JP3304319B2 - Standby power reduction device for electrical equipment with reservation function - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention realizes a predetermined function by operating a secondary output of a power transformer having a primary winding connected to a commercial AC power supply as a power supply in an operation mode. When the reservation time is set by the user's operation, the operation is temporarily stopped and the operation shifts to the reservation standby mode, and when the set reservation time comes, the operation returns to the operation mode to realize the function predetermined for the reservation operation. The present invention relates to an apparatus for reducing power consumption of an electric device with a reservation function during standby for the reservation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In various electric devices operated by a secondary output of a power transformer connected to a commercial AC power source, for example, a heater or a water heater such as a fan heater, or a home electric device such as a VCR, Many can perform a so-called reservation operation. Set the time when the user wants to start the operation of the device, stop the operation of the device until that time, and set it to the reservation standby mode, but when the set time comes, the operation of the device automatically The operation mode is started and the operation mode is entered to realize a function predetermined for each device, for example, a function of starting combustion or starting recording. In such a device, at least the time must be measured even in the reservation standby mode. Therefore, conventionally, not only in the operation mode in which the device is operating but also in the reservation standby mode, the primary side of the power transformer is connected to the commercial AC power supply. And of course, the primary current continues to flow,
On the secondary side, power of about several watts was constantly generated.

[0003]

However, the power required to put the device into the operation mode from the reservation standby mode is only a few milliwatts as long as the latest element technology or circuit technology is applied. It can be done with things. Nevertheless, as described above, conventionally, the main power supply was always operated, and power of several watts or more was wasted as “reservation standby power”. It was not desirable from the viewpoint of the situation.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a standby power reduction device for electric equipment which can significantly reduce reservation standby power and contribute to energy saving. However,
The objective is to not break the situation in which equipment can be isolated from the commercial AC power supply system. In other words, it is assumed that the power of the device must be supplied via a power transformer. Conventionally, the device receives a start signal transmitted based on a user's operation of a remote controller (hereinafter simply referred to as a remote controller) from a normal standby mode in which the device is stopped, not related to the reservation function. Although some attempts have been made to reduce the standby power under the normal standby mode, the transformerless transformer that does not need to provide insulation to the commercial AC power supply system has been made. There were many ideas for equipment, and it was not applicable to equipment that required insulation.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, in an operation mode, a secondary output of a power transformer having a primary winding connected to a commercial AC power supply is operated as power supply power. A predetermined function is realized under the control of the device control unit. When the reservation time is set by the user's operation, the operation is temporarily stopped, the operation mode is shifted to the operation standby mode, and the set reservation time is set. The following configuration is proposed as a standby power reduction device in the standby mode of an electric device with a reservation function that returns to the operation mode when the power comes.

That is, first, in the first invention,
The standby power reduction device is provided with the following configuration requirements. (a) Signal transmission means for transmitting reservation time information when a user inputs a reservation time and performs a decision operation. (b) A reactive current rectifier circuit that rectifies a reactive current drawn through a capacitive coupling unit that is always connected to a commercial AC power supply. (c) A power supply frequency detection circuit which is always supplied with operating power by the rectified output of the reactive current rectifier circuit and outputs time information for timekeeping by detecting the frequency of the reactive current. (d) Similarly, always operating power is given by the rectified output of the reactive current rectifier circuit, and when receiving the reservation time information, after storing the reservation time specified by the information, the power supply command signal is cut off or the power cutoff command signal is sent A management circuit unit that outputs and outputs a power supply command signal when the scheduled time is reached, based on time information output from the power supply frequency detection circuit. (e) When the power supply command signal from the management circuit section is cut off or the power supply cutoff command signal is received, the power supply line switching means provided in series between the commercial AC power supply and the primary winding of the power supply transformer is connected to the power supply line. Transition from the closed state to the power supply line open state, and cut off the primary current supplied from the commercial power supply to the primary winding of the power supply transformer. From the commercial power supply to supply the primary current to the primary winding of the power transformer.

[0007] In addition, the following constituent requirements are further given. (f) The device control unit is configured to start device operation when receiving an operation start instruction signal in a state where power is supplied. (g) After outputting the power supply command signal, the management circuit unit is configured to output an operation start instruction signal to the device control unit via the signal communication unit with a predetermined time delay. (h) The signal communication unit has a light transmission unit and a light reception unit that communicate by placing a signal on light, and the operating power to the light transmission unit is:
The auxiliary power control circuit operates as the management circuit outputs the power supply command signal, so that the power is supplied from the commercial AC power supply, and the operating power to the light receiving unit is supplied via the power transformer of the device body. .

[0008] In the second invention of the present invention, in addition to the constituent elements (a) to (e) in the first invention described above, (i) a display unit connected to the equipment control unit and displaying the time visually is provided. In addition, we propose a standby power reduction device to which the following constituent requirements (j) to (m) are added.

(J) The signal transmitting means has a current time inputting means for inputting a current time and a function of transmitting the inputted current time information. (k) The management circuit unit also has a function of receiving the current time information, and based on the received current time information and the time information output from the power frequency detection circuit after receiving the current time information, The present time information to be updated is transmitted to the device control unit via the signal communication unit. (l) The device control unit is configured to display the current time based on the received current time information on the display unit. (m) The signal communication unit has a light transmitting unit and a light receiving unit that communicate by placing a signal on light, and the operating power to the light transmitting unit is:
The auxiliary power control circuit operates as the management circuit outputs the power supply command signal, so that the power is supplied from the commercial AC power supply, and the operating power to the light receiving unit is supplied via the power transformer of the device body. .

In the above, in particular, the operating power to the light transmitting unit in the signal communication unit is consequently supplied from the commercial AC power supply without passing through the power transformer of the device main body, and the operating power to the light receiving unit is conversely Being provided via a transformer is effective for reasonably establishing signal communication between the equipment that must be insulated from the commercial AC power supply and the circuit that does not need to be. Configuration. In order to save power, it is not necessary to supply power to the display unit (i) in the above configuration when power is not supplied to the device control unit.

According to the present invention, as a third invention, in addition to the above-mentioned constituent features (a) to (e), the following constituent constituents are further added.
We propose a standby power reduction device with (n) to (p) added.

(N) The device control section is also provided with a second signal transmitting means for transmitting the reservation time information when the user inputs the reservation time and performs a decision operation. (o) When the management circuit unit receives the reservation time information from the second signal transmission means, stores the reservation time specified by the information, outputs the power supply command signal or outputs the power cutoff command signal, Then, the elapsed time until the reserved time is started to be measured based on the time information output from the power supply frequency detection circuit, and the power supply command signal is output when the reserved time is reached. (p) a signal communication unit that transmits a signal from the second signal transmission unit provided to the device control unit to the management circuit unit, and is provided in the device control unit to communicate the signal on light. The light transmission section and the light receiving section provided in the management circuit section are provided, and the operating power to the light receiving section is commercialized by the operation of the auxiliary power supply control circuit as the management circuit section outputs the power supply command signal. The operating power supplied from the AC power supply to the light transmitting unit is provided through a power transformer of the device main body.

In the above, the operating power to the light transmitting section in the signal communication section relating to the second signal transmitting means is consequently supplied from the commercial AC power supply without passing through the power transformer of the apparatus body, similarly to the first and second inventions. In contrast, the fact that the operating power to the light receiving section is supplied via the power transformer of the equipment body, on the contrary, for the same reason, the equipment body that must be insulated from the commercial AC power supply, and so on. This is effective for reasonably making signal communication with a circuit part that does not have to be performed.

[0014]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. The electric device main body 50 to be controlled temporarily stops operating when the reservation time is set by the user's operation, shifts from the operation mode to the reservation standby mode, returns to the operation mode when the set reservation time comes, and returns to the operation mode. As long as the electrical device requires a reservation function of realizing a predetermined function related to the reservation operation, the present invention can be applied to any model of the present invention, except for a case where there is a constraint factor not related to the present invention. Falls within the applicable range. The present invention is also applicable to a so-called programmed recording function of a video deck. However, in this description, it is assumed that the device 50 is a heater such as a fan heater for convenience. This electric equipment body or heater 50
Operates in the operation mode by the secondary output of the power transformer 51 having the primary winding connected to the commercial power supply 10, and has a predetermined function, that is, a function of basically heating the room to a set temperature. It is realized and performs the same operation when activated by reservation. At this time, generally, a device control unit 52 that can be configured to include a microcomputer controls the overall operation of the device body 50.
The mode of control and the type of control in the operation mode are not directly defined by the present invention, and may be in any form similar to that of existing equipment. However,
As typified by the heater here, the present invention presupposes that the device main body 50 is not a transformerless configuration and requires a power transformer 51 indispensable in order to take insulation from a commercial power supply. .

As described above, in the conventional heater or the like, when the heater is not in the operating state, that is, when the user has selected to stop the operation and is in the normal standby mode,
Alternatively, even after the reservation time is set, even in the reservation standby mode until the reservation time is reached, in order to receive the transmission signal St from the signal transmission means 11 (generally configured as the remote controller 11 as shown), In order to keep the timekeeping function of the commercial AC power supply 10 and the primary winding of the power transformer 51, the power supply must be continuously supplied to the receiving circuit and the timekeeping circuit. , Power output on the secondary side. However, this has caused a great waste of power consumption. In order to solve this point, the present invention first selectively connects the commercial AC power supply 10 and the primary winding of the power supply transformer 51 with each other. A power line opening / closing means 26 for opening and closing the power line between them is interposed. The power supply line opening / closing means 26 is, as will be confirmed later, when the device main body 50 is in a pause and is in a reservation standby mode, and in this embodiment, when in a normal standby mode as already described. Even a commercial AC power supply
The power supply line between 10 and the primary winding of the power transformer 51 is open.
Power is not supplied. Therefore, naturally, power consumption in the device main body via the power transformer 51 in the standby mode is zero. In the following, the term “standby mode” includes both the reservation standby mode and the normal standby mode. Of course, when it is necessary to clearly distinguish them, they are separately referred to.

However, even in the standby mode, the signal St sent from the signal transmitting means 11 can be received, and when the management circuit unit 15 which will be described later in detail is in a timekeeping operation accompanying a reservation, the function is provided. In order to reduce power consumption as much as possible, in the present invention, a reactive current (leakage current) that can be extracted from the commercial AC power supply 10 is:
Contrary to its name, we are trying to use it effectively. As is well known, power consumption due to a reactive current having a phase difference of 90 ° flowing through a reactance circuit such as a short circuit of an AC power supply with a capacitor is zero. Therefore, in the apparatus of the present invention, a reactive current is extracted from the commercial AC power supply 10 through the capacitive coupling section Cc from the commercial AC power supply, rectified through the reactive current rectification circuit 13, and sent from the signal transmission unit 11. Coming signal St
The signal receiving unit 14 capable of receiving the clock signal is always operated, and the management circuit unit 15 which also controls the timekeeping function is always operated.

In the illustrated case, the reactive current rectifier circuit 13 includes, but is not limited to, a bridge rectifier type rectifier circuit 13a, a smoothing capacitor 13b for smoothing the output thereof, and preferably a simple stabilized power supply. Making zener diode 13c
The smoothed output is provided to the management circuit unit 15. In the case shown, the capacitive coupling section Cc is a commercial AC power supply.
It comprises a pair of capacitors 12a and 12b which are respectively connected in series between both ends of 10 and one of the two AC inputs of the bridge type rectifier circuit 13a. However, of course, the capacitive coupling part Cc
One of the pair of capacitors 12a and 12b can be replaced with a simple line, and in other words, a capacitive coupling circuit capable of extracting a reactive current can be used. Although it is a detailed matter, in the case of the circuit configuration shown in the figure, the time constant differs between the case where both the capacitors 12a and 12b are used and the case where one of them is omitted, and the electric cord is inserted into a commercial power outlet. Then, since a difference occurs in the time from when the standby power reduction device described below starts up, it may be necessary to adjust the capacitance of the capacitor.

The rectified output of the bridge rectification type rectification circuit 13a, which is the reactive current rectification circuit 13, is supplied to the power supply frequency detection circuit 40 before being input to the above-described smoothing circuit. The power supply frequency detection circuit 40 includes a transistor 41 that turns on and off a predetermined threshold (threshold) in the configuration shown in the drawing. Therefore, the pulsating current component included in the rectified output of the reactive current rectifier circuit 13 causes the reactive current The signal is turned on / off at the same frequency as the frequency, and the signal information to be turned on / off is given to the management circuit unit 15 as time information for time measurement. Such a detection circuit is not limited to the illustrated configuration, and can be assembled as a circuit with extremely low power consumption by those skilled in the art using known circuit techniques.

The signal receiving section 14 includes, for example, a case where the signal transmitting means 11 is a so-called infrared remote controller and the transmission signal St is an infrared signal, and a case where the signal transmitting means 11 is a remote controller which includes an infrared light receiving element and uses a radio frequency. May include a receiving circuit for receiving the radio frequency signal. In any case, using the current circuit technology, the operating power required for such a signal receiving unit 14 can be configured to be extremely small, and a minute power obtained by rectifying the reactive power is sufficient. Here, an infrared remote controller is assumed.

The remote controller 11 has an operation button (not shown) for inputting a reservation time, and a button for inputting a reservation time and then performing a determination operation (for example, a "decision button" or a "transfer button"). It is preferable that a display device (not shown), such as a liquid crystal display, is incorporated so that operation can be performed while visually checking the time. In addition, it is preferable that operation means such as a start button (operation button) and a stop button be provided so that the operation of the device can be immediately stopped or started regardless of the reservation. Of course, remote controls that can perform this kind of operation have become commonplace in ordinary households these days, and it is obvious to those skilled in the art even if they do not specifically disclose the specific configuration. However, the present invention may have any configuration and operation form. Regarding the transmission of the transmission signal associated with each operation, it is possible to arrange the information content to be transmitted in a discretionary and appropriate signal modulation form.

However, if a remote control is used, it is inconvenient that at least the operation and stop positions of the equipment cannot be performed when the user loses the remote control or loses his / her location. Therefore, in this embodiment, in addition to providing the remote control 11 with an operating member for starting and stopping, or in place of this, a manual starting switch 16 is also provided, which is wired to the management circuit unit 15, When this is set to the ON position, the management circuit unit 15 determines that the start signal has been received, and when it is set to the OFF position, it determines that the stop signal has been received. In the case shown in the figure, the switch 16 is provided in series with the resistor at both ends of the output of the reactive current rectifier circuit, and the connection point is connected to the input of the judgment unit of the management circuit unit, and if a voltage appears at the input unit, The start switch 16 is determined to be turned on, and if lost, it is determined to be turned off. For example, especially when a microcomputer is used for the management circuit unit 15, it is easy to understand such a signal, and the power consumption required for recognition is small. Rather than opening and closing mechanical contacts, a switch circuit that outputs a signal representing ON and OFF differently each time the switch is operated can be assembled.This is a case where a microcomputer is used as the management circuit unit 15. It can be simply constructed, and when a switch in the on state is operated, it can be assumed that the switch is also in the off position at that time.

The management circuit unit 15 recognizes that the manual start switch 16 has been turned on, or as described above, the signal from the remote controller 11 that the operating power is always supplied even in the normal standby mode. When the management circuit unit 15 recognizes that the activation signal of the device transmitted as the transmission signal St by the signal transmission unit 11 arrives at the reception unit 14 and that the signal reception unit 14 receives and detects the signal, the reactive current rectification is performed. This management circuit section that always operates using the rectified output of the circuit 13 as operating power
Reference numeral 15 outputs a power supply command signal So to the power supply switching unit 20. Of course, if the latest circuit technology is used, the management circuit unit 15 can also operate with extremely low power.
As described above, for example, it can be configured to include a microcomputer. In other words, the power supply command signal So to the power supply opening / closing execution unit 20 is
In terms of energy, the signal may have only a very small amount of energy. For example, by increasing the input impedance of the subsequent circuit system, the signal may be constituted by a voltage signal which consumes almost no power in principle.

When the power supply switching unit 20 receives the power supply command signal So from the management circuit unit 15, the power supply switching unit interposed in the power supply line between the commercial AC power supply 10 and the primary winding of the power transformer 51 is opened and closed. The means 26 is driven to shift from the power line open state to the power line closed state under the normal standby mode. As a result, operating power is supplied from the commercial AC power supply 10 to the device main body 50 via the power transformer 51, and the device main body can be shifted from the standby mode to the operation mode. As will be described later, the operation of the power supply opening / closing execution unit 20 is the same not only in the normal standby mode described here but also in the reservation standby mode, and the management circuit unit Similarly, the power supply line opening / closing means 26 is closed by issuing a power supply command signal from 15, and the commercial AC power supply is connected to the primary winding of the power transformer 51. Operating power for use is provided.

However, the first thing that can be said here is that if the power supply command signal So selectively output from the management circuit unit 15 can be made extremely small in terms of energy as described above, the management Only by the circuit section 15, the signal receiving section 14, and the reactive current rectifier circuit 40, the standby power consumed in the normal standby mode can be significantly reduced, and the timekeeping function in the reserved standby mode described later is considered to be used. However, power consumption is small. In fact, the experimental apparatus of the present applicant has succeeded in reducing the power consumption from several milliwatts to at most about ten and several milliwatts.

However, when the power supply line opening / closing means 26 is finally closed by the power supply commanding signal So via the power supply opening / closing execution unit 20, power is generated only by the reactive current output from the reactive current rectifier circuit 13. May be missing.
For example, in the case of using a normally open relay contact having a high reliability during relatively long-term use as the power supply line opening / closing means 26, the power supply opening / closing execution unit 20 serves as a driver means 23 for selectively closing the power supply switching means. It must have a relay excitation coil 23. In such a case, the operating power from the commercial AC power supply 10 must be supplied to the exciting coil 23, but the situation in which power is always supplied to the driver means 23 even in the standby mode is the purpose of the present invention. Rebel against Thus, as described above, when a large amount of electric power is required to close the power supply opening / closing unit 26 finally by the driver unit 23, the power supply to the driver unit 23 is supplied to the power supply opening / closing unit execution unit 20. An auxiliary power control circuit 22 for controlling the power supply is provided, and the power supply command signal So from the management circuit unit 15 substantially acts on the auxiliary power control circuit 22 in the power supply opening / closing execution unit 20, and the auxiliary power control circuit It is preferable that when the signal is received by the 22, the operating power obtained by rectifying the commercial AC power supply 10 via the rectifying circuit 21 be supplied to the driver means 23. The rectifier circuit 21 may have any suitable configuration other than the bridge type shown in the figure.

The auxiliary power supply control circuit 22 can be easily constructed by a general circuit technique, and is supplied from the rectifier circuit 21 to the driver means 23 in response to the input of the power supply command signal So of minute energy or as a voltage signal. Can be assembled very easily by those skilled in the art as a circuit for closing the power supply line.
However, although not limited, in a normally conceivable circuit configuration, this auxiliary power supply control circuit 22 includes a semiconductor power switching element, and a rectifier circuit based on a duty ratio that is designed and determined in advance to secure a predetermined output voltage. Since the line from 21 to the driver means 23 is choppered or a switching circuit including a dedicated switching transformer is used, a high-frequency AC component may be superimposed on the output. Even in the case of the drawing, such a circuit configuration is assumed, and the output current of the auxiliary power supply control circuit 22 is applied to the driver means 23 after being smoothed by a smoothing circuit including a diode 24a and a smoothing capacitor 24b.

In any case, when the driver means 23 consumes a considerably large amount of power, the operating power can be supplied to the auxiliary power supply control circuit 22 only when necessary, as described above. In the standby mode, power is consumed only by the signal receiving unit 14, the management circuit unit 15, and the reactive current rectifying circuit 40, each of which can be configured to use only a small amount of power. Extremely desirable results are obtained in terms of "energy saving".

The power supply line opening / closing means 26 includes a commercial AC power supply 10 and a power transformer primary winding in addition to the above-mentioned normally open relay contact.
It is also possible to use a semiconductor power switching element in which an element line is interposed in series in the power supply line between 51. In such a case, naturally, the driver means 23 can be configured as a driver circuit including a driver transistor that controls the element line of the element to be selectively turned on. Also in this case, it is desirable that the auxiliary power supply control circuit 22 be configured to supply the operating power to the driver circuit 23 only when it needs to receive the power supply command signal So from the management circuit unit 15. However, conversely, power line switching means
In the case where 26 can be driven by an electric signal of extremely small energy, for example, a microcomputer or the like included in the management circuit section 15 is used as driver means, and the power supply command signal So, which is a selective output, is directly used as a driver. A signal may be used to close the power supply line opening / closing means 26. In that case, the auxiliary power supply control circuit 22 becomes unnecessary.

Next, the case where the operation is forcibly stopped by the user's operation from the time when the device is operating and the operation shifts to the normal standby mode will be described. The signal transmitting means 11 is selectively operated by the user. When the transmission signal St to be transmitted to the device is a device operation stop signal that can be discriminated in a signal form different from the previous start signal, or when the manual start switch 16 is set to the off position, the management circuit unit 15 Signal receiver 14
When the reception of the operation stop signal is detected through or the manual start switch 16 is recognized to change to the off position, the management circuit unit 15 transmits the power supply command signal So that has been sent to the power supply opening / closing execution unit 20 until then. The power supply cutoff command signal is sent to the power supply line opening / closing execution unit 20 to return the power supply line switching unit 26 from the closed state to the original open state. As a result, the apparatus uses the initial standby mode, that is, the power using the reactive current is supplied only to the signal receiving unit 14, the management circuit unit 15, and the power supply frequency detection circuit 40, and the main unit 50 is supplied with the commercial AC power supply. It is possible to return to a state where no power is supplied from 10. As described above, when the auxiliary power control circuit 22 is used, when the power supply command signal So is cut off or the power cutoff command signal is received, the auxiliary power control circuit 22 It is configured to stop the supply.

When the device control device 52 generally including a microcomputer controls the entire operation of the device main body 50, the device immediately starts operating because the power supply transformer 51 of the device main body 50 is energized. It is not always configured to start. Rather, when an operation start signal is applied to the device control unit 52 in a state where operating power is supplied to the device control unit 52, the control unit 52 may be assembled so as to start a control operation only there. Quite a lot. Therefore, in the apparatus according to this embodiment of the present invention, a signal communication unit is separately provided.
30 are provided to satisfy this condition. The signal communication unit 30 is used as a communication unit that also transmits current time information and the like as described later, and conversely, a communication unit that sends a specific signal from the device body 50 to the management circuit unit 15. 60
Is preferably provided separately, so this signal communication section
Hereinafter, 30 is referred to as a first communication unit 30, and the other 60 is referred to as a second communication unit 60.

However, when the start signal as the transmission signal St from the signal transmission means 11 is given to the signal receiving section 14 while in the standby mode, the present apparatus transmits the start signal from the management circuit section 15 according to the mechanism already described. The operating power is given to the driver means 23 through the driver power supply control circuit 22 based on the command of
Then, the power transformer 51 is energized. At this time, in the illustrated device, the operating power is also supplied to the transmitting unit 31 of the first communication unit 30 via the auxiliary power control circuit 22 at the same time. In this case, the transmitting unit 31 of the first communication unit 30 is desirably a light transmitting unit 31 that follows optical signal communication for a reason described later, and the light transmitting unit 31 is, for example, a light emitting element.
It is composed of a series circuit of 31a and its driver transistor 31b. The driver transistor 31b is configured as, but not limited to, a bipolar npn transistor, and its main current path between the emitter and collector is in series with the light emitting element 31a formed by a light emitting diode. .

An output of a management circuit section 15 which can be constituted by a microcomputer, for example, is connected to a base terminal which is a control input of the driver transistor 31b. When outputting the command signal So, after a predetermined time delay, a significant voltage signal with a significant pulse width or a significant pulse train having a meaning as a logical value is applied to the base terminal of the driver transistor. A voltage signal is applied. Accordingly, the light emitting element 31a emits light in response to the input signal, and the receiving element 32a (light receiving element 32a) in the receiving section 32 (in this case, the light receiving section 32) provided in cooperation with the device control section 52 is operated. This signal is received and transmitted to the device control unit 52 to notify that it should be started. The operating power to the receiving unit 32 may be provided via the power transformer 51.
The first communication unit 30 is operated with a predetermined time delay after the management circuit unit 15 outputs the power supply command signal So, of course, the device control unit 52 and the light receiving unit 32 This is because a signal is sent when stable operation is started by creating a condition that operating power is given in advance. When the device is stopped, in principle, the power supply line opening / closing means 26 may be simply opened by the operation described above, but if necessary, a stop signal is first sent to the device control unit 52, and then the device is turned off. If necessary, the management circuit unit 15 first sends a stop signal of a specific signal form to the first communication unit.
After transmission via the power supply 30, a power cutoff command signal may be sent to the power on / off execution unit 20 with a predetermined fixed time delay, or the power supply command signal So may be cut off.

The first communication unit 30 can be expected to be used more effectively. Generally, when an infrared signal for changing, for example, a set temperature is transmitted from the remote controller when the device body 50 such as a heater is in use, the device control unit 52 receives the signal and performs control according to the signal content. Works like that.
In such a case, a dedicated receiving unit is usually provided. However, in the apparatus of this embodiment, as shown in the drawing, the signal receiving unit 14 is already provided, and this is also used as a receiving unit for such a control signal. be able to. That is, a signal carrying device setting information or setting change information (for example, a signal for changing a desired room temperature) transmitted from the signal transmitting means 11 is received by the signal receiving unit 14, and the management circuit unit 15 The signal can be transmitted to the device control unit 52 via the first communication unit 30 in a signal form corresponding to the above. In this way, the signal receiving unit 14, the management circuit unit 15, and the first communication unit 30 can always be used even after the power of the device main body 50 is turned on, which is reasonable.

The reason why the first communication section 30 employs the optical communication configuration including the light emitting element 31a and the light receiving element 32a is that, as described above, the equipment main body 50 needs to be insulated from the commercial AC power supply 10. This is because such a requirement is not impaired even when the light transmitting unit 31 is driven by a commercial AC power supply as shown in the figure. Of course, such a light transmitting unit and a light receiving unit can be constituted by a single, extremely small so-called photocoupler as a component. Similarly, in a second communication unit 60 to be described later, the transmitting unit 61 is a light transmitting unit, and the light emitting element 61a included therein, and the receiving unit 62 is a light receiving unit, and the light receiving element 62a included therein is included. It is preferable to use an optical communication configuration consisting of:

In the illustrated embodiment, the operating power of the first communication unit 30, particularly the transmission unit (light transmission unit) 30, is rationally selectively supplied in such a manner as to share the auxiliary power supply control circuit 22. However, of course, in principle, a dedicated power supply control circuit for the signal communication unit may be provided. As the designated signal output unit 15 outputs the power supply command signal So, the signal communication unit power supply control circuit may be configured to supply the operating power from the commercial AC power supply to the signal communication unit, particularly to the transmission unit 31. It is.

Now, a description will be given of the reduction of the reservation standby power accompanying the reservation operation, which is the subject of the present invention. When the electric device is in the operation mode, the user sets the above-mentioned reservation time (not shown) by the user. After inputting a reservation time to automatically start operation of the electric device 50 in the future by using an operation button or the like for inputting, when a button for determining operation is operated, reservation time information bearing the reservation time is transmitted as a signal. It is sent from the means or the remote controller 11. The management circuit unit 15 receives this
When received via the control circuit 14, the management circuit unit 15 stores the reserved time, and then cuts off the power supply command signal So, and outputs a power cutoff command signal as discriminative information in place of the signal. In this case, the power supply opening / closing execution unit 20 returns the power supply line opening / closing unit 26 from the power supply line closed state to the original open state by the same mechanism as described above as the operation caused by the stop signal, and returns to the electric device 50. Cut off the operation power supply via the power transformer 51, and only the power supply frequency detection circuit 40, the management circuit unit 15, and the reception unit 14 operate due to the reactive current.
Enter the reservation standby mode with very low power consumption. As described above, when the auxiliary power control circuit 22 is used, when the power supply command signal So is cut off or the power cutoff command signal is received, the auxiliary power control circuit 22 Stop supply.

At the same time, the management circuit unit 15 enters a timekeeping mode. That is, time measurement is started based on the time information output from the power supply frequency detection circuit 40. Then, eventually, when the stored reservation time comes, the management circuit unit 15 outputs the power supply command signal So again. Accordingly, the power supply line closing means 26 is closed through the operation of the power supply opening / closing execution unit 20 according to the same mechanism as the above-described series of operations caused by the start signal, and the commercial AC power is supplied to the power transformer 51. Upon being applied, the electric device 51 can start automatic operation. At this time, unlike the case of receiving the activation signal, in the activation by reservation, in order to realize a predetermined function corresponding to the activation signal, the device control unit 52 indicates that the activation by the reservation has been performed.
There is also a case where you need to know. In such a case, the first communication unit 30 described above is diverted (or may be dedicatedly provided), and the management circuit unit 15 transmits a discriminating signal indicating that it has been activated by reservation to the device control unit 52 via this. And
In response to this, the device control unit 52 realizes a predetermined function corresponding to the reservation start. This signal may also serve as the operation start instruction signal when the device control unit 52 is configured to start the operation by receiving the operation start instruction signal after the power is supplied to the power supply. As described above, the management circuit unit 15 may transmit the power supply command signal So with a predetermined time delay after outputting the power supply command signal So, as described above.

Here, for example, if the reservation time information is information such as how many hours later or how many minutes later, it is not necessary to particularly know the current time. In this case, the management circuit unit 15 counts the clock pulse that appears in the output of the power supply frequency detection circuit 40 after receiving the reservation time information, determines that the reservation time has been reached when the set time has elapsed, and What is necessary is just to output the supply command signal So. The present invention can of course be applied to such a case.

On the other hand, when the reservation time information is represented by an absolute time such as what time and what minute, the management circuit section 15 needs to know the current time in advance. Therefore, preferably, the signal transmitting means 11 or the remote controller 11 is also provided with an input means for inputting the current time (actually, the means for inputting the reserved time described above can be used together) so that the user For example, when the user operates the input unit while listening to the time information on the telephone, and performs a determination operation after adjusting the time (for example, pressing the determination button or the transfer button as described above), the signal transmission unit 11 transmits the current time. Submit information.

When this information is received via the signal receiving unit 14, the management circuit unit 15 stores the time, activates the timekeeping function at the same time, and based on the time information output from the power supply frequency detection circuit 40, keeps the current time. The time is measured and updated and stored. Such a configuration is also very easy for those skilled in the art according to recent remote control configuration technology and the like. Since it is desirable that the current time be visually displayed to the user, for example, a display unit 53 such as a liquid crystal display capable of visually displaying the time is provided in the device control unit 52, and the management circuit unit 15 is preferably the first communication described above. The current time, which is constantly updated, is sent to the device control unit 52 via the communication unit that can use the unit 30 to control the device.
52 displays the current time sent on the display unit 53. However, in order to minimize power consumption, the liquid crystal display may be turned off when the device 50 enters the standby mode. In other words, the power supplied to the display unit 53 is supplied through the power transformer 51. It may be configured so that

Of course, when the current time is configured to be timed, the management circuit unit 15 starts measuring the time from the current time at that time to the reserved time upon receiving the reserved time information, When it arrives, it outputs the power supply command signal So to perform the above-described operation for automatically starting the device.

In the case where the signal transmitting means is the remote controller 11, the setting of the current time and the setting of the reservation time are desirably performed not only by the remote controller but also through an operation panel provided in the device main body 50. Therefore, in this embodiment, an operation member that allows a user to input a reservation time and perform a determination operation, and a second signal transmission unit 54 having a function of transmitting reservation time information based on the determination operation are provided. When the management circuit unit 15 receives the reservation time information from the second signal transmission unit 54, the management circuit unit 15 stores the reservation time specified by the information in the same manner as described above, and then issues the power supply command. The power supply frequency detection circuit detects the signal So or outputs the power cutoff command signal So and the elapsed time until the reserved time.
The timer starts counting based on the time information output by 40, and outputs a power supply command signal So when the reserved time is reached.

Similarly, regarding the setting of the current time, the second signal transmitting means 54 is provided with a current time input means for inputting the current time and a function of transmitting the input current time information. The management circuit unit 15 is also provided with a function of receiving current time information, and measures and updates the time based on the received current time information and the time information output from the power supply frequency detection circuit 40 after receiving the current time information. The current time information to be sent to the device control unit 52 of the electrical device, and the device control unit 52 displays the current time based on the received current time information on the display unit, so that the current time can be used without using the remote controller 11. The setting which can also set is adopted.

Further, the signal from the second signal transmitting means 54 is transmitted to the management circuit unit 15 first by the first communication unit.
For the same reason as described for 30, the operation is performed via the second communication unit 60 by optical communication, and the device body and the circuit portion driven by the reactive current rectifier circuit are insulated. As shown in the figure, each signal is changed, for example, by changing the method (frequency, duty ratio, etc.) when the driver transistor in series with the light emitting element 61a in the second communication unit light transmitting unit 61 is turned on / off by pulse modulation. Alternatively, the signal form may be such that the management circuit unit 15 can discriminate the current time information or the reserved time information in a discriminating manner. At this time, the power is supplied to the light emitting element 61a in the second communication unit light transmitting unit 61 via the power transformer 51, and the second communication unit light receiving unit
Power is supplied to the light receiving element 62a in the 62 through the auxiliary power supply control circuit 22, so that the light transmitting element 61a operates uselessly in the standby mode in which the operation of the device is also stopped. Try to avoid it.

In this embodiment, the power supply line switching means
Drive means 23 for driving 26, for receiving a signal from the light emitting element 31a or the device control unit 52 in the first communication unit for transmitting a signal from the management circuit unit 15 to the device control unit 52 The second communication unit light receiving elements 62a are all driven by the common auxiliary power supply control circuit 22 and are supplied with power only when necessary, but the operating power to each of these means is dedicated or The power may be supplied from a common auxiliary power supply control circuit every several times. Also in this case, the configuration of each auxiliary power control circuit can be almost the same, and power is supplied to the corresponding means based on the power supply command signal So from the management circuit unit 15, and the power supply command signal Power is cut off when So is lost or a power cutoff signal is received. Also, in the present embodiment, means for transmitting and receiving signals such as a signal for instructing the device control unit 52 to start operation and current time information and reservation time information are both common communication units 31 and 61 in the present embodiment. Although this is of course reasonable, it is also possible to provide a dedicated communication unit or a common communication unit for some of them.

Further, the management circuit unit 15 substantially stores the received reservation time in a storage unit and uses it. This storage unit is preferably an electrically rewritable nonvolatile memory such as an EEPROM. In this case, for example, when the outlet is disconnected from the commercial AC power supply or due to a power outage, the power supply from the reactive current rectifier circuit 40 is temporarily cut off, and then the outlet is connected again, or when the power is restored from the power outage, etc. Even if the setting must be redone in some cases, at least by using the reserved time stored in the non-volatile memory by the management circuit unit 15, it is not necessary to at least set the reserved time again, and Is reduced.

[0047]

According to the present invention, the presence of a power supply transformer is indispensable because it is necessary to ensure insulation from a commercial AC power supply, and even if the equipment itself is in a substantially stopped state after setting a reservation, timekeeping is performed. Therefore, in a device that must be in the standby mode for this purpose, power consumption during the reservation standby can be significantly reduced as compared with the conventional example. Eliminating wasteful energy consumption can also contribute to environmental issues.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a standby power reduction device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Commercial AC power supply 11 (First) Signal transmission means or remote control 12 Capacitive coupling unit 13 Reactive current rectifier circuit 14 Signal receiving unit 15 Management circuit unit 20 Power supply switching unit 22 Auxiliary power supply control circuit 23 Driver unit 26 Power supply line switching unit 30 First signal communication unit 31 Light transmission unit 32 Light reception unit 40 Power frequency detection circuit 50 Device body 51 Power transformer 52 Device control unit 53 Display unit 54 Second signal transmission unit 60 Second communication unit 61 Light transmission unit 62 Light reception unit

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] In an operation mode, a predetermined function is operated under the control of an equipment control unit by operating a secondary output of a power transformer in which a primary winding is connected to a commercial AC power supply as a power supply. When the reservation time is set by a user's operation, the operation is temporarily stopped, the operation mode is shifted from the operation mode to the reservation standby mode, and the operation mode is returned to the operation mode when the set reservation time comes. A signal transmission means for transmitting reservation time information when a user inputs a reservation time and performs a decision operation; and a capacity coupling unit which is always connected to the commercial AC power supply. A reactive current rectifier circuit for rectifying a reactive current taken out via the rectifier circuit; a rectified output of the reactive current rectifier circuit constantly supplies operating power; A power supply frequency detection circuit capable of outputting time information for time; a rectified output of the reactive current rectifier circuit constantly supplies operating power, and upon receiving the reservation time information, stores a reservation time specified by the information. Thereafter, the power supply command signal is cut off or a power cutoff command signal is output, and the elapsed time until the reserved time is started to be counted based on the time information output from the power supply frequency detection circuit. And a management circuit section for outputting the power supply command signal; and when the power supply command signal from the management circuit section is cut off or receives the power cutoff command signal, the commercial AC power supply and the primary winding of the power supply transformer. The power supply line switching means provided in series between the power supply line is shifted from the power supply line closed state to the power supply line open state, and supplied from the commercial power supply to the primary winding of the power supply transformer. When the power supply command signal is received while the primary current is interrupted, the power supply line opening / closing means is shifted from the power supply line open state to the power supply line closed state, and the primary winding of the power supply transformer is switched from the commercial power supply. A power supply switching unit for supplying a primary current to the line; and wherein the device control unit is configured to start device operation when receiving an operation start instruction signal in a state where power is supplied. After outputting the power supply command signal, the management circuit unit provides the device control unit with a predetermined time delay,
The signal communication unit is configured to output the operation start instruction signal via a signal communication unit; the signal communication unit includes a light transmitting unit and a light receiving unit that communicate by placing a signal on light; The operating power to the light receiving unit is supplied from the commercial AC power supply by the operation of the auxiliary power control circuit as the management circuit unit outputs the power supply command signal; the operating power to the light receiving unit is A standby power reducing device for an electric device with a reservation function, wherein the power is supplied through a power transformer. In an operation mode, a predetermined function is operated under the control of a device control unit by operating a secondary output of a power transformer in which a primary winding is connected to a commercial AC power source as a power source. When the reservation time is set by a user's operation, the operation is temporarily stopped, the operation mode is shifted from the operation mode to the reservation standby mode, and the operation mode is returned to the operation mode when the set reservation time comes. A signal transmission means for transmitting reservation time information when a user inputs a reservation time and performs a decision operation; and a capacity coupling unit which is always connected to the commercial AC power supply. A reactive current rectifier circuit for rectifying a reactive current taken out via the rectifier circuit; a rectified output of the reactive current rectifier circuit constantly supplies operating power; A power supply frequency detection circuit capable of outputting time information for time; a rectified output of the reactive current rectifier circuit constantly supplies operating power, and upon receiving the reservation time information, stores a reservation time specified by the information. Thereafter, the power supply command signal is cut off or a power cutoff command signal is output, and the elapsed time until the reserved time is started to be counted based on the time information output from the power supply frequency detection circuit. And a management circuit section for outputting the power supply command signal; and when the power supply command signal from the management circuit section is cut off or receives the power cutoff command signal, the commercial AC power supply and the primary winding of the power supply transformer. The power supply line switching means provided in series between the power supply line is shifted from the power supply line closed state to the power supply line open state, and supplied from the commercial power supply to the primary winding of the power supply transformer. When the power supply command signal is received while the primary current is interrupted, the power supply line opening / closing means is shifted from the power supply line open state to the power supply line closed state, and the primary winding of the power supply transformer is switched from the commercial power supply. A power supply switching unit for supplying a primary current to the line; and a display unit connected to the device control unit and displaying the time visually. The signal transmission unit is a current time input unit for inputting a current time. And the function of transmitting the input current time information; and the management circuit unit also has a function of receiving the current time information, and receives the received current time information and the current time information. Then, the current time information to be timed and updated based on the time information output from the power supply frequency detection circuit is sent to the device control unit via the signal communication unit; the device control unit receives the received current time information. The signal communication unit has a light transmitting unit and a light receiving unit that communicate by placing a signal on light; and the operating power to the light transmitting unit is: The auxiliary power control circuit operates as the management circuit outputs the power supply command signal, and is supplied from the commercial AC power supply. The operating power to the light receiving unit is transmitted through a power transformer of the device body. A standby power reduction device for an electric device with a reservation function, characterized in that: 3. In an operation mode, a predetermined function is operated under the control of a device control section by operating a secondary output of a power transformer in which a primary winding is connected to a commercial AC power supply as a power supply. When the reservation time is set by a user's operation, the operation is temporarily stopped, the operation mode is shifted from the operation mode to the reservation standby mode, and the operation mode is returned to the operation mode when the set reservation time comes. A signal transmission means for transmitting reservation time information when a user inputs a reservation time and performs a decision operation; and a capacity coupling unit which is always connected to the commercial AC power supply. A reactive current rectifier circuit for rectifying a reactive current taken out via the rectifier circuit; a rectified output of the reactive current rectifier circuit constantly supplies operating power; A power supply frequency detection circuit capable of outputting time information for time; a rectified output of the reactive current rectifier circuit constantly supplies operating power, and upon receiving the reservation time information, stores a reservation time specified by the information. Thereafter, the power supply command signal is cut off or a power cutoff command signal is output, and the elapsed time until the reserved time is started to be counted based on the time information output from the power supply frequency detection circuit. And a management circuit section for outputting the power supply command signal; and when the power supply command signal from the management circuit section is cut off or receives the power cutoff command signal, the commercial AC power supply and the primary winding of the power supply transformer. The power supply line switching means provided in series between the power supply line is shifted from the power supply line closed state to the power supply line open state, and supplied from the commercial power supply to the primary winding of the power supply transformer. When the power supply command signal is received while the primary current is interrupted, the power supply line opening / closing means is shifted from the power supply line open state to the power supply line closed state, and the primary winding of the power supply transformer is switched from the commercial power supply. A power supply switching unit for supplying a primary current to the line; the device control unit also includes a second signal transmission unit that transmits reservation time information when a user inputs a reservation time and performs a determination operation. The management circuit unit, upon receiving the reservation time information from the second signal transmitting means, stores the reservation time specified by the information, and then shuts off the power supply command signal or the power cutoff command. A signal is output, and the elapsed time until the reserved time is started to be measured based on the time information output from the power supply frequency detection circuit. When the reserved time is reached, the power supply command signal is output. A signal communication unit for transmitting a signal from the second signal transmission means provided in the device control unit to the management circuit unit, the signal communication unit being provided in the device control unit so as to communicate the signal on light. And a light-receiving unit provided in the management circuit unit. The operating power to the light-receiving unit is controlled by an auxiliary power supply as the management circuit unit outputs the power supply command signal. The standby power of the electrical equipment with a reservation function is supplied from the commercial AC power supply by the operation of the circuit; and the operating power to the light transmitting unit is supplied via a power transformer of the equipment body. apparatus.