HOME APPLIANCE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A HOME APPLIANCE

• US 20110153105A1
• Filed: 12/21/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BSH Home Appliances Corporation (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BSH Home Appliances Corporation (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Wolf, Christian, Winkler, Ralf
• Granted Patent: US 8,560,140 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0047 Energy or water consumption, e.g. by saving energy or water
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0063 using remote monitoring or controlling of the dishwasher operation, e.g. networking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/34 Other automatic detections
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/28 Machine starting, e.g. normal start, restart after electricity cut-off or start scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/16 Washing liquid temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/54 Changing between normal operation mode and special operation modes, e.g. service mode, component cleaning mode or stand-by mode
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/32 Control of operational steps, e.g. optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending on the condition of the laundry
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/006 Recovery arrangements, e.g. for the recovery of energy or water
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02021 for solar cells electrical connection means, e.g. junction boxes, specially adapted for structural association with photovoltaic modules H02S40/34
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances

Abstract

A home appliance includes an electronic controller with a trigger port which starts an operating cycle for the home appliance in response to a signal received on the trigger port that indicates availability of an alternative resource.

Claims

1. A home appliance, comprising:

an electronic controller with a trigger port which starts an operating cycle for the home appliance in response to a signal received on the trigger port that indicates availability of an alternative resource.

2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the alternative resource comprises electric power generated by an alternative electric power source and the electronic controller starts the operating cycle in response to a signal received on the trigger port that electric power from the alternative electric power source is available and wherein the operating cycle of the home appliance uses the electrical power of the alternative electric power source.

3. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the signal indicates operation of a voltage converter of a photovoltaic system.

4. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the home appliance comprises a water-utilizing home appliance, the alternative resource comprises water heated by a solar heater, and the electronic controller starts the operating cycle utilizing the water heated by the solar heater in response to the signal received by the trigger port that indicates that water heated by the solar heater is available.

5. The appliance of claim 4, wherein the signal indicates operation of a circulation pump of the solar heater.

6. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the water-utilizing home appliance comprises a dish-washer machine or a washing machine.

7. A method for operating a home appliance, comprising:

preparing a home appliance to be ready to start an operating cycle;

detecting the availability of an alternative resource useful for the operating cycle; and

starting the home appliance to perform the operating cycle utilizing the alternative resource in response to detecting the availability of the alternative resource.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the alternative resource comprises electric power generated by an alternative electric power source, and the starting of the home appliance comprises starting the operating cycle as soon as the electric power from the electric power source is available by powering the home appliance utilizing the energy of the alternative power source.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the detecting comprises detecting a signal that indicates of operation of a voltage converter of a photovoltaic system.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the home appliance comprises a water-utilizing home appliance and the alternative resource comprises water heated by a solar heater, wherein the starting comprises starting the operating cycle as soon as the water heated by the solar heater is available and utilizing the heated water during the operating cycle.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the detecting comprises detecting when the water heated by the solar heater is available by detecting a signal being indicative of operation of a circulation pump which is part of the solar heater.