Electricity management apparatus and electricity management method

• US 9,323,271 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2010
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Jongsoo
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnes-Bullock, Crystal J
• Application Number:
  US13/996,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20130274944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,950 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 3/04 wherein the variable is ac
• 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: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances

Abstract

An electricity management apparatus includes: a communication unit for receiving electricity information through a smart grid electricity information network, or transmitting electricity management information on an electronic device connected to a network through an internal network; a reference value setting unit for setting a total area, and setting a maximum allowable electricity reference value and an inspection electricity reference value corresponding to the set total area; and a controller for performing controlling to determine a management mode for each electronic device connected to the internal network, in consideration of an electricity proportional value comparing a current accumulated used electricity value comparing a current time to a certain time, when a current inspection used electricity value exceeds the set inspection electricity reference value, and to transmit the electricity management information corresponding to the determined management mode.

Claims

1. An electricity management apparatus, comprising:

a communication unit receiving electricity information through a smart grid electricity information network, or transmitting electricity management information respective to an electronic device being connected to a network through an internal network;

a reference value set-up unit setting up an overall section, and setting up a maximum permissible electricity reference value and instantaneous electricity reference value respective to the set overall section; and

a control unit deciding a management mode for each electronic device being connected to the internal network, when a current instantaneously used electricity value exceeds the set instantaneous electricity reference value, based upon an electricity proportion value comparing a current accumulated used electricity value with respect to the set maximum permissible electricity reference value, and based upon a section proportion value comparing a current time point of the specific section, and performing managing operations, so as to transmit electricity management information respective to the decided management mode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the maximum permissible electricity reference value and instantaneous electricity reference value are decided with reference to at least any one of an electricity fee and an electricity amount.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the maximum permissible electricity reference value is set up with any one of a maximum permissible electricity fee or electricity amount by the user during the specific section.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the instantaneous electricity reference value is set up by calculating an instantaneous electricity amount based upon the predetermined maximum permissible electricity reference value and the specific section period.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the management mode is divided into a normal mode, a primary management mode, and a secondary management mode, and wherein the normal mode is executed when the section proportion value is within a predetermined range of exceeding the electricity proportion value.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the management mode is divided into a normal mode, a primary management mode, and a secondary management mode, and wherein the primary management mode is executed when the section proportion value and the electricity proportion value are within the same range.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, in executing the primary management mode, the control unit checks the used electricity amount of each electronic device, and wherein the control unit performs power-saving management with respect to any electronic device exceeding an average electricity.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein, in executing the primary management mode, the control unit uses a display means included in the electricity management apparatus and/or a display means included in the corresponding electronic device having the power-saving management performed therein, and wherein the control unit performs management operations, so as to provide a user alarm message notifying that the power-saving management is being performed.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the management mode is divided into a normal mode, a primary management mode, and a secondary management mode, and wherein the secondary management mode is executed when the electricity proportion value is within a predetermined range of exceeding the section proportion value.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, in executing the secondary management mode, the control unit checks the used electricity amount of each electronic device, and wherein the control unit categorizes the electronic devices to necessary electronics device and unnecessary electronic devices, so as to perform power-saving management with respect to the necessary electronic devices and to perform power-blocking management with respect to the unnecessary electronic devices.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein, in executing the secondary management mode, the control unit further includes a step of adjusting the instantaneously used reference value to a low level value.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein, in executing the secondary management mode, the control unit uses a display means included in the electricity management apparatus and/or a display means included in the corresponding electronic device having the power-saving management or power-blocking management performed therein, and wherein the control unit performs management operations, so as to provide a user alarm message notifying that the power-saving management is being performed.

13. An electricity management apparatus, comprising:

a communication unit receiving electricity information through a smart grid electricity information network, or transmitting electricity management information respective to an electronic device being connected to a network through an internal network;

a reference value set-up unit setting up a maximum permissible electricity reference value corresponding to a specific section, an electricity reference value for each sub section after dividing the specific section to a plurality of sub sections, and an instantaneous electricity reference value; and

a control unit comparing an accumulated used electricity value at a time point corresponding to a specific sub section with a sub section electricity reference value being set up in the corresponding sub section, and comparing a current instantaneous electricity value with the set instantaneously used reference value, so as to decide a management mode for each electronic device being connected to the internal network, and performing control operations, so as to transmit electricity management information respective to the decided management mode.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the sub section is set up by dividing the overall section into equal sections having the same size.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the sub section is set up by dividing the overall section into non-equal sections having different sizes based upon characteristics of the overall section.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the management mode is divided into a normal mode, a primary management mode, and a secondary management mode, and wherein the normal mode is executed when the accumulated used electricity value at a time point corresponding to the specific sub section is within a range smaller than the sub section electricity reference value that is set up in the corresponding sub section.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the management mode is divided into a normal mode, a primary management mode, and a secondary management mode, and wherein the primary management mode is executed when the accumulated used electricity value at a time point corresponding to the specific sub section exceeds the sub section electricity reference value that is set up in the corresponding sub section and when a current instantaneous electricity value is within a range of not exceeding the set instantaneously used reference value, and

wherein, in executing the primary management mode, the control unit checks the used electricity amount of each electronic device, and wherein the control unit performs power-saving management with respect to any electronic device exceeding an average electricity, and

wherein, in executing the primary management mode, the control unit uses a display means included in the electricity management apparatus and/or a display means included in the corresponding electronic device having the power-saving management performed therein, and wherein the control unit performs management operations, so as to provide a user alarm message notifying that the power-saving management is being performed.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the management mode is divided into a normal mode, a primary management mode, and a secondary management mode, and wherein the secondary management mode is executed when the accumulated used electricity value at a time point corresponding to the specific sub section exceeds the sub section electricity reference value that is set up in the corresponding sub section, and when a current instantaneous electricity value is within a range of exceeding the set instantaneously used reference value, and

wherein, in executing the secondary management mode, the control unit checks the used electricity amount of each electronic device, and wherein the control unit categorizes the electronic devices to necessary electronics device and unnecessary electronic devices, so as to perform power-saving management with respect to the necessary electronic devices and to perform power-blocking management with respect to the unnecessary electronic devices, and

wherein, in executing the secondary management mode, the control unit further includes a step of adjusting the instantaneously used reference value to a low level value, and

wherein, in executing the secondary management mode, the control unit uses a display means included in the electricity management apparatus and/or a display means included in the corresponding electronic device having the power-saving management or power-blocking management performed therein, and wherein the control unit performs management operations, so as to provide a user alarm message notifying that the power-saving management is being performed.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the instantaneous electricity reference value is set up to consist of a first instantaneous electricity reference value and a second instantaneous electricity reference value.

20. An electricity management method, comprising:

a reference value set-up step setting up an overall section, and setting up a maximum permissible electricity reference value and instantaneous electricity reference value respective to the set overall section;

when a current instantaneously used electricity value exceeds the set instantaneous electricity reference value, a step of calculating an electricity proportion value comparing a current accumulated used electricity value with respect to the set maximum permissible electricity reference value and calculating a section proportion value comparing a current time point of the specific section; and

an electricity management step deciding a management mode for each electronic device connected to the internal network, based upon the electricity proportion value and the section proportion value, and performing managing operations, so as to transmit electricity management information respective to the decided management mode.

21. An electricity management method, comprising:

a reference value set-up step setting up a maximum permissible electricity reference value corresponding to an overall section, an electricity reference value for each sub section after dividing the specific section to a plurality of sub sections, and an instantaneous electricity reference value;

a comparison step comparing an accumulated used electricity value at a time point corresponding to a specific sub section with a sub section electricity reference value being set up in the corresponding sub section, and comparing a current instantaneous electricity value with the set instantaneously used reference value; and

an electricity management step deciding a management mode for each electronic device being connected to the internal network, based upon the compared result, and performing control operations, so as to transmit electricity management information respective to the decided management mode.