# US 12,009,670 B2 · Power management apparatus, priority control method and program > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,009,670 B2 - Document ID: US12009670B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/799,046 - Filed: 2020-02-12 - Published: 2023-03-02 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-02-12 - Assignees: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation - Applicants: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation - Inventors: Naoki Hanaoka; Toshihiro Hayashi; Hidetoshi Takada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009670B2 ## CPC - H02J 3/46: Controlling the sharing of generated power between the generators, sources or networks - H02J 3/381: {Dispersed generators} - H02J 3/466: Scheduling or selectively controlling the operation of the generators or sources, e.g. connecting or disconnecting generators to meet a demand - H02J 3/32: using batteries or super capacitors with converting means - H02J 2101/24: Photovoltaics - Y02B 70/3225: Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving - Y04S 20/222: Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS - Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS ## Abstract Provided is a power management apparatus for determining an order of priority with respect to power supply to a consuming device at a target location in a power system that includes a plurality of locations between which power can be interchanged, the target location including at least the consuming device, a power generation unit that generates power from natural energy, a power storage unit, and a commercial power source. The power management apparatus includes a determination unit for determining an order of priority among a plurality of controlled objects including at least power supply from the power generation unit, power supply from the power storage unit, power supply from the commercial power source, and power consumption reduction by transferring a load from the consuming device, and a priority setting unit for setting the order of priority that has been determined by the determination unit for the target location. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power management apparatus configured to determine an order of priority with respect to power supplied to a consuming device at a target location in a power system that includes a plurality of locations between which power is interchanged, wherein the target location includes at least the consuming device, a power generation unit that generates power from natural energy, a power storage unit, and a commercial power source, wherein the power management apparatus comprises: a determination unit, comprising one or more processors, configured to determine, based on a predetermined evaluation axis, an order of priority among a plurality of controlled objects including at least power supply from the power generation unit, power supply from the power storage unit, power supply from the commercial power source, and power consumption reduction by transferring a load from the consuming device; and a priority setting unit, comprising one or more processors, configured to set the order of priority determined by the determination unit for the target location. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of controlled objects include power supplied through power interchange from another location. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The power management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit is configured to determine the order of priority by determining an order among the plurality of controlled objects based on the predetermined evaluation axis, and producing a judgment for each controlled object on whether or not to use the controlled object, in the determined order. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The power management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined evaluation axis comprises at least one of cost, loss, and disaster backup, and wherein when the predetermined evaluation axis is the disaster backup, a level of priority for charging the power storage unit is increased. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The power management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the priority setting unit is configured to set the order of priority for the target location such that priority control based on a voltage value or priority control based on a current value is performed. ### Claim 6 A priority control method performed by a power management apparatus configured to determine an order of priority with respect to power supplied to a consuming device at a target location in a power system that includes a plurality of locations between which power is interchanged, wherein the target location includes at least the consuming device, a power generation unit configured to generate power from natural energy, a power storage unit, and a commercial power source, wherein the method comprises: determining, based on a predetermined evaluation axis, an order of priority among a plurality of controlled objects including at least power supply from the power generation unit, power supply from the power storage unit, power supply from the commercial power source, and power consumption reduction by transferring a load from the consuming device; and setting the order of priority for the target location. ### Claim 7 A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions executable by a computer system to perform operations by a power management apparatus comprising: determining, based on a predetermined evaluation axis, an order of priority among a plurality of controlled objects including at least power supply from a power generation unit configured to generate power from natural energy, power supply from a power storage unit, power supply from a commercial power source, and power consumption reduction by transferring a load from a consuming device; and setting the order of priority for a target location, wherein the target location including at least the consuming device, the power generation unit, the power storage unit, and the commercial power source.