Domestic appliance comprising a communication unit, system of appliances and method for operating a domestic appliance

• US 9,270,115 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2010
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Bosen, Peter, Hpp, Claudia
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnes-Bullock, Crystal J
• Application Number:
  US13/384,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20120124401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,056 Days
• Field of Search: 700/295, 700/296, 700/297, 700/286, 700/291
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00006 characterised by information or instructions transport means between the monitoring, controlling or managing units and monitored, controlled or operated power network element or electrical equipment
• 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: 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: 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: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/12 characterised by data transport means between the monitoring, controlling or managing units and monitored, controlled or operated electrical equipment

Abstract

A domestic appliance includes an internal electrical load, a controller for controlling the internal electrical load, and a communication device coupled with the controller. The controller is configured for transmitting via the communication device data to additional domestic appliances, wherein the received data include information about a time of an impending startup of the internal electrical load, and/or for receiving via the communication device data from additional domestic appliances, wherein the received data include information about a time of an impending startup of an electrical load of an additional domestic appliance. The internal electrical load is controlled based on the received information, preventing an overload of the power supply system.

Claims

1. A domestic appliance, comprising:

an internal electrical load;

a controller for controlling the internal electrical load; and

a communication device coupled to the controller,

wherein the controller is configured in at least one of two ways;

a first way in which data is transmitted via the communication device to at least one additional domestic appliances, wherein the transmitted data include information about a time of an impending startup of the internal electrical load; and

a second way in which data is received via the communication device from said at least one additional domestic appliance, the received data including information about a time of an impending startup of an electrical load of said at least one additional domestic appliance,

wherein the controller is configured to control the internal electrical load by shifting the time of the impending startup of the internal electrical load based on the received data,

wherein the controller is configured to shift the time of the impending startup of the internal electrical load based on the received data without manual intervention of an operator; and

wherein the transmitted data are stored in the controller and define a maximum possible time interval by which a time for the impending startup of the internal electrical load can be shifted, and the received data include information about a maximum possible time interval by which a time of the impending startup of the electrical load of the at least one additional domestic appliance can be shifted; and

wherein the transmitted data are stored in the controller and define respective maximum possible time intervals associated with different programs or with different program sections of a program, wherein the time of the impending startup of the internal electrical load is shifted in a program or in a program section based on the associated maximum possible time intervals.

2. The domestic appliance of claim 1, wherein the transmitted data include information about a duration of an impending operation of the internal electrical load, and the received data include information about a duration of an impending operation of an electrical load of said at least one additional domestic appliance.

3. The domestic appliance of claim 1, wherein the transmitted data are stored in the controller and include an estimated or an actual power consumption of the internal electrical load, and the received data include information about a power consumption of an electrical load of said at least one additional domestic appliance.

4. The domestic appliance of claim 1, wherein the transmitted data are stored in the controller and include a level of priority of the internal electrical load, and the received data include information about a level of priority of an electrical load of said at least one additional domestic appliance.

5. The domestic appliance of claim 1, wherein an impending operation of the internal electrical load is divided over time based on the information contained in the received data.

6. The domestic appliance of claim 5, wherein the internal electrical load is controlled based on the information contained in the received data such that a total power consumed by the domestic appliance and by the at least one additional domestic appliance does not exceed a predetermined limiting value.

7. An appliance system, comprising at least a first domestic appliance and a second domestic appliance, each domestic appliance comprising:

an internal electrical load,

a controller for controlling the internal electrical load and a communication device coupled with the controller,

wherein the controller is configured to exchange data via the communication device between at least the first domestic appliance and the second domestic appliance, said exchanged data including information about a time of an impending startup of a respective internal electrical load of at least the first domestic appliance and the second domestic appliance,

wherein the controller is configured to control the internal electrical load by shifting the time of the impending startup of the internal electrical load based on the received data,

wherein the controller is configured to shift the time of the impending startup of the internal electrical load based on the received data without manual intervention of an operator,

wherein the transmitted data are stored in the controller and define a maximum possible time interval by which a time for the impending startup of the internal electrical load can be shifted, and the received data include information about a maximum possible time interval by which a time of the impending startup of the electrical load of the at least one additional domestic appliance can be shifted; and

wherein the transmitted data are stored in the controller and define respective maximum possible time intervals associated with different programs or with different program sections of a program, wherein the time of the impending startup of the internal electrical load is shifted in a program or in a program section based on the associated maximum possible time intervals.

8. The appliance system of claim 7, wherein the exchanged data include information selected from the group consisting of a duration of an impending operation of the respective internal electrical load of at least the first domestic appliance and the second domestic appliance, a maximum possible interval by which a time of startup of the respective internal electrical load of at least the first domestic appliance and the second domestic appliance, an estimated or an actual power consumption of the respective internal electrical load of at least the first domestic appliance and the second domestic appliance, and a level of priority of the respective internal electrical load.

9. A method for operating a domestic appliance, comprising:

controlling an internal electrical load using a controller; and

operating the controller in at least one of two ways;

a first way in which data is transmitted from the domestic appliance to at least one additional domestic appliance via a communication device, the transmitted data, including information about a time of an impending startup of the internal electrical load; and

a second way in which data is received at the domestic appliance from the at least one additional domestic appliance, the received data including information about a time of an impending startup of an electrical load of said at least one additional domestic appliance,

wherein controlling the internal electrical load using the controller further comprises shifting the time of the impending startup of the internal electrical load based on the received data,

wherein controlling the internal electrical load using the controller further comprises shifting the time of the impending startup of the internal electrical load based on the received data without manual intervention of an operator, and

wherein the transmitted data are stored in the controller and define a maximum possible time interval by which a time for the impending startup of the internal electrical load can be shifted, and the received data include information about a maximum possible time interval by which a time of the impending startup of the electrical load of the additional domestic appliance can be shifted, and

wherein the transmitted data are stored in the controller and define respective maximum possible time intervals associated with different programs or with different program sections of a program, and

wherein controlling the internal electrical load using the controller comprises shifting the time of the impending startup of the internal electrical load in a program or in a program section based on the associated maximum possible time intervals.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the transmitted data include information about a duration of an impending operation of the internal electrical load, and the received data include information about a duration of an impending operation of the electrical load of said at least one additional domestic appliance.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the transmitted data are stored in the controller and include an estimated or an actual power consumption of the internal electrical load, and the received data include information about a power consumption of an electrical load of said at least one additional domestic appliance.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the transmitted data are stored in the controller and include a level of priority of the internal electrical load, and the received data include information about a level of priority of an electrical load of said at least one additional domestic appliance.