Power Management Device for Current Sensor Direction Determination

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing power management systems require time to determine if current sensors are mounted correctly, which hinders efficient energy calculation and management in distributed power systems.

Innovation Solution

A power management device and power storage device that automatically determine and correct the mounting directions of current sensors by processing U-phase and W-phase current and voltage values, using absolute and relative direction determination processing methods to ensure accurate energy calculation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If current sensors are mounted individually and determined separately for each phase, then the mounting direction can be determined, but the determination process takes a long time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecurrent sensor mounting direction determinationVSAvoiddetermination time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the determination processes for U-phase and W-phase current sensors into a single integrated determination. By using the relationship between the two phases and determining their mounting directions simultaneously rather than separately, the system reduces the total determination time while maintaining accurate detection of mounting directions for both sensors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of manufacture

If current sensors are installed manually without automated determination, then installation is simple, but mounting errors occur frequently

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecurrent sensor installationVSAvoidmounting direction accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-diagnosis to automatically determine the mounting directions of current sensors by analyzing voltage and current values. This self-service capability eliminates the need for manual verification of mounting directions, reducing human error while maintaining installation simplicity. The power management device autonomously identifies correct mounting directions through computational analysis of electrical parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If automated direction determination is implemented, then mounting accuracy improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting direction detectionVSAvoiddetermination system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback from voltage and current measurements to automatically determine mounting directions. By continuously monitoring electrical parameters and using this feedback information to identify mounting status, the system achieves accurate determination without requiring complex additional hardware. The feedback mechanism allows the device to adapt and identify mounting directions through analysis of normal operational electrical data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3252908B1Power management device configured to determine mounting directions of current sensors of a power grid
Publication Date: 2021.02.24 KYOCERA CORP
  • EP3252908B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3252908B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3252908B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

For easy determination as to whether current sensors are mounted in correct directions in a short time period, a power management device 10 is provided. The power management device 10 includes a controller 12, which corrects signs of current values acquired from the first current sensor 30a and the second current sensor 30b for data processing. The correction is based on the mounting direction of the first current sensor 30a that is determined from the current value and a voltage value of the first voltage line and an operation state of a load device 20 and based on correctness and incorrectness of a relative mounting direction of the first current sensor 30a and the second current sensor 30b that is determined from the first measurement value of current of the first voltage line and the second measurement value of current of the second voltage line.