Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100065035 | APPLIANCE WITH A VACUUM-BASED REVERSE AIRFLOW COOLING SYSTEM USING ONE FAN - An appliance includes a housing having an airflow channel communicating with outside of the appliance; a first chamber in the housing and having a first opening; a first door for selectively closing the first opening, the first door having a first airway communicating with the outside of the appliance; a second chamber in the housing and having a second opening; a second door for selectively closing the second opening, the second door having a second airway communicating with the outside of the appliance; and a fan in the airflow channel. The airflow channel includes a central segment disposed between the first and second chambers and communicating with the first and second airways. When activated, the fan causes ambient air to pass through the first and second airways before entering the central segment so that the first and second doors are cooled off by the ambient air. | 03-18-2010 |
20100065036 | APPLIANCE WITH A VACUUM-BASED REVERSE AIRFLOW COOLING SYSTEM - An appliance is disclosed. The appliance includes a main body defining a cavity and an air channel which is in flow communication with an outside of the appliance; an access door supported by the main body for selectively closing the cavity, the access door having an airway in flow communication with the outside of the appliance and the air channel; a fan disposed in the air channel; and an Human Machine Interface disposed on or in the access door. When activated, the fan causes ambient air from the outside of the appliance to pass through the airway before entering the air channel so that the access door is cooled off by the ambient air. | 03-18-2010 |
20100140247 | WIRING ASSEMBLY FOR AN APPLIANCE - A wiring assembly for an appliance is disclosed. The appliance has a main body and a door movably attached to the main body. The wiring assembly includes a base attachable to the door and having a first end and a second end; a slide slidably mounted on the base so that the slide is moveable between a first position where the slide is adjacent to the first end and a second position where the slide is adjacent to the second end; a tensioning or biasing member engaging the slide with the base and biasing the slide to the first position; and a cable assembly including a power/communication cable attachable to the main body and connected to the slide. An appliance incorporating such a wiring assembly is also disclosed. | 06-10-2010 |
20100145483 | HUMAN-MACHINE INTERFACE ASSEMBLY FOR AN APPLIANCE - An assembly for an appliance is disclosed. The assembly includes a Human-Machine Interface (HMI) including an input component having a portion accessible to a user, and a display component to indicate information to the user, the display component being operatively connected to the input component. The assembly further includes a liquid barrier covering the HMI. | 06-10-2010 |
20110154269 | HOME ENERGY MANAGEMENT SCREENSAVER - A computer screensaver program runs a home energy manager application. The screensaver program is activated after a predetermined time and automatically runs a web browser by detecting the URL of the home energy manager application. The home energy manager interface is then displayed on the computer screen or a remote monitor. Preferably, the screensaver cycles through one or more various screens and remains active until a key is pressed or the mouse is activated. | 06-23-2011 |
20110264296 | UPDATING THERMOSTAT WEEKLY SCHEDULE OVER THE AIR - Provided is a method and system for updating of schedules to a device controlled by an energy management system. | 10-27-2011 |
20120026004 | ENERGY MANAGER-WATER LEAK DETECTION - Methods and systems are disclosed for monitoring water leaks within a home. A home network with various devices monitors these devices with a controller. Information is received from a water flow meter via a transceiver for tracking a total water flow amount through pipelines in the home. By comparing information collected to a predetermined threshold, a leak is determined as present or not within each pipeline. Upon the detection of a leak in the home, a home owner is notified of the condition so that action is taken expeditiously. A shut off valve can be triggered remotely when a request is received from the user, which closes the water pipeline to prevent water damage. | 02-02-2012 |
20120029705 | HOME ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM INCORPORATING A POOL PUMP - An energy management system for a home network comprising a plurality of power consuming devices including a pool pump is provided. The system comprises a central controller operatively connected to the power consuming devices and configured to receive and process a signal indicative of the current state of an associated utility, including at least a peak demand state and an off-peak demand state, and a display device. The central controller further includes a scheduling algorithm configured to enable a user to program a schedule for the pool pump. | 02-02-2012 |
20120060771 | HOT WATER HEATER SCHEDULER - A hot water heater and method for controlling same. The hot water heater can be programmed to only heat water when the consumer anticipates that they will need it. The consumer can control the temperature of the water, the time at which the hot water will be needed, and can specify the speed vs. efficiency tradeoff regarding how the water is heated by selecting an operating mode, for example, thereby resulting in a more energy efficient and cost effective hot water heater. | 03-15-2012 |
20120065787 | HOUSEHOLD ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ONE OR MORE APPLIANCES AND POWER GENERATOR - A device and method for enabling an home energy management (HEM) system to work with a home power generator to run the home in a “survival mode” when the home has lost power from the main utility feed. The HEM controls the operation of the main appliances/loads to enable the homeowner to have basic functionality (hot water, lights, heat, cooking & preserving food) of their home, all while ensuring the max draw on the home does not exceed the output rating of the generator thereby allowing the use of a smaller generator while still providing functionality similar to larger generators resulting in energy and cost savings to the consumer. | 03-15-2012 |
20120065796 | ENERGY MANAGER WITH MINIMUM USE ENERGY PROFILE - A system and method for maximizing the value of power generated by a residential power generator. A home energy manager device is configured to implement a minimum energy usage profile during a peak demand event such that a maximum amount of power generated by the consumer can be sold back to the utility. For renewable energy sources such as solar cells, peak demand events often correspond with peak output of the renewable energy source. For example, hot sunny summer days are conducive to maximum solar power output and, typically, also result in maximum power demand for powering air conditioners. | 03-15-2012 |
20120067860 | WATER HEATER WITH POWER CONSUMPTION REPORTING - A hot water heater and method that includes power consumption reporting to enable consumers to better understand and control the energy usage and/or efficiency of the hot water heater. Monitoring energy consumption of an electric hot water heater having at least one electrical load that is selectively activated by a controller of the hot water heater includes sensing the amount of time the at least one electrical load is activated multiplying the amount of time by a known value corresponding to a power rating of the electrical load to determine energy consumed, and displaying on a display device an indicator corresponding to the energy consumed. | 03-22-2012 |
20130038122 | MANAGING EXCESS RENEWABLE ENERGY - A renewable energy management system includes a load center that enables current flow into a renewable energy system generated from one or more sources and facilitates consumption of generated energy by one or more devices in the renewable energy system, and a smart meter that tracks energy flow in and out of the load center to measure energy consumption and energy production for the renewable energy system. The system also includes an energy manager in communication with the smart meter and at least one of the devices, wherein the energy manager signals the at least one of the devices to function as an energy storage device for storing excess renewable energy generated by the renewable energy system. | 02-14-2013 |
20130345891 | HOUSEHOLD ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - A household energy management system for managing multiple appliances is provided. In an embodiment the system comprises a controller for managing power consumption of multiple appliances within a household; a utility meter for measuring an amount of energy usage to a household, the utility meter communicating to the controller a demand limit; and a user interface through which a user can enter a parameter of energy usage. The controller establishes a demand limit, A communication network connects the controller to the utility meter and/or to a demand server. The controller controls or operates the multiple appliances based cm communications from at least one of the utility meter, the user interface, and a demand server, such that the energy usage does not exceed the established demand limit. | 12-26-2013 |
20140025219 | HOME ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WITH SABBATH COMPLIANT FUNCTIONALITY - A home energy management system simplifies the process of enabling and executing the Sabbath mode and similar operating modes on household devices. A central location, or central node device, is provided which enables the end user to selectively modify operation of the household devices, e.g., from a normal operating mode to the Sabbath mode. | 01-23-2014 |
20140070927 | APPLIANCE REMOTE CONTROL ENABLE MODE - A system and method of remotely interacting with an appliance system are provided. A remote device, such as a computer, a smartphone, a tablet, etc., can initiate communications with an appliance through a communications network. When a remote enablement mode is initiated at the appliance, the remote device can interact with the appliance. For instance, the remote device can initiate operational cycles, activate notifications, perform diagnostic routines, etc. The remote enablement mode can be initiated by a user within the proximity of the appliance using a remote enable interface. The remote enable interface can be a mechanical device, an electromechanical device, and/or a selection through a user interface coupled to the appliance. | 03-13-2014 |
20140203092 | COMMUNICATING THERMOSTAT RECOVERY ALGORITHM - The present subject matter relates methods and systems for operation of an HVAC system including a heat pump and a secondary energy source (electric or gas) where a utility's demand response server may issue demand response event instructions. Upon receipt of a demand response event instruction as set point for controlling the HVAC system may be changed and, upon expiration of the demand response event, the HVAC system is controlled so that operation of its secondary energy source is inhibited until recovery of the system to its user established set point is obtained. | 07-24-2014 |
20150083812 | TEMPERATURE ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD - Temperature adjustment systems and methods for adjusting thermostat temperature settings are provided. A system includes an oven appliance sensor in communication with an oven appliance, the oven appliance sensor operable to sense an operation of the oven appliance. The system further includes a thermostat in communication with the oven appliance sensor, the thermostat operable to adjust a temperature setting based on the sensed operation of the oven appliance. A method includes sensing an operation of an oven appliance, communicating the operation of the oven appliance to the thermostat, and adjusting the thermostat temperature setting based on the sensed operation of the oven appliance. | 03-26-2015 |