# US 12,113,357 B2 · Control server, tracking system, communication method, and non-transitory recording medium

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- Number: US 12,113,357 B2
- Document ID: US12113357B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/696,859
- Filed: 2022-03-17
- Published: 2022-09-22
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2021-03-22
- Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Hitoshi Namiki
- Inventors: Hitoshi Namiki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12113357B2

## CPC

- H02J 3/14: by switching loads on to, or off from, the networks, e.g. progressively balanced loading
- H02J 13/333: the equipment forming part of substations
- G05B 15/02: electric
- H02J 3/381: {Dispersed generators}
- H02J 13/12: Monitoring network conditions, e.g. electrical magnitudes or operational status
- H02J 13/14: the power network being locally controlled, e.g. home energy management systems [HEMS]
- H02J 2101/20: Dispersed power generation using renewable energy sources
- H02J 2105/53: for partial power limitation, e.g. entering degraded or current limitation modes
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)

## Abstract

A server includes circuitry to receive data from plural control devices of a plural users. The data from each control device includes consumption records of electric devices. The circuitry determines whether an amount consumed by the plural users is greater than one provided by producers, and based on a determination, calculates a reduction amount for each of one or more users, according to an order of a priority set on the plural users from a top to one until a condition is satisfied. For each of the one or more users, the circuitry determines, a specific electric device and a reduction amount of the specific electric device, based on the data and reference data, and generates consumption control data including information on the specific electric device and the reduction amount. The circuitry transmits to, each of specific control devices of the one or more users, the consumption control data.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A control server, comprising
circuitry configured to:
receive, via a communication network, electricity consumption related data from a plurality of consumption control devices of a plurality of users, the electricity consumption related data of each consumption control device including records of electricity consumption of one or more electric devices of a corresponding one of the plurality of users;
determine whether a total amount of electricity consumed by the plurality of users is greater than a total amount of electricity provided by a plurality of producers;
based on a determination that the total amount of electricity consumed is greater than the total amount of electricity provided, calculate a first electricity consumption reduction amount for each of one or more users of the plurality of users, according to an order of a priority set on the plurality of users from a top to one until a condition is satisfied, the condition being that the total amount of electricity consumed is equal to or less than the total amount of electricity provided;
determine, for each of the one or more users, one or more specific electric devices among from the one or more electric devices and a second electricity consumption reduction amount of each of the one or more specific electric devices, based on the electricity consumption related data and reference data;
generate, for each of the one or more users, consumption control data including information on the one or more specific electric devices and the second electricity consumption reduction amount of each of the one or more specific electric devices; and
transmit to, each of specific one or more consumption control devices of the one or more users, the consumption control data to cause each of the one or more consumption control devices to perform electricity consumption control in relation to the one or more specific electric devices.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The control server of claim 1, wherein
the electricity consumption related data includes at least one of electricity consumption amount data, setting value data, or sensor value data,
the electricity consumption amount data including an electricity consumption amount associated with the one or more specific electric devices,
the setting value data including setting values for operation of the specific one or more electricity devices, and
the sensor value data including a value obtained by a sensor provided in proximity to each of the one or more electric devices.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The control server of claim 1, wherein
the circuitry transmits the consumption control data via a blockchain network on which item information associated with the consumption control data is generated.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A tracking system, comprising:
the control server of claim 1, and
a consumption control device included in the one or more specific one of the plurality of consumption control devices, the consumption control device including consumption control device circuitry configured to
transmit, to the control server, the electricity consumption related data,
receive, from the control server, the consumption control data, and
output, to the one or more specific electric devices, setting change data for performing consumption control of the one or more specific electric devices, the setting change data being based on the consumption control data received from the control server.

### Claim 5

A communication method, comprising:
receiving, via a communication network, electricity consumption related data from a plurality of consumption control devices of a plurality of users, the electricity consumption related data of each consumption control device including records of electricity consumption of one or more electric devices of a corresponding one of the plurality of users:
determining whether a total amount of electricity consumed by the plurality of users is greater than a total amount of electricity provided by a plurality of producers;
based on a determination that the total amount of electricity consumed is greater than the total amount of electricity provided, calculating a first electricity consumption reduction amount for each of one or more users of the plurality of users, according to an order of a priority set on the plurality of users from a top to one until a condition is satisfied, the condition being that the total amount of electricity consumed is equal to or less than the total amount of electricity provided;
determining, for each of the one or more users, one or more specific electric devices among from the one or more electric devices and a second electricity consumption reduction amount of each of the one or more specific electric devices, based on the electricity consumption related data and reference data;
generating for each of the one or more users, consumption control data including information on the one or more specific electric devices and the second electricity consumption reduction amount of each of the one or more specific electric devices; and
transmitting to, each of specific one or more consumption control devices of the one or more users, the consumption control data to cause each of the one or more consumption control devices to perform electricity consumption control in relation to the one or more specific electric devices.

### Claim 6

A non-transitory recording medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the processors to perform a method, the method comprising:
receiving, via a communication network, electricity consumption related data from a plurality of consumption control devices of a plurality of users, the electricity consumption related data of each consumption control device including records of electricity consumption of one or more electric devices of a corresponding one of the plurality of users;
determining whether a total amount of electricity consumed by the plurality of users is greater than a total amount of electricity provided by a plurality of producers;
based on a determination that the total amount of electricity consumed is greater than the total amount of electricity provided, calculating a first electricity consumption reduction amount for each of one or more users of the plurality of users, according to an order of a priority set on the plurality of users from a top to one until a condition is satisfied, the condition being that the total amount of electricity consumed is equal to or less than the total amount of electricity provided;
determining, for each of the one or more users, one or more specific electric devices among from the one or more electric devices and a second electricity consumption reduction amount of each of the one or more specific electric devices, based on the electricity consumption related data and reference data;
generating for each of the one or more users, consumption control data including information on the one or more specific electric devices and the second electricity consumption reduction amount of each of the one or more specific electric devices; and
transmitting to, each of specific one or more consumption control devices of the one or more users, the consumption control data to cause each of the one or more consumption control devices to perform electricity consumption control in relation to the one or more specific electric devices.