Automated control for certain functions of refrigerators and other domestic facilities

Abstract

Smart home controller working with a household appliance, or a household appliance with the controller installed, and in particular refrigeration apparatus with a controller. The appliance has an auxiliary operation initiated automatically based on user activity, and the controller provides an auxiliary operation suppression unit configured to prevent said user activity from automatically triggering said auxiliary operation. The controller may be connected to operate the auxiliary operation suppression unit based on a calendar and locally calculated daylight times. The controller is useful for preventing refrigerator lights and the like from turning on when not wanted.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Hot water apparatus initiated based on user activity, the apparatus further comprising:
 a hot water action suppression unit configured to prevent said user activity from automatically triggering a hot water heating operation, and   a controller connected to operate said hot water action suppression unit based on a calendar, wherein said hot water action is governed by a controller command based on output of a sensor, the sensor sensing said user activity, said hot water action suppression unit configured to suppress said controller command, said suppressing being carried out while said sensor continues to operate, the hot water action suppression unit being implemented using software, thereby being applied without manufacturing changes to said hot water apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the calendar is the Hebrew calendar. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising obtaining local daylight times, wherein the local daylight times provide a Sabbath onset time and a Sabbath end time correct for a current location. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising an interface for entering location coordinates to said controller. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said hot water action suppression unit comprises an actuator, the actuator located over a physical switch governing said hot water operation. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hot water apparatus is stand-alone, said controller is an internal controller and said hot water heating operation is carried out internally to said apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said controller is part of a smart home controller. 
     
     
         8 . Method for hot water heating suppression for household hot water, a hot water heating action being initiated automatically based on sensing by a sensor of user activity, the method comprising:
 obtaining a calendar, and carrying out a suppression of said hot water heating action by preventing said user activity from automatically triggering said hot water heating, said prevention being according to days based on said calendar, wherein said hot water heating action is governed by a controller command based on output of said sensor, said hot water heating action suppression comprising suppressing said controller command, said suppressing being applied while said sensor continues to operate, said suppression unit being implemented using software, thereby being applied without manufacturing changes to said household hot water apparatus.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the calendar is the Hebrew calendar. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising providing local daylight times, wherein the local daylight times provide a Sabbath onset time and a Sabbath end time correct according to a current location. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising using an interface for entering location coordinates. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising:
 locating an actuator over a physical hot water switch, said physical switch governing said hot water heating action;   carrying out hot water heating suppression by operating said actuator.