Communication device, power management system having communication device and control method of communication device

• US 9,609,591 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2013
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Terai, Ryota
• Primary Examiner(s): Bednash, Joey
• Assistant Examiner(s): CUNNINGHAM, KEVIN M
• Application Number:
  US14/388,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20150085726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,461 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• 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 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• 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: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/18 TPC being performed according to specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 using wireless data transmission

Abstract

Provided is a communication device including an acquisition unit configured to acquire the electrical quantity of a power load, a communication unit configured to wirelessly transmit a packet including the electrical quantity acquired to a master unit that wirelessly transmits a control signal that controls the electrical quantity of a plurality of loads, and a controller configured to switch operation of the communication unit to a second mode in which the packet is wirelessly transmitted without specifying a destination when the electrical quantity equal to or greater than a first reference value is acquired during operation of the communication unit in a first mode in which the packet is wirelessly transmitted to the base station by specifying a destination.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

an acquisition unit configured to acquire an electrical quantity consumed by a power load from the power load;

a communication unit configured to wirelessly transmit a packet including the electrical quantity to a master unit which wirelessly transmits control signals that control electrical quantities consumed by a plurality of power loads; and

a controller configured to switch an operation of the communication unit from a first mode, in which the packet is wirelessly transmitted to the master unit by specifying a destination, to a second mode, in which the packet is wirelessly transmitted without specifying a destination, when the electrical quantity, consumed by the power load and acquired during the first mode, is equal to or greater than a first reference value,

wherein the controller switches the operation of the communication unit, even if the acquired electrical quantity is equal to or greater than the first reference value, to a third mode, in which the packet is wirelessly transmitted at a frequency lower than that in the second mode and equal to or greater than that in the first mode and with a transmission power equal to or smaller than that in the second mode, when a packet wirelessly transmitted by another communication device through broadcast is received.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit wirelessly transmits, in the second mode, the packet at a frequency equal to or greater than that in the first mode and with a transmission power equal to or greater than that in the first mode.

3. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the controller increases a transmission power when the communication unit operates in the second mode, and after elapse of a predetermined period of time, switches the operation of the communication unit to a third mode in which the packet is wirelessly transmitted at a frequency equal to or smaller than that in the second mode and equal to or greater than that in the first mode and with a transmission power equal to or smaller than that in the second mode.

4. The communication device according to claim 3, wherein the controller switches the operation of the communication unit to the third mode, when a packet, indicating that the transmitted packet was received by another communication unit during operation of the communication unit in the second mode, is received, even before elapse of the predetermined period of time.

5. The communication device according to claim 3, wherein the controller switches the operation of the communication unit to the second mode, when the electrical quantity, consumed by the power load and acquired during the third mode, becomes equal to or greater than a second reference value.

6. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the controller reduces the first reference value when a packet, including an electrical quantity consumed by another power load and wirelessly transmitted by another communication device while the other communication device is in the second mode, is received.

7. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the controller switches the operation of the communication unit to the third mode, when a packet, wirelessly transmitted by another communication device which is in the second mode, is received during operation of the communication unit in the first mode, even if the acquired electrical quantity is equal to or greater than the first reference value.

8. The communication device according to claim 3, wherein the second mode is a mode in which the packet is transmitted through broadcast;

and the third mode is a mode in which the packet is transmitted through multicast or unicast.

9. A control method of a communication device of a power management system that manages electrical quantity consumed by a power load, the method including:

wirelessly transmitting, to a master unit which wirelessly transmits control signals that control electrical quantities consumed by a plurality of power loads, a packet including an electrical quantity consumed by a power load;

a first mode in which the packet is wirelessly transmitted to the master unit by specifying a destination;

a second mode in which the packet is wirelessly transmitted without specifying a destination; and

a control step for switching from the first mode to the second mode when the electrical quantity, consumed by the power load and acquired during the first mode, is equal to or greater than a reference value,

wherein in the control step, even if the acquired electrical quantity is equal to or greater than the first reference value, when a packet wirelessly transmitted by another communication device through broadcast is received, the operation of the communication device is switched to a third mode in which the packet is wirelessly transmitted at a frequency lower than that in a second mode and equal to or greater than that in the first mode and with a transmission power equal to or smaller than that in the second mode.

10. The control method of the communication device according to claim 9, wherein in the second mode, the packet is wirelessly transmitted at a frequency equal to or greater than that in the first mode and with a transmission power equal to or greater than that in the first mode.

11. The control method of the communication device according to claim 9, wherein in the control step, a transmission power is increased during operation of the communication device in the second mode, and after elapse of a predetermined period of time, an operation of the communication device is switched to a third mode, in which the packet is wirelessly transmitted at a frequency equal to or smaller than that in the second mode and equal to or greater than that in the first mode and with a transmission power equal to or smaller than that in the second mode.

12. The control method of the communication device according to claim 11, wherein in the control step, when a packet, indicating that the packet transmitted was received by another communication device during operation of the communication device in the second mode, is received, even before elapse of a predetermined period of time, the operation of the communication device is switched to the third mode.

13. The control method of the communication device according to claim 11, wherein in the control step, when the electrical quantity, consumed by the power load and acquired during the third mode, becomes equal to or greater than a second reference value, operation of the communication device is switched to the second mode.

14. The control method of the communication device according to claim 9, wherein in the control step, when a packet, including an electrical quantity consumed by another power load and wirelessly transmitted by another communication device while the other communication device is in the second mode, is received, the first reference value is reduced.

15. The control method of the communication device according to claim 9, wherein in the control step, when a packet, wirelessly transmitted by another communication device which is in the second mode, is received during operation of the communication device in the first mode, even if the acquired electrical quantity is equal to or greater than the first reference value, operation of the communication unit is switched to the third mode.

16. The control method of the communication device according to claim 11, wherein the second mode is a mode in which the packet is transmitted through broadcast, and the third mode is a mode in which the packet is transmitted through multicast or unicast.

17. A power management system comprising:

a communication device configured to communicate wirelessly with a master unit and manage an electrical quantity consumed by a power load;

wherein the master unit wirelessly transmits control signals that control electrical quantities consumed by a plurality of power loads; and

wherein the communication device comprises

an acquisition unit configured to acquire an electrical quantity consumed by the power load,

a communication unit configured to wirelessly transmit a packet including the acquired electrical quantity, and

a controller configured to switch an operation of the communication unit from a first mode, in which the packet is wirelessly transmitted to the master unit by specifying a destination, to a second mode, in which the packet is wirelessly transmitted without specifying a destination, when the electrical quantity, consumed by the power load and acquired during the first mode, is equal to or greater than a first reference value,

wherein the controller switches the operation of the communication unit, even if the acquired electrical quantity is equal to or greater than the first reference value, to a third mode, in which the packet is wirelessly transmitted at a frequency lower than that in the second mode and equal to or greater than that in the first mode and with a transmission power equal to or smaller than that in the second mode, when a packet wirelessly transmitted by another communication device through broadcast is received.

18. The power management system according to claim 17, wherein the communication unit of the communication device wirelessly transmits, in the second mode, the packet at a frequency equal to or greater than that in the first mode and with a transmission power equal to or greater than that in the first mode.