Method, system and device for managing the consumption of electric energy in a domestic environment

• US 6,603,218 B1
• Filed: 08/07/2001
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Indesit Company SPA (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Wrap SpA
• Inventors: Aisa, Valerio
• Primary Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEBERADINIS, ROBERT L
• Application Number:
  US09/890,901
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 307/31, 307/32, 307/33, 307/38
• US Class Current: 307/31
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• 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 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• 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: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission

Abstract

A method is described, for managing the energy consumption of electric users (LB, LS, FO, PG, CO), including household appliances, in a domestic environment (A), said users being operatively connected in a network (RE), each one of said users (LB, LS, FO, FG, CO) presenting an electric load to a source of electric energy, comprising the steps of: presetting an appropriate maximum limit of power (Pmax) which can be supplied by said source of electric energy, providing each user (LB, LS, FO, FG, CO) with control means for managing its own consumption of electric energy, measuring the instantaneous total consumption of the electric energy (Ply) supplied by said source to said domestic environment (A), transmitting to the control means of each one of said users (LB, LS, FO, FG, CO), by means of said network (RE), information relating to the instantaneous total consumption of the supplied electric energy (PIT), making the control means of each one of said users (LB, LS, FO, FG, CO) capable of adjusting the electric load being presented to said source of energy by the respective user in response to said information. According to the invention, said information relating the instantaneous total consumption of the electric energy (PT) is transmitted on said network (RE) with a frequency which is variable in function of: the value of the instantaneous total consumption of the absorbed electric energy (PT), measured by a measuring device (MP), and said maximum limit of available power (Pmax).

Claims

1. A method for managing energy consumption of a network of household appliances, the method including the steps of

A. measuring at the household the instantaneous total energy consumption of the household;

B. transmitting over the network to the household appliances information relating to the total energy consumption and varying the time between transmission of the information based on a difference between the measured total energy consumption value and a predetermined maximum energy consumption value; and

C. controlling the operations of the household appliances in response to the energy consumption information, to maintain total energy consumption for the household at or below the predetermined maximum.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting transmits the information with shorter time between transmissions as the measured energy value approaches the predetermined maximum value.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the transmitted information relates to the total power in use by the household.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the transmitted information relates to the total current utilized by the household.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of controlling the operations of the household appliances includes the appliances individually and automatically controlling their operations to maintain total energy consumption below the predetermined maximum value.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of controlling the operations of the household appliances further includes dynamically adjusting the energy consumption of one or more of the appliances.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of controlling further includes adapting operating cycles of one or more of the appliances to maintain the instantaneous total energy consumption below the predetermined maximum energy consumption value.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting further includes transmitting the predetermined maximum energy consumption value.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of transmitting also includes transmitting the predetermined maximum energy consumption value that corresponds to the time of transmission.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein

i. the step of transmitting further includes appliances transmitting indications of being operative, and

ii. the step of controlling further includes controlling the individual appliances at a given time based on assigned relative priorities of the appliances operating at the given time.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of transmitting also includes the operative appliance transmitting priority information.

12. The method of claim 1 further including the step of transmitting the current time of day or current date on the network.

13. A system for managing energy consumption of a network of household appliances, the system including:

A. a plurality of household appliances; and

B. a meter for measuring the instantaneous total energy consumption of the household, the meter transmitting over the network to the household appliances information relating to the total energy consumption and varying the time between transmission of the information based on a difference between the measured total energy consumption value and a predetermined maximum energy consumption value;

C. the household appliances controlling their operations in response to the energy consumption information, to maintain total energy consumption for the household at or below the predetermined maximum.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the meter transmits the information with shorter time between transmissions as the measured energy value approaches the predetermined maximum value.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the meter transmits information that relates to the total power in use by the household.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the meter transmits information that relates to the total current utilized by the household.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the household appliances individually and automatically control their operations to maintain total energy consumption below the predetermined maximum value.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein one or more of the plurality of household appliances further dynamically adjusts their energy consumption in order to maintain instantaneous total energy consumption below the predetermined maximum value.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein one or more of the plurality of household appliances adapts their operating cycles in order to maintain the instantaneous total energy consumption below the predetermined maximum energy consumption value.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the meter further transmits the predetermined maximum energy consumption value.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the meter in a given transmission transmits the predetermined maximum energy consumption value that corresponds to the time of the transmission.

22. The system of claim 13 wherein the household appliances further

i. transmit indications of being operative, and

ii. individual appliances control their operations at a given time based on assigned relative priorities of the appliances operating at the given time.

23. The system method of claim 22 wherein the household appliances operative at a given time also transmit priority information.

24. The system of claim 13 wherein the meter further transmits the current time of day or current date on the network.

25. A power meter for transmitting total energy consumption information over a network of household appliances, the power meter including:

A. means for reading energy consumption; and

B. a transmitter for transmitting information relating the energy consumption over the network, the transmitter transmitting the information at variable rates based on a difference between the energy consumption determined by the meter and an applicable predetermined maximum energy limit.

26. The power meter of claim 25 further including:

C. storage locations for storing maximum energy limits that are associated with time of day; and

D. the transmitter determines the applicable maximum energy limit based on the current time and date.

27. The power meter of claim 26 wherein the power meter further transmits the current time and date.