ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE

• US 20140074310A1
• Filed: 09/05/2013
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: KANG, Daejong, KIM, Yanghwan, AHN, Changhan
• Granted Patent: US 9,684,358 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/297
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/361 Interactive visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3234 Power saving characterised by the action undertaken

Abstract

An electrical appliance includes a communication unit receiving energy related information from the outside; a control unit receiving the energy related information from the communication unit; an energy consumption component operating by the control unit; and an input unit receiving a command for selecting an operation mode of the energy consumption component. The operation mode of the energy consumption component includes a first power saving mode in which the operation of the energy consumption component is restricted on a basis of the energy related information, and a second power saving mode in which the operation of the energy consumption component is restricted irrespective of the energy related information. One of the first and second power saving modes is selected through the input unit.

Claims

1. An electrical appliance comprising:

a communication unit to receive energy related information from an outside;

a control unit to receive the energy related information from the communication unit;

an energy consumption component operated by the control unit; and

an input unit to receive a command to select an operation mode of the energy consumption component,

wherein the operation mode of the energy consumption component comprises;

a first power saving mode in which the operation of the energy consumption component is restricted on a basis of the energy related information, and

a second power saving mode in which the operation of the energy consumption component is restricted irrespective of the energy related information, and

wherein one of the first and second power saving modes is selected through the input unit.

2. The electrical appliance according to claim 1, wherein the input unit comprises a first selection unit to select the first power saving mode, and a second selection unit to select the second power saving mode.

3. The electrical appliance according to claim 2, wherein each of the first and second selection units comprises an on button and an off button.

4. The electrical appliance according to claim 2, wherein each selection unit comprises one button that selects on and off by touch.

5. The electrical appliance according to claim 1, wherein if one of the first power saving mode and the second power saving mode becomes on, the other becomes automatically off in the input unit.

6. The electrical appliance according to claim 1, wherein both the first power saving mode and the second power saving mode become off in the input unit.

7. The electrical appliance according to claim 1, wherein a display unit on which the input unit is displayed or the input unit displays information on a restriction time period in which the operation of the energy consumption component is restricted in the first power saving mode or the second power saving mode by the control unit.

8. The electrical appliance according to claim 7, wherein a length of the restriction time period is changed through the input unit.

9. The electrical appliance according to claim 8, wherein a maximum value of the restriction time period is preset, and the length of the restriction time period is changed through the input unit within a range that does not exceed the maximum value.

10. The electrical appliance according to claim 7, wherein a start time or end time of the restriction time period is changed through the input unit in a state which the length of the restriction time period is maintained.

11. The electrical appliance according to claim 7, wherein the restriction time period is distinguished from other time periods within a certain time period and displayed on the display unit or the input unit.

12. The electrical appliance according to claim 7, wherein while the operation of the energy consumption component is restricted within the restriction time period, the input unit or the display unit comprises a release button to cause the control unit to release the restriction on the operation of the energy consumption component.

13. The electrical appliance according to claim 1, wherein the energy related information comprises a restriction time period,

the control unit selects one of a delay appliance load mode and a temporary appliance load reduction mode on a basis of a length of the restriction time period, and restricts the operation of the energy consumption component to a mode selected in the restriction time period, and

the restriction on the operation of the energy consumption component in the delay appliance load mode is different from the restriction on the operation of the energy consumption component in the temporary appliance load reduction mode.

14. The electrical appliance according to claim 13, wherein the control unit selects the delay appliance load mode if the length of the restriction time period is equal to or greater than a reference value, and selects the temporary appliance load reduction mode if the length of the restriction time period is less than the reference value.

15. The electrical appliance according to claim 13, wherein if the delay appliance load mode or the temporary appliance load reduction mode is selected by the control unit while the energy consumption component performs a first function, the control unit stops the first function of the energy consumption component in the restriction time period.

16. The electrical appliance according to claim 15, wherein if the delay appliance load mode is selected by the control unit while the energy consumption component performs the first function, the control unit causes the energy consumption component to perform a second function in the restriction time period.

17. The electrical appliance according to claim 16, wherein if the restriction time period ends, the control unit causes the energy consumption component to perform the first function again.

18. The electrical appliance according to claim 15, wherein the control unit operates another energy consumption component in the restriction time period.

19. The electrical appliance according to claim 15, wherein if the temporary appliance load reduction mode is selected by the control unit, the control unit resumes the first function of the energy consumption component when the restriction time period ends.

20. The electrical appliance according to claim 13, wherein if one of the delay appliance load mode and the temporary appliance load reduction mode is selected by the control unit, the control unit causes the energy consumption component to stop the operation of the energy consumption component in the restriction time period even if the control unit determines that the energy consumption component to start the operation in the restriction time period is needed.

21. The electrical appliance according to claim 13, wherein the energy consumption component is in plural, and

if the delay appliance load mode is selected by the control unit while a plurality of energy consumption components operate, the control unit restricts operations of some of the plurality of energy consumption components and maintains operations of the other plurality of energy components.

22. The electrical appliance according to claim 13, wherein the energy consumption component is in plural, and

if the temporary appliance load reduction mode is selected by the control unit while a plurality of energy consumption components operate, the control unit restricts operations of all of the plurality of energy consumption components.

23. The electrical appliance according to claim 1, wherein if the operation of the energy consumption component is restricted, another restriction on the operation of the energy consumption component is prevented by the control unit for a certain time period from when the restriction on the operation of the energy consumption component ends.

24. The electrical appliance according to claim 1, wherein there are priorities between the first and second power saving modes, and if a restriction time period in the first power saving mode overlaps with a restriction time period in the second power saving mode, the first power saving mode having a higher priority than the second power saving mode is on and the second power saving mode is off.

25. The electrical appliance according to claim 24, wherein if there is a change in operation from the second power saving mode to the first power saving mode, a display unit on which the input unit is displayed or the input unit displays mode change information.

26. The electrical appliance according to claim 1, wherein the control unit in determining whether to select the second power saving mode and whether a defrosting operation is needed, the control unit restricts the defrosting operation in a restriction time period if the restriction time period starts while the second power saving mode is selected and the defrosting operation is performed.

27. The electrical appliance according to claim 26, wherein the control unit stops the defrosting operation in the restriction time period.

28. The electrical appliance according to claim 27, wherein the control unit starts the defrosting operation again from the beginning after the restriction time period ends.

29. The electrical appliance according to claim 27, wherein the defrosting operation comprises a first defrosting operation and a second defrosting operation that is performed after the completion of the first defrosting operation, and

if the restriction time period starts in the first defrosting operation, the control unit starts the first defrosting operation from the beginning after the restriction time period ends.

30. The electrical appliance according to claim 29, wherein the control unit performs an ordinary operation to cool the inside of a refrigerator in the restriction time period.

31. The electrical appliance according to claim 27, wherein the defrosting operation comprises a first defrosting operation and a second defrosting operation that is performed after the completion of the first defrosting operation, and

if the restriction time period starts in the second defrosting operation, the control unit starts the first defrosting operation from the beginning or determines whether the defrosting operation is needed after the restriction time period ends.

32. The electrical appliance according to claim 31, wherein the defrosting operation further comprises a post-defrosting operation that is performed after the completion of the second defrosting operation, and

if the restriction time period starts in the second defrosting operation, the control unit ends the second defrosting operation and performs the post-defrosting operation.

33. The electrical appliance according to claim 31, wherein if the restriction time period starts in the second defrosting operation, the control unit ends the second defrosting operation and performs an ordinary operation to cool the inside of a refrigerator.

34. The electrical appliance according to claim 27, wherein the control unit resumes the stopped defrosting operation after the restriction time period ends.

35. The electrical appliance according to claim 34, wherein the defrosting operation comprises a first defrosting operation and a second defrosting operation that is performed after the completion of the first defrosting operation, and

if the restriction time period starts in the first defrosting operation, the control unit resumes the first defrosting operation after the restriction time period ends.

36. The electrical appliance according to claim 34, wherein the defrosting operation comprises a first defrosting operation and a second defrosting operation that is performed after the completion of the first defrosting operation, and

if the restriction time period starts in the first defrosting operation, the control unit resumes the second defrosting operation after the restriction time period ends.

37. The electrical appliance according to claim 27, wherein the energy consumption component comprises a compressor and a heater, and

operations of the compressor and the heater are stopped by the control unit in the restriction time period.

38. The electrical appliance according to claim 27, wherein the defrosting operation is divided into a plurality of operations, and if the restriction time period starts while any one of the plurality of operations is performed, the performed operation is stopped by the control unit and another operation is performed.

39. The electrical appliance according to claim 38, wherein the another operation is an operation to be performed after the performed operation ends.

40. An electrical appliance comprising:

a communication unit to receive energy related information from the outside;

a control unit to receive the energy related information from the communication unit; and

an energy consumption component operated by the control unit,

wherein the energy related information comprises a restriction time period,

the control unit selects one of a delay appliance load mode and a temporary appliance load reduction mode on a basis of a length of the restriction time period, and

the control unit restricts an operation of the energy consumption component to a mode selected in the restriction time period.

41. An electrical appliance comprising:

a communication unit to receive energy related information from the outside;

an input unit to receive a command to select an operation mode;

a control unit to receive information from the input unit or the communication unit; and

a compressor and a heater operated by the control unit,

wherein the control unit determines whether a power saving mode becomes on and a defrosting operation is needed, and

the control unit restricts the defrosting operation in the restriction time period if the restriction time period starts while the power saving mode becomes on and the defrosting operation is performed.