EP2350374A1 - Electric appliance with energy monitoring and managing means and corresponding method - Google Patents

Electric appliance with energy monitoring and managing means and corresponding method

Info

Publication number
EP2350374A1
EP2350374A1 EP09786367A EP09786367A EP2350374A1 EP 2350374 A1 EP2350374 A1 EP 2350374A1 EP 09786367 A EP09786367 A EP 09786367A EP 09786367 A EP09786367 A EP 09786367A EP 2350374 A1 EP2350374 A1 EP 2350374A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
electric
electric appliance
value
control system
acs
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP09786367A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Valerio Aisa
Giovanni Bombardieri
Costantino Mariotti
Brunetta Vinerba
Luciano Burzella
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Whirlpool EMEA SpA
Original Assignee
Indesit Co SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Indesit Co SpA filed Critical Indesit Co SpA
Publication of EP2350374A1 publication Critical patent/EP2350374A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
    • H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
    • H04L12/2803—Home automation networks
    • H04L12/2823—Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network
    • H04L12/2827—Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01D—MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01D4/00—Tariff metering apparatus
    • G01D4/002—Remote reading of utility meters
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
    • H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
    • H04L12/2803—Home automation networks
    • H04L12/2823—Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network
    • H04L12/2825—Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2101/00—User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2103/00—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2103/44—Current or voltage
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2105/00—Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2105/58—Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F34/00—Details of control systems for washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F34/28—Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01D—MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01D2204/00—Indexing scheme relating to details of tariff-metering apparatus
    • G01D2204/10—Analysing; Displaying
    • G01D2204/18—Remote displaying of utility meter readings
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G01R31/00—Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere
    • G01R31/28—Testing of electronic circuits, e.g. by signal tracer
    • G01R31/282—Testing of electronic circuits specially adapted for particular applications not provided for elsewhere
    • G01R31/2825—Testing of electronic circuits specially adapted for particular applications not provided for elsewhere in household appliances or professional audio/video equipment
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
    • H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
    • H04L12/2803—Home automation networks
    • H04L12/2807—Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network
    • H04L12/2809—Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
    • H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
    • H04L12/2803—Home automation networks
    • H04L2012/2847—Home automation networks characterised by the type of home appliance used
    • H04L2012/285—Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02B—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
    • Y02B70/00—Technologies for an efficient end-user side electric power management and consumption
    • Y02B70/30—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
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y04—INFORMATION OR COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES HAVING AN IMPACT ON OTHER TECHNOLOGY AREAS
    • Y04S—SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS
    • Y04S20/00—Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof
    • Y04S20/20—End-user application control systems
    • Y04S20/242—Home appliances

Definitions

  • the present invention refers to electric appliances in general and it is developed with particular reference being paid to the subject of measuring electric energy consumptions of a household electric appliance, in particular a household electrical apparatus.
  • State of the art
  • washing machine having an electronic control system, comprising a microcontroller and non-volatile memory means coded in which are data regarding the typical consumption characteristics of the various electric loads of the machine (pumps, electro valves, motors, resistors, warning lights, etc).
  • control system is configured to perform an estimation of the total consumption value of electric energy achieved during an operating cycle, starting from calculating estimated partial consumptions achieved by each single load.
  • the partial consumption values are estimated by the control system multiplying the electric power absorbed by each load, as encoded by the memory means, for the
  • 35 performed from time to time by the user may be visualised on a display of the machine, with the possibility of creating awareness to the user himself so as to eliminate energy wastage.
  • a drawback of the solution according to EP-A-O 844 326 lies in the fact that the consumption values shown on the machine display are estimated values, whose calculation cannot take into account variables independent from the selections performable by the user on the machine control panel.
  • the lower operating efficiency of a machine electric load (think of a water heating resistor characterised by substantial calcareous deposits), does not lead - in terms of visualisation on the display - to an increased consumption of electric energy due to the greater amount of time required to heat water.
  • the use of the machine in a hot season during which the water supply temperature is generally higher with respect to a cold season, does not lead - in terms of visualisation on the display - to a lower consumption of electric energy.
  • the type of operation proposed according to EP-A-O 844 326 further implies rather complex processing by the machine control system and a complex programming thereof, which however does not lead to an increase of the machine operating potentiality.
  • the present invention proposes to provide an electric appliance, in particular a household electrical apparatus, whose control system is capable of autonomously and accurately detecting the values of one or more electric quantities associated to the operation of the appliance itself, in particular its electric energy consumptions, with the aim of the related visualisation for the benefit of the user, and whose detected value or values of the abovementioned electric quantities are useable at the same time to increase the functionality of the appliance itself, with respect to the known solutions.
  • the invention relates to an electric appliance capable of performing at least one operating cycle that can be selected by a user, in particular a household electrical apparatus, the electric appliance having a plurality of electric loads and a digital control system including processing means, configured to control said electric loads to perform one said operating cycle.
  • a digital control system including processing means, configured to control said electric loads to perform one said operating cycle.
  • Stored in the control system are programme data, used by the processing means to control the execution of said operating cycle, and monitoring data, indicating at least one electric parameter of said electric loads, the control system being configured to make explicit, on user interface means, information indicating the electric energy consumption determined by the performance of said operating cycle.
  • the control system comprises a device for measuring one or more measurable electric quantities associated to the operation of the electric appliance; this measuring device is configured to provide the processing means with the value of at least one electric quantity indicating the electric energy consumption determined by the performance of said operating cycle, and said processing means are prearranged to control the performance, through the user interface means and according to said value, of said information indicating the consumption of electric energy.
  • this measuring device is configured to provide the processing means with the value of at least one electric quantity indicating the electric energy consumption determined by the performance of said operating cycle, and said processing means are prearranged to control the performance, through the user interface means and according to said value, of said information indicating the consumption of electric energy.
  • the abovementioned processing means are further prearranged to perform, according to the measure of one or more of the measurable electric quantities and of said monitoring data, a verification of the operating status of said electric loads. Due to such characteristic, the electric appliance is capable of performing an operation of monitoring the proper operation of the various electric loads, with the possibility of an early detection of the premonitory symptoms of possible failures, in such a manner that the technical assistance, suitably informed, may intervene in an informed manner, possibly even before the failures occur.
  • the invention also regards a method for controlling the operation of electric loads of an electric appliance capable of performing at least one operating cycle which can be selected by a user, as indicated in claim 10.
  • FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a typical digital control system for household electric appliances, in particular household electrical apparatuses;
  • - figure 2 shows a block diagram of a digital control system of an electric appliance according to the invention
  • - figures 3a, 3b and 3c show three different embodiments of a measuring device associated to the control system of figure 2;
  • - figures 4a and 4b show two different possible methods for allocating the measuring device of figures 3a-3c inside an electric appliance according to the invention
  • - figure 5 shows a possible flow chart describing the diagnostic process performed by the control logic of an electric appliance according to the present invention
  • FIG. 6a, 6b and 6c schematically show three possible methods for transferring information, generated according to the invention from the electric appliance, to a remote service centre.
  • figure 1 schematically shows a typical example of a digital control system of a household electric appliance of the known type, in particular a household electric apparatus, with means for monitoring the status of operation of its electric loads.
  • a digital control system of a household electric appliance of the known type in particular a household electric apparatus, with means for monitoring the status of operation of its electric loads.
  • the known control system indicated in its entirety with ACS, there are the following functional parts:
  • microcontroller MC which supervises the management of the control system ACS
  • stabilised power supply PS which generates the low direct voltage required to feed the control logic of the electric appliance
  • the sensors may comprise a temperature sensor, a level sensor, a water conductivity sensor, a wash load weight sensor, etc;
  • the loads may comprise a pump, one or more electrovalves, a motor, a water heating resistor, a series of warning lights, etcetera; - actuators Al, A2, ..., An, by means of which the microcontroller MC controls the respective electric loads ELl, EL2, ..., ELn of the electric appliance, such actuators being for example represented by relays and triacs;
  • control devices DRVl, DRV2, ..., DRVn for controlling the abovementioned actuators Al, A2, ..., An, such control devices being for example represented by transistors;
  • UI - dialoguing with the microcontroller MC through a communication line CLl - through which the user selects the function the electric appliance is required to perform and the possible options related thereto, and through which the same receives information regarding the process associated to said selected function;
  • a possible port for a communication line CL2 used for connecting the control system ACS of the electric appliance to an external system, for example a diagnostic system MT for local technical assistance to the appliance itself;
  • FIG. 1 schematically shows an example of a digital control system ACS ' of a household electric appliance made according to the present invention, in particular a household electric apparatus.
  • the same reference numbers of figure 1 are used to indicate elements analogous or technically equivalent to the ones described above regarding the control system of the known type.
  • Figure 2 schematically expresses the technical concept on which the base idea of the present invention is based and the difference from figure 1 lies in the presence of an electric quantities measuring device, indicated with PM, and in the absence of feedback signals FDl, FD2, ..., FDn intended to detect the operation status of the electric loads.
  • the feedback signals provided for according to the known art typically obtained by means of resistive dividers.
  • the electric quantities measuring device PM is made up of any device capable of measuring, for example by means of a current detector SR, the total value of the alternating current network lac absorbed instant by instant by the electric appliance during its operation and, and for example through a resistive divider R1-R2, the voltage Vv ac proportional to the alternating network voltage Vac.
  • the current detector SR - which transforms the current value lac into a voltage value Vi ac proportional thereto and easily readable by a measuring device PM - can be made up of a simple resistor with extremely low resistance level (for example a "current shunt" with 5 m ⁇ resistance) or a suitable current transformer.
  • the measuring device PM is capable of calculating, through the Vvac and
  • the values of the various electric quantities (such as for example: maximum, efficient and mean value of the current and of the voltage, value of the absorbed power, value of the power factor, value of the energy consumed over time) associated to the operation of the electric appliance.
  • the device PM is further provided with a communication line CL3, for exchanging digital data with the microcontroller MC.
  • the abovementioned figure 2 thus shows the presence of a measuring device PM capable of providing - continuously, or periodically, or upon request - the microcontroller MC of the control system ACS' of the electric appliance according to the invention, with the value of at least one electric quantity which is indicative of the electric energy consumption associated to the appliance itself.
  • the microcontroller MC is prearranged to provide the user with indications regarding electric energy consumption by the appliance through a suitable user interface UI, for example comprising a display employing any display technology (LCD, LED, OLED, and so on and so forth).
  • a suitable user interface UI for example comprising a display employing any display technology (LCD, LED, OLED, and so on and so forth).
  • the microcontroller MC may display, through the user interface UI, the value of any other electric quantity measured by the measuring device PM, possibly also together with the cost of the consumed energy.
  • Data regarding the cost of energy can be provided to the control system ACS' by the same user through the interface UI, for example by means of suitable input means, such as buttons or a touch-screen system of the abovementioned display; alternatively, the cost data can be acquired by the control system ACS' through a suitable communication line towards the external environment, such as for example line CL2, or another line not indicated in figure 2, said communication line being interfaceable with any local area network through per se known communication means.
  • Figures 3a and 3b illustrate, strictly for exemplifying and non-limiting purposes, two among the possible methods for implementing the measuring device PM according to the invention.
  • the device PM is made up of two parts: an electric quantities measuring device PMl and a device MCl that acquires, processes and communicates, through the communication line CL, the measured values of such quantities.
  • PMl may for example be attained by means of a solid state device of the commercial type serving the function of an "power meter” (such as for example device CS5460A manufactured by Cirrus Logic, or device STPOl manufactured by STmicroelectronics, to whose documentation reference shall be made), while the MCl may be made up of a commercial microcontroller capable of communicating with the external environment through a suitable communication line CL.
  • the two functions for measuring (PM2) and processing/communicating (MC2) are instead contained inside a single solid state device PM, for example a commercial "single chip power meter".
  • Devices useable for this purpose are for example devices CS7401 of Cirrus Logic, ADE7169 of Analog Devices, AS8228 of AMS, to whose technical documentation reference shall be made.
  • the accuracy of the measures of the electric quantities may be very high, for example of class 0.5, given that such characteristic of the commercial "power meter" is already currently available in the market.
  • Figure 3c shows, strictly for simplifying and non-limiting purposes, a possible variant of the device provided for according to the invention, indicated herein with PM', wherein said device has, alongside the communication line CL already described in figures 3a and 3b, also a second communication line, attained through a communication device RF, for example a radio frequency transceiver, which can be optional, i.e. be present or not depending on the type of application.
  • RF radio frequency transceiver
  • FIGS 4a and 4b show, strictly for exemplifying and non-limiting purposes, two possible methods for allocating the measuring device PM inside a household electric appliance according to the invention, indicated in its entirety with HA, particularly a household electric apparatus.
  • the electric appliance HA may for example be a product for washing (washing machine, washer-drier, dish- washer, dryer), or a product for cooling (refrigerator, freezer cabinet, freezer, environmental conditioner), or still a kitchen product (electric oven, induction hob, suction hood).
  • Highlighted in both figures is a power supply cable 20 - with the related current plug 10 - of the electric appliance HA, the latter being represented by a block within which the allocation of the measuring device PM according to the invention is indicated.
  • the measuring device PM is inserted into the anti-interference filter - typically present in household electric apparatus such as washers, dishwashers and refrigerators that are provided with electric loads of the reactive type - and communicates with the control system ACS' of the electric appliance HA through the communication line CL, that can for example be of the asynchronous serial (uart) or synchronous (I 2 C, SPI) type.
  • the network power supply PL reaches the loads of the electric appliance HA after having passed through the anti-interference filter F and the measuring device PM.
  • the measuring device PM is inserted into the control logic of the electric appliance HA and it can be imagined as an integral part of the same electronic circuit board that contains the digital control system ACS' of the appliance.
  • the appliance HA has the capacity to inform the user, through the user interface means UI with which it is provided, regarding the electric energy consumptions associated to its operation, highlighting, in particular, the effect on consumptions of the programme or operating cycle type selected by the user and the possible related selected options (for example: temperature value, centrifugal revolutions, number of rinses or other operations, depending on the type of household electric apparatus), so as to eliminate possible wastages through greater awareness on the proper use of the product.
  • FIG. 2 Such functionality is attained, according to the invention, through the applicative diagram of figure 2, in which the measuring device PM may be represented, for exemplifying and non-limiting purposes, by the functional diagrams described by figures 3a and 3b, and it is implemented in the household electric apparatus HA in such a manner to be constantly in relation with the digital control system, two possible implementations being indicated, still strictly for exemplifying and non-limiting purposes, in figures 4a and 4b.
  • figure 3c used in which is the measuring device PM' characterised by two functional blocks: the actual measuring block PM and a communication node RF capable of putting, through the line CL of the measuring device PM, the digital control system of the electric appliance HA into communication with the surrounding environment.
  • the communication node RF which may be based on radio frequency (used for example in the ZigBee protocol or any other technology suitable for the household environment), or on powerline or any other communication technology, allows sending information regarding the electric energy consumptions of the appliance HA, in such manner that they can be explicated towards the user through any user interface different from interface UI, present in the household environment and capable of dialoguing with the control system of the electric appliance, such as for example a display dedicated to energy consumptions, a television, a palmtop computer, a modern mobile phone such as the Apple I-Phone, and so on and so forth.
  • radio frequency used for example in the ZigBee protocol or any other technology suitable for the household environment
  • powerline or any other communication technology allows sending information regarding the electric energy consumptions of the appliance HA, in such manner that they can be explicated towards the user through any user interface different from interface UI, present in the household environment and capable of dialoguing with the control system of the electric appliance, such as for example a display dedicated to energy consumptions, a television,
  • the value of energy consumption that is mad explicit through the user interface UI is an accurate and actual value, in that it is a result of rigorous measure obtained through the device PM, and not the result of an estimation.
  • Such consumption value is displayed at the end of the operating cycle of the electric appliance selected and started by the user.
  • the control logic is prearranged to display on the interface UI the progressive consumption of energy, i.e. updating the displayed value in real time, from the start to the end of the cycle being performed.
  • the digital control system of the appliance HA is equally capable, starting from the measure of the electric quantities associated to the operation thereof, of also performing the function of monitoring the proper operation of the various electric loads, without employing any feedback signal for monitoring the operation status of the same.
  • an early identification of the premonitory symptoms of probable failures is possible, through the accurate analysis of the variation of the electrical parameters of the same loads with respect to the values stored initially - for example during the functional test at the end of the production line of the electric appliance, or during the initial stages of the life of the same - in such a manner that the technical servicing, suitably informed, may intervene before said potential failures occur.
  • the reference values of the electric parameters, thus representing monitoring data are stored in non- volatile memory means of the control system ACS' (these memory means can for example be integrated to the microcontroller MC, microcontroller MCl or device PM of figure 3b or 3c).
  • Figure 5 shows, for exemplifying and non-limiting purposes, a possible logic flow through which the digital control system ACS' of the electric appliance HA may verify day after day the full functionality of the related electric loads, performing, at the activation of each load, measures related to current absorptions thereof and/or other associated electric quantities (such as for example the power supply voltage, the power factor, the absorbed power, energy referred to a determined time span, etc, and comparing such measures with the reference values related to normal operation of said load, previously stored, as mentioned.
  • Such electric quantities measures are obviously performed through the device PM of the digital control system ACS' according to the principles of the present invention.
  • the microcontroller MC of the digital control system of the electric appliance HA verifies, through blocks 400 and 405 of the flow chart of figure 5, the need of activating a determined electric load.
  • This information is clearly known to the microcontroller MC, in that the activation or non-activation of an electric load depends on the operation programme of the appliance selected by the user, whose performance is controlled by the microcontroller MC (as a matter of fact, contained in its own memory means or memory means associated to the microcontroller MC are programme data, which the system ACS' uses for controlling the operation of the operating cycles that can be selected).
  • test block 405 In case of negative response to the test block 405, no further operation is performed and the control returns to the initial block 400; while, in case of positive response, the control passes to block 410, which is a test block that verifies whether the other electric loads are already active. In case of positive response, the control passes to test block 415, which verifies the presence of an increase of the total power value absorbed by the appliance HA. In case of positive response, the control passes to block 425, which ratifies the proper activation of the electric load and then once again leaves the control to the initial block 400, while, in case of negative response the control passes to block 420, which is a block to notify a malfunction related to the previously activated electric load.
  • Such block then passes the control to block 450, which performs an analysis of the detected fault, using the information generated by the measuring device PM, such as for example the current absorbed when activating the load, the mean current and the absorbed mean power, the power factor, the variation of the power factor, and so on and so forth. Lastly, the control returns to the initial block 400. In cases where the result of the test performed by block 410 is negative, the control passes to block 430, which verifies the presence of an increase of the power absorbed by the electric appliance HA.
  • Non-detection of such an increase thus leads again to a fault state and the control passes to block 420; on the contrary, if the measuring device PM detects an increase of the absorbed power, the control passes to block 435, which verifies the correctness of the amount of the electric quantity absorbed by the previously activated load.
  • the control passes to block 440, which performs, through the measuring device PM, the measuring of further electric quantities related to the previously activated electric load (for example the value of the power factor, the mean current or power absorbed after the transient phase immediately successive to the activation of the electric load, the possible fluctuation of the power absorptions, and so on and so forth) and, with the help of block 450, verify the presence of possible premonitory symptoms of a future malfunction of the same electric load and then once again leaves the control to the initial block 400.
  • the measuring device PM for example the value of the power factor, the mean current or power absorbed after the transient phase immediately successive to the activation of the electric load, the possible fluctuation of the power absorptions, and so on and so forth
  • Examples of premonitory symptoms of a future malfunction can be the variations of the current absorbed during the transients and on regime with respect to the reference values stored in the non-volatile memory of the control system of the electric appliance, or variations of the power factor, or of both situations, and so on and so forth.
  • the test of block 435 shows that the power absorption of the previously activated electric load is within the standard limits, then, through block 445, proper operation of said electric load is ratified and the control returns to the initial block 400.
  • the abovementioned diagnostic capacity - by the control system of the electric appliance HA regarding the related electric loads - may, according to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, generate information useful for supporting a service for remote assistance and preventive maintenance of the appliance HA.
  • This can be obtained, for example, by transferring the abovementioned information to an external communication system with respect to the appliance HA, in turn capable of transferring information, through suitable communication means, to a remote service centre designed for processing them and defining the consequent actions that the technicians of the assistance service must perform in presence of failure reports, or even in presence of the first symptoms only of an incipient failure.
  • figures 6a, 6b and 6c describe, for exemplifying and non-limiting purposes, three different possible methods for transferring diagnostic information generated according to the invention to a remote service centre RSC.
  • Figure 6a shows a first method of remote transfer of diagnostic information generated according to the invention, such method being based on the use of a communication device 100, interposed between the power supply cable of the electric appliance HA and the related power socket 200.
  • the communication device 100 is provided with a modem, for example a gsm-gprs modem, for direct dialogue with a remote service centre, indicated with RSC, and capacity of exchanging information with the digital control system ACS' of the electric appliance HA, for example through the power supply cable of the same appliance.
  • a modem for example a gsm-gprs modem
  • RSC remote service centre
  • capacity of exchanging information with the digital control system ACS' of the electric appliance HA for example through the power supply cable of the same appliance.
  • a communication technology based on powerline in particular the extremely inexpensive one described in WO 02/21664, owned by the same Applicant, may be used for such purposes.
  • the variation of the value of a quantity representative of the electric energy consumed during the generic network period is performed, according to WO 02/21664, by the control system of the electric appliance HA through the variation of the value of the voltage applied to an electric load of the appliance itself and, consequently, of the current or power absorbed by the considered load.
  • the abovementioned variation is attained, for instance, by means of a triac, which drive the considered load of the electric appliance.
  • the information sent to the electric appliance in the described manner may be received by interposing a communication device between the power supply cable of the appliance and a related power socket, of the type indicated in figure 6a.
  • This communication device is capable of measuring, within each network period, the abovementioned value of a quantity representative of the electric energy consumed within the network period, comparing such values with a suitable reference value and generating a binary information depending on the result of such comparison.
  • Figure 6b shows a second method for remote transfer of diagnostic information generated according to the invention, such method being based on the use of a communication device analogous to the one represented in figure 6a, but in which the gsm-gprs connection is replaced by a connection to a local area network 230, connected to which is also a "home gateway" HG capable of transferring the abovementioned diagnostic information to a remote service centre RSC, through the Internet.
  • the dialogue between the control system of the electric appliance HA and the communication device 100 occurs in the same manner described with reference to figure 6a.
  • figure 6c describes a further possible method for remote transfer of diagnostic information generated according to the invention, such method being based on radio frequency communication (for example based on the ZigBee protocol or other low cost wireless technologies) and employing a "home gateway" HG - similar to the one described in figure 6b - to transfer the abovementioned diagnostic information to a remote service centre RSC through internet connection.
  • this third communication method is based on the measuring device PM' represented in figure 3c.
  • control system ACS' is also prearranged to optimise the electric energy consumptions of the electric appliance HA, by suitably adjusting the operating cycle selected and being performed in such a manner to always guarantee the performances expected by the user and the compliance with the energy class declared on the special label fixed onto the product.
  • the processing means MC of the control system are configured for intervening on one or more functional parameters of the work cycle of the electric appliance, modifying them from time to time - whenever required - with the aim of looking for the proper balance between the parameters themselves, so as to guarantee the expected performance level and, at the same time, an electric energy consumption not exceeding the one declared officially.
  • the functional parameters on which the control logic operates according to consumption information obtained through the measuring device PM according to the invention and to the energy class of the product are the water temperature, the washing intensity (i.e. the rotation speed of the basket and the movement percentage of the same during the washing step), the centrifugal speed, the duration of the single steps of the washing cycle and also the possible use of the hot water available in the household water circuit, if the product is provided with the related load electrovalve.
  • the abovementioned capacity of optimising the electric energy consumptions is particularly advantageous also when, in a possible application of the invention, at least two electric appliances provided with the control system ACS' are in the condition of being able to exchange information, for example due to the fact that they are connected to the same local area network.
  • the local network implemented between the appliances, such as a connection through powerline or in radio frequency or through a cable, and the means of communication used can be of any known type suitable for the purpose; same case applies to the communication protocol.
  • the control systems ACS' are prearranged, or programmed, for processing strategies for dividing electric energy absorptions between the related appliances, for example household electric apparatus, when they are simultaneously active, such that the sum of their absorptions does not exceed the maximum absorption allowed, for instance the limit determined by the electric energy supply contract, or "contract limit", or another limit possibly defined by the user.
  • the data regarding the limit of maximum absorption allowed may be stored in the control system ACS' of the appliances by the same user through the interface UI, or - in case such data corresponds to the contract limit - it can be acquired by the control system through a suitable communication line towards the external environment (as previously explained regarding the energy cost data).
  • the abovementioned strategies, implemented in the control logics of the two appliances or household electric apparatuses, can be based on the division of the cycle time into periods having predefined duration, within which the appliances themselves interact with the aim of dividing consumptions, for example the logic just mentioned above.
  • the two appliances considered are represented by a laundry washer and a laundry dryer, both having a respective 1,5 Kw heating resistor, that the contract limit is equivalent to 2 Kw and that the abovementioned predefined periods are equivalent to two minutes each.
  • the household electric apparatuses Upon switching on, the household electric apparatuses declare their presence on the local network and communicate their operation status (cycle in progress); the first household electric apparatus may behaves as a master and the second as a slave; each household electric apparatus also declares its instantaneous current absorption, and advantageously also the estimated absorption for the period immediately successive.
  • the two household electric apparatus initially simultaneously absorb the same maximum power
  • the household electric apparatus switched on first would serve the master function and would have the priority over the other, thus the latter would deactivate its electric resistor and signal to the other the necessity to reactivate it soonest possible: the master household electric apparatus would thus activate the abovementioned mechanism of dividing the power starting from the immediately successive period.
  • the control systems ACS' knowing the absorption level of the related household electric apparatus instant by instant, may "queue", to divide up the power absorption if the related operating cycles require simultaneous activation of the related heating resistors.
  • the laundry washer would maintain its resistor active for 60 seconds and then deactivate it, and in the remaining 60 seconds of the predefined reference period the laundry dryer would activate its resistor, and so on and so forth for the successive reference periods.
  • such type of division of the absorptions would occur only for the period of time during which the sum of the absorptions of the loads activated simultaneously on the two machines would be such to cause the exceeding of the maximum absorption allowed.
  • the concepts exemplified herein with reference to a laundry washer and a laundry drier can be extended to household electric apparatuses of another type.
  • the electric appliance according to the invention is provided with measuring and calculating means therein capable of performing rigorous measures of one or more electric quantities, so as to accurately calculate - for example - the amount of electric energy consumed to perform a complete operating cycle, the consumption value being made available to the user, through suitable display means, so as to create awareness to the user regarding better use of energy.
  • the presence of the abovementioned measuring means of the control system of the appliance has the aim of allowing performing, at the same time, a monitoring of the operation status of the electric loads of the appliance, thus allowing eliminating the resistive dividers typically used to generate the feedback signals according to the prior art.
  • the abovementioned measuring means are further possibly useable also for optimising the electric energy consumptions, through an adjustment of the operating cycle of the appliance, in such a manner to always guarantee both compliance with the declared energy class, and the expected performances.
  • the solution according to the invention is simple and inexpensive, in that the cost of a measuring device PM - be it of the type illustrated in figure 3a or of the type illustrated in figure 3b - is low, in view of the advantage of eliminating the resistive dividers typical of the prior art.
  • the integration of the device PM in the control system of the electric appliance is equally simple and does not determine particular complications in the control system.
  • the measuring device PM may be incorporated inside the same user interface UI.
  • clock and calendar adds, to any of the previous embodiments, the clock and calendar (RTC function, Real-Time-Clock) functions, typically associated to commercial "single chip power meters" of the type represented in figure 3b.
  • the clock function allows the control system of the electric appliance HA to also provide the user with the detailed chronology of the electric energy consumptions of the appliance itself.

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Abstract

An electric appliance has a plurality of electric loads (ELl, EL2, ELn) and a digital control system (ACS') including processing means (MC) configured to control electric loads (EL1, EL2, ELn) for the purposes of carrying out one operating cycle. The control system (ACS') is configured to make explicit, on user interface means (UI, HG), information indicative of the consumption of electric energy caused by the carrying out of the operating cycle. The control system (ACS' ) comprises a measuring device (PM) for measuring of one or more measurable electric quantities linked to the operation of the electric appliance (HA). The processing means (MC) are prearranged to control the making explicit, by means of the user interface means (UI, HG) and based on the above said value, information indicative of the consumption of electric energy. The processing means (MC) are also prearranged to carry out, based on the measure of one or more of said measurable electric quantities and on said monitoring data, a check of the status of functionality of said electric loads (EL1, EL2, ELn).

Description

ELECTRIC APPLIANCE WITH ENERGY MONITORING AND MANAGING MEANS AND CORRESPONDING METHOD
DESCRIPTION
Field of the invention
5 The present invention refers to electric appliances in general and it is developed with particular reference being paid to the subject of measuring electric energy consumptions of a household electric appliance, in particular a household electrical apparatus. State of the art
10 According to known studies, providing the user with information concerning the type and source of his electric energy consumptions in the household environment helps him to acquire a positive culture, aimed at eliminating wastages (see, for example, Darby S, "The effectiveness of feedback on energy consumption" , A review for DEFRA of the literature on metering,
15 billing and direct displays, 2006, Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford).
From EP-A-O 844 326, on which the preamble of claim 1 is based, a household electric appliance is known, prearranged for providing the user, in a clear and intuitive manner, with indications regarding consumption of resources
20 by the appliance, among which electric energy. In particular, such document describes a washing machine having an electronic control system, comprising a microcontroller and non-volatile memory means coded in which are data regarding the typical consumption characteristics of the various electric loads of the machine (pumps, electro valves, motors, resistors, warning lights, etc). The
25 control system is configured to perform an estimation of the total consumption value of electric energy achieved during an operating cycle, starting from calculating estimated partial consumptions achieved by each single load. The partial consumption values are estimated by the control system multiplying the electric power absorbed by each load, as encoded by the memory means, for the
30 period of time in which the load in question shall be made active according to the operating cycle selected by the user, known to the control logic; the total consumption estimated value is then obtained by the sum of the abovementioned partial consumption values. In this manner, an indication consisting in the estimation of the electric energy consumption value determined by the selections
35 performed from time to time by the user (type of programme and possible selected options) may be visualised on a display of the machine, with the possibility of creating awareness to the user himself so as to eliminate energy wastage.
A drawback of the solution according to EP-A-O 844 326 lies in the fact that the consumption values shown on the machine display are estimated values, whose calculation cannot take into account variables independent from the selections performable by the user on the machine control panel. For example, the lower operating efficiency of a machine electric load (think of a water heating resistor characterised by substantial calcareous deposits), does not lead - in terms of visualisation on the display - to an increased consumption of electric energy due to the greater amount of time required to heat water. To give a simple inverse example, the use of the machine in a hot season, during which the water supply temperature is generally higher with respect to a cold season, does not lead - in terms of visualisation on the display - to a lower consumption of electric energy. The type of operation proposed according to EP-A-O 844 326 further implies rather complex processing by the machine control system and a complex programming thereof, which however does not lead to an increase of the machine operating potentiality.
Summary of the invention
In light of the information provided above, the present invention proposes to provide an electric appliance, in particular a household electrical apparatus, whose control system is capable of autonomously and accurately detecting the values of one or more electric quantities associated to the operation of the appliance itself, in particular its electric energy consumptions, with the aim of the related visualisation for the benefit of the user, and whose detected value or values of the abovementioned electric quantities are useable at the same time to increase the functionality of the appliance itself, with respect to the known solutions.
This and other objects are attained, according to the present invention, by an electric appliance having the characteristics indicated in the attached claims, which form an integral part of the technical teaching provided herein in relation to the invention.
In summary, according to claim 1, the invention relates to an electric appliance capable of performing at least one operating cycle that can be selected by a user, in particular a household electrical apparatus, the electric appliance having a plurality of electric loads and a digital control system including processing means, configured to control said electric loads to perform one said operating cycle. Stored in the control system are programme data, used by the processing means to control the execution of said operating cycle, and monitoring data, indicating at least one electric parameter of said electric loads, the control system being configured to make explicit, on user interface means, information indicating the electric energy consumption determined by the performance of said operating cycle.
According to the invention, the control system comprises a device for measuring one or more measurable electric quantities associated to the operation of the electric appliance; this measuring device is configured to provide the processing means with the value of at least one electric quantity indicating the electric energy consumption determined by the performance of said operating cycle, and said processing means are prearranged to control the performance, through the user interface means and according to said value, of said information indicating the consumption of electric energy. In this manner, the result of rigorous measures, and thus accurate, of at least one electric quantity can be displayed on an interface, so that the user can obtain maximum advantage therefrom in terms of greater awareness on the use of electric energy, with the aim of eliminating possible wastages derived from a careless use of the electric appliance itself. According to a further characteristic of the invention, the abovementioned processing means are further prearranged to perform, according to the measure of one or more of the measurable electric quantities and of said monitoring data, a verification of the operating status of said electric loads. Due to such characteristic, the electric appliance is capable of performing an operation of monitoring the proper operation of the various electric loads, with the possibility of an early detection of the premonitory symptoms of possible failures, in such a manner that the technical assistance, suitably informed, may intervene in an informed manner, possibly even before the failures occur.
Therefore, the invention also regards a method for controlling the operation of electric loads of an electric appliance capable of performing at least one operating cycle which can be selected by a user, as indicated in claim 10. Brief description of the drawings
Further objects, characteristics and advantages of the invention shall be apparent from the detailed description thereof and from the related figures, strictly provided for exemplifying purposes, wherein: - figure 1 shows a block diagram of a typical digital control system for household electric appliances, in particular household electrical apparatuses;
- figure 2 shows a block diagram of a digital control system of an electric appliance according to the invention; - figures 3a, 3b and 3c show three different embodiments of a measuring device associated to the control system of figure 2;
- figures 4a and 4b show two different possible methods for allocating the measuring device of figures 3a-3c inside an electric appliance according to the invention; - figure 5 shows a possible flow chart describing the diagnostic process performed by the control logic of an electric appliance according to the present invention;
- figures 6a, 6b and 6c schematically show three possible methods for transferring information, generated according to the invention from the electric appliance, to a remote service centre.
Detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention For a better understanding of the present invention, figure 1 schematically shows a typical example of a digital control system of a household electric appliance of the known type, in particular a household electric apparatus, with means for monitoring the status of operation of its electric loads. In the known control system, indicated in its entirety with ACS, there are the following functional parts:
- a microcontroller MC, which supervises the management of the control system ACS; - a stabilised power supply PS, which generates the low direct voltage required to feed the control logic of the electric appliance;
- sensors Sl, S2, ..., Si, through which the microcontroller MC acquires information regarding the process being controlled; in the case of a washing machine, the sensors may comprise a temperature sensor, a level sensor, a water conductivity sensor, a wash load weight sensor, etc;
- electric loads ELl, EL2, ..., ELn, used to perform the operation programme selected by a user; referring to the cited example of a washing machine, the loads may comprise a pump, one or more electrovalves, a motor, a water heating resistor, a series of warning lights, etcetera; - actuators Al, A2, ..., An, by means of which the microcontroller MC controls the respective electric loads ELl, EL2, ..., ELn of the electric appliance, such actuators being for example represented by relays and triacs;
- control devices DRVl, DRV2, ..., DRVn, for controlling the abovementioned actuators Al, A2, ..., An, such control devices being for example represented by transistors;
- feedback signals FDl, FD2, ..., FDn for verifying the operation status of the abovementioned actuators Al, A2, ..., An, for example obtained by means of resistive dividers;
- a user interface UI - dialoguing with the microcontroller MC through a communication line CLl - through which the user selects the function the electric appliance is required to perform and the possible options related thereto, and through which the same receives information regarding the process associated to said selected function;
- a possible port for a communication line CL2, used for connecting the control system ACS of the electric appliance to an external system, for example a diagnostic system MT for local technical assistance to the appliance itself;
- the alternating network supply Vac, with phase and neutral respectively indicated with L and N, which directly supplies the various electric loads ELl, EL2, ..., ELn of the appliance, indirectly, through the stabilised power supply PS, the low voltage control logic of the same appliance.
In a control system of the type represented in figure 1 , the operation status of the electric loads is typically monitored by the microcontroller MC through the feedback signals FDl, FD2, ..., FDn which show the closed or open status of the control contact of the related actuator. Figure 2 schematically shows an example of a digital control system ACS ' of a household electric appliance made according to the present invention, in particular a household electric apparatus. In such figure 2 the same reference numbers of figure 1 are used to indicate elements analogous or technically equivalent to the ones described above regarding the control system of the known type.
Figure 2 schematically expresses the technical concept on which the base idea of the present invention is based and the difference from figure 1 lies in the presence of an electric quantities measuring device, indicated with PM, and in the absence of feedback signals FDl, FD2, ..., FDn intended to detect the operation status of the electric loads. As mentioned, the feedback signals provided for according to the known art typically obtained by means of resistive dividers.
The electric quantities measuring device PM is made up of any device capable of measuring, for example by means of a current detector SR, the total value of the alternating current network lac absorbed instant by instant by the electric appliance during its operation and, and for example through a resistive divider R1-R2, the voltage Vvac proportional to the alternating network voltage Vac. The current detector SR - which transforms the current value lac into a voltage value Viac proportional thereto and easily readable by a measuring device PM - can be made up of a simple resistor with extremely low resistance level (for example a "current shunt" with 5 mΩ resistance) or a suitable current transformer.
The measuring device PM is capable of calculating, through the Vvac and
Viae measures, the values of the various electric quantities (such as for example: maximum, efficient and mean value of the current and of the voltage, value of the absorbed power, value of the power factor, value of the energy consumed over time) associated to the operation of the electric appliance. The device PM is further provided with a communication line CL3, for exchanging digital data with the microcontroller MC.
The abovementioned figure 2 thus shows the presence of a measuring device PM capable of providing - continuously, or periodically, or upon request - the microcontroller MC of the control system ACS' of the electric appliance according to the invention, with the value of at least one electric quantity which is indicative of the electric energy consumption associated to the appliance itself. The microcontroller MC, in turn, is prearranged to provide the user with indications regarding electric energy consumption by the appliance through a suitable user interface UI, for example comprising a display employing any display technology (LCD, LED, OLED, and so on and so forth). Alongside the value of the consumed energy, the microcontroller MC may display, through the user interface UI, the value of any other electric quantity measured by the measuring device PM, possibly also together with the cost of the consumed energy. Data regarding the cost of energy (cost per kWh) can be provided to the control system ACS' by the same user through the interface UI, for example by means of suitable input means, such as buttons or a touch-screen system of the abovementioned display; alternatively, the cost data can be acquired by the control system ACS' through a suitable communication line towards the external environment, such as for example line CL2, or another line not indicated in figure 2, said communication line being interfaceable with any local area network through per se known communication means.
Figures 3a and 3b illustrate, strictly for exemplifying and non-limiting purposes, two among the possible methods for implementing the measuring device PM according to the invention. In the embodiment of figure 3 a, the device PM is made up of two parts: an electric quantities measuring device PMl and a device MCl that acquires, processes and communicates, through the communication line CL, the measured values of such quantities. PMl may for example be attained by means of a solid state device of the commercial type serving the function of an "power meter" (such as for example device CS5460A manufactured by Cirrus Logic, or device STPOl manufactured by STmicroelectronics, to whose documentation reference shall be made), while the MCl may be made up of a commercial microcontroller capable of communicating with the external environment through a suitable communication line CL. In the embodiment of figure 3b, the two functions for measuring (PM2) and processing/communicating (MC2) are instead contained inside a single solid state device PM, for example a commercial "single chip power meter". Devices useable for this purpose are for example devices CS7401 of Cirrus Logic, ADE7169 of Analog Devices, AS8228 of AMS, to whose technical documentation reference shall be made. In both embodiments, the accuracy of the measures of the electric quantities may be very high, for example of class 0.5, given that such characteristic of the commercial "power meter" is already currently available in the market.
Figure 3c shows, strictly for simplifying and non-limiting purposes, a possible variant of the device provided for according to the invention, indicated herein with PM', wherein said device has, alongside the communication line CL already described in figures 3a and 3b, also a second communication line, attained through a communication device RF, for example a radio frequency transceiver, which can be optional, i.e. be present or not depending on the type of application. The variant of figure 3 c is applicable to all embodiments described herein.
Figures 4a and 4b show, strictly for exemplifying and non-limiting purposes, two possible methods for allocating the measuring device PM inside a household electric appliance according to the invention, indicated in its entirety with HA, particularly a household electric apparatus. The electric appliance HA may for example be a product for washing (washing machine, washer-drier, dish- washer, dryer), or a product for cooling (refrigerator, freezer cabinet, freezer, environmental conditioner), or still a kitchen product (electric oven, induction hob, suction hood). Highlighted in both figures is a power supply cable 20 - with the related current plug 10 - of the electric appliance HA, the latter being represented by a block within which the allocation of the measuring device PM according to the invention is indicated.
In figure 4a the measuring device PM is inserted into the anti-interference filter - typically present in household electric apparatus such as washers, dishwashers and refrigerators that are provided with electric loads of the reactive type - and communicates with the control system ACS' of the electric appliance HA through the communication line CL, that can for example be of the asynchronous serial (uart) or synchronous (I2C, SPI) type. The network power supply PL reaches the loads of the electric appliance HA after having passed through the anti-interference filter F and the measuring device PM. Analogously, in figure 4b, the measuring device PM is inserted into the control logic of the electric appliance HA and it can be imagined as an integral part of the same electronic circuit board that contains the digital control system ACS' of the appliance.
As previously indicated, according to the present invention, the appliance HA has the capacity to inform the user, through the user interface means UI with which it is provided, regarding the electric energy consumptions associated to its operation, highlighting, in particular, the effect on consumptions of the programme or operating cycle type selected by the user and the possible related selected options (for example: temperature value, centrifugal revolutions, number of rinses or other operations, depending on the type of household electric apparatus), so as to eliminate possible wastages through greater awareness on the proper use of the product.
Such functionality is attained, according to the invention, through the applicative diagram of figure 2, in which the measuring device PM may be represented, for exemplifying and non-limiting purposes, by the functional diagrams described by figures 3a and 3b, and it is implemented in the household electric apparatus HA in such a manner to be constantly in relation with the digital control system, two possible implementations being indicated, still strictly for exemplifying and non-limiting purposes, in figures 4a and 4b. As observed, a variant of the functional diagrams of figures 3a and 3b is described in figure 3c, used in which is the measuring device PM' characterised by two functional blocks: the actual measuring block PM and a communication node RF capable of putting, through the line CL of the measuring device PM, the digital control system of the electric appliance HA into communication with the surrounding environment. The communication node RF, which may be based on radio frequency (used for example in the ZigBee protocol or any other technology suitable for the household environment), or on powerline or any other communication technology, allows sending information regarding the electric energy consumptions of the appliance HA, in such manner that they can be explicated towards the user through any user interface different from interface UI, present in the household environment and capable of dialoguing with the control system of the electric appliance, such as for example a display dedicated to energy consumptions, a television, a palmtop computer, a modern mobile phone such as the Apple I-Phone, and so on and so forth. It shall be observed that, in the case of the present invention, the value of energy consumption that is mad explicit through the user interface UI is an accurate and actual value, in that it is a result of rigorous measure obtained through the device PM, and not the result of an estimation. Such consumption value is displayed at the end of the operating cycle of the electric appliance selected and started by the user. In a possible practical implementation, the control logic is prearranged to display on the interface UI the progressive consumption of energy, i.e. updating the displayed value in real time, from the start to the end of the cycle being performed.
As previously mentioned, according to the present invention, the digital control system of the appliance HA is equally capable, starting from the measure of the electric quantities associated to the operation thereof, of also performing the function of monitoring the proper operation of the various electric loads, without employing any feedback signal for monitoring the operation status of the same. In this manner, an early identification of the premonitory symptoms of probable failures is possible, through the accurate analysis of the variation of the electrical parameters of the same loads with respect to the values stored initially - for example during the functional test at the end of the production line of the electric appliance, or during the initial stages of the life of the same - in such a manner that the technical servicing, suitably informed, may intervene before said potential failures occur. The reference values of the electric parameters, thus representing monitoring data, are stored in non- volatile memory means of the control system ACS' (these memory means can for example be integrated to the microcontroller MC, microcontroller MCl or device PM of figure 3b or 3c).
Figure 5 shows, for exemplifying and non-limiting purposes, a possible logic flow through which the digital control system ACS' of the electric appliance HA may verify day after day the full functionality of the related electric loads, performing, at the activation of each load, measures related to current absorptions thereof and/or other associated electric quantities (such as for example the power supply voltage, the power factor, the absorbed power, energy referred to a determined time span,...), and comparing such measures with the reference values related to normal operation of said load, previously stored, as mentioned. Such electric quantities measures are obviously performed through the device PM of the digital control system ACS' according to the principles of the present invention. In particular, the microcontroller MC of the digital control system of the electric appliance HA verifies, through blocks 400 and 405 of the flow chart of figure 5, the need of activating a determined electric load. This information is clearly known to the microcontroller MC, in that the activation or non-activation of an electric load depends on the operation programme of the appliance selected by the user, whose performance is controlled by the microcontroller MC (as a matter of fact, contained in its own memory means or memory means associated to the microcontroller MC are programme data, which the system ACS' uses for controlling the operation of the operating cycles that can be selected).
In case of negative response to the test block 405, no further operation is performed and the control returns to the initial block 400; while, in case of positive response, the control passes to block 410, which is a test block that verifies whether the other electric loads are already active. In case of positive response, the control passes to test block 415, which verifies the presence of an increase of the total power value absorbed by the appliance HA. In case of positive response, the control passes to block 425, which ratifies the proper activation of the electric load and then once again leaves the control to the initial block 400, while, in case of negative response the control passes to block 420, which is a block to notify a malfunction related to the previously activated electric load. Such block then passes the control to block 450, which performs an analysis of the detected fault, using the information generated by the measuring device PM, such as for example the current absorbed when activating the load, the mean current and the absorbed mean power, the power factor, the variation of the power factor, and so on and so forth. Lastly, the control returns to the initial block 400. In cases where the result of the test performed by block 410 is negative, the control passes to block 430, which verifies the presence of an increase of the power absorbed by the electric appliance HA. Non-detection of such an increase thus leads again to a fault state and the control passes to block 420; on the contrary, if the measuring device PM detects an increase of the absorbed power, the control passes to block 435, which verifies the correctness of the amount of the electric quantity absorbed by the previously activated load. If the absorbed power value is not compatible with the known electric characteristics of the load, as initially stored, the control passes to block 440, which performs, through the measuring device PM, the measuring of further electric quantities related to the previously activated electric load (for example the value of the power factor, the mean current or power absorbed after the transient phase immediately successive to the activation of the electric load, the possible fluctuation of the power absorptions, and so on and so forth) and, with the help of block 450, verify the presence of possible premonitory symptoms of a future malfunction of the same electric load and then once again leaves the control to the initial block 400. Examples of premonitory symptoms of a future malfunction can be the variations of the current absorbed during the transients and on regime with respect to the reference values stored in the non-volatile memory of the control system of the electric appliance, or variations of the power factor, or of both situations, and so on and so forth. On the contrary, if the test of block 435 shows that the power absorption of the previously activated electric load is within the standard limits, then, through block 445, proper operation of said electric load is ratified and the control returns to the initial block 400.
An analogous reasoning, though not explicated in the flow chart of figure 5, is also valid when deactivating each electric load of the appliance HA, such deactivation being verified through the reduction of the absorbed power, detected through the measuring device PM provided for according to the present invention.
The abovementioned diagnostic capacity - by the control system of the electric appliance HA regarding the related electric loads - may, according to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, generate information useful for supporting a service for remote assistance and preventive maintenance of the appliance HA. This can be obtained, for example, by transferring the abovementioned information to an external communication system with respect to the appliance HA, in turn capable of transferring information, through suitable communication means, to a remote service centre designed for processing them and defining the consequent actions that the technicians of the assistance service must perform in presence of failure reports, or even in presence of the first symptoms only of an incipient failure. For such purpose, figures 6a, 6b and 6c describe, for exemplifying and non-limiting purposes, three different possible methods for transferring diagnostic information generated according to the invention to a remote service centre RSC.
Figure 6a shows a first method of remote transfer of diagnostic information generated according to the invention, such method being based on the use of a communication device 100, interposed between the power supply cable of the electric appliance HA and the related power socket 200. The communication device 100 is provided with a modem, for example a gsm-gprs modem, for direct dialogue with a remote service centre, indicated with RSC, and capacity of exchanging information with the digital control system ACS' of the electric appliance HA, for example through the power supply cable of the same appliance. A communication technology based on powerline, in particular the extremely inexpensive one described in WO 02/21664, owned by the same Applicant, may be used for such purposes. Known from such prior art document are methods, systems and apparatus intended to allow an electric appliance to transmit a sequence of K bits (or K digital or binary information), associated to an analogous sequence of consecutive K network periods, through the variation of the value of a quantity representative of the electric energy consumed by the same appliance during each network period of the abovementioned sequence of consecutive K network periods, the term "network periods" being used to indicate the time interval elapsed between two zero-crossings, homologous (i.e. having the same front, positive or negative) and consecutive, of the network alternating voltage. The general teachings mentioned in the prior document, regarding the techniques employed to attain the abovementioned transmission, are deemed incorporated in the present document.
The variation of the value of a quantity representative of the electric energy consumed during the generic network period is performed, according to WO 02/21664, by the control system of the electric appliance HA through the variation of the value of the voltage applied to an electric load of the appliance itself and, consequently, of the current or power absorbed by the considered load. The abovementioned variation is attained, for instance, by means of a triac, which drive the considered load of the electric appliance. The information sent to the electric appliance in the described manner may be received by interposing a communication device between the power supply cable of the appliance and a related power socket, of the type indicated in figure 6a. This communication device is capable of measuring, within each network period, the abovementioned value of a quantity representative of the electric energy consumed within the network period, comparing such values with a suitable reference value and generating a binary information depending on the result of such comparison.
Figure 6b shows a second method for remote transfer of diagnostic information generated according to the invention, such method being based on the use of a communication device analogous to the one represented in figure 6a, but in which the gsm-gprs connection is replaced by a connection to a local area network 230, connected to which is also a "home gateway" HG capable of transferring the abovementioned diagnostic information to a remote service centre RSC, through the Internet. The dialogue between the control system of the electric appliance HA and the communication device 100 occurs in the same manner described with reference to figure 6a.
Lastly, figure 6c describes a further possible method for remote transfer of diagnostic information generated according to the invention, such method being based on radio frequency communication (for example based on the ZigBee protocol or other low cost wireless technologies) and employing a "home gateway" HG - similar to the one described in figure 6b - to transfer the abovementioned diagnostic information to a remote service centre RSC through internet connection. In particular, this third communication method is based on the measuring device PM' represented in figure 3c.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the control system ACS' is also prearranged to optimise the electric energy consumptions of the electric appliance HA, by suitably adjusting the operating cycle selected and being performed in such a manner to always guarantee the performances expected by the user and the compliance with the energy class declared on the special label fixed onto the product. To obtain this, the processing means MC of the control system are configured for intervening on one or more functional parameters of the work cycle of the electric appliance, modifying them from time to time - whenever required - with the aim of looking for the proper balance between the parameters themselves, so as to guarantee the expected performance level and, at the same time, an electric energy consumption not exceeding the one declared officially. This means that, for any operation programme executable by the appliance, with the possible options selectable by the user (for example, with reference to a washing machine: temperature value, centrifugal revolutions, number of rinses), the maximum energy consumption, defining the energy class of the product, shall never be exceeded. This electric energy maximum consumption value is thus a further parameter set and not modifiable, stored in a non- volatile manner in the control system, in particular predetermined according to the value of at least one of the modifiable functional parameters.
In the specific case of a washing machine, for example, the functional parameters on which the control logic operates according to consumption information obtained through the measuring device PM according to the invention and to the energy class of the product, are the water temperature, the washing intensity (i.e. the rotation speed of the basket and the movement percentage of the same during the washing step), the centrifugal speed, the duration of the single steps of the washing cycle and also the possible use of the hot water available in the household water circuit, if the product is provided with the related load electrovalve. It is clear that this concept, here exemplified with reference to a washing machine, can be transposed by a man skilled in the art to other types of appliances, and in particular household electric apparatuses.
The abovementioned capacity of optimising the electric energy consumptions is particularly advantageous also when, in a possible application of the invention, at least two electric appliances provided with the control system ACS' are in the condition of being able to exchange information, for example due to the fact that they are connected to the same local area network. The local network implemented between the appliances, such as a connection through powerline or in radio frequency or through a cable, and the means of communication used can be of any known type suitable for the purpose; same case applies to the communication protocol.
The control systems ACS' are prearranged, or programmed, for processing strategies for dividing electric energy absorptions between the related appliances, for example household electric apparatus, when they are simultaneously active, such that the sum of their absorptions does not exceed the maximum absorption allowed, for instance the limit determined by the electric energy supply contract, or "contract limit", or another limit possibly defined by the user. The data regarding the limit of maximum absorption allowed may be stored in the control system ACS' of the appliances by the same user through the interface UI, or - in case such data corresponds to the contract limit - it can be acquired by the control system through a suitable communication line towards the external environment (as previously explained regarding the energy cost data).
The abovementioned strategies, implemented in the control logics of the two appliances or household electric apparatuses, can be based on the division of the cycle time into periods having predefined duration, within which the appliances themselves interact with the aim of dividing consumptions, for example the logic just mentioned above. Strictly for exemplifying purposes, let us assume that the two appliances considered are represented by a laundry washer and a laundry dryer, both having a respective 1,5 Kw heating resistor, that the contract limit is equivalent to 2 Kw and that the abovementioned predefined periods are equivalent to two minutes each. Upon switching on, the household electric apparatuses declare their presence on the local network and communicate their operation status (cycle in progress); the first household electric apparatus may behaves as a master and the second as a slave; each household electric apparatus also declares its instantaneous current absorption, and advantageously also the estimated absorption for the period immediately successive. In cases where, for any reason whatsoever, the two household electric apparatus initially simultaneously absorb the same maximum power, the household electric apparatus switched on first would serve the master function and would have the priority over the other, thus the latter would deactivate its electric resistor and signal to the other the necessity to reactivate it soonest possible: the master household electric apparatus would thus activate the abovementioned mechanism of dividing the power starting from the immediately successive period. As a matter of fact, the control systems ACS', knowing the absorption level of the related household electric apparatus instant by instant, may "queue", to divide up the power absorption if the related operating cycles require simultaneous activation of the related heating resistors. For example, in such case, the laundry washer would maintain its resistor active for 60 seconds and then deactivate it, and in the remaining 60 seconds of the predefined reference period the laundry dryer would activate its resistor, and so on and so forth for the successive reference periods. Obviously, such type of division of the absorptions would occur only for the period of time during which the sum of the absorptions of the loads activated simultaneously on the two machines would be such to cause the exceeding of the maximum absorption allowed. Obviously, the concepts exemplified herein with reference to a laundry washer and a laundry drier can be extended to household electric apparatuses of another type.
Characteristics and advantages of the present invention are clear from the outlined description. The electric appliance according to the invention is provided with measuring and calculating means therein capable of performing rigorous measures of one or more electric quantities, so as to accurately calculate - for example - the amount of electric energy consumed to perform a complete operating cycle, the consumption value being made available to the user, through suitable display means, so as to create awareness to the user regarding better use of energy. Furthermore, the presence of the abovementioned measuring means of the control system of the appliance has the aim of allowing performing, at the same time, a monitoring of the operation status of the electric loads of the appliance, thus allowing eliminating the resistive dividers typically used to generate the feedback signals according to the prior art. This also leads to obtaining energy saving, given that such dividers have the drawback of dissipating electric energy and thus increasing the stand-by consumption of an electric appliance controlled by a control system of the type shown in figure 1. The abovementioned measuring means are further possibly useable also for optimising the electric energy consumptions, through an adjustment of the operating cycle of the appliance, in such a manner to always guarantee both compliance with the declared energy class, and the expected performances. The solution according to the invention is simple and inexpensive, in that the cost of a measuring device PM - be it of the type illustrated in figure 3a or of the type illustrated in figure 3b - is low, in view of the advantage of eliminating the resistive dividers typical of the prior art. The integration of the device PM in the control system of the electric appliance is equally simple and does not determine particular complications in the control system.
It is clear that the electric appliance described as an example can be subjected by a man skilled in the art to numerous variants, without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the attached claims. As already mentioned, in a possible implementation, there is the possibility of providing the user with indications regarding electric energy consumptions or other electric quantities of the appliance HA through a user interface device outside the appliance, associated for example to the "home gateway" HG device of figures 6b and 6c, or connected to the same local network 230 to which the communication device 100 of figure 6b is connected.
In a possible variant embodiment, the measuring device PM may be incorporated inside the same user interface UI.
Another possible variant adds, to any of the previous embodiments, the clock and calendar (RTC function, Real-Time-Clock) functions, typically associated to commercial "single chip power meters" of the type represented in figure 3b. In such case, the clock function allows the control system of the electric appliance HA to also provide the user with the detailed chronology of the electric energy consumptions of the appliance itself.

Claims

1. Electric appliance capable of carrying out at least one operating cycle that can be selected by a user, in particular a household electric appliance, the electric appliance (HA) having a plurality of electric loads (ELl, EL2, ELn) and a digital control system (ACS') including processing means (MC) configured to control said electric loads (ELl, EL2, ELn) for the purposes of carrying out one said operating cycle, wherein in the control system (ACS') there are stored
- program data, used by the processing means (MC) for the purposes of controlling the carrying out of said operating cycle, and - monitoring data, indicative of at least one electric parameter of said electric loads (ELl, EL2, ELn), the control system (ACS') being configured to make explicit, on user interface means (UI, HG), information indicative of the consumption of electric energy caused by the carrying out of said operating cycle, characterized in that the control system (ACS') comprises a measuring device (PM) for measuring of one or more measurable electric quantities linked to the operation of the electric appliance (HA), in that the measuring device (PM) is configured to supply the processing means (MC) with the value of at least one electric quantity indicative of the consumption of electric energy caused by the carrying out of said operating cycle, in that said processing means (MC) are prearranged to control the making explicit, by means of said user interface means (UI, HG) and based on said value, of said information indicative of the consumption of electric energy, and in that said processing means (MC) are also prearranged to carry out, based on the measure of one or more of said measurable electric quantities and on said monitoring data, a check of the status of functionality of said electric loads (ELl, EL2, ELn).
2. Electric appliance according to claim 1, wherein the processing means (MC) are configured to detect the occurrence of an increase or a decrease of a value of the total power absorbed by the electric appliance (HA) obtained by means of the measuring device (PM) on the occasion of, respectively, an activation or a deactivation of one of said electric loads (ELl, EL2, ELn) caused on the basis of said program data.
3. Electric appliance according to claim 1 or 2, wherein
- said program data include, for each operating cycle that can be selected, one or more modifiable functional parameters; - at least one value of maximum consumption of electric energy is also stored in the control system (ACS'), said value of maximum consumption being in particular predetermined based on the value of one of said modifiable functional parameters; - the processing means (MC) are prearranged to modify at least one said functional parameter based on said value of maximum consumption of electric energy and based on the measured value of one or more of said measurable electric quantities.
4. Electric appliance according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control system (ACS') is prearranged for generating diagnostic information, based on said check of the status of functionality of said electric loads (ELl, EL2, ELn), and for communicating said diagnostic information outside of the electric appliance (HA), in particular towards a remote servicing centre (RSC).
5. Electric appliance according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the measuring device (PM) is configured for
- measuring a first voltage value (Vvac), being proportional to the value of the network alternating voltage (Vac), and a second voltage value (Viae), being proportional to the total value of the network alternating current (lac) absorbed instant by instant by the electric appliance (HA) during operation thereof; and - calculating, by means of said voltage values (Vvac, Viac), the value of one or more electric quantities, said one or more electric quantities being selected from among: maximum, effective and mean value of current and voltage, value of the absorbed power, value of the power factor, value of the energy consumed over time.
6. Electric appliance according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the measuring device (PM) has at least one communication line (CL3) for the exchange of digital data.
7. Electric appliance according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the measuring device (PM) includes, or is connected to, a communication node (RF).
8. Electric appliance according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the measuring device (PM) is installed in the area of an anti-noise filter (F) of the electric appliance (HA), downstream of said filter.
9. Electric appliance according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said user interface means (UI; HG) belong to the electric appliance (HA) or to a device (HG) being external to the electric appliance (HA) and in signal communication with the control system thereof (ACS').
10. Method of checking the functionality status of electric loads of an electric appliance capable of carrying out at least one operating cycle that can be selected by a user, in particular a household electric appliance, the electric appliance (HA) being of the type having a plurality of electric loads (ELl, EL2, ELn) and a digital control system (ACS') including processing means (MC) configured to control said electric loads (ELl, EL2, ELn) for the purposes of carrying out one said operating cycle, wherein in the control system (ACS') there are stored - program data, used by the processing means (MC) for the purposes of controlling the carrying out of said operating cycle, and
- monitoring data, indicative of at least one electric parameter of said electric loads (ELl, EL2, ELn), the method comprising the steps of: - providing the control system (ACS') with a device (PM) for measuring one or more measurable electric quantities linked to the operation of the electric appliance (HA),
- configuring the measuring device (PM) for supplying the processing means (MC) with the value of at least one electric quantity indicative of the consumption of electric energy caused by the carrying out of said operating cycle,
- prearranging said processing means (MC) to carry out, based on the measure of one or more measurable electric quantities and said monitoring data, a check of the status of functionality of said electric loads (ELl, EL2, ELn),
- configuring the processing means (MC) to detect the occurrence of an increase or a decrease of a value of the total power absorbed by the electric appliance (HA) obtained by means of the measuring device (PM) on the occasion of, respectively, an activation or a deactivation of one of said electric loads (ELl, EL2, ELn) caused on the basis of said program data.
11. A system comprising at least two electric appliances according to one or more of claims 1 - 9, wherein
- the appliances (HA) are connected to a local network and are prearranged for exchanging information over said local network
- the control systems (ACS') of said appliances are prearranged for implementing strategies for subdividing electric energy absorptions among the same appliances, when they are simultaneously active, such that the sum of the absorptions thereof does not exceed an allowed maximum absorption.
12. The system according to claim 11, wherein each of said two appliances comprises a heating resistor, said two appliances being in particular a laundry washing machine and a laundry drying machine.
EP09786367A 2008-10-31 2009-04-15 Electric appliance with energy monitoring and managing means and corresponding method Withdrawn EP2350374A1 (en)

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IT000811A ITTO20080811A1 (en) 2008-10-31 2008-10-31 ELECTRIC USER
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