NETWORK SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME

• US 20120215370A1
• Filed: 10/26/2010
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Seo, Munseok, Kim, Yanghwan, Ahn, Junho, Seo, Daegeun, Hwang, Jinseong, Lee, Hoonbong, Jang, Bongmun, Lee, Wookjin
• Application Number:
  US13/504,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20120215370A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/296
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• 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: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• 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 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 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

Provided is a network system, which includes an advanced metering infrastructure, a communication device, and an energy management system. The advanced metering infrastructure is configured to measure energy supplied from a power supply source. The communication device is configured to communicate energy information related with the energy. The energy management system recognizes the energy information to control driving of an electric product. The energy management system limits a function of at least one part of power consumption units constituting the electric product, based on whether the recognized energy information is an on-peak time period. Thus, the concentration of power consumptions can be removed, so that a power supplier can effectively manage power consumptions and a consumer can save electricity costs and energy.

Claims

1. A network system comprising:

an advanced metering infrastructure configured to measure energy supplied from a power supply source;

a communication device configured to communicate energy in-formation related with the energy; and

an energy management system recognizing the energy information to control driving of an electric product,

wherein the energy management system limits a function of at least one part of power consumption units constituting the electric product, based on whether the recognized energy information is an on-peak time period.

2. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the on-peak time period is a time period when energy information including at least an electricity cost is over a preset value.

3. The network system according to claim 2, wherein the preset value comprises a mean value of electricity costs, a mean value of electricity costs after an execution estimated time of the electric product, or a mean value of maximum and minimum values of electricity costs after the execution estimated time of the electric product.

4. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the limiting of the function of the power consumption units comprises limiting the number of the power consumption units or power consumption amounts, electricity costs, or driving times of the power consumption units.

5. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the limiting of the function of the power consumption units comprises limiting the function of the power consumption unit having higher power consumption than the others.

6. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the limiting of the function of the power consumption units comprises limiting the function of the power consumption unit having a power consumption amount greater than a preset reference amount, among the power consumption units.

7. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the limiting of the function of the power consumption units comprises limiting the function of the power consumption unit having a largest power consumption amount, among the power consumption units.

8. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the limiting of the function of the power consumption units comprises stopping functions of a part of the power consumption units.

9. The network system according to claim 8, wherein the stopping of the function of the part comprises sequentially or simultaneously stopping one power consumption unit and another power consumption unit.

10. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the limiting of the function of the power consumption units comprises decreasing an output of the power consumption unit to a set output or less.

11. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the limiting of the function of the power consumption units comprises limiting at least one portion of a driving method performed by the electric product.

12. The network system according to claim 11, wherein when the on-peak time period is recognized before the electric product performs a specific driving method, a standby state of the electric product is maintained until the on-peak time period is ended.

13. The network system according to claim 11, wherein when the on-peak time period is recognized while the electric product performs a specific driving method, the electric product stops the specific driving method and maintains a standby state until the on-peak time period is ended.

14. The network system according to claim 11, wherein when the on-peak time period is recognized while the electric product performs a specific driving method, the electric product completes the specific driving method and maintains a standby state until the on-peak time period is ended.

15. The network system according to claim 14, wherein when the on-peak time period is recognized while the electric product performs a specific driving method, the electric product completes a first one of methods constituting the specific driving method and stops a function thereof.

16. The network system according to claim 15, wherein the electric product completes the first method, and then, maintains the standby state.

17. The network system according to claim 15, wherein the electric product completes only the first method, and then, power is cut off from the electric product.

18. The network system according to any one of claim 1, wherein an off-peak time period is a time period in which the energy information is the preset value or less, and the limiting of the function of the power consumption units within the on-peak time period is removed within the off-peak time period.

19. A method of controlling a network system, the method comprising:

performing a communication between a power supply source and a home network;

recognizing an on-peak time period in which energy information including at least electricity cost information is over a set value; and

limiting a function of a part of power consumption units constituting the electric product when at least one period of a driving time of an electric product is disposed within the on-peak time period.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the limiting of the function of the part of the power consumption units comprises decreasing the number and power consumption amounts of driven power consumption units.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the limiting of the function of the part of the power consumption units comprises decreasing an electricity cost generated according to driving of the power consumption unit.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein the limiting of the function of the part of the power consumption units comprises decreasing a driving time of the power consumption unit.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein the limiting of the function of the part of the power consumption units comprises limiting the function of the power consumption unit having higher power consumption than a set reference or those of the other power consumption units.

24. The method according to claim 19, wherein the limiting of the function of the part of the power consumption units comprises limiting at least one portion of a driving method performed by the electric product.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the driving method performed by the electric product is entirely stopped when the on-peak time period is recognized.

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein when the on-peak time period is recognized, the electric product completes one of methods constituting the driving method, and stops another method.

27. The method according to claim 24, wherein when the on-peak time period is recognized, the electric product completes a driving method that is currently performed, and then, stops driving.

28. The method according to claim 19, wherein the power supply source sets energy information related with the on-peak time period.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the on-peak time period is a time period in which remaining energy to be supplied through the home network decreases to the set value or less.