Abstract: An object of the invention is to reduce an inconvenience in which power consumption from a commercial power supply exceeds a predetermined threshold. To achieve the object, there is provided a power management apparatus (1) including: a load monitoring unit (10) that specifies a timing, at which power consumption of a predetermined load (3) present in a unit power network (100) exceeds a predetermined value, before the timing; and a power storage system control unit (20) that controls the power storage system (2) supplying power to the unit power network (100) to start power supply a predetermined period of time before the timing.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to reduce an inconvenience in which power consumption from a commercial power supply exceeds a predetermined threshold. To achieve the object, there is provided a power management apparatus (1) including: a load monitoring unit (10) that specifies a timing, at which power consumption of a predetermined load (3) present in a unit power network (100) exceeds a predetermined value, before the timing; and a power storage system control unit (20) that controls the power storage system (2) supplying power to the unit power network (100) to start power supply a predetermined period of time before the timing.

Abstract: A personal identification system includes local computer systems to be operated by authorized users, a remote computer system having common resources (data, hardware, etc.) to be accessed from the local computer systems, and a personal verification system having a database section which stores passwords of each authorized user and physical characteristics data corresponding to each password. When a user made a request to a local computer system for the use of the common resources of the remote computer system, physical characteristics (a fingerprint etc.) of the user is scanned by a scanning section of the local computer system, and characteristics data generated based on the scanned physical characteristics is sent to the personal verification system. The personal verification system searches the database section for a password using the received characteristics data as a key, and sends the searched password to the local computer system.

Abstract: An architecture providing a human interface includes a user input device, a studio or workplace receiving an output of the user input device, the studio being capable of storing and sharing information, and a plurality of agents or functional modules connected to supply/receive data from the studio. The agents are connected in parallel and perform processing as distributed and cooperative processing of functions by the user. The agents are independent components having independent functions performing processing on data in the studio to receive and store items of information, respectively, from and to the studio as a shared information medium, the studio being accessible to the user and to the plurality of agents. Each of the plurality of agents can be independently started depending upon a status of the studio.