Load estimating device and power generator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11454658-B2
Application number	US-202017018144-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2020
Priority date	Mar 20, 2018
Publication date	Sep 27, 2022
Grant date	Sep 27, 2022

Abstract

A load estimating device measures a voltage and a current supplied to a load connected with a generator, calculates a feature amount of the load, senses a remaining amount of fuel, outputs a time during which the load is continuously operable. The device estimates what the load connected with the generator is, based on the calculated feature amount and the feature amounts stored in a storage, and determines the time during which the estimated load is continuously operable, based on a power consumption of the estimated load, and the remaining amount of fuel. The device has a load registration mode for causing the storage to store therein a feature amount of a new load that is not stored in a storage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A load estimating device, comprising:
a measuring circuit configured to measure a voltage and a current supplied to a load connected with a power generator;
one or more processors configured to calculate a feature amount of the load from measurement values of the voltage and the current measured by the measuring circuit;
a storage device configured to store feature amounts of loads in advance; and
a sensor configured to sense a remaining amount of fuel contained in a fuel tank for the power generator;
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
estimate what the load connected with the power generator is, on the basis of the feature amount calculated by the one or more processors and the feature amounts stored in the storage device;
determine a time during which the load estimated by the one or more processors is continuously operable, on the basis of a power consumption of the load, and the remaining amount of fuel; and
output the time during which the load is continuously operable, and

wherein the one or more processors have a load registration mode and are further configured to:
determine that the load connected with the power generator is a new load based on the feature amount of the load connected with the power generator and the feature amounts stored in the storage device;
store in the storage device a feature amount of the new load that has not been stored in the storage device to register the feature amount of the new load in a case where the load connected with the power generator is the new load.

2. The load estimating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the power generator further includes a storage battery that is chargeable with the power generator and supplies power to the load, and
the one or more processors further is configured to determine the time during which the load estimated by the one or more processors is continuously operable, on the basis of the power consumption of the load, the remaining amount of fuel, and a charge level of the storage battery.

3. The load estimating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the feature amount includes an apparent power and a power factor.

4. The load estimating device according to a claim 1 , wherein
the one or more processors perform the load registration mode in case where a shortest distance among distances between the feature amount calculated by the one or more processors and the feature amounts stored in the storage device exceeds a threshold.

5. The load estimating device according to claim 1 , further comprising
an input device configured to input instruction of load registration,
wherein the one or more processors perform the load registration mode if instruction of load registration is inputted via the input device.

6. A load estimating device comprising:
a measuring circuit configured to measure a voltage and a current supplied to a load connected with a power-supplying device;
one or more processors configured to calculate a feature amount of the load from measurement values of the voltage and the current measured by the measuring circuit;
a storage device configured to store feature amounts of loads in advance;
a sensor configured to sense a power amount available from the power-supplying device,
the one or more processors is further configured to:
estimate what the load connected with the power-supplying device is, on the basis of the feature amount calculated by the one or more processors and the feature amounts stored in the storage device,
determine a time during which the load estimated by the one or more processors is continuously operable, on the basis of a power consumption of the load, and the power amount; and
output the time during which the load is continuously operable,

wherein the one or more processors have a load registration mode and are further configured to:
determine that the load connected with the power-supplying device is a new load based on the feature amount of the load connected with the power-supplying device and the feature amounts stored in the storage device;
store in the storage device a feature amount of the new load that has not been stored in the storage device to register the feature amount of the new load in a case where the load connected with the power-supplying device is the new load.

7. The load estimating device according to claim 6 , wherein
the power-supplying device is a power generator, a storage battery, or a power generator including a storage battery.

8. A power generator apparatus comprising
a load estimating device including:
a measuring circuit configured to measure a voltage and a current supplied to a load connected with a power generator;
one or more processors configured to calculate a feature amount of the load from measurement values of the voltage and the current measured by the measuring circuit;
a storage device configured to store feature amounts of loads in advance; and
a sensor configured to sense a remaining amount of fuel contained in a fuel tank for the power generator,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
estimate what the load connected with the power generator is, on the basis of the feature amount calculated by the one or more processors and the feature amounts stored in the storage device;
determine a time during which the load estimated by the one or more processors is continuously operable, on the basis of a power consumption of the load, and the remaining amount of fuel; and
output the time during which the load is continuously operable,

wherein the one or more processors have a load registration mode and are further configured to:
determine that the load connected with the power generator is a new load based on the feature amount of the load connected with the power generator and the feature amounts stored in the storage device;
store in the storage device a feature amount of the new load that has not been stored in the storage device to register the feature amount of the new load in a case where the load connected with the power generator is the new load.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Oshima Ryo
• Sasaki Nobuyuki
• Ito Mitsuhiro
• Oshima Mio
• Matsunaga Yoshihiro
• TAKADA Sho

Classifications

• H02J3/38

  Arrangements for feeding a single network from two or more generators or sources in parallel; Arrangements for feeding already energised networks from additional generators or sources in parallel · CPC title

• G01R31/382

  Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC · CPC title

• H02J3/00

  Circuit arrangements for AC mains or AC distribution networks · CPC title

• G04F1/005 Primary

  using electronic timing, e.g. counting means (pulse time delay arrangements H03K5/13; modifications of electronic switches for introducing a time delay before switching H03K17/28) · CPC title

• G01F23/00

  Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm · CPC title