NETWORK SYSTEM

• US 20130317662A1
• Filed: 06/22/2011
• Published: 11/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Junho Ahn
• Inventors: Ahn, Junho, Kim, Yanghwan, Lee, Hoonbong, Lee, Koonseok, Han, Jonghee, Kim, Donghyun, Lee, Woonghyun, Go, Seogho
• Granted Patent: US 9,417,616 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/296
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0833 for reduction of network energy consumption
• 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: Y04S 20/221 General power management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

A network system is provided. The network includes: at least one component selected from an energy receiving unit receiving energy and an energy management unit managing the energy receiving unit. The energy receiving unit or the energy management unit receives energy rate related information; an energy usage amount or a usage rate of when the component is controlled on the basis of at least the energy rate related information is less than that of when the component is controlled without the basis of at least energy rate related information; and if the energy rate related information is high cost information, a function of one component constituting the energy receiving unit is limited and a function of another component constituting the energy receiving unit is performed.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. An energy consumption unit in communication with a network system and capable of receiving electricity information related to information related to time-based pricing and information other than the information related to time-based pricing, the energy consumption unit comprising:

a first component to perform a function of the energy consumption unit;

a second component to perform the function of the energy consumption unit; and

a control unit to receive the electricity information,

wherein the control unit operates the first component when a condition to operate the second component has not been satisfied based on the electricity information, and

restricts operation of the first component and operates the second component to perform the function of the energy consumption unit if the condition to operate the second component is satisfied based on the electricity information.

20. The energy consumption unit according to claim 19, wherein the information related to time-based pricing includes at least one of electricity rates, a change rate of electricity rates, a change rate of power amount, an average value of electricity rates, and an average value of power amounts.

21. The energy consumption unit according to claim 19, wherein the information other than the information related to time-based pricing includes at least one of curtailment, grid emergency, grid reliability, energy amount, and operation priority.

22. The energy consumption unit according to claim 19, wherein a high cost time interval is a time interval in which the information related to time-based pricing indicates a value greater than a predetermined reference value, and a low cost interval is a time interval in which the information related to time-based pricing indicates a value less than the predetermined reference value, wherein the control unit determines that the condition to operate the second component is satisfied when the control unit determines that the time interval is in the high cost time interval.

23. The energy consumption unit according to claim 19, wherein the second component comprises a storage part to store a medium used to perform the function of the energy consumption unit.

24. The energy consumption unit according to claim 19, wherein

the energy consumption unit is a washing machine;

the first component is a heater and the performance of the function of the first component is a supply of warm water by heating washing water; and

the second component is a warm water tank and the performance of the function of the second component is a supply of the warm water stored in the warm water tank.

25. The energy consumption unit according to claim 19, wherein

the energy consumption unit is a refrigerator;

the first component is a compressor and the performance of the function of the first component is to supply cold air by driving of a refrigeration cycle; and

the second component is a regenerating unit and the performance of the function of the second component is to supply cold air stored in the regenerating unit.

26. The energy consumption unit according to claim 19, wherein, when the condition to operate the second component is satisfied, the control unit restricts the first component and causes the second component to be driven for an additional time to prevent the function performed by the first component from being deteriorated.

27. The energy consumption unit according to claim 19, wherein, after the performance of the function of the energy consumption unit is completed, the control unit performs an additional operation mode to prevent the performance of the function of the energy consumption unit that is completed from being deteriorated.

28. The energy consumption unit according to claim 27, wherein the control unit performs the additional operation mode until the control unit receives a signal.

29. The energy consumption unit according to claim 27, wherein

the energy consumption unit is a washing machine;

and

the additional operation mode comprises a wrinkle prevention operation mode on the laundry.

30. The energy consumption unit according to claim 27, wherein

the energy consumption unit is a drier or a dish washer;

and

the additional operation mode comprises driving of a fan motor to circulate the air in a drying space or a washing space.

31. The energy consumption unit according to claim 27, wherein

the energy consumption unit is a cooking appliance;

and

the additional operation mode comprises driving of a heating device to maintain a temperature of food.

32. The energy consumption unit according to claim 28, wherein

the energy consumption unit is one of a washing machine, a drier, a dish washer and a cooking appliance;

and

the signal received by the control unit is an open signal of a sensor equipped at a door of the energy consumption unit.

33. The energy consumption unit according to 19, wherein, wherein a high cost time interval is a time interval in which the information related to time-based pricing indicates a value greater than a predetermined reference value, and a low cost interval is a time interval in which the information related to time-based pricing indicates a value less than the predetermined reference value, the energy consumption unit further comprising an input unit, wherein after a command on an operation of the energy consumption unit is sensed by the input unit, if the control unit determines that the time interval is low cost interval, an operation of the energy consumption unit is performed.

34. The energy consumption unit according to claim 33, wherein the command sensed by the input unit is one of commands on an operation end time, operation start time, and reservation of a operation time interval.

35. The energy consumption unit according to claim 34, wherein, if the control unit determines that the time interval is low cost interval, the control unit causes the operation of the energy consumption unit to be immediately driven instead of waiting for the reserved operation time interval.

36. The energy consumption unit according to claim 34, wherein after the operation of the energy consumption unit is completed, the control unit causes an additional cycle to be performed until the operation end time or the end time of the operation time interval.

37. The energy consumption unit according to claim 34, wherein after the operation of the energy consumption unit is completed, the control unit causes an additional cycle to be performed from the operation start time to a reference time obtained by calculating an operating time of the energy consumption unit.

38. The energy consumption unit according to claim 33, wherein a specific operation time of the energy consumption unit is recommended, and the control unit causes an additional cycle to be performed until the end time of a recommended operation time after the operation of the energy consumption unit is completed.

39. An energy consumption unit, comprising:

an cabinet that receives a consumable and is openable;

a closure that selectively closes the cabinet;

a driving unit provided in the cabinet to manage the consumable;

a controller that controls the driving unit based upon a main operation mode of the energy consumption unit, and

wherein the controller controls the driving unit to perform an additional operation mode of the energy consumption unit to prevent a state of the consumable after the main operation mode of the energy consumption unit is completed from being deteriorated.

40. The energy consumption unit according to claim 39, wherein the controller controls the driving unit to perform the additional operation mode of the energy consumption unit for a predetermined time interval.

41. The energy consumption unit according to claim 39, further comprising a locking device that restricts operation of the closure,

wherein the controller controls the locking device to close the cabinet during performing the main operation mode or the additional operation mode of the energy consumption unit.

42. The energy consumption unit according to claim 39, wherein the controller controls the driving unit to perform the additional operation mode of the energy consumption unit when the closure closes the cabinet at a preset time interval after the main operation mode of the energy consumption unit is completed.

43. The energy consumption unit according to claim 39, wherein

the energy consumption unit is a washing machine,

the consumable is clothes, and

the additional operation mode comprises a wrinkle prevention operation mode on the laundry.

44. The energy consumption unit according to claim 39, wherein

the energy consumption unit is a drier or a dish washer,

the consumable is clothes or dishes, and

the additional operation mode comprises driving of a fan motor to circulate the air in a drying space or a washing space.

45. The energy consumption unit according to claim 39, wherein

the energy consumption unit is a cooking appliance,

the consumable is food, and

the additional operation mode comprises driving of a heating device to maintain a temperature of food.