Demand side management control system and methods

• US 9,271,333 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2012
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kim, Eunhee, Kim, Seog Tae, Williams, Daryl
• Primary Examiner(s): Masinick, Michael D
• Application Number:
  US13/558,448
• Publication Number:
  US 20140032001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 700/295
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0227 Applications
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/68 for monitoring or control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers

Abstract

A demand side management control system and method for altering power consumption on an electrical device during specified periods of time (e.g., peak energy demand periods). The system includes a memory to store two or more power consuming function profiles corresponding to the one or more power consuming functions associated with the electrical device. The system also includes at least one processor coupled with the memory. The processor is programmed to receive a peak energy demand signal and access the power consuming function profiles associated with the electrical device. The processor identifies, based on the received peak energy demand signal, the one of two or more power consuming function profiles to be implemented in the electrical device. Finally, the processor periodically disables or operates at a reduced power level at least one power consuming function according to the identified power consuming function profile.

Claims

1. A control system for an electrical device, said system comprising:

a memory configured to store power consuming function profiles corresponding to one or more power consuming functions and power usage of the power consuming functions over a specified period of time associated with the electrical device; and

at least one processor coupled with said memory and programmed to;

receive a peak energy demand signal,

access the power consuming function profiles associated with the electrical device,

identify, based on the received peak energy demand signal, one power consuming function profile to be implemented in the electrical device to reduce energy consumption of the device,

provide, prior to operating the electrical device in accordance with the given one of the power consuming function profiles, a warning to a user via a display associated with the electrical device, the warning indicating a start of an energy savings mode, and

operate the electrical device in accordance with the given one of the power consuming function profiles by periodically disabling or operating at a reduced power level at least one power consuming function according to the given one of the power consuming function profiles;

wherein said power consuming function profiles comprise a normal cooking algorithm and a reduced power cooking algorithm configured to perform the same user selected task during different specified periods of time.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical device is one of an oven, a microwave oven and a speedcook oven.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

receive a normal operation signal;

access the power consuming function profiles associated with the electrical device;

identify, based on the presence of the normal operation signal, one power consuming function profile to be implemented in the electrical device to operate the device without otherwise reducing its energy consumption; and

enable power consuming functions according to the another one of the power consuming function profiles.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

receive no peak energy demand signal;

access the power consuming function profiles associated with the electrical device;

identify, based on the absence of the peak energy demand signal, another one of the power consuming function profiles to be implemented in the electrical device to operate the device without otherwise reducing its energy consumption; and

enable power consuming functions according to the another one of the power consuming function profile.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein when the presence of a peak energy demand signal is detected, the processor disables or operates at reduced power one of the power consuming functions.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the power consuming functions comprise at least one of conduction heating, convection heating, radiant heating, dielectric heating, heating with a halogen lamp, heating with a ceramic lamp, heating with a sheath heater and heating with a magnetron.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the reduced power cooking algorithm is configured to utilize less energy than the normal cooking algorithm.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the peak energy demand signal is received from one of a meter, a power line and a utility provider.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface coupled with said processor, said processor further programmed to receive a request from said user interface to enable or disable the peak energy demand signal.

10. A method of modifying power consumption of an electrical device comprising:

receiving a peak energy demand signal;

accessing power consuming function profiles associated with the electrical device and power usage over a specified period of time, wherein said power consuming function profiles comprise a normal cooking algorithm and a reduced power cooking algorithm configured to perform the same selected task during different specified periods of time;

identifying, based on the received peak energy demand signal, a given one of the power consuming function profiles to be implemented in the electrical device during the specified period of time to reduce energy usage;

providing, prior to operating the electrical device in accordance with the given one of the power consuming function profiles, a warning to a user via a display associated with the electrical device, the warning indicating a start of an energy savings mode; and

operating the electrical device in accordance with the given one of the power consuming function profiles by periodically disabling or operating at a reduced power level at least one power consuming function according to the given one of the power consuming function profiles.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one power consuming function comprises at least one of conduction heating, convection heating, radiant heating, dielectric heating, heating with a halogen lamp, heating with a ceramic lamp, heating with a sheath heater and heating with a magnetron.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

presenting, via a user interface, the identified power consuming functions configured to be implemented in the electrical device; and

receiving, via the user interface, a request to not change the identified power consuming functions.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the electrical device is one of an oven, a microwave oven and a speedcook oven.

14. An electrical appliance, comprising:

a memory to store power consuming function profiles corresponding to one or more power consuming functions associated with the electrical appliance and power usage of the power consuming functions over a specified period of time, wherein said power consuming function profiles comprise a normal cooking algorithm and a reduced power cooking algorithm configured to perform the same user selected task during different specified periods of time; and

at least one processor programmed to;

receive a peak energy demand signal;

access the power consuming function profiles associated with the electrical appliance;

identify, based on the received peak energy demand signal, a given one of the power consuming function profiles to be implemented in the electrical appliance in order to reduce energy usage of the appliance;

provide, prior to operating the electrical appliance in accordance with the given one of the power consuming function profiles, a warning to a user via a display associated with the electrical appliance, the warning indicating a start of an energy savings mode; and

operate the electrical appliance in accordance with the given one of the power consuming function profiles by periodically disabling or operating at a reduced power level at least one power consuming function according to the given one of the power consuming function profiles.

15. The appliance of claim 14, wherein the electrical appliance is one of an oven, a microwave oven and a speedcook oven.

16. The appliance of claim 14, wherein, when the presence of a peak energy demand signal is detected, the processor cycles between at least two of the power consuming functions.

17. The appliance of claim 14, wherein, when the presence of a peak energy demand signal is detected, the processor disables or operates at reduced power one of the power consuming functions.

18. The appliance of claim 14, wherein the power consuming functions comprise at least one of conduction heating, convection heating, radiant heating, dielectric heating, heating with a halogen lamp, heating with a ceramic lamp, heating with a sheath heater and heating with a magnetron.

19. The appliance of claim 14, wherein the peak energy demand signal is received from one of a meter, a power line and a utility provider.