Power control system, power control method, power control device and power control program

Abstract

Disclosed are a power control system, a power control method, a power control device and a power control program, which can efficiently supply power to an electric device and charge an electric vehicle. A power control device ( 16 ) has: a second communication unit ( 14 ) that receives charge information pertaining to charging of an on-board battery ( 23 ) from an electric car ( 2 ) prior to the arrival of the electric car ( 2 ) at a location where power is supplied to the electric car ( 2 ); and a control determination unit ( 11 ) that determines a power supply start time of supplying power to an electric water heater ( 1 ) and a charging start time of charging the on-board battery ( 23 ), on the basis of the charge information, such that the supply of power to the electric water heater ( 1 ) and the charging of the on-board battery ( 23 ) are completed by a predetermined time.

1 . A power control system, comprising an electric vehicle and a power control device that controls charging of a rechargeable battery of the electric vehicle and controls supply of power to an electric device, wherein
 the electric vehicle includes:   the rechargeable battery;   a charge information acquiring unit that acquires charge information pertaining to the charging of the rechargeable battery; and   a transmitter that transmits the charge information acquired by the charge information acquiring unit, prior to the arrival of the electric vehicle at a location where power is supplied to the electric vehicle, and wherein   the power control device includes:   a receiver that receives the charge information transmitted by the transmitter, prior to the arrival of the electric vehicle at the location where power is supplied to the electric vehicle; and   a power control unit that determines a power supply start time of supplying power to the electric device and a charging start time of charging the rechargeable battery, on the basis of the charge information received by the receiver, such that the supply of power to the electric device and the charging of the rechargeable battery are completed by a predetermined time.   
     
     
         2 . The power control system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the charge information includes a current remaining level of the rechargeable battery, and   the power control unit computes a time frame required to charge the rechargeable battery, in accordance with the current remaining level of the rechargeable battery, and determines the power supply start time of supplying power to the electric device and the charging start time of charging the rechargeable battery, on the basis of the computed time frame required to charge the rechargeable battery.   
     
     
         3 . The power control system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the charge information includes information on a remaining level of the rechargeable battery that is obtained at the time of vehicle arrival at an installation location where the power control device is installed, the remaining level being obtained based on a distance between a current position of the electric vehicle and the installation location, and   the power control unit computes a time frame required to charge the rechargeable battery, in accordance with the remaining level of the rechargeable battery that is obtained at the time of vehicle arrival at the installation location, and determines the power supply start time of supplying power to the electric device and the charging start time of charging the rechargeable battery, on the basis of the computed time frame required to charge the rechargeable battery.   
     
     
         4 . The power control system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the charge information includes an estimated arrival time at which the electric vehicle arrives at an installation location where the power control device is installed, the estimated arrival time being obtained based on a distance between a current position of the electric vehicle and the installation location, and   the power control unit determines the power supply start time of supplying power to the electric device and the charging start time of charging the rechargeable battery, such that the charging start time of charging the rechargeable battery follows the estimated arrival time and such that a total power of a power required to charge the rechargeable battery and a power used for operating the electric device does not exceed a predetermined value.   
     
     
         5 . The power control system according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the charge information further includes information on a remaining level of the rechargeable battery that is obtained at the time of vehicle arrival at an installation location where the power control device is installed, the remaining level being obtained based on a distance between a current position of the electric vehicle and the installation location, and   the power control unit computes a time frame required to charge the rechargeable battery, in accordance with the remaining level of the rechargeable battery that is obtained at the time of vehicle arrival at the installation location, and determines the power supply start time of supplying power to the electric device and the charging start time of charging the rechargeable battery, on the basis of the computed time frame required to charge the rechargeable battery and the estimated arrival time.   
     
     
         6 . The power control system according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a server device that mediates communication between the electric vehicle and the power control device, wherein   the server device includes:   a distance information receiver that receives, from the electric vehicle, the distance between the current position of the electric vehicle and the installation location where the power control device is installed;   a remaining level computing unit that computes the remaining level of the rechargeable battery that is obtained at the time of vehicle arrival at the installation location, on the basis of the distance received by the distance information receiver; and   a remaining level transmitter that transmits the remaining level of the rechargeable battery computed by the remaining level computing unit, to the power control device.   
     
     
         7 . The power control system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the power control device further includes an electricity rate information storage unit that stores electricity rate information pertaining to an electricity rate that varies according to time slots, and   the power control unit refers to the electricity rate information stored in the electricity rate information storage unit, and determines the power supply start time of supplying power to the electric device and the charging start time of charging the rechargeable battery, such that the charging of the rechargeable battery is ended during a time slot in which the electricity rate becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined rate.   
     
     
         8 . The power control system according to  claim 7 , wherein the power control unit starts charging the rechargeable battery after the end of the supply of power to the electric device, and supplies power to the electric device only during the time slot in which the electricity rate becomes equal to or lower than the predetermined rate, in a case where the power supply start time of supplying power to the electric device does not fall within the time slot in which the electricity rate becomes equal to or lower than the predetermined rate. 
     
     
         9 . The power control system according to  claim 7 , wherein the power control unit starts charging the rechargeable battery after the end of the supply of power to the electric device, and starts the supply of power to the electric device in a time slot prior to the time slot in which the electricity rate becomes equal to or lower than the predetermined rate, in a case where the power supply start time of supplying power to the electric device does not fall within the time slot in which the electricity rate becomes equal to or lower than the predetermined rate. 
     
     
         10 . The power control system according to  claim 7 , wherein the power control unit computes an electricity rate incurred when the operation of the electric device is started prior to the charging start time, and an electricity rate incurred when the operation of the electric device is started after a charging ending time, on the basis of the electricity rate information stored in the electricity rate information storage unit, and then selects the lower electricity rate out of the computed electricity rates. 
     
     
         11 . The power control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the electric device includes an electric water heater that boils water and stores the boiled water. 
     
     
         12 . A power control method for controlling charging of a rechargeable battery of an electric vehicle, and controlling supply of power to an electric device,
 the power control method comprising:   a charge information acquisition step of acquiring charge information pertaining to the charging of the rechargeable battery;   a transmitting step of transmitting the charge information acquired in the charge information acquisition step, prior to the arrival of the electric vehicle at a location where power is supplied to the electric vehicle;   a receiving step of receiving the charge information transmitted in the transmitting step; and   a power control step of determining a power supply start time of supplying power to the electric device and a charging start time of charging the rechargeable battery, on the basis of the charge information received in the receiving step, such that the supply of power to the electric device and the charging of the rechargeable battery are completed by a predetermined time.   
     
     
         13 . A power control device that controls charging of a rechargeable battery of an electric vehicle and controls supply of power to an electric device,
 the power control device comprising:   a receiver that receives charge information pertaining to the charging of the rechargeable battery that is transmitted from the electric vehicle, prior to the arrival of the electric vehicle at a location where power is supplied to the electric vehicle; and   a power control unit that determines a power supply start time of supplying power to the electric device and a charging start time of charging the rechargeable battery, on the basis of the charge information received by the receiver, such that the supply of power to the electric device and the charging of the rechargeable battery are completed by a predetermined time.   
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a power control program that controls charging of a rechargeable battery of an electric vehicle and controls supply of power to an electric device,
 the power control program causing a computer to function as at least:   a receiver that receives charge information pertaining to the charging of the rechargeable battery that is transmitted from the electric vehicle, prior to the arrival of the electric vehicle at a location where power is supplied to the electric vehicle; and   a power control unit that determines a power supply start time of supplying power to the electric device and a charging start time of charging the rechargeable battery, on the basis of the charge information received by the receiver, such that the supply of power to the electric device and the charging of the rechargeable battery are completed by a predetermined time.