Electric board, remote monitoring system for electric board, and remote monitoring method for electric board

Abstract

To provide an electric board, a remote monitoring system of the electric board, and a remote monitoring method of the electric board capable of collecting data from a remote place even when a radio communication part is housed inside the board.SOLUTION: The electric panel includes a data collection unit 12 that collects data related to an operation state, a router device 18 as a wireless communication unit that can wirelessly communicate with a base station 21 of a wireless communication network 22 including a plurality of base stations 21 and transmits the data collected by the data collection unit 12 to an external monitoring device 23, an antenna 20 connected to the router device 18 by a signal cable 19, and an input / output panel that accommodates the router device 18 therein and to which the antenna 20 is attached.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to an electrical panel, a remote monitoring system for an electrical panel, and a remote monitoring method for an electrical panel. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, uninterruptible power supplies store data on operating conditions, such as input and output waveforms or abnormalities or failures of equipment, on, for example, a memory card. Such uninterruptible power supplies require maintenance and inspection to check whether each device is operating normally and, if a failure occurs, to determine the cause of the failure. For this reason, for example, Patent Document 1 proposes that data be acquired using a portable information terminal carried by a worker who visits the installation site. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6569791 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, if data could be collected from a remote location without visiting the installation site, it would be possible to reduce the labor required for maintenance and inspection, which must be performed periodically. Furthermore, if data could be collected from a remote location, even if a malfunction occurs, it would be possible to respond quickly according to the situation, since there would be no need to visit the installation site. Therefore, in order to collect data from a remote location without visiting the installation site, it is conceivable to provide the uninterruptible power supply with a wireless communication unit capable of long-distance wireless communication.

[0005] However, in an uninterruptible power supply, it is desirable to house the equipment inside the panel, mainly from a safety perspective. However, if the wireless communication unit is housed inside the panel, there is a risk that radio waves will be blocked by the panel housing, which is generally made of metal, making long-distance wireless communication impossible. This is also true in configurations where the wireless communication unit is installed in an electrical panel such as a distribution board, switchboard, power panel, or control panel.

[0006] Therefore, we provide an electrical panel, an electrical panel remote monitoring system, and an electrical panel remote monitoring method that can collect data from a remote location even if a wireless communication unit is housed inside the panel. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The electrical panel of the embodiment comprises a data collection unit that collects data regarding the operating status of the electrical panel, a wireless communication unit that is capable of wireless communication with a base station of a wireless communication network composed of multiple base stations and transmits data collected by the data collection unit to an external monitoring device, an antenna connected to the wireless communication unit by a signal cable, a panel that houses the wireless communication unit inside and has the antenna attached, and a communication device panel that is detachably attached to the outside of an equipment housing panel that houses the equipment that makes up the electrical panel and houses parts related to wireless communication, and the communication device panel is attached to the top surface of the equipment housing panel in a state where at least one of its position and orientation can be changed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an uninterruptible power supply according to a first embodiment; [Figure 2] A diagram showing a schematic example of the internal configuration of an uninterruptible power supply. [Figure 3] A diagram showing a schematic example of the configuration of the top surface of the equipment housing panel [Figure 4] A diagram showing a schematic example of the configuration and arrangement of antennas. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the electrical configuration of an uninterruptible power supply; [Figure 6]Flow of monitoring process [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an uninterruptible power supply according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] A diagram showing a schematic example of the configuration of a communication panel [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration example of a mounting member; [Figure 10] A diagram showing the state in which the communication panel is installed [Figure 11] A diagram showing an example of the placement of a communication panel [Figure 12] A diagram showing a schematic example of a configuration for operating multiple uninterruptible power supplies. [Figure 13] A diagram showing a schematic example of the configuration of a monitoring system. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an uninterruptible power supply according to another embodiment. [Figure 15] Diagram 2 showing a schematic example of the configuration of an uninterruptible power supply DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, several embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Furthermore, parts that are substantially common to the embodiments will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0010] (First embodiment) A first embodiment will now be described. As shown in Fig. 1, an uninterruptible power supply 1 in this embodiment includes a main body panel 2, a battery panel 3, and an input / output panel 4. The input / output panel 4, main body panel 2, and battery panel 3 correspond to equipment housing panels that house the various devices that make up the uninterruptible power supply 1. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the uninterruptible power supply 1 will be installed indoors.

[0011] However, the configuration of the uninterruptible power supply 1 shown in Figure 1 is one example, and the number and arrangement of panels are not limited to this. In the following description, the left-right direction in Figure 1 will also be referred to as the left-right direction of the uninterruptible power supply 1, the up-down direction will also be referred to as the up-down direction of the uninterruptible power supply 1, and the direction perpendicular to the paper surface will also be referred to as the front-rear direction of the uninterruptible power supply 1.

[0012] The main body panel 2 has a housing made of metal material, and its front is opened and closed by a single-wing door equipped with an operation panel 2a that displays the operating status, etc. The main body panel 2 also has an air intake 2b on the lower side of the door for drawing in air, and a fan unit 2d equipped with an exhaust fan device 2c on its top surface. The main body panel 2 is ventilated by forced convection generated by the fan device 2c. The main body panel 2 is also installed in a state where it is connected to the adjacent storage battery panel 3 and input / output panel 4.

[0013] This main panel 2 houses a UPS module 10, which is the main device that makes up the uninterruptible power supply 1. The UPS module 10 has a common function, so a detailed description will be omitted, but it is made up of a rectifier for charging the storage battery 11, an inverter for converting the direct current supplied from the storage battery 11 into alternating current, and the like. UPS is an abbreviation for Uninterruptible Power Supply.

[0014] The main body panel 2 also houses a data collection unit 12 that collects data indicating the operating status of the uninterruptible power supply 1. Although not shown, the data collection unit 12 is made up of a storage unit such as a memory card, a communication unit that transmits and receives data to and from an external device, and a control unit that controls the storage unit and communication unit. In this embodiment, the data collection unit 12 is communicably connected to a network adapter 13 via the communication unit by a communication cable 14. This communication cable 14 is a so-called UTP cable.

[0015] This data collection unit 12 collects various information such as the input and output waveforms of the UPS module 10, and abnormalities or malfunctions of the equipment housed in the main panel 2 and the battery panel 3, as data indicating the operating status of the uninterruptible power supply 1.The data collection unit 12 also collects various information about the storage battery 11, such as the charge amount, input power, and output power of the storage battery 11, as data indicating the operating status of the uninterruptible power supply 1.

[0016] The data collection unit 12 is also provided on the main body panel 2 and the battery panel 3, and is capable of collecting various temperatures detected by, for example, a temperature sensor 70, which is an environmental sensor that collects environmental information within the panel. The temperature sensor 70 provided on the main body panel 2 detects the internal temperature of the main body panel 2, while the temperature sensor 70 provided on the battery panel 3 detects the internal temperature of the battery panel 3 and the temperature of the battery 11 itself. The internal temperature of the battery panel 3 can also be obtained from the fan unit 2d if the fan unit 2d is equipped with a sensor. The data collection unit 12 stores the collected data indicating the operating status and environmental information of the uninterruptible power supply 1 on a memory card or the like, and can transmit the data to an external device. The environmental information is not limited to temperature.

[0017] The network adapter 13 functions as a signal converter that enables communication of data collected and stored in the data collection unit 12 via a so-called LAN line. Although the present embodiment illustrates a configuration in which the data collection unit 12 and the network adapter 13 are provided, the communication unit of the data collection unit 12 may be made compatible with a LAN line, and the functions of the network adapter 13 may be integrated into the data collection unit 12.

[0018] The battery panel 3 has a housing made of metal material, and houses therein a storage battery 11, which is a main component of the uninterruptible power supply 1. The storage battery 11 is connected to the UPS module 10 and constantly supplies power to the UPS module 10. The battery panel 3 has an air intake 3a on the lower front side for drawing in air, and an exhaust opening on the top, although not shown. Therefore, the battery panel 3 is ventilated by natural convection.

[0019] The input / output panel 4 has a housing made of metal material, and in this embodiment, has a structure in which the front can be opened and closed by a double-door 4a. This input / output panel 4 is provided with an input power cable 15 which serves as an input path to the uninterruptible power supply 1, an output power cable 16 which serves as an output path from the uninterruptible power supply 1, and the like. Although not shown in the figure, control system cables and the like are also collected in the input / output panel 4 and connected to each device. These input power cable 15 and output power cable 16 correspond to power lines.

[0020] The input / output panel 4 also houses multiple devices 4b that make up the uninterruptible power supply 1. These devices 4b include, for example, circuit breakers for opening and closing the input and output paths of the uninterruptible power supply 1, switches for switching the power on and off, and safety relays. The double doors 4a are also provided with multimeters 4c for each power supply system and indicator lamps 4d that show the operating status of the uninterruptible power supply 1. An air intake 4f ​​is also provided at the bottom of the double doors 4a, allowing ventilation inside the input / output panel 4 through natural convection.

[0021] The input / output panel 4 is also provided with the above-mentioned network adapter 13, a router device 18 as a wireless communication unit connected to the network adapter 13 by a LAN cable 17, and an antenna 20 connected to the router device 18 by a signal cable 19. The router device 18 and the antenna 20 communicate wirelessly with a wireless communication network 22 made up of a plurality of base stations 21.

[0022] At this time, a monitoring device 23 is connected to the wireless communication network 22, and the monitoring device 23 acquires data indicating the operating state of the uninterruptible power supply 1 via the wireless communication network 22, and monitors the operating state of the uninterruptible power supply 1 based on the acquired data. In other words, the uninterruptible power supply 1 and the monitoring device 23 constitute a remote monitoring system 5 for the uninterruptible power supply 1.

[0023] The router device 18 can be selected as appropriate depending on the purpose of use, the usage environment, etc., and can be a so-called 4G router that complies with the fourth generation communication standard, an LTE router that complies with LTE, which is a type of fourth generation communication standard, or a so-called 5G router that complies with the fifth generation communication standard, etc. In this embodiment, a 4G router is used as the router device 18.

[0024] However, the router device 18 may be one that complies with a different standard from the one illustrated above, as long as it is directly connected to the wireless communication network 22 having the base station 21. Also, the router device 18 does not necessarily need to have a network routing function, and it may also be one that operates as a so-called repeater with a network bridge function.

[0025] In addition, in the present embodiment, the router device 18 is housed inside the input / output panel 4, which serves as an equipment housing panel, while the antenna 20 is attached to the top surface of the input / output panel 4 that houses the router device 18. In other words, in the case of the uninterruptible power supply 1, the router device 18 is housed inside the panel, and the antenna 20 is disposed outside the panel, so that the router device 18 and the antenna 20 can be installed at positions separated from each other or at different positions from each other.

[0026] This antenna 20 corresponds to a component related to wireless communication that is arranged outside the equipment housing panel that houses the equipment that constitutes the uninterruptible power supply 1. Furthermore, the signal cable 19 corresponds to wiring related to wireless communication between the inside and outside of the equipment housing panel that houses the equipment that constitutes the uninterruptible power supply 1.

[0027] The router device 18 is disposed on the left side of the center in the left-right direction of the input / output panel 4, and closer to the upper end than the center in the up-down direction. As shown in Fig. 2, the router device 18 is disposed on the front side of the center in the front-to-back direction of the input / output panel 4. The router device 18 is attached to the front of a metal mounting plate 26 that is disposed between the router device 18 and devices such as the bus bar 24 and input transformer 25 that are disposed inside the input / output panel 4.

[0028] That is, the router device 18 is arranged inside the input / output panel 4 with the busbar 24 and input transformer 25 shielded by the mounting plate 26. The mounting plate 26 is attached to rails 28 arranged in the left-right direction by using a mounting structure 27 provided inside the side surface of the input / output panel 4.

[0029] 1, the signal cable 19 connecting the router device 18 and the antenna 20 is drawn out of the input / output panel 4 via a cable duct (not shown) attached to the end side of the input / output panel 4. At this time, the signal cable 19 is drawn out through a cable hole 29 provided on the top surface of the input / output panel 4.

[0030] 3, the top surface of the input / output panel 4 is formed with openings such as an exhaust port 30 having a plurality of holes formed by, for example, a punching process, an inlet hole 31 for drawing the input power cable 15 into the interior, and an outlet hole 32 for drawing the output power cable 16 from the interior. The cable hole 29 is provided in a position different from the openings of the input / output panel 4, the inlet hole 31, and the outlet hole 32. The cable hole 29 is also formed in a position spaced apart from the inlet hole 31 and the outlet hole 32 in the left-right and front-rear directions of the input / output panel 4.

[0031] The inlet holes 31 and outlet holes 32 are formed in a cover member 33 that covers an inlet opening 4e that is formed in advance on the top surface of the input / output panel 4. This inlet opening 4e corresponds to an opening dedicated to power. The cover member 33 is detachable from the input / output panel 4. This makes it possible to shift the inlet holes 31 and outlet holes 32 left and right or front and back within the range of the inlet opening 4e to suit the cable routing situation at the installation site. After the cables are passed through these inlet holes 31 and outlet holes 32, gaps are filled with a filler 34, such as insulating putty, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0032] 4, the antenna 20 has an external shape that is roughly a thin rectangular parallelepiped, and houses a thin plate- or film-like antenna substrate 20a on which a predetermined antenna pattern is formed. In this embodiment, an omnidirectional antenna 20 is assumed, or a wide-directivity antenna in which the relative radio wave strength varies depending on the direction, but the radio wave strength does not vary to the extent that it can be called directional.

[0033] As shown in the positional relationship in Figure 4, this antenna 20 faces the flat surface of the antenna board 20a, and is not positioned at a position where the distance (H1) from the top surface of the input / output panel 4, which is the mounting surface of the antenna 20, is a multiple of half the wavelength of the radio waves it transmits and receives. In this embodiment, the antenna 20 is positioned at a position where the distance (H1) from the top surface of the input / output panel 4 is less than half the wavelength of the radio waves it transmits and receives, and is approximately one-quarter the wavelength of the radio waves. However, the position of the antenna 20 can be within a range of about 2 / 10 to 3 / 10 of the wavelength of the radio waves, which can be considered to be approximately one-quarter.

[0034] As an example, for a 2.5 GHz band radio wave, the wavelength is approximately 120 mm, and the positions where it is several times half that wavelength are, for example, 60 mm, 120 mm, 180 mm, etc. If the distance (H1) between the antenna substrate 20a and the top surface is one of these values, the incident wave and the reflected wave of the radio wave may cancel each other out, resulting in a weakened radio wave intensity. On the other hand, if the distance (H1) between the antenna substrate 20a and the top surface is not several times half the wavelength, the risk of a decrease in radio wave intensity can be reduced.

[0035] Furthermore, if the distance (H1) between the antenna substrate 20a and the top surface is approximately 30 mm, which is 1 / 4 of the wavelength, the phases of the incident and reflected radio waves will be aligned, increasing the radio wave intensity and improving communication performance. Note that the same concept can be applied when using radio waves in other bands.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 5, which is a simplified diagram of the electrical configuration of the uninterruptible power supply 1, the router device 18 receives power from the output side of the uninterruptible power supply 1. In Fig. 5, the power supply path is indicated by a solid line, and the signal path is indicated by a dashed line. Specifically, the UPS module 10 of the uninterruptible power supply 1 receives power from the input power cable 15 via multiple devices 4b such as circuit breakers, and also receives power from the storage battery 11, and constantly outputs power.

[0037] Power is supplied to the router device 18 by connecting an AC adapter 18a to an outlet 36 which is connected to the output of the UPS module 10 via a transformer 35. Therefore, even if the supply of power to the uninterruptible power supply 1 is stopped due to a power outage, for example, the router device 18 is supplied with power from the UPS module 10, and therefore can perform wireless communication even during the power outage.

[0038] In this embodiment, the network adapter 13 is also supplied with power via a stabilized power supply 37 connected to the output of the UPS module 10. The network adapter 13 is also provided with a storage medium 13a, such as a memory card, for chronologically storing data indicating the operating state of the uninterruptible power supply 1 transmitted from the data collection unit 12. Therefore, even if the supply of power to the uninterruptible power supply 1 is stopped due to a power outage, for example, power is supplied to the network adapter 13 for a predetermined period of time, making it possible to transfer data to the router device 18 even during a power outage.

[0039] Monitoring device 23 is configured as a so-called personal computer or the like, is wirelessly connected to wireless communication network 22 configured with multiple base stations 21, and monitors uninterruptible power supply 1 from a remote location based on data indicating the operating status acquired from uninterruptible power supply 1. Specifically, monitoring device 23 monitors uninterruptible power supply 1 from a remote location by executing a process including the steps of: acquiring data relating to the operating status from uninterruptible power supply 1 via wireless communication network 22; identifying the operating status of uninterruptible power supply 1 based on the acquired data; and determining whether or not uninterruptible power supply 1 is operating normally based on the identified operating status.

[0040] In this embodiment, it is assumed that the monitoring device 23 is used by the manufacturer of the uninterruptible power supply 1 or a company responsible for maintaining the uninterruptible power supply 1. However, the monitoring device 23 can also be used by the consumer who operates the uninterruptible power supply 1.

[0041] Next, the operation and effects of the above-described configuration will be described. As described above, the uninterruptible power supply 1 stores data relating to the operating state, such as input waveforms, output waveforms, or equipment abnormalities or failures, on, for example, a memory card, etc. Such an uninterruptible power supply 1 requires maintenance and inspection to check whether each piece of equipment is operating normally, and, if a failure occurs, to determine the cause of the failure.

[0042] In this case, if data can be collected from a remote location without visiting the installation site, it will be possible to reduce the labor required for maintenance inspections that must be performed periodically. Furthermore, if data can be collected from a remote location, even if a malfunction occurs, it will be possible to quickly respond to the situation. Furthermore, if monitoring from a remote location becomes possible, it will also be possible to constantly monitor the uninterruptible power supply 1, for example.

[0043] When monitoring from a remote location, it is conceivable to collect data by wireless communication from the uninterruptible power supply 1. However, although it is desirable to house the devices of the uninterruptible power supply 1 inside the panel, mainly from the viewpoint of safety, if the router device 18 is housed inside the panel, there is a risk that radio waves will be blocked by the panel casing, which is generally made of a metal material, making long-distance wireless communication impossible.

[0044] Therefore, in this embodiment, the uninterruptible power supply 1 is provided with a router device 18, which is housed inside the panel, and an antenna 20 for wireless communication is drawn from the router device 18 by a signal cable 19 and attached to the panel. In other words, in the uninterruptible power supply 1, the router device 18 and the antenna 20, which is the main device for transmitting and receiving radio waves between the router device 18 and the base station 21, can be installed at positions separated from each other or at different positions from each other.

[0045] This makes it possible to install the antenna 20 in a position where radio waves can be easily received, and even when the router device 18 is housed inside the panel, wireless communication can be performed with the base station 21, that is, data can be collected from a remote location.

[0046] Furthermore, the router device 18 is housed in an equipment housing panel such as the input / output panel 4 that houses the devices that make up the uninterruptible power supply 1. This ensures the safety of the uninterruptible power supply 1 and reduces the risk of damage to the wireless communication unit. Furthermore, there is no need to provide a separate cover or the like from the panel just for housing the router device 18, which prevents the uninterruptible power supply 1 from becoming larger. Furthermore, this prevents increases in costs and makes it easy to provide wireless communication functionality to existing panels.

[0047] Furthermore, the antenna 20 is attached to the outside of the panel that houses the router device 18. This allows the router device 18 to be housed inside the panel to ensure safety, while preventing radio waves from being blocked by the panel housing, creating a good wireless communication environment.

[0048] Furthermore, signal cables 19 related to wireless communication between the inside and outside of the equipment housing panel that houses the devices that make up uninterruptible power supply 1 are routed through openings that are different from the openings for the power lines provided in the equipment housing panel, thereby suppressing the effects of noise from the power lines on signal cables 19 that transmit high-frequency analog signals.

[0049] Furthermore, among the components related to wireless communication, antenna 20, which is arranged outside the equipment housing panel that houses the devices that make up uninterruptible power supply 1, is arranged in a position that does not overlap with exhaust vent 30 provided on the top surface of the equipment housing panel. This reduces the risk that externally arranged components such as antenna 20 will impair ventilation inside the equipment housing panel.

[0050] Furthermore, router device 18 is disposed inside a panel that houses router device 18, close to either end in the left-right direction of uninterruptible power supply 1 when installed. In this embodiment, router device 18 is disposed close to the left end of uninterruptible power supply 1. This makes it possible to shorten the section of signal cable 19 that transmits high-frequency analog signals that is subject to the influence of noise, thereby reducing the influence of noise.

[0051] Furthermore, inside the panel that houses the router device 18, the router device 18 is disposed close to the upper end in the vertical direction of the uninterruptible power supply 1 when installed. This makes it possible to shorten the section of the signal cable 19 that transmits high-frequency analog signals that is subject to the influence of noise, thereby reducing the influence of noise. Furthermore, in the configuration in which the antenna 20 is disposed on the top surface of the input / output panel 4 as in this embodiment, the section of the signal cable 19 that is subject to the influence of noise can be further shortened, which is particularly significant.

[0052] Furthermore, the router device 18 is constantly supplied with power from the output side of the uninterruptible power supply 1. As a result, even if the supply of power to the uninterruptible power supply 1 is stopped due to a power outage, for example, power is supplied from the uninterruptible power supply 1 for a predetermined period, making it possible to perform wireless communication even during the power outage. It is also possible to collect data related to malfunctions, such as a power outage, which allows the cause of the malfunction to be identified and the malfunction to be dealt with promptly.

[0053] Furthermore, by providing a storage medium 13a for storing data in the network adapter 13 and connecting the network adapter 13 to the output side of the uninterruptible power supply 1 to constantly supply power, it is possible to collect data up until the malfunction occurs and data after the malfunction occurs.

[0054] Furthermore, the antenna 20 is not placed in a position where the distance (H1) from the mounting surface to which the antenna 20 is attached is a multiple of half the wavelength of the radio waves it transmits and receives, thereby reducing the risk of radio wave strength weakening and causing problems in wireless communication.

[0055] Furthermore, the antenna 20 is placed at a position where the distance (H1) from the mounting surface to which the antenna 20 is attached is less than half the wavelength of the radio waves it transmits and receives, thereby reducing the risk of radio wave strength weakening and causing problems in wireless communication.

[0056] Furthermore, the antenna 20 is placed at a position where the distance (H1) from the mounting surface to which the antenna 20 is attached can be considered to be 1 / 4 of the wavelength of the radio waves it transmits and receives. This aligns the phases of the incident and reflected radio waves, increasing the radio wave intensity and improving communication performance.

[0057] In addition, a remote monitoring system 5 for an uninterruptible power supply 1, which comprises an uninterruptible power supply 1 having the above-described configuration and a monitoring device 23 that is wirelessly connected to a wireless communication network 22 consisting of a plurality of base stations 21 and monitors the uninterruptible power supply 1 based on data acquired from the uninterruptible power supply 1, makes it possible to install an antenna 20 in a position where radio waves can be easily received, and even when the router device 18 is housed inside the panel, wireless communication can be performed with the base station 21, and data can be collected from a remote location, thereby achieving the various effects described above in the same way as the uninterruptible power supply 1.

[0058] Furthermore, monitoring device 23 monitors uninterruptible power supply 1 from a remote location by executing the monitoring process shown in Fig. 6. In this monitoring process, monitoring device 23 performs the following steps: a step (S1) of acquiring data relating to the operating state from uninterruptible power supply 1 via wireless communication network 22 made up of multiple base stations 21; a step (S2) of identifying the operating state of uninterruptible power supply 1 based on the acquired data; and a step (S3) of determining whether or not uninterruptible power supply 1 is operating normally based on the identified operating state.

[0059] If the monitoring device 23 determines that the uninterruptible power supply 1 is operating normally (S3: YES), it proceeds to step S1 and collects the next data, whereas if it determines that the uninterruptible power supply 1 is not operating normally (S3: NO), it executes an abnormality response process (S4). This abnormality response process may, for example, display a notice on the display of the monitoring device 23 that an abnormality has been detected, notify an administrator by email, or cause the uninterruptible power supply 1 to perform a self-diagnosis. Note that the abnormality response process illustrated here is just one example.

[0060] In this way, by monitoring the uninterruptible power supply 1 from a remote location, even if some kind of malfunction occurs, it is not necessary to go to the installation site, and it is possible to respond quickly according to the situation. This monitoring method is realized by providing a router device 18 in the uninterruptible power supply 1 and setting the router device 18 to a state where it can communicate with the base station 21.

[0061] (Second embodiment) The second embodiment will be described below. The second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment in that the router device 18 is housed inside a panel, but differs from the first embodiment in that the panel is provided separately from the equipment housing panel that houses the equipment that makes up the uninterruptible power supply 1. Note that the basic configurations and wiring of the uninterruptible power supply 1 and remote monitoring system 5 have much in common with the first embodiment, so common reference numerals are used and the description will also refer to Figures 1 to 6 as necessary.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 7 , the uninterruptible power supply 1 of this embodiment includes a main body panel 2, a battery panel 3, and an input / output panel 4. Of these, the main body panel 2 and the battery panel 3 have the same configuration as in the first embodiment. Meanwhile, a communication device panel 40 is attached to the top surface of the input / output panel 4, and the router device 18 is disposed inside the communication device panel 40. Furthermore, the antenna 20 is attached to the outside of the communication device panel 40. That is, in this embodiment, the router device 18 is housed in the communication device panel 40, which is attached outside the input / output panel 4 that houses the devices that make up the uninterruptible power supply 1. Furthermore, the communication device panel 40 houses components related to wireless communication that are disposed outside the input / output panel 4 that houses the devices that make up the uninterruptible power supply 1.

[0063] This uninterruptible power supply 1 is capable of wireless communication with a wireless communication network 22 via a router device 18 housed in a communication panel 40, and together with a monitoring device 23 connected to the wireless communication network 22, forms a remote monitoring system 5. In this remote monitoring system 5, the operating status of the uninterruptible power supply 1 is monitored by having the monitoring device 23 execute the monitoring process shown in Fig. 6.

[0064] 8, this communication panel 40 has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped housing made of a metal material, one side of which is formed with a communication opening 41 that opens to the outside. Furthermore, communication panel 40 has long holes formed, for example by punching, on the other sides except for the side on which communication opening 41 is formed, allowing air to flow in and out.

[0065] This communication opening 41 is closed by a transparent member 42 made of a material that transmits radio waves more easily than metal material. The transparent member 42 is made of, for example, an acrylic plate, and like the other surfaces, is punched to allow air to pass in and out. Note that the double-headed arrow symbol superimposed on the transparent member 42 in Figure 7 and elsewhere indicates the direction in which the risk of radio waves being blocked is relatively low. Hereinafter, for convenience, the side of the communication panel 40 with the double-headed arrow attached thereto will also be referred to as the main direction of radio waves.

[0066] Furthermore, the communication equipment panel 40 is formed with a plurality of openings for passing cables therethrough, and the openings are provided with bushings 43. Furthermore, one surface of the communication equipment panel 40 is provided with a plurality of cable mounts 44 for fixing cable ties that bind the cables together. Furthermore, although not shown, one surface of the communication equipment panel 40 is formed with a plurality of screw holes for attachment to a mounting member 45, which will be described later.

[0067] For convenience, the following description will refer to the surface on which the transparent member 42 is provided as the front surface, the surface on which the cable mount 44 is provided as the top surface, and the surface on which the screw holes are formed as the bottom surface. Note that although referred to as screw holes here, the screw holes may be holes with threaded grooves or through-holes for passing screws through. The same applies to the mounting member 45.

[0068] As shown in the AA cross section, this communication equipment panel 40 houses a router device 18, an outlet 36 for supplying power to the router device 18, and a gateway device 48 as a route aggregation unit that aggregates communication routes between the plurality of data collection units 12. In other words, the communication equipment panel 40 is formed to a size that can accommodate devices other than the router device 18. When the communication equipment panel 40 is viewed from the front, the router device 18 is disposed toward the right end of the communication equipment panel 40 in the left-right direction in the figure, and toward the upper end of the communication equipment panel 40 in the up-down direction in the figure.

[0069] Additionally, the antenna 20 is attached to the top surface of the communication equipment panel 40. In other words, the antenna 20 is attached to the outside of the communication equipment panel 40, which is the panel that houses the router device 18. At this time, the antenna 20 is fixed with a cable tie using a cable mount 44. The antenna 20 can also be fixed using, for example, double-sided tape in addition.

[0070] Furthermore, antenna 20 is positioned opposite the flat surface of antenna substrate 20a, and is not positioned at a distance from the top surface of communication device panel 40, which is made of a metal material and serves as the mounting surface for antenna 20, that is a multiple of half the wavelength of the radio waves it transmits and receives. In this embodiment, antenna 20 is positioned at a distance less than half the wavelength of the radio waves it transmits and receives, but at a distance that is approximately one-quarter of the wavelength of the radio waves. However, antenna 20 can be positioned within a range of approximately 2 / 10 to 3 / 10 of the wavelength of the radio waves, which can be considered to be approximately one-quarter.

[0071] This communication panel 40 is attached to a mounting member 45 shown in Fig. 9. As shown in the B-B cross section, this mounting member 45 is formed by bending a metal plate so as to form an upper surface on which a plurality of screw holes 49 are formed and on which the communication panel 40 is attached, a lower surface on which screw holes 50 for attachment to the upper surface of the input / output panel 4 are formed, and a wall surface connecting the upper surface and the lower surface. However, the structure of mounting member 45 is one example.

[0072] 10 showing the uninterruptible power supply 1 viewed from the right, the mounting member 45 is attached to the top surface of the input / output panel 4, and the communication panel 40 is attached to the mounting member 45, whereby the communication panel 40 is fixed to the top surface of the input / output panel 4. At this time, the mounting orientation of the communication panel 40 to the mounting member 45 can be changed, and the mounting orientation of the mounting member 45 to the input / output panel 4 can also be changed.

[0073] 7 and 10, the communication panel 40 is arranged so that the main direction of radio waves is toward the right side of the input / output panel 4, but as shown as arrangement example 1 in Fig. 11, the communication panel 40 can be arranged so that the main direction of radio waves is toward the left side of the input / output panel 4. In this case, the direction of the communication panel 40 can be set appropriately depending on the installation environment of the uninterruptible power supply 1, for example, so that the main direction of radio waves is toward the side opposite the wall of the room.

[0074] In this embodiment, the position at which the mounting member 45 is attached can also be changed. Specifically, the housing of the input / output panel 4 is composed of a frame member 51 that forms the framework and plate-like members that are made of metal material and form the wall surfaces. The areas where the frame member 51 is provided have relatively higher strength than areas where the frame member 51 is not provided.

[0075] Therefore, when placing the communication panel 40 on the top surface of the input / output panel 4, it is desirable to attach the communication panel 40 to the location where the frame member 51 is disposed, as shown in multiple locations with dashed lines. For example, as shown in location example 1, the communication panel 40 can be attached near the center of the front end of the input / output panel 4, at the front and right end sides of the input / output panel 4, at the rear and right end sides of the input / output panel 4, near the center of the rear end side of the input / output panel 4, or at the rear and left end side of the input / output panel 4.

[0076] In this case, multiple screw holes for mounting can be provided in advance on the top surface of the input / output panel 4, or screw holes can be provided in suitable positions at the installation site. Of course, if the mounting position has been decided, screw holes for fixing in that position can be provided in advance. This prevents distortion of the input / output panel 4 due to the weight of the communication device panel 40 and allows the communication device panel 40 to be firmly fixed.

[0077] In this arrangement example 1, the communication equipment panel 40 is arranged around the exhaust port 30 in a so-called vertical position where the vertical direction is relatively long. Therefore, the communication equipment panel 40 is arranged in a position where air flows from the exhaust port 30 provided on the top surface of the input / output panel 4 serving as an equipment housing panel. Furthermore, since elongated holes are formed on each surface of the communication equipment panel 40, the air discharged from the exhaust port 30 passes through the inside of the communication equipment panel 40, thereby promoting the dissipation of heat from the communication equipment panel 40.

[0078] Furthermore, as shown in arrangement example 2, the communication panel 40 can also be arranged in a so-called horizontal position, in which the vertical dimension is relatively short and the direction of the main radio waves is aligned in the vertical direction. In this case, as shown by the dashed lines, the communication panel 40 can be attached near the center of the front end side of the input / output panel 4, at the front and right end side of the input / output panel 4, near the center of the right end side in the front-to-back direction of the input / output panel 4, near the center of the rear end side of the input / output panel 4, etc.

[0079] At this time, although it depends on the size of the communication equipment panel 40, when the frame member 51 is used for placement, it is assumed that the communication equipment panel 40 will be placed in a state where a portion of the communication equipment panel 40 hangs over the exhaust port 30. In other words, of the components related to wireless communication, the components that are placed outside the equipment housing panel that houses the devices that make up the uninterruptible power supply 1 are placed in a position where at least a portion of the components overlaps with the exhaust port 30 provided on the top surface of the equipment housing panel. In this case, since elongated holes are formed on each surface of the communication equipment panel 40, the air discharged from the exhaust port 30 passes through the inside of the communication equipment panel 40, thereby promoting the dissipation of heat from the communication equipment panel 40.

[0080] Now, when the router device 18 is housed in the communication device panel 40, it is necessary to connect it to the network adapter 13 arranged in the input / output panel 4. Also in this embodiment, the router device 18 is configured to be able to operate even during a power outage by receiving power from the output side of the UPS module 10, similar to the first embodiment shown in Fig. 5. Therefore, it is necessary to wire a power cable 53 between the input / output panel 4 and the communication device panel 40.

[0081] 10, power cable 53 is arranged using lead-in hole 31 for drawing input power cable 15 into the interior, together with LAN cable 17 connecting to network adapter 13. In other words, wiring related to wireless communication between the inside and outside of input / output panel 4, which serves as an equipment housing panel accommodating the devices that make up uninterruptible power supply 1, is routed through an opening for power lines in input / output panel 4. Also, outlet 36 for supplying power to components related to wireless communication that are arranged outside the equipment housing panel accommodating the devices that make up uninterruptible power supply 1 is drawn out from the equipment housing panel.

[0082] In this embodiment, the gateway device 48 housed in the communication device panel 40 also receives power from the outlet 36. The gateway device 48 includes a hub function unit 48a to which multiple LAN cables 17 can be connected, and an access point function unit 48b that enables communication via wireless LAN with multiple wireless slave devices 52 (described later). In other words, the gateway device 48 is configured to be able to communicate data with multiple data collection units 12. By providing the gateway device 48 in the communication device panel 40, it becomes possible to transmit data from multiple uninterruptible power supplies 1 to the monitoring device 23 via a single router device 18.

[0083] Next, the operation and effects of the above-described configuration will be described. As described above, the uninterruptible power supply 1 stores data relating to the operating state, such as input waveforms, output waveforms, or equipment abnormalities or failures, on, for example, a memory card, etc. Such an uninterruptible power supply 1 requires maintenance and inspection to check whether each piece of equipment is operating normally, and, if a failure occurs, to determine the cause of the failure.

[0084] In this case, if data can be collected from a remote location without visiting the installation site, it will be possible to reduce the labor required for maintenance inspections that must be performed periodically. Furthermore, if data can be collected from a remote location, even if a malfunction occurs, it will be possible to quickly respond to the situation. Furthermore, if monitoring from a remote location becomes possible, it will also be possible to constantly monitor the uninterruptible power supply 1, for example.

[0085] When monitoring from a remote location, it is conceivable to collect data by wireless communication from the uninterruptible power supply 1. However, although it is desirable to house the devices of the uninterruptible power supply 1 inside the panel, mainly from the viewpoint of safety, if the router device 18 is housed inside the panel, there is a risk that radio waves will be blocked by the panel casing, which is generally made of a metal material, making long-distance wireless communication impossible.

[0086] Incidentally, as shown in operation example 1 in Fig. 12, for example, an uninterruptible power supply 1A may be installed as a regular device, and another uninterruptible power supply 1B may be installed as a backup device. In other words, a plurality of uninterruptible power supplies 1 may be operated. In this case, the monitoring device 23 must collect data on the operating status from both the uninterruptible power supply 1A and the uninterruptible power supply 1B, and must monitor both the uninterruptible power supply 1A and the uninterruptible power supply 1B.

[0087] 12 as a second operational example, a single uninterruptible power supply 1C may house a plurality of UPS modules 10, each of which may be provided with a data collection unit 12. In this case, the monitoring device 23 must monitor the operating status of each of the UPS modules 10.

[0088] 12 as operation example 3, uninterruptible power supply 1D, uninterruptible power supply 1E, and uninterruptible power supply 1F may be installed and the uninterruptible power supplies 1 may work together. Specifically, the output from each uninterruptible power supply 1 may be connected to, for example, two switchboards 46A and 46B, respectively, to create two power systems, thereby enabling power to be supplied from multiple uninterruptible power supplies 1 to a single power system. In this case, monitoring device 23 must collect data on the operating status from uninterruptible power supply 1D and uninterruptible power supply 1F, and monitor uninterruptible power supply 1D and uninterruptible power supply 1F, respectively.

[0089] In this way, when multiple uninterruptible power supplies 1 are installed or multiple UPS modules 10 are provided, it is considered possible to collect data by providing a router device 18 for each uninterruptible power supply 1. However, in consideration of component costs, communication costs, etc., providing multiple router devices 18 is not desirable.

[0090] Therefore, in this embodiment, a gateway device 48 is provided as a route aggregation unit that aggregates communication routes between multiple data collection units 12, and data collected by multiple data collection units 12 is transmitted from the router device 18 to an external monitoring device 23 via the gateway device 48.

[0091] 13, one uninterruptible power supply 1G is provided with a router device 18 and a gateway device 48. In this case, uninterruptible power supplies 1H and 1I, which are installed at locations distant from the uninterruptible power supply 1G, are each provided with a wireless slave device 52. Data is transmitted and received between the gateway device 48 and each wireless slave device 52 by wireless communication. At this time, one surface of the communication device panel 40 is made of a transparent member 42 that easily transmits radio waves, thereby reducing the risk of blocking propagation to and from the wireless slave device 52.

[0092] Furthermore, for example, uninterruptible power supply 1J installed adjacent to uninterruptible power supply 1G is connected within the respective panels by LAN cable 17. However, it is also possible to configure the uninterruptible power supply 1J to transmit and receive data via wireless communication, or to connect uninterruptible power supply 1H and uninterruptible power supply 1I installed at a distance by LAN cable 17. Note that in Fig. 13, some components such as storage medium 13a are not shown in order to simplify the explanation.

[0093] Then, by having the monitoring device 23 execute the monitoring process shown in FIG. 6 for each uninterruptible power supply 1 or for each UPS module 10, it is possible to remotely monitor multiple uninterruptible power supplies 1 or multiple uninterruptible power supplies 1 installed in different locations or different regions.

[0094] In this way, when the router device 18 is placed outside the input / output panel 4, by housing it in the communication equipment panel 40, safety can be ensured and the risk of damage to the wireless communication unit can be reduced.

[0095] Of course, by providing a router device 18 in the uninterruptible power supply 1 and housing the router device 18 inside the panel, and by extending an antenna 20 for wireless communication from the router device 18 by a signal cable 19 and attaching the antenna 20 to the panel, it becomes possible to install the antenna 20 in a position where radio waves can be easily received. Therefore, even when the router device 18 is housed inside the panel, wireless communication can be performed with the base station 21, that is, data can be collected from a remote location.

[0096] Furthermore, a communication panel 40 having a space for arranging a gateway device 48 can be provided, so that a gateway device 48 can be added when the number of uninterruptible power supplies 1 increases. Furthermore, even when there is only one data collection unit 12, a configuration in which a gateway device 48 is provided can be adopted.

[0097] Furthermore, the communication equipment panel 40 is attached to the upper surface of the equipment housing panel in the same area as the frame members 51 that form the framework of the equipment housing panel. This prevents, for example, the input / output panel 4 from being deflected by the weight of the communication equipment panel 40.

[0098] Furthermore, the router device 18 serving as the wireless communication unit is housed in a communication equipment panel 40 having a housing made of a metal material attached to the outside of an equipment housing panel that houses the equipment constituting the uninterruptible power supply 1. This ensures safety and reduces the risk of damage to the wireless communication unit.

[0099] Furthermore, since the antenna 20 is attached to the outside of the communication equipment panel 40 that houses the wireless communication unit, the router device 18 can be housed inside the panel to ensure safety, and radio waves are no longer blocked by the panel housing, making it possible to create a good wireless communication environment.

[0100] Furthermore, the LAN cable 17 and power cable 53 related to wireless communication between the inside and outside of the equipment housing panel that houses the devices that make up the uninterruptible power supply 1 are routed through the power inlet hole 31, which is an opening for power lines provided in the equipment housing panel. This makes wiring easy. Depending on the installation position of the communication equipment panel 40, the cables can also be routed through the power outlet hole 32, which is an opening for power lines.

[0101] Furthermore, the antenna 20 is not disposed at a position where the distance from the mounting surface to which the antenna 20 is attached is a multiple of half the wavelength of the radio waves it transmits and receives. This reduces the risk of radio wave strength weakening and causing problems in wireless communication. In this embodiment, the antenna 20 is disposed at a position that is less than half the wavelength of the radio waves it transmits and receives, but can be considered to be one-quarter the wavelength of the radio waves it transmits and receives. This aligns the phases of the incident and reflected radio waves, increasing the radio wave strength and improving communication performance.

[0102] Furthermore, when the communication equipment panel 40 is placed vertically, it is positioned so as not to overlap with the exhaust port 30 provided on the top surface of the equipment housing panel. This reduces the risk that the communication equipment panel 40 will impair ventilation inside the equipment housing panel. Furthermore, if the communication equipment panel 40 is positioned so that air can flow through the exhaust port 30, ventilation inside the communication equipment panel 40, that is, heat can be released from inside the communication equipment panel 40.

[0103] Furthermore, when the communication equipment panel 40 is placed horizontally, it is placed in a position where it at least partially overlaps with the exhaust port 30 provided on the top surface of the equipment housing panel, or where air flows through the exhaust port 30. The communication equipment panel 40 has an elongated hole formed therein, which allows the exhaust air from the equipment housing panel to pass through the communication equipment panel 40, thereby ventilating the interior of the communication equipment panel 40, that is, dissipating heat from the interior of the communication equipment panel 40.

[0104] Furthermore, by configuring the communication equipment panel 40 to be detachably attached to the attachment member 45 fixed to the top of the equipment housing panel, it is possible to reduce the impact on the work of transporting and carrying in the equipment housing panel. Also, the work of attaching the communication equipment panel 40 can be easily performed at the installation site of the uninterruptible power supply 1.

[0105] Furthermore, the router device 18 is disposed close to either one of the left-right and up-down ends in the installed state inside the communication equipment panel 40 that houses the router device 18. This makes it possible to shorten the section of the signal cable 19 that transmits high-frequency analog signals that is susceptible to noise, thereby reducing the effects of noise.

[0106] Furthermore, an outlet 36 for supplying power to components arranged on the communication equipment panel 40 is drawn out from the input / output panel 4, and power is constantly supplied from the output side of the uninterruptible power supply 1 to the router device 18 and gateway device 48 housed in the communication equipment panel 40. As a result, even if the supply of power to the uninterruptible power supply 1 is stopped due to a power outage, for example, power is supplied from the uninterruptible power supply 1 for a predetermined period, making it possible to perform wireless communication even during the power outage. It is also possible to collect data related to malfunctions, such as a power outage, allowing the cause of the malfunction to be identified and the malfunction to be dealt with promptly.

[0107] Furthermore, by providing a storage medium 13a for storing data in the network adapter 13 and connecting the network adapter 13 to the output side of the uninterruptible power supply 1 to constantly supply power, it is possible to collect data up until the malfunction occurs and data after the malfunction occurs.

[0108] In addition, a remote monitoring system 5 for an uninterruptible power supply 1, which comprises an uninterruptible power supply 1 having the above-described configuration and a monitoring device 23 that is wirelessly connected to a wireless communication network 22 consisting of a plurality of base stations 21 and monitors the uninterruptible power supply 1 based on data acquired from the uninterruptible power supply 1, makes it possible to install an antenna 20 in a position where radio waves can be easily received, and even when the router device 18 is housed inside the panel, wireless communication can be performed with the base station 21, and data can be collected from a remote location, thereby achieving the various effects described above in the same way as the uninterruptible power supply 1.

[0109] (Other embodiments) Although the embodiment has been described with reference to a configuration in which the antenna 20 is attached to the outside of the panel housing the wireless communication unit, the antenna 20 can also be attached to the inside of the panel housing the wireless communication unit. For example, as shown in Fig. 14 as an example 1 of an in-panel layout, the antenna 20 can be attached to the inside of, for example, the top surface of the input / output panel 4 housing the router device 18. Even with such a configuration, by combining it with some of the technical contents described in the first and second embodiments, it is possible to obtain the same effects as those described in the first and second embodiments.

[0110] For example, the risk of radio wave interference can be reduced by attaching antenna 20 to a position overlapping with exhaust port 30. In this case, antenna 20 can be placed at a position where the distance from the attachment surface is not a multiple of half the wavelength of the radio waves it transmits and receives, but rather at a position where the distance from the attachment surface is less than half the wavelength of the radio waves or a position that can be considered to be one-quarter the wavelength of the radio waves.

[0111] 14 shows a second example of in-panel layout, the antenna 20 can be attached to a cover member 33 that closes the introduction opening 4e on the top surface of the input / output panel 4, for example, in which the router device 18 is housed. In this case, by forming a radio wave opening 54 in the cover member 33 to allow radio waves to pass through, the risk of radio waves being blocked can be significantly reduced.

[0112] 15 shows an example of in-panel placement No. 3, the antenna 20 can be attached to the interior of a communication panel 40 that houses the router device 18, for example, on its top surface. In this case, the communication panel 40 has a long hole formed therein, which reduces the risk of radio wave interference. Furthermore, the antenna 20 can be placed at a distance from the mounting surface that is not a multiple of half the wavelength of the radio waves it transmits and receives, but rather at a location that is less than half the wavelength of the radio waves, or at a location that can be considered to be one-quarter the wavelength of the radio waves.

[0113] 15 shows an example of an in-panel layout No. 4, the antenna 20 can be attached to a transparent member 42 of a communication equipment panel 40 that houses a router device 18. In this case, the transparent member 42 is formed of, for example, an acrylic plate, which reduces the risk of radio wave interference. In this case, the equipment housing section can also be attached to a connecting member 60 that connects the input / output panel 4 and the main panel 2, for example. This allows the number of openings required in the input / output panel 4 to be reduced.

[0114] In the embodiment, a configuration in which the wireless communication unit is provided in the input / output panel 4 has been exemplified, but a configuration in which the wireless communication unit is provided in the main body panel 2 or the battery panel 3 may also be adopted. Furthermore, although not shown in the drawings, a configuration in which the wireless communication unit is provided in other panels such as a distribution panel or bypass panel that constitutes the uninterruptible power supply 1 may also be adopted.

[0115] Although the embodiment has been described as an example of a configuration using a thin rectangular parallelepiped antenna 20, it is also possible to adopt a rod-shaped antenna 20. Furthermore, although the embodiment has been described as an example of a configuration using an omnidirectional or wide-directivity antenna 20, it is also possible to use an antenna having directionality.

[0116] In the embodiment, a configuration in which a router device 18 is provided as a wireless communication unit in the uninterruptible power supply 1 is exemplified, but the present invention can also be applied to, for example, a substation device that has the function of converting high-voltage electricity into a voltage that can be used by consumers, a load control device that has the function of controlling loads such as electric motors, generators, or air conditioners, a power generation device, etc.

[0117] In this case, although the specific equipment configurations that make up each device are different, by replacing the uninterruptible power supply 1 in the description of the embodiments and drawings with a substation device, load control device, or power generation device, and by replacing the panel with a cubicle in the case of a substation device, for example, a person skilled in the art can fully and clearly understand how to arrange the wireless communication unit and antenna 20 in these substation devices, load control devices, or power generation devices.

[0118] In other words, this specification describes an invention for a power receiving and transforming device, load control device, or power generation device that includes a data collection unit 12 that collects data regarding the operating status of equipment that constitutes the power receiving and transforming device, load control device, or power generation device, a router device 18 as a wireless communication unit that is capable of wireless communication with base station 21 of a wireless communication network 22 that is made up of multiple base stations 21 and transmits the data collected by the data collection unit 12 to an external monitoring device 23, an antenna 20 connected to the router device 18 by a signal cable 19, and a panel that houses the router device 18 inside and on which the antenna 20 is attached.

[0119] This specification also describes an invention of a remote monitoring system for a power receiving and transforming device, a remote monitoring system for a load control device, or a remote monitoring system for a power generating device, which are equipped with these, and an invention of a monitoring method for a power receiving and transforming device, a monitoring method for a load control device, or a monitoring method for a power generating device. These inventions can be combined with each of the configurations exemplified in the embodiments. The present invention can also be applied to devices configured to provide a router device 18 in a switchboard, distribution board, power panel, control panel, etc.

[0120] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0121] In the drawings, 1, 1A to 1G indicate uninterruptible power supplies, 2 is a main panel, 3 is a battery panel, 4 is an input / output panel, 4e is an introduction opening, 5 is a remote monitoring system, 10 is a UPS module, 11 is a battery, 12 is a data collection unit, 13 is a network adapter, 13a is a storage medium, 15 is an input power cable, 16 is an output power cable, 17 is a LAN cable, 18 is a router device, 19 is a signal cable, 20 is an antenna, 21 is a base station, 22 is a wireless communication network, 23 is a monitoring device, 26 is a mounting plate, 29 is a cable hole, 30 is an exhaust port, 31 is a lead-in hole, 32 is a lead-out hole, 33 is a cover member, 36 is an outlet, 40 is a communication device panel, 42 is a transparent member, 48 is a gateway device, 51 is a frame member, 52 is a wireless adapter, 53 is a power cable, and 60 is a connecting member.

Claims

1. a data collection unit that collects data on the operating state of the electrical panel; a wireless communication unit capable of wireless communication with a base station of a wireless communication network configured by a plurality of base stations, and transmitting data collected by the data collection unit to an external monitoring device; an antenna connected to the wireless communication unit by a signal cable; a board that houses the wireless communication unit and has the antenna attached thereto; a communication equipment panel that is detachably attached to the outside of an equipment housing panel that houses equipment constituting the electrical panel, and that houses components related to wireless communication; The communication equipment panel is an electrical panel that is attached to the upper surface of the equipment housing panel in a state in which at least one of its position and orientation can be changed.

2. a data collection unit that collects data on the operating state of the electrical panel; a wireless communication unit capable of wireless communication with a base station of a wireless communication network configured by a plurality of base stations, and transmitting data collected by the data collection unit to an external monitoring device; an antenna connected to the wireless communication unit by a signal cable; a board that houses the wireless communication unit and has the antenna attached thereto; a communication equipment panel that is detachably attached to the outside of an equipment housing panel that houses equipment constituting the electrical panel, and that houses components related to wireless communication; The communication equipment panel is an electrical panel formed in a box shape from a metal material, and at least one side of the box is provided with a transparent member made of a material that allows radio waves to pass through more easily than metal material.

3. a data collection unit that collects data on the operating state of the electrical panel; a wireless communication unit capable of wireless communication with a base station of a wireless communication network configured by a plurality of base stations, and transmitting data collected by the data collection unit to an external monitoring device; an antenna connected to the wireless communication unit by a signal cable; a board that houses the wireless communication unit and has the antenna attached thereto; a communication equipment panel that is detachably attached to the outside of an equipment housing panel that houses equipment constituting the electrical panel, and that houses components related to wireless communication; the equipment housing panel has a frame member that forms a framework, The communication equipment panel is an electrical panel that is attached to the upper surface of the equipment housing panel in the area where the frame member is arranged.

4. a data collection unit that collects data on the operating state of the electrical panel; a wireless communication unit capable of wireless communication with a base station of a wireless communication network configured by a plurality of base stations, and transmitting data collected by the data collection unit to an external monitoring device; an antenna connected to the wireless communication unit by a signal cable; a panel that houses the wireless communication unit and to which the antenna is attached, The electrical panel has an outlet for supplying power to components related to wireless communication that are located outside the equipment housing panel that houses the equipment that makes up the electrical panel, and the outlet is pulled out from the equipment housing panel.

5. The electrical panel according to claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication unit is housed in an equipment housing panel that houses equipment constituting the electrical panel.

6. The electrical panel according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the wireless communication unit is housed in a communication panel attached to the outside of an equipment housing panel that houses the equipment that constitutes the electrical panel.

7. The electrical panel according to claim 1 , wherein the antenna is attached to the outside of a panel that houses the wireless communication unit.

8. An electrical panel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein wiring related to wireless communication between the inside and outside of an equipment housing panel in which the equipment constituting the electrical panel is housed is routed through an opening for power lines provided in the equipment housing panel.

9. An electrical panel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein wiring related to wireless communication between the inside and outside of an equipment housing panel in which the equipment constituting the electrical panel is housed is routed through an opening portion different from the opening for power lines provided in the equipment housing panel.

10. An electrical panel according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein components related to wireless communication that are arranged outside an equipment housing panel housing the equipment that constitutes the electrical panel are arranged in a position that does not overlap with an exhaust port provided on the top surface of the equipment housing panel.

11. An electrical panel according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein components related to wireless communication that are arranged outside an equipment housing panel housing the equipment that constitutes the electrical panel are arranged in a position that at least partially overlaps with an exhaust port provided on the top surface of the equipment housing panel.

12. An electrical panel according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein components related to wireless communication that are arranged outside an equipment housing panel housing the equipment that constitutes the electrical panel are arranged in a position where air flows from an exhaust port provided on the top surface of the equipment housing panel.

13. a communication equipment panel that is detachably attached to the outside of an equipment housing panel that houses equipment constituting the electrical panel, and that houses components related to wireless communication; The electrical panel according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the communication device panel is detachably attached to a mounting member fixed to an upper portion of the equipment housing panel.

14. The electrical panel according to claim 1 , wherein the antenna is attached inside a panel that houses the wireless communication unit.

15. An electrical panel according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the wireless communication unit is arranged inside the panel that houses the wireless communication unit, close to either end side in the left-right direction of the electrical panel when installed.

16. An electrical panel according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the wireless communication unit is arranged inside the panel that houses the wireless communication unit, close to the upper end of the electrical panel in the vertical direction when installed.

17. a route aggregation unit that aggregates communication routes between the plurality of data collection units; The electrical panel according to claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication unit transmits the data collected by the plurality of data collection units to an external monitoring device via the route aggregation unit.

18. The electrical panel according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the wireless communication unit is connected to an output side of a UPS module and is constantly supplied with power.

19. An electrical panel as described in any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the antenna is not positioned at a position where the distance from the mounting surface on which the antenna is mounted is a multiple of half the wavelength of the radio waves it transmits and receives.

20. An electrical panel as described in any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the antenna is positioned at a distance from the mounting surface on which the antenna is mounted that is less than half the wavelength of the radio waves it transmits and receives.

21. An electrical panel according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the antenna is positioned at a distance from the mounting surface to which the antenna is attached that can be considered to be 1 / 4 of the wavelength of the radio waves it transmits and receives.

22. An electrical panel according to any one of claims 1 to 21; a monitoring device that is wirelessly connected to a wireless communication network that is configured with a plurality of base stations and that monitors the electrical panel based on data acquired from the electrical panel; A remote monitoring system for electrical panels.

23. A method for monitoring an electrical panel according to any one of claims 1 to 21, comprising: acquiring data relating to the operating status from the electrical panel via a wireless communication network consisting of a plurality of base stations; determining the operational status of the electrical panel based on the acquired data; determining whether the electrical panel is operating normally based on the identified operating state; A method for remotely monitoring an electrical panel, including:

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