Battery units, battery systems, and power supply management systems

Abstract

The present invention provides a battery unit, battery system, and power supply management system that effectively distribute power to multiple electrical devices. [Solution] In a residential power system where a battery unit is used to store unused electricity in a proprietary power generation facility, the battery unit comprises a power input / output unit that receives and supplies power to an external device, an external supply power storage unit that stores the power to be received and supplied, and a power supply management device that controls the supply of power from the external supply power storage unit to electrical equipment connected to the external device. The residential power system comprises a self-generation module, a battery unit, and a power conditioner. The external device is the power conditioner, and electrical equipment (for example, an oxygen inhaler and an air conditioner) is connected to the power conditioner via a distribution board.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for managing power supply to a plurality of electrical devices.

Background Art

[0002] Recently, due to abnormal weather and disasters, the power supply has become tight, and power usage restrictions have often been called for. Also, in connection with global warming, we are transitioning to an era where natural energy is required instead of power generation using fossil fuels.

[0003] Conventionally, the idea was to adjust the power generation amount to meet the power demand. Under the current situation where carbon dioxide emissions reduction is being called for as a countermeasure against global warming, the inventor of the present application considered that power generation using fossil fuels would be suppressed, and the demand side would be adjusted according to the power generation amount.

[0004] Power demand is the sum of the power consumed by a plurality of electrical devices. Therefore, in order to adjust the power demand, it is effective to perform priority control over the use of each electrical device. The priority control mentioned here is a control method in which, among a plurality of processing targets (in this example, electrical devices), the one with a higher priority or precedence is selected for processing. In other words, instead of assuming constant power supply to all electrical devices, priorities are assigned to power supply.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] Patent Document 1 discloses a power supply system that can stably supply power to the load even in the event of a power outage. Patent Document 2 discloses a technology that increases power consumption in accordance with requests from power suppliers to increase power consumption, thereby promoting the effective use of surplus power. These technologies perform priority control regarding power consumption. However, in both Patent Documents 1 and 2, the priority of power supply destinations remains the same as that which has been set in advance.

[0007] There are many different types of electrical appliances that use electricity, and they are used in a variety of situations. It's common for one electrical appliance to be used in a situation where another isn't, and vice versa. This means that the need for electrical appliances changes from time to time.

[0008] Therefore, simply assigning superiority or inferiority to electrical devices will not meet the practical requirement of using multiple electrical devices appropriately depending on the situation. In particular, it is important to distribute power effectively to adapt to changing power supply conditions.

[0009] This invention was completed based on the above-mentioned problem recognition, and its main purpose is to effectively distribute power to multiple electrical devices. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A battery unit in one aspect of the present invention comprises a power input / output unit that receives and supplies power to an external device, an external power supply storage unit that stores the power to be received and supplied, and a power supply management device that controls the supply of power from the external power supply storage unit to electrical equipment connected to the external device.

[0011] A battery unit in one aspect of the present invention comprises a self-generation module and the battery unit. An external device is a power conditioner, and electrical equipment is connected to the power conditioner via a distribution board.

[0012] In one aspect of the present invention, a power supply management system is connected to a plurality of electrical devices, and includes a supply measurement unit that measures the power that can be supplied to the plurality of electrical devices, and a device control unit that sets any one of the plurality of electrical devices to be prohibited from use when the total consumption power of each of the plurality of electrical devices is greater than the power that can be supplied.

Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, power can be effectively distributed to a plurality of electrical devices.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014] [Figure 1] It is a configuration diagram of a residential power facility. [Figure 2] It is a configuration diagram of a battery unit. [Figure 3] It is a schematic diagram of communication. [Figure 4] It is a screen diagram of a power supply plan. [Figure 5] It is a screen diagram of a power supply plan when starting the use of an oxygen inhaler. [Figure 6] It is a screen diagram of a power supply plan when starting the use of an air conditioner. [Figure 7] It is a screen diagram of a power supply plan when stopping the operation of a vacuum cleaner. [Figure 8] It is a screen diagram of a power supply plan when manually permitting the operation of an iron. [Figure 9] It is a screen diagram of a power supply plan when manually prohibiting the operation of a dryer. [Figure 10] It is a screen diagram of a power supply plan when the operation of an air conditioner cannot be manually permitted. [Figure 11] It is a screen diagram of a power supply plan when the operation of an iron cannot be manually permitted. [Figure 12] It is a functional block diagram of a power supply management device. [Figure 13] It is a data configuration diagram of a power supply plan. [Figure 14]FIG. 14(A) is a functional block diagram of an electrical device. FIG. 14(B) is a functional block diagram of the operation panel 700. [Figure 15] FIG. 15(A) is a sequence diagram when the operation of the electrical device is permitted. FIG. 15(B) is a sequence diagram when the operation of the electrical device is prohibited. [Figure 16] It is a flowchart showing the process of generating a power supply plan. [Figure 17] It is a sequence diagram when the operation of the electrical device is stopped. [Figure 18] It is a sequence diagram when the operation of the electrical device is permitted manually. [Figure 19] It is a sequence diagram of energization by a power usage inquiry. [Figure 20] It is a sequence diagram of power-on by a usage status inquiry.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0015] [Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a residential power facility. In this embodiment, an on-grid house is assumed. An on-grid house uses a power grid 300 (sometimes referred to as a "power transmission system" or "power system") provided by an electric power company and its own power generation equipment. The power grid 300 is a general power source.

[0016] In FIG. 1, the own power generation module as the power source is the own power generation module 500 including a solar cell module 502, a fuel cell module 504, a wind power generation module 506, and the like. The own power generation module 500 may include all of the solar cell module 502, the fuel cell module 50, and the wind power generation module 506, or may include only a part of them. The DC current generated by the own power generation module 500 is input to the power conditioner 600.

[0017] Furthermore, the proprietary power generation equipment uses a battery unit 100 to store unused electricity. The battery unit 100 includes a storage battery (for example, a lead-acid battery, a lithium-ion secondary battery, or a lithium-ion polymer secondary battery) that stores power to supply to electrical equipment 400 (for example, an oxygen inhaler and an air conditioner). The electrical equipment 400 can be any device that operates using electricity. The electrical equipment 400 will be described in detail later. The battery unit 100 in this embodiment is equipped with communication and information processing functions. The configuration of the battery unit 100 will be described later in relation to Figure 2.

[0018] The power conditioner 600 converts the DC current obtained from the power generation module 500 into AC current and sends it to the distribution board 200. If the power obtained from the power generation module 500 is not consumed, the power conditioner 600 sends the DC current directly to the battery unit 100 and controls it so that it is charged in the battery unit 100. In addition, the power conditioner 600 also controls the battery unit 100 to discharge if the power consumption cannot be met by the power obtained from the power generation module 500 alone.

[0019] The battery unit 100 stores the DC current input from the power conditioner 600. The battery unit 100 also outputs the discharged DC current to the power conditioner 600. The power conditioner 600 converts the input DC current into AC current and sends it to the distribution board 200.

[0020] The power conditioner 600 does not use power from the power grid 300 when the power obtained from the private power generation module 500 and the battery unit 100 is sufficient. On the other hand, if the power obtained from the private power generation module 500 and the battery unit 100 is insufficient, the power conditioner 600 obtains power from the power grid 300 and sends it to the distribution board 200. The power conditioner 600 measures the power obtained from the private power generation module 500, the power obtained from the battery unit 100, and the power obtained from the power grid 300.

[0021] The distribution board 200 receives alternating current (power) from the power conditioner 600 and sends it to each electrical appliance 400 via the wiring, outlets, and power strips within the house.

[0022] In this way, multiple electrical devices 400 operate by receiving power from a common power source. Electrical devices 400 may be devices that operate electronic components such as arithmetic circuits, memory circuits, or light-emitting elements, or devices that operate mechanical components such as motors, pumps, or heating coils. Examples of electrical devices 400 below include refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, oxygen inhalers, air conditioners, hair dryers, chargers, personal computers, televisions, microwave ovens, dryers, irons, game consoles, and shredders. In the case of an on-grid home, the common power source refers to a battery unit 100, a generator module 500, and a power grid 300. A power source is a device or equipment that supplies power to other devices or equipment. The battery unit 100 has the function of managing the power supply to each electrical device 400.

[0023] Figure 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the battery unit 100. The battery unit 100 has an external power supply storage unit 102. The external power supply storage unit 102 is, for example, a lead-acid battery, a lithium-ion secondary battery, or a lithium-ion polymer secondary battery. However, the type is not limited. The external power supply storage unit 102 is used to supply power to the electrical equipment 400. Therefore, unlike the internal power supply storage battery built into smartphones and the like, it has a large capacity.

[0024] The power input / output unit 104 is an interface for taking in power from outside the battery unit 100 or releasing power to the outside. For example, during charging, a DC current from the power conditioner 600 is input to the power input / output unit 104. During discharging, a DC current is output from the power input / output unit 104 to the power conditioner 600. The external power supply storage unit 102 may be charged by power supplied from the self-generation module 500, or by power supplied from the power grid 300 (an example of an external power source).

[0025] In this way, the power input / output unit 104 receives and supplies power to the power conditioner 600. The power conditioner 600 is an example of an external device. The power input / output unit 104 may also receive and supply power to external devices other than the power conditioner 600.

[0026] The battery unit 100 includes a power supply management device 101. The power supply management device 101 manages the supply of power to multiple electrical devices 400 that operate by receiving power from a common power source.

[0027] The power supply management device 101 has a communication module 106 for communication. The communication method can include mobile communication (e.g., 5th generation mobile communication system), internet communication, wireless LAN (Local Area Network), wired LAN, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), Wi-SUN (Wireless Smart Utility Network), satellite communication, etc. The communication module 106 may support multiple communication methods. Power line carrier communication may also be used in part of the communication path. An overview of the communication will be described later in relation to Figure 3.

[0028] The power supply management device 101 has a storage unit 108 for storing various information and programs. The storage unit 108 uses memory devices such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), flash memory, or HDD (Hard Disk Drive). Multiple types of memory devices may be used in combination. The storage unit 108 is not limited to built-in memory devices; it may also use removable memory devices such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory.

[0029] The power supply management device 101 has a processing unit 112 that performs calculations. The processing unit 112 uses a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a coprocessor, a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a TPU (Tensor Processing Unit), or an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array). The processing unit 112 performs processes for power supply management, which will be described later in relation to Figures 15-18.

[0030] The battery unit 100 has a sensor 110. The sensor 110 measures the charging current, charging power, and charging voltage during charging, and the discharge current, discharge power, and discharge voltage during discharge. The sensor 110 also measures the charge level (sometimes called "charge rate" or "SOC (States of Charge)") of the external power supply storage unit 102.

[0031] Figure 3 is an overview diagram of the communication system. Each module within the private power generation module 500 has a communication module (not shown) for communicating with the communication module 106 (see Figure 2) of the power supply management device 101. Each electrical device 400 also has a communication module (not shown) for communicating with the communication module 106 of the power supply management device 101.

[0032] The control panel 700 is a remote terminal that provides a user interface for the power supply management device 101. The user can use the control panel 700 to monitor the power supply management status of the power supply management device 101 and issue various instructions to the power supply management device 101. The control panel 700 has a touch panel (not shown) that displays a screen provided by the power supply management device 101 and accepts user input. The control panel 700 also has a communication module (not shown) for communicating with the communication module 106 of the power supply management device 101. The control panel 700 may be mounted, for example, on the wall of a house. Alternatively, the control panel 700 may be located within the battery unit 100.

[0033] The power supply management device 101 can communicate with a user terminal 720 used by the resident. The user terminal 720 is used for purposes similar to those of the control panel 700, for example. The user terminal 720 can be a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer. The user terminal 720 displays a screen provided by the power supply management device 101 and accepts user operations. The user can use the user terminal 720 in the same way as the control panel 700. The user terminal 720 can be used both inside and outside the house.

[0034] The battery unit 100 can send and receive information with the web server 800. The battery unit 100 uses the web server 800 for purposes such as collecting various types of information. The type of web server 800 is not limited. For example, the web server 800 could be a server that provides information on power supply status in the power grid, or a server that provides information on traffic conditions. The web server 800 may be a dedicated server that supports the use of the battery unit 100. The web server 800 may be a publicly accessible server. The battery unit 100 may also have the functionality of a web server 800. For example, the battery unit 100 can provide information as a web server 800. The battery unit 100 may also send and receive information with devices in the home, such as a home server (not shown). The battery unit 100 can acquire information from the home server and store the information in the home server.

[0035] As described above, the power conditioner 600 measures the power obtained from the private power generation module 500, the power obtained from the battery unit 100, and the power obtained from the power grid 300. The power supply management device 101 receives the power measurement values ​​measured by the power conditioner 600 (see Figure 2) and grasps the changes in the power supply status. Specifically, the power supply management device 101 calculates the power that can be supplied to the electrical equipment 400 in the house (hereinafter referred to as "supplyable power"). The power supply management device 101 may also obtain the status of the power grid 300 from the web server 800 and calculate the supplyable power based on that information. Supplyable power is the power that a common power source can supply to all of the multiple electrical equipment. Supplyable power is, for example, the sum of the power obtained from the private power generation module 500, the power obtained from the battery unit 100, and the power obtained from the power grid 300. In this embodiment, supplyable power is not unlimited. Therefore, prioritizing the control of electronic devices is performed based on the assumption that power demand may exceed the available power supply. Details of the priority control method in this embodiment will be described later.

[0036] The power supply management device 101 generates a power supply plan to supply power to each electrical device 400 in response to changes in the power supply status. The power supply plan is updated as needed, taking into account the operating status of the electrical devices 400. Then, the power supply management device 101 controls whether or not to allow the operation of each electrical device 400 according to the latest power supply plan. In this way, the power supply to multiple electrical devices 400 is managed. The power supply plan is data that predefines whether or not to allow the use of power for the electrical device 400 that intends to use power. Not allowing operation is synonymous with prohibiting operation. Allowing operation and prohibiting operation correspond to whether or not there are restrictions on operation.

[0037] The system including the self-generation module 500 and the battery unit 100 is called the "battery system." The battery system may also include a control panel 700, a power conditioner 600, a user terminal 720, and a web server 800. The battery system may also include in-house equipment such as a home server (not shown).

[0038] Figure 4 is a screen diagram of the power supply plan. The power supply plan screen is generated by the power supply management device 101 and displayed on the control panel 700 or user terminal 720. Figure 4 shows an example of the display at a certain point in time. As will be described later, if the situation changes and the power supply plan is updated, the power supply plan screen will be updated and redisplayed accordingly.

[0039] First, let's briefly explain the overview of the power supply plan screen illustrated in Figure 4. We will briefly outline the terminology related to the electrical equipment 400 used in this figure. More details, including examples, will be provided later. Electrical equipment 400 can be either operating or not operating. "Operating" in the figure indicates that it is currently operating. Hereafter, the non-operating state will be referred to as "Stopped" (not shown). Among the "Stopped" electrical equipment 400, some are immediately usable and others are not. "Permitted" indicates that operation is not restricted and it can be used immediately, while "Prohibited" indicates that operation is restricted and it cannot be used immediately. In the figure, electrical equipment 400 displayed as "Permitted" or "Prohibited" are all "Stopped".

[0040] "Importance" indicates the degree to which something is important to the user (for example, an integer from 1 to 5). Importance is mainly determined by the function and use of the electrical device 400. Things that are inconvenient if they cannot be used when needed have high importance. Things that can be tolerated if they cannot be used when needed have low importance. Generally, things related to health, daily life, or occupation have high importance. Things that are highly subjective or optional have low importance. Simply put, when you want to use two electrical devices 400 at the same time, the one that you absolutely must use has high importance, and the one that you can do without has low importance. In most cases, it is fine to determine importance using general standards, but there are cases where it is better to determine importance individually based on individual circumstances. For example, a game console that is generally of low importance may be of high importance to a professional gamer.

[0041] "Importance" is not necessarily related to frequency of use. For example, an electrical device 400 that is only used occasionally, such as a steam inhaler used when you have a sore throat, may be important. Conversely, an electrical device 400 that is used frequently, such as indoor lighting fixtures used to create atmosphere, may not be important.

[0042] The importance level may be set by the user, or it may be set automatically by the power supply management device 101. Alternatively, the user may adjust the importance level set automatically by the power supply management device 101. As a method for automatically setting the importance level, the power supply management device 101 may obtain the importance level stored in the electrical equipment 400. Or, the power supply management device 101 may obtain the importance level of the electrical equipment 400 from the web server 800 of the provider of the power supply management device 101, or from the web server 800 of the manufacturer or seller of the electrical equipment 400. In this way, the importance level of the electrical equipment 400 can be arbitrarily set by the user or the manufacturer, seller, etc. of the electrical equipment 400.

[0043] The electrical device 400 also has a parameter called "operating probability." The "operating probability" is a value statistically determined based on usage history to predict whether a user will want to use it. Usage history can be on a daily basis or in predetermined time units (for example, 30-minute or 1-hour units). The electrical device 400 also has a parameter called "power consumption." The "power consumption" is the power required for the electrical device 400 to operate, and is a value (for example, a specification value) that is independent of whether it is "operating" or "stopped." In other words, the "power consumption" is the power that is expected to be consumed when the electrical device 400 is in operation. The "power in use" set for the electrical device 400 indicates the power that should be in use at the moment. "Power in use" is a concept that arises only when the device is "operating" for the purpose of calculating the allocation of available power. Normally, the power in use is zero when the electrical device 400 is not in use, and the power in use is equal to the power consumption when the electrical device 400 is in use. The "reserved power" of electrical equipment 400 is the power reserved for the future use of electrical equipment 400. "Reserved power" is a concept established to ensure the reliable use of electrical equipment 400 by securing power in the power supply plan for electrical equipment 400 that is statistically likely to be used soon. Since "reserved power" corresponds to the power consumed when used, it can also be called "planned power use" or "planned power consumption." "Reserved power" refers to the power required when electrical equipment 400 is used, and means the power that should be reserved in advance for this currently unused electrical equipment 400.

[0044] The available power from the 500W private power generation module, 100W battery unit, and 300W power grid is 2500W, which is allocated to the currently running refrigerator (50W) and vacuum cleaner (1000W). The remaining power is 2500W - 50W - 1000W = 1450W. This is allocated to the oxygen inhaler (150W), hair dryer (1000W), computer (100W), and television (100W), which are statistically expected to be used by the user at this time.

[0045] Whether users will want to use these electrical devices 400 is predicted based on statistically determined operating probabilities. By reserving and securing this power in advance, we ensure that there is no power shortage when users need it.

[0046] At this stage, the remaining power is 1450 - 150W - 1000W - 100W - 100W = 100W. From a statistical standpoint, the user would likely want to use the dryer (1000W), but there isn't enough power, so it's disabled. Similarly, the user would likely want to use the game console (200W), but there isn't enough power, so it's disabled. Based on importance, the dryer and game console are judged to be relatively unimportant, so the user will have to be patient. If the user refrains from using the dryer and game console, they can freely use the oxygen inhaler, hair dryer, computer, and television. From a statistical standpoint, the air conditioner, charger, and microwave are unlikely to be used after this, but they are somewhat important, so they will be allowed to be used for the time being. From a statistical standpoint, the iron and shredder are unlikely to be used and are not very important, so they will be disabled. Regardless of whether they are likely to be used or not, if their importance is above a certain level (in this example, "3" or higher), those electrical appliances (400) can be used. More details will be explained later, so this is just a general explanation.

[0047] Let me explain the concept of the power supply plan again. The power supply plan determines which electrical equipment 400 the available power will be allocated to. If the available power is not enough to cover the power consumption of all electrical equipment 400, it is decided that the operation of one of the electrical equipment 400 will be prohibited. For electrical equipment 400 that is not prohibited from operating, it is decided that operation will be permitted. This control ensures that the actual power consumed does not exceed the available power, regardless of which permitted electrical equipment 400 the user uses. The operating status of the electrical equipment 400 changes, and the available power also fluctuates, so the power supply plan is reviewed as needed. In formulating the power supply plan, the key point is to decide which electrical equipment 400 to prioritize the use of at the present time. The following explains the concept of prioritizing electrical equipment 400 in this embodiment.

[0048] First, the operation of electrical equipment 400 is controlled to avoid interruptions as much as possible. This is because if electrical equipment 400 that is in operation suddenly stops working, it could cause inconvenience to the user. Electrical equipment 400 that is in operation is displayed in the upper part of the power supply plan screen (the area above the dividing line 714). The dividing line 714 is an example of a display format for dividing areas. The two areas may also be displayed separately by changing the background color or the color of the text. The dividing line 714 may also be called the "operating level". In this example, the refrigerator and vacuum cleaner are currently operating. Forcibly stopping the refrigerator or vacuum cleaner should be avoided as much as possible. In this way, the continued operation of electrical equipment 400 that is in operation is given top priority. In the power supply plan, available power is allocated preferentially to electrical equipment 400 that is in operation. Electrical equipment 400 that is in operation is displayed as "Operating" in the "Status" item. The allocation here refers to an estimate in the planning stage and does not mean electrically controlling the actual flow of power.

[0049] On the top of the power supply plan screen, the operating electrical appliances 400 are displayed from top to bottom in the order in which they started operating. Therefore, the refrigerator, which is always running, is displayed at the top, and the vacuum cleaner, which is only running temporarily, is displayed at the bottom. "Power in use" is the power that the operating electrical appliance 400 is expected to be using, and it is the same as the "power consumption" of that electrical appliance 400. Power consumption is, in principle, the value specified in the specifications, but the power actually used may be measured and that measured value may be used as power consumption and power in use. For electrical appliances 400 that are always running, such as the refrigerator, in addition to setting the importance to the highest value "5", another value (for example, "6") that indicates the form of constant use may be set as the importance.

[0050] Next, we will explain the electrical equipment 400 that is not in operation. Electrical equipment 400 that is not in operation will be referred to below as "stopped electrical equipment 400". Stopped electrical equipment 400 is displayed in the lower section of the power supply plan screen (the area below the dividing line 714). In this example, the electrical equipment 400 from the oxygen inhaler to the shredder shown in the diagram is stopped.

[0051] It is assumed that power cannot be supplied to all of the power consumption of the stopped electrical equipment 400. In this embodiment, instead of simply operating the electrical equipment 400 in the order in which the power switch is turned ON, the electrical equipment 400 that can be used are predetermined. That is, some of the stopped electrical equipment 400 are permitted to operate, so that they can operate stably when requested. On the other hand, the remaining electrical equipment 400 are prohibited from operating, so that they will not operate even when requested. The stopped electrical equipment 400 that are permitted to operate will be displayed as "Permitted" in the "Status" item of the power supply plan screen. The stopped electrical equipment 400 that are prohibited from operating will be displayed as "Prohibited" in the "Status" item. Electrical equipment 400 displayed as "Permitted" will power on normally when the user turns the power switch ON. Electrical equipment 400 displayed as "Prohibited" will not power on even when the user turns the power switch ON. Users will have to be patient regarding the use of electrical equipment 400 that are prohibited from operating. In this example, the use of dryers, irons, game consoles, and shredders should be avoided.

[0052] In summary, in Figure 4, the refrigerator and vacuum cleaner are operating, while the other electrical appliances 400 are stopped. Of the stopped electrical appliances 400, the oxygen inhaler and air conditioner are in the "permitted" state. The electrical appliances 400 in the permitted state are ready for immediate use. On the other hand, dryers and other appliances in the prohibited state cannot be turned on. Among the electrical appliances 400 in the permitted state, reserved power may not be secured for electrical appliances 400 with a low probability of operation (described later).

[0053] In principle, the power supply management device 101 monitors the daily use of electrical equipment 400 and controls the availability of each electrical equipment 400 according to the monitoring results. On the other hand, if it is necessary to use a particular electrical equipment 400 at a time other than the normal time, the control is optimized overall. As will be described later in the modified examples, it is assumed that the importance level of the electrical equipment 400 is changed according to the usage status of the electrical equipment 400. There may be rare occasions when a user wants to use an electrical equipment 400 that is normally not used and has a low importance (for example, late at night). In such cases, as will be described later in relation to Figures 8 and 18, the electrical equipment 400 can be manually switched to "allowed". As a result, the power supply management device 101 recalculates the power supply plan and allows the user to use the "forbidden" electrical equipment 400.

[0054] The boundary between permitted and prohibited operation is determined based on the priority of the stopped electrical equipment 400. Basically, the priority of electrical equipment 400 is increased in order of importance. If there are multiple electrical equipment 400 with the same importance, the electrical equipment 400 with the higher probability of operation is given higher priority. Those with higher priority are permitted to operate, and those with lower priority are prohibited from operating. The electrical equipment 400 are displayed from top to bottom in order of priority. In this example, the oxygen inhaler has the highest priority, and the shredder has the lowest priority.

[0055] A dashed line indicating prohibition level 716 is displayed at the boundary between permitted and prohibited operation. It is immediately clear that electrical appliances 400 from the top up to the microwave oven are permitted, while electrical appliances 400 from the dryer downwards are prohibited. Prohibition level 716 is an example of a form that displays the boundary between permitted and prohibited electrical appliances 400. The boundary between the two may also be represented by changing the background color or the color of the text. As mentioned above, it is possible to manually enable prohibited electrical appliances 400 (see Figures 8 and 18).

[0056] Next, the priority of the stopped electrical equipment 400 will be explained. First, electrical equipment 400 with high importance will be ranked higher, and electrical equipment 400 with low importance will be ranked lower. Importance represents the degree to which it is important for the user to operate the electrical equipment 400. Importance is mainly determined by the function and application of the electrical equipment 400. As mentioned above, the importance may be set by the user or automatically by the power supply management device 101. In this embodiment, the importance of the electrical equipment 400 is described as being fixed, but as will be described later in the modified example, the importance of the electrical equipment 400 may be changed according to the usage status of the electrical equipment 400.

[0057] Items that have a significant impact on the user are considered highly important. For example, oxygen inhalers and air conditioners are highly important because they affect the user's health. Oxygen inhalers are an example of health equipment. Air conditioners are an example of air conditioning equipment. Items that provide functions that users want to be able to use immediately are also highly important. For example, users who have washed their hair want to dry their wet hair quickly, so hair dryers are highly important. Hair dryers are an example of beauty appliances. Also, users may want to use a charger immediately to charge rechargeable batteries, so chargers are highly important. Chargers are an example of power equipment. Note that devices that run on batteries do not receive power from an external source, so they are not monitored by the power supply management device 101.

[0058] Personal computers are relatively important because they are involved in business and social communication. Personal computers are an example of information processing devices. Televisions, which are used to obtain information such as weather forecasts and traffic conditions, are also relatively important. However, it is taken into consideration that information can be obtained by substituting them with battery-powered radios, etc. Televisions are an example of AV (Audio / Visual) equipment. Microwave ovens, which are used for cooking, are also relatively important. However, it is taken into consideration that cooking can be done by substituting them with gas stoves. Microwave ovens are an example of cooking equipment.

[0059] Dryers, irons, game consoles, and shredders are of low importance because they are not items that would cause immediate problems if they were not available. Of these, dryers and irons are more important than game consoles and shredders because they are essential for maintaining daily life. Dryers and irons are examples of household appliances. Game consoles are an example of amusement devices. Shredders are an example of office equipment. For other types of equipment, such as lighting fixtures, the importance level should be set appropriately.

[0060] For multiple electrical devices 400 of equal importance, the one with the higher probability of operation is prioritized. The probability of operation is the statistically estimated likelihood that the electrical device 400 will be used immediately. In other words, the probability of operation represents the degree to which a user is expected to want to use it in the immediate situation.

[0061] In this example, for oxygen concentrators and air conditioners, both with an importance level of 5, the oxygen concentrator with an 80% probability of operation is prioritized over the air conditioner with a 15% probability of operation. The probability of operation is statistically determined based on usage history, which identifies the period during which the user has previously used the electrical device 400 (from the start date and time of use to the end date and time of use). Specifically, the probability of operation is the probability that the electrical device 400 will operate within the most recent period. The most recent period means the period from the present to the end of a predetermined time. For example, the period from the present to 30 minutes from now corresponds to the most recent period. The predetermined time may be shorter than 30 minutes. For example, it may be 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or 15 minutes. The predetermined time may also be longer than 30 minutes. For example, it may be 45 minutes or 60 minutes. Regardless of the length of time the device operates, the focus is on whether it will operate at some point within the most recent period. The value of the probability of operation is an empirical value based on past usage history (a numerical value that can be estimated from past experience).

[0062] The probability of operation can change sequentially depending on the user's lifestyle patterns, such as the day of the week and time of day. For example, if an oxygen inhaler is often used in the morning and rarely used at night, the probability of operation will be high in the morning and low at night. As mentioned above, the probability of operation can differ not only by the time of day but also by the day of the week. Which residents are at home also has an effect. The indoor environment (room temperature, humidity, etc.) can also have an effect. Not only the conditions inside the house, but also external conditions such as weather (temperature, humidity of the outside air, etc.) and traffic conditions can have an effect. You are free to decide which parameters to use to judge the conditions that affect the probability of operation. The parameters used to judge the conditions may differ for each electrical device 400, or they may be common. By calculating the proportion of times an electrical device 400 was used in past conditions that approximate the current condition, the current probability of operation of that electrical device 400 can be determined.

[0063] In this way, the priority order from the oxygen inhaler to the shredder is determined. For electrical equipment 400 of equal importance, the priority order may change depending on the situation. This is because the probability of operation of each electrical equipment 400 changes depending on the situation. For example, suppose the oxygen inhaler has a high probability of operation in the morning and a low probability of operation at night. Also, suppose the air conditioner has a low probability of operation in the morning and a high probability of operation at night. In that case, the oxygen inhaler may take precedence over the air conditioner in the morning, and the air conditioner may take precedence over the oxygen inhaler at night.

[0064] During the power supply plan generation process, the available power is allocated to each electrical device 400. First, a portion of the available power is allocated to electrical devices currently in use. Then, the remaining power is allocated to electrical devices 400 that are not in use. At this time, the remaining power is allocated to the electrical devices 400 according to priority, and the allocation of available power is finalized when the remaining power becomes insufficient. Electrical devices 400 that have been allocated power are permitted to operate, while electrical devices 400 that have not been allocated power are prohibited from operating.

[0065] However, not all electrical appliances 400 are subject to power allocation. Electrical appliances 400 that are unlikely to be used in the immediate future will not be allocated power. For example, in warm weather, there is no need to adjust the room temperature, and it is assumed that the air conditioner will not be used. In that case, the power consumption of the air conditioner will not be included in the calculation. If power is allocated to electrical appliances 400 that are not used, that power will not actually be used, and the use of other electrical appliances 400 will be unnecessarily restricted. In this way, the power that has been allocated will not be used and will be conserved, resulting in a waste of power supply capacity. Power will not be allocated to an air conditioner (1200W) that is unlikely to be used, and that power will be allocated to a hair dryer (1000W), a computer (100W), and a television (100W) that are likely to be used. In this way, the electrical appliances 400 that the user wants to use will operate smoothly, thus increasing convenience for the user.

[0066] Let's organize our thinking. Based on past usage history, it is possible to predict which electrical devices 400 are likely to be used in the future, even if they are not currently in use. The probability of an electrical device 400 being used is defined as the probability of operation. Electrical devices 400 with a high probability of operation are likely to be turned on by users, so the power required by those devices 400 should be allocated in advance in the plan. However, since there is a limit to the power that can be supplied, a power allocation level (prohibition level 716) should be established. This level is determined by the extent to which power can be allocated, starting with the most important devices.

[0067] Following this approach, electrical equipment 400 is divided into those with an operating probability above a certain threshold and those with an operating probability below a certain threshold. In this example, the threshold is 50%. On the power supply plan screen, operating probabilities above the threshold are underlined. Operating probabilities above the threshold may also be distinguished by other display methods. For example, they can be distinguished by inverted text, text color, or background color around the text. Electrical equipment 400 with a high operating probability (oxygen inhalers, hair dryers, personal computers, televisions, dryers, and game consoles) may be allocated power. This power is called "reserved power." The value of reserved power matches the power consumption value of that electrical equipment 400. Electrical equipment 400 for which reserved power has been allocated is called "reserved electrical equipment 400." Reserved electrical equipment 400 (oxygen inhalers, hair dryers, personal computers, and televisions) are permitted to operate and will operate using the reserved power.

[0068] The remaining power after deducting the power currently in use from the available power supply is allocated as reserved power to electrical equipment 400 that are most likely to be used in the immediate period, according to priority, and this process continues until the remaining power is exhausted. The remaining power is the value obtained by subtracting the actual demand (power currently in use) and the predicted demand (reserved power) from the available power supply. After the remaining power is exhausted, no power is allocated to electrical equipment 400, even if the likelihood of use is high. Electrical equipment 400 that were not allocated power in this way (dryer and game console) are prohibited from operating and will not operate. The value of the remaining power for each electrical equipment 400 may be displayed on the power supply plan screen as "remaining available power supply". Displaying "remaining available power supply" makes it easier to understand the power allocation status (electrical equipment 400 that the user can use, etc.).

[0069] Next, we will explain the electrical appliances 400 that are unlikely to be used in the immediate future. On the power supply plan screen, items with an operating probability below the standard value will not be underlined. Electrical appliances 400 with a low operating probability (not underlined) (air conditioners, chargers, microwave ovens, irons, and shredders) will not be allocated power.

[0070] However, operation of these electrical devices 400 is not necessarily prohibited. If they have the same level of importance as the reserved electrical devices 400, operation is permitted. For example, if a computer and a television, which have an importance level of 3, are permitted, a microwave oven (importance level: 3), which is of similar importance, will also be permitted and usable. By unifying the permission / prohibition of electrical devices 400 with the same importance level, users will find it easier to accept. In this example, the computer, television, and microwave oven, all with an importance level of 3, can be used regardless of their expected value. Air conditioners and chargers with an importance level of 3 or higher are also permitted. These will be displayed above prohibition level 716.

[0071] On the other hand, electrical appliances of the same importance as the 400 appliances that were not allocated power are prohibited from operating. In this example, an iron with the same importance level (2) as the dryer that was not allocated power, and a shredder with the same importance level (1) as the game console that was also not allocated power, are "prohibited." By setting the permission / prohibition of rarely used electrical appliances 400 based on importance in this way, users can easily understand what is available and what is not. In other words, permission / prohibition can be intuitively distinguished on a group basis according to importance.

[0072] Below, we will introduce three examples of the next steps in the power supply plan shown in Figure 4, referring to Figures 5 to 7.

[0073] Figure 5 is a screenshot of the power supply plan when the oxygen inhaler is put into use. When the power supply plan shown in Figure 4 is displayed, and the user turns on the power switch of the oxygen inhaler, the screen switches to the power supply plan screen shown in Figure 5.

[0074] Since the operation of the oxygen inhaler is permitted in the power supply plan in Figure 4, the oxygen inhaler receives power and starts operating normally. As mentioned above, 150W of reserved power for the oxygen inhaler is pre-allocated. Accordingly, the row for the oxygen inhaler moves to the bottom of the top row. The bottom is just one example; the row for the oxygen inhaler may also move to the top or middle of the top row. The status of the oxygen inhaler becomes "operating". The power used by the oxygen inhaler during operation is the power reserved in the power supply plan in Figure 4: 150W.

[0075] The priority order of the 400 electrical devices below the air conditioner in the lower row remains unchanged, so the row order is the same as in Figure 4. The total power consumption increases by 150W, but the reserved power of the oxygen inhaler (150W) is eliminated, so the power allocation to each of the 400 electrical devices remains unchanged. Prohibition level 716 does not move, and the status ("permitted" and "prohibited") from the air conditioner to the shredder also remains unchanged.

[0076] Thus, when a reserved electrical appliance 400 is activated, the display position of that electrical appliance 400 simply moves upwards, and the basic configuration of the power supply plan is maintained. Similarly, when the power switch for a hair dryer, computer, or television is turned on, the row for that electrical appliance 400 moves to the top.

[0077] Figure 6 is a screenshot of the power supply plan when the air conditioner is turned on. When the user turns on the air conditioner's power switch while the power supply plan shown in Figure 4 is displayed, the screen switches to the power supply plan screen shown in Figure 6. At the stage shown in Figure 4, the reserved power for the air conditioner has not been secured.

[0078] In the power supply plan in Figure 4, the operation of the air conditioner is permitted, so the air conditioner receives power and starts operating normally. Accordingly, the row for the air conditioner moves to the bottom of the top row (it could also be the top or middle). The status of the air conditioner becomes "operating". The power consumption of the air conditioner while in use is 1200W, the same as the power consumption. This power was not reserved in the power supply plan in Figure 4.

[0079] The priority order of the electrical equipment 400 in the lower row remains unchanged, except that the air conditioner is omitted. Therefore, the row order is the same as in Figure 4, except that the row for the air conditioner has been removed.

[0080] Regarding the air conditioner, the power supply plan in Figure 4 did not account for reserved power, so the power allocation will be revised. The total power used will increase significantly to 50W + 1000W + 1200W = 2250W. Therefore, the remaining power will decrease significantly to 250W.

[0081] The remaining power is allocated to the stopped electrical equipment 400 shown in the lower section. However, once the reserved power of 150W for the oxygen inhaler is allocated, the remaining power becomes 250W - 150W = 100W, which is almost depleted. Therefore, power cannot be allocated to the hair dryer (1000W). All electrical equipment 400 from the hair dryer onward is prohibited from operating. Consequently, prohibition level 716 moves significantly upward from the position in Figure 4. This is because the air conditioner, which was expected to be used only rarely, was used, requiring 1200W of power, leaving no power reserve to allocate to the stopped electrical equipment 400. Power for the air conditioner is secured by releasing the reserved power for the hair dryer.

[0082] However, since the probability of the air conditioner being used is only 15%, this is not a very common scenario. For example, it is presumed that there was a special reason, such as a user feeling chills and wanting to raise the room temperature because they were starting to catch a cold. Although it is a rare occurrence, it concerns the user's health, so it needs to be addressed properly. If the user then takes measures such as turning off the vacuum cleaner (1000W), the power reserve will be restored and the situation can be improved somewhat. At the very least, a hair dryer, which has the same power consumption as the vacuum cleaner (1000W), will become usable. The details of this situation are omitted.

[0083] Figure 7 shows the power supply plan when the vacuum cleaner is stopped. When the power supply plan shown in Figure 4 is displayed, if the user turns off the vacuum cleaner's power switch, the screen switches to the power supply plan screen shown in Figure 7. Since the vacuum cleaner was in use at the stage shown in Figure 4, power becomes available once the vacuum cleaner is stopped.

[0084] The row for the stopped vacuum cleaner moves to the lower row. The insertion position is determined according to the priority concept described above. In this example, the vacuum cleaner is placed between the dryer and the iron. The total power consumption in use decreases significantly to 50W. The remaining power increases significantly to 2450W.

[0085] The remaining power, 2450W, is allocated to the stopped electrical appliances 400. As in Figure 4, power is allocated to the electrical appliances 400 with a high probability of operation (underlined) (oxygen inhaler, hair dryer, personal computer, and television). At this stage, the remaining power is 2450W - 150W - 1000W - 100W - 100W = 1100W. Power can also be allocated to the dryer (1000W). Therefore, operation of the dryer, vacuum cleaner, and iron, which have an importance of 2, is permitted. At this stage, the remaining power is 100W, so power is not allocated to the game console (200W).

[0086] Compared to the power supply plan in Figure 4, stopping the vacuum cleaner lowers the prohibition level 716 to between that of the iron and the game console. This allows the dryer and iron to be used again.

[0087] Regarding the transitions from Figure 4 to Figure 5, from Figure 4 to Figure 6, and from Figure 4 to Figure 7 described above, there is no need to operate the control panel 700 or the user terminal 720. The user is simply turning the power switches of the electrical equipment 400 ON or OFF. Turning the power switch of an authorized electrical equipment 400 ON will start its operation. Turning the power switch of an operating electrical equipment 400 OFF will stop its operation.

[0088] However, if you turn on the power switch for a dryer, iron, game console, or shredder, which is marked as "prohibited" in the power supply plan in Figure 4, the appliance will not start operating. The process in this case will be described later in relation to Figure 15(B).

[0089] Figure 8 shows the power supply plan screen when the iron operation is manually permitted. If you want to operate electrical appliances 400 (dryer, iron, game console, and shredder) that are marked as "prohibited" in the power supply plan of Figure 4, you can manually switch them to "allowed". If the user wants to use the iron, which is marked as "prohibited", they should touch the allow button 712. This will manually switch the iron to "allowed". The allow button 712 is an example of an allow operation means.

[0090] In Figure 8, which follows Figure 4, the row for the iron, which has been switched to "allowed," moves to the top of the lower row. The top position is just one example; the iron row moves to at least an upper position. The allow button 712 is inverted in black and white to indicate that it is ON. Alternatively, the prohibit button 710 may be displayed in inverted black and white. This indicates that the priority has been forcibly increased, rather than the priority planned by the power supply management device 101. If the user touches the allow button 712 again (or touches the inverted prohibit button 710), it returns to the original state. By forcibly increasing the priority, power is allocated with the highest priority to the iron among the stopped electrical appliances 400. As power is allocated to the iron, the remaining power decreases, and the prohibit level 716 rises. In this example, the prohibit level 716 rises to between the air conditioner and the hair dryer, and the electrical appliances 400 from the hair dryer to the microwave oven shown in the diagram are switched to "prohibited." While using the iron, refrain from using these other devices. Once you have finished using the iron, touch the black and white inverted permit button 712 (or the black and white inverted prohibit button 710) to return to the power supply plan screen shown in Figure 4. As a result, you will be able to use the microwave oven and other devices again.

[0091] If operating the iron does not exceed the limit of the available power supply, the iron's priority is raised as described above. On the other hand, if the sum of the iron's power consumption and the power being used exceeds the limit of the available power supply, the iron cannot be operated, and therefore the iron's priority is not raised. Alternatively, the iron's priority may be raised and then set to the "prohibited" state as described later in relation to Figure 10. In any case, if the above sum exceeds the available power supply, the iron cannot be operated, so it is necessary to have a power margin. For this reason, the power supply management device 101 displays a message on the control panel 700 or user terminal 720 prompting the user to stop the operating electrical equipment 400. The message may be, for example, "Operating the iron will exceed the available power supply. Please stop the operating electrical equipment." The name of the operating electrical equipment (for example, "vacuum cleaner") may be displayed instead of "operating electrical equipment." If the user stops the operating electrical equipment 400, the power supply plan is regenerated. As a result, a power margin may be created, and the iron may be able to be operated. If stopping one electrical appliance 400 does not provide sufficient power, another electrical appliance 400 may be stopped to provide more power and allow the iron to operate.

[0092] Figure 9 shows the power supply plan when the hair dryer operation is manually disabled. It is also possible to manually switch the "permitted" electrical appliance 400 to "prohibited". Figure 9 shows the case where a hair dryer, which has reserved power allocated in Figure 4 (in other words, is permitted to be used) but is not actually being used, is prohibited from use. For example, suppose a user looking at the power supply plan screen in Figure 4 thinks, "I'm not using the hair dryer, so there's no need to allocate power to it." If the user touches the prohibit button 710 for the hair dryer, the hair dryer can be switched to "prohibited". This creates surplus power. The prohibit button 710 is an example of a means of prohibiting operation.

[0093] In Figure 9, which follows Figure 4, the row for the hair dryer, which has been switched to "Prohibited," moves to the bottom of the lower row. The bottom is just one example; the hair dryer row moves to at least a lower position. The prohibit button 710 is inverted in black and white to indicate that it is ON. Alternatively, the permit button 712, also inverted in black and white, may be displayed. This operation delays the allocation of power to the hair dryer. Since the remaining power increases because power is not allocated to the hair dryer, the prohibition level 716 decreases. In this example, the prohibition level 716 decreases to between the iron and the game console, allowing the dryer and iron to operate. When it becomes necessary to use the hair dryer, you can touch the black and white inverted prohibit button 710 (or the black and white inverted permit button 712) to return to the power supply plan screen in Figure 4.

[0094] Figure 10 shows the power supply plan screen when the air conditioner cannot be manually authorized to operate. Even electrical equipment 400, which is above the prohibition level 716, may be marked as "prohibited" and cannot be manually switched to "permitted." This is because using that electrical equipment 400 may cause the total power consumption to exceed the available power supply.

[0095] In Figure 4, the power consumption of the air conditioner (allowed, no reserved power reserved) was 1200W, but in Figure 10, it is assumed to be 1500W. In this state, if the air conditioner (1500W) is operated, the total power consumption will be 50W + 1000W + 1500W = 2550W, which exceeds the available power supply of 2500W. Therefore, the air conditioner must not be operated. For this reason, it is set to "prohibited," and manual switching to "allowed" is also disabled. The allow button 712 becomes inactive. In other words, touching the allow button 712 will not produce a response. The display of the allow button 712 is changed to indicate that it is inactive. In this way, it is possible to prevent power consumption exceeding the available power supply.

[0096] Furthermore, if the user touches the "Prohibit," "Air Conditioner," or "Allow" button 712, the power supply management device 101 may display a message on the control panel 700 or user terminal 720 prompting the user to stop the operating electrical equipment 400. The message may be, for example, "Operating the air conditioner will exceed the available power supply. Please stop any operating electrical equipment." Instead of "operating electrical equipment," the name of the operating electrical equipment (for example, "vacuum cleaner") may be displayed. In this way, the user can be informed of how to deal with exceeding the available power supply.

[0097] Figure 11 is a screenshot of the power supply plan when manual operation of the iron is not permitted. For electrical appliances 400 with a "prohibited" status below prohibition level 716, it may not be possible to manually switch them to "permitted." Figure 11 shows an example where an iron cannot be switched to "permitted." In other words, if using an electrical appliance 400 would cause the total power consumption to exceed the available power supply, the use of that electrical appliance 400 is prohibited.

[0098] In Figure 4, the power consumption of the iron (disabled, no reserved power allocated) was 1200W, but in Figure 11, let's assume it's 1500W. In this state, if the iron (1500W) is operated, the total power consumption will be 50W + 1000W + 1500W = 2550W, exceeding the available power supply of 2500W. Therefore, to prevent the iron from operating, the manual switch to "allowed" is refused. In this way, it is possible to prevent power consumption from exceeding the available power supply.

[0099] Furthermore, if the user touches the "iron" or permission button 712, the power supply management device 101 may display a message on the control panel 700 or user terminal 720 prompting the user to stop the operating electrical equipment 400. The message may be, for example, "Operating the iron will exceed the available power supply. Please stop any operating electrical equipment." This way, the user can be informed of what to do if they cannot manually switch to "permission".

[0100] In the above example, the use of electrical equipment 400 in a residence was assumed, but the technology of this embodiment or the modified versions described later may also be applied to electrical equipment 400 used in facilities other than residences (factories, shops, offices, schools, or government offices, etc.). For example, lighting equipment or air conditioners in factories or offices may be the controlled objects. Alternatively, manufacturing equipment, office equipment, or educational equipment may be the controlled objects.

[0101] Furthermore, while the above example assumes that the contents of the power supply plan and countermeasures are visually communicated through the power supply plan screen, the control panel 700 or user terminal 720 may also communicate the contents of the power supply plan and countermeasures via voice. In other words, the output format of the control panel 700 or user terminal 720 is not limited to display; it may also be voice output. For example, the names of prohibited electrical equipment 400 may be voice-output. Alternatively, the names of permitted electrical equipment 400 may be voice-output, or the names of electrical equipment 400 that are in operation may be voice-output. Messages explaining the situation based on importance or priority, such as "Up to importance level '3' is permitted" or "Up to priority level 7 is permitted," may also be voice-output. Voice output may also be provided from an audio output device other than the control panel 700 or user terminal 720 (for example, a landline telephone) or an audio output system (for example, an in-house broadcasting system or a school broadcasting system).

[0102] Figure 12 is a functional block diagram of the power supply management device 101. Each component of the power supply management device 101 is realized by hardware including arithmetic units such as a CPU and various coprocessors, memory and storage devices, and wired or wireless communication lines connecting them, and software stored in the storage devices that supplies processing instructions to the arithmetic units. The computer program may consist of device drivers, an operating system, various application programs located at a higher layer, and libraries that provide common functions to these programs. Each block shown in the diagram mainly represents a functional unit. Each block may be realized by having the arithmetic units execute a program stored in the storage device. The same applies to the functional block diagrams of the electrical equipment 400 shown in Figure 14(A) and the control panel 700 shown in Figure 14(B).

[0103] The power supply management device 101 includes a data processing unit 120, a communication processing unit 150, and a data storage unit 140. The communication processing unit 150 is responsible for communication processing via a network or the like. The data storage unit 140 stores various types of data. The data processing unit 120 performs various processes based on the data acquired by the communication processing unit 150 and the data stored in the data storage unit 140. The data processing unit 120 also functions as an interface to the communication processing unit 150 and the data storage unit 140.

[0104] The data processing unit 120 is implemented by the arithmetic unit 112 (Figure 2) sequentially reading and executing the program code stored in the memory unit 108 (Figure 2). The data area used when executing the program is also reserved in the memory unit 108. The data storage unit 140 is implemented using the memory unit 108. The communication processing unit 150 is implemented by the arithmetic unit 112 sequentially reading and executing the communication interface program code stored in the memory unit 108 to control the communication module 106 (Figure 2). In other words, the communication processing unit 150 is implemented through the cooperation of the arithmetic unit 112 and the communication module 106.

[0105] The data processing unit 120 includes a notification unit 122, a plan generation unit 124, a screen provision unit 126, a history generation unit 128, and an information collection unit 130. The notification unit 122 sends various notifications to the electrical equipment 400. The plan generation unit 124 generates a power supply plan. The plan generation unit 124 also calculates the probability of operation. The plan generation unit 124 may also calculate the importance level. The screen provision unit 126 generates screens such as the power supply plan screen and provides them to the control panel 700 or user terminal 720. The history generation unit 128 generates history information regarding the use and operation of the electrical equipment 400. The information collection unit 130 collects status information (such as the number of people at home, indoor environment, weather and traffic conditions) from the web server 800, etc.

[0106] The data storage unit 140 includes a power supply plan storage unit 142, a history information storage unit 144, and a status information storage unit 146. The power supply plan storage unit 142 stores the power supply plan. The history information storage unit 144 stores history information. The status information storage unit 146 stores status information. The data storage unit 140 may be provided in a home server or a web server 800. The data processing unit 120 may read information from or write information to the data storage unit 140 of the home server or web server 800.

[0107] The communication processing unit 150 includes a transmitting unit 152 and a receiving unit 154. The transmitting unit 152 transmits various types of information. The receiving unit 154 receives various types of information.

[0108] Figure 13 is a data structure diagram for the power supply plan. The power supply plan is, for example, data in a table format. In this example, the power supply plan has a record for each electrical device 400. The record number indicates the order of the records. The record has fields for electrical device name, power consumption, operating status, importance, operating probability, power in use, reserved power, cumulative value, availability status, manual prohibition flag, and manual permission flag. The electrical device name, power consumption, and importance included in the record may be set by the user or automatically set by the power supply management device 101. Alternatively, the user may adjust the electrical device name, power consumption, and importance that have been automatically set by the power supply management device 101. As a method for automatically setting importance, the power supply management device 101 may obtain the electrical device name, power consumption, and importance stored in the electrical device 400. Alternatively, the power supply management device 101 may obtain the electrical equipment name, power consumption, and importance level of the electrical equipment 400 from the web server 800 of the provider of the power supply management device 101, or it may obtain the electrical equipment name, power consumption, and importance level of the electrical equipment 400 from the web server 800 of the manufacturer or seller of the electrical equipment 400. The power supply management device 101 may also obtain product identification information such as the product number and product name from the electrical equipment 400 and use that product identification information to query each web server 800 for the above information.

[0109] The electrical equipment name is the name of electrical equipment 400. Power consumption represents the power used by electrical equipment 400. For example, the power consumption is the maximum value among the fluctuating amount of power while each electrical equipment 400 is operating. In principle, power consumption is published as a specification. The operating status indicates "operating" or "stopped". The cumulative value indicates the total amount of power allocated from top to bottom (sum of power in use and reserved power). To make the calculation process easier to understand, an example is shown in which the cumulative value is included in the power supply plan, but in the implementation form, the cumulative value can be calculated using internal parameters, so it is not necessary to include the cumulative value in the power supply plan. Also, in this example, the remaining power is not included in the power supply plan, but it may be included in the power supply plan. If the value of the remaining power is to be displayed on the power supply plan screen as "remaining amount of available power", it is easier to process if the remaining power is included in the power supply plan. The permission status indicates "permitted" or "prohibited". The manual prohibition flag is turned ON when it is manually switched to "prohibited". The manual permission flag is turned ON when the system is manually switched to "permit". The manual prohibition flag and manual permission flag are referenced in the power supply plan screen generation process when determining the display format of the prohibition button 710 and the permission button 712. The manual prohibition flag and manual permission flag may be unified into a single manual flag. In the specification where the manual flag is unified into a single manual flag, if the permission status is "permitted" and the manual flag is ON, it means that manual permission has been granted. Also, if the permission status is "prohibited" and the manual flag is ON, it means that manual prohibition has been granted. The example in Figure 13 corresponds to the power supply plan screen in Figure 4. Internally, the plan generation unit 124 generates the power supply plan in Figure 13, and the power supply plan screen in Figure 4 is displayed according to the generated power supply plan. The generation of the power supply plan will be described later in relation to Figures 15 to 18.

[0110] Figure 14(A) is a functional block diagram of electrical equipment 400. The electrical device 400 includes a transmitting unit 402, a receiving unit 404, a power control unit 406, an output unit 408, an information providing unit 410, an information storage unit 412, and a reception unit 414. The transmitting unit 402 transmits various types of information. The receiving unit 404 receives various types of information. The power control unit 406 controls a power supply circuit (not shown). The output unit 408 controls the output of an output device (not shown). The information providing unit 410 provides various types of information. The information storage unit 412 stores various types of information. The reception unit 414 accepts user operations.

[0111] The electrical device 400 includes, as hardware, an arithmetic unit such as a general-purpose processor, a storage unit such as RAM, ROM, or flash memory (not shown), a power supply circuit (not shown) that receives power from the distribution board 200 and supplies power to internal components, and an output device (display, speaker, lamp, etc., not shown). The transmitting unit 402, receiving unit 404, power control unit 406, output unit 408, information providing unit 410, and reception unit 414 are realized by the arithmetic unit sequentially reading and executing the program code stored in the storage unit.

[0112] Figure 14(B) is a functional block diagram of the control panel 700. The control panel 700 includes a transmitter 702, a receiver 704, a display processing unit 706, and a reception unit 708. The transmitter 702 transmits various types of information. The receiver 704 receives various types of information. The display processing unit 706 displays various types of information on a touch panel (not shown). The reception unit 708 receives user operations.

[0113] The control panel 700 includes, as hardware, an arithmetic unit such as a general-purpose processor, a storage unit such as RAM, ROM, or flash memory (not shown), a touch panel, and output devices (speakers and lamps, etc., not shown). The touch panel functions as both an input and output device. The transmitting unit 702, receiving unit 704, display processing unit 706, and reception unit 708 are realized by the arithmetic unit sequentially reading and executing the program code stored in the storage unit.

[0114] Figure 15(A) is a sequence diagram showing the case when the operation of electrical equipment 400 is permitted. For example, this corresponds to a case where a user attempts to use an oxygen inhaler or air conditioner, which is displayed as "permitted" on the power supply plan screen in Figure 4.

[0115] When the user turns on the power switch of the electrical equipment 400 and the reception unit 414 receives the ON operation (S10), the transmission unit 402 sends an inquiry to the power supply management device 101 regarding the availability of power use (S12). The electrical equipment 400 receives a small amount of power from the distribution board 200 to be used for operations S10, S12, S16, and S18 in Figure 15(A) (operations when the power is not turned ON). The power consumption at this time should not affect the power supply plan. Alternatively, the electrical equipment 400 may perform these operations using power from an internal battery. The same applies to operations S10, S12, S32, and S36 in Figure 15(B), which will be described later.

[0116] When the receiving unit 154 of the power supply management device 101 receives a permission / rejection inquiry, the notification unit 122 refers to the permission / rejection status of the transmitting electrical equipment 400 (Figure 13). In the example shown in Figure 15(A), the permission / rejection status is permitted (S14), so the notification unit 122 notifies the electrical equipment 400 of permission to use power (S16). Specifically, the transmitting unit 152 sends a permission notification to the electrical equipment 400.

[0117] When the receiving unit 404 of the electrical device 400 receives a permission notification, the power control unit 406 instructs the power supply circuit to turn on the power (S18). As a result, the electrical device 400 starts operating, and the user can use the electrical device 400 normally.

[0118] The planning generation unit 124 rearranges the records in the power supply plan (Figure 13) (S20). This rearrangement corresponds to moving the row of the electrical equipment 400 that has started operating from the bottom to the top in the power supply plan screen, as explained in relation to Figures 5 and 6. The planning generation unit 124 moves the record of that electrical equipment 400 to the top position in the power supply plan (Figure 13) and moves it to the bottom of the records that are currently operating. For example, if an air conditioner is started, the record of the air conditioner and the record of the oxygen inhaler will be swapped. The planning generation unit 124 switches the operating state of the moved record to "operating" (S22). The planning generation unit 124 sets the power consumption value in the power used for the record (S24). The planning generation unit 124 clears the reserved power for the record (S26). Then, the planning generation unit 124 executes the power supply plan generation process (S28). In the power supply plan generation process, the probability of operation of the electrical equipment 400 is calculated, and the available power is allocated. Details will be described later in relation to Figure 16. In this case, the history generation unit 128 records the date and time when the electrical equipment 400 began to be used in the history information.

[0119] Figure 15(B) is a sequence diagram showing the case when the operation of electrical equipment 400 is prohibited. For example, this corresponds to a case where a user attempts to use a dryer that is displayed as "prohibited" on the power supply plan screen in Figure 4.

[0120] The processes in S10 and S12 are the same as in the case of Figure 15(A). If the status of the transmitting electrical equipment 400 is prohibited (S30), the notification unit 122 of the power supply management device 101 notifies the electrical equipment 400 that power use is prohibited (S32). Specifically, at this time, the transmission unit 152 sends a prohibition notice to the electrical equipment 400. The history generation unit 128 records the date and time when the use of the electrical equipment 400 was prohibited in the history information.

[0121] When the receiving unit 404 of the electrical device 400 receives a prohibition notice, the power control unit 406 does not instruct the power circuit to turn on the power (S34). Therefore, the user cannot use the electrical device 400. At this time, the output unit 408 outputs a prohibition warning (S36). For example, a message indicating that it cannot be used due to insufficient power is displayed on the display. The same message may also be output as an audible message. Alternatively, a lamp indicator indicating insufficient power may be displayed. A warning sound indicating insufficient power may also be emitted from the speaker.

[0122] Figure 16 is a flowchart showing the power supply plan generation process. When the power supply plan generation process is executed, it is assumed that the electrical equipment 400 to be supplied with power within the house has been identified. It is also assumed that the value of the available power supply has been identified. The value of the available power supply may be calculated by the plan generation unit 124, or it may be obtained from the power conditioner 600 or the web server 800. For example, the web server 800 of the power company operating the power grid 300 may provide the value of the available power supply to the house.

[0123] The plan generation unit 124 sets the initial value of the internal variable i, which indicates the record number in the power supply plan (Figure 13), to 1 (S39).

[0124] The planning generation unit 124 calculates the probability of operation for each electrical device 400 (S40). The planning generation unit 124 obtains values ​​for parameters representing the current time, day of the week, number of people at home, room temperature, indoor humidity, temperature, outdoor humidity, and traffic conditions. These parameter values ​​are obtained from the clock unit, various sensors, or the web server 800. Whether or not a resident is at home can be determined by obtaining location information from the mobile phone carrier's web server 800 using the smartphone (an example of a device carried by the user) that person possesses.

[0125] The plan generation unit 124 refers to the status information storage unit 146 and samples a large number of dates and times when the situation was similar to the current situation. Next, the plan generation unit 124 refers to the history information storage unit 144 and determines whether or not the electrical equipment 400 was used during the period from the sample date and time until a predetermined time has elapsed. The predetermined time is, for example, 30 minutes. The predetermined time is determined by the definition of the most recent period.

[0126] The planning generation unit 124 then calculates the probability of operation of the electrical equipment 400 by dividing the number of samples in which the electrical equipment 400 was used by the total number of samples. For example, when calculating the probability of operation of a game machine at 9:00 on a Sunday, the unit refers to 100 past records of game machine usage between 9:00 and 9:30 on Sundays. If the game machine was used in 85 of those cases, the probability of operation of the game machine is 85 / 100 = 85%.

[0127] The parameters used for approximating a situation are not limited to time and day of the week. Other parameters indicating the situation may also be used. Adding the presence of people at home to the situation determination parameters will also take into account whether or not there is someone who plays a game console on a regular basis. In addition to a particular resident frequently playing a game console, a particular resident may also frequently use a particular electrical appliance 400 (for example, health equipment, air conditioners, beauty appliances, power equipment, information processing equipment, AV equipment, cooking appliances, household appliances, amusement devices, office equipment, or lighting equipment). For such electrical appliances 400, it is also effective to add the presence of people at home (for example, people who are present at the location where the electrical appliance 400 is installed) to the situation determination parameters. When calculating the probability of an air conditioner operating, adding temperature and outside humidity to the situation determination parameters will take weather conditions into account.

[0128] The planning generation unit 124 sequentially adds the power being used for each record whose operating status is "operating," from top to bottom, and records the added value as a cumulative value (S42). The cumulative value (Figure 13) is a parameter for calculating the total power allocated to each record from top to bottom. Available power minus the cumulative value corresponds to the remaining power mentioned above. For example, the cumulative value of the first record in Figure 13, 50W, is the same as the power being used, 50W. The cumulative value of the second record becomes 1050W, which is the sum of the power being used, 1000W. In other words, the power supply plan in Figure 13 estimates that a total of 1050W of power is being used.

[0129] Next, the plan generation unit 124 determines whether the i-th record (also called the i-th record) is "stopped" (S44). If the i-th record is not "stopped" (N in S44), it is skipped and the process moves to S59. If the i-th record is "stopped" (S in S44), the process moves to S46. In the example in Figure 13, the first and second records, whose operating status is "operating," are skipped, and the third, fourth, fifth, ... records, whose operating status is "stopped," are sequentially targeted for processing from S46 onwards.

[0130] The planning generation unit 124 determines whether the probability of operation in that record is equal to or greater than a reference value (S46). In this example, the reference value is 50%. If the probability of operation is equal to or greater than the reference value (Y in S46), it means that there is a high probability that the electrical equipment 400 will be used in the immediate future. In this case, power is reserved in advance. Therefore, the planning generation unit 124 sets the value of power consumption as the reserved power (S48). The planning generation unit 124 also calculates the cumulative value by adding the value of the reserved power (S50). In the third record in Figure 13, the power consumption: 150W is set as the reserved power, and 150W is added to the cumulative value of 1050W in the second record, so the cumulative value of the third record becomes 1200W.

[0131] On the other hand, if the probability of operation is below the standard value, it means that the electrical equipment 400 is unlikely to be used in the immediate period. In this case, power is not reserved. Therefore, the planning generation unit 124 sets the reserved power to 0W (S52). Also, the planning generation unit 124 does not change the cumulative value (S54). In the fourth record of Figure 13, the reserved power of the air conditioner (probability of operation: 15%) is 0W, and the cumulative value is 1200W, the same as in the second record.

[0132] The plan generation unit 124 determines whether the cumulative value of the record is less than or equal to the available power (S56). If the cumulative value is less than or equal to the available power (Y in S56), it means that there is still power available. In this case, the plan generation unit 124 sets the permission status to "permitted" (S58). In the ninth record in Figure 13, the cumulative value is 2400W, which is within the range of available power: 2500W, so it becomes "permitted". Then, the plan generation unit 124 increments i (S59). If there is an i-th record (Y in S60), the plan generation unit 124 returns to the process in S44 and processes the next record. If there is no i-th record (N in S60), it means that all electrical equipment 400 has been processed, and the power supply plan generation process ends.

[0133] On the other hand, if the cumulative value exceeds the available power supply (Y in S56), it means that there will be a power shortage. Therefore, the plan generation unit 124 sets the feasibility status to "prohibited" (S62). The plan generation unit 124 also cancels the reserved power set in S48 and sets it to 0W (S64). In the 10th record in Figure 13, the cumulative value becomes 3400W, which exceeds the available power supply: 2500W, so it becomes "prohibited". The plan generation unit 124 similarly sets the feasibility status to "prohibited" and sets the reserved power to 0W for each record below this record. Then, the power supply plan generation process is completed.

[0134] When the power supply plan generation process is performed, the updated power supply plan screen is displayed on the control panel 700 or user terminal 720. Specifically, the screen provisioning unit 126 generates a power supply plan screen based on the generated power supply plan and provides it to the control panel 700. At this time, the transmission unit 152 transmits the updated power supply plan screen data to the control panel 700 or user terminal 720. When the receiving unit 704 of the control panel 700 or user terminal 720 receives the updated power supply plan screen data, the display processing unit 706 displays the updated power supply plan screen on the touch panel.

[0135] Figure 17 is a sequence diagram showing the process of stopping the operation of electrical equipment 400. For example, this corresponds to the case where the user finishes using the vacuum cleaner that is "operating" while the power supply plan screen shown in Figure 4 is displayed.

[0136] When the user turns off the power switch of the electrical device 400 and the receiving unit 414 receives the OFF operation (S70), the transmitting unit 402 sends a stop notification to the power supply management device 101, indicating that the operation has ended (S72). Then, the power control unit 406 instructs the power circuit to turn OFF (S74). As a result, for example, the vacuum cleaner stops its suction operation. Note that the order of sending the stop notification (S72) and turning off the power (S74) may be reversed or may occur simultaneously.

[0137] When the receiving unit 154 of the power supply management device 101 receives a stop notification, the plan generation unit 124 rearranges the records in the power supply plan (Figure 13) (S76). This rearrangement corresponds to the process of moving down the row of the stopped electrical equipment 400, as explained in relation to Figure 7. The plan generation unit 124 moves the record of the electrical equipment 400 in the power supply plan (Figure 13) into the stopped records according to priority. The plan generation unit 124 switches the operating state of the moved record to stopped (S78). The plan generation unit 124 clears the power used for the record (S80). Then, the plan generation unit 124 executes the power supply plan generation process (S82). In this case, the history generation unit 128 records the date and time when the use of the electrical equipment 400 ended in the history information.

[0138] Figure 18 is a sequence diagram for manually enabling the operation of electrical equipment 400. For example, when the iron cannot be used due to a power shortage, the user displays the power supply plan screen shown in Figure 4 on the control panel 700 or user terminal 720, and touches the iron permission button 712 to enable the use of the iron. The following example shows the user operating the control panel 700, but the procedure is the same when the user terminal 720 is operated.

[0139] The reception unit 708 of the control panel 700 receives an operation to display the power supply plan screen (S90). For example, it receives a press of the main switch on the control panel 700. In the case of a user terminal 720, it receives a touch operation of the power supply plan icon. The transmission unit 702 sends the screen request to the power supply management device 101 (S92).

[0140] When the receiving unit 154 of the power supply management device 101 receives a screen request, the screen providing unit 126 generates a power supply plan screen based on the latest power supply plan (S94) and provides it to the control panel 700 (S96). At this time, the transmitting unit 152 transmits the data of the power supply plan screen to the control panel 700.

[0141] When the receiving unit 704 of the control panel 700 receives data from the power supply plan screen, the display processing unit 706 displays the power supply plan screen on the touch panel (S98). At this time, it is assumed that the iron is in a prohibited state. The user who sees the power supply plan screen in Figure 4 touches the "Allow" button 712 for the iron. In this operation, the receiving unit 708 accepts the touch operation of the allow button 712 (S100). The transmitting unit 702 sends an allowance request that identifies the electrical equipment 400 to be allowed to the power supply management device 101 (S102).

[0142] When the receiving unit 154 of the power supply management device 101 receives a permission request, the plan generation unit 124 rearranges the records in the power supply plan (Figure 13) (S104). This rearrangement corresponds to the process of moving the row of the electrical equipment 400 to be switched to "permitted" to the top of the list of stopped electrical equipment 400, as explained in relation to Figure 8. The record of that electrical equipment 400 is moved to the beginning of the list of stopped records. The plan generation unit 124 switches the manual permission flag of the moved record to ON (S106). Then, the plan generation unit 124 executes the power supply plan generation process (S108). This is because the power distribution needs to be reviewed since the order of the records has been changed. The screen provision unit 126 generates a power supply plan screen based on the generated power supply plan (S110) and provides it to the control panel 700 (S112). At this time, the transmission unit 152 transmits the updated power supply plan screen data to the control panel 700.

[0143] When the receiver 704 of the control panel 700 receives the updated power supply plan screen data, the display processing unit 706 displays the updated power supply plan screen on the touch panel (S114). In this way, the screen switches to the power supply plan screen shown in Figure 8.

[0144] If the user touches the inverted black and white permit button 712 (or the inverted black and white prohibit button 710) on the power supply plan screen in Figure 8, the manual permit is canceled. The plan generation unit 124 returns the record of the electrical equipment 400 to its original position in the power supply plan (Figure 13) and switches the manual permit flag to OFF. Then, the plan generation unit 124 performs the power supply plan generation process (Figure 16).

[0145] Following the example in Figure 18, only the differences will be explained regarding the case where the operation of the electrical equipment 400 is manually prohibited. In S100, the reception unit 708 receives a touch operation to the prohibit button 710. In S102, the transmission unit 702 sends a prohibition request to the power supply management device 101, specifying the electrical equipment 400 to be prohibited.

[0146] When the receiving unit 154 of the power supply management device 101 receives a prohibition request, in the record rearrangement in S104, the record of the electrical equipment 400 is moved to the end of the stopped records. Also, in S106, the plan generation unit 124 switches the manual prohibition flag of the moved record to ON. In S114, the power supply plan screen shown in Figure 9 is displayed.

[0147] If the prohibit button 710 (or the permit button 712, which is inverted in black and white) is touched on the power supply plan screen in Figure 9, the manual prohibition is canceled. The plan generation unit 124 returns the record of the electrical equipment 400 in the power supply plan to its original position and switches the manual prohibition flag to OFF. Then, the plan generation unit 124 performs the power supply plan generation process (Figure 16).

[0148] Furthermore, if the available power supply changes, the power supply plan screen is updated accordingly. For example, the available power supply may change if the power supplied by the power grid 300 changes, if the output power of the private power generation module 500 changes, or if the output power of the battery unit 100 changes. Although not shown in the diagram, if the available power supply changes, the plan generation unit 124 performs power supply plan generation processing based on the changed available power supply. The power supply plan screen is also updated if the most recent period has passed without an update. Alternatively, the power supply plan screen may be updated at shorter intervals than the most recent period. The screen provision unit 126 generates a power supply plan screen based on the updated power supply plan and provides it to the control panel 700 or user terminal 720. In this way, the power supply plan screen corresponding to the power supply capacity at that time is displayed on the control panel 700 or user terminal 720.

[0149] As mentioned above, users will be able to naturally adapt to fluctuations in power supply without having to be overly conscious of managing their electricity consumption.

[0150] In this embodiment, a power supply plan is generated to supply power to multiple electrical devices 400 in accordance with the changing power supply situation. This allows for efficient power distribution without wasting the power supplied at any given time or compromising user convenience.

[0151] Furthermore, each electrical device 400 is notified of whether or not it can use power according to the latest power supply plan, allowing for power usage instructions that are appropriate to the current situation from a comprehensive perspective. Since the electrical devices 400 themselves are made to reduce power usage without resorting to coercive measures such as power interruption, it is less likely to cause malfunctions in the electrical devices 400.

[0152] Furthermore, the power supply plan reserves the power consumption of electrical equipment 400 that is expected to be in operation within the immediate future, thereby reducing the number of cases where the electrical equipment 400 that a user tries to use does not start up.

[0153] Furthermore, since the decision on whether or not to use power for each electrical device 400 is made based on the probability of each electrical device 400 operating within the most recent period, it is possible to prioritize the power usage of the electrical devices 400 that the user is likely to want to use.

[0154] [Differentiation] The planning generation unit 124 may change the importance of electrical equipment 400 according to its usage status. For example, if the continuous use time of a hair dryer exceeds the standard time, the importance of the hair dryer may be lowered. If the continuous use time exceeds the standard time, it is assumed that it is not being used in the usual way, such as drying hair. The importance is lowered to prevent accidents or malfunctions due to overheating during continuous use. Alternatively, if the humidity of the indoor or outdoor air is higher than the standard humidity, the importance of the hair dryer may be increased. This is to allow people to dry their rain-soaked hair immediately. The planning generation unit 124 may also change the importance according to the number of people at home (examples of people at the location where the electrical equipment 400 is installed). For example, if a specific resident is at home, the importance of a specific electrical equipment 400 may be increased or decreased. If a specific resident is not at home, the importance of a specific electrical equipment 400 may be increased or decreased.

[0155] The importance level may be managed in the electrical equipment 400. The electrical equipment 400 may change its importance level according to its usage status and provide the changed importance level to the power supply management device 101. In this case, the power supply management device 101 uses the importance level obtained from the electrical equipment 400. The importance level may be used as a parameter for the permission / rejection inquiry (see Figure 15) described above, or it may be provided on an occasion other than the permission / rejection inquiry. For example, a personal computer may increase its importance level while updating its software (such as the operating system). Doing so increases the likelihood that the personal computer will be "permitted," making it easier to restart after the software update.

[0156] The power supply management device 101 or the electrical equipment 400 may manage the power consumption value of the electrical equipment 400. The power supply management device 101 or the electrical equipment 400 may change the power consumption value according to the usage status of the electrical equipment 400. For example, if a microwave oven is used for cooking from 7:00 to 9:00 and operates in 600W mode, and used for warming drinks from 9:00 to 11:00 and operates in 300W mode, the power consumption may be set to 600W between 7:00 and 9:00 and to 300W between 9:00 and 11:00. The electrical equipment 400 may provide the power consumption value to the power supply management device 101. The power consumption may be used as a parameter for the feasibility inquiry (see Figure 15) described above, or it may be provided on an occasion other than the feasibility inquiry. The power supply management device 101 uses the power consumption value obtained from the electrical equipment 400.

[0157] The electrical device 400 may calculate the probability of operation within the most recent period. If the electrical device 400 records historical information and status information, it can calculate its own probability of operation based on that information. For example, a television can learn that the probability of operation is 95% from 8:00 to 9:00 on Saturday. The electrical device 400 may provide the probability of operation within the most recent period to the power supply management device 101, and the power supply management device 101 may use the acquired probability of operation. The probability of operation may be used as a parameter for the feasibility inquiry (see Figure 15) described above, or it may be provided on an occasion separate from the feasibility inquiry.

[0158] A mode may be provided that does not restrict the operation of the prohibited electrical equipment 400. When the button for the unban mode (not shown) displayed on the power supply plan screen is touched, the power supply management device 101 switches to the unban mode. In the unban mode, when the power switch of the prohibited electrical equipment 400 is turned ON, the electrical equipment 400 is made to start operating. The process in this case will be explained based on the sequence in Figures 15(A) and 15(B). S10 and S12 are executed as described above. If the permission status is determined to be prohibited in S30, the notification unit 122 determines whether operating the electrical equipment 400 will exceed the available power supply. Specifically, it is determined whether the sum of the power consumption of the electrical equipment 400 and the power being used exceeds the available power supply. If the sum does not exceed the available power supply, a permission notification is sent (S16), and the electrical equipment 400 is turned ON (S18). The power supply management device 101 rearranges the records and updates the power supply plan (S20-S28).

[0159] On the other hand, if the total value exceeds the available power supply, a prohibition notice is sent (S32), the power is not turned on (S34), and a prohibition warning is output (S36). The power supply management device 101 displays a message on the control panel 700 or user terminal 720 prompting the user to stop the operating electrical equipment 400. The message may be, for example, "Operating the dryer will exceed the available power supply. Please stop the operating electrical equipment." "Dryer" is an example of electrical equipment 400 whose power was not turned on. The name of the operating electrical equipment (for example, "vacuum cleaner") may be displayed instead of "operating electrical equipment". If the user stops the operating electrical equipment 400, the power supply plan is regenerated as shown in Figure 17. As a result, a power margin may be created, and the power of the electrical equipment 400 that could not be turned on may be able to be turned on.

[0160] The display for the Prohibit button 710 may be "Prohibit" instead of "Prohibit". The display for the Allow button 712 may be "Allow" instead of "Allow".

[0161] The communication module of the power supply management device 101 and the communication module of the electrical equipment 400 communicate and cooperate to generate a better power supply plan. In addition, in the configurations of Figures 1 and 3, multiple battery units 100 may be provided. The power supply management devices 101 contained in each battery unit 100 may cooperate to share processing responsibilities or negotiate (for example, adjust the power supply plan).

[0162] The power supply management device 101 may be built into a device other than the battery unit 100. For example, it may be built into the power conditioner 600 or the distribution board 200. The power supply management device 101 may also be independent of the electrical equipment.

[0163] Time-sharing (time-division multiplexing) may be performed with two or more electrical devices 400. For example, an electric heater and a humidifier may be operated alternately.

[0164] The rules for generating the power supply plan may be changed from the control panel 700 or the user terminal 720. For example, the criterion value of 50% used to determine the probability of operation described above may be changed. The predetermined time of 30 minutes used to define the immediate period may be changed. The method for determining priority may also be changed.

[0165] The power supply management device 101 may notify the electrical equipment 400 of the available power. The electrical equipment 400 may calculate its own importance, operating probability, or power consumption value based on the available power.

[0166] A system comprising a power supply measurement unit connected to multiple electrical devices 400 and measuring the power that can be supplied to the multiple electrical devices 400, and an equipment control unit that disables the use of one of the multiple electrical devices 400 when the sum of the power consumption of each of the multiple electrical devices 400 is greater than the power that can be supplied, is called a "power supply management system". A power conditioner 600 is an example of a power supply measurement unit. A power supply management device 101 is an example of an equipment control unit. The power supply management system may also include a self-generation module 500, a battery unit 100 (excluding the power supply management device 101), an operation panel 700, a user terminal 720, and a web server 800.

[0167] The power supply management device 101 may, when the sum of the power consumption of each of the multiple electrical devices 400 is greater than the power that can be supplied, repeatedly disable the use of the electrical devices 400 one by one to gradually reduce the sum of power consumption. Specifically, the power supply management device 101 first disables the use of the first electrical device 400 and calculates the sum of power consumption of the electrical devices 400 other than the first electrical device 400. If the calculated sum of power consumption is less than or equal to the power that can be supplied, the disabling process is completed at this stage. On the other hand, if the calculated sum of power consumption exceeds the power that can be supplied, the power supply management device 101 disables the use of the second electrical device 400 and recalculates the sum of power consumption of the electrical devices 400 excluding the first and second electrical devices 400. If the recalculated sum of power consumption is less than or equal to the power that can be supplied, the disabling process is completed at this stage. If the calculated total power consumption exceeds the available power, the same process is repeated for the third electrical device 400, the fourth electrical device 400, and so on. In this way, electrical devices 400 are added to be prohibited from use until the total power consumption of the permitted electrical devices 400 falls below the available power.

[0168] For example, if 10 lighting fixtures are installed on the ceiling and all of them are operated to be switched on simultaneously, the power supply management device 101 can be configured to prevent the removal of one lighting fixture at a time, adjusting the total power consumption of the lighting fixtures to be lit to be less than or equal to the available power. This allows for the reduction of power consumption while maintaining an overall balance of lighting.

[0169] In the process described above, the power supply management device 101 may disable the use of electrical equipment 400 in order of decreasing importance (prioritizing their use). In the example above, the importance of the lighting equipment to be preferentially removed is set lower, taking into account the installation location of each lighting equipment. The power supply management device 101 may disable the use of electrical equipment 400 in order of decreasing probability of operation (prioritizing their use). In the example above, lighting equipment that is usually turned off will be removed in order. The power supply management device 101 has an operation probability calculation unit that calculates the operation probability, which is the probability that each of the multiple electrical equipment will be used, by referring to the usage history of each of the multiple electrical equipment. The operation probability calculation unit may be included in the plan generation unit 124, or it may be provided separately from the plan generation unit 124.

[0170] The power conditioner 600 may measure changes in the available power. For example, an increase or decrease in the available power may be calculated. The power supply management device 101 may change the usability of each of the multiple electrical devices 400 in accordance with the change in available power. For example, if an increase in available power is measured, the power supply management device 101 will lift the ban on the use of electrical devices 400 that operate with power consumption less than or equal to the increase. Alternatively, if a decrease in available power is measured, the power supply management device 101 will ban the use of electrical devices 400 that operate with power consumption greater than or equal to the decrease. In this way, the total power consumption can be kept from exceeding the available power.

[0171] The house may be off-grid. That is, the common power source may be a generator module 500 and a battery unit 100. The common power source may be just the generator module 500. The common power source may be just the battery unit 100. The house does not have to have a generator module 500 and a battery unit 100. That is, the common power source may be just the power grid. The battery of an electric vehicle may be used as the common power source. The type of common power source is not limited.

[0172] Figure 19 is a sequence diagram of power-on in response to a usage inquiry. More specifically, the battery unit 100 may inquire about the planned use of each electrical device 400 and power the electrical device 400 based on the response.

[0173] First, the battery unit 100 checks the power usage status (S120). This power usage check is performed at predetermined intervals. If the battery unit 100 determines that there is no available power (N in S122), it returns to the process in S120. If the battery unit 100 determines that there is available power (Y in S122), it queries the unused electrical equipment 400a,b,c,n to see if they are scheduled to be used.

[0174] In this example, the battery unit 100 sends an inquiry to the electrical equipment 400a regarding its planned use (S124), and the electrical equipment 400a sends a response to the battery unit 100 indicating that it is not planned to be used (indicated as "not to be used" in the diagram) (S126).

[0175] Similarly, the battery unit 100 sends an inquiry to the electrical device 400b regarding its planned use (S128), and the electrical device 400b sends a response to the battery unit 100 indicating that it will be used (indicated as "will be used" in the diagram) (S130). The battery unit 100 sends an inquiry to the electrical device 400c regarding its planned use (S132), and the electrical device 400c sends a response to the battery unit 100 indicating that it will not be used (S134). The battery unit 100 sends an inquiry to the electrical device 400n regarding its planned use (S136), and the electrical device 400n sends a response to the battery unit 100 indicating that it will not be used (S138).

[0176] The battery unit 100 powers up electrical equipment 400b that has responded that it is scheduled for use (S140). Power is not supplied to electrical equipment 400a, c, and n that have responded that they are not scheduled for use. After that, the battery unit 100 updates the usage status (S142) and returns to the process in S120.

[0177] Figure 20 is a sequence diagram showing the power-on process triggered by a usage status inquiry. More specifically, one electrical device 400a, attempting to turn on its own power, inquires about the usage status of the other electrical devices 400b,c,n, and determines whether or not to power on, i.e., whether or not to operate, based on their responses. Here, if the amount of usable power would exceed the maximum power supply capacity of the battery unit 100 if the power of the device itself were turned on, it may turn off the power of one of the electrical devices 400 before turning on its own power. It is assumed that each electrical device 400a,b,c,n is aware of its own status.

[0178] In this example, electrical equipment 400a sends an inquiry to battery unit 100 regarding its electricity usage (S150). Battery unit 100 sends the available power amount to electrical equipment 400a (S152). Battery unit 100 may also send the amount of power currently in use to electrical equipment 400a. Alternatively, battery unit 100 may notify the maximum available power amount instead of the available power amount. In this case, the frequency of the electricity usage inquiry (S150) may be reduced.

[0179] Electrical equipment 400a will inquire about the usage status of each of the other electrical equipment 400b, c, and n. However, if the available power is sufficient, electrical equipment 400a does not need to make an inquiry each time.

[0180] Electrical device 400a sends an inquiry about its usage status to electrical device 400b (S154), and electrical device 400b sends its own status and importance to electrical device 400a (S156). Similarly, electrical device 400a sends an inquiry about its usage status to electrical device 400c (S158), and electrical device 400c sends its own status and importance to electrical device 400a (S160). Furthermore, electrical device 400a sends an inquiry about its usage status to electrical device 400n (S162), and electrical device 400n sends its own status and importance to electrical device 400a (S164).

[0181] Electrical device 400a aggregates the responses from electrical devices 400b, c, and n and generates a list (S166). If electrical device 400a determines that it is possible to turn on its power (Y in S168), it turns on its own power (S170).

[0182] On the other hand, if electrical device 400a determines that it is impossible to turn on its power (N in S168), electrical device 400a sends a request to turn off its power to electrical device 400c, which has a lower importance (priority) than itself (S172). If there is no electrical device 400 with a lower importance (priority) than itself, it does not send a request to turn off its power.

[0183] However, even if there are no electrical devices 400 with low importance (priority), the power necessary for the operation of electrical device 400a may be secured by requesting the power to be turned off for electrical devices 400 that meet predetermined conditions (for example, the lowest importance (priority)). If turning off the power of one electrical device 400 does not provide the power necessary for the operation of electrical device 400a, then requests to turn off the power may be made sequentially for electrical devices 400 with low importance (priority).

[0184] Upon receiving a power-off request, electrical device 400c turns off its own power (S174) and sends a power-off response to electrical device 400a (S176). Upon receiving the power-off response, electrical device 400a turns on its own power (S178).

[0185] The installation location of the electrical equipment 400 to which the above-described technology is applied is not limited to residences. The above-described technology may also be applied to facilities other than residences (factories, shops, offices, schools, or government offices, etc.). The application target may not be limited to buildings, but may be a specific area. Alternatively, it may be applied to mobile objects such as airplanes, drones, or ships.

[0186] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and modifications described above, and the components can be modified and implemented without departing from the spirit of the invention. Various inventions may be formed by appropriately combining the multiple components disclosed in the embodiments and modifications described above. In addition, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiments and modifications described above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0187] 100 Battery unit, 101 Power supply management device, 102 External supply storage battery, 104 Power input / output unit, 106 Communication module, 108 Storage unit, 110 Sensor, 112 Calculation unit, 120 Data processing unit, 122 Notification unit, 124 Plan generation unit, 126 Screen provision unit, 128 History generation unit, 130 Information collection unit, 140 Data storage unit, 142 Power supply plan storage unit, 144 History information storage unit, 146 Status information storage unit, 150 Communication processing unit, 152 Transmission unit, 154 Receiving unit, 200 Distribution board, 300 Power grid, 400 Electrical equipment, 402 Transmission unit, 404 Receiving unit, 406 Power control unit, 408 Output unit, 410 Information provision unit, 412 Information storage unit, 414 Reception unit, 500 Self-generation module, 502 Solar cell module, 504 Fuel cell module, 506 Wind power generation module, 600 Power conditioner, 700 Control panel, 710 Prohibit button, 712 Allow button, 714 Divider line, 716 Prohibition level, 720 User terminal, 800 Web server, 702 Transmitter, 704 Receiver, 706 Display processing unit, 708 Reception unit

Claims

1. A power input / output unit that receives and supplies power to external devices, An external power supply storage unit for storing the power used for receiving and supplying the aforementioned power, A power supply management device that controls the supply of power from the external power supply storage unit to electrical equipment connected to the external device, A battery unit equipped with a battery.

2. The battery unit according to claim 1, wherein the power supply management device generates a power supply plan based on the power receiving and supplying with the external device and the power supply to the electrical equipment.

3. The power supply management device includes a calculation unit that acquires the amount of power managed by the external device and calculates changes in the power supply status. The battery unit according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit calculates the amount of power that can be supplied to the electrical equipment in accordance with the change in the power supply status.

4. The battery unit according to claim 3, wherein the power supply management device generates a power supply plan to the electrical equipment in response to changes in the power supply status.

5. The battery unit according to claim 2 or 4, wherein the power supply management device controls the supply of power to the electrical equipment based on the power supply plan.

6. The battery unit according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor unit for measuring at least one of current, voltage, or power when power is supplied to or received from the power input / output unit.

7. The battery unit according to claim 6, wherein the sensor unit measures the charge level of the external power supply storage unit.

8. Self-generation modules and A battery unit according to claims 1 to 7, A battery system equipped with, The external device is a power conditioner, The aforementioned electrical equipment is connected to the power conditioner via a distribution board, and the system is a battery system.

9. The battery system according to claim 8, wherein the power conditioner measures the power obtained from the self-generation module, the power obtained from the electric battery unit, and the power obtained from the power grid, and notifies the battery unit of these values.

10. It is connected to multiple electrical devices, A power supply measurement unit that measures the power that can be supplied to the aforementioned multiple electrical devices, A power supply management system comprising: an equipment control unit that sets one of the multiple electrical devices to be disabled when the total power consumption of each of the multiple electrical devices is greater than the available power;

11. The power supply management system according to claim 10, wherein when the equipment control unit disables the use of a first electrical device among a plurality of electrical devices, it recalculates the total power consumption of the electrical devices other than the first electrical device, and if the recalculated total power consumption is greater than the available power, it further disables the use of any of the plurality of electrical devices, thereby adding electrical devices to be disabled until the total power consumption of the permitted electrical devices becomes less than or equal to the available power.

12. It is connected to a secondary battery that is charged by power supplied from an external power source, The power supply management system according to claim 10, wherein the supply measurement unit measures the amount of power that can be supplied by measuring the charge level of the secondary battery.

13. The power supply management system according to claim 12, wherein the secondary battery is charged by power supplied from a private power source.

14. The supply measurement unit measures the change in the available power, The power supply management system according to claim 10, wherein the equipment control unit changes whether each of the plurality of electrical devices can be used in accordance with the change in the available power.

15. Each of the aforementioned electrical devices has been assigned an importance level. The power supply management system according to claim 10, wherein the equipment control unit, when the total power consumption of each of the plurality of electrical devices is greater than the available power, prioritizes disabling the use of the electrical devices of lower importance.

16. The system further includes an operation probability calculation unit that refers to the usage history of each of the aforementioned multiple electrical devices and calculates the operation probability, which is the probability that each of the aforementioned multiple electrical devices will be used. The power supply management system according to claim 10, wherein the equipment control unit, when the total power consumption of each of the plurality of electrical devices is greater than the available power, prioritizes setting the electrical device with the lowest probability of operation to be disabled.

17. The power supply management system according to claim 10, wherein the equipment control unit updates power supply plan information indicating whether each of the plurality of electrical devices is usable when the power to an electrical device authorized for use is turned on.

18. The power supply management system according to claim 10, wherein the equipment control unit determines whether one or more unused electrical equipment can be used based on the difference between the available power and the total power consumption of the electrical equipment in use.

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