Smart control device

• US 8,868,248 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2011
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Jong Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Padmanabhan, Kavita
• Assistant Examiner(s): Everett, Christopher E
• Application Number:
  US13/094,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20110264286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• 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: H02J 9/005 using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• 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: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances

Abstract

A smart control device is disclosed. The smart control device can be equipped in an electrical appliance, so as to be capable of controlling the electrical appliance by using diverse information that is provided from both the inside and the outside of the electrical appliance. In a smart control device monitoring and scheduling operations of an electrical appliance, the smart control device includes an interface unit configured to receive energy information, a smart controller configured to control energy saving functions of the electrical appliance based upon the energy information received from the interface unit, and an input unit configured to receive an inputted control command respective to the electrical appliance. Herein, the smart controller may be provided in the electrical appliance, and the smart controller may control the electrical appliance so that the electrical appliance can be operated in an energy saving operation mode based upon the received energy information.

Claims

1. A smart control device for monitoring and scheduling operations of an electrical appliance, the smart control device comprising:

an interface unit configured to receive energy information;

a sensor unit configured to detect at least one of status information of the electrical appliance and environment information of the electrical appliance;

a smart controller provided in the electrical appliance and configured to control an operation mode of the electrical appliance based upon at least one of the energy information, the status information and the environment information; and

an input unit configured to input a user'"'"'s control command respective to the electrical appliance,

wherein the smart controller determines an absolute value for at least one of a variation of the status information or a variation of the environment information from a previously detected status information or environment information from the operation mode and controls the operation mode of the electrical appliance corresponding to at least one of the variation of the status information or variation of the environment information, wherein, when the received energy information is on peak time period and the operation mode is a first energy saving operation mode, the smart controller is configured to;

control the electrical appliance so that the operation mode can be maintained as the first energy saving operation mode, when the absolute value of the variation of the status information or the environment information is below a first variation reference value,

control the electrical appliance so that the operation mode can be changed from the first energy saving operation mode into a second energy saving operation mode in order to restrain the variation of the status information or the environment information within a range of the energy saving operation mode, when the absolute value of the variation of the status information or the environment information is between the first variation reference value and a second variation reference value, and

control the electrical appliance so that the operation mode can be changed from the second energy saving operation mode into a general operation mode in order to restrain a variation of the status information or the environment information, when the absolute value of the variation of the status information or the environment information is above the second variation reference value, and

wherein an amount of energy for operating the second energy saving operation mode is greater than an amount of energy for operating the first energy saving operation mode, and the amount of energy for operating the second energy saving operation mode is smaller than an amount of energy for operating the general operation mode.

2. The smart control device of claim 1, wherein, when another command respective to the electrical appliance is inputted through the input device, the smart controller terminates a current operation mode and controls the electrical appliance so that the electrical appliance is capable of being operated according to the inputted command.

3. The smart control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit configured to display the received energy information and the status information of the electrical appliance, and

wherein the smart controller performs a control function enabling the received energy information and the status information of the electrical appliance to be displayed simultaneously or selectively on the display unit.

4. The smart control device of claim 1, wherein the smart controller performs control functions of:

determining whether or not a change of the operation mode is required so as to respond to the variation of the status information or the environment information; and

when it is determined that a change in the current operation mode is required,

extracting a required operation data value from a memory, the required operation data related to the change of the operation mode which reflect a variation of the status information or the environment information, and changing the operation mode.

5. The smart control device of claim 1, wherein, when a variation occurs in the status information, or when a variation occurs in the environment information, in order to restrain a change in the status information or to restrain a change in the environment information, the smart controller performs a control function allowing the operation mode of the electrical appliance to be a negative feedback operation mode.

6. The smart control device of claim 1, wherein, when a variation occurs in the status information, or when a variation occurs in the environment information, in order to activate a variation in the status information or to activate a variation in the environment information, the smart controller performs a control function allowing the operation mode of the electrical appliance to be a positive feedback operation mode.

7. The smart control device of claim 1, wherein the energy information includes information on time-based electricity rates and time period information defined based upon a level of the electricity rate,

wherein the smart controller controls the electrical appliance so that the electrical appliance can be operated in a non-energy saving operation mode during an off peak time period, wherein the electricity rate is below a first standard electricity rate,

wherein the smart controller controls the electrical appliance so that the electrical appliance can be operated in a third energy saving operation mode during an on peak time period, wherein the electricity rate is above a first standard electricity rate and below a second standard electricity rate, and

wherein the smart controller controls the electrical appliance so that the electrical appliance can be operated in a fourth energy saving operation mode demonstrating a higher energy saving level than the third energy saving operation mode, or so that the operation of the electrical appliance can be stopped, during a critical on peak time period, wherein the electricity rate is above the second standard electricity rate and below a third standard electricity rate.

8. The smart control device of claim 1, wherein the energy information includes information on time-based home energy consumption level, and

wherein the smart controller operates the electrical appliance in a non energy saving operation mode during a time period in which the home energy consumption level is below a predetermined standard energy consumption level, and

wherein the smart controller operates the electrical appliance in an energy saving operation mode in order to restrain or reduce energy consumption during a time period in which the home energy consumption level exceeds the predetermined standard energy consumption level.

9. The smart control device of claim 1, wherein the smart controller comprises a smart chip being placed inside the electrical appliance.

10. The smart control device of claim 9, wherein the interface unit delivers the received energy information to the smart chip, the smart chip being provided inside the electrical appliance.

11. The smart control device of claim 1, wherein the smart control device is configured of a smart adaptor being connected to a plug of the electrical appliance, and wherein the smart controller is provided in the inside of the smart adaptor.

12. The smart control device of claim 11, wherein the interface unit is provided in the smart adaptor, so as to be connected to the smart controller, and wherein the interface unit receives information required for controlling the electrical appliance and delivers the received information to the smart controller.

13. The smart control device of claim 12, wherein the smart adaptor comprises at least any one of:

a display unit configured to display energy information status; and

a switch configured to regulate or block energy being supplied to the electrical appliance.

14. The smart control device of claim 1, wherein the smart controller controls the electrical appliance so as to independently or simultaneously control operations of multiple energy consuming units provided in the electrical appliance and control power supply for each of the energy consuming units.

15. The smart control device of claim 1, wherein the smart controller controls the electrical appliance so that the electrical appliance can be operated in an energy saving operation mode based upon the energy information received by the electrical appliance, and wherein, when a command inputted through the input unit is recognized to have a higher priority level than the energy saving operation mode, the smart controller controls the electrical appliance so that the electrical appliance can be selectively operated either in the operation mode indicated by the recognized command or in the energy saving operation mode.

16. A smart control device for monitoring and scheduling operations of an electrical appliance, the smart control device comprising:

an interface unit configured to receive energy information;

a sensor unit configured to detect at least one of status information of the electrical appliance and environment information of the electrical appliance;

a smart controller provided in the electrical appliance and configured to control an operation mode of the electrical appliance based upon at least one of the energy information, the status information and the environment information; and

an input unit configured to input a user'"'"'s control command respective to the electrical appliance,

wherein, when another command respective to the electrical appliance is inputted through the input device, the smart controller terminates a current operation mode and controls the electrical appliance so that the electrical appliance is capable of being operated according to the inputted command,

wherein the smart controller determines an absolute value for at least one of a variation of the status information or a variation of the environment information from a previously detected status information or environment information from the operation mode and controls the operation mode of the electrical appliance corresponding to at least one of the variation of the status information or variation of the environment information,

wherein, when the received energy information is on peak time period and the operation mode is a first energy saving operation mode, the smart controller is configured to;

control the electrical appliance so that the operation mode can be maintained as the first energy saving operation mode, when the absolute value of the variation of the status information or the environment information is below a first variation reference value,

control the electrical appliance so that the operation mode can be changed from the first energy saving operation mode into a second energy saving operation mode in order to restrain the variation of the status information or the environment information within a range of the energy saving operation mode, when the absolute value of the variation of the status information or the environment information is between the first variation reference value and a second variation reference value, and

control the electrical appliance so that the operation mode can be changed from the second energy saving operation mode into a general operation mode in order to restrain a variation of the status information or the environment information, when the absolute value of the variation of the status information or the environment information is above the second variation reference value, and

wherein an amount of energy for operating the second energy saving operation mode is greater than an amount of energy for operating the first energy saving operation mode, and the amount of energy for operating the second energy saving operation mode is smaller than an amount of energy for operating the general operation mode.

17. The smart control device of claim 16, wherein the smart controller performs a step of monitoring whether or not a forced execution operation according to the inputted command is completed, and wherein, when the forced execution operation is completed, the smart controller controls the operation of the electrical appliance based upon the information received from the interface unit.