System for controlling electric power supply to devices

1. A system for controlling a supply of electric power, comprising:

a plurality of electric power sources;

one or more electrical devices; and

a control part, wherein the control part provides a plurality of power distribution control modes that control distribution of electric power from one or more of the electric power sources to said one or more electrical devices, each of the power distribution control modes using one or more of the electric power sources as a power source combination for said one or more electrical devices,

wherein the control part is configured to control an operation of each electrical device based on one of at least two control patterns,

wherein each of the at least two control patterns is configured to allow said each electrical device to operate while consuming different amounts of electric power from each other,

wherein the electric power sources include a commercial power source, a distributed power source, and a secondary battery which is rechargeable by at least one of the commercial power source and the distributed power source,

wherein the control part includes:

a power distribution control unit configured to perform a power distribution control by determining one of the power distribution control modes based on at least one of conditions including an amount of electric power suppliable from the electric power sources and an amount of electric power demanded by said one or more electrical devices, and by switching the electric power sources based on a result of the determination; and

a power saving control unit configured to perform a power saving control by changing the control patterns for each electrical device in accordance with said one of the power distribution control modes determined by the power distribution control unit, so that a power consumption of each electrical device varies depending on said at least one of the conditions,

wherein the power distribution control modes include a mode using only the commercial power source as the power source combination, and

wherein, the control patterns are set in association with the power distribution control modes such that when the power distribution control unit operates in the mode using only the commercial power source, the power consumption is smaller than when one or more of the electric power sources other than the commercial power source are used as the power source combination.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the distributed power source includes solar cells,

wherein the power distribution control modes further includes:

a mode using only the solar cells as the power source combination; and

a mode using the solar cells and the secondary battery as the power source combination, and

wherein the control patterns are set in association with the power distribution control modes such that:

when the commercial power source is used as the power source combination, the power consumption is smaller than when the power distribution control unit operates in the mode using the solar cells and the secondary battery; and

when the power distribution control unit operates in the mode using the solar cells and the secondary battery, the power consumption is smaller than when the power distribution control unit operates in the mode using only the solar cells.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the power distribution control modes further include;

a mode using the solar cells, the secondary battery, and the commercial power source; and

a mode using the solar cells and the commercial power source, and

wherein the power saving control unit uses a control pattern whose amount of a reduction in the power consumption is set to zero when the power distribution control unit operates in the mode using only the solar cells, uses a control pattern whose amount of the reduction in the power consumption is set to a maximum value when the power distribution control unit operates in the mode using only the commercial power source, and uses a control pattern whose amount of the reduction in the power consumption to a value larger than zero and smaller than the maximum value when the power distribution control unit operates in one of the mode using the solar cells and the secondary battery, the mode using the solar cells, the secondary battery, and the commercial power source, and the mode using the solar cells and the commercial power source.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the power distribution control modes use different power source combinations from each other.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control part further includes a manipulation unit for allowing a user to set an intensity of the power saving control performed by the power saving control unit, and

wherein the power saving control unit sets the control patterns based on the intensity of the power saving control set by the user.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the conditions further include a current time period throughout the day, and

wherein the control patterns are set in association with the power distribution control modes such that while the commercial power source is used as the power source combination, the power consumption of each electrical device varies depending on a unit electricity price of the commercial power source at the current time period.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the power saving control unit changes the power consumption before the electric power sources are switched.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control patterns further include a control pattern which allows said each electrical device to operate while consuming a larger amount of electric power compared to said at least two control patterns, and a control pattern which causes said each electrical device to be turned off.

9. A control device for controlling a supply of electric power from a plurality of electric power sources to one or more electrical devices, the control device comprising:

a control unit,

wherein the control unit provides a plurality of power distribution control modes that control distribution of electric power from one or more of the electric power sources to said one or more electrical devices, each of the power distribution control modes using one or more of the electric power sources as a power source combination for said one or more electrical devices,

wherein the control part is configured to control an operation of each electrical device based on one of at least two control patterns,

wherein each of the at least two control patterns is configured to allow said each electrical device to operate while consuming different amounts of electric power from each other,

wherein the electric power sources include a commercial power source, a distributed power source, and a secondary battery which is rechargeable by at least one of the commercial power source and the distributed power source,

wherein the control unit includes:

a power distribution control unit configured to perform a power distribution control by determining one of the power distribution control modes based on at least one of conditions including an amount of electric power suppliable from the electric power sources and an amount of electric power demanded by said one or more electrical devices, and by switching the electric power sources based on a result of the determination; and

a power saving control unit configured to perform a power saving control by changing the control patterns for each electrical device in accordance with said one of the power distribution control modes determined by the power distribution control unit, so that a power consumption of each electrical device varies depending on said at least one of the conditions,

wherein the power distribution control modes include a mode using only the commercial power source as the power source combination, and

wherein, the control patterns are set in association with the power distribution control modes such that when the power distribution control unit operates in the mode using only the commercial power source, the power consumption is smaller than when one or more of the electric power sources other than the commercial power source are used as the power source combination.

10. The control device of claim 9 , wherein the distributed power source includes solar cells,

wherein the power distribution control modes further includes:

a mode using only the solar cells as the power source combination; and

a mode using the solar cells and the secondary battery as the power source combination, and

wherein the control patterns are set in association with the power distribution control modes such that:

when the commercial power source is used as the power source combination, the power consumption is smaller than when the power distribution control unit operates in the mode using the solar cells and the secondary battery; and

when the power distribution control unit operates in the mode using the solar cells and the secondary battery, the power consumption is smaller than when the power distribution control unit operates in the mode using only the solar cells.

11. The control device of claim 10 , wherein the power distribution control modes further include:

a mode using the solar cells, the secondary battery, and the commercial power source; and

a mode using the solar cells and the commercial power source, and

wherein the power saving control unit uses a control pattern whose amount of a reduction in the power consumption is set to zero when the power distribution control unit operates in the mode using only the solar cells, uses a control pattern whose amount of the reduction in the power consumption is set to a maximum value when the power distribution control unit operates in the mode using only the commercial power source, and uses a control pattern whose amount of the reduction in the power consumption to a value larger than zero and smaller than the maximum value when the power distribution control unit operates in one of the mode using the solar cells and the secondary battery, the mode using the solar cells, the secondary battery, and the commercial power source, and the mode using the solar cells and the commercial power source.

12. The control device of claim 9 , wherein at least two of the power distribution control modes use different power source combinations from each other.

13. The control device of claim 9 , wherein the control unit further includes a manipulation unit for allowing a user to set an intensity of the power saving control performed by the power saving control unit, and

wherein the power saving control unit sets the control patterns based on the intensity of the power saving control set by the user.

14. The control device of claim 9 , wherein the conditions further include a current time period throughout the day, and

wherein the control patterns are set in association with the power distribution control modes such that while the commercial power source is used as the power source combination, the power consumption of each electrical device varies depending on a unit electricity price of the commercial power source at the current time period.

15. The control device of claim 9 , wherein the power saving control unit changes the power consumption before the electric power sources are switched.

16. The control device of claim 9 , wherein the control patterns further include a control pattern which allows said each electrical device to operate while consuming a larger amount of electric power compared to said at least two control patterns, and a control pattern which causes said each electrical device to be turned off.