SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OVERRIDING DEMAND SYSTEM MANAGEMENT ENABLED FUNCTIONS

• US 20130116829A1
• Filed: 11/03/2011
• Published: 05/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Inventors: Newton, William, Hoff, Kyran Patricia
• Granted Patent: US 9,209,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00024 by means of mobile telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• 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: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

An energy management system for altering power consuming functions on an electrical device during specified periods of time, e.g., peak energy demand periods. The system includes an electrical device having one or more power consuming functions, a memory for storing power consuming function profiles corresponding to the one or more power consuming functions associated with the electrical device, and at least one processor. The at least one processor is programmed to access the power consuming function profiles associated with the electrical device, identify the one or more power consuming functions configured to be changed during a specified period of time, output the identified one or more power consuming functions, receive a request to not change at least one of the identified one or more power consuming functions, and prevent the requested one or more power consuming functions from being changed.

Claims

1. A system to alter power consuming functions of an electrical device, the system comprising:

a memory to store one or more power consuming function profiles corresponding to the one or more power consuming functions associated with the electrical device; and

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

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

identify, based on the accessed power consuming function profiles, the one or more power consuming functions configured to be changed during a specified period of time;

output the identified one or more power consuming functions configured to be changed during a specified period of time;

receive a request to not change at least one of the identified one or more power consuming functions during the specified period of time; and

prevent the requested one or more power consuming functions from being changed during the specified period of time.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the specified period of time is a period of peak energy demand.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface coupled with the processor,

wherein the processor is further programmed to;

output the identified one or more power consuming functions configured to be changed during the specified period of time to the user interface; and

receive a request from the user interface to not change at least one of the identified one or more power consuming functions during the specified period of time.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a meter coupled with the processor, the meter configured to measure electric energy usage of the electrical device and to output data indicative of the measured electric energy usage,

wherein the processor is further programmed to receive the data outputted from the meter and to determine the specified period of time based on at least this outputted data.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the controller allocates energy to the electrical device based on one or more of the following:

a demand limit;

a prioritization of the electrical device and one or more additional electrical device associated with the meter;

and an energy need level of the electrical device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical device is one of a refrigerator, a washer, a dryer, an oven, a stove, a microwave oven, a dishwasher, a heating system, a ventilation system, and an air conditioning system.

7. A method comprising:

accessing power consuming function profiles associated with an electrical device;

identifying, based on the accessed power consuming function profile, one or more power consuming functions configured to be changed during a specified period of time;

outputting the identified one or more power consuming functions configured to be changed during a specified period of time;

receiving a request to not change at least one of the identified one or more power consuming functions during the specified period of time; and

preventing the requested one or more power consuming functions from being changed during the specified period of time.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the specified period of time is a period of peak energy demand.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

presenting, via a user interface, the identified one or more power consuming functions configured to be changed during the specified period of time; and

receiving, via the user interface, a request to not change at least one of the identified one or more power consuming functions during the specified period of time.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving an energy signal from one of a meter and a utility provider; and

determining the specified period of time based on the received energy signal.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising allocating energy to the electrical device based on one or more of the following:

a demand limit;

a prioritization of the electrical device; and

an energy need level of the electrical device.

12. 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

at least one processor programmed to;

access the power consuming function profiles associated with the electrical appliance

identify, based on the accessed power consuming function profiles, one or more power consuming functions configured to be changed during a specified period of time;

output the identified one or more power consuming functions configured to be changed during a specified period of time;

receive a request to not change at least one of the identified one or more power consuming functions during the specified period of time; and

prevent the requested one or more power consuming functions from being changed during the specified period of time.

13. The electrical appliance of claim 12, wherein the specified period of time is a period of peak energy demand.

14. The electrical appliance of claim 12, further comprising:

a user interface coupled with the processor,

wherein the processor is further programmed to;

output the identified one or more power consuming functions configured to be changed during the specified period of time to the user interface; and

receive a request from the user interface not to change at least one of the one or more of the identified power consuming functions during the specified period of time.

15. The electrical appliance of claim 12, wherein the processor is further programmed to determine the specified period of time based on an energy signal received from at least one of a meter and a utility provider.

16. The electrical appliance of claim 15, wherein the controller allocates energy to the electrical appliance based on one or more of the following:

a demand limit;

a prioritization of the electrical appliance; and

an energy need level of the electrical appliance.

17. The electrical appliance of claim 12, wherein the electrical appliance is one of a refrigerator, a washer, a dryer, an oven, a stove, a microwave oven, a dishwasher, a heating system, a ventilation system, and an air conditioning system.