Method for the energy management in a domestic environment

• US 6,493,643 B1
• Filed: 08/30/1999
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Indesit Company SPA (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Wrap SpA
• Inventors: Aisa, Valerio
• Primary Examiner(s): WACHSMAN, HAL D
• Application Number:
  US09/386,096
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 702/60-62, 702/57, 702/64, 702/65, 702/79, 702/108, 702/122, 702/124, 702/125, 702/127, 702/176-178, 702/182, 702/183, 702/187-189, 702/193, 702/FOR.103, 702/FOR.104, 702/FOR.106, 702/FOR.111, 702/FOR.112, 702/FOR.134, 702/FOR.135, 702/FOR.141, 702/FOR.154, 702/FOR.155, 702/FOR.170, 702/FOR.151, 307/38-40, 324/103.R, 324/116, 324/140.R, 324/141, 324/142, 340/870.02, 340/870.03, 340/870.16, 340/657, 340/825.24, 700/9, 700/14, 700/19-22, 700/33, 700/36, 700/32, 700/11, 700/291, 700/286, 700/293, 700/295, 700/296, 700/297, 700/298, 700/3, 700/4, 705/412
• US Class Current: 702/60
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• 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

A system provides to respective appliances information relating to the total power consumption and, as appropriate, other information relating to the operating conditions of the other appliances and/or environmental conditions. The respective appliances process the information individually, to determine if they should alter their current levels of power consumption.

Claims

1. A method of operating a plurality of appliances in an environment, the method including the steps of:

A. measuring the total power consumed in the environment;

B. comparing the total power measurement to a predetermined total power level;

C. exchanging information between appliances to inform each appliance which other appliances are operating at any given time;

D. determining if a given appliance should increase or decrease power consumption based on which other appliances are then operating by

i. if the measured total power exceeds the predetermined total power level, reducing the power consumption of one or more of the given appliances to respective predetermined levels that are associated with the predetermined total power level,

ii. if the measured total power is less than the predetermined total power level,

a. for one or more of the given appliances that are operating at reduced power consumption increasing the power consumption of the one or more given appliances to the lesser of respective power levels that are associated with the predetermined total power level or respective normal power levels,

b. maintaining the power consumption of the given appliances that are operating at normal operating levels; and

E. repeating steps A-D at intervals of time that allow the following of cyclic changes in power consumption by one or more of the plurality of appliances.

2. The method of operating of claim 1 further including the steps of:

F. determining the time of day; and

G. in step D including the time of day in determining at the given appliance if the appliance should increase, decrease or maintain the current level of power consumption.

3. The method of operating of claim 2 further including the steps of comparing the time of day with a schedule of power fees, and in step D refraining from increasing power consumption at the given appliance if the time of day is associated with increased fees.

4. The method of operating of claim 3 further including the step of decreasing power consumption of a given appliance if the time of day is associated with increased fees.

5. The method of operating of claim 1 further including the steps of:

F. determining ambient environmental conditions; and

G. in step D determining at the given appliance if the appliance should increase, decrease or maintain the level of power consumption at a given time based on the ambient environmental conditions.

6. The method of operating of claim 5 wherein the step of determining ambient environmental conditions includes determining temperature, humidity, water hardness and/or leakages.

7. The method of operating of claim 6 further including the step of determining at a given appliance if the appliance should turn off based on the ambient environmental conditions.

8. A method of operating a plurality of appliances in an environment, the method including the steps of:

A. measuring the total power consumed in the environment and communicating the total power measurement to each of the plurality of appliances;

B. at each appliance comparing the total power measurement to a predetermined total power level;

C. for given appliances that operate at reduced power,

iii. if the measured total power exceeds the predetermined total power level, reducing the power consumption of one or more of the given appliances to respective predetermined levels that are associated with the predetermined total power level,

iv. if the measured total power is less than the predetermined total power level,

a. for one or more of the given appliances that are operating at reduced power consumption increasing the power consumption of the one or more given appliances to the lesser of respective power levels that are associated with the predetermined total power level or respective normal power levels,

b. maintaining the power consumption of the given appliances that are operating at normal operating levels; and

D. repeating steps A-C at intervals of time that allow the following of cyclic changes in power consumption by one or more of the plurality of appliances.

9. A method of operating a plurality of appliances in an environment including the steps of:

A. determining at a given appliance which other appliances are then operating;

B. measuring total power consumed in the environment at intervals of time that allow the following of cyclic changes in power consumption by one or more of the plurality of appliances; and

C. during each interval of time at each given appliance that operates at a reduced power level

i. determining if the measured total power exceeds a predetermined total power level,

ii. if the measured total power exceeds the predetermined total power level determining if the given appliance should reduce power consumption based on which other appliances that are then operating;

iii. if the measured total power does not exceed the predetermined total power level, determining if the given appliance should increase or maintain power consumption based on which other appliances are then operating.

10. The method of operating of claim 9 further including the step of providing from the given appliance to the other appliances information regarding whether the given appliance is then operating.

11. The method of operating of claim 9 further including the steps of determining the time of day, and

during each interval of time determining if the given appliance should reduce, maintain or increase the level of power consumption based on the time of day.

12. The method of operating of claim 11 further including determining if the given appliance should reduce, maintain or increase power consumption based on whether the time of day corresponds to a time of reduced, normal or increased power fees.

13. A system for operating a plurality of appliances in an environment, the system including:

A. a power meter for measuring power consumption in the environment and communicating the power consumption measurement to the plurality of appliances, the power meter measuring and communicating at intervals of time that allow the following of cyclic changes in power consumption by one or more of the plurality of appliances; and

B. at each given appliance that operates at a reduced power level,

i. means for determining during each interval of time if the measured power consumption is above a predetermined power level;

ii. an appliance controller for

a. operating the given appliance at a reduced power consumption level if the measured power consumption exceeds the maximum power level;

b. increasing the power consumption of the given appliance if the power consumption is then reduced and the measured power consumption is less than the predetermined power level; and

c. operating the given appliance at a normal level of power consumption if the power consumption level is not then reduced and the measured power consumption is less than or equal to the predetermined power level.

14. The system of claim 13 further including

means for determining which of the plurality of appliances are operating during a given interval of time, and

in the appliance controller a means for controlling the reducing and increasing of the power consumption level based on which of the plurality of appliances are then operating.

15. The system of claim 14 further including

means for determining the time of day in each interval of time;

means for comparing the time of day to a power fee schedule; and

in the appliance controller a means for further controlling the reducing and increasing of the power consumption level based on the fees that apply to the time of day.

16. The system of claim 13 further including

C. means for determining ambient environmental conditions and communicating the ambient environmental conditions among the plurality of appliances;

and

D. in the appliance controller means for further controlling the reducing and increasing of the power consumption level based on the ambient environmental conditions.

17. The system of claim 16 further including in the appliance controller means for controlling the turning on and turning off of the given appliance based on the ambient environmental conditions.

18. A system for operating a plurality of appliances in an environment, the system including:

A. power means for measuring total power consumption of the plurality of appliances and comparing the measured total power consumption with a predetermined power level at time intervals that allow the following of cyclic changes in power consumption by one or more of the plurality of appliances, the power means communicating the results of the comparisons to the plurality of appliances; and

B. at each given appliance that operates at a reduced power level, an appliance controller for

i. communicating information relating to the operating cycle of the given appliance to the other appliances and receiving from the other appliances information relating to the operating states of the respective other appliances,

ii. based on the respective operating cycles of the other appliances,

a. operating the given appliance at a reduced power consumption level that is associated with the predetermined power level if the measured total power consumption exceeds the maximum power level and the other appliances are operating in cycles that require that the other appliances remain at the current levels of power consumption; and

b. if the measured power is less than the predetermined power level, operating the given appliance at a same or an increased power consumption level if the power consumption level of the given appliance is then reduced and the other appliances are operating in cycles that do not require increases in the respective levels of power consumption.

19. The system of claim 18 further including

C. means for determining the time of day and communicating the time of day to the plurality of appliances; and

D. the appliance controller operating the given appliance at the same, a reduced or an increased power consumption level based on the time of day, the measured total power consumption, and the appliance operating cycles.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the appliance controller operates the given appliance at a reduced power consumption level if the time of day corresponds to increased power fees, and the current operating cycle allows for a reduced level of power consumption.