Return of appliance state after demand response event

• US 9,058,037 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Drake, Jeff Donald, Worthington, Timothy Dale, Finch, Michael F., Besore, John K.
• Primary Examiner(s): DUNN, DARRIN D
• Application Number:
  US12/644,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20110153110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,002 Days
• Field of Search: 700/286, 700/291, 700/295, 700/297, 702/57, 713/310, 713/320, 713/340
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0047 Energy or water consumption, e.g. by saving energy or water
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0063 using remote monitoring or controlling of the dishwasher operation, e.g. networking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2301/08 Other manual input
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/20 Time, e.g. elapsed operating time
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/30 Variation of electrical, magnetical or optical quantities
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/34 Other automatic detections
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/34 Change machine operation from normal operational mode into special mode, e.g. service mode, resin regeneration mode, sterilizing mode, steam mode, odour eliminating mode or special cleaning mode to clean the hydraulic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/14 Time settings
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/44 Current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/14 Temperature of laundry
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/50 Starting machine operation, e.g. delayed start or re-start after power cut
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/54 Changing between normal operation mode and special operation modes, e.g. service mode, component cleaning mode or stand-by mode
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/32 Control of operational steps, e.g. optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending on the condition of the laundry
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/46 Control of the energy or water consumption
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/05 for wireless communication between components, e.g. for remote monitoring or control
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/38 of drying, e.g. to achieve the target humidity
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/48 Control of the energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0235 based on a comparison with predetermined threshold or range, e.g. "classical methods", carried out during normal operation; threshold adaptation or choice; when or how to compare with the threshold
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers
• 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

In another aspect of the disclosure, a method of controlling an appliance is provided comprising establishing settings on an appliance related to threshold variables, wherein the settings include the threshold variables for determining a reaction of the appliance in response to reaching one or more of the threshold variables. The method further comprises sending a signal from an associated utility to the appliance, wherein the appliance includes a controller in signal communication with the associated utility. The controller receives and processes a signal from the associated utility, and converts and compares the signal to the threshold variables. The method still further comprises changing the operating of the appliance from a first state of operation to a second state of operation, wherein in the second state of operation one or more power consuming functions of the appliance are based on the comparison of the signal to the threshold variables and, returning the appliance to the first state of operation.

Claims

1. A home energy management system configured to manage power consumption of a plurality of appliances, comprising:

a plurality of appliances, each appliance configured with settings that include a threshold variable for determining a reaction of the respective appliance in response to reaching the threshold variable; and

a plurality of controllers, each controller coupled to an associated appliance of the plurality of appliances, wherein the each controller configured to receive and process a signal that encodes a value from associated a utility to the associated appliance coupled to the controller, wherein each controller compares and compare the signal to the threshold variable of its associated appliance,

wherein each appliance has a plurality of operating states including a first state of normal operation and a second state of energy savings operation,

wherein, if the value is greater than the threshold variable of any of the plurality appliances, the controller coupled to the associated appliance changes operation of the appliance from its respective first state to its respective second state in response to the signal, where operation of one or more appliance functions is modified according to user settings so that said one or more appliance functions remains operational as prescribed by a user in a modified state when said appliance enters its respective second state,

wherein, if the value is less than the threshold variable of any of the plurality appliances, the controller coupled to the associated appliance changes operation of the appliance from its respective second state to its respective first state when the signal from the utility is no longer being communicated to the appliance; and

wherein each controller of the plurality of controllers implements a respective time delay preset buy the user before changing the operation of the associated appliance coupled to said controller from its respective second state to its respective first state so that all of the plurality of appliances operating in their respective second state are staggered in their return to operating in their respective first state.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is part of a home energy management (HEM) system for managing the one or more threshold variables and for routing the signal from the associated utility to the appliance.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first state of operation excludes any setting changes due to cost of energy to one or more power consuming functions.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the threshold variable is determined by a user and the value is selected from the group consisting of price of energy, carbon usage, maximum or minimum criticality level of demand, and a price tier number associated with current cost of energy.