Consumption unit for effectively managing energy sources

• US 9,696,773 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2011
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Ahn, Junho, Kim, Yanghwan, Lee, Hoonbong, Lee, Koonseok, Go, Seogho, Han, Jonghee, Kim, Donghyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Fennema, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jung, Jay
• Application Number:
  US13/805,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20130245851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,204 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

A network system is provided. The network system includes: at least one component selected from an energy receiving unit receiving energy and an energy management unit managing the energy receiving unit. The energy receiving unit or the energy management unit receives energy rate related information; an energy usage amount or a usage rate of when the component is controlled on the basis of at least the energy rate related information is less than that of when the component is controlled without the basis of at least energy rate related information; if the energy rate related information is high cost information, a function of one component constituting the energy receiving unit is limited; and an operating time or an output of the energy receiving unit is adjusted in correspondence to the limited function of one component.

Claims

1. An energy consumption unit capable of communicating with a network system and capable of receiving electricity information related to information related to time-based pricing and information other than the information related to time-based pricing, the energy consumption unit comprising:

a component to perform a function of the energy consumption unit in a first driving process or a second driving process;

the second driving process being a reduced usage rate or energy than the first driving process;

an input device to input command to allow the function of the energy consumption unit to perform the first driving process;

a display unit to display information related to operation of the energy consumption unit;

a control unit to receive the electricity information, which includes a time interval with respect to a driving period and another time interval of the high cost time interval of the energy consumption unit being overlapped,

wherein the control unit determines whether the component should operate in the first driving process or in the second driving process in performing the function of the energy consumption unit based on the electricity information,

wherein when the command is inputted through the input device, the control unit determines whether the energy consumption unit performs a normal mode or compulsory mode, comprising;

the control unit determines that the component should operate in the second driving process if the size of an overlapping interval with respect to a driving period and a time interval of the high cost time interval of the energy consumption unit is greater than a predetermined time interval of at least 1 hour, to perform the compulsory mode, and

the control unit determines that the component should operate in the first driving process if the size of an overlapping interval with respect to a driving period and a time interval of the high cost time interval of the energy consumption unit is less than the predetermined time interval of at least 1 hour, to perform the normal mode, and

wherein if the control unit determines that the component should operate in the second driving process, the control unit changes from the first driving process being inputted to the second driving process, and the display unit displays information related to changed driving process.

2. The energy consumption unit according to claim 1, wherein the second driving process is one process of a power saving mode;

and

wherein the power saving mode is manually or automatically selectable in advance before the energy consumption unit starts to operate.

3. The energy consumption unit according to claim 1, wherein the second driving process comprises an interruption of the first driving process, a delay, or an output reduction less than the first driving process.

4. The energy consumption unit according to claim 1, wherein the changing into the second driving process is automatic.

5. The energy consumption unit according to claim 1, wherein the first driving process or the second drying process comprises at least one of information on a driving time and an operation course.

6. The energy consumption unit according to claim 1, wherein the setting reference comprises a usage rate or a usage energy amount.

7. The energy consumption unit according to claim 1, wherein the power saving mode comprises a rate reduction mode or an energy saving mode,

wherein when the rate reduction mode is driven and a usage rate according to the first driving process exceeds a setting rate, the first driving process changes into the second driving process, and

wherein when the energy saving mode is driven and a usage energy amount according to the first driving process exceeds a setting amount, the first driving process changes into the second driving process.

8. The energy consumption unit according to claim 1, wherein the energy consumption unit is provided in plurality, and when a driving type of entire energy consumption units exceeds the setting reference, the driving process of at least one energy consumption unit changes into a second driving process.