Standby power reduction

• US 8,624,430 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2009
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Watson, Eric K., Root, Steven Keith, Drake, Jeff Donald, Burt, Ashley Wayne, Weber, Jeffrey S., Ganiere, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ BORROTO, ALFONSO
• Application Number:
  US12/621,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20110115296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• Field of Search: 307/31, 307/116, 307/126, 307/66
• US Class Current: 307/31
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/005 using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004
• 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: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems

Abstract

A standby power system for an appliance having a power input coupled to a main power source includes a power enabling device coupled between the main power source and power input of the appliance, a standby power state sensing device coupled to the power enabling device, and a power restore device coupled to the power enabling device.

Claims

1. A standby power system for an appliance having a power input coupled to a main power source, comprising:

a power enabling device coupled electrically in series between the main power source and the power input of the appliance, the power enabling device being configured to electrically disconnect the power input of the appliance from the main power source and not consume electric power in a standby state;

a standby state sensing device coupled to the power enabling device, the standby state sensing device being configured to monitor one or more conditions other than a load current to the power input of the appliance to detect the standby state and generate a standby state signal; and

a power restore device coupled to the power enabling device configured to generate a power restore signal and cause the power enabling device to electrically connect the power input of the appliance to the main power source,

wherein the power enabling device comprises a reset side electrically coupled to the standby state sensing unit configured to receive the standby state signal and a set side electrically coupled to the power restore device to receive the power restore signal, the power enabling device only consuming electrical power during receipt of the standby state signal or the power restore signal.

2. The standby power system of claim 1, wherein the power enabling device comprises a bistable relay that electrically connects the power input of the appliance to the main power source in one state, and disconnects the power input of the appliance from the main power source in another state.

3. The standby power system of claim 1, wherein the detected standby state comprises at least one of a user proximity to the appliance, elapsed time from last use, ambient light level, activity level unrelated to power consumption, motion sensing, manual input, power management control input, energy management commands, time of day, user presets, control status sensing, and intermodule communication.

4. The standby power system of claim 1, wherein the detected standby state comprises a sensed physical property of the appliance other than a load current to the power input of the appliance.

5. The standby power system of claim 4, wherein the sensed physical property comprises at least one of pressure, temperature, wind speed, wind direction, luminous intensity, and sound.

6. The standby power system of claim 1, wherein the detected standby state comprises a randomized time event.

7. The standby power system of claim 1, wherein the power restore device comprises a switch that is configured to provide a power-on signal to the power enabling device to cause the power enabling device to automatically connect the main power source to the power input of the appliance.

8. The standby power system of claim 7, wherein the switch comprises a manually activated switch configured to provide the power-on signal to the power enabling device when activated.

9. The standby power system of claim 7, wherein the appliance further comprises:

at least one door; and

a door opening device coupled to each of the at least one door;

wherein the switch is coupled to the door opening device and is configured to generate the power-on signal when the door opening device is activated to open a respective door.

10. The standby power system of claim 7, wherein the appliance includes a body, and the switch is incorporated in the body of the appliance.

11. The standby power system of claim 1, further comprising a standby power source coupled to the appliance, the standby power source configured to provide electrical power to predetermined electrical components of the appliance in the standby state.

12. The standby power system of claim 7, wherein the switch is a touch sensitive switch or a proximity sensor.

13. A power control system for an appliance, comprising:

a power input to the appliance;

an external source of electrical power;

a power enabling device coupled electrically in series between the external source of electrical power and the power input to the appliance, the power enabling device being configured to, in a standby state, electrically disconnect the power input of the appliance from the external source of electrical power and not consume electric power; and

a standby state sensing device coupled to the power enabling device and configured to detect an existence of a standby state trigger other than a load current to the power input to the appliance and transmit a standby state activation signal to the power enabling device to switch to the standby state;

wherein the power enabling device comprises a reset side electrically coupled to the standby state sensing device configured to receive the standby state activation signal and a set side to electrically connect the power input of the appliance to the external source of electrical power.

14. The power control system of claim 13, wherein the power enabling device is configured to disconnect the external source of electrical power from the power input to the appliance when the standby state activation signal is detected.

15. The power control system of claim 13, further comprising a power restore device coupled to the set side of the power enabling device, the power restore device configured to provide a power restore signal to the set side of the power enabling device causing the power enabling device to establish the electrical connection between the external source of electrical power and the power input to the appliance.

16. The power control system of claim 15, wherein the power restore device is a manually activated switch or a signal triggered by a manual input setting.

17. The power control system of claim 14, further comprising a standby power source electrically connected to or within the appliance, the standby power source configured to provide a minimum source of electrical power to control components of the appliance when the standby state activation signal is detected and the power input to the appliance is disabled from the external source of electrical power.

18. The power control system of claim 17, wherein the standby power source comprises an energy storage device.

19. The power control system of claim 13, wherein the power enabling device consumes electrical power only when electrically connecting or disconnecting the power input of the appliance and the external source of electrical power.