HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE

• US 20120053752A1
• Filed: 08/22/2011
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerã¤Te GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Rosenbauer, Michael Georg
• Granted Patent: US 9,534,330 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/297
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0021 Regulation of operational steps within the washing processes, e.g. optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending from the detergent nature or from the condition of the crockery
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0063 using remote monitoring or controlling of the dishwasher operation, e.g. networking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4293 Arrangements for programme selection, e.g. control panels; Indication of the selected programme, programme progress or other parameters of the programme, e.g. by using display panels
• 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 2101/00 User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/14 Time settings
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/20 Operation modes, e.g. delicate laundry washing programs, service modes or refreshment cycles
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/50 Starting machine operation, e.g. delayed start or re-start after power cut
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• 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 34/04 Signal transfer or data transmission arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/28 Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators

Abstract

A household appliance, in particular a water-conducting household appliance, which can be connected to a power supply network of an energy supplier, includes a communication and/or control facility. A bidirectional signal connection connects the communication and/or control facility to the energy supplier for exchange and/or request information, in particular network electricity information relating to electricity tariffs of the energy supplier.

Claims

1. A household appliance, comprising:

a communication and/or control facility; and

a bidirectional signal connection connecting the communication and/or control facility to an energy supplier providing a power supply network to the household appliance, for exchange and/or request information.

2. The household appliance of claim 1, constructed in the form of a water-conducting household appliance.

3. The household appliance of claim 1, wherein the information involves network electricity information relating to electricity tariffs of the energy supplier.

4. The household appliance of claim 1, wherein the communication and/or control facility is rendered operative in response to information requested from the energy supplier to set a start time and/or the type of wash program to be performed by the household appliance

5. The household appliance of claim 1, wherein the communication and/or control facility is rendered operative in response to information requested from the energy supplier to generate a series of different start times and/or wash program types, from which the user is able to select a start time and/or a wash program type.

6. The household appliance of claim 1, wherein the communication and/or control facility includes an electricity tariff selection facility to enable a user to select an electricity tariff from the electricity tariffs of the energy supplier.

7. The household appliance of claim 6, wherein the communication and/or control facility is configured to adjust household appliance operation automatically as a function of the selected electricity tariff.

8. The household appliance of claim 6, wherein the communication and/or control facility is configured to delay a start of operation until a time linked to the selected electricity tariff.

9. The household appliance of claim 1, further comprising a timer element operably connected to the communication and/or control facility and configured to delay a start of operation by a delay time which is predefined by the communication and/or control facility.

10. The household appliance of claim 1, further comprising a signal receiver and/or signal emitter transmitting signals between the energy supplier and the communication and/or control facility.

11. The household appliance of claim 6, further comprising a signal receiver and/or signal emitter transmitting signals between the energy supplier and the electricity tariff selection facility.

12. The household appliance of claim 1, wherein the communication and/or control facility includes a display unit to display network electricity information provided by the energy supplier.

13. The household appliance of claim 12, wherein the network electricity information displayed is a time period linked to a respective electricity tariff, a manner of electricity generation and/or an electricity price.

14. The household appliance of claim 3, wherein the communication and/or control facility is configured to assign at least two different types of operation to each of the electricity tariffs for a user to select.