Abstract: The present disclosure is disclosed to record in detail and manage information on energy use history of a user under various energy pricing systems where energy prices are changed in time. To this end, an energy meter receives time-based energy price information from a remote server, and time-sequentially records a record including time information of relevant unit time for each unit time, energy price information applied to relevant unit time and energy consumption information at the relevant unit time, whereby the information on how much, when and at what price the user has used the energy can be accurately and quite obviously managed. The energy use history can be used in various fields as data for promoting reasonable energy use, and as a base for calculating energy use charge.

Abstract: Disclosed are an energy management system, an energy management method and a repeater for an energy management system. The repeater receives information on an amount of energy consumption of the individual user from the meter, and receives information on an energy pricing system from the central management server. Then, the repeater analyzes and manages the energy consumption rate of the individual user using the received information, and transmits information on the energy consumption rate to the meter or the central management server. The repeater may also analyze various information such as information on an energy consumption propensity of the individual user. The repeater immediately transmits essential information but transmits incidental information only when there is a request of the meter or the central management server. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce communication traffic between the central management server and the plurality of meters.

Abstract: The present disclosure can update firmware of home electronic devices using an energy meter installed at each energy consumer house. The energy meter receives firmware from a remote server managing the firmware of home electronic devices and transmits the firmware to home electronic devices. The energy meter may bypass the firmware of the home electronic devices received from the remote server, or pre-download and transmit to the home electronic devices at a time the update is to be implemented.

Abstract: According to the present disclosure, an energy meter installed at each energy consumer receives in advance a new firmware from a remote server, and updates its own firmware at a future time. The energy meter may receive update time information designating a future time when downloading the firmware, or may execute the update in response to update execution instruction from the remote server once the firmware is downloaded. The firmware update may be executed for each module unit. Communication traffic can be dispersed because the download is given to each energy meter in advance before a time firmware or firmware module update is to be executed. A large load is prevented from being loaded to the remote server at once. It is easy to manage or control a plurality of energy meters because the update can be executed in a lump.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for energy management of electric devices, which individually displays various pieces of energy related information, such as consumption time, power consumption amount, current electricity rate and future electricity rate, in an apparatus provided to each electric device and controls the presence of operation of an individual electric device so as to make more effective use of limited energy resources in commercialized smart grid and smart meter technologies in which the energy price is changed depending on time. To this end, the operating state of each of the electric devices is estimated based on a variation in total energy consumption amount detected by a meter.

Abstract: According to the present disclosure, information on the amount of energy used is received from a meter in an energy consumption place and total rate of energy used in the energy consumption place using the received information. Further, when the calculated total rate of energy exceeds an upper limit set by a user in advance, a mobile terminal of the user is informed of it so as to enable the user to selectively control energy usage equipment in the energy consumption place. Since mobile terminals are carried by the user, when an energy usage rate exceeds an upper limit by an increased amount of energy used or energy price change, the user can identify it at anytime and anywhere.

Abstract: Disclosed is a charging/discharging apparatus and charging/discharging method. According to the present disclosure, a user can suitably control a battery charging/discharging under a price changing system in which electricity price varies depending on time of day. To do this, after the user input a charging reference price and a discharging reference price, the battery is charged when electricity price supplied from a power company is equal to or less than the charging reference price and discharged when the electricity price is equal to or higher than the discharging reference price. A charging/discharging schedule of the battery can be determined using various charging/discharging conditions, other than the charging reference price and discharging reference price, and especially the charging/discharging schedule can be controlled such that the user can make the most profit.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for energy management are disclosed. An operating state of each energy consumption device is estimated by detecting a variation in total energy consumption amount per unit time using a meter and then comparing the variation with a previously inputted energy consumption amount per unit time for each of the energy consumption devices. If the operating state of each of the energy consumption devices is estimated, it is possible to detect the consumption time and power consumption amount for each of the energy consumption devices, thereby predicting a current or future energy consumption rate. The predicted result is applied in various manners so as to effectively use energy.

Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and a method for energy management. The energy management apparatus includes: a receiving block configured to receive energy use information from at least one sensor; and an estimating block configured to calculate a sum and change of energy use per predetermined time slot from the received energy use information and estimate energy use or energy charge after a certain time based on the calculation of the sum and the change. The method includes: receiving energy use information from at least one sensor; and calculating a sum and change of energy use per hour from the received energy use information and estimating energy use or energy charge after a certain time slot based on the calculation of the sum and the charge.

Abstract: Disclosed is an energy-related information display apparatus included in each energy consumption place, which displays energy price information that a central server transmits according to a time zone, harmonizing with a floating energy rate system. When not receiving energy price information from a central server, a predicted energy price is provided. The prediction of the energy price can be reasonably performed on the basis of energy price information that was received from the central server in the past. The predicted energy price is transmitted to a user's mobile terminal as well as displayed on a display module so that the user can immediately identify it. Accordingly, the present disclosure can help user make a decision related with energy usage and properly meet a situation that energy price is not normally proved.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an energy display apparatus disposed on each energy consuming site, displaying the energy price information that is transmitted by a central server according to time zone in association with energy price fluctuating system. If a situation occurs that energy price information is not received from the central server via a first communication network, attempt is made to deliver the energy price information via a second communication network.

Abstract: Disclosed is a technique using an electric vehicle. The technique enables a user to set the operation plan of the electric vehicle and the price of electricity used to charge/discharge an electric vehicle battery. The electric vehicle battery is charged, or the electric energy charged in the electric vehicle battery is collected, according to the set information. Accordingly, it is possible to charge the electric vehicle battery at the price approved by the user under variable pricing of electric energy. When the price of electricity increases or there is no operation plan of the electric vehicle, the electric energy stored in the battery is collected to operate electric devices or resell the stored electric energy to an electric power company, thereby obtaining economic benefit. As the spread of electric vehicles are extended, it can be expected to save a considerable amount of electric energy throughout the whole society.

Abstract: A read-only medium or a readable and writable medium in which a user area is linked to an advertisement, and a method of using the same to minimize the cost to a user and provide advertising. The medium includes an advertising area for recording information related to an advertisement, and a user area from which a user is allowed to read information or to which the user is able to write information when the user views or watches the information recorded in the advertising area. The method of using the medium on which advertisement information is recorded in a predetermined area includes displaying an advertisement recorded in the predetermined area to be viewed or watched by a user; and allowing the user to read or write information from or to a user area on the medium after displaying the advertisement. Accordingly, media can be provided to users at a low price or free, thereby minimizing the financial burden on the users.

Abstract: A read-only medium or a readable and writable medium in which a user area is linked to an advertisement, and a method of using the same to minimize the cost to a user and provide advertising. The medium includes an advertising area for recording information related to an advertisement, and a user area from which a user is allowed to read information or to which the user is able to write information when the user views or watches the information recorded in the advertising area. The method of using the medium on which advertisement information is recorded in a predetermined area includes displaying an advertisement recorded in the predetermined area to be viewed or watched by a user; and allowing the user to read or write information from or to a user area on the medium after displaying the advertisement. Accordingly, media can be provided to users at a low price or free, thereby minimizing the financial burden on the users.