Intelligent electronic device

Abstract

To address the following problem that a road-side device is frequently provided somewhere on the road side of a road while a power distribution slave station is arranged on top of an electric pole, thereby requiring a power supply part to be provided for each of an intelligent electronic device and the road-side device.SOLUTION: An intelligent electronic device according to the present disclosure comprises: a calculation part that performs at least part of first processing as processing relating to at least one of control and monitoring of a distribution system using system information as information about the distribution system, and at least part of second processing as processing different from the first processing using vehicle information as information about a vehicle; a transmission part for notifying a management server of a result of the first processing and notifying the vehicle of a result of the second processing; and a power supply part for supplying power to at least the calculation part and the transmission part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to intelligent electronic devices. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, distribution stations are installed on utility poles as control terminals for the distribution system's monitoring and control system (distribution automation system), collecting information such as current and voltage from the distribution system. When a fault occurs in the power system or power equipment, the fault is detected and a switch is opened or closed to minimize the scope of the power outage. In addition, distribution stations installed on utility poles also have control functions to stabilize the power system. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2019 / 234863 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In recent years, there has been active research and development into driving assistance systems for autonomous driving and safe driving in transportation such as automobiles and railways. To realize these driving assistance systems, provided information is required to provide vehicles with information such as the results of identifying objects such as vehicles, pedestrians, and obstacles. The provided information is generated by vehicles and roadside devices equipped with devices for acquiring surrounding information, such as sensors or cameras. While distribution stations are installed on existing utility poles, roadside equipment requires new installation locations to be set up around the road, making it difficult to secure installation locations for the roadside equipment.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to make it easier to secure installation locations for roadside devices. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The intelligent electronic device of the present disclosure includes a calculation unit that performs at least a part of a first process, which is a process related to at least one of controlling and monitoring the power distribution system, using system information, which is information about the power distribution system, and at least a part of a second process, which is a process different from the first process, using vehicle information, which is information about the vehicle; a transmission unit that notifies a management server of the results of the first process and notifies the vehicle of the results of the second process; and a power supply unit that supplies power to at least the calculation unit and the transmission unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present disclosure, the configuration of the roadside device for issuing vehicle control instructions and the configuration for controlling the power distribution system share a power supply unit, making it easy to secure a location for installing the roadside device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an intelligent electronic device according to a first embodiment; [Figure 2] 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of monitoring and controlling a power system by a calculation unit of the intelligent electronic device according to the first embodiment; [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the process up to creating warning information in the second process in the calculation unit of the intelligent electronic device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the second process of generating warning information in the calculation unit of the intelligent electronic device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the second processing performed by the calculation unit of the intelligent electronic device according to the first embodiment, in which information to be provided including vehicle control information is created. [Figure 6] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an intelligent electronic device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 7]FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of an intelligent electronic device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a unit configuration of an intelligent electronic device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the processing in the power supply unit of the intelligent electronic device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of an intelligent electronic device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of an intelligent electronic device according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the processing of a power supply unit of an intelligent electronic device according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a third process performed by the first calculation unit according to the fourth embodiment when there is a power shortage in the power grid. [Figure 14] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a third process performed by the first calculation unit according to the fourth embodiment when there is a surplus of power in the power grid. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Embodiment 1 An intelligent electronic device 1a according to embodiment 1 will be described. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the intelligent electronic device 1a according to embodiment 1. The intelligent electronic device 1a is communicably connected to a power distribution facility 2a, a sensor 3a, a camera 4a, and a vehicle 5a via a wired or wireless network.

[0010] The intelligent electronic device 1a includes a power supply unit 11a, a system information acquisition unit 12a, a memory unit 13a, a status information acquisition unit 14a, a vehicle information acquisition unit 15a, a calculation unit 16a, and a transmission unit 17a. Each unit is provided within the housing of the intelligent electronic device 1a. Details of each unit will be described later. The power distribution equipment 2a is connected to a power distribution line. The power distribution equipment 2a is, for example, a switch 2a1 such as a circuit breaker or a transformer 2a2. The switch 2a1 divides the power distribution line into predetermined power distribution sections, and in the event of a system fault such as a ground fault or short circuit, opens a contact to separate the power distribution section. Although the power distribution section is described as being divided by the switch 2a1, it may also be divided by, for example, a transformer 2a2, or by any other method. Note that contact information, which is information relating to the open / closed state of the contacts of the switch 2a1, is sent to the system information acquisition unit 12a, which will be described later. The transformer 2a2 has a function of switching a tap position, and adjusts the voltage by switching the tap position.

[0011] The intelligent electronic device 1a acquires information from at least one of a sensor 3a and a camera 4a, and also acquires information from a vehicle 5a, as will be described in detail later. A vehicle 5a connected to the intelligent electronic device 1a so as to be able to communicate with it is provided with a transmitter 51a, a receiver 52a, a controller 53a, and an output unit 54a. The operation of each unit will be described later.

[0012] The power supply unit 11a supplies power to each component of the intelligent electronic device 1a. In this embodiment, the power supply unit 11a is connected to an electric wire that supplies power from the power grid, and receives power from the electric wire. However, the power supply unit 11a may also be connected to an uninterruptible power supply and receive power from the uninterruptible power supply. The system information acquiring unit 12a acquires system information from the power distribution system. The system information is information about the power distribution system including at least one of a current value and a voltage value. The current value is, for example, a current value acquired for each power distribution section. The voltage value is, for example, a voltage value acquired for each power distribution section, similar to the current value. The system information acquiring unit 12a may also acquire the system information from the power distribution equipment 2a. In this case, the system information may include, in addition to the above-mentioned current value and voltage value, contact information that is information about the open / closed state of the contact of the switch 2a1, and an identification number that is identification information for identifying the switch 2a1. The system information is sent to the storage unit 13a, which will be described later. The status information acquisition unit 14a acquires status information, which is information about the outside of the housing. The status information about the outside of the housing includes at least one of weather information about the weather around the area where the intelligent electronic device 1a is installed and an image of the outside of the housing of the intelligent electronic device 1a. The weather information is weather information such as the weather, temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind direction, and wind speed, and is acquired by the sensor 3a. The image of the outside of the housing is an image of the outside of the housing of the intelligent electronic device 1a and is taken by the camera 4a. The sensor 3a and the camera 4a may be provided in the housing of the intelligent electronic device 1a, or may be provided separately from the intelligent electronic device 1a. The weather information and image information acquired by the sensor 3a and the camera 4a are sent to the memory unit 13a, which will be described later. Instead of the sensor 3a acquiring weather information, the status information acquiring unit 14a may acquire weather information via a server device provided by the Japan Meteorological Agency or a weather information providing company.

[0013] The vehicle information acquisition unit 15a acquires vehicle information and requested information from the vehicle 5a. Specific examples of the vehicle information include an identification number, which is identification information for identifying the vehicle 5a, and location information, which is information related to the location of the vehicle 5a. Specific examples of the requested information include information that the vehicle 5a wants to acquire from the intelligent electronic device 1a for driving assistance. The storage unit 13a stores the status information acquired from the status information acquisition unit 14a and the system information acquired from the system information acquisition unit 12a. The storage unit 13a may also store threshold information for determining a system fault from the acquired system information, or may store appropriate range information, which is information regarding appropriate ranges of current and voltage. The threshold information is, for example, a predetermined current threshold or voltage threshold for determining that a system fault has occurred. The appropriate current range information is a predetermined upper limit and lower limit of the rated current. Similarly, the appropriate voltage range information is a predetermined upper limit and lower limit of the rated voltage. Furthermore, the storage unit 13a may store information regarding the inter-vehicle distance. The inter-vehicle distance is predetermined as a distance that is recommended to be maintained between the vehicles 5a when the vehicles 5a are traveling together.

[0014] The calculation unit 16a performs a first process and a second process. The first process is a process of monitoring and controlling the power grid based on grid information. The second process is a process of creating information to be provided using status information in response to request information requested by the vehicle 5a. Here, the information to be provided includes at least one of weather information, warning information, and vehicle control information.

[0015] The first process and the second process performed by the calculation unit 16a will be described in the order of the first process and the second process. Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of monitoring and controlling the power system, which is the first process.

[0016] In step S001, the calculation unit 16a acquires system information for each distribution section from the storage unit 13a. The system information includes contact information and identification information of the switch 2a1 for each distribution section. In step S002, the calculation unit 16a acquires threshold information for each distribution section from the storage unit 13a. The threshold information is, for example, predetermined threshold information of a voltage at which it is determined that a grid fault has occurred.

[0017] In step S003, the calculation unit 16a determines whether a grid fault has occurred based on the grid information and the threshold information. As a specific example of the determination, the voltage value of the grid information is compared with the threshold value of the threshold information for each distribution section, and if the voltage value is equal to or greater than the threshold value for the distribution section, it is determined that a grid fault has occurred in the distribution section. If a grid fault has occurred in the distribution section, the process determines Yes and proceeds to step S004. If a grid fault has not occurred, the process determines No and proceeds to step S005. In step S004, calculation unit 16a generates a control command for switch 2a1. Specifically, to isolate the faulted section, calculation unit 16a determines the switch in the power distribution section from the identification number included in the identification information of switch 2a1, and generates a control command to turn off the contacts of switch 2a1. Furthermore, it turns off information about the open / close state of the contacts of switch 2a1. Furthermore, when the system is restored from the fault, it generates a control command to turn on the contacts of switch 2a1 in the power distribution section. Furthermore, it turns on information about the open / close state of the contacts of switch 2a1. Furthermore, it turns on information about the open / close state of the contacts of switch 2a1. Furthermore, transmission unit 17a notifies a management server (not shown) of the control command from calculation unit 16a, and the management server transmits the control command to switch 2a1. Here, the management server is a system that manages the power system, such as a master station.

[0018] Although the present embodiment uses voltage values, current values ​​may also be used. In this case, in step S002, the calculation unit 16a acquires current threshold information. In step S003, the calculation unit 16a compares the current value in the grid information with the threshold value in the threshold information for each distribution section, and determines whether the current value is equal to or greater than the threshold. If the current value is smaller than the threshold, the process proceeds to step S005. However, if the current value is equal to or greater than the threshold, the process proceeds to step S004, where the contact of the switch 2a1 provided in the distribution section is turned OFF, thereby isolating the distribution section.

[0019] In step S005, the calculation unit 16a acquires appropriate voltage range information for each distribution section from the storage unit 13a. In step S006, the calculation unit 16a determines whether or not there is a distribution section that deviates from the appropriate range based on the system information and the appropriate range information for each distribution section. As a specific example of the determination, the appropriate voltage range is compared with the voltage value of the system information, and if the voltage value is not within the predetermined appropriate range, the result is No and the process proceeds to step S007. If the voltage value of the system information is within the predetermined appropriate range, the result is Yes and the process returns to step S003. The system information used may be a current value. In this case, the calculation unit 16a determines whether or not there is a distribution section that deviates from the appropriate range based on the appropriate range information of the current.

[0020] In step S007, the calculation unit 16a calculates a control amount so that the voltage value of the grid information falls within an appropriate range. The control amount is the voltage value of the grid information and the amount of deviation from the upper or lower limit of the appropriate voltage range. If a current value is used, the control amount is the current value of the grid information and the amount of deviation from the upper or lower limit of the appropriate current range. In step S008, calculation unit 16a generates a control command for transformer 2a2 based on the control amount calculated in step S007. Specifically, the control command instructs transformer 2a2, which is located in the distribution section that deviates from the appropriate range, to switch the tap position to adjust the control amount. Transmitter 17a notifies a management server (not shown) of the control command generated by calculation unit 16a, and the management server transmits the control command to transformer 2a2.

[0021] Next, the second processing of the calculation unit 16a will be described. Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of creating information to be provided using status information in response to request information requested by the vehicle 5a, which is the second processing. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of creating warning information in the second processing of the calculation unit 16a. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of creating information to be provided including vehicle control information in the second processing of the calculation unit 16a.

[0022] First, the process of creating information to be provided will be described with reference to FIG. In step S101, the vehicle information acquisition unit 15a acquires vehicle information and request information. The vehicle information includes the identification number of the vehicle 5a and location information of the vehicle 5a. The request information includes information related to information that the vehicle 5a wants to acquire from the intelligent electronic device 1a for driving assistance. For example, the request information includes at least one of a request for image information, a request for weather information, a request for warning information and vehicle control information, and information related to the location where the desired information should be acquired. The vehicle information acquisition unit 15a sends the received vehicle information and request information to the calculation unit 16a. In step S102, the calculation unit 16a determines whether or not the request information includes a request for image information. If there is a request for image information, the process proceeds to step S103 as "Yes," and if not, the process proceeds to step S105 as "No."

[0023] In step S103, the calculation unit 16a acquires image information from the storage unit 13a. At this time, the calculation unit 16a acquires image information from the camera 4a installed at a position corresponding to the information regarding the acquisition location of the desired information included in the request information. If the request information does not include information regarding the acquisition location of the desired information, the calculation unit 16a may acquire image information from the camera 4a installed at a position corresponding to the position information of the vehicle 5a included in the vehicle information. In step S104, the calculation unit 16a creates information to be provided based on the image information acquired in step S104. As a specific example of creating the information to be provided, the information to be provided may be changed to have a data size and a data format suitable for providing to the vehicle 5a.

[0024] In step S105, the calculation unit 16a determines whether or not the request information includes a request for weather information. If there is a request for weather information, the process proceeds to step S106 as Yes, and if there is not, the process proceeds to step S108 as No.

[0025] In step S106, the calculation unit 16a acquires weather information from the storage unit 13a. At this time, weather information for a location corresponding to information about the location of acquisition of the desired information included in the vehicle information is acquired, or weather information acquired by a sensor installed at a location corresponding to the information about the location of acquisition of the desired information is acquired. Specific examples of information about the location of acquisition of the desired information include the location where the vehicle 5a is traveling and a location related to the destination of the vehicle 5a. In step S107, the calculation unit 16a creates information to be provided that includes at least the weather information based on the weather information acquired in step S106. A specific example of creating the information to be provided is to change the data size and data format to be suitable for providing to a vehicle. The information to be provided includes information requested by the vehicle 5a. In step S108, the calculation unit 16a determines whether the request information includes a request for warning information. If there is warning information, the calculation unit 16a determines Yes and proceeds to step S109. If there is no warning information, the calculation unit 16a determines No and ends the process. The created information to be provided is notified to the receiving unit 52a of the vehicle 5a by the transmitting unit 17a. In step S109, the calculation unit 16a generates warning information. The warning information is information that needs to be alerted to the user for driving assistance. Details will be described with reference to FIG.

[0026] Next, the process of creating warning information will be described with reference to FIG. In step S201, the calculation unit 16a acquires image information from the storage unit 13a. At this time, image information from the camera 4a installed at a position corresponding to information included in the vehicle information regarding the acquisition location of the information to be acquired is acquired. Specific examples of information regarding the acquisition location of the information to be acquired include a right turn destination or a left turn destination according to the position information of the vehicle 5a. If the vehicle information does not include information regarding the acquisition location of the information to be acquired, image information from the camera 4a installed at a position corresponding to the position information of the vehicle 5a included in the vehicle information may be acquired. The calculation unit 16a uses the acquired image information to determine whether warning information is necessary, that is, whether a user attention is required for driving assistance. As a specific example, it determines whether an object other than the vehicle 5a is present on the road. If there is warning information, the calculation unit 16a determines Yes and proceeds to step S202, and if not, the calculation unit 16a determines No and ends the process. In step S202, the calculation unit 16a generates information to be provided that includes warning information for road safety. The generated information to be provided is transmitted to the receiving unit 52a of the vehicle 5a by the transmitting unit 17a.

[0027] In Figure 4, image information is acquired and warning information is created to advise caution on the road, but weather information may also be acquired and warning information to advise caution on the road surface may be created if the weather is rainy or snowy and the vehicle 5a is prone to slippery road conditions. Furthermore, while the image information is acquired to determine whether or not there is an object other than the vehicle 5a on the road, it may also be determined whether or not there is a defect on the road surface, such as a depression in the road surface, a hole in the road surface, a bulge in the road surface, a rut formed on the road surface, a crack in the road surface, or deterioration of the road surface.

[0028] Next, a process for creating information to be provided including vehicle control information that instructs the behavior of the vehicle 5a will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Specific examples of the vehicle control information include speed information of the vehicle 5a, or information related to steering control in response to a lane change. In step S301, the calculation unit 16a acquires, from the vehicle information acquisition unit 15a, the position information of the vehicle 5a that has requested the vehicle control information and the position information of the vehicles 5a before and after the vehicle 5a. The calculation unit 16a also acquires information on a predetermined inter-vehicle distance from the storage unit 13a. In step S302, the calculation unit 16a determines whether a predetermined inter-vehicle distance is maintained between the preceding and succeeding vehicles 5a based on the position information of each vehicle 5a. If the inter-vehicle distance is not maintained, the result is No and the process proceeds to step S303. If the inter-vehicle distance is maintained, the result is Yes and the process returns to step S301.

[0029] In step S303, the calculation unit 16a creates information to be provided that includes vehicle control information. The calculation unit 16a calculates, as the vehicle control information, behaviors such as the amount of deceleration, the amount of acceleration, or steering control associated with a lane change, using the position information of the vehicle 5a in order to maintain a predetermined inter-vehicle distance. Specifically, when it is predicted that the vehicle 5a will merge with the vehicle 5a ahead, the calculation unit 16a calculates a deceleration amount by which the vehicle 5a is decelerated so as to maintain the inter-vehicle distance. When it is predicted that the vehicle 5a will merge with the vehicle 5a behind, the calculation unit 16a calculates an acceleration amount by which the vehicle 5a is accelerated so as to maintain the inter-vehicle distance. Furthermore, when changing to a right-hand lane, the calculation unit 16a may calculate steering control information associated with a lane change, such as turning the steering wheel to the right. The transmission unit 17a notifies the reception unit 52a of the vehicle 5a of the provided information.

[0030] The operation of each part of the vehicle 5a will be described. The receiving part 52a sends the provided information to the control part 53a. The control part 53a sends the provided information to the output part 54a according to the content of the provided information. The output part 54a is a display provided in the vehicle 5a. If the provided information includes image information, the output part 54a displays the image. If the provided information includes weather information, the output part 54a displays the weather information. If the provided information includes warning information, the output part 54a displays the warning information. In this embodiment, the output part 54a is a display, but it may also be a speaker. If the output part 54a is a speaker, it outputs the weather information or warning information by voice. Furthermore, when the provided information includes information about the behavior of the vehicle 5a, the control unit 53a controls the drive unit, brakes, steering, and the like based on the provided information.

[0031] 6 is an example of a hardware configuration diagram of an intelligent electronic device 1a according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6A, when each component of the intelligent electronic device 1a is a dedicated hardware, the processing circuit 100 may be, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a combination thereof. The functions of each component of the intelligent electronic device 1a may be realized by a separate processing circuit, or the functions of each component may be realized by a single processing circuit.

[0032] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6B, when each component of the intelligent electronic device 1a is a processor 101, the function of each part is realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. The software or firmware is written as a program and stored in memory 102. The processor 101 realizes each function of each component of the intelligent electronic device 1a by reading and executing the program stored in memory 102. That is, each component of the intelligent electronic device 1a has memory 102 for storing a program that, when executed by the processor 101, results in the execution of each step shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5. It can also be said that these programs cause a computer to execute the procedure or method of each component of the intelligent electronic device 1a.

[0033] In this embodiment, specific examples of the processor 101 include a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a processing device, an electronic device, a processor, a microprocessor, a microcomputer, or a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). Specific examples of the memory 102 include non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), flash memory, EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), and EEPROM (Electrically EPROM), as well as magnetic disks such as hard disks and flexible disks. Furthermore, optical disks such as minidiscs, CDs (Compact Discs), and DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs) may also be used. Note that the functions of each component of the intelligent electronic device 1a may be partially implemented by dedicated hardware and partially implemented by software or firmware. In this way, the processing circuit 100 in the intelligent electronic device 1a can implement the above-described functions by hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.

[0034] As described above, in this embodiment, the calculation unit 16a is provided to perform the first process of monitoring and controlling the power distribution system and the second process of creating information to be provided in response to a request from the vehicle 5a, and the power supply unit 11a is shared, which makes it easy to secure a location for installing the roadside device. Also, by sharing the power supply unit 11a, costs can be reduced without having to install each separately. Furthermore, since the functions of the first process and the second process are realized within the same housing, maintenance can be performed more efficiently than if they were installed in different locations.

[0035] Embodiment 2 In the first embodiment, the calculation unit 16a performs both the first process of monitoring and controlling the power distribution system and the second process of creating information to be provided to the vehicle 5a. In the present embodiment, the calculation unit is composed of a first calculation unit 16b1 that performs the first process and a second calculation unit 16b2 that performs the second process, and the first process and the second process are performed by different calculation units, which is different from the first embodiment. A redundant description of the components that are the same as those in the first embodiment will be omitted, and the differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

[0036] FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of an intelligent electronic device 1b according to this embodiment. This embodiment newly includes a first calculation unit 16b1, a first sensor unit 20b1, a second sensor unit 20b2, and a second calculation unit 16b2. The first calculation unit 16b1 is provided on the first board, and the second calculation unit 16b2 is provided on the second board. The first calculation unit 16b1 performs a first process, which is a process related to monitoring and controlling the power distribution system using system information. The second calculation unit 16b2 performs a second process, which is a process of creating information to be provided to the vehicle 5b using vehicle information. The first sensor unit 20b1 acquires operational information indicating the state of the first board 101b. The operational information of the first board 101b is information used to determine whether or not a malfunction has occurred on the first board 101b. Similarly, the second sensor unit 20b2 acquires operational information indicating the state of the second board 102b. The operational information of the second board 102b is information used to determine whether or not a malfunction has occurred on the second board 102b. The operation information will be described in detail later.

[0037] FIG. 8 is an example of a unit configuration diagram of an intelligent electronic device 1b according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8, the intelligent electronic device 1b includes a first board 101b, a second board 102b, a power supply 103b, and a common board 104b inside a housing (not shown). The first board 101b, the second board 102b, and the power supply 103b are mounted on the common board 104b. In other words, the common board 104b serves as a motherboard that electrically connects the boards. A housing 105b (not shown) covers the first board 101b, the second board 102b, the power supply 103b, and the common board 104b, i.e., the housing of the intelligent electronic device 1b.

[0038] A first substrate 101b, a second substrate 102b, and a power supply 103b are electrically connected to the common substrate 104b. A first calculation unit 16b1 is provided on the first substrate 101b, a second calculation unit 16b2 is provided on the second substrate 102b, and a power supply unit 11b is provided on the power supply 103b.

[0039] The first substrate 101b is provided with a first calculation unit 16b1. The second substrate 102b is provided with a second calculation unit 16b2. The power supply 103b is provided with a power supply unit 11b. The first substrate 101b, the second substrate 102b, and the power supply 103b are electrically connected on a common substrate 104b, and therefore, when it is determined in the processing described below that the power supply unit 11b of the power supply 103b can stably supply power, power is supplied from the power supply unit 11b to the first substrate 101b and the second substrate 102b.

[0040] The housing 105b of the intelligent electronic device 1b is configured to be easily detachable. Furthermore, the first board 101b and the second board 102b, which are electrically connected to the common board 104b, are configured to be easily detachable. With this configuration, maintenance can be easily performed even when maintenance is required for each board. Furthermore, repair work can be performed efficiently because only the faulty board can be removed.

[0041] 9 is a flowchart showing the processing of the power supply unit 11b. The processing of the power supply unit 11b will be described with reference to FIG. In step S401, the power supply unit 11b determines whether the power supply is unstable. Specifically, based on a predetermined threshold indicating the power supply state, such as a voltage threshold or a current threshold, the power supply unit 11b determines that the power supply is stable if the voltage or current input to the primary side of the power distribution facility 2a is equal to or greater than the threshold, and determines that the power supply is unstable if the voltage or current is below the threshold. For example, the voltage threshold predetermined for the power supply unit 11b may be set to 101V±6V or 202V±20V, but is not limited to this. If the power supply is not unstable, the process determines No and proceeds to step S402, and if it is unstable, the process determines Yes and proceeds to step S403. In step S402, since the power supply is stable, the power supply unit 11b supplies power to the first substrate 101b and the second substrate 102b. In step S403, because the power supply is unstable, the power supply unit 11b supplies power preferentially to the board that performs the first process. In this embodiment, because the first board 101b performs the first process, power is supplied preferentially to the first board 101b. This allows the first process, which involves monitoring and control essential for maintaining the power system, to be carried out without interruption even when the power supply is unstable.

[0042] As described above, in this embodiment, an intelligent electronic device 1b is shown in which a first calculation unit 16b1 that performs a first process and a second calculation unit 16b2 that performs a second process are provided on a first board 101b and a second board 102b, respectively. In this way, the calculation units that perform the first process and the second process are provided on separate boards, i.e., the first board 101b and the second board 102b, and each is provided detachably. Therefore, even if maintenance is required on one board, the maintenance can be performed while the other board is still operating. Furthermore, because the boards are configured to be easily detached, maintenance is easy, and since only the faulty board can be removed, repair work can be performed efficiently.

[0043] In this embodiment, an intelligent electronic device 1b has been described that has a configuration in which one arithmetic unit is provided per board. Specifically, the intelligent electronic device 1b has a first arithmetic unit 16b1 that performs a first process on a first board 101b and a second arithmetic unit 16b2 that performs a second process on a second board 102b. When the power supply unit 11b determines that the power supply is unstable, the intelligent electronic device 1b preferentially supplies power to the board that performs the first process, i.e., the first board. Note that the configuration is not necessarily limited to one arithmetic unit per board. For example, if a single board is provided with the first arithmetic unit 16b1 and the second arithmetic unit 16b2, and the board can be configured to select the arithmetic unit to which power is to be supplied depending on the situation, this may also be acceptable.

[0044] Embodiment 3 This embodiment differs from the above-described embodiments in that a first sensor unit 20c1 and a second sensor unit 20c2 are provided to acquire operational information of the first substrate 101c and the second substrate 102c, respectively, and the presence or absence of a fault in each substrate is determined from the operational information acquired from each sensor. Note that duplicated explanations of components similar to those in embodiments 1 and 2 will be omitted, and differences from embodiments 1 and 2 will be mainly explained.

[0045] 10 is a block diagram of an intelligent electronic device 1c of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, the intelligent electronic device 1c of this embodiment newly includes a first sensor unit 20c1 and a second sensor unit 20c2.

[0046] The first sensor unit 20c1 is provided on the first substrate 101c on which the first calculation unit 16c1 is provided. Similarly, the second sensor unit 20c2 is provided on the second substrate 102c on which the second calculation unit 16c2 is provided. The first sensor unit 20c1 acquires operation information of the first substrate 101c and outputs the acquired operation information to the second calculation unit 16c2. Similarly, the second sensor unit 20c2 acquires operation information of the second substrate 102c and outputs the acquired operation information to the first calculation unit 16c1. That is, a sensor unit provided on one substrate acquires operation information of that substrate and outputs the acquired operation information to a calculation unit provided on the other substrate. Details of the operation information will be described later.

[0047] The first calculation unit 16c1 will be described. The first calculation unit 16c1 performs a first process related to monitoring and controlling the power distribution system based on system information, among the processes performed by the calculation unit 16a in the first embodiment. Furthermore, the first calculation unit 16c1 in this embodiment determines whether or not there is a malfunction in the second board 102c. The following describes a method for determining whether or not there is a malfunction in the second board 102c by the first calculation unit 16c1.

[0048] The first calculation unit 16c1 determines whether or not the second substrate 102c has a fault based on the operation information of the second substrate 102c. Here, the operation information of the second substrate 102c includes at least one of information on the current supplied to the second substrate 102c, information on the voltage, information on the vibration of the second substrate 102c, information on the electromagnetic waves, and information on the temperature, all of which are acquired by the second sensor unit 20c2. The current information is acquired by the second sensor unit 20c2 by measuring the value of the current supplied to the second substrate 102c. The first calculation unit 16c1 determines that the second substrate 102c is faulty when the current value of the current information is greater or smaller than a predetermined threshold value. The voltage information is acquired by the second sensor unit 20c2 by measuring the voltage value supplied to the second substrate 102c. The first calculation unit 16c1 determines that the second substrate 102c is faulty when the voltage value of the voltage information is greater or smaller than a predetermined threshold value.

[0049] The vibration information is acquired by the second sensor unit 20c2 measuring the frequency of the second substrate 102c. The second sensor unit 20c2 may be, for example, an acceleration sensor, a velocity sensor, or a displacement sensor that can measure frequency. In this embodiment, the second sensor unit 20c2 is described as an acceleration sensor. The second sensor unit 20c2 performs a fast Fourier transform (FFT) on the vibration acceleration to acquire a frequency analysis waveform, which is a waveform of the distribution of frequency components. The sensor unit 20c sends the variance, which is a statistic of the frequency analysis waveform, to the first calculation unit 16c1. The first calculation unit 16c1 compares the acquired variance with a predetermined variance threshold, and if the variance is greater than the threshold, determines that the second substrate 102c is faulty.

[0050] The electromagnetic wave information is acquired by the second sensor unit 20c2 by measuring the electromagnetic waves emitted by the second substrate 102c. The second sensor unit 20c2 may be, for example, a chip antenna or a coil that can measure electromagnetic waves. The first calculation unit 16c1 determines that the second substrate 102c is faulty if the waveform of the measured electromagnetic waves is outside a predetermined threshold.

[0051] The temperature information is acquired by the second sensor unit 20c2 measuring the temperature. The first calculation unit 16c1 determines that the second substrate 102c is faulty if the measured temperature is equal to or higher than a reference value. The second sensor unit 20c2 may be any temperature sensor that can measure temperature.

[0052] When the first calculation unit 16c1 determines that the second board 102c has a fault based on the operation information of the second board 102c, it outputs the fault determination result to the transmission unit 17c. The transmission unit 17c then sends the fault determination result to a central server (not shown) that is provided to be able to communicate with the intelligent electronic device 1c and monitors the intelligent electronic device 1c. Note that this central server may be a server that executes processing separately from the management server, which is the system that manages the power grid described above, or may execute processing on the same server. Furthermore, the first calculation unit 16c1 may electrically disconnect the failed second substrate 102c by controlling the power supply to the second substrate 102c to be stopped, or may move the failed second substrate 102c to a removal position and temporarily disconnect it from the electrical connection.

[0053] The second calculation unit 16c2 performs a second process, among the processes of the calculation unit 16a in the first embodiment, to create information to be provided in response to vehicle request information. Similarly to the first calculation unit 16c1, the second calculation unit 16c2 determines whether or not there is a malfunction in the first board 101c based on the operation information of the first board 101c output from the first sensor unit 20c1. If it is determined that there is a malfunction in the first board 101c, it outputs a determination result indicating that there is a malfunction to the transmitter 17c. The transmitter 17c then sends the determination result indicating that there is a malfunction to a central server (not shown) that is capable of communicating with the intelligent electronic device 1c. The second calculation unit 16c2 determines whether or not there is a malfunction in the second board 102c based on the operation information of the first board 101c acquired by the first sensor unit 20c1.

[0054] If the second calculation unit 16c2 determines that the first substrate 101c is faulty, the second calculation unit 16c2 may output a signal to the power supply unit 11c that supplies power to the first substrate 101c to prompt it to stop supplying power, and electrically disconnect the first substrate 101c determined to be faulty. By performing such processing, it is possible to respond more quickly than by disconnecting the substrate determined to be faulty from the common substrate 104c. Alternatively, the faulty first substrate 101c may be moved to a removal position and temporarily disconnected from the electrical connection.

[0055] As described above, in this embodiment, an intelligent electronic device 1c is provided that newly provides a first sensor unit 20c1 and a second sensor unit 20c2 for acquiring operational information of the boards, and determines whether or not each board has a fault based on the operational information acquired from each sensor. With this configuration, the fault can be determined by the calculation units provided on the different boards, and if a fault is detected, only the board where the fault is detected can be electrically disconnected to facilitate maintenance.

[0056] In the present embodiment, first calculation unit 16c1 and second calculation unit 16c2 perform the fault determination for each other, but they may be provided separately as a fault diagnosis unit. Also, although it has been described that first calculation unit 16c1 performs the first processing and second calculation unit 16c2 performs the second processing, first calculation unit 16c1 may perform the second processing and second calculation unit 16c2 may perform the first processing.

[0057] Embodiment 4 The present embodiment differs from embodiments 1 to 3 in that first calculation unit 16d1 performs a first process, which is a process related to the control and monitoring of the power grid, and also performs a third process, which uses grid information to provide vehicle 5d with information about charging and discharging stations where the vehicle power supply charges and discharges. Therefore, redundant explanations of components that are similar to embodiments 1 to 3 will be omitted, and the following description will mainly focus on the differences from embodiments 1 to 3.

[0058] FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of an intelligent electronic device 1d of this embodiment. A first calculation unit 16d1 is provided on a first board and performs a third process in addition to the first process. A second calculation unit 16d2 is provided on a second board and performs a second process. Details of the third process will be described later. A memory unit 13d stores information on the power grid, status information, and location information of the charging / discharging station. The charging / discharging station is equipped with equipment that allows charging and discharging of a vehicle power supply. A vehicle 5d is equipped with a transmitter 51d, a receiver 52d, a controller 53d, and a vehicle power supply 55d.

[0059] 12 is a flowchart showing the processing of the power supply unit 11d. The processing of the power supply unit 11c will be described with reference to FIG.

[0060] In step S501, the power supply unit 11d determines whether the power supply is unstable. Specifically, based on a predetermined threshold indicating the power supply state, such as a voltage threshold or a current threshold, the power supply unit 11d determines that the power supply is stable if the voltage or current is equal to or greater than the threshold, and determines that the power supply is unstable if the voltage or current is below the threshold. If the power supply is not unstable, the result is No and the process proceeds to step S502, and if the power supply is unstable, the result is Yes and the process proceeds to step S503. In step S502, since the power supply is stable, the power supply unit 11d supplies power to the first and second boards. In step S503, since the power supply is unstable, the power supply unit 11d supplies power preferentially to the first substrate that is to undergo the first and third processes over the second substrate that is to undergo the second process.

[0061] Fig. 13 is a flowchart showing the third process performed by first calculation unit 16d1. The third process will be described with reference to Fig. 13. The third process described in Fig. 13 is a process performed when a power outage occurs in the power distribution system and there is a power shortage in the power distribution system.

[0062] In step S601, the system information acquisition unit 12d acquires system information of the power distribution system. The system information is information about the power distribution system including at least one of a current value, a voltage value, and contact information. The current value is, for example, a current value acquired for each power distribution section. The voltage value is, for example, a voltage value acquired for each power distribution section, similar to the current value. The system information is sent to the storage unit 13c. In step S602, the first calculation unit 16d1 uses the grid information to compare it with a predetermined threshold, for example, a voltage threshold or a current threshold, and determines that the section in question is experiencing a power outage if the voltage value or current value is equal to or less than the threshold, and determines that the section in question is not experiencing a power outage if the voltage value or current value is greater than the threshold. If it is determined that a power outage has occurred, the result is Yes and the process proceeds to step S603. If it is determined that a power outage has not occurred, the result is No and the process returns to step S601. In step S603, the vehicle information acquisition unit 15d acquires vehicle information, which includes the vehicle identification number, location information, and remaining battery power of the vehicle power supply 55d. In step S604, first calculation unit 16d1 acquires, from storage unit 13d, location information of charging / discharging stations in the section (area) determined to be experiencing a power outage in step S602.

[0063] In step S605, first calculation unit 16d1 calculates the discharge amount, which is the amount of power discharged from vehicle power supply 55d at the charging / discharging stand, using the remaining power amount in the vehicle information and the system information to stabilize the power distribution system.

[0064] In step S606, first calculation unit 16d1 uses the location information of vehicle 5d, the remaining power in the vehicle information, and the location information of the charging / discharging station to select a vehicle to discharge at the charging / discharging station. As a specific example, first calculation unit 16d1 calculates the power usage when the vehicle travels to the charging / discharging station based on the vehicle location information and the charging / discharging station. Based on the remaining power in the vehicle information and the power usage, it determines whether there is remaining power in the vehicle power supply after the vehicle travels to the charging / discharging station, and selects a vehicle with remaining power as the vehicle to discharge at the charging / discharging station. It then creates travel instruction information indicating the route along which vehicle 5d will travel to the charging / discharging station. In step S607, first calculation unit 16d1 creates charge / discharge information using the amount of discharge at the charge / discharge stand and movement instruction information.

[0065] The charge / discharge information created by first calculation unit 16d1 is sent to transmission unit 17d, which then sends the charge / discharge information to reception unit 52d of vehicle 5d. The control unit 53d of the vehicle 5d controls the vehicle power supply 55d to discharge the amount of power equivalent to the discharge amount at the charging / discharging stand. The vehicle power supply 55d discharges the amount of power equivalent to the discharge amount at the charging / discharging stand in accordance with the control unit 53d.

[0066] In the present embodiment, the first calculation unit 16d1 performs the process of calculating the discharge amount in steps S605 to S607, but this may be omitted. That is, the location information of the charging / discharging station extracted in step S604 and the location information of the vehicle 5d may be used to create charging / discharging information based on travel instruction information that indicates a route for the vehicle 5d to travel to the charging / discharging station. The vehicle 5c travels to the charging / discharging station in accordance with the travel instruction information included in the charging / discharging information. Then, the vehicle power supply 55d discharges the amount of power that is to be discharged at the charging / discharging station as needed.

[0067] The above describes the case where a power outage occurs, but if the first calculation unit 16d1 determines that there is a possibility of a power outage using the weather information in the status information, it can also guide the vehicle 5d to a charging / discharging station to discharge the vehicle, just as in the case of a power outage.

[0068] Next, the third process to be performed when there is surplus power in the power distribution system will be described. Fig. 14 is a flowchart showing the third process to be performed by first calculation unit 16d1 when there is surplus power in the power distribution system.

[0069] In step S701, the first calculation unit 16d1 acquires system information of the power distribution system. The system information is information about the power distribution system including at least one of a current value, a voltage value, and contact information. The current value is, for example, a current value acquired for each power distribution section. The voltage value is, for example, a voltage value acquired for each power distribution section, similar to the current value. The system information is sent to the storage unit 13d, which will be described later. In step S702, first calculation unit 16d1 uses the grid information to compare with preset thresholds for voltage and current, and determines that there is no surplus power in the section if the voltage or current is equal to or less than the threshold, and determines that there is surplus power in the section if the voltage or current is greater than the threshold. If there is surplus power, the result is Yes and the process proceeds to step S703, and if there is no surplus power, the result is No and the process returns to step S701. In step S703, similar to step S603, the vehicle information acquisition unit 15d acquires vehicle information, which includes the vehicle identification number, location information, and remaining battery power of the vehicle power supply 55d.

[0070] In step S704, first calculation unit 16d1 acquires, from storage unit 13d, location information of charging / discharging stations in the section (area) determined to have surplus power in step S702. In step S705, first calculation unit 16d1 selects a vehicle to be charged at the charging / discharging station using the location information of vehicle 5d, the remaining power amount in the vehicle information, and the location information of the charging / discharging station. As a specific example, first calculation unit 16d1 calculates the power usage when the vehicle travels to the charging / discharging station based on the vehicle location information and the charging / discharging station. Then, first calculation unit 16d1 calculates the remaining power amount of the vehicle power supply after the vehicle travels to the charging / discharging station based on the remaining power amount in the vehicle information and the power usage, and selects a vehicle with the least remaining power amount as the vehicle to be charged at the charging / discharging station. Then, first calculation unit 16d1 generates travel instruction information indicating the route vehicle 5d will take to travel to the charging / discharging station. In step S707, first calculation unit 16d1 creates charge / discharge information based on the amount of charge to be performed at the charge / discharge stand and travel instruction information.

[0071] The charge / discharge information created by the first calculation unit 16d1 is sent to the transmission unit 17d, which then sends the charge / discharge information to the reception unit 52d of the vehicle 5d. The control unit 53d of the vehicle 5d controls the vehicle power supply 55d to charge the amount of electricity required to charge the vehicle power supply 55d. The vehicle power supply 55d charges the amount of electricity required to charge the vehicle power supply 55d at the charging / discharging stand.

[0072] In the present embodiment, the first calculation unit 16d1 performs the process of calculating the charge amount in steps S705 to S707, but the process of calculating the charge amount may be omitted. That is, the charge / discharge information may be created from the location information of the charging / discharging station extracted in step S704 and travel instruction information that indicates a route for the vehicle to travel to the charging / discharging station using the vehicle's location information. In this case, the vehicle 5d travels to the charging / discharging station in accordance with the travel instruction information included in the charge / discharge information. At the charging / discharging station, the vehicle power source 55d charges the vehicle for the desired amount of charge.

[0073] In the present embodiment, the third processing is described as being performed by the first calculation unit 16d1, but it may also be performed by the second calculation unit 16d2. Also, a third calculation unit that performs the third processing may be provided. In this case, power may be supplied to the third calculation unit with priority over the second calculation unit. Note that power may be supplied to the first calculation unit 16d1 with the highest priority, followed by the third calculation unit and the second calculation unit 16d2. In this embodiment, by using the third process to charge or discharge at a vehicle power supply charging / discharging stand possessed by the vehicle, it becomes possible to exchange power supplied from the charging / discharging stand to equipment connected to the charging / discharging stand so that power can be exchanged with the equipment.

[0074] The configurations shown in the above embodiments are merely examples, and may be combined with other known technologies, or different embodiments may be combined with each other. It is also possible to omit or modify parts of the configurations as long as they do not deviate from the gist of the invention.

[0075] The above describes in detail preferred embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0076] Various aspects of the present disclosure are summarized below as appendices.

[0077] (Appendix 1) a calculation unit that performs at least a part of a first process, which is a process related to at least one of control and monitoring of the power distribution system, using system information that is information about the power distribution system, and at least a part of a second process, which is a process different from the first process, using vehicle information that is information about a vehicle; a transmission unit that notifies a management server of a result of the first processing and notifies the vehicle of a result of the second processing; a power supply unit that supplies power to at least the calculation unit and the transmission unit; 1. An intelligent electronic device comprising: (Appendix 2) The calculation unit performs the second processing using the vehicle information and status information that is information about an area outside the intelligent electronic device. 10. The intelligent electronic device of claim 1. (Appendix 3) The status information includes at least one of information about the weather around the location where the intelligent electronic device is installed and an image of the outside of the intelligent electronic device. 10. The intelligent electronic device of claim 2. (Appendix 4) The first process uses at least one of a voltage value and a current value included in the grid information to determine whether the voltage value and the current value deviate from a predetermined appropriate range. 4. An intelligent electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. (Appendix 5) The first process calculates a deviation amount using at least one of the voltage value and the current value when the voltage value and the current value deviate from the appropriate range, and calculates a control amount using the deviation amount so that the voltage value and the current value are within the appropriate range. 10. The intelligent electronic device of claim 4. (Appendix 6) The vehicle information includes one of identification information for identifying the vehicle and location information regarding the location of the vehicle. 10. An intelligent electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 9. (Appendix 7) The second process selects the status information in response to request information including information related to information that the vehicle wants to acquire, and creates information to be provided to the vehicle using the status information. 10. The intelligent electronic device of claim 6. (Appendix 8) the vehicle information includes location information regarding the locations of the plurality of vehicles; The provided information is information regarding behavior instructions for the vehicles so as to ensure a predetermined inter-vehicle distance between the vehicles. 8. The intelligent electronic device of claim 7. (Appendix 9) the vehicle information includes location information relating to a location of the vehicle; The provided information includes at least one of weather information according to the location of the vehicle using information about the weather in the vicinity where the intelligent electronic device is installed, image information according to the location of the vehicle using an image outside the intelligent electronic device, and warning information for the vehicle according to the location of the vehicle, which includes at least one of information about the weather in the vicinity where the intelligent electronic device is installed and an image outside the intelligent electronic device. 10. The intelligent electronic device of claim 6. (Appendix 10) The calculation unit includes a first calculation unit that performs the first processing and a second calculation unit that performs the second processing. 10. The intelligent electronic device of claim 1. (Appendix 11) The power supply unit determines whether instability in power supply from the power source occurs, and if it determines that instability occurs, supplies power to the first calculation unit with priority over the second calculation unit. 11. The intelligent electronic device of claim 10. (Appendix 12) a storage unit that stores charging / discharging station information including at least location information of charging / discharging stations where the vehicle power supply mounted on the vehicle can be charged or discharged; the vehicle information includes location information relating to the location of the vehicle and a remaining battery charge relating to the amount of power of a vehicle power supply provided in the vehicle; the power supply unit determines whether instability in power supply from the power source is occurring using a voltage value or a current value included in the system information; When it is determined that instability occurs in the power supply unit, the calculation unit performs a third process of generating charging information, which is information regarding a charging or discharging station where the vehicle is charged or discharged, using the location information, the remaining battery level, and charging or discharging station information. 10. The intelligent electronic device of claim 1. (Appendix 13) The result of the third processing is the charging information including travel instruction information indicating a route along which the vehicle should travel to the charging / discharging station. 13. The intelligent electronic device of claim 12. (Appendix 14) The calculation unit includes a first calculation unit that performs the first processing, a second calculation unit that performs the second processing, and a third calculation unit that performs the third processing. 13. The intelligent electronic device of claim 12. (Appendix 15) The power supply unit determines whether instability in power supply from the power source occurs, and if it determines that instability occurs, supplies power to the third calculation unit with priority over the second calculation unit. 15. The intelligent electronic device of claim 14. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d Electronic device, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d Power distribution equipment, 2a1, 2b1, 2c1, 2d1 Switch, 2a2, 2b2, 2c2, 2d2 Pressure transformer, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d Sensing device, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d Camera, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d Carriage, 51a, 51b, 51c, 51d Transmitter, 52a, 52b, 52c, 52d Receiver, 53a, 53b, 53c, 53d Control unit, 54a, 54b, 54c Output unit, 55d Vehicle-use power supply, 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d Power supply unit, 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d System information acquisition unit, 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d Storage unit, 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d Status information acquisition unit, 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d Vehicle-use information acquisition unit, 16a Calculation unit, 16b1, 16c1, 16d1 First calculation unit, 16b2, 16c2, 16d2 Second calculation unit, 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d Transmission unit, 20c1 First signal unit, 20c2 Second signal unit, 100a CPU, 101b, 101c First substrate, 102b, 102c Second substrate, 103b power supply, 104b, 104c common substrate, 105b housing

Claims

1. a calculation unit that performs at least a part of a first process, which is a process related to at least one of control and monitoring of the power distribution system, using system information that is information about the power distribution system, and at least a part of a second process, which is a process different from the first process, using vehicle information that is information about a vehicle; a transmission unit that notifies a management server of a result of the first processing and notifies the vehicle of a result of the second processing; a power supply unit that supplies power to at least the calculation unit and the transmission unit; 1. An intelligent electronic device comprising:

2. The calculation unit performs the second process using the vehicle information and status information that is information about an area outside the intelligent electronic device.

10. The intelligent electronic device of claim 1.

3. The status information includes at least one of information about the weather around the location of the intelligent electronic device and an image of the outside of the intelligent electronic device.

3. The intelligent electronic device of claim 2.

4. The first process uses at least one of a voltage value and a current value included in the grid information to determine whether the voltage value and the current value deviate from a predetermined appropriate range.

10. The intelligent electronic device of claim 1.

5. The first process calculates a deviation amount using at least one of the voltage value and the current value when the voltage value and the current value deviate from the appropriate range, and calculates a control amount using the deviation amount so that the voltage value and the current value are within the appropriate range.

5. The intelligent electronic device of claim 4.

6. The vehicle information includes at least one of identification information for identifying the vehicle, location information regarding the location of the vehicle, and request information regarding information obtained from the intelligent electronic device.

3. The intelligent electronic device of claim 2.

7. The second process selects the status information in response to the request information, and generates information to be provided to the vehicle using the status information.

7. The intelligent electronic device of claim 6.

8. the vehicle information includes location information regarding the locations of the plurality of vehicles; The provided information is information regarding behavior instructions for the vehicles so as to ensure a predetermined inter-vehicle distance between the vehicles.

8. The intelligent electronic device of claim 7.

9. the vehicle information includes location information relating to a location of the vehicle; The provided information may include weather information according to the location of the vehicle using information about the weather around where the intelligent electronic device is installed, image information according to the location of the vehicle using an image outside the intelligent electronic device, or warning information for the vehicle according to the location of the vehicle including at least one of information about the weather around where the intelligent electronic device is installed and an image outside the intelligent electronic device. The provided information includes at least one of 8. The intelligent electronic device of claim 7.

10. The calculation unit includes a first calculation unit that performs the first processing and a second calculation unit that performs the second processing.

10. The intelligent electronic device of claim 1.

11. The power supply unit determines whether instability in power supply from the power source occurs, and if it determines that instability occurs, supplies power to the first calculation unit with priority over the second calculation unit.

11. The intelligent electronic device of claim 10.

12. a storage unit that stores charging / discharging station information including at least location information of charging / discharging stations where the vehicle power supply mounted on the vehicle can be charged or discharged; the vehicle information includes location information relating to the location of the vehicle and a remaining battery charge relating to the amount of power of a vehicle power supply provided in the vehicle; the power supply unit determines whether or not instability in power supply is occurring from the power source using a voltage value and a current value included in the system information; When the power supply unit determines that the power supply is unstable, the calculation unit performs a third process of generating charging information, which is information about charging and discharging stations where the vehicle charges or discharges, using the location information, the remaining battery level, and charging and discharging station information.

10. The intelligent electronic device of claim 1.

13. The result of the third processing is the charging information including travel instruction information indicating a route along which the vehicle should travel to the charging / discharging station.

13. The intelligent electronic device of claim 12.

14. The calculation unit includes a first calculation unit that performs the first processing, a second calculation unit that performs the second processing, and a third calculation unit that performs the third processing.

13. The intelligent electronic device of claim 12.

15. The power supply unit determines whether instability in power supply from the power source occurs, and if it determines that instability occurs, supplies power to the third calculation unit with priority over the second calculation unit.

15. The intelligent electronic device of claim 14.

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