Energy Management Apparatus Distributing Power Reduction Targets

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Solution Overview

Problem

Consumers face difficulties in setting and achieving electric power reduction targets for individual branch circuits or load devices, leading to potential overages or shortages, as they lack a systematic approach to distribute reduction targets effectively.

Innovation Solution

An energy management apparatus that acquires and displays measurement values for branch circuits and load devices, sets individual target values by distributing overall reduction targets, and provides a user interface for setting propriety information and displaying advice for reducing power usage, ensuring balanced power reduction without large overages or shortages.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If consumers set reduction targets for individual branch circuits or load devices, then the precision of energy management is improved, but the complexity of operation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of energy managementVSAvoidease of setting target values

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the overall reduction target into individual target values for each branch circuit or load device. The setting unit automatically divides the total reduction target among multiple circuits/devices based on their respective power consumption patterns, transforming a complex single-value setting task into manageable segmented targets that maintain precision while simplifying operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service by allowing the setting unit to automatically calculate and distribute individual target values without requiring manual input from consumers. The unit uses historical power consumption data and reduction target information to autonomously determine appropriate targets for each circuit or device, reducing operational burden while maintaining management precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If consumers manually set target values for each branch circuit or load device, then the precision of energy management is improved, but the time required for setting increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of energy managementVSAvoidtime for setting target values

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The setting unit performs preliminary action by automatically calculating and establishing individual target values before the consumer needs to use them. By pre-processing the distribution of reduction targets based on available data, the system eliminates the time-consuming manual setting process while ensuring precise, data-driven target values are ready for immediate use in energy management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If only overall reduction target is managed, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability of achieving reduction target decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of managing reduction targetVSAvoidreliability of attaining reduction target

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The display unit provides feedback by showing the relationship between measured power consumption and individual target values for each branch circuit or load device. This feedback mechanism allows consumers to monitor progress toward each specific target, enabling them to identify which circuits are on track and which need adjustment, thereby increasing the reliability of achieving the overall reduction target while maintaining ease of operation through automated management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS9588159B2Energy management apparatus, system, method, and storage medium storing program

Publication Date: 2017.03.07 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD

AI summary

An acquisition unit acquires first measurement values of the amounts of electric power of respective branch circuits or respective load devices and second measurement values of the amount of electric power of a master circuit provided for a building from a measurement device. An overall set unit obtains an overall reference value on the basis of a history of the second measurement values, and the unit receives a reduction target to set an overall target value on the basis of the overall reference value and the reduction target. An individual set unit sets an individual target value by distributing the overall target value set in the overall set unit to the amounts of electric power of the respective branch circuits or the respective load devices as allocation objects. A display instruction unit instructs display of the individual target value and the first measurement values acquired by the acquisition unit.