Demand Response System

Abstract

The present invention combines electric mobility vehicles and DR to effectively utilize the electric mobility vehicles.　This demand response system 10 comprises: a demand response reception unit 11 which receives a notification of a DR request; an acquisition unit 12 which acquires information about an electric mobility vehicle provided with a power supply capable of supplying electrical power to the outside; a cost calculation unit 13 which, on the basis of the information acquired by the acquisition unit 12, calculates the cost required to use the power supply provided to the electric mobility vehicle in order to respond to the DR request related to the notification received by the demand response reception unit 11; and a determination unit 14 which makes a determination pertaining to the DR on the basis of the cost calculated by the cost calculation unit 13.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a demand response system related to demand response (DR).

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the adjustment of power supply and demand has become a major issue, such as the soaring electricity bills. One of the methods to solve this problem is DR. This method is, for example, a mechanism in which when a request for power saving or the like is received from an electric power company, power saving or the like is performed accordingly and a reward is received as a consideration (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Currently, in overseas, electric mobility such as electric vehicles, electric motorcycles, and electric kick scooters (standing electric scooters) has begun to spread, and it is also assumed that it will spread in the future in Japan. In such a society, it is also assumed that rental services for electric mobility will spread. However, as a problem of such services, there is a problem of how to effectively utilize them when they are not in use.

[0005] One embodiment of the present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide a demand response system that can effectively utilize electric mobility by combining electric mobility and DR.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, a demand response system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a demand response receiving unit that receives notifications of demand response requests; an acquisition unit that acquires information on electric mobility equipped with a power source capable of supplying power to the outside; a cost calculation unit that calculates the cost required to use the power source of the electric mobility for responding to the demand response request related to the notification received by the demand response receiving unit, based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit; and a decision unit that makes a decision regarding the demand response based on the cost calculated by the cost calculation unit.

[0007] In a demand response system according to one embodiment of the present invention, the cost required to use the power supply of an electric mobility vehicle to respond to a demand response (DR) request is calculated, and a decision regarding the DR is made based on the calculated cost. As a result of this decision, the power supply of the electric mobility vehicle can be used to respond to the demand response request, taking the above cost into consideration. In other words, according to a demand response system according to one embodiment of the present invention, electric mobility vehicles can be effectively utilized by combining them with the DR. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention, electric mobility can be effectively utilized by combining it with DR (Driving Response). [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This figure shows the configuration of a demand response system and related devices according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This graph illustrates an example of a DR (Digital Review) configuration. [Figure 3] This graph illustrates another example of the DR (Digital Review) configuration. [Figure 4] This flowchart shows the processes performed in the demand response system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This figure shows the hardware configuration of a demand response system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the demand response system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0011] Figure 1 shows a demand response system (demand response server) 10 according to this embodiment. The demand response system 10 is a system (device) that makes decisions regarding DR at electricity consumer C. For example, the demand response system 10 is owned by consumer C. Alternatively, the demand response system 10 may be owned by a party other than consumer C and function for consumer C.

[0012] Customer C owns electric mobility devices 20 (a collective term for electric mobility devices 20a, 20b, and 20c). As shown in Figure 1, Customer C may own multiple electric mobility devices 20. Electric mobility devices 20 are mobile vehicles or other vehicles that move using electricity. Electric mobility devices 20 are equipped with a power source that supplies electricity to move themselves. The power source is, for example, a storage battery, which supplies electricity charged from an external power source as electricity to move itself. Electric mobility devices 20 are, for example, electric cars 20a, electric motorcycles 20b, and electric bicycles 20c. Electric mobility devices 20 do not necessarily include all of the electric cars 20a, electric motorcycles 20b, and electric bicycles 20c, and may include only one of these types. Also, electric mobility devices 20 may be other types, such as electric scooters.

[0013] Customer C, for example, provides a rental service for electric mobility devices 20. Customer C stores the electric mobility devices 20 in a storage location 21 that is set up in advance at a specific location. The storage location 21 is equipped with a charging device 22 that can charge the power supply of the electric mobility devices 20. Users of the rental service reserve the electric mobility devices 20 they wish to rent, specifying the electric mobility device 20 and the time (time slot) they wish to rent. Customer C has a system for managing the rental of electric mobility devices 20, including the above-mentioned reservations. Note that the electric mobility devices 20 owned by Customer C may be used for purposes other than the rental service.

[0014] The power source of the electric mobility device 20 is capable of supplying power to an external source. In other words, the power source of the electric mobility device 20 can supply power in addition to moving itself. Specifically, by connecting to a device that receives power from the power source of the electric mobility device 20 (for example, a charger / discharger) and discharging to that device, power can be supplied to an external source from that power source.

[0015] The power supplied from the power source of the electric mobility device 20 can be used in the same way as commercial power from a commercial power source. For example, if a facility such as a building owned by customer C (e.g., in-house equipment) 30 is equipped with a device that receives power, the device can receive power from the power source of the electric mobility device 20 and use it as power for air conditioning and lighting in the facility 30. Conventional devices and systems can be used as the electric mobility device 20 and related devices and systems.

[0016] Furthermore, the facility 30 owned by customer C is supplied with and uses commercial power from the commercial power source. The power company (electric utility) 100 that supplies commercial power from the commercial power source makes a DR request to customer C. Note that the DR request to customer C may be made by an entity other than the power company 100, for example, an aggregator. Customer C can use the power source provided by the electric mobility 20 to respond to the DR request. That is, customer C can use the electric mobility 20 as a power source to respond to the DR request. In order to use the power source provided by the electric mobility 20, it is necessary to move the electric mobility 20 to a place where power is supplied to respond to the DR request, for example, facility 30. The demand response system 10 makes a judgment regarding the electric mobility 20 in relation to the DR.

[0017] The demand response system 10 is composed of computers such as PCs (personal computers) or server devices that have communication capabilities. The demand response system 10 may be composed of multiple computers. The demand response system 10 has communication capabilities and may be able to send and receive information with other devices. The demand response system 10 may be implemented as a function of an EMS (Energy Management Service) server owned by customer C.

[0018] Next, the functions of the demand response system 10 according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in Figure 1, the demand response system 10 is configured to include a demand response receiving unit 11, an acquisition unit 12, a cost calculation unit 13, and a determination unit 14.

[0019] The demand response reception unit 11 is a functional unit that receives notifications of DR requests. For example, when the power company 100 requests DR from the customer C, it transmits a signal related to the request to the demand response system 10. The demand response reception unit 11 receives the notification of the DR request by receiving the signal. Also, the demand response reception unit 11 may receive the notification of the DR request by other methods than the above. For example, the signal is received by a device owned by the customer C other than the demand response system 10, and the demand response reception unit 11 may receive the notification of the DR request by receiving the signal from the device.

[0020] In this embodiment, the DR requested from the power company 100 to the customer C is to suppress power demand, so-called down DR. In DR, the target time period, that is, the time period during which the customer C suppresses power demand is specified in advance. Also, in DR, the target area or facility, that is, the area or facility in which the customer C suppresses power demand may be specified in advance. For example, in this embodiment, the facility 30 is the target facility for DR. The information indicating these is included in, for example, the signal related to the above request, and the demand response system 10 grasps these by receiving the signal. Alternatively, the information indicating these may be grasped by the demand response system 10 in advance by a method other than the signal related to the above request.

[0021] Also, in this embodiment, DR is incentive-based and specifically one of the following two modes. The first mode is that, as shown in FIG. 2, if the power consumption [kWh] of the DR target facility is lower than the reference value in the time period (time at the time of DR request) targeted by DR, the customer C can obtain an incentive reward (DR reward). In this case, the reward is an amount proportional to the difference between the reference value and the power consumption [kWh] of the DR target facility. That is, in this mode, the customer C can obtain a reward corresponding to the amount of power saved.

[0022] In the second aspect, as shown in Figure 3, if the amount of electricity used by the DR target facility [kWh] during the time period subject to DR (the time when the DR request is made) falls within a certain range (for example, a success judgment range within ±X percent of the power saving target value (power target value)), customer C can receive an incentive payment. The above-mentioned certain range is usually smaller than the above-mentioned standard value. In this case, the reward payment is a predetermined amount.

[0023] The baseline value is the amount of electricity that would normally be expected to be used from power company 100 (the amount of electricity that customer C would have consumed from power company 100) if no DR request was made during the time period and in the region or facility where electricity demand is being suppressed. The baseline value is calculated from customer C's past electricity usage history, as in the past, and is known to power company 100 and customer C (demand response system 10). Each of the above DRs may be the same as in the past.

[0024] The demand response receiving unit 11 also acquires information related to the above-mentioned DR. For example, the demand response receiving unit 11 may acquire information contained in the signal related to the request, or it may acquire information by receiving input from customer C in advance. The demand response receiving unit 11 outputs to the following functional units, according to the information, that it has received notification of the DR request and the acquired information.

[0025] The acquisition unit 12 is a functional unit that acquires information about electric mobility devices 20 equipped with a power source capable of supplying power to an external source. The acquisition unit 12 may acquire information about multiple electric mobility devices 20. The acquisition unit 12 may also acquire information about the planned use of the electric mobility devices 20.

[0026] The information acquired by the acquisition unit 12 includes information used to calculate the cost required to use the power supply of the electric mobility 20 in response to the DR request. The information used to calculate the cost is, for example, pre-entered and stored in the demand response system 10 by the customer C, and the acquisition unit 12 acquires it by reading the stored information. If customer C has multiple electric mobility 20, the acquisition unit 12 may acquire the information for each electric mobility 20. If there is any information other than information about the electric mobility 20 that is necessary for calculating the cost, the acquisition unit 12 may acquire that information as well. The acquisition unit 12 outputs the acquired information necessary for calculating the cost to the cost calculation unit 13.

[0027] The information acquired by the acquisition unit 12 also includes information regarding the planned use of the electric mobility 20. This information is, for example, information regarding the planned rental of the electric mobility 20. Specifically, it is information regarding whether or not the electric mobility 20 is scheduled for rental at each time (time slot). In this case, the acquisition unit 12 acquires this information from a system that manages the rental of the electric mobility 20. In addition, the information regarding the planned use of the electric mobility 20 may be other information as long as it indicates whether or not the electric mobility 20 is available in response to the DR request. The acquisition unit 12 outputs the acquired information to the determination unit 14.

[0028] The acquisition unit 12 acquires information, for example, when the demand response receiving unit 11 receives notification of a DR request, and then acquires and outputs the above-mentioned information. However, the acquisition unit 12 may acquire and output the above-mentioned information at times other than those described above, as long as subsequent processing can be performed. In addition, the acquisition unit 12 may acquire the above-mentioned information by methods other than those described above.

[0029] The cost calculation unit 13 is a functional unit that calculates the cost required to use the power supply of the electric mobility device 20 in order to respond to a DR request related to a notification received by the demand response reception unit 11, based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit 12. The cost calculation unit 13 may also calculate the cost of moving the electric mobility device 20 to a location where power is supplied from the power supply of the electric mobility device 20 in order to respond to the DR request.

[0030] The cost calculated by the cost calculation unit 13 is used in making decisions regarding DR (Demand Response). For example, as will be described later, this cost is used to determine whether or not to use the electric mobility 20 to respond to a DR request. Specifically, this cost is the cost of moving the electric mobility 20 to a location (in this embodiment, facility 30) where power is supplied from the power source provided by the electric mobility 20. However, this cost may be anything other than the above, as long as it is used in making decisions regarding DR.

[0031] The cost calculation unit 13 calculates the travel cost, for example, as follows: The cost calculation unit 13 receives the information necessary for calculating the travel cost from the acquisition unit 12. The cost calculation unit 13 calculates the travel cost for each electric mobility device 20 using the following formula, which is stored in advance. Travel cost [yen] = Distance traveled [km] × Electricity consumption [Wh / km] × Electricity cost [yen / Wh]

[0032] The travel distance is the distance from the storage location 21 of the electric mobility device 20 to the facility 30. Information indicating the travel distance can be acquired by the acquisition unit 12 as information used to calculate the cost. Alternatively, the acquisition unit 12 may acquire information indicating the locations of the storage location 21 of the electric mobility device 20 and the facility 30 as information used to calculate the cost, and the cost calculation unit 13 may calculate the travel distance from this information.

[0033] Electricity consumption is the amount of electricity required for the electric mobility device 20 to travel a unit distance (1 km). Electricity cost is the electricity cost per unit of energy (1 Wh) required to charge the electric mobility device 20. Electricity cost is usually the cost of commercial electricity from the power company 100. This information should be acquired by the acquisition unit 12 as information used to calculate costs.

[0034] The cost calculation by the cost calculation unit 13 may be performed by a method other than those described above, as long as it is based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit 12. The cost calculation unit 13 outputs information indicating the calculated cost for each electric mobility device 20 to the determination unit 14.

[0035] The determination unit 14 is a functional unit that makes decisions regarding DR based on the cost calculated by the cost calculation unit 13. The determination unit 14 may also make a decision based on the cost calculated by the cost calculation unit 13 whether or not to move the electric mobility 20 to a location where it can be powered from a power source in order to respond to a DR request. The determination unit 14 may also determine a combination of electric mobility 20s from a plurality of electric mobility 20s that are capable of responding to a DR request, and for each electric mobility 20 in the determined combination, it may make a decision based on the cost calculated by the cost calculation unit 13 whether or not to move each electric mobility 20 in the combination to a location where it can be powered from a power source in the electric mobility 20. The determination unit 14 may also make decisions regarding DR based on information regarding the planned use of the electric mobility 20 acquired by the acquisition unit 12.

[0036] The decision unit 14 makes a decision, for example, as follows: The decision unit 14 receives information to be used for the decision from the demand response receiving unit 11, the acquisition unit 12, and the cost calculation unit 13. Based on the time period to which the DR is to be applied, indicated by the information input from the demand response receiving unit 11, and the information on the planned use of the electric mobility 20 input from the acquisition unit 12, the decision unit 14 determines whether or not the electric mobility 20 can be used to respond to the DR request for each electric mobility 20.

[0037] For example, the determination unit 14 detects electric mobility 20 that do not have rental schedules during the time period targeted by DR as electric mobility 20 that can be used to respond to DR requests. The determination unit 14 determines that electric mobility 20 that have rental schedules during the time period targeted by DR cannot be used to respond to DR requests. In addition, since it is necessary to move the electric mobility 20 to respond to DR requests, the above determination may also be made by checking whether or not there are rental schedules in a time period that includes a predetermined length of time prior to the time period targeted by DR. The determination unit 14 performs the following determinations for electric mobility 20 that it has determined can be used to respond to DR requests. In addition, the cost calculation by the cost calculation unit 13 may also be performed only for electric mobility 20 that have been determined to be usable to respond to DR requests.

[0038] Next, the determination unit 14 makes a decision based on the cost calculated by the cost calculation unit 13. This decision is in accordance with the DR configuration described above. The first configuration shown in Figure 2 will be explained. In this case, the electricity supplied from the electric mobility 20 to facility 30, which is a DR target facility, during the DR target time period will be considered to contribute to the reduction of the amount of electricity used by facility 30, which will generate the incentive payment. That is, even if electricity is not supplied from the electric mobility 20, the amount of electricity used by facility 30 during the DR target time period will be considered to be below the standard value.

[0039] The determination unit 14 calculates the amount of electricity that can be supplied to facility 30 from the power source of each electric mobility device 20. For example, the determination unit 14 calculates as follows. In this case, the acquisition unit 12 acquires information as information about the electric mobility device, indicating the charge level of the power source of the electric mobility device 20 at the time when the electric mobility device 20 is used to respond to a DR request (and is located at storage location 21). The determination unit 14 calculates the amount of electricity required to move the electric mobility device 20 to facility 30, which is a DR target facility. For example, this amount of electricity is calculated by distance traveled [km] × energy consumption [Wh / km]. The distance traveled and energy consumption can be the same as those used in the cost calculation by the cost calculation unit 13. The determination unit 14 calculates the amount of electricity that can be supplied to facility 30 by subtracting the amount of electricity required to move to facility 30 from the charge level of the power source of the electric mobility device 20.

[0040] Next, the decision unit 14 calculates a reward for each electric mobility device 20 if it supplies power to the facility 30 from the power source provided by the electric mobility device 20 during the time period covered by DR. For example, the decision unit 14 calculates the above reward as the product of the amount of electricity that can be supplied to the facility 30 and the reward for reducing the amount of electricity used per unit of electricity.

[0041] The decision unit 14 compares the cost indicated by the information input from the cost calculation unit 13 with the calculated reward for each electric mobility device 20. If the cost is less than the reward (cost < reward), the decision unit 14 decides to use the electric mobility device 20 to respond to the DR request. That is, the decision unit 14 decides to move the electric mobility device 20 to facility 30 and have power supplied from the power source provided by the electric mobility device 20. If the cost is greater than or equal to the reward (cost ≥ reward), the decision unit 14 decides not to use the electric mobility device 20 to respond to the DR request. That is, the decision unit 14 decides not to move the electric mobility device 20 to facility 30. In this way, the decision unit 14 decides on the use of the electric mobility devices 20 to respond to the DR request in such a way that the reward is maximized (optimal) while taking cost into consideration.

[0042] Furthermore, the decision unit 14 may make decisions that take into account the limit on the number of electric mobility devices 20 that can be used in the facility 30, and the maximum amount of power consumption reduction in the facility 30. For example, in these cases, the decision unit 14 will decide to use the electric mobility devices 20 that it has determined to use to respond to the DR request in order of the difference between cost and reward.

[0043] Next, we will explain the second embodiment shown in Figure 3. In this case, all of the electricity reduced at facility 30, which is a facility subject to DR, during the time period subject to DR is assumed to be electricity supplied from electric mobility 20. Therefore, in order to be able to respond to DR requests, the total amount of electricity supplied from electric mobility 20 during the time period subject to DR is set to be the difference between the standard value of electricity consumption at facility 30 and the success judgment range.

[0044] The determination unit 14 calculates the difference between the standard value of power consumption at facility 30 and the success judgment range. Information indicating the standard value of power consumption at facility 30 and the success judgment range can be obtained, for example, by the demand response reception unit 11. Next, the determination unit 14 calculates the amount of power that can be supplied to facility 30 from the power source provided by each electric mobility device 20. This calculation can be performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

[0045] Next, the determination unit 14 calculates combinations of electric mobility devices 20 in which the total amount of electricity that can be supplied to the facility 30 from the power sources of the electric mobility devices 20 is equal to the difference between the standard value of electricity consumption at the facility 30 and the success judgment range. In other words, the determination unit 14 calculates combinations of electric mobility devices 20 that can achieve a reduction in electricity consumption that allows for a response to the DR request (and thus earns a reward). For example, the determination unit 14 calculates all combinations of electric mobility devices 20 and, for each combination, determines whether the total amount of electricity that can be supplied from the electric mobility devices 20 in that combination equals the above difference, and then calculates the above combination.

[0046] Next, the decision unit 14 calculates the total cost for each calculated combination, based on the information input from the cost calculation unit 13. The decision unit 14 determines that the electric mobility 20 with the smallest total cost among the calculated combinations will be used to respond to the DR request. That is, the decision unit 14 determines that the electric mobility 20 should be moved to the facility 30 and power supplied from the power source provided by the electric mobility 20.

[0047] The decision unit 14 outputs the above decision result. For example, the decision unit 14 transmits information to the customer C's terminal indicating the electric mobility 20 that it has determined should be supplied with power at facility 30 in response to the DR request. Alternatively, the decision unit 14 may output the above information in a format recognizable by customer C (e.g., display or voice output). Customer C, referring to the decision result of the decision unit 14, moves the electric mobility 20 to facility 30 to supply power at facility 30 in response to the DR request. Alternatively, the decision unit 14 may transmit information to the electric mobility 20 that it has been determined to be supplied with power at facility 30 in response to the DR request, indicating that it needs to move to facility 30. The electric mobility 20 may move in response to this transmission. The movement of the electric mobility 20 may be performed by automatic driving. Furthermore, the output of the decision result by the decision unit 14 may be performed by methods other than those described above. The above describes the functions of the demand response system 10 according to this embodiment.

[0048] Next, the processes performed by the demand response system 10 according to this embodiment (the operation methods performed by the demand response system 10) will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 4. This process is performed when a request for DR is made from the power company 100 to customer C.

[0049] In this process, first, the demand response receiving unit 11 receives notification of the DR request (S01). Subsequently, the acquisition unit 12 acquires information regarding the electric mobility 20 (S02). The acquired information includes information used to calculate the cost required to use the power supply provided by the electric mobility 20 in response to the DR request. The acquired information also includes information regarding the planned use of the electric mobility 20.

[0050] Next, based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit 12, the determination unit 14 detects electric mobility 20 that are not scheduled to be used during the time period targeted by the DR (S03). The detected electric mobility 20 become candidates for electric mobility 20 to be used to respond to the DR request. Next, based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit 12, the cost calculation unit 13 calculates the cost required to use the power supply of the electric mobility 20 to respond to the DR request (S04). For example, the above-mentioned travel cost is calculated as this cost.

[0051] Next, the decision unit 14 makes a decision regarding DR based on the cost calculated by the cost calculation unit 13 (S05). For example, this decision is to decide whether or not to use the electric mobility 20 to respond to the DR request. Subsequently, the decision unit 14 outputs the decision result (S06). Based on this output, the decision unit 14 takes action according to its decision result, for example, by moving the electric mobility 20 to the facility 30 to respond to the DR request. The above is the processing performed by the demand response system 10 according to this embodiment.

[0052] In this embodiment, the cost required to use the power supply of the electric mobility device 20 to respond to a DR request is calculated, and a decision regarding the DR is made based on the calculated cost. As a result of this decision, the power supply of the electric mobility device 20 can be used to respond to the DR request, taking the above cost into consideration. In other words, according to this embodiment, the electric mobility device 20 can be effectively utilized by combining it with the DR.

[0053] Furthermore, as described above, the cost calculated by the cost calculation unit 13 may be the cost (movement cost) of moving the electric mobility 20 to a location (in this embodiment, facility 30) where power is supplied from the power source equipped on the electric mobility 20 in order to respond to the DR request. Alternatively, the determination by the determination unit 14 may be a determination of whether or not to move the electric mobility 20 to a location where power is supplied from the power source equipped on the electric mobility 20 in order to respond to the DR request. With these configurations, as in the embodiment described above, the electric mobility 20 can be appropriately utilized when it is necessary to move the electric mobility 20 in order to respond to the DR request.

[0054] Furthermore, for example, if the DR is the second type described above, the determination unit 14 may determine a combination of electric mobility devices 20 capable of responding to the DR request from among the multiple electric mobility devices 20, and perform the above determination on the determined combination. With this configuration, for example, when the DR is the second type described above, the electric mobility devices 20 can be utilized more appropriately.

[0055] However, the cost calculated by the cost calculation unit 13 may be any cost other than the above-mentioned travel cost, as long as it is the cost necessary to use the power supply provided by the electric mobility in order to respond to the DR request. Similarly, the decision made by the decision unit 14 may be any decision other than the above-mentioned, as long as it is based on the cost calculated by the cost calculation unit 13 and relates to DR.

[0056] Furthermore, as described above, the decision made by the decision unit 14 may also be based on information regarding the planned use of the electric mobility 20. With this configuration, for example, if the electric mobility 20 is used for a rental service, the electric mobility 20 that is not rented during the time period targeted by DR, i.e., idle electric mobility 20, can be appropriately utilized. However, information regarding the planned use of the electric mobility 20 is not required to be used in the decision made by the decision unit 14.

[0057] In the embodiment described above, the DR was a so-called downward DR, but the DR may also be one that creates electricity demand, a so-called upward DR. In this case, for example, the facility 30 may respond to the DR request by charging the electric mobility 20.

[0058] The block diagrams used in the description of the above embodiments show functional units. These functional blocks (components) are realized by any combination of at least one of hardware and software. Furthermore, the method of realizing each functional block is not particularly limited. That is, each functional block may be realized using one device that is physically or logically coupled, or it may be realized using two or more physically or logically separated devices that are directly or indirectly connected (for example, using wired or wireless connections). A functional block may also be realized by combining the above one device or the above multiple devices with software.

[0059] Functions include, but are not limited to, judgment, decision, determination, calculation, calculation, processing, derivation, investigation, exploration, confirmation, reception, transmission, output, access, resolution, selection, selection, establishment, comparison, assumption, expectation, assumption, broadcasting, notifying, communicating, forwarding, configuring, reconfiguring, allocating (mapping), and assigning. For example, a functional block (configuration part) that enables transmission is called a transmitting unit or transmitter. In all cases, as mentioned above, the method of implementation is not particularly limited.

[0060] For example, the demand response system 10 in one embodiment of the present disclosure may function as a computer that performs information processing according to the present disclosure. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the demand response system 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The above-described demand response system 10 may be physically configured as a computer device including a processor 1001, memory 1002, storage 1003, communication device 1004, input device 1005, output device 1006, bus 1007, etc.

[0061] In the following explanation, the term "device" can be replaced with "circuit," "device," "unit," etc. The hardware configuration of the demand response system 10 may include one or more of the devices shown in the figure, or it may be configured to omit some of the devices.

[0062] Each function in the demand response system 10 is realized by loading predetermined software (programs) onto hardware such as the processor 1001 and memory 1002, which allows the processor 1001 to perform calculations, control communication by the communication device 1004, and control at least one of data reading and writing in the memory 1002 and storage 1003.

[0063] The processor 1001 controls the entire computer, for example, by running the operating system. The processor 1001 may consist of a central processing unit (CPU) that includes interfaces with peripheral devices, control units, arithmetic units, registers, etc. For example, each function in the demand response system 10 described above may be implemented by the processor 1001.

[0064] Furthermore, the processor 1001 reads programs (program code), software modules, data, etc., from at least one of the storage 1003 and the communication device 1004 into the memory 1002 and executes various processes accordingly. The program used is one that causes the computer to execute at least a part of the operations described in the above embodiment. For example, each function in the demand response system 10 may be implemented by a control program stored in the memory 1002 and running on the processor 1001. Although the above processes have been described as being executed by one processor 1001, they may be executed simultaneously or sequentially by two or more processors 1001. The processor 1001 may be implemented by one or more chips. The program may also be transmitted from the network via a telecommunications line.

[0065] Memory 1002 is a computer-readable recording medium and may consist of at least one of the following: ROM (Read Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. Memory 1002 may also be called a register, cache, main memory, etc. Memory 1002 can store executable programs (program code), software modules, etc., for carrying out information processing according to one embodiment of this disclosure.

[0066] The storage 1003 is a computer-readable recording medium and may consist of at least one of the following: an optical disc such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc ROM), a hard disk drive, a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk (e.g., a compact disc, a digital multipurpose disc, a Blu-ray® disc), a smart card, flash memory (e.g., a card, a stick, a key drive), a floppy® disk, a magnetic strip, etc. The storage 1003 may also be called an auxiliary storage device. The storage medium provided by the demand response system 10 may be, for example, a database, server, or other suitable medium including at least one of the memory 1002 and the storage 1003.

[0067] The communication device 1004 is hardware (transceiver / receiver device) for communicating between computers via at least one of a wired network and a wireless network, and is also called a network device, network controller, network card, communication module, etc.

[0068] The input device 1005 is an input device that accepts input from an external source (e.g., a keyboard, mouse, microphone, switch, button, sensor, etc.). The output device 1006 is an output device that outputs to an external source (e.g., a display, speaker, LED lamp, etc.). The input device 1005 and the output device 1006 may be configured as an integrated unit (e.g., a touch panel).

[0069] Furthermore, each device, such as the processor 1001 and memory 1002, is connected by a bus 1007 for communicating information. The bus 1007 may be configured using a single bus, or different buses may be configured for each device.

[0070] Furthermore, the demand response system 10 may include hardware such as a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a PLD (Programmable Logic Device), and an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), and some or all of each functional block may be realized by such hardware. For example, the processor 1001 may be implemented using at least one of these hardware components.

[0071] The processing procedures, sequences, flowcharts, etc., of each aspect / embodiment described herein may be reordered, provided they are consistent with each other. For example, the methods described herein present various step elements in an exemplary order and are not limited to that specific order.

[0072] Input and output information may be stored in a specific location (e.g., memory) or managed using a management table. Input and output information may be overwritten, updated, or appended to. Output information may be deleted. Input information may be transmitted to other devices.

[0073] The determination may be made by a value represented by 1 bit (0 or 1), by a boolean value (true or false), or by a numerical comparison (for example, a comparison with a predetermined value).

[0074] Each aspect / embodiment described herein may be used individually, in combination, or switched between as needed during implementation. Furthermore, notification of specific information (e.g., notification that "X is") is not limited to explicit notification, but may also be implicit (e.g., by not providing such notification).

[0075] Although the present disclosure has been described in detail above, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described herein. The present disclosure can be implemented in modified and altered forms without departing from the intent and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the claims. Therefore, the descriptions in the present disclosure are illustrative and not intended to be restrictive in any way.

[0076] Software should be broadly interpreted to mean instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subprograms, software modules, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executable files, execution threads, procedures, functions, and so on, whether they are called software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, or by any other name.

[0077] Furthermore, software, instructions, information, etc., may be transmitted and received via a transmission medium. For example, if software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using at least one of wired technology (such as coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, or digital subscriber line (DSL)) and wireless technology (such as infrared or microwave), then at least one of these wired and wireless technologies is included in the definition of a transmission medium.

[0078] The terms “system” and “network” as used in this disclosure are interchangeable.

[0079] Furthermore, the information, parameters, etc., described in this disclosure may be expressed using absolute values, relative values ​​from a predetermined value, or corresponding other information.

[0080] As used in this disclosure, the terms “determining” and “determining” may encompass a wide variety of actions. “Determining” may include, for example, judging, calculating, computing, processing, deriving, investigating, looking up, searching, inquiry (e.g., searching in a table, database, or other data structure), and ascertaining. “Determining” may also include, for example, receiving (e.g., receiving information), transmitting (e.g., sending information), input, output, and accessing (e.g., accessing data in memory). Furthermore, "judgment" and "decision" can include considering something as having been "judged" or "decided" after resolving, selecting, choosing, establishing, comparing, etc. In other words, "judgment" and "decision" can include considering something as having been "judged" or "decided" after some action. Also, "judgment (decision)" can be reinterpreted as "assuming," "expecting," or "considering."

[0081] The terms “connected,” “coupled,” or any variation thereof, mean any direct or indirect connection or coupling between two or more elements, and may include the presence of one or more intermediate elements between two elements that are “connected” or “coupled” with each other. The coupling or connection between elements may be physical, logical, or a combination thereof. For example, “connection” may be reinterpreted as “access.” As used in this disclosure, two elements may be considered to be “connected” or “coupled” with each other using at least one of one or more wires, cables, and printed electrical connections, and, in some non-limiting and non-exclusive examples, electromagnetic energy having wavelengths in the radio frequency domain, microwave domain, and optical (both visible and invisible) domain.

[0082] In this disclosure, the phrase "based on" does not mean "based solely on" unless otherwise specified. In other words, the phrase "based on" means both "based solely on" and "based at least on."

[0083] Any reference to elements using the designations “first,” “second,” etc., as used in this disclosure does not generally limit the quantity or order of those elements. These designations may be used in this disclosure as a convenient way to distinguish between two or more elements. Accordingly, references to the first and second elements do not imply that only two elements may be employed, or that the first element must precede the second element in any way.

[0084] Where the terms “include,” “including,” and variations thereof are used in this disclosure, these terms are intended to be inclusive, as is the term “comprising.” Furthermore, the term “or” as used in this disclosure is not intended to mean exclusive OR.

[0085] In this disclosure, if articles are added through translation, such as a, an, and the in English, this disclosure may include the fact that the noun following these articles is plural.

[0086] In this disclosure, the term "A and B are different" may mean "A and B are different from each other." The term may also mean "A and B are each different from C." Terms such as "separate" and "combine" may be interpreted similarly to "different."

[0087] The demand response system of this disclosure has the following configuration: [1] A demand response reception department that receives notifications of demand response requests, An acquisition unit that acquires information on electric mobility devices equipped with a power source capable of supplying power to an external source, A cost calculation unit calculates the cost required to use the power supply of the electric mobility device to respond to a demand response request related to a notification received by the demand response reception unit, based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit. Based on the cost calculated by the cost calculation unit, a determination unit makes a decision regarding demand response, A demand response system equipped with [a specific feature]. [2] The demand response system according to [1], wherein the cost calculation unit calculates as the cost the cost of moving the electric mobility to a location where power is supplied from the power source of the electric mobility in order to respond to a demand response request. [3] The demand response system according to [2], wherein the determination unit determines, based on the cost calculated by the cost calculation unit, whether or not to move the electric mobility to a location where power is supplied from the power source provided by the electric mobility in order to respond to a demand response request. [4] The acquisition unit acquires information on multiple electric mobility devices, The demand response system described in [3], wherein the determination unit determines a combination of electric mobility devices from a plurality of electric mobility devices that are capable of responding to a demand response request, and determines whether or not to move each electric mobility device in the determined combination to a location where power is supplied from the power source of the electric mobility device, based on the cost calculated by the cost calculation unit for each electric mobility device in the determined combination. [5] The acquisition unit acquires information regarding the planned use of the electric mobility, The demand response system according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the determination unit also makes a determination regarding demand response based on information regarding the planned use of the electric mobility acquired by the acquisition unit. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0088] 10... Demand response system, 11... Demand response reception unit, 12... Acquisition unit, 13... Cost calculation unit, 14... Decision unit, 20 (20a, 20b, 20c)... Electric mobility, 21... Storage location, 22... Charging device, 30... Facility, 100... Power company, 1001... Processor, 1002... Memory, 1003... Storage, 1004... Communication device, 1005... Input device, 1006... Output device, 1007... Bus.

Claims

1. The Demand Response Reception Department receives notifications of demand response requests, An acquisition unit that acquires information on electric mobility devices equipped with a power source capable of supplying power to an external source, A cost calculation unit calculates the cost required to use the power supply of the electric mobility device to respond to a demand response request related to a notification received by the demand response reception unit, based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit. Based on the cost calculated by the cost calculation unit, a determination unit makes a decision regarding demand response, Equipped with, The cost calculation unit is a demand response system that calculates, as the cost, the cost of moving the electric mobility device to a location where power is supplied from the power source provided by the electric mobility device in order to respond to a demand response request.

2. The demand response system according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines, based on the cost calculated by the cost calculation unit, whether or not to move the electric mobility device to a location where power is supplied from the power source provided by the electric mobility device in order to respond to a demand response request.

3. The acquisition unit acquires information on multiple electric mobility devices, The demand response system according to claim 2, wherein the determination unit determines a combination of electric mobility devices from a plurality of electric mobility devices that are capable of responding to a demand response request, and determines whether or not to move each electric mobility device in the determined combination to a location where power is supplied from the power source provided by the electric mobility device, based on the cost calculated by the cost calculation unit for each electric mobility device in the determined combination.

4. The acquisition unit acquires information regarding the planned use of the electric mobility device. The demand response system according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit also makes a determination regarding demand response based on information regarding the planned use of the electric mobility acquired by the acquisition unit.

Images