Demand Regulating System Priority Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing demand side management systems require consumers to manually adjust the priority order of devices, which is cumbersome and increases the load on consumers, as the initial priority settings may not always align with actual usage patterns or comfort levels.

Innovation Solution

A demand regulating system that includes a storage unit for priority information, an operation unit to calculate and implement demand regulation, and an input unit for consumers to easily change priorities, allowing for dynamic adjustment of device priorities based on measurement data and consumer feedback.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If consumers manually adjust the priority order of devices, then the priority settings can be customized, but the consumer burden and operation complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepriority setting customizationVSAvoidconsumer burden
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically adjusts device priorities based on measured consumption patterns and consumer feedback, eliminating the need for manual intervention. The priority changing unit autonomously specifies and reorders control targets according to actual usage data, allowing the system to serve itself rather than requiring continuous consumer input.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates a feedback mechanism where consumer responses to control actions are collected and used to automatically adjust priorities. The priority changing unit uses this feedback loop to learn from consumer preferences and automatically reorder devices, transforming manual adjustment tasks into an automated adaptive process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If initial priority settings are fixed, then the system is simple to operate, but the settings may not align with actual usage patterns

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidalignment with usage patterns
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from static initial priority settings to dynamic automatic adjustment. The priority changing unit continuously adapts priorities based on measured consumption data and consumer feedback, allowing the system to evolve its configuration automatically while maintaining operational simplicity for the consumer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system autonomously monitors consumption patterns and automatically reorders device priorities without requiring consumer intervention. This self-adjusting capability enables the system to adapt to actual usage patterns while keeping the user interface simple and burden-free.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2806522B1Demand regulating system, demand regulating apparatus, and consumer management apparatus
Publication Date: 2021.02.17 HITACHI LTD
  • EP2806522B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2806522B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2806522B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

To easily change the priority of a demand regulating control for a device in accordance with a simple operation by a consumer. A demand regulating system includes: an operation unit (0100) that selects from among a plurality of consumption devices (0108), on the basis of priority information and a regulating quantity, a plurality of control-target devices, which are targeted for demand regulating control reducing consumption of the resource, transmitting a first control instruction instructing the demand regulating control to demand side equipment that includes the plurality of control-target devices, and storing results information indicating the first control instruction in a storage unit (0104); a control unit (0107) that executes the demand regulating control on the basis of the first control instruction; and an input unit (0112) that receives a first operation by the consumer, and transmitting first request information requesting a change in the priorities of the plurality of control-target devices, to the operation unit (0100) in accordance with the first operation. The operation unit (0100), upon receiving the first request information, specifies the plurality of control-target devices on the basis of the results information and the first request information, and changes the priorities of the plurality of control-target devices in the priority information.