control system

Abstract

To provide a control system that can reduce the burden on the control device. [Solution] The control system 10 comprises a control device 20 and a server 30. The control device 20 controls a plurality of devices 50 connected to the energy management system 40. The server 30 relays communication between the energy management system 40 and the control device 20. The server 30 converts information from each device 50 received via the energy management system 40 into a predetermined protocol and transmits it to the control device 20. The server 30 converts the control commands sent from the control device 20 to each device 50 in accordance with the predetermined protocol into the protocol of each device 50 and transmits it to the energy management system 40.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control system. [Background Art]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a control device that grasps the operating states of a plurality of devices and issues operation method instructions to the plurality of devices. [Prior Art Literature] [Patent Literature]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2019-54647 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0004] In a control system, when comprehensively controlling a plurality of devices using different communication protocols, the control device needs to communicate with each device according to the protocol of that device. In this case, the load on the control device is large. [Means for Solving the Problem]

[0005] A control system that solves the above problem includes: a control device that controls a plurality of devices connected to an energy management system; and a server that relays communication between the energy management system and the control device. The server converts information of each device received via the energy management system into a predetermined protocol and transmits the converted information to the control device. The server also converts control commands for each device that are transmitted from the control device and conform to the predetermined protocol into the protocol of the corresponding device, and transmits the converted commands to the energy management system. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] Compared to communicating between devices using each device's own protocol, this reduces the burden on the control unit. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a control system in one embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of identifier data stored by the server. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the control system when the control device receives information. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the control system when the control device transmits a control command. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the control system in the modified example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] <Control System> As shown in Figure 1, the control system 10 comprises a control device 20 and multiple servers 30. Multiple servers 30 are connected to the control device 20. An Energy Management System 40 (EMS) is connected to each server 30. Multiple devices 50 are connected to the EMS 40. In other words, multiple devices 50 are connected to the control device 20 via the servers 30 and the EMS 40. The control device 20 controls the multiple devices 50 connected to the EMS 40. Each server 30 relays communication between the EMS 40 and the control device 20.

[0009] In the control system 10, the control device 20 is connected to the following servers 30: xEMS_A server 31, xEMS_B server 32, and xEMS_C server 33. xEMS_A server 31 is connected to one xEMS_A41 as an EMS40. xEMS_B server 32 is connected to two xEMS_B42 as EMS40s. xEMS_C server 33 is connected to two xEMS_C43 as EMS40s.

[0010] EMS40 includes, for example, Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS), Factory Energy Management Systems (FEMS), and Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS).

[0011] The multiple devices 50 to be controlled are, for example, load equipment, energy storage equipment, and power generation equipment. Load equipment includes, for example, air conditioning equipment, lighting equipment, and factory production equipment. Energy storage equipment includes, for example, batteries and electric vehicles. Power generation equipment includes, for example, generators and solar panels.

[0012] <Control device> The control device 20 receives information from each device 50 and transmits control commands to each device 50. The control device 20 receives information and transmits control commands via the server 30 and the EMS 40 connected to the server 30. The control device 20 transmits and receives data with the server 30 using a default communication protocol. The default communication protocol used by the control device 20 is common across multiple servers 30. That is, the control device 20 transmits and receives data with multiple servers 30 using a common communication protocol. In the following description, the default communication protocol used by the control device 20 may be simply referred to as the default protocol.

[0013] The information for each device 50 includes, for example, its past operating state, current operating state, and planned future operating state. The control commands for each device 50 include, for example, instructions for the current operating state and instructions for the future operating state of each device 50.

[0014] The control device 20 comprises a processing circuit 201, a storage device 202, and a communication device 203. The processing circuit 201 includes one or more processors that execute computer programs (software). The processor includes a CPU and memory such as RAM and ROM.

[0015] The storage device 202 is configured using a computer-readable medium that can be accessed by a general-purpose or dedicated computer. The memory of the processor constituting the processing circuit 201 is similar. In other words, the control device 20 allows the processing circuit 201 to read the computer program stored in the storage device 202, and the processing circuit 201 then executes various processes specified in that computer program.

[0016] The communication device 203 can send and receive data with each of the multiple servers 30. That is, the control device 20 can use the communication device 203 to receive information about the device 50 and send control commands to the device 50 with each server 30. The control device 20 stores the information about the device 50 received by the communication device 203 from the server 30 in the storage device 202.

[0017] <server> Server 30 converts information from each device 50 received via EMS 40 into a default protocol and transmits it to the control unit 20. Server 30 also converts control commands sent from the control unit 20 to each device 50 in the default protocol into the protocol of each device 50 and transmits it to the EMS 40. In other words, each server 30 performs the conversion between the corresponding protocol and the default protocol. Multiple servers 30 each support a different protocol. In other words, multiple servers 30 are arranged according to the protocol supported by each device 50.

[0018] Each server 30 comprises a processing circuit 301, a storage device 302, and a communication device 303. The processing circuit 301 comprises one or more processors that execute computer programs (software). Note that the processor includes a CPU and memories such as RAM and ROM.

[0019] The storage device 302 is configured using a computer-readable medium accessible by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer. The same applies to the memory of the processors configuring the processing circuit 301. The information processing device causes the processing circuit 301 to read the computer program stored in the storage device 302, whereby the processing circuit 301 executes various processes defined in the computer program.

[0020] Figure 2 shows an example of identifier data stored in the storage device 302. In the storage device 302, as data required for conversion between the default protocol of the control device 20 and the protocol of each device 50, identifier data in which identifiers according to the default protocol are associated with identifiers according to the protocol of each device 50 is stored. Figure 2 shows an example of identifier data in which an identifier according to protocol X, which is the default protocol, is associated with an identifier according to protocol A, which is one of the protocols of the device 50.

[0021] The communication device 303 can transmit and receive data to and from the control device 20. That is, the server 30 can use the communication device 303 to receive information on each device 50 connected to the server 30 and transmit control commands to and from the control device 20. Further, the communication device 303 can transmit and receive data to and from the EMS 40. That is, the server 30 can use the communication device 303 to receive information on each device 50 connected to the EMS 40 and transmit control commands to and from the EMS 40 connected to the server 30.

[0022] <Operation of the Present Embodiment> The operation of the control system 10 will be explained with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 illustrates the operation of the control system 10 when the control device 20 receives information from multiple devices 50. In other words, in Figure 3, each device 50 is the data sender, and the control device 20 is the data receiver. As shown in Figure 3, the multiple devices 50 transmit information about themselves to the server 30 using their respective communication protocols. More specifically, the multiple devices 50 transmit information to the server 30 via the EMS 40 to which they are connected. Each server 30 transmits the received information to the control device 20 using a predetermined communication protocol. In other words, each server 30 converts the information about each device 50 received using its own protocol to a predetermined protocol and transmits it to the control device 20. The predetermined protocol is a protocol common to all servers 30, i.e., protocol X.

[0023] Multiple devices 50 connected to xEMS_A41 transmit information about themselves to xEMS_A server 31 using protocol A. Multiple devices 50 connected to xEMS_B42 transmit information about themselves to xEMS_B server 32 using protocol B. In other words, each of the multiple servers 30 supports a different protocol, and each server 30 performs conversion between the corresponding protocol and the default protocol. Although two xEMS_B42s are connected to xEMS_B server 32, the devices 50 connected to both xEMS_B42s transmit data using protocol B.

[0024] Then, the xEMS_A server 31 converts the information from each device 50 received via protocol A to protocol X and sends it to the control device 20. The xEMS_B server 32 converts the information from each device 50 received via protocol B to protocol X and sends it to the control device 20.

[0025] Figure 4 shows the operation of the control system 10 when the control device 20 transmits control commands to multiple devices 50. In other words, in Figure 4, the control device 20 is the data sender and the devices 50 are the data receivers.

[0026] As shown in Figure 4, the control device 20 transmits control commands to the equipment 50 to multiple servers 30 using protocol X, which is a default communication protocol. In this embodiment, the control device 20 transmits control commands to xEMS_A server 31 and xEMS_B server 32 using protocol X.

[0027] Each server 30 transmits the received control command to each device 50 using the protocol corresponding to that device 50. Specifically, each server 30 converts the control command sent from the control device 20 to each device 50 in accordance with the default protocol, into the protocol of each device 50, and transmits it to the EMS 40 to which the device 50 is connected. In this embodiment, xEMS_A server 31 converts the control command received in protocol X to protocol A and transmits it to the device 50 connected to xEMS_A41. xEMS_B server 32 converts the control command received in protocol X to protocol B and transmits it to the device 50 connected to xEMS_B42.

[0028] <Effects of this embodiment> (1) The control device 20 can control multiple devices 50 via the server 30 using a single protocol X. Therefore, the burden on the control device 20 can be reduced compared to the case where each device 50 communicates with each device 50 using its own protocol.

[0029] (2) As the number of protocols used by multiple devices 50 increases, the burden on the server 30 that performs conversions between each protocol and the default protocol increases. By connecting multiple servers 30 to the control device 20, the burden on each server 30 can be reduced.

[0030] (3) Each server 30 performs conversion between the protocol it supports and the default protocol used by the control device 20. Therefore, the burden on the server 30 can be reduced compared to the case where multiple protocols are converted between the server 30 and the default protocol.

[0031] (4) Each server 30 can convert between the identifier in the default protocol and the identifier in the protocol of each device 50. The control device 20 can manage multiple devices 50 using the default identifier. Therefore, the burden on the control device 20 can be reduced compared to when the control device 20 manages each device 50 using the identifier in the protocol of each device 50.

[0032] <Example of changes> The above embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications. The above embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other to the extent that they do not contradict each other technically.

[0033] The number of servers 30 connected to the control device 20 can be changed as appropriate. There may be one or two servers 30 connected to the control device 20, or there may be more than three.

[0034] • Multiple servers 30 do not necessarily have to support different protocols. In other words, multiple servers 30 supporting the same protocol may be connected to the control device 20.

[0035] Each server 30 does not have to support just one protocol. In the example shown in Figure 5, xEMS_A41 and xEMS_D44 are connected to xEMS_A server 31. xEMS_A server 31 supports protocol D in addition to protocol A. That is, xEMS_A server 31 is configured to convert data transmitted using the default protocol X to both protocol A and protocol D. Although not shown in the figure, xEMS_A server 31 is also configured to convert data transmitted using protocol A and protocol D to protocol X. Therefore, even if the number of protocols of the devices 50 controlled by the control device 20 increases, the increase in the number of required servers can be suppressed.

[0036] Furthermore, although not shown in the diagram, the communication protocols used by each of the multiple devices 50 connected to each EMS 40 may differ. For example, xEMS_A41 may have devices 50 using protocol A and devices 50 using protocol D connected to it. In this case, the xEMS_A server 31 is configured to convert data transmitted using protocol A and protocol D to protocol X.

[0037] The communication device 203 of the control device 20 may have communication functions with devices other than the server 30. In one example, the communication device 203 may be configured to receive demand response requests from the power company. In another example, the communication device 203 may be configured to receive information related to the determination of control commands. For example, the communication device 203 may be configured to receive weather information and calendar information.

[0038] EMS40 is not limited to the examples above. For example, EMS40 may include a Community Energy Management System (CEMS), etc.

[0039] In the control system 10, the multiple devices 50 may be connected to the server 30 without going through the EMS 40. The control device 20 should be configured to control the multiple devices 50 via the server 30. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0040] 10...Control system, 20...Control device, 30...Server, 31...xEMS_A server, 32...xEMS_B server, 33...xEMS_C server, 40...Energy management system, 40...EMS, 41...xEMS_A, 42...xEMS_B, 43...xEMS_C, 50...Equipment, 201...Processing circuit, 202...Storage device, 203...Communication device, 301...Processing circuit, 302...Storage device, 303...Communication device

Claims

1. A control device that controls multiple devices connected to an energy management system, A server that relays communication between the energy management system and the control device, Equipped with, The aforementioned server, The information of each of the devices received via the energy management system is converted into a predetermined protocol and transmitted to the control device. The control device transmits control commands to each of the devices according to the default protocol, converts them to the protocol of each of the devices, and transmits them to the energy management system. Control system.

2. Multiple servers are connected to the control device. The control system according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned multiple servers Each supports a different protocol. Each of the aforementioned servers performs the conversion between the corresponding protocol and the default protocol. The control system according to claim 2.

4. The server's storage device stores identifier data that associates identifiers in the default protocol with identifiers in the protocols of each device, as data necessary for converting between the control device's default protocol and the protocols of each device. The control system according to claim 1.

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