Low power management system

• US 10,126,724 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2016
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Inventors: Scheckelhoff, Ryan James, Root, Steven Keith, Hartlage, Ryan Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Lebentritt, Michael
• Application Number:
  US15/062,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20170255174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2613 Household appliance in general
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2639 Energy management, use maximum of cheap power, keep peak load low

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing appliance power consumption. In one embodiment, an appliance can include a plurality of microcontrollers. Each of the microcontrollers can be associated with at least one appliance component. The appliance can further include one or more low power management microcontrollers. The low power management microcontrollers can be configured to monitor a state of each of the microcontrollers. The low power management microcontrollers can be further configured to determine that one or more of the microcontrollers of the plurality of microcontrollers are in an inactive state. The low power management microcontrollers can be configured to send one or more command signals to place the one or more microcontrollers in the inactive state in a lower power mode based at least in part on the determination that the microcontroller is in the inactive state. The respective microcontroller can consume less power in the lower power mode than while in an active state.

Claims

1. An appliance, the appliance comprising:

a plurality of system microcontrollers, wherein each of the system microcontrollers is associated with at least one appliance component; and

one or more low power management microcontrollers configured to;

monitor a state of each of the system microcontrollers of the plurality of microcontrollers;

determine that one or more of the system microcontrollers of the plurality of system microcontrollers are in an inactive state;

send one or more command signals to place the one or more system microcontrollers in the inactive state in a lower power mode based at least in part on the determination that the system microcontroller is in the inactive state, wherein the respective system microcontroller consumes less power in the lower power mode than while in an active state;

receive one or more stimulus signals indicative of a need for the one or more system microcontrollers to be in the active state; and

send one or more second command signals to remove the one or more system microcontrollers from the lower power mode based at least in part on the one or more stimulus signals.

2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the one or more low power management microcontrollers have a reduced power requirement relative to the system microcontrollers.

3. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the one or more low power management microcontrollers are configured to monitor the state of each of the system microcontrollers of the plurality of system microcontrollers by receiving one or more communications indicating that at least one of the system microcontrollers is in the active state.

4. The appliance of claim 3, wherein the one or more low power management microcontrollers are configured to determine that one or more of the system microcontrollers of the plurality of system microcontrollers is in the inactive state when the one or more low power management microcontrollers cease receiving the one or more communications indicating that at least one of the system microcontrollers is in the active state.

5. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the one or more low power management microcontrollers are configured to send the one or more command signals to place the one or more system microcontrollers in lower power mode via a serial bus to the one or more system microcontrollers.

6. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the one or more low power management microcontrollers are configured to send the one or more command signals to place the one or more system microcontrollers in the lower power mode via a general purpose input output line to the one or more system microcontrollers.

7. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the appliance is a washing appliance, and wherein the plurality of system microcontrollers comprises a first microcontroller associated with a user interface of the washing appliance, a second microcontroller associated with one or more relays of the washing appliance, and a third microcontroller associated with a drain pump assembly of the washing appliance.

8. A method of managing appliance power consumption, the method comprising:

monitoring, by one or more low power management microcontrollers, a state of each of a plurality of system microcontrollers associated with an appliance;

determining, by the one or more low power management microcontrollers, that one or more of the plurality of system microcontrollers are in an inactive state;

sending, by the one or more low power management microcontrollers, one or more command signals to place the one or more system microcontrollers in the inactive state in a lower power mode based at least in part on the determination that the one or more system microcontrollers is in the inactive state, wherein the lower power mode is associated with a reduced power consumption by the respective microcontroller than while in an active state;

receiving, by the one or more low power management microcontrollers, a stimulus signal, wherein the stimulus signal is indicative of a need for the one or more system microcontrollers to return to the active state; and

sending, by the one or more low power management microcontrollers, one or more command signals to remove the one or more system microcontrollers from the lower power mode based at least in part on receiving the stimulus signal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein monitoring, by the one or more low power management microcontrollers, the state of each of the plurality of system microcontrollers associated with the appliance comprises:

receiving, by the one or more low power management microcontrollers, one or more communications from at least one of the plurality of system microcontrollers, wherein the communications indicate that at least one of the system microcontrollers is in the active state.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein determining, by the one or more low power management microcontrollers, that one or more of the plurality of system microcontrollers are in the inactive state comprises:

determining, by the one or more low power management microcontrollers, that the computing device is no longer receiving one or more communications indicating that the one or more system microcontrollers are in the active state.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein sending, by the one or more low power management microcontrollers, one or more command signals to place the one or more system microcontrollers in the inactive state in the lower power mode comprises:

sending, by the one or more low power management microcontrollers, the one or more command signals via a serial bus to the one or more system microcontrollers in the inactive state.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein sending, by the one or more low power management microcontrollers, one or more command signals to place the one or more system microcontrollers in the inactive state in the lower power mode comprises:

sending, by the one or more low power management microcontrollers, the one or more command signals via a general purpose input output line to the one or more system microcontrollers in the inactive state.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein sending, by the one or more low power management microcontrollers, one or more command signals to place the one or more system microcontrollers in the inactive state in the lower power mode comprises:

sending, by the one or more low power management microcontrollers, the one or more command signals to one or more power sources associated with the appliance to reduce power to the one or more system microcontrollers in the inactive state.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising monitoring, by the one or more low power management microcontrollers, one or more bus for the stimulus signal.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the stimulus signal is based at least in part on a user interaction with the appliance.

16. A dishwashing appliance, comprising:

a first system microcontroller associated with a user interface;

a second system microcontroller associated with one or more relays;

a third system microcontroller associated with a drain pump assembly; and

one or more low power management microcontrollers configured to;

monitor one or more communications associated with at least one of the first system microcontroller, second system microcontroller, or third system microcontroller, wherein the one or more communications are indicative of a state of least one of the first system microcontroller, second system microcontroller, or third system microcontroller;

determine that at least one of the first system microcontroller, second system microcontroller, or third system microcontroller is in an inactive state based at least in part on the one or more communications;

place the at least one system microcontroller in the inactive state in the lower power mode based at least in part on the determination that the respective system microcontroller is in the inactive state, wherein the respective system microcontroller consumes less power in the lower power mode than while in an active state;

receive a stimulus signal indicative of a need for at least one of the first system microcontroller, second system microcontroller, or third system microcontroller to return to the active state; and

remove at least one of the first system microcontroller, second system microcontroller, or third system microcontroller from the lower power mode based at least in part on receiving the stimulus signal.

17. The dishwashing appliance of claim 16, wherein the one or more low power management microcontrollers are configured to send one or more command signals to place the at least one system microcontroller in the lower power mode.