APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING A POWER USING A SMART DEVICE AND METHOD THEREOF

• US 20110196547A1
• Filed: 07/28/2010
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: PARK, Jong Soo, Song, Jong Hwa, Paik, Woo Hyun
• Granted Patent: US 8,412,387 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/296
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/16 The load or loads being an Information and Communication Technology [ICT] facility
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/005 using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/04 Protocols for data compression, e.g. ROHC
• 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: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

A smart device is discussed, which is connected to a smart grid to perform a power saving function. According to an embodiment, the smart device includes a power information receiving unit configured to receive power information through the smart grid network; a power saving control unit configured to perform the power saving function for at least one apparatus based on the power information in a power saving mode; at least one mode switching unit configured to switch from the power saving mode to a manual mode according to a user command; and a manual mode operational time determining unit configured to determine a manual mode operational time for operating the at least one apparatus in the manual mode, the at least one mode switching unit further configured to switch from the manual mode back to the power saving mode, automatically, when the manual mode operational time expires.

Claims

1. A smart device, which is connected to a smart grid network to perform a power saving function, the smart device comprising:

a power information receiving unit configured to receive power information through the smart grid network;

a power saving control unit configured to perform the power saving function for at least one apparatus based on the power information in a power saving mode, the power saving mode being a mode in which the at least one apparatus is automatically controlled to save power;

at least one mode switching unit configured to switch from the power saving mode to a manual mode according to a user command, the manual mode being a mode in which the at least one apparatus is controlled according to a user input; and

a manual mode operational time determining unit configured to determine a manual mode operational time for operating the at least one apparatus in the manual mode,

the at least one mode switching unit further configured to switch from the manual mode back to the power saving mode, automatically, when the manual mode operational time expires.

2. The smart device of claim 1, wherein the manual mode operational time determining unit determines the manual mode operational time based on a relation between a target status corresponding to the user command and a reference status of the smart device.

3. The smart device of claim 1, further comprising:

a detecting unit configured to detect external environment information, the external environment information including at least one of an external temperature, an external humidity and a current location,

wherein the manual mode operational time determining unit determines the manual mode operational time based on the external environment information.

4. The smart device of claim 1, further comprising:

a storage unit configured to store use history information of the smart device,

wherein the manual mode operational time determining unit determines the manual mode operational time based on the use history information.

5. The smart device of claim 1, further comprising:

a display configured to display the power information in real time.

6. The smart device of claim 1, wherein the smart device is included in the at least one apparatus.

7. A smart server, which is connected to at least one smart device via at least one wired/wireless communication network to perform a power saving function, the smart server comprising:

a power saving control unit configured to perform the power saving function on the at least one smart device in a power saving mode, based on power information;

at least one mode switching unit configured to switch the power saving mode to a manual power mode according to a user command received via the at least one smart device; and

a manual mode operational time determining unit configured to determine a manual mode operational time for operating the at least one smart device in the manual power mode since the mode is switched to the manual power mode,

the at least one mode switching unit further configured to switch from the manual power mode back to the power saving mode when the manual mode operational time expires.

8. The smart server of claim 7, further comprising:

a detecting unit configured to detect external environment information, the external environment information including at least one of external temperature information and external humidity information; and

a storage unit configured to store use history information of the at least one smart device,

wherein the manual mode operational time determining unit determines the manual mode operational time based on at least one of the following;

a type of the at least one smart device, a relation between a target status corresponding to the user command and a reference status of the at least one smart device, the external environment information, and the use history information.

9. The smart server of claim 7, wherein the power information includes electric rate information, and

the smart server further includes a power information receiving unit configured to receives the power information including the electric rate information from a smart grid network via at least one of an internet protocol network and a power line communication (PLC).

10. The smart server of claim 7, further comprising:

a communication unit configured to receive the user command from the at least one smart device through at least one of an internet protocol network, Zigbee, and Bluetooth.

11. A power management adapter for controlling a power use of a target device, the power management adapter comprising:

a communication unit configured to communicate with a smart server;

a first connecting part configured to couple with a plug of the target device;

a second connecting part configured to be coupled to an electric outlet;

a switching unit configured to selectively connect the first and second connecting parts to each other under control of the communication unit or a control unit; and

the control unit configured to control the switching unit so as to cut off or supply power to the target device based on at least one of information received from the communication unit, time information, and power consumption information.

12. The power management adapter of claim 11, further comprising:

a timer configured to supply the time information to the control unit, the time information including information indicating a time duration for delaying an activation of the switching unit; and

a power measuring unit configured to measure a power consumption amount of the target device and to supply the power consumption information based on the measured amount to the control unit.

13. The power management adapter of claim 11, wherein the communication unit receives an instruction to cut off or supply power to the target device from the smart server through a smart grid network, and the communication unit controls the switching unit to selectively connect the first and second connecting parts electrically according to the instructions.

14. A method for performing a power saving function using a smart device, which is connected to a smart grid network, the method comprising:

receiving, by the smart device, power information through the smart grid network;

performing, by the smart device, the power saving function for at least one apparatus based on the power information in a power saving mode, the power saving mode being a mode in which the at least one apparatus is automatically controlled to save power;

switching, by the smart device, from the power saving mode to a manual mode according to a user command, the manual mode being a mode in which the at least one apparatus is controlled according to a user input;

determining, by the smart device, a manual mode operational time for operating the at least one apparatus in the manual mode; and

switching, by the smart device, from the manual mode back to the power saving mode, automatically, when the manual mode operational time expires.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining step determines the manual mode operational time based on a relation between a target status corresponding to the user command and a reference status of the smart device.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

detecting, by the smart device, external environment information, the external environment information including at least one of an external temperature, an external humidity and a current location,

wherein the determining step determines the manual mode operational time based on the external environment information.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

storing use history information of the smart device,

wherein the determining step determines the manual mode operational time based on the use history information.

18. A method for performing a power saving function using a smart server, which is connected to at least one smart device via at least one wired/wireless communication network, the method comprising:

performing, under control of the smart server and based on power information, the power saving function on the at least one smart device in a power saving mode;

switching, by the smart server, the power saving mode to a manual power mode according to a user command received via the at least one smart device;

determining, by the smart server, a manual mode operational time for operating the at least one smart device in the manual power mode since the mode is switched to the manual power mode; and

switching, by the smart server, from the manual power mode back to the power saving mode when the manual mode operational time expires.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

detecting, by the smart server, external environment information, the external environment information including at least one of external temperature information and external humidity information; and

storing use history information of the at least one smart device,

wherein the determining step determines the manual mode operational time based on at least one of the following;

a type of the at least one smart device, a relation between a target status corresponding to the user command and a reference status of the at least one smart device, the external environment information, and the use history information.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving, by the smart server, the user command from the at least one smart device through at least one of an internet protocol network, Zigbee, and Bluetooth.