ADAPTIVE ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR AN APPLIANCE

• US 20130253708A1
• Filed: 03/26/2012
• Published: 09/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Lafleur, Robert, Williams, Daryl C.
• Application Number:
  US13/429,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20130253708A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/86 by controlling compressors within refrigeration or heat pump circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1923 using thermal energy, the cost of which varies in function of time

Abstract

A system includes a meter, one or more sensors, a room air conditioner (RAC) comprising one or more power-consuming features/functions and a controller configured to control the one or more power-consuming features/functions. The system further includes an accessory computing device coupled with the RAC, the meter, and the one or more sensors. The accessory computing device is configured to receive and process a signal, and in response to the signal, instruct the RAC to operate in a particular operating mode. The particular operating mode may be an energy-management mode.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a meter;

one or more sensors;

a room air conditioner (RAC) comprising one or more power consuming features/functions and a controller configured to control the one or more power consuming features/functions; and

an accessory computing device coupled with the RAC, the meter, and the one or more sensors, the accessory computing device configured to receive and process a signal, and in response to the signal, instruct the RAC to operate in a particular operating mode.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the accessory computing device comprises:

a processor;

an interface module configured to receive wireless signals indicative of one or more commands to be executed by the processor and/or the RAC; and

a memory configured to store the one or more commands.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the the processor, the interface module, and the memory is located on a printed circuit board that is incorporated directly into the RAC via standard hardware connections and input/output protocols.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the processor, the interface module, and the memory is separately coupled with the RAC.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the accessory computing device further comprises a user interface that enables set points to be set and/or altered.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the user interface is a capacitive touch screen display.

7. A room air conditioner (RAC) accessory computing device comprising:

an interface module configured to receive wireless signals indicative of one or more commands to be executed by the RAC;

a memory configured to store the one or more commands; and

a processor programmed to;

execute the one or more commands; and

output a command that configures the RAC to operate in a particular operating mode.

8. The RAC accessory computing device of claim 7, wherein each of the processor, the interface module, and the memory are located on a printed circuit board.

9. The RAC accessory computing device of claim 7, wherein the accessory computing device further comprises a user interface that enables a user to set and/or alter one or more set points.

10. The RAC accessory computing device of claim 9, wherein the user interface is a capacitive touch screen display.

11. The RAC accessory of claim 7, wherein the user interface receives a signal causing the processor to instruct the RAC to operate in the particular operating mode.

12. The RAC accessory of claim 11, wherein the particular operating mode was not a mode of the RAC prior to receiving the command output from the processor.

13. A room air conditioner (RAC) having one or more power-consuming features, the RAC comprising:

a controller configured to control one or more power-consuming features; and

an accessory computing device coupled with the RAC, the accessory computing device configured to receive and process a signal, and in response to the signal, output a command that configures the RAC to operate in a particular operating mode.

14. The RAC of claim 13, wherein the accessory computing device, comprises:

a processor;

an interface module coupled with the processor and configured to receive wireless signals indicative of one or more commands to be executed by the processor and/or the RAC; and

a memory coupled with the processor and configured to store the one or more commands.

15. The RAC of claim 14, wherein each of the processor, the interface module, and the memory are located on a printed circuit board.

16. The RAC of claim 14, wherein at least one of the processor, the interface module, and the memory is separately coupled with the RAC.

17. The RAC of claim 14, wherein the accessory computing device further comprises a user interface that enables a user to set and/or alter one or more set points.

18. The RAC of claim 17, wherein the user interface is a capacitive touch screen display.