DEMAND SUPPLY MANAGEMENT OVERRIDE OPTIONS

• US 20120312806A1
• Filed: 06/07/2011
• Published: 12/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Burt, Ashley Wayne, Finch, Michael Francis, Lafleur, Robert
• Application Number:
  US13/154,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20120312806A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/702
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/082 on ranges, e.g. control panels, illumination

Abstract

An appliance and method for enabling a consumer to easily override a low energy mode of an appliance to enable a feature or function of the appliance not typically available in the low energy mode. When an appliance or device is in an energy savings mode, multiple consumer requests for a given feature or function within a prescribed period of time can operate to override the energy savings mode and permit operation of the feature and/or function.

Claims

1. An appliance comprising:

at least one selectively activatable power consuming feature/function; and

a controller operatively connected to the at least one power consuming feature/function, the controller being configured to receive a request to activate the at least one selectively activatable power consuming feature/function and, in response thereto, activate the at least one selectively activatable power consuming feature/function, the controller further being configured to receive and process a signal indicative of utility demand state and in response thereto place the appliance in one of a plurality of operating modes including at least a normal operating mode and an energy savings mode wherein the at least one selectively activatable power consuming feature/function is placed in a low energy mode or disabled;

wherein the controller is further configured to return the at least one selectively activatable power consuming feature/function to a normal energy mode when a plurality of requests to activate said at least one selectively activatable power consuming feature/function are received by the controller within a prescribed period of time.

2. An appliance as set forth in claim 1, wherein the appliance includes a user input device, the user input device configured to generate the request to activate the at least one selectively activatable power consuming feature/function.

3. An appliance as set forth in claim 2, wherein the user input includes at least one button configured to generate a request.

4. An appliance as set forth in claim 3, wherein the at least one button is configured to be depressed to generate a request.

5. An appliance as set forth in claim 4, wherein the plurality of requests include a first depression of the button followed within the prescribed period of time by a second depression of the button.

6. An appliance as set forth in claim 5, wherein the second depression includes a long press of the button.

7. An appliance as set forth in claim 2, wherein the appliance further includes at least one audible or visual indicator, said indicator is configured to notify a user, in response to a first request, that the requested power consuming feature/function is not available when the appliance is in the energy savings mode.

8. An appliance as set forth in claim 1, wherein a first request received by the controller activates a timer, and wherein a second request received by the controller while the timer is active causes the controller to return the at least one selectively activatable power consuming feature/function to a normal energy mode.

9. An appliance as set forth in claim 1, wherein the appliance includes at least one of a range, an oven, a refrigerator, a washer, a dryer, a dishwasher, a microwave oven, a water heater, an air conditioner, or a thermostat.

11. A control method for an appliance as set forth in claim 1, wherein the appliance includes a user input device, the user input device configured to generate the request to activate the at least one selectively activatable power consuming feature/function.

10. A control method for an appliance comprising:

determining a demand state for an associated energy supplying utility, the demand state being indicative of at least a peak demand period and an off-peak demand period;

operating the appliance in a normal mode during the off-peak demand period;

operating the appliance in an energy savings mode during the peak demand period;

selectively adjusting at least one selectively activatable power consuming feature/function of the air conditioner to reduce power consumption of the air conditioner in the energy savings mode based; and

returning the at least one selectively activatable power consuming feature/function to a normal energy mode when a plurality of requests to activate said at least one selectively activatable power consuming feature/function are received by the controller within a prescribed period of time.

12. A control method for an appliance as set forth in claim 10, wherein upon a first request, a message is displayed on a display of the appliance indicating that an additional request will return the feature/function to a normal mode.

13. A control method as set forth in claim 10, further comprising activating a timer in response to receipt of a first request.

14. A control method as net forth in claim 13, further comprising returning the feature/function to a normal state when a second request is received while the timer is active.

15. A control method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the timer is active for at least 3 seconds.