Home appliance having built-in power meter

• US 9,797,934 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2015
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Namki, Lee, Chungill
• Primary Examiner(s): Koval, Melissa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Monsur, Nasima
• Application Number:
  US14/862,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20160077137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 324 7611, 324157, 324691, 700286, 700295, 700297, 700291, 702 62, 702 61, 702 60, 307 31, 307 23, 307130, 307131, 307 24, 307 26, 363 44, 363 67, 36167901
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/00 Arrangements for measuring electric power or power factor G01R7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/00 Arrangements for measuring time integral of electric power or current, e.g. electricity meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/06 by electronic methods
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/063 related to remote communication
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/10 using digital techniques

Abstract

An appliance includes an operation unit that is mounted in a case of the appliance that is supplied power by an external power supply and that includes at least one of a motor and a heating member. The appliance further includes a control circuit mounted in the case of the appliance and configured to control the operation unit to perform appliance functionality that is different than measuring power. The appliance further includes a power meter coupled to the control circuit, built into the case, and configured to measure power consumed by the appliance in performing the appliance functionality.

Claims

1. An appliance comprising:

an operation unit that is located in a case of the appliance, that receives alternating current power from an external power supply, and that includes at least one of a motor or a heating member;

a control circuit that is located in the case, that is configured to control the operation unit, that is configured to perform functions other than measuring power, and that comprises;

a microcomputer that is configured to control the appliance;

a rectifier that is configured to rectify alternating current power received from the external power supply;

a transformer that is configured to lower voltage of rectified alternating current power that is be provided to the microcomputer; and

a rectifier circuit that is connected to the transformer and that is configured to rectify power outputted by the transformer; and

a power meter that is connected to the control circuit, that is located in the case, that is configured to measure power consumed by the appliance, and that comprises;

an electric power calculation circuit that is configured to calculate an amount of power provided by the external power supply, that is configured to provide the calculated amount of power to the control circuit, that is connected to the rectified circuit, and that receives the rectified power from the rectified circuit.

2. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein:

the power meter comprises a voltage-current measuring unit that is connected to the external power supply and that is configured to measure voltage and current supplied by the external power supply, and

the electric power calculation circuit is configured to calculate the amount of power provided by the external power supply based on the voltage and current measured by the voltage-current measuring unit.

3. The appliance according to claim 2, wherein the electric power calculation circuit is connected to the microcomputer and is configured to transmit data that identifies the calculated amount of power to the microcomputer, and

wherein the electric power calculation circuit is configured to calculate the amount of power in response to a control signal from the microcomputer.

4. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the power meter further comprises:

a regulator that is connected to the rectifier circuit and the electric power calculation circuit and that is configured to regulate voltage of the rectified alternating current power.

5. The appliance according to claim 4, wherein the second regulator is a Low Drop-Out (LDO) regulator.

6. The appliance according to claim 1, comprising:

a wireless communication module that is configured to

communicate with a computing device.

7. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein a photocoupler is connected to the electric power calculation circuit and the microcomputer.

8. The appliance according to claim 6, further comprising:

a display that is configured to display a control state and an operational state of the appliance,

wherein the control circuit is configured to display the amount of power consumed by the appliance by controlling the display.

9. The appliance according to claim 8, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

control the appliance,

measure the power consumption of the appliance,

display the amount of power consumed by the appliance, and

receive a command from the computing device via the wireless communication module.

10. The appliance according to claim 9, wherein the control circuit is configured to control the appliance, measure the power consumption of the appliance, or display the amount of power consumed by the appliance in response to the command from the computing device.

11. The appliance according to claim 7, wherein:

the external power supply and the electric power calculation circuit are connected to a first ground, and

the microcomputer is connected to a second ground that is different from the first ground.

12. The appliance according to claim 11, wherein the photocoupler is connected to the first ground and the second ground.

13. The appliance according to claim 8, wherein the wireless communication module is connected to the display.

14. An appliance comprising:

an operation unit that is located in a case of the appliance, that receives alternating current power from an external power supply, and that includes at least one of a motor or a heating member;

a control circuit that is located in the case, that is configured to control the operation unit, that is configured to perform functions other than measuring power, and that comprises;

a microcomputer that is configured to control the appliance;

a rectifier that is configured to rectify alternating current power received from the external power supply; and

a transformer that is configured to lower voltage of rectified alternating current power that is provided to the microcomputer; and

a power meter that is connected to the control circuit, that is located in the case, and that is configured to measure power consumed by the appliance, and that comprises;

an electric power calculation circuit that is configured to calculate an amount of power provided by the external power supply and that is configured to provide the calculated amount of power to the control circuit; and

a power supply circuit that is connected to the external power supply and that is configured to rectify the external power, lower voltage of the rectified power, and provide the lowered voltage to the electric power calculation circuit.

15. The appliance according to claim 14, wherein the power meter comprises a voltage-current measuring unit that is connected to the external power supply and that is configured to measure voltage and current provided by the external power supply.

16. The appliance according to claim 15, wherein the voltage-current measuring unit comprises:

a voltage measuring part that is connected to the external power supply in parallel; and

a current measuring part that is connected to the external power supply in series.

17. The appliance according to claim 15, wherein the electric power calculation circuit is configured to calculate an amount of power provided by the external power supply based on the voltage and current measured by the voltage-current measuring unit.

18. The appliance according to claim 14, wherein the electric power calculation circuit is connected to the microcomputer and is configured to transmit data that identifies the calculated amount of power to the microcomputer.

19. The appliance according to claim 18, wherein the electric power calculation circuit is configured to calculate the amount of power in response to a control signal from the microcomputer.

20. The appliance according to claim 14, further comprising:

a wireless communication module that is configured to communicate with a computing device.