JP7604205B2 - Power Management System - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a power management system.

Patent Document 1 discloses a lending system for lending storage battery modules to vehicles equipped with replaceable storage battery modules. In the lending system, charging stations are installed in a distributed manner in a target area, and electricity generated by power generation equipment at the charging stations is used to charge storage batteries. In addition, the charging stations are connected to a server, and when the server determines that lending is desirable in response to a request for lending a storage battery module requested by a user's vehicle, it replaces the storage battery module at the charging station with the storage battery module requested by the user.

JP 2020-080199 A

By the way, a vehicle that can run on power stored in a storage battery can be equipped with an accessory outlet to convert the battery's DC power into AC power of, for example, single-phase 100V, similar to commercial power sources, and output it. This makes it possible to use various electrical devices such as household appliances with the power supplied from the vehicle's accessory outlet. Also, in a home, when a power outage occurs and the supply of commercial power is stopped, a vehicle equipped with a storage battery can be connected to supply power to operate specific pre-set electrical devices.

However, even if a home or the like is equipped with equipment for using power stored in a storage battery or the like during non-normal times, the equipment cannot be used if the home owner does not own a vehicle equipped with a storage battery, if the vehicle's storage battery is not in a state where it can supply power, or if the vehicle has not been returned. For this reason, there is room for improvement in order to enable effective use of equipment installed in homes to enable the use of electrical appliances during non-normal times such as commercial power outages.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a power management system that enables effective use of the power stored in a storage means such as a storage battery.

The power supply management system of the first aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object includes a power supply device arranged at a specific facility in a predetermined area and having a storage means for storing power, a plurality of houses in the area in which a specific load can be operated by power supplied from the power supply device instead of power from a commercial power source, a charging means for charging the storage means of the power supply device with power supplied from a vehicle equipped with a storage battery owned by a resident of one of the houses, a receiving means for receiving a request for loan of the power supply device from a resident registered for each of the houses, and a power supply management means for managing the charging of the storage means of the power supply device by the charging means and managing the loan of the power supply device in response to the loan request from the resident received by the receiving means.

In the first aspect of the power supply management system, a power supply device is loaned to a number of states in which residents reside in a predetermined area. In the loaned home, a specific load can be operated by power supplied from the power supply device instead of power from the commercial power supply, and by loaning the power supply device to the home, the power from the power supply device's storage means can be supplied to the specific load in the event of a commercial power outage to operate it. Note that the home is not limited to a detached house, and may be an apartment building.

The power supply device is placed in a specified facility within the area. The charging means charges the storage means of the power supply device placed in the facility with electricity supplied from a vehicle equipped with the storage means. The storage means of the power supply device is a vehicle owned by a resident of the area, and the power supply management means manages the charging of the storage means of the power supply device by the charging means.

The reception means receives requests to lend a power supply device from residents registered for each house. The power supply management means lends a power supply device in response to the resident's request for lending received by the reception means. This allows the power storage means of the power supply device to be charged using power from a vehicle owned by a resident in the area, and the power storage means can be lent to a resident in the area of the charged power supply device, making it possible to effectively use the power stored in the storage means.

The second aspect of the power management system is the first aspect, in which the power management means makes a power supply request to a plurality of homes, each of which has the vehicle, to charge the power storage means of the power supply device.

In the second aspect of the power supply management system, the power supply management means issues power supply requests to a number of residences, each of which has a vehicle, to charge the power storage means of the power supply device. This allows the power of vehicles within the area to be supplied to the power storage means of the power supply device to charge the power storage means, eliminating the need to charge the power storage means of the power supply device using a commercial power source, thereby reducing the cost of charging.

The third aspect of the power supply management device is the second aspect, in which the home in which the vehicle is owned includes a home in which a HEMS capable of transmitting and receiving information to and from the power supply management means is installed, and the power supply management means notifies the HEMS of the power supply request.

In the third aspect of the power management system, a power supply request is sent to the HEMS for homes in the area where vehicles are owned and where a HEMS capable of sending and receiving information with the power management means is installed. This allows efficient notification of charging requests to homes where vehicles are owned.

The fourth aspect of the power management system is the third aspect, in which the resident notifies the request for loan of the power supply device via the HEMS.

In the fourth aspect of the power management system, a request to lend a power supply device is notified via the HEMS, making it easy to request the lending of a power supply device and to identify the home to which the request to lend has been notified.

The fifth aspect of the power management system is the second aspect, in which the resident has a mobile terminal capable of sending and receiving information to and from the power management means, and the power management means notifies the mobile terminal of the resident who owns the vehicle of the power supply request.

In the fifth aspect of the power management system, a request for power supply is sent to the mobile terminal of a resident who owns a vehicle in the area and has a mobile terminal capable of sending and receiving information to the power management means. This allows the vehicle owner to be notified of a charging request quickly. A charging request can be efficiently sent to the home where the vehicle is owned.

In the sixth aspect of the power management system, in the fifth aspect, the resident notifies the request for loan of the power supply device via the mobile terminal.

In the sixth aspect of the power management system, residents can use their mobile devices to notify the request for the loan of a power supply device, so they can quickly request the loan of a power supply device even if they are not at home.

A seventh aspect of the power management system is any one of the first to sixth aspects, and includes a discharge means for discharging the power of the storage means of the power supply device by supplying it to an electrical load of the facility, and the power management means discharges the power by the discharge means instead of allowing the storage means of the power supply device to naturally discharge.

In the seventh aspect of the power supply management system, instead of allowing the power storage means of the power supply device to naturally discharge, the discharge means discharges the power of the power storage means of the power supply device. The discharge means also supplies the discharged power to the electrical load of the facility. This makes it possible to prevent a decrease in the storage capacity of the power storage means of the power supply device, and to effectively utilize the power of the power storage means of the power supply device.

The eighth aspect of the power management system is any one of the first to seventh aspects, in which the power supply device includes a power conversion means for converting the DC power of the storage means into AC power similar to that of a commercial power source.

In the eighth aspect of the power management system, the power supply device includes a power conversion means for converting the DC power of the power storage means into AC power similar to that of a commercial power source. This allows the power output from the power supply device to be supplied directly to a specific load.

In one embodiment of the power supply management system of the present invention, the power supply management means provides the power supply unit with priority in response to a request for loan from a resident of a house in which a medical device operated by a commercial power source is installed as the specific load.

In this type of power supply management system, a power supply unit is given priority in lending to requests from homes that have medical equipment installed as specific loads that use the power of the power supply unit. This makes it possible to prevent the medical equipment from being cut off from power supply and shutting down in an emergency.

In one embodiment of the power supply management system of the present invention, the power supply management means provides an incentive to the owner of the powered vehicle for lending the power supply device.

In this embodiment of the power supply management system, an incentive is given to the resident who owns the vehicle that responded to the power supply request for lending the power supply device. This makes it possible to reward contributions to charging the power storage means of the power supply device.

The power supply management system of one aspect of the present invention includes an information distribution means capable of distributing information for predicting the possibility of a loan request, and the power supply management means charges the storage means of the power supply device based on the information acquired from the information distribution means.

In this aspect of the power management system, since it is possible to predict that a request for the loan of a power supply device will be notified from a resident in an emergency, information for predicting the possibility of a loan request is obtained from the information distribution means. Furthermore, if the occurrence of an emergency is predicted from the obtained information, the power storage means of the power supply device is charged. This makes it possible to prevent the loan of power supplies from stagnation in an emergency, and allows the power supplies to be loaned effectively.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the power storage means of the power supply device is charged with electricity stored in the power storage means of a vehicle owned by a resident in the area, and the power supply device with the charged power storage means is lent to a resident living in the area, thereby providing the effect of making effective use of the electricity stored in the power storage means.

According to the second aspect, there is no need to charge the power storage means of the power supply device using a commercial power source, so the cost of charging can be reduced.

According to the third aspect, a charging request can be efficiently sent to the home where the vehicle is owned. Furthermore, according to the fourth aspect, it becomes easy for the home to request the loan of a power supply device, and it becomes easy to identify the home that has sent the loan request.

According to the fifth aspect, a charging request can be promptly notified to the vehicle owner. A charging request can be efficiently notified to the home where the vehicle is owned.

According to the sixth aspect, a request for the loan of a power supply device can be made quickly even when the resident is not at home. In addition, according to the seventh aspect, the deterioration of the storage capacity of the power storage means of the power supply device can be suppressed, and the power of the power storage means of the power supply device can be effectively used.

According to the eighth aspect, the power output from the power supply device can be directly supplied to a specific load.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a power management system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a charging facility in a power supply management system. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a main part of a power management system. 1 is a schematic diagram of a house in which a power management system can be used. 1A is a flow chart showing an outline of a charging process, FIG. 1B is a flow chart showing an outline of a discharging process, and FIG. 1C is a flow chart showing an outline of a charging process different from that in FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for lending a power supply device.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
In the power supply management system 10 according to this embodiment, power is stored in a plurality of power storage means, and the power storage means in which power is stored are lent to users who wish to use the power storage means among pre-registered users. The power supply management system 10 manages the charge state of each of the plurality of power storage means and manages the lending of the power storage means to users. Each of Figures 1 to 3 shows a schematic diagram of the main parts of the power supply management system 10 according to this embodiment, and Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of a house 14 in which the power supply management system 10 is used.

As shown in FIG. 1, the power supply management system 10 is installed in a specific district 12. The district 12 may be a single town (neighborhood), or the district 12 may include multiple towns. In other words, the district 12 may be a single autonomous organization (e.g., a neighborhood association), or an autonomous organization that combines multiple organizational units into one for the purpose of installing the power supply management system 10.

In the district 12, a number of houses 14 are built, each with a resident living therein. Note that in this embodiment, detached houses 14 are used as examples of buildings in which residents live, but the houses 14 may also include apartment buildings.

Residents of district 12 include residents who own vehicles, and the homes 14 of residents who own vehicles have parking spaces (not shown). The vehicles include vehicles 16 that can be used by the power supply management system 10. Vehicles 16 that can be used by the power supply management system 10 include HVs (Hybrid Vehicles), PHVs (Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles), EVs (Electric Vehicles), FCVs (Fuel Cell Vehicles), and the like. These vehicles 16 are equipped with an electric motor as a driving source for traveling, and a storage battery that stores electric power, and can travel by rotating and driving the electric motor with the electric power stored in the storage battery.

The vehicle 16 is also equipped with a power supply means capable of outputting the power stored in the storage battery to the outside of the vehicle. The vehicle 16 is equipped with an accessory outlet (not shown) as an example of a power supply means, which is a connection point on the vehicle side for outputting power similar to that of a commercial power source. The vehicle 16 converts the DC power stored in the storage battery to AC power similar to that of a commercial power source and outputs it from the accessory outlet. In this embodiment, as an example, the vehicle 16 outputs single-phase 100V power (for example, single-phase 100V/15A power). Note that the vehicle 16 may output single-phase 200V, single-phase 100V/200V, or DC power of a specified voltage.

As shown in Figures 1 and 4, a single-phase 100V/200V commercial power source 18 is drawn into each of the residences 14. As shown in Figure 4, a distribution board 20 electrically connected to the commercial power source 18 is installed inside the residence 14, and wiring branches out from the distribution board 20 in the residence 14 to lighting fixtures, outlets to which home appliances are connected, various electrical equipment, etc. (none of which are shown). As a result, in the residence 14, power from the commercial power source 18 is supplied to the lighting fixtures, various home appliances, and electrical equipment.

The house 14 also includes a house 14 in which a HEMS (Home Energy Management System) 22 is installed, and the home appliances and electrical equipment in the house 14 are electrically connected to the HEMS 22. The HEMS of the house 14 also includes a communication means and can be connected to various networks via the communication means. This allows the house 14 to manage energy, including electricity, using the HEMS 20. The house 14 may also include a power generation system that uses natural energy, such as a solar power generation system, and various types of power supply equipment, such as an ENE-FARM (registered trademark) or an EcoCute (all not shown), and the use of electricity from these may be managed by the HEMS 22. A known configuration can be applied to the energy management of the HEMS 22, and detailed explanations will be omitted in this embodiment.

Meanwhile, the house 14 is equipped with a power supply facility 24 that enables the use of power supplied from the vehicle 16 or the like. The power supply facility 24 includes a power supply outlet 26 as a connection point on the house 14 side, a power supply connection box 28, and a switch 30. The power supply outlet 26 is installed, for example, adjacent to a parking lot for the vehicle 16, and is connected to the accessory outlet of the parked vehicle 16 by a power supply cable 32. Note that in houses 14 where the resident does not own a vehicle 16, the power supply outlet 26 is used to supply power from outdoors.

The power supply connection box 28 has a primary side electrically connected to the power supply outlet 26 and a secondary side electrically connected to the switch 30, and power is supplied to the power supply connection box 28 via the power supply outlet 26. The power supply connection box 28 is provided with an isolation transformer 28A and a ground fault detector (e.g., a ground fault relay GR) 28B. The isolation transformer 28A insulates the power supply outlet 26 side (vehicle 16 side: primary side) from the switch 30 side (secondary side), thereby preventing an electrical disturbance occurring on the secondary side (or primary side) from spreading to the primary side (or secondary side). The ground fault detector 28B detects a ground fault on the secondary side of the power supply equipment 24, and when a ground fault is detected, cuts off the electrical connection between the primary side and the secondary side (ground fault protection).

The residence 14 is provided with a specific circuit 34. The specific load 34A is applied with one or more electrical devices (including lighting fixtures and outlets) or electrical equipment, and may include electrical devices or electrical equipment equipped with an uninterruptible power supply (not shown). The specific load 34A is applied with electrical devices or electrical equipment to which it is not desired to stop the power supply in the event of a power outage in the commercial power source 18. The specific load 34A includes lighting fixtures that are desired to be turned on even in the event of a power outage, outlets to which electrical devices that are desired to be used even in the event of a power outage are connected, and electrical equipment that is desired to be used even in the event of a power outage. Such specific load 34A includes medical equipment used by residents receiving treatment at home.

In the specific circuit 34, the distribution board 20 and the specific load 34A are electrically connected by a wiring 34B, and the specific load 34A is supplied with power from the commercial power source 18 from the distribution board 20 via the wiring 34B. The switch 30 of the power supply equipment 24 is disposed in the middle of the wiring 34B, and the distribution board 20, the power supply connection box 28 (the secondary side of the ground fault detector 28B), and the specific load 34A are each electrically connected to the switch 30. The switch 30 switches the connection destination (power supply source) of the specific load 34A between the distribution board 20 and the power supply equipment 24 when operated.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the power supply management system 10 includes a charging facility 36, which is installed in a public facility 38 within the district 12. The facility 38 in which the charging facility 36 is installed may be a public facility used primarily by residents of the district 12, such as a meeting hall or library within the district 12. A hospital within the district 12 may also be used as the facility 38. Furthermore, a store such as a convenience store that is used by multiple residents and thus can be considered a public facility within the district 12 may also be used as the facility 38.

The power supply management system 10 may also install charging equipment 36 in each of a number of facilities 38 set for each predetermined number of homes 14 in the district 12. In this embodiment, a meeting place in the district 12 is used as the facility 38, and charging equipment 36 is installed in the meeting place.

As shown in FIG. 2, the charging equipment 36 is provided with a power supply unit 40, a charging unit 42, a power storage unit 44, a discharging unit 46, and a control unit 48. The power supply unit 40 is provided with one or more power supply outlets 26, and a power supply connection box 28 is provided for each power supply outlet 26, and the power supply outlets 26 are electrically connected to the charging unit 42 via the power supply connection boxes 28.

In the power supply unit 40, the vehicle 16 parked in a specified parking position in the facility 38 is electrically connected to the power supply outlet 26 via the power supply cable 32, and the power (AC power) of the vehicle 16 is supplied to the charging unit 42. Note that when the vehicle 16 is connected to the power supply outlet 26, a prohibition mechanism that prohibits the movement of the vehicle 16, such as a steering lock, is activated. In addition, in the facility 38, the movement of the vehicle 16 parked for power supply is restricted by a locking mechanism such as a center lock type in which a lock plate tilts and rises between the front and rear wheels, or a lifting type in which a lock plate rises and falls.

The charging unit 42 includes a converter (not shown) that converts AC power into DC power of a predetermined voltage, and converts the power supplied from the power supply unit 40 into DC power and outputs it to the power storage unit 44. A plurality of portable power supply devices 50 are installed in the power storage unit 44.

Each of the power supply devices 50 includes a storage battery 52 as a power storage means, and a power converter 54 as a power conversion means. In each of the power supply devices 50, the storage battery 52 is electrically connected to the power supply unit 40, and the storage battery 52 is charged by DC power supplied from the power supply unit 40. In addition, the power converter 54 of the power supply device 50 converts the DC power stored in the storage battery 52 into AC power similar to that of the commercial power source 18 (similar voltage and frequency) and outputs it.

The power supply unit 50 has a storage capacity of the storage battery 52 such that it can continuously output single-phase 100V/15A AC power for a predetermined period of time. Note that the storage capacities of the respective storage batteries 52 of the multiple power supply units 50 may be the same, and the multiple power supply units 50 may include power supply units 50 equipped with storage batteries 52 having different storage capacities (larger storage capacities than the others).

The charging equipment 36 operates using power from the storage battery 52 of the power supply device 50 arranged in the power storage unit 44. This allows the charging equipment 36 to operate without using power from the commercial power source 18 supplied to the facility 38, and can also operate during a power outage of the commercial power source 18.

Facility 38 also includes a vehicle (not shown) that can transport power supply devices 50 to each residence 14. This vehicle is preferably capable of running on power from a storage battery. At charging facility 36, the vehicle can transport power supply devices 50 to be loaned to residences 14.

A distribution board 56 is installed in the facility 38, and power is supplied from the commercial power source 18. The distribution board 56 is supplied with, for example, single-phase 100V/200V power (lighting power), or lighting power and three-phase 200V power (motor power). In the facility 38, power is supplied from the distribution board 56 to electrical loads 58 such as lighting fixtures, outlets, and electrical equipment within the facility 38. Power is supplied to the electrical loads 58 via distribution boards (not shown) that correspond to each of the electrical loads 58.

Each of the power supply devices 50 installed in the power storage unit 44 has a storage battery 52 electrically connected to a discharge unit 46, and the discharge unit 46 is provided with an inverter (not shown) that converts DC power to AC power. The discharge unit 46 is also electrically connected to a distribution board 56 of the facility 38. The discharge unit 46 converts the power (DC power) of one or more power supply devices 50 selected from the multiple power supply devices 50 into AC power (e.g., single-phase 100V/200V power) connected to the commercial power source 18 and outputs it to the distribution board 56. At this time, the discharge unit 46 performs system interconnection to match the voltage, frequency, and phase of the output AC power to the commercial power source 18, so that the power of the power supply device 50 can be supplied to the electrical load 58 in the facility 38.

The control unit 48 of the charging equipment 36 controls the operation of each of the power supply unit 40, the charging unit 42, and the discharging unit 46, and manages the lending (loaning) of each of the multiple power supply devices 50. This control unit 48 includes a controller 60. The controller 60 is equipped with a microcomputer (not shown) that has a configuration of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), storage, a communication interface, a display unit, and an operation unit, and each configuration is connected to each other via a bus so that they can communicate with each other.

The ROM stores various programs and data. The RAM temporarily stores programs and data as a working area. The storage is composed of a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD), and stores various programs including the operating system, and various data.

The communication interface is an interface for sending and receiving signals between the power supply unit 40, the charging unit 42, the power storage unit 44, the discharging unit 46, and each device installed in the distribution board 56 of the facility 38, and between the outside of the charging equipment 36. The operation unit is used to perform various inputs and may include a pointing device such as a mouse and a keyboard. The display unit is, for example, a liquid crystal display, and displays various information. The display unit may employ a touch panel system and function as the operation unit.

In the controller 60, a charge/discharge control program for controlling the charge/discharge of the power supply unit 50 and a management program for managing the loan of the power supply unit 50 are stored in the ROM or storage, and the CPU reads the charge/discharge control program and the management program from the ROM or storage and executes them using the RAM as a working area.

As a result, the controller 60 realizes the functions of a charge control unit 62, a discharge control unit 64, a battery management unit 66, a loan management unit 68, a communication unit 70, a reception unit 72, an information acquisition unit 74, a display/operation unit 76, and a memory unit 78. In this case, the communication unit 70 is realized by a communication interface, the display/operation unit 76 is realized by the operation unit and the display unit, and the memory unit 78 is realized by storage.

The charging control unit 62 controls the charging unit 42 to control the power supply of the power supply unit 40 and the charging of the power supply device 50 in the power storage unit 44. The discharging control unit 64 controls the discharging of the power supply device 50 and the power supply to the switchboard 56 by controlling the discharging unit 46. At this time, the controller 60 controls the inverter of the discharging unit 46 according to the voltage, frequency, and phase of the commercial power source 18 supplied to the switchboard 56, thereby achieving system interconnection.

The battery management unit 66 also controls the operation of the charge control unit 62 and the discharge control unit 64 according to the charge state of the battery 52 of each power supply device 50, thereby maintaining the battery 52 of each power supply device 50 in an optimal charge state.

In the district 12 in which the power management system 10 is installed, a power management network 80 is formed. The power management network 80 may be a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), or a public communication line network, and the controller 60 is connected to the power management network 80 via a communication unit 70. The power management network 80 is also connected to a HEMS 22 installed in each home 14 in the district 12, and a mobile terminal 82 such as a smartphone used by the resident of each home 14. Furthermore, an information server 84 is connected to the power management network 80 as information distribution means capable of distributing various information related to the district 12, such as disaster information, disaster prediction information, and weather information.

The information acquisition unit 74 connects to the information server 84 via the communication unit 70 to acquire various information related to the district 12. The battery management unit 66 controls the charging and discharging of the power supply device 50 based on the information acquired from the information server 84 so that the power supply device 50 can be lent to the resident in a fully charged state.

Meanwhile, the memory unit 78 stores registration information 86A for the house 14, reception information 86B regarding the reception of a request (loan request) for the loan of the power supply device 50, and loan information 86C regarding the loan of the power supply device 50.

In the power management system 10, residents and their vehicles 16 are registered for each residence 14, and are stored in the memory unit 78 as registration information 86A. When registering with the power management system 10, an identifier (ID) may be set for each residence 14, or an identifier may be set for the first resident of the residence 14. In the power management system 10, as an example, an identifier is assigned to each residence 14 in the district 12.

In the power management system 10, information identifying the resident of the house 14 and information identifying the vehicle 16 (including the presence or absence of the vehicle 16) in the house 14 are registered in association with an identifier. In addition, in the power management system 10, information identifying the HEMS 22 installed in the house 14 and information identifying the mobile terminal 82 of the resident of the house 14 are registered. In addition, in the power management system 10, information regarding a specific load 34A connected to a specific circuit 34 in the house 14 is registered, and for example, whether or not the specific load 34A includes a medical device is registered. In the memory unit 78 of the controller 60, this information is stored in the memory unit 78 as registration information 86A.

When the battery management unit 66 determines that charging of the battery 52 of the power supply device 50 is necessary, it selects one of the homes 14 (or resident) in which the vehicle 16 is registered based on the registration information, and sends a charging request using the vehicle 16 to the HEMS 22 of the selected home 14 or the resident's mobile terminal 82.

The reception unit 72 of the controller 60 also receives a request to lend the power supply device 50, which is notified via the HEMS 22 or the mobile terminal 82. The lending management unit 68 stores the lending request received by the reception unit 72 in the memory unit 78 as reception information 86B. When the lending management unit 68 lends the power supply device 50 to a resident, it also stores information related to the lending in the memory unit 78 as lending information 86C.

In the power supply management system 10 configured in this manner, each home 14 in the district 12 is registered in advance. The registration information 86A is associated with an identifier set for each home 14, and the registration information 86A includes information identifying the home 14, the occupant of the home 14, the ownership status of the vehicle 16 by the occupant of the home 14, information identifying the HEMS 22 of the home 14, information regarding the mobile terminal 82 used by the occupant of the home 14, and the like. The registration information 86A also includes information regarding the specific load 34A of the home 14, and in particular information regarding whether or not the specific load 34A has medical equipment.

In the power supply management system 10, multiple power supply devices 50 are arranged in charging equipment 36 installed in a facility 38, and in the power supply management system 10, by lending the power supply devices 50 to residents (houses) in the district 12, the specific load 34A of the specific circuit 34 in the house 14 can be converted to power from the commercial power source 18 and operated using the power of the power supply devices 50.

In the power supply management system 10, the batteries 52 of multiple power supply devices 50 are charged with the cooperation of residents in the district 12, and the power supply devices 50 are loaned out in response to loan requests from the residents. At this time, in the charging equipment 36, the controller 60 controls the charging and discharging of each of the batteries 52 of the power supply devices 50. As a result, in the charging equipment 36, the deterioration of the storage capacity of the batteries 52 due to repeated natural discharge is suppressed. FIG. 5(A) shows an outline of the charging process in a flow chart, and FIG. 5(B) shows an outline of the discharging process in a flow chart. Also, FIG. 5(C) shows an outline of the charging process based on information obtained from the information server 84 in a flow chart.

As shown in FIG. 5(A), in step 100, the controller 60 checks whether there is a power supply device 50 that requires charging of the storage battery 52. The controller 60 detects the charge level of the storage battery 52 for each power supply device 50 in the power storage unit 44, and when the controller 60 detects a power supply device 50 in which the charge level of the storage battery 52 has decreased, the controller 60 makes a positive determination in step 100 and proceeds to step 102.

In this step 102, the controller 60 notifies the residents (houses 14) in the district 12 who own the vehicles 16 of a request for power supply to charge the storage battery 52 in a preset order. The power supply request is sent to the mobile terminal 82 of the resident who owns the vehicle 16 or to the HEMS 22 of the resident's house 14. Based on this notification, the resident moves the vehicle 16 to the facility 38 and connects the vehicle 16 to the power supply outlet 26 via the power supply cable 32. This causes the power of the vehicle 16 to be supplied to the charging unit 42.

When the power of the vehicle 16 is supplied to the power supply unit 40, the controller 60 controls the charging unit 42 in step 104 to convert the power supplied from the vehicle 16 into DC power of a predetermined voltage, and if charging is required, supplies it to the storage battery 52 of the power supply device 50 to charge the storage battery 52. The controller 60 notifies a number of vehicles 16 of a charge request according to the required charging amount. In addition, in response to the notification of the power supply request, there are cases where the vehicle 16 is in use and cannot be moved to the facility 38, it will take time to move, the amount of charge is insufficient, etc. In these cases, the resident who issued the power supply request notifies the HEMS 22 or mobile terminal 82 that he/she cannot respond to the power supply request. As a result, the controller 60 notifies the new (different) vehicle 16 (the resident who owns the vehicle 16) of the power supply request.

Here, the power supply management system 10 is configured to provide incentives within the district 12 to the vehicles 16 (owners of the vehicles 16) that cooperate in charging the storage battery 52. Specifically, in step 106, the controller 60 provides incentives (contribution points) to the residents (houses 14) of the vehicles 16 that supplied power. The provided contribution points are stored in the memory unit 78 as registration information 86A.

In the power supply management system 10, the storage battery 52 is charged by the power of the vehicle 16. However, if the facility 38 is equipped with a power generation facility that uses natural energy, such as a solar power generation facility, the storage battery 52 of the power supply device 50 may be charged by the power of this power generation facility.

On the other hand, the flowchart in FIG. 5(B) is executed by the controller 60 at preset time intervals or periodically, and in the first step 110, the controller 60 checks whether or not there is a storage battery 52 of a power supply device 50 that has reached the time to discharge. As a result, for example, when a predetermined time has elapsed since charging ended and there is a power supply device 50 that has reached the preset time to discharge the power of the storage battery 52, the controller 60 makes a positive judgment in step 110 and proceeds to step 112. Note that the conditions for discharging the power of the storage battery 52 can be various conditions for maintaining the storage capacity of the storage battery 52 at a high capacity (appropriate storage capacity) for a long period of time.

In step 112, the controller 60 outputs the power of the storage battery 52 of the target power supply device 50 to the discharge unit 46. The controller 60 also controls the output power of the inverter of the discharge unit 46 to have a voltage, frequency, and phase that correspond to the commercial power source 18 supplied to the switchboard 56.

As a result, the power output from the discharge unit 46 is superimposed on the power of the commercial power source 18 and consumed by the electrical load 58. In addition, when the storage capacity of the storage battery 52 of the target power supply device 50 drops to a preset capacity, the controller 60 makes a positive determination in step 114 and proceeds to step 116, where it stops discharging from the power supply device 50 and ends the discharge process.

In the charging facility 36, the power supplied from the vehicle 16 is charged into the storage battery 52 of the power supply device 50. Therefore, in the facility 38, the power of the storage battery 52 of the power supply device 50 is supplied to the electrical load, thereby reducing the power consumption of the commercial power source 18 and reducing maintenance costs.

In addition, in the charging facility 36, the power of the storage battery 52 of the power supply device 50 is not naturally discharged, but is consumed by the electrical load 58 of the facility 38. As a result, the deterioration of the storage capacity of the storage battery 52 is suppressed compared to when the stored power is naturally discharged, so the power supply device 50 is maintained in an optimal usable state for a long period of time. Moreover, in the charging facility 36, the power charged in the storage battery 52 can be effectively used.

On the other hand, the flowchart in FIG. 5(C) is executed at a predetermined time interval or periodically (at a preset time), and in the first step 120, the controller 60 obtains information related to the area 12 and affecting the request to lend the power supply unit 50 from the information server 84. The stored information includes information related to the area 12 and affecting the request to lend the power supply unit 50, such as weather information for the area 12, and weather warnings and alerts.

In the next step 122, the controller 60 checks whether a request for loan of the power supply device 50 is predicted based on the acquired information (mainly weather information) (for example, whether an emergency such as a power outage of the commercial power supply 18 is predicted). At this time, if a power outage of the commercial power supply 18 is predicted in the area including the district 12, the controller 60 makes a positive determination in step 122 and proceeds to step 124.

In step 124, the controller 60 stops discharging the storage battery 52 of the power supply device 50. In the next step 126, the controller 60 charges the storage battery 52 of each of the multiple power supply devices 50.

At this time, the controller 60 calculates the amount of power required to complete charging of the storage battery 52 of each power supply device 50, for example, from the charging state of the storage battery 52 of each power supply device 50, and sets a charging plan to complete charging with the calculated amount of power within a specified time (the time when an emergency is predicted to occur).

This charging plan is drawn up, including whether or not power supply from the vehicles 16 will be sufficient, and a power supply request is sent to secure the required number of vehicles 16. At this time, the controller 60 notifies the power supply request by indicating that emergency charging is required. After this, the charging facility 36 charges the storage battery 52 of the power supply device 50 using the vehicles 16 that have gathered at the facility 38 in response to the notified power supply request.

In addition, if it is determined that charging of the storage battery 52 of the power supply device 50 cannot be completed by power supply only from the vehicle 16, power from the commercial power source 18 may be used. In this case, the controller 60 controls the power of the commercial power source 18 supplied to the facility 38 to be supplied to the charging unit 42, and charges the storage battery 52 of the power supply device 50 using the power from the commercial power source 18.

In this way, the power supply management system 10 can charge the storage batteries 52 of each power supply device 50 before a power outage of the commercial power supply 18 occurs. The controller 60 acquires new information from the information server 84 at a preset timing, and when the emergency is avoided or ends, it starts normal charging and discharging processes.

Meanwhile, the power management system 10 accepts requests from residents to lend power supplies 50 and lends (rents) the power supplies 50 in response to the received lending requests. Figure 6 shows an outline of the lending process in a flow chart.

In the first step 130 of the flowchart in FIG. 6, the controller 60 checks whether or not it has received a request from the resident to lend the power supply device 50. When the controller 60 receives a lending request notified by the resident, it makes a positive determination in step 130 and proceeds to step 132, where it accepts the lending request.

The loan request may be notified by the resident from the HEMS 22 at home (residence 14). The loan request may also be notified, for example, from the mobile terminal 82 because the resident is out.

In the next step 134, the controller 60 checks the number of power supply units 50 available for loan (the number of power supply units 50 for which charging of the storage battery 52 has finished and which are available for loan), and in step 136 judges whether or not they can be loaned. The controller 60 makes a positive judgment in step 136 that there are (remaining) power supply units 50 available for loan, and proceeds to step 138. If there are no power supply units 50 available for loan, the controller 60 makes a negative judgment in step 136, and proceeds to step 140, where it notifies the resident who notified the resident of the accepted loan request that there are no power supply units 50 remaining and therefore loan is not possible.

In step 138, the controller 60 checks whether multiple loan requests have been received, and if only one loan request has been received, a negative judgment is made in step 138 and the process proceeds to step 142. In step 142, the controller 60 notifies the HEMS 22 of the residence 14 of the resident who notified the loan request or the resident's mobile terminal 82 of permission to loan the power supply device 50.

If multiple loan requests have been received, the controller 60 makes a positive determination in step 138 and proceeds to step 144, where it checks whether it is possible to loan a power supply unit 50 to all residents who have received the loan request notification. At this time, if the remaining number of power supply units 50 is greater than the number of loan requests received (or may include the same number), the controller 60 makes a positive determination in step 144 and proceeds to step 142, where it notifies each resident that the loan is permitted.

In contrast, if the remaining number of power supply devices 50 is less than the number of loan requests received, the controller 60 makes a negative determination in step 144 and proceeds to step 146. In step 146, the controller 60 sets priorities among the residents who have been notified of loan requests based on the registration information 86A.

The priority order for lending the power supply unit 50 is set highest for the resident of the house 14 whose specific load 34A includes medical equipment. This makes it possible to prevent the medical equipment from shutting down due to a power outage in the commercial power supply 18.

The priority order for the loan of the power supply unit 50 is set so that residents who have been awarded contribution points are ranked higher than residents who have not been awarded contribution points. Furthermore, among residents who have been awarded contribution points, residents with more contribution points are ranked higher than residents with fewer contribution points.

Then, in step 148, the controller 60 notifies the residents in order of priority of the number of power supply units 50 that can be loaned to them that the power supply units 50 can be loaned to. In step 150, the controller 60 notifies the residents that there are no power supply units 50 remaining and therefore the power supply units cannot be loaned.

When the process is completed in response to the rental request from the resident, the controller 60 makes it possible to check the rental status of the power supply device 50 on the HEMS 22 of each residence 14 or the resident's mobile terminal 82, and then ends the rental process.

Meanwhile, the resident who has received the notice of permission to lend transports the power supply unit 50 from the facility 38 to his/her own residence 14. In addition, a vehicle for transporting the power supply unit 50 is provided at the facility 38, and if the resident who has received the notice of permission is unable to transport the power supply unit 50 himself/herself, he/she may use this vehicle to transport it or request transportation.

A resident who has been granted permission to use the power supply unit 50 can connect the power supply unit 50 delivered to their home 14 to the power supply outlet 26 and operate the switch 30 to supply power to the specific circuit 34 of the home 14 and operate the specific load 34A even if the commercial power source 18 experiences a power outage.

In this way, in the power supply management system 10, residents of the district 12 cooperate to charge the storage battery 52 of the power supply device 50, and lend the power supply device 50 with the charged storage battery 52 within the district 12. At this time, the power of the vehicle 16 owned by the resident is used to charge the storage battery 52 of the power supply device 50. In this way, the power supply management system 10 can effectively use the power stored in the storage battery of the vehicle 16, the storage battery 52 of the power supply device 50, etc.

In addition, the power supply management system 10 supplies electricity from the vehicles 16 in the area 12 to the storage battery 52 of the power supply device 50, so the cost of charging can be reduced compared to when a commercial power source 18 is used.

In addition, the power supply management system 10 can notify the home 14 of rental requests via the HEMS 22 installed in the home 14, and also notifies the HEMS 22 of power supply requests and rental permission, so various notifications can be sent efficiently to the home 14 in which the vehicle 16 is owned.In addition, the power supply management system 10 can notify the home 14 of rental requests via the resident's mobile device 82, and also notifies the mobile device 82 of power supply requests and charging permission, so various notifications can be sent efficiently and quickly to the resident of the home 14.

In addition, in the power supply management system 10, instead of allowing the storage battery 52 of the power supply device 50 to naturally discharge, the discharged power is supplied to the electrical load 58 of the facility 38, so that the power of the storage battery 52 of the power supply device 50 can be effectively utilized while suppressing a decrease in the storage capacity of the storage battery 52 of the power supply device 50.

In addition, in the power supply management system 10, the power supply unit 50 is equipped with a power converter 54, so the power output from the power supply unit 50 can be directly supplied to the specific load 34A. In addition, in the power supply management system 10, the power supply unit 50 can be preferentially loaned to a residence 14 in which medical equipment is installed as the specific load 34A, so that it is possible to prevent the operation of the medical equipment from being stopped due to a power outage of the commercial power source 18.

Furthermore, the power supply management system 10 gives contribution points to the occupant (house 14) of the vehicle 16 that supplies power to the storage battery 52 of the power supply device 50, and gives the occupant a higher priority when lending out the power supply device 50, making it possible to lend out the power supply device in accordance with the occupant's level of contribution and encouraging the occupant to contribute. The power supply management system 10 also promotes charging of the storage battery 52 of the power supply device 50 in accordance with information obtained from the information server 84, thereby preventing lending out of the power supply device 50 from stagnating in an emergency.

In the embodiment described above, contribution points are awarded according to the number of times the vehicle 16 is powered. However, incentives may also be awarded according to the amount of power supplied by the vehicle, which makes it possible to more accurately reflect the degree of contribution of the vehicle owner to the power supply management system.

In addition, in this embodiment, the contribution points are reflected in the priority order when lending out the power supply device 50. However, the incentive may be reflected in other ways. For example, if the installation and maintenance of the power supply management system incurs costs and the residents are required to share these costs, the incentive may be reflected so that the costs borne by the residents are reduced. Also, the incentive may be used to reduce costs incurred in the district (for example, neighborhood association fees, fees for use of the facility in which the power supply management system is installed, etc.). This makes it possible to continuously maintain the power supply management system with the cooperation of each resident in the district.

10 Power supply management system 12 District 14 Residence 16 Vehicle 18 Commercial power supply 22 HEMS
24 Power supply equipment 26 Power supply outlet 34 Specific circuit 34A Specific load 36 Charging equipment 38 Facility 40 Power supply unit (charging means)
42 Charging part (charging means)
46 Discharge part (discharge means)
50 Power supply device 52 Storage battery (power storage means)
54 Power converter (power conversion means)
60 Controller (power management means)
80 Power supply management network 82 Portable terminal 84 Information server

Claims (8)

A power supply device that is installed in a predetermined facility in a predetermined area and has a storage means for storing electric power;
A plurality of houses in the area in which specific loads can be operated by power supplied from the power supply device instead of power from a commercial power source;
a charging means for charging a storage means of the power supply device with electric power supplied from a vehicle equipped with a storage battery owned by any resident of the house;
a receiving means for receiving a request for rental of the power supply device from a resident registered for each of the houses;
a power supply management unit that manages the charging of the power supply device to the power storage unit by the charging unit and manages the lending of the power supply device in response to the lending request from the resident received by the receiving unit;
A power management system including: The power supply management system according to claim 1, wherein the power supply management means sends a power supply request to a plurality of homes each having a vehicle to charge the power storage means of the power supply device. the home in which the vehicle is owned includes a home in which a HEMS capable of transmitting and receiving information to and from the power source management means is installed,
The power management system according to claim 2 , wherein the power management unit notifies the HEMS of the power supply request. The power management system according to claim 3, in which the resident notifies the request for loan of the power supply device via the HEMS. the resident has a mobile terminal capable of transmitting and receiving information to and from the power supply management means,
The power supply management system according to claim 2 , wherein the power supply management unit notifies the power supply request to the mobile terminal of a resident who owns the vehicle. The power management system according to claim 5, wherein the resident notifies the request for loan of the power supply device via the mobile terminal. a discharging means for discharging the power of the power storage means of the power supply device by supplying the power to an electrical load of the facility,
7. The power management system according to claim 1, wherein the power management means performs discharging by the discharging means instead of allowing the power storage means of the power supply device to naturally discharge. The power supply management system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the power supply device includes a conversion means for converting DC power from the storage battery into AC power similar to that of a commercial power source.