Hierarchical Energy Flow Visualization for Power Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current power systems face challenges in efficiently managing energy generation, distribution, and consumption due to a lack of real-time price information and bidirectional communication between consumers and suppliers, making it difficult to address issues like global warming, raw material price fluctuations, and energy overconsumption.

Innovation Solution

An energy management device that displays energy movement information in a hierarchical structure from highest to lowest level, using energy nodes with varying thickness to represent energy amounts, allowing users to intuitively grasp energy flow and identify problem areas within the system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a vertical centralized network is used to manage power systems, then power supply control is simplified, but energy management efficiency deteriorates due to lack of bidirectional communication

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower system control structureVSAvoidenergy management efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional centralized control model by enabling bidirectional communication between consumers and suppliers. Consumers can now actively manage their energy consumption and generate power, transforming from passive recipients to active participants in the energy ecosystem, thereby improving energy management efficiency while maintaining control simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements real-time feedback mechanisms through smart meters and communication systems that provide consumers with instantaneous information about their energy consumption, costs, and pricing signals. This feedback loop enables consumers to adjust their behavior and optimize energy management, resolving the contradiction between control simplicity and management efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If real-time energy data is displayed in detailed form, then energy analysis accuracy is improved, but user comprehension difficulty increases due to information overload

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy data accuracyVSAvoiduser comprehension
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments energy data into hierarchical levels (e.g., total consumption, appliance-level consumption, time-based consumption patterns). This segmentation allows users to access detailed accurate data when needed while presenting summarized overview data by default, thereby maintaining both measurement precision and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds temporal and categorical dimensions to energy data presentation. Instead of displaying all detailed data at once, it organizes data across multiple dimensions (time periods, appliance types, cost categories), allowing users to navigate and comprehend information systematically without being overwhelmed by raw data volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Stability of the object's composition

If traditional power exchange pricing is used, then market stability is maintained, but consumer incentive responsiveness deteriorates due to fixed pricing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepricing system stabilityVSAvoidconsumer incentive response
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamic pricing mechanisms that adjust electricity prices in real-time based on supply conditions, demand patterns, and time of day. This dynamic pricing maintains market stability through regulated adjustments while significantly improving consumer incentive responsiveness, allowing prices to adapt to changing conditions and encourage optimal energy consumption behavior.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3576040B1Energy management device and operation method therefor
Publication Date: 2025.06.04 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3576040B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3576040B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3576040B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

An energy management device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a communication unit for receiving energy information of a system to which the energy management device belongs; a display unit for displaying any one energy information icon on the basis of the received energy information; and a control unit for displaying at least one energy information icon corresponding to a lower level of the energy information icon upon receiving a command to select an expansion icon corresponding to the energy information icon, and connecting the energy information icon having the selected expansion icon and the energy information icon corresponding to the lower level to energy nodes having different thickness according to the amount of energy.