Electric product for effectively managing energy sources

• US 9,417,616 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2011
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Ahn, Junho, Kim, Yanghwan, Lee, Hoonbong, Lee, Koonseok, Go, Seogho, Han, Jonghee, Kim, Donghyun, Lee, Woonghyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Fennema, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jung, Jay
• Application Number:
  US13/805,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20130317662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,882 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0833 for reduction of network energy consumption
• 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 20/221 General power management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

A network system is provided. The network includes: at least one component selected from an energy receiving unit receiving energy and an energy management unit managing the energy receiving unit. The energy receiving unit or the energy management unit receives energy rate related information; an energy usage amount or a usage rate of when the component is controlled on the basis of at least the energy rate related information is less than that of when the component is controlled without the basis of at least energy rate related information; and if the energy rate related information is high cost information, a function of one component constituting the energy receiving unit is limited and a function of another component constituting the energy receiving unit is performed.

Claims

1. An electric product in communication with a network system and capable of receiving electricity information related to information related to time-based pricing and information other than the information related to time-based pricing, the electric product comprising:

a first component to perform a function of the electric product;

a second component to perform the function of the electric product; and

a control unit to receive the electricity information and operates the first component or the second component selectively,

wherein the control unit operates the first component when a condition to operate the second component has not been satisfied based on the electricity information, and stops operation of the first component and operates the second component to perform the function of the electric product if the condition to operate the second component is satisfied based on the electricity information during the operation of the first component,

wherein a high cost time interval is a time interval in which the information related to time-based pricing indicates a value greater than a predetermined reference value, and a low cost interval is a time interval in which the information related to time-based pricing indicates a value less than the predetermined reference value,

wherein the control unit determines that the condition is satisfied when the control unit determines that the time interval is in the high cost time interval,

wherein the electric product comprises one of a refrigerator and a washing machine,

when the electric product comprises the refrigerator, the first component is a compressor and the second component is a regenerating unit, if it is determined that the condition has been not satisfied, the control unit operates the compressor to supply cold air by driving of a refrigeration cycle, and if it is determined the condition is satisfied, the control unit operates the regenerating unit to supply cold air stored in the regenerating unit, and

when the electric product comprises the washing machine, the first component is a heater and the second component is a warm water tank, if it is determined that the condition has been not satisfied, the control unit operates the heater to supply warm water, and if it is determined the condition is satisfied, the control unit operates the warm tank to supply warm water stored in the warm water tank.

2. The electric product according to claim 1, wherein the information related to time-based pricing includes one of electricity rates, a change rate of electricity rates, a change rate of power amount, an average value of electricity rates, and an average value of power amounts.

3. The electric product according to claim 1, wherein the information other than the information related to time-based pricing includes one of curtailment, grid emergency, grid reliability, energy amount, and operation priority.

4. The electric product according to claim 1, wherein, when the condition to operate the second component is satisfied, the control unit stops the first component and causes the second component to be driven for an additional time to prevent the function performed by the first component from being deteriorated.

5. The electric product according to claim 1, wherein, after the performance of the function of the electric product is completed, the control unit performs an additional operation mode to prevent the performance of the function of the electric product that is completed from being deteriorated.

6. The electric product according to claim 5, wherein the control unit performs the additional operation mode until the control unit receives a signal.

7. The electric product according to claim 6, wherein the electric product is one of a washing machine, a drier, a dish washer and a cooking appliance;

and

wherein the signal received by the control unit is an open signal of a sensor equipped at a door of the electric product.

8. The electric product according to claim 5, wherein the electric product is a washing machine;

and

wherein the additional operation mode comprises a wrinkle prevention operation mode on laundry.

9. The electric product according to claim 5, wherein the electric product is a drier or a dish washer;

and

wherein the additional operation mode comprises driving of a fan motor to circulate air in a drying space or a washing space.

10. The electric product according to claim 5, wherein the electric product is a cooking appliance;

and

wherein the additional operation mode comprises driving of a heating device to maintain a temperature of food.

11. The electric product according to 1, wherein, further comprising an input unit, wherein after a command on an operation of the electric product is sensed by the input unit, if the control unit determines that the time interval is low cost interval, an operation of the energy consumption unit is performed.

12. The electric product according to claim 11, wherein the command sensed by the input unit is one of commands on an operation end time, operation start time, and reservation of a operation time interval.

13. The electric product according to claim 12, wherein, if the control unit determines that the time interval is the low cost interval, the control unit causes the operation of the electric product to be immediately driven instead of waiting for the reserved operation time interval.

14. The electric product according to claim 12, wherein after the operation of the electric product is completed, the control unit causes an additional cycle to be performed until the operation end time or the end time of the operation time interval.

15. The electric product according to claim 12, wherein after the operation of the electric product is completed, the control unit causes an additional cycle to be performed from the operation start time to a reference time obtained by calculating an operating time of the electric product.

16. The electric product according to claim 11, wherein a specific operation time of the electric product is recommended, and the control unit causes an additional cycle to be performed until the end time of a recommended operation time after the operation of the electric product is completed.

17. An electric product, comprising:

a cabinet that receives a consumable and is openable;

a closure that selectively closes the cabinet;

a driving unit in the cabinet to manage the consumable the driving unit comprising a first component and a second component;

a controller that controls the first component or the second component based upon a main operation mode of the electric product,

wherein the controller operates the first component when a condition to operate the second component has not been satisfied, and stops operation of the first component and operates the second component to perform the function of the electric product if the condition is satisfied during the operation of the first component,

wherein the controller controls the second component to perform an additional operation mode of the electric product to prevent a state of the consumable after the main operation mode of the electric product is completed from being deteriorated,

wherein the control unit the second component to perform the additional operation mode until the control unit receives a signal, and

wherein the electric product is one of a washing machine, a drier, a dish washer and a cooking appliance, and the signal received by the control unit is an open signal of a sensor equipped at the closure of the electric product.

18. The electric product according to claim 17, further comprising a locking device that restricts operation of the closure,

wherein the controller controls the locking device to close the cabinet during performing the main operation mode or the additional operation mode of the electric product.

19. The electric product according to claim 17, wherein the controller controls the driving unit to perform the additional operation mode of the electric product when the closure closes the cabinet at a preset time interval after the main operation mode of the electric product is completed.

20. The electric product according to claim 17, wherein the electric product is a washing machine,

wherein the consumable is clothes, and

wherein the additional operation mode comprises a wrinkle prevention operation mode on laundry.

21. The electric product according to claim 17, wherein the electric product is a drier or a dish washer,

wherein the consumable is clothes or dishes, and

wherein the additional operation mode comprises driving of a fan motor to circulate air in a drying space or a washing space.

22. The electric product according to claim 17, wherein the electric product is a cooking appliance,

wherein the consumable is food, and

wherein the additional operation mode comprises driving of a heating device to maintain a temperature of food.