DE102012219599A1 - Home appliance, particularly washing machine, has energy-connector over intelligent energy meter of intelligent power supply network and data connector for local data network over intelligent energy meter - Google Patents

Abstract

The home appliance (HG) has an energy-connector (HEN) over an intelligent energy meter (SM) of an intelligent power supply network and a data connector for a local data network (HDN) over the intelligent energy meter. The momentary power received by the home appliance is evaluated in a microcomputer (C). The switching states of the actuators (A1 to An) are individually mapped in the microcomputer. An independent claim is included for a method for operating a home appliance.

Description

The invention relates to a domestic appliance, which is preferably operated on an intelligent power grid and is designed so that the detection of an internal fault, such as a component associated with a control of the domestic appliance is automatically possible.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for operating such a household appliance. With regard to the operation of household appliances, it is for example from the DE 10 2010 040 432 A1 It is known that a domestic appliance is connected to a data network. Then it is possible that the operating state of the domestic appliance can be diagnosed by a, to a central office, via the data network, buildable connection and a remedy to the home appliance can be transmitted from the control center. A fault which has actually occurred as a result of a fault of a component in the control can only be diagnosed with a time delay if such a diagnosis is started via the data network.

By the DE 10 2010 042 172 A1 It is known to operate a household appliance on an intelligent power supply network so that programs, which are initially caused by a control of the domestic appliance to change so that specifications that are transmitted via a data network of the intelligent power supply network to the control of the household appliance, considered can be. From the DE 10 2010 042 172 A1 also shows that the control of the household appliance has a computer-like structure and power stages are used to drive actuators.

After an internal state of the art of the Applicant also controls for home appliances have been trained, which can detect the failure of a component conditionally and thus diagnose a mistake. Optionally, a safe device state can be produced. In principle, in these controls, the presence of sensor signals, which are also able to map operating conditions in the domestic appliance, monitored quasi according to a target pattern with respect to a pending for execution program of the domestic appliance. In the absence of such sensor signals or unexpected occurrence of such sensor signals, ie in the presence of an actual pattern that deviates from the target pattern, it was concluded that an error. For example, it is possible to detect a defective or blocked pump via the water pressure at the base of the washing machine. However, it is thus not yet possible to immediately detect an error in the control of an actuator, such as a motor for generating the rotational movement of the washing drum or a heater for heating the wash liquor, which receives a relatively large amount of power or power.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a domestic appliance with an associated control, which is designed for automatic fault detection, wherein it is provided that the control of the domestic appliance has a connection to a data network.

Furthermore, a method for operating a household appliance with the associated control should be specified.

The solution of the problem with respect to the domestic appliance with associated control is made by the subject of the main claim.

Advantageous and further advantageous embodiments of the subject of the main claim are specified in the back to the main claim dependent claims.

Furthermore, a method for operating the domestic appliance with associated control is specified in the secondary claim directed to a method and further developed by claims based on this claim.

The invention thus initially relates to a household appliance, such as a washing machine and the like., With a power connection, via a smart energy meter of a smart energy supply network and a household-related data connection for a local area network via the intelligent energy meter, with a controller associated with the domestic appliance with actuators and associated Power levels and a microcomputer, by the at least one program sequence is executable, wherein in the microcomputer a recorded by at least the domestic appliance instantaneous performance is assessed, that switching states of the actuators are individually mapped in the microcomputer, and that the microcomputer is further designed so that at a change of a switching state of one of the actuators a momentary power before the change and a momentary power after the change of the one of the actuators is comparable, being determined as a comparison result, a power difference is and inequality to a target performance of the one of the actuators with respect to the power difference, an error with respect to the one of the actuators and their associated power level recognizable and can be displayed.

With the invention, it is thus possible to detect whether a specific actuator or the power stage of a particular actuator has failed. Only if a power is switched on or off by the actuator, which is the target specification of the Rated power of the actuator in question, it can be assumed that a faultless condition. Since the switched power of the relevant actuator is determined from a difference performance before and after the switching of the actuator, at a third location - outside the control of the domestic appliance - determined power is used, which should include only the current power absorbed by the domestic appliance with.

An intelligent energy meter, which is also known as a smart meter, is understood to mean, in particular, a meter which determines the actual energy consumption and the actual usage time of the energy connection and, preferably, automatically communicates the determined data to the corresponding energy provider. In particular, such intelligent energy meters have a microprocessor. Furthermore, an intelligent energy supply network, also called a smart grid, in the context of the invention is a power network which comprises communicative networking and control of the power generators, energy stores, electrical consumers and network resources within energy transmission and distribution networks.

It has proved to be advantageous if the microcomputer via the local data network, a value of a total instantaneous power can be fed, which also includes the current power absorbed by the domestic appliance. In this case, it is of particular advantage if, as the total instantaneous power, the one which can be tapped off at an output port of the intelligent energy meter and supplied to the microcomputer via the local data network is taken into account. Since in a household usually different types of home appliances are operated, it is assumed that virtually no change in a switching state of another household appliance, such as tumble dryer added to a change in a switching state of a household appliance, such as washing machine. It is therefore to be assumed that a reliable determination of an error with respect to an actuator or a power stage of an actuator. However, it is also possible to exclude any coincidence cases regarding simultaneous switching operations of actuators of domestic appliances via the local data network by suppressing the error analysis in case of a coincidence.

If a change in the switching state of one of the actuators relates to a change from an off state to an on state, then it can be determined whether there is a defect in one of the actuators. If P _{diff is} much smaller than P _{soll, it} is necessary to refer to an interruption in the actuator, because then at most one leakage current flows through the actuator. If P _{diff is} substantially greater than P _soll , a short circuit in the actuator, for example in the armature circuit of a drive motor for the drum of a washing machine or in the region of its heating element, can be assumed.

If, however, a change in the switching state of one of the actuators involves a change from an on state to an off state, then it can be determined whether there is a defect of one of the power stages of the actuators. For when a power-off of an actuator over its power level is expected that a power reduction according to the previously determined at a power-on difference power P _diff that _should correspond to the target power P _soll adjusts itself. However, if this difference performance is not determined, it can be assumed that the power stage belonging to the actuator no longer works properly, that is, for example, a power relay is welded with respect to its relay contacts or a semiconductor switch, such as a triac, is alloyed.

It is preferably provided that in the microcomputer, the rated power of the actuators are stored in fixed value memories and can be retrieved after determining the power difference as the relevant target power with respect to the one of the actuators.

Thus, in the case of inequality of a target power P _soll from the one of the actuators with respect to the determination of the power difference P _diff , which can be carried out by the microcomputer, a changed program sequence that can be executed by the microcomputer is possible in a simple manner. For example, after a detected error situation of an actuator or a power level, the program sequence of the domestic appliance can be changed as an emergency program. It is also possible to trigger a main relay of the control of the domestic appliance immediately or only after the end of the emergency program, so that the supply voltage of the domestic appliance can be switched off in such a way that switching on the domestic appliance is only possible again when a customer service has become active. As far as the solution of the invention task is to provide a method for operating a domestic appliance with a control with a microcomputer the following steps are provided: Formation of a request to change a switching state of one of the actuators by means of a belonging to the actuator power level after a program flow, reading a current power via a data line immediately before the change of the switching state of one of the actuators, change of the switching state of the actuator (A ₁ to A _n ) for which the change of the switching state has been requested, reading a current power via a data line immediately after one Change of the switching state of one of the actuators, education a power _difference P _diff from the instantaneous powers after and before the change of the switching state of the one of the actuators, read a belonging to the one of the actuators rated power from a memory of the controller as a target power P _soll , performing a comparison of the power difference P _diff to the Target power, which is when the condition P _diff = P _{soll is closed} to an intact state of the one of the actuators together with the associated power level, and in case of non-compliance with the condition P _diff = P _soll to a non-intact state of the one of the actuators together with associated Power level is closed and an error message is issued.

In the method according to the invention, it is also provided that the control of the domestic appliance via a local data network, a value of a total instantaneous power is supplied, which also includes the instantaneous power absorbed by the domestic appliance, and that in particular this instantaneous power is tapped at the intelligent energy meter.

The method according to the invention is further developed by differentiating in the method step which relates to the change of the switching state of one of the actuators, such that a change which relates to a change from an off state to an on state causes a defect in one of See, for example, the actuators themselves, and that a change that relates to a change from an on state to an off state, a defect of one of the power levels can be detected.

As far as the invention is still defined on the basis of the claims listed at the end of the following description of the exemplary embodiments, it should be so that a chain of relationships of non-independent claims with respect to the respective independent claim described above is not limiting in relation to the teaching as a whole is to be considered, as far as other combinations of features are found to be suitable and executable from the perspective of the person skilled in the art.

In the following the invention will be described schematically with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.

The figures of the drawing will be briefly explained first. Show it:

1 : a connection diagram of a domestic appliance according to the invention with associated control to a household energy network and to a data network, wherein an intelligent energy meter establishes a connection to an intelligent energy supply network,

2 : the household appliance according to the invention, the after 1 is connected, wherein essential components of the controller, such as a microcomputer and actuators are shown, and

3 a flowchart of exerted by the microcomputer, control functions according to the invention with respect to a change of the switching state of an actuator with concomitant monitoring of its power consumption.

In 1 First, an inventive home appliance HG is shown, which is equipped with a subsequently to be described control ST. The household appliance HG is connected to a home energy network HEN. Furthermore, the household appliance HG is connected to a local area network HDN. An intelligent energy meter SM (also called SmartMeter is common) represents the connection between the house energy network HEN and the data network HDN and a public power grid PEN, which is designed as an intelligent power grid (SmartGrid). The designated public power grid PEN is for a transmission of electrical energy and for the transmission of data from the power generator to at least one consumer and also from the consumer back to the utility. The data that is transmitted from the consumer to the utility mainly includes data related to electrical energy (in terms of integration period) as well as the instantaneous electrical power, which may be important to the utility as the utility is its entire network should provide sufficient services. Furthermore, it is possible that the energy producer to the consumer specifications are made when and how an involvement of consumers with greater power extraction, especially at low electricity tariff conditions is possible. This is particularly interesting for larger home appliances, such as washing machines or dryers, since this is the use of low-cost electricity tariffs desirable. Thus, it can be assumed that home appliances are increasingly being manufactured and sold as network-compatible devices. Since, as already explained, the intelligent energy meter SM represents the link between the public power supply network PEN and the household energy network HEN and the local data network HDN, it is also to be assumed that a power currently being supplied via the household energy network HEN (which is in any case transmitted to the energy producer) , is available at an output port of the intelligent energy meter for feeding into the local data network HDN. Incidentally, it is pointed out that bidirectional information transmission via the local data network HDN can be wired or wireless. For a wired transmission is a transmission over the power network, known as Powerline or a wired data network, such as standard Ethernet available. Wireless transmission can be done according to a wireless standard, such as Zigbee or WiFi.

In 2 It can be seen how, on the one hand, the local data network HDN and the household energy network HEN are routed from the intelligent energy meter SM to the household appliance HG. Within the household appliance HG is a controller ST, to which the data network HDN and the energy network HEN is continued. In the presentation made are highlighted in relation to the invention emphasized parts of the control ST. In addition, it is familiar to the expert to specify other conventional parts of a control of, for example, a washing machine as a domestic appliance and use it in a suitable manner. There is provided a control panel BL, which allows an operator of a washing machine to set a suitable washing program, including supporting a display (not numbered) can be useful to the control panel. A microcomputer C represents the central part of the control and usually comprises a central processing unit and memory for fixed programs and for the caching of data in the execution of computing or control operations. Likewise, input and output ports belong to conventional components of a microcomputer, such as the microcomputer C used in accordance with the invention. Outputs L ₁ to L _{n of} actuators A ₁ to A _{n are} connected to outputs of the microcomputer. Such actuators A ₁ to A _n may be, for example, in a washing machine as a domestic appliance solenoid valves, an electric heating element, an electrically driven pump or an electric motor for driving the washing drum. As power stages L ₁ to L _n semiconductor switches, such as triacs or power relay in question.

The control of the domestic appliance HG is carried out by the microcomputer C depending on which program has been selected on the control panel BL and according to the program progress or an internal state of the domestic appliance during the processing of the selected program according to the feedback by sensors (not shown). During the execution of the selected program, the actuators A ₁ to A _n described above are actuated in accordance with the program progress. In the microcomputer C, the location at which a program to be processed is located is exactly recognizable. Thus, the switching state of a single one of the actuators A ₁ to A _n within the microcomputer C is mapped. A moment before a change of a switching state of one of the actuators A ₁ to A _n and a moment after a change of a switching state of one of the actuators A ₁ to A _n is therefore identifiable. If the instantaneous power which is taken from the domestic power grid HEN via the local data network HDN is queried via an input port of the microcomputer C, it can be determined with respect to a single identifiable actuator A ₁ to A _n which power before or after the change of the switching state of the individual identifiable actuator A ₁ to A _{n was} taken. It is then possible to determine the difference between the power before the change of the switching state, ie a power P _before and a power after the change of the switching state, ie a power P _to . Then, a comparison result P _diff can be determined, for example as an amount or data value. This comparison result, namely the difference power P _diff can be stored with the rated power representing a target power P _soll with respect to an identifiable actuator A ₁ to A _n and in a memory of the microcomputer C with respect to the one of the actuators A ₁ to A _n is to be compared. If there is an equality of the values P _diff and P _soll , it can be assumed that the relevant actuator A ₁ to A _n and its associated Power level L ₁ to L _n are OK. The specified equality is also present in practice if, within certain limits, deviations, even purely in terms of magnitude, of the determined power P _diff with respect to the nominal power P _soll are present, which are caused by usual mains voltage fluctuations. If the change of the switching state of the respective actuator of one of the actuators A ₁ to A _{n involved} a change from the off state to the on state, then subsuming can be subsumed as follows: If P _{diff is} substantially smaller than P _soll is on one Break interruption in the actuator, since then at most a leakage current flows through the actuator. If P _{diff is} substantially greater than P _soll , a short circuit in the actuator, for example in the armature circuit of a drive motor for the drum of a washing machine or in the region of its heating element, can be assumed. There is an error message with respect to this actuator, for example, on the display of the control panel BL of the household appliance. Such information is particularly important for the customer service of the household appliance. Then it is possible that the home appliance via a main relay (no reference numeral) of the controller ST can be switched off or a modified program can take place, which leads to a safe termination of the selected program, for example in a washing machine without a heating phase of a main wash took place completely when the heater has internal short circuits.

If the change of the switching state of the relevant actuator from one of the actuators A ₁ to A _{n involved} a change from the on state to the off state, then the functioning of the power stage L ₁ to L belonging to the corresponding actuator A ₁ to A _{n could take place n be} monitored. For in the case of a switch-off operation of an actuator, it is to be expected that a power reduction corresponding to the difference power P _diff previously determined during a switch-on process, such as the amount, would occur, which P _soll would have _to correspond. However, if this difference performance is not determined, it can be assumed that the power stage belonging to the actuator no longer works properly, that is, for example, a power relay is welded with respect to its relay contacts, or a semiconductor switch such as a triac is alloyed. In such a case, it is then also necessary to take measures, as they have been explained upon detection of an error with respect to an actuator, so for example to turn off the home appliance HG via the main relay of the controller ST.

According to the invention, a measuring device within the intelligent energy meter SM is used as the generating point for the measured value or data value of the instantaneous power. As is known, this value is available to the energy supply company via its intelligent supply network PEN. In addition, the intelligent energy meter SM also has an output port to which this instantaneous power can be forwarded to the local data network HDN, so that this measured value relating to an instantaneous power can be input via this data network HDN to a household appliance HG or its controller ST. It therefore eliminates the need to separately form this value of the instantaneous power within a control of a domestic appliance or to provide an external measuring device that would be inserted in the area of a branch of the domestic energy network HEN of public energy network PEN extra.

Based on 3 the essential steps for operating the domestic appliance according to the invention with the associated control with the mentioned microcomputer for carrying out the control functions are described below.

In a step S1, a pending change of the switching state of an actuator A ₁ to A _n , such as switching on of the actuator, is requested. Then, in step S2, a readout of instantaneous power, as generated by the measuring device of the intelligent energy meter SM and can be tapped off at its output port via the home network HEN, to obtain a current power P _{before being} stored in a memory of the microcomputer C made. Then, in a step S3, the actuator is changed in its switching state, in particular switched on. After the change of the switching state of the actuator, especially in the presence of a circuit of the actuator, in the step S4, a present power P is obtained _{according to,} which is also stored in a memory of the microcomputer C. Then, in step S5, by subtraction of the stored data values, a difference power P _diff , namely equal to P _post -P _{before, is} determined and buffered. In step S6, a nominal power belonging to the switched actuator is read out from an internal (read-only) memory of the microcomputer C, which nominal power P _{soll is} used and buffered. In step 7, a comparison operation, namely P _diff = P _soll ?, Is performed. If this criterion is fulfilled, it can be assumed that both the relevant actuator A ₁ to A _n and its power stage L ₁ to L _{n are} intact. If this criterion is not met, in a step S8, if the previous change of the switching state of the actuator went from off to on, given an instruction on the microcomputer to make an elimination of the actuator, so cancel an initially scheduled in the program sequence activation of the actuator. Then, in step S9, an error message can be output, which is displayed on the control panel BL or, for example, also via the local area network HDN and a router connected thereto, and also via the Internet to a customer service for maintenance and repair of the household appliance is directed the customer service then already knows which actuator is defective and thus the repair work can be specifically prepared. With step S10, the program flow can be adapted to the determined error situation.

If the step S3 was a change from an on state to an off state of the actuator, then a defect of one of the power stages L ₁ to L _n can be detected. For in the case of a switch-off process of an actuator, it is to be expected that a power reduction will occur corresponding to the difference power P _diff previously determined during a switch-on process, which P _{soll should} correspond. However, if this difference performance is not determined, it can be assumed that the power stage belonging to the actuator no longer works properly, that is, for example, a power relay is welded with respect to its relay contacts, or a semiconductor switch such as a triac is alloyed. Then, with the omission of step S8, steps 9 and 10 must be followed, at least analogously.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

• PEN

  public power grid (SmartGrid)

  SM

  intelligent energy meter (SmartMeter)

  HEN

  House energy grid

  HDN

  local data network

  HG

  household appliance

  ST

  control

  BL

  control panel

  ST

  control

  C

  microcomputer

  A ₁ -A _n

  actuators

  L ₁ -L _n

  power levels

  S1

  Requirement change switching state actuator

  S2

  Reading a current power P _before

  S3

  Trigger change switching state actuator

  S4

  Reading a current power P _to

  S5

  Forming a power difference P _diff = P _after - _before P

  S6

  Read out nominal power actuator, equate to P _soll

  S7

  Comparison operation: P _diff = P _soll ?

  S8

  when changing the switching state from Off to On: Reaction switch off

  S9

  Output error message

  S10

  Adjust program flow to error situation

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102010040432 A1 [0002]
• DE 102010042172 A1 [0003, 0003]

Claims (10)

Home appliance (HG), such as a washing machine and the like, with an energy connection (HEN) via an intelligent energy meter (SM) of an intelligent energy supply network (PEN) and a household-related data connection for a local area network (HDN) via the intelligent energy meter (SM) , with a controller associated with the domestic appliance (ST) with actuators (A ₁ to A _n ) and associated power levels (L ₁ to L _n ) and a microcomputer (C) through which at least one program sequence is executable, characterized in that in the Microcomputer (C) one of at least the domestic appliance (HG) recorded instantaneous power (P _mom ) can be assessed that switching states of the actuators (A ₁ to A _n ) in the microcomputer (C) are individually mapped, and that the microcomputer (C) of the Furthermore, it is designed so that, when changing a switching state of one of the actuators (A ₁ to A _n ), an instantaneous power (P _before ) before the change and a momentary power (P _after ) after the change of the one of the actuators (A ₁ to A _n ) is comparable, wherein as a comparison result, a power difference (P _diff ) can be determined and inequality to a desired power (P _soll ) of the one of the actuators (A ₁ to A _n ) relative to the power _difference (P _diff ) an error with respect to the one of the actuators (A ₁ to A _n ) together with the associated power level (L ₁ to L _n ) is recognizable and displayable. Domestic appliance with a control with a microcomputer according to claim 1, characterized in that the microcomputer (C) via the local data network (HDN), a value of a total instantaneous power (P ' _mon ) can be fed, which also recorded by the household appliance (HG) Current power (P _mon ) includes, and that in particular this instantaneous power (P ' _mon ) can be tapped on the intelligent energy meter (SM). Domestic appliance with a control with a microcomputer according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that when changing the switching state of one of the actuators (A ₁ to A _n ), which relates to a change from an off state to an on state, a Defect of one of the actuators (A ₁ to A _n ) can be determined. Domestic appliance with a control with a microcomputer according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that when changing the switching state of one of the actuators (A ₁ to A _n ), which relates to a change from an on-state to an off-state, a Defect of one of the power levels (L ₁ to L _n ) can be determined. Domestic appliance with a control with a microcomputer according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that in the microcomputer (C), the nominal power of the actuators (A ₁ to A _n ) can be stored and after determining the power difference (P _diff ) as the relevant target power (P _soll ) with respect to the one of the actuators (A ₁ to A _n ) are retrievable. Domestic appliance with a control with a microcomputer according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that in the case of inequality of a nominal power (P _soll ) of the one of the actuators (A ₁ to A _n ) compared to the power difference (P _diff ) from the microcomputer ( C) controllable program sequence of the household appliance (HG) is changeable. Domestic appliance with a control with a microcomputer according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that at inequality of a target power (P _soll) of the one of the actuators (A ₁ to A _n) with respect to the power difference (P _diff), a main relay for switching off the supply voltage of the household appliance (HG) can be triggered, in particular lockable can be triggered until a service has acted. Method for operating a household appliance with a controller with a microcomputer according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the following steps are provided: - Forming a request to change a switching state of one of the actuators (A ₁ to A _n ) by means of a to the one actuator (A ₁ to A _n ) belonging to the power level (L ₁ to L _n ) after a program sequence, - reading a current power (P _before ) via a data line (HDN) immediately before the change of the switching state of one of the actuators (A ₁ to A _n ), - change of the switching state of the actuator (A ₁ to A _n ), for which the change of the switching state has been requested, - Reading a current power (P _to ) via a data line (HDN) immediately after a change of the switching state of one of the actuators (A ₁ to A _n ) , - Forming a power _difference (P _diff ) from the instantaneous services after and before the change of the switching state of the one of the actuators (A ₁ to A _n ) - read a belonging to the one of the actuators (A ₁ to A _n ) rated power a memory of the microcomputer (C) as a target power (P _soll ), - Performing a comparison of the power difference (P _diff ) to the desired power (P _soll ), - wherein upon fulfillment of the condition (P _diff ) = (P _soll ) au f an intact state of the one of the actuators (A ₁ to A _n ) and associated power stage (L ₁ to L _n ) is closed, - and in non-compliance with the condition (P _diff ) = (P _soll ) to a non-intact state one of the actuators (A ₁ to A _n ) and associated power stage (L ₁ to L _n ) is closed and an error message is output. Method for operating a household appliance with a control with a microcomputer according to claim 8, characterized in that the microcomputer (C) via a local area network (HDN) is a value of a total instantaneous power (P ' _mon ) is supplied, which is also that of the domestic appliance (HG) recorded instantaneous power (P _mon ), and in particular that this instantaneous power (P ' _mon ) is tapped on the intelligent energy meter (SM). Method for operating a domestic appliance with a control with a microcomputer according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that in the method step, which relates to the change of the switching state of one of the actuators (A ₁ to A _n ), a change, the one Pertaining to a change from an off-state to an on-state, a defect of the one of the actuators (A ₁ to A _n ) recognizes itself, and that a change that relates to a change from an on-state to an off-state , detects a defect of one of the power stages (L ₁ to L _n ).

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