ELECTRIC POWER INFORMATION USER INTERFACE, DISPLAY METHOD AND APPARATUS THEREOF

• US 20120086632A1
• Filed: 11/18/2010
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Powertech Industrial Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Powertech Industrial Company Limited
• Inventors: LIN, TSUNG-CHIH
• Application Number:
  US12/948,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20120086632A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/061 Details of electronic electricity meters
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/22 characterised by the display of characters or indicia using display control signals derived from coded signals representing the characters or indicia, e.g. with a character-code memory

Abstract

Disclosed herein relates to an electric power information user interface, an information display method and an apparatus thereof. The interface is used to display the electricity consumption to be detected. The apparatus may display diverse power information through several functional combo keys. The interface is particularly implemented by software. The interface includes a value-display area, a parameter-type area with several changeable symbols or texts, a parameter-unit area indicative of unit of the value, a statistics-mode area for providing inquiry into the electric power information at different period zones, and a functional-key area. The functional-key area has several multi-functional keys and an energy-count key that is used to generate a reset and a stop command by repeating triggering. The energy-count key particularly provides the electric power information within a certain period.

Claims

1. A power information user interface, comprising:

a power-information generating means, generating information of electricity through detection of electricity consumption;

a functional-key area, comprising a plurality of keys, the instructions are executed by triggering one of the keys;

a display panel, displaying a plurality of display areas by software means, wherein the display areas comprise;

a value-display area, displaying the information of electricity;

a parameter-type area, having a plurality of reconfigurable symbols or texts, designating the meanings of values displayed in the value-display area;

a parameter-unit area, having a plurality of reconfigurable symbols or texts, designating one or more units of the values displayed in the value-display area; and

a statistics-mode area, having a plurality of period-display areas, for inquiring information of electricity within different period zones.

2. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the parameter-type area shows the meanings of indications of power consumption, fee, carbon-dioxide emission, and statistic period.

3. The user interface of claim 1, wherein parameter-unit area includes a first parameter-unit area, which is used to display unit of currency for the values in the value-display area.

4. The user interface of claim 3, wherein the parameter-unit area further includes a second parameter-unit area, which is used to display unit of measure of the value of the value-display area.

5. The user interface of claim 1, wherein each period-display area of the statistics-mode area is used to display value of several switchable periods including daily, monthly, yearly statistics and a summation.

6. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the user interface further comprises a surge-warning area, which is used to generate an alarm as resulting in a large current or high voltage within a short time.

7. The user interface of claim 1, wherein functional-key area includes a plurality of tangible keys having:

an energy key configured to show power quantity;

a cost key configured to show fee related to the power quantity, and

a key configured to show estimation of emission of carbon dioxide.

8. The user interface of claim 7, wherein the functional-key area further comprises an energy-count key, which is used to perform a reset or a stop command, and a corresponding reset process or stop process is performed by repeatedly triggering the energy-count key.

9. The user interface of claim 7, wherein the user interface comprises a plurality of shared-key function-switched indicators for prompting the current function conducted by the functional combo keys.

10. A power display apparatus with the power information user interface as recited in claim 1, comprising:

a control unit;

an electricity-detection unit, electrically connected to the control unit, for detecting electric signals over the power display apparatus;

a computation unit, electrically connected to the control unit, for quantifying the power information from the control unit;

a display unit, electrically connected to the control unit, for displaying the power information from the control unit using the user interface;

an input unit, electrically connected to the control unit, having several keys on a panel, wherein the keys are an energy-count key and a plurality of reconfigurable combo keys, and the combo keys includes;

an energy key, configured to display power quantity as executing a series of instructions by triggering the energy key;

a cost key, configured to display fee as executing a series of instructions by triggering the cost key;

a carbon-dioxide emission key, configured to display emission of Carbon Dioxide as executing a series of instructions by triggering the carbon-dioxide emission key;

wherein, the energy-count key is triggered to configure a start time for counting electricity and a stop time for acquiring the power information from the start time through the stop time.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the electricity-detection unit connects an external power line via a set of electricity contacts.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a surge-detection unit electrically connected to the control unit.

13. A power information display method, adapted to a power display apparatus, comprising:

the power display apparatus using an electricity measure circuit to measure power quantity;

converting the power quantity into various power information;

generating statistics for the various information; and

in response to an instruction, displaying one type of the power information;

wherein, if the instruction with respect to a first electricity-counting signal is generated by triggering an energy-count key, it'"'"'s to reset the statistics and start to count;

if the instruction is a second electricity-counting signal, it'"'"'s to stop the statistics, and the statistics of the count is displayed.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, when the instruction is generated, the instruction is the second electricity-counting signal if the first electricity-counting signal has been generated.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first electricity-counting signal and the second electricity-counting signal are alternately generated by repeatedly triggering the energy-count key.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the instruction is:

instruction in response to triggering an energy key;

instruction in response to triggering a cost key; and

instruction in response to triggering a carbon-dioxide emission key.

17. A power information user interface, comprising:

a detection circuit, for detecting electricity consumption;

an energy-count key, for generating power information within a period zone set by alternately triggering the energy-count key;

a display panel, for displaying a plurality of display areas by means of software;

wherein, the display areas comprises;

a value-display area, for displaying the power information;

a parameter-type area, having a plurality of reconfigurable symbols or texts for showing the meanings of values displayed in the value-display area;

a parameter-unit area, having a plurality of reconfigurable symbols or texts for indicating the units of the values in the value-display area; and

a statistics-mode area, for displaying the period zone.

18. The user interface of claim 17, wherein the user interface is electrically connected to a power extension outlet or a standalone receptacle.

19. The user interface of claim 17, wherein the user interface is wirelessly connected to a power extension outlet or a standalone receptacle.