Charging control system, charging control device, and storage medium

Abstract

This invention provides a charging control system, a charging control device, and a storage medium capable of preventing power shortages during snowfall in smart cities. The charging control system includes: a charging device configured to store power to be supplied to a pre-defined area, the charging device having a first processor; a device group disposed within the area and configured to receive power from the charging device, the device group having a second processor; and a charging control device having a third processor, the third processor being configured to predict snowfall in the area, calculate, based on the predicted snowfall, a snow removal power quantity for removing snow accumulated on the device group, and perform charging control to store power exceeding the calculated snow removal power quantity into the charging device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a charging control system, a charging control device, and a storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] It is known that in smart cities, electricity pre-stored in charging devices is supplied to groups of equipment deployed within the city (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-069084 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The problem to be solved by the present invention

[0007] If snow accumulates on devices (sensors, cameras, charging stations, etc.) installed in a smart city during snowfall, malfunctions may occur. Therefore, it's necessary to use the electricity stored in the charging devices to remove the snow from the devices. However, during snowfall, power consumption increases compared to normal due to increased use of heating equipment, etc. Therefore, a technology is needed to prevent power shortages during snowfall.

[0008] The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a charging control system, a charging control device, and a storage medium for storing the charging control program that can prevent power shortages during snowfall in smart cities.

[0009] means for solving problems

[0010] The charging control system disclosed herein comprises: a charging device configured to store power supplied to a pre-defined area, the charging device having a first processor; a device group disposed in the area and configured to receive power from the charging device, the device group having a second processor; and a charging control device having a third processor configured to predict snowfall in the area, calculate, based on the predicted snowfall, a snow removal power quantity for removing snow accumulated on the device group, and perform charging control to store power exceeding the calculated snow removal power quantity into the charging device.

[0011] The charging control device disclosed herein includes a processor configured to: predict snowfall in a pre-defined area; calculate, based on the predicted snowfall, a snow removal power quantity for removing snow accumulated on a group of devices located in the area; and perform charging control to store power exceeding the calculated snow removal power quantity into a charging device that supplies power to the area.

[0012] The charging control program stored in the storage medium disclosed herein causes the processor to perform the following: predict the amount of snowfall in a pre-set area, calculate the amount of snow removal power to remove snow accumulated on the equipment group set in the area based on the predicted amount of snowfall, and perform charging control to store the power above the calculated amount of snow removal power into a charging device that supplies power to the area.

[0013] The effects of the invention

[0014] According to this disclosure, power shortages in smart cities during snowfall can be prevented before they occur. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a block diagram showing the details of the constituent elements of the charging control system according to the embodiment.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a charging control method executed by the charging control system according to the embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The charging control system, charging control device, and charging control program according to embodiments of this disclosure are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the constituent elements in the following embodiments include elements that can be easily substituted by those skilled in the art, or elements that are substantially the same.

[0018] (Charging control system)

[0019] Reference Figure 1 The charging control system including a charging control device according to the embodiment will be described. The charging control system is used to control the charging of a charging device that supplies power to a pre-defined area. The "pre-defined area" refers to an area where multiple users reside or use the area, such as a smart city, theme park, or amusement park. In this embodiment, the case of a smart city will be assumed for explanation.

[0020] like Figure 1As shown, the charging control system 1 includes a charging control device 10, an equipment group 20, and multiple charging devices 30. The charging control device 10, the equipment group 20, and the charging devices 30 all have communication capabilities and are configured to communicate with each other via a network NW. This network NW may be, for example, an internet connection network or a mobile phone connection network.

[0021] (Charging control device)

[0022] The charging control device 10 is installed inside or outside the smart city. This charging control device 10 is implemented, for example, via a general-purpose computer such as a workstation or personal computer.

[0023] like Figure 1 As shown, the charging control device 10 includes a control unit 11, a communication unit 12, and a storage unit 13. Specifically, the control unit 11 includes a processor composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), etc.; and a memory (main storage unit) composed of RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), etc.

[0024] The control unit 11 loads the program stored in the storage unit 13 into the operating area of ​​the main storage unit and executes it. By executing the program, it controls various components, thereby achieving functions consistent with the intended purpose. The control unit 11 functions as the snowfall prediction unit 111, the power calculation unit 112, and the charging control unit 113 by executing the program stored in the storage unit 13.

[0025] The snowfall prediction unit 111 predicts the snowfall amount within a pre-defined area (hereinafter referred to as the "smart city"). The specific method for predicting snowfall in the snowfall prediction unit 111 is not particularly limited, and various prediction methods can be used.

[0026] The snowfall prediction unit 111 can collect weather information from servers (weather servers) installed in places like the Meteorological Agency, and predict the current or future snowfall in the smart city based on this weather information. Alternatively, the snowfall prediction unit 111 can also predict the current or future snowfall in the smart city using a prediction model pre-generated through machine learning, based on past snowfall data. Furthermore, the snowfall prediction unit 111 can also predict the current or future snowfall in the smart city based on detection values ​​from weather sensors and the like installed within the smart city. Additionally, the snowfall prediction unit 111 only needs to predict the snowfall in areas within the smart city where at least the equipment group 20 is installed.

[0027] The power calculation unit 112 calculates the amount of electricity (hereinafter referred to as "snow removal power") used for snow removal on the equipment group 20 based on the snowfall predicted by the snowfall prediction unit 111. Examples of "snow removal power" include, for example, the power supplied to snow melting heaters buried in the road surface in the smart city, and the power used to drive snow removal vehicles.

[0028] Furthermore, the power calculation unit 112 can also predict the amount of snow that has melted on the equipment group 20. In addition to the snowfall predicted by the snowfall prediction unit 111, it also considers the predicted melting amount to calculate the snow removal power consumption. The melting amount of snow accumulated on the equipment group 20 can be predicted, for example, based on information such as temperature and wind speed within the smart city included in weather information. In this way, by considering not only the snowfall within the smart city but also the melting amount of snow after snowfall, the snow removal power consumption can be calculated more accurately. Therefore, the power stored in the charging device 30 can be optimized, and the accumulation of excess power in the charging device 30 can be suppressed.

[0029] Additionally, the power calculation unit 112 can also calculate snow removal power consumption by considering the number (scale) of devices malfunctioning within the smart city. In this case, the power calculation unit 112 first obtains device information from the device group 20, and based on this device information, identifies the devices in the device group 20 that are malfunctioning due to snow accumulation. Furthermore, the "device information" may indicate, for example, the operating status of the sensors 21, cameras 22, and charging piles 23 included in the device group 20, i.e., information on whether each device is operating normally.

[0030] Next, the power calculation unit 112 calculates the snow removal power consumption based on the number of devices that malfunctioned and the snowfall predicted by the snowfall prediction unit 111. This allows for a more accurate calculation of the snow removal power consumption by identifying the devices in the equipment group 20 that actually malfunctioned due to snowfall. Therefore, the power stored in the charging device 30 can be optimized, and the accumulation of excess power in the charging device 30 can be suppressed.

[0031] The charging control unit 113 performs charging control of the charging device 30 based on the amount of electricity calculated by the power calculation unit 112. The charging control unit 113 performs charging control to accumulate power exceeding the snow removal power calculated by the power calculation unit 112 into the charging device 30. The specific charging control method of the charging control unit 113 is not particularly limited. For example, it can determine the charging amount based on the snow removal power calculated by the power calculation unit 112 at a predetermined period and charging information (such as the current charging capacity) obtained in advance from the charging device 30. Based on this charging amount, it sends instructions to the charging device 30 to increase or decrease the current or future charging amount, thereby performing charging control.

[0032] The communication unit 12 is composed, for example, of a LAN (Local Area Network) interface board and a wireless communication line for wireless communication. The communication unit 12 is connected to a network NW, such as the Internet, which is a public communication network. Furthermore, the communication unit 12 communicates between the device group 20 and the charging device 30 through its connection to this network NW.

[0033] The storage unit 13 is composed of recording media such as EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), hard disk drive (HDD), and removable media. Examples of removable media include USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, CD (Compact Disc), DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), and BD (Blu-ray Disc). The storage unit 13 can store operating systems (OS), various programs, various tables, various databases, etc. Furthermore, the storage unit 13 can store, for example, the snowfall predicted by the snowfall prediction unit 111, the snow removal power calculated by the power calculation unit 112, and the charging amount of the charging device 30 determined by the charging control unit 113, as needed.

[0034] (Equipment Group)

[0035] Equipment group 20 comprises various devices installed in designated locations within the smart city, operating on power supplied from charging device 30. Examples of equipment group 20 include sensors (human body sensors, weather sensors, etc.) 21 for information collection in the smart city, cameras (surveillance cameras, etc.) 22, and charging stations (contact charging stations, contactless charging stations) 23 for EV vehicles or plug-in hybrid vehicles. Equipment group 20 may also include lighting, traffic signals, and other devices installed within the smart city. Furthermore, equipment group 20 transmits equipment information indicating its operational status to charging control device 10 at any time or at predetermined intervals.

[0036] (Charging device)

[0037] The charging device 30 is a device for storing electricity supplied to the equipment group 20, and is installed inside or outside the smart city. This charging device 30 is implemented, for example, via a general-purpose computer such as a workstation or personal computer. Furthermore, the charging device 30 incorporates a battery for storing electricity, a control mechanism for controlling the charging and discharging of the electricity, etc. Additionally, the charging device 30 sends charging information related to the current charging state to the charging control device 10 at any time or at predetermined intervals.

[0038] (Charging control method)

[0039] Reference Figure 2 This describes an example of the processing procedure of the charging control method executed by the charging control system 1 according to the embodiment.

[0040] First, the charging device 30 sends charging information to the charging control device 10 (step S1). Next, the device group 20 sends device information to the charging control device 10 (step S2). Alternatively, the order of steps S1 and S2 can be reversed.

[0041] Next, the snowfall prediction unit 111 of the charging control device 10 predicts the snowfall in the smart city based on weather information, detection values ​​from weather sensors, etc. (step S3). Next, the power calculation unit 112 calculates the snow removal power based on the snowfall in the smart city and device information (step S4). Next, the charging control unit 113 executes the charging control of the charging device 30 based on the power calculated in step S4 (step S5). As described above, the charging control method is completed.

[0042] As described above, the charging control system, charging control device, and charging control program according to the embodiments can prevent power shortages during snowfall in smart cities.

[0043] That is, when it snows in the smart city, the snow will accumulate on the equipment group 20 installed in the smart city, which may cause malfunctions. Therefore, it is considered to use snow melting heaters or snow removal vehicles buried in the roads of the smart city to melt the snow. However, due to the use of heating equipment in ordinary households or various facilities, the power consumption reaches its peak, which may result in insufficient power for the snow melting heaters and snow removal vehicles to operate.

[0044] On the other hand, by employing the charging control system, charging control device, and charging control program involved in the embodiment, the amount of electricity required for snow removal is calculated based on the predicted snowfall, and the charging control of the charging device 30 is performed based on this amount of electricity. Therefore, there will be no power shortage during snowfall. In addition, according to the charging control system, charging control device, and charging control program involved in the embodiment, the power required for melting snow accumulated on the equipment assembly 20 can be ensured, thus suppressing abnormal operation of the equipment assembly 20.

[0045] Furthermore, according to the charging control system, charging control device, and charging control program involved in the implementation, charging control is performed in such a way that power exceeding the consumed power is not accumulated in the charging device 30, thereby suppressing power waste and battery degradation.

[0046] Those skilled in the art can readily derive further effects and variations. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific details expressed and described above, as well as the exemplary embodiments. Thus, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the overall inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0047] Symbol Explanation

[0048] 1. Charging Control System

[0049] 10 Charging control device

[0050] 11 Control Department

[0051] 111 Snowfall Forecasting Department

[0052] 112 Power Calculation Department

[0053] 113 Charging Control Unit

[0054] 12 Ministry of Communications

[0055] 13 Storage Department

[0056] 20 Equipment Group

[0057] 21 Sensors

[0058] 22 cameras

[0059] 23 charging stations

[0060] 30 Charging devices

[0061] NW network.

Claims

1. A charge control system comprising: a charging device configured to accumulate electric power supplied to a predetermined area, the charging device having a first processor; a group of devices provided in the area and configured to be supplied with electric power from the charging device, the group of devices having a second processor; and a charge control device having a third processor configured to predict an amount of snowfall in the area, calculate an amount of snow-melting electric power for melting snow accumulated on the group of devices based on the predicted amount of snowfall, and perform charge control to accumulate electric power of the calculated amount of snow-melting electric power or more in the charging device, the third processor predicting an amount of snow accumulated on the group of devices to be melted based on weather information and calculating the amount of snow-melting electric power in consideration of the predicted amount of melting.

2. The charge control system according to claim 1, wherein the second processor outputs device information showing an operation state of the group of devices to the charge control device, and the third processor determines a device in the group of devices that has developed an operation failure due to accumulated snow based on the device information and calculates the amount of snow-melting electric power in consideration of the number of devices that have developed the operation failure.

3. A charge control device comprising a processor configured to: predict an amount of snowfall in a predetermined area, calculate an amount of snow-melting electric power for melting snow accumulated on a group of devices provided in the area based on the predicted amount of snowfall, and perform charge control to accumulate electric power of the calculated amount of snow-melting electric power or more in a charging device that supplies electric power to the area, the processor predicting an amount of snow accumulated on the group of devices to be melted based on weather information and calculating the amount of snow-melting electric power in consideration of the predicted amount of melting.

4. The charge control device according to claim 3, wherein the processor acquires device information showing an operation state of the group of devices from the group of devices, determines a device in the group of devices that has developed an operation failure due to accumulated snow based on the device information, and calculates the amount of snow-melting electric power in consideration of the number of devices that have developed the operation failure.

5. A storage medium storing a charge control program that causes a processor to perform: predicting an amount of snowfall in a predetermined area, calculating an amount of snow-melting electric power for melting snow accumulated on a group of devices provided in the area based on the predicted amount of snowfall, and performing charge control to accumulate electric power of the calculated amount of snow-melting electric power or more in a charging device that supplies electric power to the area, and predicting an amount of snow accumulated on the group of devices to be melted based on weather information and calculating the amount of snow-melting electric power in consideration of the predicted amount of melting.

6. The storage medium storing the charge control program according to claim 5, wherein the processor is caused to perform: acquiring device information showing an operation state of the group of devices from the group of devices, determining a device in the group of devices that has developed an operation failure due to accumulated snow based on the device information, and calculating the amount of snow-melting electric power in consideration of the number of devices that have developed the operation failure. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The amount of electricity for snow removal is calculated considering the number of devices that have generated the bad action. The amount of electricity for snow removal is calculated considering the number of devices that have generated the bad action.

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