Electronic system for power consumption management of appliances

Abstract

An electronic system for power consumption management of one or more domestic appliances is routinely informed on actual energy tariff through a network control unit or through a predetermined time-table stored in the system. A user interface of the electronic system is provided where the user can set his preference concerning the switch-on time of each appliance and/or function thereof and read the related estimated energy consumption and/or energy cost of the appliance working program.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An electronic system for power consumption management of a domestic appliance having at least one working cycle, the electronic system comprising:
 a user interface comprising a display showing:
 one of the at least one working cycles; 
 a first energy cost of executing the displayed working cycle at an immediate start time; and 
 an alternative start time for executing the displayed working cycle at a time that is different than the immediate start time, the alternative start time corresponding to a second energy cost of executing the displayed working cycle that is different than the first energy cost; and 
   a first input to select either the immediate start time or the alternative start time for the displayed working cycle;   wherein the displayed working cycle is executed by the domestic appliance at the selected start time and at the corresponding energy cost.   
     
     
         2 . The electronic system of  claim 1  wherein the display is configured to show the second energy cost. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic system of  claim 1  wherein the alternative start time comprises a delay of time or a time at which the displayed working cycle is to be executed. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic system of  claim 1  wherein the first input is part of the domestic appliance or remote from the domestic appliance. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic system of  claim 1  wherein the domestic appliance is connected with a data transmission network to receive energy cost information. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic system of  claim 1  wherein the domestic appliance comprises a clothes washing machine, a clothes dryer, a dishwasher, a refrigerator, a freezer, or an ice maker. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic system of  claim 1  comprising a second input to prompt the display to show additional alternative start times for executing the displayed working cycle. 
     
     
         8 . An electronic system for power consumption management of a domestic appliance having at least one selectable working cycle, the electronic system comprising:
 a display showing a first energy cost of executing a selected working cycle at a current time and a second energy cost of executing the selected working cycle at a future time;   a device connected with a data transmission network to receive energy cost information for the current time and the future time; and   a user interface having an input for selecting the current time or the future time to execute the selected working cycle based on the displayed energy costs;   wherein the cost of executing the selected working cycle is based on the received energy cost information.   
     
     
         9 . The electronic system of  claim 8  wherein the display is part of the domestic appliance or remote from the domestic appliance. 
     
     
         10 . The electronic system of  claim 8  wherein the future time comprises a delay of time or a time at which the selected working cycle is to be executed. 
     
     
         11 . The electronic system of  claim 8  wherein the input is part of the domestic appliance or remote from the domestic appliance. 
     
     
         12 . The electronic system of  claim 8  wherein the display is configured to scroll through energy costs for executing the selected working cycle at multiple different future times. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic system of  claim 8  wherein the domestic appliance comprises a clothes washing machine, a clothes dryer, a dishwasher, a refrigerator, a freezer, or an ice maker. 
     
     
         14 . An electronic system for power consumption management of a domestic appliance having at least one working cycle, the system comprising:
 a user interface displaying:
 at least one working cycle; 
 an energy cost for executing one of the at least one displayed working cycles at a current switch-on time; and 
 a future switch-on time for executing the displayed working cycle, wherein an energy cost of executing the displayed working cycle at the future switch-on time is different than the energy cost of executing the displayed working cycle at the current switch-on time; and 
   an input for selecting the current switch-on time or the future switch-on time for executing the displayed working cycle;   wherein the current or the future switch-on time can be selected based on a user's cost preference for executing the displayed working cycle.   
     
     
         15 . The electronic system of  claim 14  wherein the user interface displays an energy cost of the future switch-on time. 
     
     
         16 . The electronic system of  claim 14  wherein the user interface is configured to allow a user to view a plurality of future start times having an energy cost of executing the displayed working cycle that is different than the current switch-on time. 
     
     
         17 . The electronic system of  claim 14  wherein the future switch-on time comprises a delay of time or a time at which the displayed working cycle is to be executed. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic system of  claim 14  wherein the input is part of the domestic appliance or remote from the domestic appliance. 
     
     
         19 . The electronic system of  claim 14  wherein the domestic appliance is connected with a data transmission network to receive energy cost information. 
     
     
         20 . The electronic system of  claim 14  wherein the domestic appliance comprises a clothes washing machine, a clothes dryer, a dishwasher, a refrigerator, a freezer, or an ice maker.