Household energy management system

• US 9,292,031 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2013
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Beyerle, Michael Thomas, Broniak, Jay Andrew, Brian, Joseph Mark, Bingham, David C
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Carlos Ortiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Norton, Jennifer L
• Application Number:
  US13/973,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20130345891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 700/9, 700/11, 700/28, 700/286, 700/291, 700/295, 700/297, 702/64
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 5/00 Systems for regulating electric variables by detecting deviations in the electric input to the system and thereby controlling a device within the system to obtain a regulated output
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• 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 3/12 for adjusting voltage in ac networks by changing a characteristic of the network load
• 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 10/50 Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications
• 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 household energy management system for managing multiple appliances is provided. In an embodiment the system comprises a controller for managing power consumption of multiple appliances within a household; a utility meter for measuring an amount of energy usage to a household, the utility meter communicating to the controller a demand limit; and a user interface through which a user can enter a parameter of energy usage. The controller establishes a demand limit. A communication network connects the controller to the utility meter and/or to a demand server. The controller controls or operates the multiple appliances based cm communications from at least one of the utility meter, the user interface, and a demand server, such that the energy usage does not exceed the established demand limit.

Claims

1. A household energy management system for managing multiple appliances, comprising:

a controller configured to manage power consumption of multiple appliances within a household;

a utility meter configured to measure an amount of energy usage to a household, the utility meter communicating to the controller a demand limit;

a user interface through which a user can enter a parameter of energy usage;

a local generator configured to generate local energy,

wherein a supply limit is established based upon the capacity of the local generator, and wherein the supply limit is a maximum power level;

a communication network which connects the controller to at least one of;

the utility meter, a local energy storage device, the local generator, and a demand server;

the controller configured to operate the multiple appliances based on communications from at least one of;

the utility meter, the user interface, the local generator, the local energy storage device and the demand server, such that the energy usage does not exceed the supply limit of the local generator,

the controller configured to predict when an energy demand rate from the multiple appliances will exceed the local generator supply limit and to communicate the prediction to a user, and

the controller further configured to make suggestions of possible modifications to the operation of the multiple appliances to reduce the energy demand rate to below the local generator supply limit, the suggestions including suggestions as to which appliance to curtail, and to then calculate and present to the user consumption rates based on the modifications.

2. The household energy management system of claim 1, wherein the controller allocates energy to the multiple appliances and makes suggestions of possible modifications based on at least one of the following:

the demand limit, a prioritization of each of the one or more appliances, an energy need level of each of the multiple appliances, and the supply limit.

3. The household energy management system of claim 1, wherein the controller instructs one or more appliances to shed load on demand.

4. The household energy management system of claim 3, wherein the one or more appliances includes at least one of:

household lighting, a refrigerator, a washer, a dryer, a stove, an oven/range, a microwave oven, a dishwasher, an HVAC system, a hot water heater, and an electrical outlet load.

5. The household energy management system of claim 1, wherein the local generator is selected from the group consisting of a wind powered generator, a solar powered generator, a water powered generator, and fuel powered generator.

6. A household energy management system managing multiple appliances, comprising:

a controller configured to manage power consumption of multiple appliances within a household;

a utility meter configured to measure an amount of energy usage of a household, the utility meter communicating to the controller a demand limit;

a user interface through which a user can enter a parameter of energy usage,

wherein the controller establishes a demand limit;

a communication network which connects the controller to the utility meter and/or to a demand server;

the controller configured to control the multiple appliances based on communications from at least one of;

the utility meter, the user interface, and the demand server, such that the energy usage does not exceed the established demand limit;

the controller configured to predict when an energy demand rate from the multiple appliances will exceed a local generator supply limit and to communicate the prediction to a user, wherein the supply limit is a maximum power level, and

the controller further configured to make suggestions of possible modifications to the operation of the multiple appliances to reduce the energy demand rate to below the local generator supply limit, the suggestions including suggestions as to which appliance to curtail, and to then calculate and present to the user consumption rates based on the modifications.

7. The household energy management system and method of claim 6, wherein the controller allocates energy to the multiple appliances and makes suggestions of possible modifications based on at least one of the following:

the demand limit, a prioritization of each of the one or more appliances, an energy need level of each of the multiple appliances, and a hierarchy of energy demand load shedding.

8. The household energy management system of claim 6, wherein the controller instructs one or more appliances to shed load on demand.

9. The household energy management system of claim 8, wherein the one or more appliances includes at least one of:

household lighting, a refrigerator, a washer, a dryer, a stove, an oven/range, a microwave oven, a dishwasher, an HVAC system, a hot water heater, and an electrical outlet load.