Controller, method for controlling electrical device, device control system, and program

• US 9,880,579 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2014
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Maruyama, Ichiro, Yabe, Masaaki, Minezawa, Satoshi, Yoshikawa, Toshiaki, Yano, Hirotoshi, Iizawa, Daisuke, Tanaka, Kenichiro, Ogino, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Skibinski, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US14/890,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20160103461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 307126, 307116, 702187, 700278
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/021 in which a variable is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2639 Energy management, use maximum of cheap power, keep peak load low
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• 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: 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 20/00 Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances

Abstract

A controller for controlling electrical devices in a dwelling is configured to display an energy-saving mode setting screen on a display that is a touch panel or the like in accordance with an operation by a user. Then, the controller is configured to receive a designation of a condition for an energy-saving control on the electrical devices in the dwelling on the energy-saving mode setting screen. Then, the controller is configured to set the respective energy-saving modes of the electrical devices via a home network based on the received condition.

Claims

1. A controller comprising:

a device communicator configured to communicate with an electrical device within a dwelling via a communication network; and

a control center configured to display a target setting screen on a display for inputting a target amount of an electricity cost for the dwelling, and to control the electrical device via the communication network based on the target amount, wherein

the target setting screen includes a yearly target setting area and a monthly target setting area, the yearly target setting area receiving an input operation of a yearly target amount for an electricity cost, the monthly target setting area receiving an input operation of a monthly target amount for an electricity cost,

the control center is configured to change the target amount of one of the yearly target setting area and the monthly target setting area upon a change of the other, and

the target setting screen is configured to display an actual averaged amount of electricity costs for similarly-sized dwellings as the dwelling, the actual average amount being acquired via the communication network.

2. The controller according to claim 1, wherein

the yearly target setting area and the monthly target setting area each are configured to display a graphical representation indicating the target amount, and

the control center is configured to change the yearly target amount or the monthly target amount by accepting an input operation of changing a size of the graphical representation in the yearly target setting area or the monthly target setting area, respectively.

3. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the target setting screen is configured to display an actual amount of the electricity cost.

4. The controller according to claim 3, wherein the yearly target setting area and the monthly target setting area each are configured to display the actual amount of the electricity cost.

5. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the target setting screen is configured to display the actual amount of the electricity cost and an actual amount of an electricity sale.

6. The controller according to claim 5, wherein the yearly target setting area and the monthly target setting area each are configured to display the actual amount of the electricity cost and the actual amount of the electricity sold.

7. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the control center is configured to determine a target achievement level presenting a possibility of achieving a target based on the actual amount of the electricity cost and the target amount of the electricity cost, and to control the electrical device based on the determined target achievement level.

8. A target setting method comprising:

displaying a target setting screen on a display for inputting a target amount of an electricity cost for a dwelling;

receiving, from a yearly target setting area or a monthly target setting area, respectively, an input operation of a yearly target amount for an electricity cost or a monthly target amount for an electricity cost; and

changing the target amount of one of the yearly target setting area and the monthly target setting area upon a change of the other,

wherein the target setting screen is configured to display an actual averaged amount of electricity costs for similarly-sized dwellings as the dwelling, the actual average amount being acquired via the communication network.

9. A non-transitory recording medium having stored therein a program for causing a computer to function as:

a device communicator configured to communicate with an electrical device within a dwelling via a communication network; and

a control center configured to display a target setting screen on a display for inputting a target amount of an electricity cost for the dwelling, and to control the electrical device via the communication network based on the target amount, wherein

the target setting screen includes a yearly target setting area and a monthly target setting area, the yearly target setting area receiving an input operation of a yearly target amount for an electricity cost, the monthly target setting area receiving an input operation of a monthly target amount for an electricity cost,

the control center is configured to change the target amount of one of the yearly target setting area and the monthly target setting area upon a change of the other, and

the target setting screen is configured to display an actual averaged amount of electricity costs for similarly-sized dwellings as the dwelling, the actual average amount being acquired via the communication network.