Method of measuring power consumption of electric appliance

• US 8,307,229 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2010
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Kangwon
• Primary Examiner(s): KNOLL, CLIFFORD H
• Application Number:
  US12/842,403
• Publication Number:
  US 20110145611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 713300-320, 713323-340, 702 60- 62, 700295-296
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/12 Determination or prediction of behaviour, e.g. likely power consumption or unusual usage patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/10 using digital techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/20 The dispersed energy generation being of renewable origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/28 The renewable source being wind energy wind motors F03D
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/40 wherein a plurality of decentralised, dispersed or local energy generation technologies are operated simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• 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: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A method of measuring power consumption of an electric appliance is provided. The method may include determining an operation mode of the electric appliance, extracting power consumption data corresponding to the determined operation mode of the electric appliance, and calculating an integrated power consumption based on the extracted power consumption data and the operation time of the electric appliance.

Claims

1. A method of controlling at least one appliance of a plurality of appliances in a network, the method comprising:

determining an operation mode of each of the plurality of appliances;

obtaining power consumption data corresponding to the determined operation mode of each of the plurality of appliances;

calculating integrated power consumption of the plurality of appliances based on the power consumption data and a corresponding operation time of each of the plurality of appliances;

measuring actual integrated power consumption of the plurality of appliances; and

comparing the calculated integrated power consumption and the actual integrated power consumption and adjusting the power consumption data corresponding to the determined operation mode of each of the plurality of appliances when the comparison indicates there is a difference between the calculated and actual integrated power consumption.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining an operation mode of each of the plurality of appliances comprises determining an individual operational profile for each of the plurality of appliances over a predetermined period of time, each individual operational profile comprising operation of the respective appliance in a plurality of operation modes, each operation mode for a corresponding operation time.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of operation modes comprises an energy saving mode, a normal mode in which operation is carried out irrespective of a power rate, and a rate saving mode in which operation is carried out so as to avoid operation during peak power rate times.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein obtaining power consumption data comprises obtaining power consumption data for each of the plurality of operation modes of each of the plurality of appliances.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein calculating integrated power consumption comprises determining individual power consumption for the individual operation profile of each of the plurality of appliances, and thereafter combining the individual power consumptions to determine the integrated power consumption.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining individual power consumption for the individual operation profile of each of the plurality of appliances comprises:

determining an incremental power consumption for each operation mode of the individual operation profile by multiplying the power consumption data of the operation mode by its corresponding operation time; and

adding all of the determined incremental power consumptions for the operation modes of the individual operation profile to determine the individual power consumption for the appliance.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein calculating integrated power consumption comprises adding the individual power consumptions of the plurality of appliances.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein comparing the calculated integrated power consumption and the actual integrated power consumption and adjusting the power consumption data corresponding to the determined operation mode of each of the plurality of appliances when the comparison indicates there is a difference between the calculated and actual integrated power consumption comprises:

determining a compensation value to be applied to at least one of the plurality of appliances when the comparison indicates that the integrated power consumption is not equal to the actual integrated power consumption; and

adjusting operation of at least one of the plurality of appliances based on the determined compensation value.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining power consumption data comprises obtaining power consumption data from a power consumption table stored in a smart meter or an energy management system (EMS) connected to one or more of the plurality of appliances, or from a memory provided in one or more of the plurality of appliances.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the integrated power consumption on a smart meter or an energy management system in communication with to one or more of the plurality of appliances.