ENERGY RESOURCE CONSERVATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20120109399A1
• Filed: 01/01/2012
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/01/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bao Tran
• Original Assignee: Bao Tran
• Inventors: Tran, Bao
• Application Number:
  US13/342,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20120109399A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/296
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00024 by means of mobile telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• 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: 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: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• 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 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

An energy saving system includes a utility controller to transmit a signal for a demand response period or a peak energy price for a peak pricing period from a utility facility; and a display receiving the signal from the utility controller, the display having a first brightness mode operative during the demand response period or the peak pricing period, and a second brightness mode for other period.

Claims

1. An energy saving system, comprising:

a utility controller to transmit a signal for a demand response period or a peak energy price for a peak pricing period from a utility facility; and

a television display receiving the signal from the utility controller, the display having a first brightness mode operative during the demand response signal or the peak pricing period, and at least a second brightness mode for other period.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising a mobile device, wherein the display and an audio visual (AV) receiver are turned off during the demand response period or peak pricing period and AV output is rendered on the mobile device.

3. The system of claim 1, comprising a user override mode to ignore the utility demand response signal.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the display and the AV amplifiers are disabled or turned off in response to the demand response signal.

5. The system of claim 1, comprising one or more AV appliances each having a power supply coupled to the utility controller, wherein the power supply of each AV appliance is disabled or turned off during the peak pricing period, wherein the AV appliance is selected from a group consisting of:

a video player, a disc player, a DVD player, a Blu-ray player, a cable box, a digital satellite receiver, a set-top box, a videocassette recorder, and a streaming video device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a first energy meter to determine energy consumption by the display and wherein the AV receiver comprises a second energy meter to determine energy consumption by the AV amplifier.

7. The system of claim 1, comprising a price display showing an energy cost of the entertainment system based on time of use (TOU) pricing.

8. The system of claim 1, comprising an incentive system communicating with the utility controller to motivate compliance with a demand response request from the utility facility.

9. The system of claim 1, comprising an audio video (AV) receiver coupled to the utility controller, the AV receiver including one or more audio amplifiers to drive external speakers, the audio amplifiers being disabled or turned off during the demand response signal or peak pricing period.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the AV receiver provides power to one or more audio appliances, wherein the AV appliance comprises a video player, a disc player, a DVD player, a Blu-ray player, a cable box, a digital satellite receiver, a set-top box, a videocassette recorder, a streaming video device.

11. The system of claim 1, comprising a heater receiving the signal from the utility controller, the heater having a first temperature mode operative during the demand response signal or the peak pricing period, and at least a second temperature mode for other period.

12. The system of claim 1, comprising an air conditioner receiving the signal from the utility controller, the air conditioner having a first temperature mode operative during the demand response signal or the peak pricing period, and at least a second temperature mode for other period.

13. The system of claim 1, comprising a water heater receiving the signal from the utility controller, the water heater having a first temperature mode operative during the demand response signal or the peak pricing period, and at least a second temperature mode for other period.

14. The system of claim 1, comprising a refrigerator receiving the signal from the utility controller, the refrigerator having a first temperature mode operative during the demand response signal or the peak pricing period, and at least a second temperature mode for other period.

15. The system of claim 1, comprising a light controller receiving the signal from the utility controller, the light controller having a dim light mode operative during the demand response signal or the peak pricing period, and at least a full light mode for other period.

16. The system of claim 1, comprising a washer receiving the signal from the utility controller, the washer being disabled during the demand response signal or the peak pricing period, and enabled for other period.

17. The system of claim 1, comprising a dryer receiving the signal from the utility controller, the dryer being disabled during the demand response signal or the peak pricing period, and enabled for other period.

18. The system of claim 1, comprising a battery charger receiving the signal from the utility controller, the battery charger reversing operation to put power into an electrical grid during the demand response signal or the peak pricing period, and charging a battery during the other period.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal is transmitted over the power line or a wireless link.

20. The system of claim 1, comprising a normative messaging system coupled to the utility controller to provide specific suggestions to a customer to save energy by replacing an appliance or reducing room temperature or display brightness.