COMPONENT FOR A NETWORK SYSTEM

• US 20130332002A1
• Filed: 06/22/2011
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Junho Ahn
• Inventors: Seo, Moonseok, Ahn, Junho, Seo, Daegeun, Cheong, Dalho, Jang, Bongmun, Kim, Yanghwan, Lee, Hoonbong, Lee, Koonseok, Lee, Joongkeun, Kwak, Hyunjung, Seo, Sangwook, Son, Kuyoung, Jo, Kyugeun
• Granted Patent: US 9,979,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0047 Energy or water consumption, e.g. by saving energy or water
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0063 using remote monitoring or controlling of the dishwasher operation, e.g. networking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/30 Variation of electrical, magnetical or optical quantities
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/34 Other automatic detections
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/04 Signal transfer or data transmission arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/28 Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress
• 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 2310/14 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: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• 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 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances

Abstract

Provided is a component for a network system. The component for a network system which is communicable with the other component includes a communication unit for communicating with the other component, an input part for inputting a command related to an operation of the component, and a control part for controlling the operation of the component. The component includes a power saving function in which the component is operable on the basis of energy information.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A component capable of communicating with a network system, the component comprising:

a communication unit to communicate with another component

an interface to receive a command related to an operation of the component;

a display part; and

a control part to control the operation of the component based on the command,

wherein the component comprises a power saving function in which the component is operable on the basis of information related to energy.

22. The component according to claim 21, wherein the interface comprises at least one of an input part or included in the display part.

23. The component according to claim 21, further comprising a normal function in which the component is operable without being based on the information related to energy.

24. The component according to claim 23, wherein the interface comprises a selection part to select the power saving function or the normal function.

25. The component according to claim 24, wherein one function of the power saving function or the normal function is changed into another function by a selection of the selection part at the interface.

26. The component according to claim 24, wherein the selection part comprises a power saving function selection part to select the power saving function and a normal function selection part to select the normal function.

27. The component according to claim 23, wherein at least one of the power saving function or the normal function is selectable at the interface based on the communication unit having communication possibility with the other component.

28. The component according to claim 27, wherein, the power saving function or the normal function is selectable at the interface when the communication unit can communicate with the other component, and

the normal function is selected by the control unit when the communication unit cannot communicate with the other component.

29. The component according to claim 23, wherein one of the power saving function or the normal function is selectable at the interface based on a high price period or a low price period displayed at the display part.

30. The component according to claim 23, wherein the power saving function is automatically selected by the control unit in a high price period, and

the normal function is automatically selected by the control unit in a low prices period.

31. The component according to claim 23, wherein an energy usage amount or energy charge when the component is operated in a specific course in a state where the power saving function is set is less than that when the component is operated in the specific course in a state where the normal function is set.

32. The component according to claim 23, wherein the component further comprises a time reduction function in which the component is operated without being based on the information related to energy, and an operation time of the component is reduced when compared to that of an operation time during the normal function.

33. The component according to claim 21, wherein, in the state where the power saving function is set, the control unit causes time information and energy charge information to be displayed on the display part.

34. The component according to claim 33, wherein the control unit causes total energy charge when the component is operated in a specific course at a current time point to be displayed on the display part.

35. The component according to claim 33, wherein the control unit causes a total energy charge when the component is operated in a specific course within each time period to be displayed on the display part.

36. The component according to claim 21, wherein the power saving function comprises an automatic power saving function in which an operation method or time of the component is automatically selected by the control unit and a manual power saving function in which the operation method or time of the component is manually selected at the interface.

37. The component according to claim 21, wherein, when a specific course of the component is selected at the interface, and a start button receives an input in a state where the power saving function is set, the control part determines whether an operation start condition is satisfied, and

when the operation start condition is satisfied, the component performs the selected specific course.

38. The component according to claim 37, wherein the control unit determines whether the operation start condition is satisfied by determining whether the sum of a required operation time and an error margin time of the selected specific course overlaps a high price period.

39. The component according to claim 37, wherein, when the operation start condition is not satisfied, the control unit causes the operation of the component to be placed on standby to operate at a subsequent time.

40. The component according to claim 21, wherein a power saving driving method for reducing an energy charge or an energy usage amount is recommended by the control unit on the basis of information related to energy and the command received at the interface in a state where the power saving function is set.

41. The component according to claim 40, wherein the control part determines a power saving driving method based on a driving method having a driving time and a course.

42. The component according to claim 40, wherein if time related to an operation of the component is received at the interface, the display part displays a power saving operation time for the component to reduce an energy usage cost based on the received time and the information related to energy.

43. The component of claim 40, wherein if an operation method of the component is received at the interface the display part displays a power saving driving method for the component to reduce an energy usage cost based on the received operation method and the information related to energy.

44. The component of claim 40, wherein if an energy usage cost or an energy usage amount of the component is received at the interface, the display part displays a driving method for the component based on the information related to energy and the received energy usage cost or the energy usage amount of the component so as to result in an energy usage cost or an energy usage amount lower than the received energy usage cost or energy usage amount.

45. The component of claim 21, wherein the information related to energy comprises a high period, and the control unit causes an output of the component to be decreased after recognizing the high period.

46. The component of claim 21, wherein the information related to energy comprises a high price time period, and when the high price time period is included within at least one portion of a driving time period of the component, the control unit causes the driving time period of the component to be changed.