SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR MONITORING ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND REDUCING STANDBY POWER

• US 20100156666A1
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korea Electronics Technology Institute (Government of South Korea)
• Original Assignee: Korea Electronics Technology Institute (Government of South Korea)
• Inventors: Jung, Kwangmo, Ahn, Yangkeun, Seo, Haemoon, Park, Youngchoong, CHOI, Kwangsoon, Park, Woochool, Seo, Kyeunghak
• Granted Patent: US 8,362,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.70
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2843 Mains power line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A power saving system and method for the home appliances and home network devices is provided. The system provides an energy consumption monitoring and standby power saving system that is connected to home appliances and that may detect the amount of power consumed by corresponding home appliances. The system includes one or more energy saving nodes which approve application or shut-off power to a corresponding home appliances, and an energy saving server that is connected to each of the energy saving nodes and collects status information of the corresponding home appliances including said amount of power consumption from said nodes.

Claims

1. A system for reducing standby power and monitoring electric energy consumed by home appliances and home network devices, the system comprising:

at least two energy saving nodes that are connected to home appliances, each energy saving node detects an amount of power consumed by a corresponding home appliance, and approves application or shut-off power to the corresponding home appliance; and

an energy saving server that is connected to each of the energy saving nodes and that collects various status information of the corresponding home appliances including the amount of power consumption detected by the at least two energy saving nodes.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy saving nodes and the energy saving server are connected through a Power Line Communication (PLC) or a Ubiquitous Sensor Network (USN).

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the energy saving server includes a communication interface to communicate with a higher level system located in a power supplier who supplies power to a house or an office, or that is located in a power service provider who carries out power related services.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the energy saving server is integrally implemented with a home gateway.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the energy saving server includes a home gateway interface for interworking with an external home gateway.

6. An energy saving server for a system for reducing standby power and monitoring electric energy consumed by home appliances and home network devices that are connected to energy saving nodes that each detect the amount of power consumed by a corresponding home appliance and that approve application or shut-off power to the corresponding home appliance, the energy saving server comprising:

a functional module for collecting status information including the amount of power consumed by each corresponding home appliance; and

a functional module for outputting a power control signal for each corresponding home appliance to the energy saving nodes, based on the status information.

7. The energy saving server of claim 6, further comprising a functional module for transferring collected data to a higher level system located in a power supplier who supplies power to a house or an office, or that is located in a power service provider who carries out power related services.

8. The energy saving server of claim 7, further comprising at least one of an RS-232 communication interface to provide consumed power monitoring or setting functions, an interface through IP network using PC and web browser, or a user interface through an application program provided by the energy saving server itself via a home network.

9. The energy saving server of claim 8, further comprising an energy consumption monitoring functional module by which a user verifies energy consumption status through the user interface after calculation of consumed amount of the power for at least one of a specific time period, a specific appliance, a specific time period for a specific appliance, an accumulated amount of power used, and an estimated electricity cost data based on collected status information.

10. The energy saving server of claim 9, further comprising a functional module supporting user settings through the user interface and performing an alarm based on the user settings.

11. The energy saving server of claim 10, further comprising a functional module interworking current operation status of information appliances with a home gateway functional module or a home gateway.

12. The energy saving server of claim 11, wherein the functional module that outputs the power control signal outputs the power control signal to the energy saving nodes to shut-off standby power of a corresponding home appliance based on the status information.

13. The energy saving server of claim 12, wherein,

when the standby power is a communication standby power, the functional module that outputs the power control signal outputs the power control signal to the energy saving nodes to shut-off the standby power when it receives standby status of an appliance from the energy saving nodes to shut-off the standby power;

prepares a stop command for the corresponding appliance to store context including at least one of a network setting and an equipment setting necessary when the corresponding appliance wakes up, into a built-in memory; and

receives a report from the corresponding appliance that stop ready is completed.

14. An energy saving node located between a power supply and a home appliance, the energy saving node comprising:

a detection means for detection of a voltage and a current supplied to a home appliance;

a power output means to apply or shut-off power to a home appliance;

a notification means to output status information including the amount of consumed power of an appliance in an audio-visual manner; and

a centralized control means for calculating the status information including the amount of consumed power based on the voltage and current values inputted from the detection means and for controlling the power output means based on the status information.

15. An energy saving node located between a power supply and a home appliance, the energy saving node comprising:

a detection means for detecting a voltage and a current supplied to a home appliance;

a power output means to apply or shut-off power to a home appliance;

a network interface means for communicating with a higher level network saving server; and

a centralized control means for controlling the power output means, generating status information including the amount of consumed power based on the voltage and current values inputted from the detection means, and transferring the status information to a network saving server through the network interface means.

16. The energy saving of claim 15, wherein the power output means includes an always-on-state relay switch which becomes on-state when power is not supplied.

17. The energy saving node of claim 16, wherein the detection means includes a MEMS based voltage and current sensors.

18. The energy saving node of claim 17, wherein the centralized control means controls the operation of the power output means automatically or by a command of the energy saving server.

19. The energy saving node of claim 18, wherein the network interface means is based on at least one of a Power Line Communication (PLC), a ZigBee, and a Ubiquitous Sensor Network (USN).

20. The energy saving node of claim 18, further comprising at least one of an outlet type which is an embedded or multi-tap type, an adaptor type that can be used by plugging into a conventional outlet, and a built-in type that can be installed inside of a home appliance.