interference evaluator determines that the interference occurs;

the channel selector is configured to change the communication channel in response to reception of the change instruction from the change instructor;

the channel selector is configured to designate a second communication channel to be used for the second wireless communication;

the third interface unit is configured to judge whether use of the communication terminal is started;

the change instructor is configured to, when the third interface unit determines that use of the communication terminal is started, provide to the channel selector the change instruction that indicates, as the second communication channel, a channel that does not cause interference with a channel used by the communication terminal; and

the channel selector is configured to, when receiving the change instruction from the change instructor, change the second communication channel to the channel indicated by the change instructor.

9. The energy management system according to claim 8, wherein:

the upper device includes a master connected to the distribution line and an upper server connected to the master;

the master has a function of obtaining the meter-reading data from the slave, and a function of sending the meter-reading data obtained from the slave to the upper server; and

the upper server is configured to store the meter-reading data received from the master.

10. The energy management system according to claim 8, wherein the communication terminal has a function of communicating with the electric appliance.