NETWORK SYSTEM

• US 20130134781A1
• Filed: 02/17/2011
• Published: 05/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Yanghwan, Ahn, Junho, Seo, Jeongsang, Lee, Koonseok, Lee, Hoonbong, Kang, Daeyong
• Granted Patent: US 9,337,658 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/31
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00022 using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00036 the elements or equipment being or involving switches, relays or circuit breakers circuits for indication of single switches H01H9/167
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2203/20 Simulating, e g planning, reliability check, modelling or computer assisted design [CAD]
• 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: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• 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: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/12 Monitoring or controlling equipment for energy generation units, e.g. distributed energy generation [DER] or load-side generation
• 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 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

Provided is a network system including: a utility network including an energy generating unit; a home network consuming energy generated from the energy generating unit and including an energy consuming unit operating based on energy information including at least one energy price information; and a power adjusting device through which a current or a voltage supplied for an operation of the energy consuming unit is passed, wherein the power adjusting device reduces energy cost or an energy amount used by adjusting a voltage or current amount applied to the energy consuming unit based on the energy information.

Claims

1. A network system comprising:

a utility network including an energy generating unit;

a home network consuming energy generated from the energy generating unit and including an energy consuming unit operating based on energy information including at least one energy price information; and

a power adjusting device through which a current or a voltage supplied for an operation of the energy consuming unit is passed,

wherein the power adjusting device reduces energy cost or an energy amount used by adjusting a voltage or current amount applied to the energy consuming unit based on the energy information.

2. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the power adjusting device comprises a switch unit adjusting a power or a current applied to the energy consuming unit according to whether the energy information is high or low cost information.

3. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the power adjusting device is disposed in the energy consuming unit and is controlled by a controlling unit in the energy consuming unit.

4. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the power adjusting device is disposed outside the energy consuming unit and comprises a power adjustment controlling unit controlling an operation of the power adjusting device.

5. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the power adjusting device comprises a memory for storing information about operation of a plurality of the energy consuming units.

6. The network system according to claim 5, wherein the information related to the driving of the plurality of energy consuming units comprises priority information about the driving of the plurality of energy consuming units or supply rate information of energy distributed to the plurality of energy consuming units.

7. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the power adjusting device comprises:

a communication unit communicating with the central managing unit; and

a switch supplying selectively a power or a current to the energy consuming unit according to a communication result of the communication unit; and

a controlling unit controlling drive of the switch.

8. The network system according to claim 1, wherein a time or a time interval that the energy consuming unit operates is determined according to information delivered from the energy managing unit;

and

the power adjusting device further comprises a timer calculating a time to allow the energy consuming unit to be turned on/off at the time or during the time interval.

9. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the power adjusting device comprises a display unit displaying price information and a charge state of energy to an external.

10. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the power adjusting device comprises:

a connecting plug connected to be communicated with the energy managing unit and receiving energy for charging;

a charging unit provided for charging of energy delivered through the connecting plug;

a home appliance interface delivering a power source charged as the energy consuming unit is connected through a connection cable, to the energy consuming unit; and

a controlling unit processing a control signal for charging, supply, and communication of energy.

11. The network system according to claim 10, wherein the connecting plug comprises:

a plug communication unit communicating with the energy managing unit;

a switch cutting off selectively energy supplied to the charging unit according to price information of energy received through the plug communication unit; and

a plug controlling unit controlling supply of energy for charging from a power supply source below the highest price, based on price information received from the energy managing unit.

12. The network system according to claim 1, further comprising a customer service center responsible for custom service of the energy consuming unit and connected to be communicated with the energy managing unit.

13. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the energy consuming unit or the energy managing unit comprises a service button requesting customer service to a customer service center;

and

information about operation abnormality of the energy consuming unit is provided to the customer service center to request the customer service.

14. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the energy information comprises additional information including time information and weather information.

15. The network system according to claim 14, wherein the energy price information comprises at least one of an electricity charge, a power amount, a change rate of electricity charge, a change rate of power amount, an average value of electricity charge, and an average value of power amount.

16. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the energy information further comprises information besides energy price;

and

the information beside energy price is one of energy reduction, emergency, net safety, an output amount, an operation priority, and an energy consumption amount.