Temperature control based on energy price

• US 9,244,445 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2012
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Finch, Michael F., Warms, Shelly E., Schuhmann, Matthew Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): BARNES-BULLOCK, CRYSTAL JOY
• Application Number:
  US13/353,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20120123594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,468 Days
• Field of Search: 700/275, 700/276, 700/278, 700/286, 700/295, 700/296, 702/27, 702/130, 705/412, 165/200, 165/201, 165/238, 165/239, 165/267, 165/268, 236/1.R, 236/1.C, 236/46.R, 236/46.F, 236/47, 236/51, 236/90, 236/91.R, 236/91.D
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/67 Switching between heating and cooling modes
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1923 using thermal energy, the cost of which varies in function of time

Abstract

A system is disclosed comprising memory configured to store a temperature value based on a cost of a given energy resource, wherein the cost-based temperature value differs from a temperature value based on a temperature schedule. The system also comprises a controller operatively coupled to the memory and configured to compare the cost-based temperature value to the schedule-based temperature value, and to direct one of a cooling system and a heating system to maintain a temperature of an environment at the one of the cost-based temperature value and the schedule-based temperature value that results in an energy cost savings.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

memory configured to store a temperature value based on a cost of a given energy resource, wherein the cost-based temperature value differs from a temperature value based on a temperature schedule;

a controller operatively coupled to the memory and configured to compare the cost-based temperature value to the schedule-based temperature value, and to direct one of a cooling system and a heating system to maintain a temperature of an environment at the one of the cost-based temperature value and the schedule-based temperature value that results in an energy cost savings; and

a user interface comprising

one or more input features for selecting the cost-based temperature value; and

one or more input features for opting out of the energy cost savings comparison.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory and the controller are part of a thermostat device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to receive cost information from an energy provider for determining the cost of the given energy resource.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface further comprises a manual entry cost schedule for determining the cost of the given energy resource.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface further comprises one or more output features for presenting energy management information.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the temperature schedule comprises an Energy Star recommended temperature schedule.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the cost of the given energy resource is specified in terms of a plurality of a cost tiers.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the given energy resource comprises one of electricity, gas, and oil.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the cooling system and the heating system are part of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

10. A system comprising:

at least one of a cooling system and a heating system for respectively cooling and heating a given environment; and

an energy management system coupled to the at least one of the cooling system and the heating system, the energy management system comprising;

memory configured to store a temperature value based on a cost of a given energy resource, wherein the cost-based temperature value differs from a temperature value based on a temperature schedule;

a controller operatively coupled to the memory and configured to compare the cost-based temperature value to the schedule-based temperature value, and to direct one of the cooling system and the heating system to maintain a temperature of the given environment at the one of the cost-based temperature value and the schedule-based temperature value that results in an energy cost savings; and

a user interface comprising

one or more input features for selecting the cost-based temperature value; and

one or more input features for opting out of the energy cost savings comparison.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the memory and the controller are part of a thermostat device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to receive cost information from an energy provider for determining the cost of the given energy resource.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the user interface further comprises a manual entry cost schedule for determining the cost of the given energy resource.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the user interface further comprises one or more output features for presenting energy management information.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the cost of the given energy resource is specified in terms of a plurality of a cost tiers.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the given energy resource comprises one of electricity, gas, and oil.

17. A system comprising:

memory configured to store a temperature value based on a cost of a given energy resource, wherein the cost-based temperature value differs from a temperature value based on a temperature schedule; and

a controller operatively coupled to the memory and configured to compare the cost-based temperature value to the schedule-based temperature value, and to direct one of a cooling system and a heating system to maintain a temperature of an environment at the one of the cost-based temperature value and the schedule-based temperature value that results in an energy cost savings;

wherein the temperature schedule comprises an Energy Star recommended temperature schedule.