Power management apparatus and method for controlling the power management apparatus

• US 9,118,218 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Young Jin, Park, Hyun Soo, Jang, Jae Hwi, Shin, Jong Hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Jarrett, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US13/137,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20120089263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2639 Energy management, use maximum of cheap power, keep peak load low
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/0005 the elements or equipment being or involving power plugs or sockets
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4666 Operational details on the addition or the stripping of a tag in a frame, e.g. at a provider edge node
• 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: Y04S 10/40 Display of information, e.g. of data or controls
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/221 General power management 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 power management system includes a smart socket to meter power consumption of an electric device by connecting to the electric device, and be assigned a code, a power management apparatus to display a code image when a registration mode of the smart socket is performed, and a terminal to acquire a code image of the power management apparatus and a code image of the smart socket, receive information of an electric device to be coupled to the smart socket, read the acquired code images of the power management apparatus and the smart socket, pair the read power management apparatus and the smart socket code with the electric device information, and transmit the paired information to the power management apparatus. Users of all ages and dexterity can easily register, change, and release the smart socket and the electric device, such that user efficiency and accessibility are increased.

Claims

1. A power management apparatus comprising:

a display to display a message that invites the user to input an identification (ID) number of a smart socket and information of an electric device to be coupled to the smart socket in a registration mode of the smart socket;

an input unit to receive the ID number of the smart socket and the information of the electric device to be coupled to the smart socket from the user; and

a controller to pair the ID number of the smart socket with the electric device information,

wherein the controller, if the ID number of the smart socket is paired with the electric device information, generates a Personal Area Network identification number (PAN ID) of the smart socket representing the pairing of the smart socket with the electric device, and further includes a communication unit to transmit the generated PAN ID to the smart socket, and

the controller confirms a communication state with the smart socket, and if communication with the smart socket is severed, the controller searches for a PAN ID corresponding to the disconnected smart socket, and re-communicates with the smart socket having the searched PAN ID.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a storage unit to store the PAN ID, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, and an MAC address, and store the ID number of the paired smart socket with the electric device information.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller further includes a change mode to change information of the electric device to be coupled to the smart socket, and a release mode to release the registered smart socket.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller receives power rate information from a power provider, receives power consumption information of the electric device from the smart socket, and configures a driving schedule of the electric device on the basis of power consumption information of the power rate information and the power consumption information of the electric device.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller receives power consumption information of the electric device from the smart socket, and determines whether the electric device coupled to the smart socket is changed on the basis of power consumption information of the electric device.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller receives power consumption information of the electric device from the smart socket, collects power factor information of the electric device by analyzing the power consumption information of the electric device, and determines whether the electric device coupled to the smart socket is changed on the basis of the collected power factor information.

7. A power management apparatus comprising:

a display to display a message that invites the user to input a code image of a smart socket and information of an electric device to be coupled to the smart socket in a registration mode of the smart socket;

an imaging unit to acquire a code image from a code assigned to the smart socket;

an input unit to receive information of the electric device to be coupled to the smart socket; and

a controller to acquire the code by reading the code image, recognize the smart socket using the code, and pair the recognized smart socket with the electric device information,

wherein the code is one selected from the group consisting of a bar code and a QR code, and

wherein the controller, if the code image of the smart socket is paired with the electric device information, generates a Personal Area Network identification number (PAN ID) of the smart socket representing the pairing of the smart socket with the electric device, and further includes a communication unit to transmit the generated PAN ID to the smart socket.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controller confirms a communication state with the smart socket,

if communication with the smart socket is severed, the controller searches for a PAN ID corresponding to the disconnected smart socket, and re-communicates with the smart socket having the searched PAN ID.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controller receives power rate information from a power provider, receives power consumption information of the electric device from the smart socket, and configures a driving schedule of the electric device on the basis of power consumption information of the power rate information and the power consumption information of the electric device.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controller receives power consumption information of the electric device from the smart socket, and determines whether the electric device coupled to the smart socket is changed on the basis of power consumption information of the electric device.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controller receives power consumption information of the electric device from the smart socket, collects power factor information of the electric device by analyzing the power consumption information of the electric device, and determines whether the electric device coupled to the smart socket is changed on the basis of the collected power factor information.

12. A method for controlling a power management apparatus comprising:

if a registration mode of a smart socket is carried out by a user, receiving an identification (ID) number of the smart socket;

receiving information of an electric device to be coupled to the smart socket;

pairing the received electric device information with the ID number of the smart socket;

receiving power rate information from a power provider;

receiving power consumption information of the electric device from the smart socket;

configuring a driving schedule of the electric device on the basis of the power rate information and the power consumption information of the electric device, and displaying the configured driving schedule;

if the ID number of the smart socket is paired with the electric device information, generating a Personal Area Network identification number (PAN ID) of the smart socket, the PAN ID representing the pairing of the smart socket with the electric device;

transmitting the generated PAN ID to the smart socket;

receiving power rate information from a power provider;

receiving power consumption information of the electric device from the smart socket connected by the PAN ID; and

configuring a driving schedule of the electric device on the basis of the power rate information and the power consumption information of the electric device, and displaying the configured driving schedule.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

confirming a communication state with the smart socket;

if the disconnected smart socket is confirmed, searching for a PAN ID corresponding to the disconnected smart socket; and

re-communicating with the smart socket having the searched PAN ID.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the pairing of the smart socket ID number and the electric device information further includes:

pairing a PAN ID of the smart socket and an IP address with MAC address information.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

if an information change mode of the electric device to be coupled to the smart socket is performed, receiving an identification (ID) number of the smart socket;

receiving information of the electric device to be changed; and

pairing the ID number of the smart socket with the information of the electric device to be changed, and storing the paired result.

16. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

if a registration release mode of the smart socket is performed, receiving an identification (ID) number of the smart socket; and

deleting the ID number of the smart socket, and releasing the registered smart socket.

17. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

determining whether the electric device coupled to the smart socket is changed on the basis of power consumption information of the electric device.

18. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

collecting power factor information of the electric device by analyzing the power consumption information of the electric device; and

determining whether the electric device coupled to the smart socket is changed on the basis of the collected power factor information.