Dual-Purpose Scale Demand Display Device Using AC Power Frequency
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Solution Overview
Problem
The divergence in demand value measurement between electric power companies and consumers due to different methods of information acquisition leads to inaccurate recognition of demand values, resulting in potential excessive basic charges for consumers, especially in environments where standard time radio waves are difficult to receive.
Innovation Solution
A demand target display device that acquires power consumption information and time information from AC signals, generating time information synchronized with the power frequency, allowing for accurate display of demand values relative to target values using a dual-purpose scale, independent of standard time radio waves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If standard time radio waves are used for time acquisition, then time indication convenience is improved, but demand value measurement accuracy deteriorates due to divergence between company and consumer time references
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses AC power signals as an intermediary carrier to transmit time information from the power company to the consumer's display device. This mediator enables both parties to reference the same time source (the AC power frequency) without requiring direct access to each other's internal timing systems, thereby resolving the time reference divergence while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The AC power signal serves multiple functions: it provides both electrical power and time reference information. By extracting time information from the AC power frequency, the system eliminates the need for separate time synchronization mechanisms, allowing the same signal to fulfill both power delivery and time standardization roles.
2Device complexity
If demand target display device uses standard time radio waves, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates in environments where radio wave reception is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The display device extracts time information directly from the AC power signal that is already present in the electrical infrastructure. This self-service approach eliminates the need for external time synchronization infrastructure (radio wave receivers), allowing the device to obtain time reference information from the power supply itself, thereby improving reliability without significantly increasing complexity.
3Measurement precision
If AC signal-based time information is used, then demand value measurement accuracy is improved, but loss of information increases due to inability to receive standard time radio waves
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the radio wave-based time synchronization system with an AC signal-based system. By substituting the electromagnetic radio wave carrier with the existing AC power frequency carrier, the system maintains time synchronization information availability while improving measurement accuracy, as the AC signal is universally present and controllable by the power company.
Data Source
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AI summary
The conventional demand target display device based on time information differing from the information used by electric power companies and electric power consumers causes a divergence regarding their demand values. Therefore, a demand target display device with a dual-purpose scale, which acquires AC signals based on the AC waveform of AC power from a power supply line, generates time information based on the acquired AC signals, transmits the generated time information via radio waves within a housing, receives the transmitted time information via radio waves within the housing, indicates the time on the dual-purpose scale based on the received information, acquires electrical energy consumption within a segment for a given target demand value including the current time, and indicates the relationship between the acquired electrical energy consumption within a segment recorded and a target demand value set for such segment, is proposed.