DEMAND RESPONSE METHOD AND DEMAND RESPONSE SYSTEM

• US 20110251731A1
• Filed: 04/08/2011
• Published: 10/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: YANG, Jang Beom, Jeong, Seong Wook, Kwak, Seong Oh, Gim, Seong Chan, Baek, Young Jin, Kim, Hyun Ki, Jin, Sun Il, Lim, Jae Min
• Granted Patent: US 8,914,160 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/296
• 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 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: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances

Abstract

A demand response (DR) method or a demand response (DR) system determines priority of each household appliance in response to a quality status of each household appliance, and variably controls a DR level of each household appliance according to the priority of each household appliance, to guarantee the quality of the household appliance and minimize power consumption.

Claims

1. A demand response (DR) method comprising:

recognizing a demand response level established in each household appliance to limit a function of each household appliance;

determining a quality status of the recognized household appliance;

establishing priority information of each household appliance in response to each recognized quality status;

determining, if the demand response level established in the household appliance needs to be changed, a household appliance having a demand response level to be changed according to the priority information and the demand response level of each household appliance; and

changing a demand response level established in the determined household appliance.

2. The DR method according to claim 1, wherein the establishing priority information includes establishing priority information of each household appliance on the basis of the quality status of each household appliance and at least one of an average operation time or power consumption of each household appliance.

3. The DR method according to claim 2, wherein the establishing priority information includes setting priority information of a household appliance having a long average operation time or high power consumption to be higher than that of another household appliance having a short average operation time or low power consumption.

4. The DR method according to claim 2, wherein the establishing priority information includes receiving information about the quality status of each household appliance from a user, and at the same time receiving information indicating whether an item used for priority of each household appliance is either of the average operation time and the power consumption or both the average operation time and the power consumption.

5. The DR method according to claim 1, wherein the establishing priority information includes increasing priority in inverse proportion to the quality status.

6. The DR method according to claim 1, wherein the determining of the household appliance includes:

recognizing a current power rate, comparing the recognized power rate with a predetermined power rate, searching for one household appliance having the lowest priority from among low-DR-level household appliances if the current power rate is higher than the predetermined power rate, and determining the searched household appliance to be a household appliance having a demand response level to be changed.

7. The DR method according to claim 1, wherein the changing of the demand response level includes:

increasing a demand response level established in the determined household appliance by one step to further limit a function of the determined household appliance.

8. The DR method according to claim 1, wherein the determining of the household appliance includes:

recognizing a current power rate, comparing the recognized power rate with a predetermined power rate, searching for one household appliance having the highest priority from among high-DR-level household appliances if the current power rate is lower than the predetermined power rate, and determining the searched household appliance to be a household appliance having a demand response level to be changed.

9. The DR method according to claim 8, wherein the changing of the demand response level includes:

reducing a demand response level established in the determined household appliance by one step to partially release a limited function of the determined household appliance.

10. The DR method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the quality status of each household appliance is less than a predetermined level, and changing, if there is a specific household appliance having the quality status of less than the predetermined level, a demand response level of the specific household appliance to a value of a normal operation level.

11. The DR method according to claim 1, wherein the determining of the quality status includes:

receiving a quality factor indicating performance of the household appliance, and determining a quality status of the household appliance in response to the received quality factor.

12. A demand response (DR) system comprising:

a receiving unit to receive a quality factor of a plurality of household appliances;

a quality decision unit to determine a quality status of each household appliance in response to the received quality factor of each household appliance;

a priority setup unit to establish priority information of each household appliance on the basis of the determined quality status of each household appliance; and

a controller to determine, if the demand response level established in the household appliance needs to be changed to limit a function of each household appliance, a household appliance having a demand response level to be changed according to priority information and a current demand response level of each household appliance, and to change a demand response level established in the determined household appliance.

13. The DR system according to claim 12, wherein the priority setup unit establishes priority information of each household appliance on the basis of the quality status of each household appliance and at least one of an average operation time or power consumption of each household appliance.

14. The DR system according to claim 12, wherein the priority setup unit includes establishing priority information of a household appliance having any of a low quality status, a long average operation time or high power consumption to be higher than that of another household appliance having any of a high quality status, a short average operation time or low power consumption.

15. The DR system according to claim 12, wherein the controller determines whether the quality status of each household appliance is less than a predetermined level, and changes, if there is a specific household appliance having the quality status of less than the predetermined level, a demand response level of the specific household appliance to a value of a normal operation level.

16. The DR system according to claim 12, wherein the controller recognizes a current power rate, compares the recognized power rate with a predetermined power rate, searches for one household appliance having the lowest priority from among low-DR-level household appliances if the current power rate is higher than the predetermined power rate, determines the searched household appliance to be a household appliance having a demand response level to be changed, and increases a demand response level of the determined household appliance by one step.

17. The DR system according to claim 12, wherein the controller recognizes a current power rate, compares the recognized power rate with a predetermined power rate, searches for one household appliance having the highest priority from among high-DR-level household appliances if the current power rate is lower than the predetermined power rate, determines the searched household appliance to be a household appliance having a demand response level to be changed, and reduces a demand response level of the determined household appliance by one step to partially release a limited function of the determined household appliance.

18. A demand response (DR) method comprising:

establishing a demand response level to limit a function of a household appliance;

determining a quality status of the household appliance in which the demand response level is established;

determining a changeable demand response level range of the household appliance in response to the determined quality status; and

changing, if the demand response level established in the household appliance needs to be changed, the demand response level established in the household appliance on the basis of the determined demand response level range.

19. The DR method according to claim 18, wherein the determining demand response level range includes:

reducing the changeable demand response level range in proportion to the lowered quality status.

20. A demand response (DR) method comprising:

operating a plurality of household appliances at an initial demand response level;

determining a quality status of each household appliance being operated at the initial demand response level;

establishing priority information of each household appliance in response to the determined quality status;

recognizing a current power rate of each household appliance;

comparing the recognized power rate with a predetermined power rate;

searching for a household appliance having the highest priority from among high-DR-level household appliances if the current power rate is lower than the predetermined power rate, determining the searched household appliance to be a household appliance having a demand response level to be changed, searching for a household appliance having the lowest priority from among low-DR-level household appliances if the current power rate is higher than the predetermined power rate, and determining the searched household appliance to be a household appliance having a demand response level to be changed; and

reducing, if the household appliance having the demand response level to be changed is a household appliance having the highest priority from among high-DR-level household appliances, a demand response level of the determined household appliance to partially release the demand response level, and increasing, if the household appliance having the demand response level to be changed is a household appliance having the lowest priority from among low-DR-level household appliances, a demand response level of the determined household appliance to further limit a function of the determined household appliance.

21. A demand response (DR) method comprising:

determining priority of each household appliance in response to a quality status of each household appliance; and

variably controlling a demand response level of each household appliance according to the priority of each household appliance, to maintain quality of the household appliance and to minimize power consumption of the household appliance.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a program for instructing a computer to perform the method of claim 21.

22. A demand response (DR) system comprising:

a smartmeter to receive power rate or power consumption data from a power company; and

a demand response controller, coupled to the smartmeter, to receive a quality factor of a plurality of household appliances, to determine a quality status of each household appliance in response to the received quality factor of each household appliance, to establish priority information of each household appliance on the basis of the determined quality status of each household appliance, and to set a demand response level in the determined household appliance.