Battery-integrated consumer electronics system and method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for determining the operating configuration of an oven, comprising a cooktop having a plurality of heating regions, a power cord connected to a receptacle, a housing, and a battery disposed within the housing, wherein acquired cooktop usage data includes information relating to the use of at least one of the heating regions of the cooktop. The method of the present invention relates to determining the operating configuration at least in part based on acquired cooktop usage data and acquired power availability data, wherein the determined operating configuration includes one of the following: a full-power configuration in which the heating regions operate at a maximum power exceeding a 120V input voltage based on power from both the receptacle and the battery, or power from the battery alone; and a reduced-power configuration in which the heating regions operate at a reduced power less than the maximum power based on power from the receptacle alone, or power from the battery alone.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross-Reference to Related Applications This application is a non-provisional application of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 534,727, filed August 25, 2023, entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR BATTERY ENHANCED APPLIANCES", with Attorney Docket No. 0122186-002PR0, and claims the benefit thereof. The content of this application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

[0002] This application also relates to U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 692,714, filed March 11, 2022, entitled "APPLIANCE LEVEL BATTERY-BASED ENERGY STORAGE", which is a non-provisional application of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 159,851, filed March 11, 2021, entitled "APPLIANCE LEVEL BATTERY-BASED ENERGY STORAGE", and claims the benefit thereof, and all of these applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for all purposes.

[0003] Government License Rights This invention was made with government support under the authorized DE-FOA-0002196 granted by the BENEFIT 2020 Program of the Building Technologies Office of the U.S. Department of Energy. The government has certain rights in the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] [Figure 1] An example of a power supply building system according to one embodiment is shown. [Figure 2] An example of a load source that may be associated with the power supply building system of some embodiments is shown. [Figure 3] An exemplary embodiment of a cooktop load source including a load source system having a battery is shown. [Figure 4] An exemplary embodiment of a load source system is shown, which may include one or more batteries, a processor, memory, a clock, a control system, a communication system, an interface, a power bus, an AC / DC conversion module, and one or more sensors. [Figure 5] Another exemplary embodiment of a load source system including an electrical input, charger, inductive driver, battery, DC-DC converter, and inverter, switch, and auxiliary electrical output is shown. [Figure 6] Another embodiment of the load source system is shown. [Figure 7] Further embodiments of the load source system are shown. [Figure 8] Another embodiment of the load source system is shown. [Figure 9] This is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary method for determining the operating configuration of a load source system. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0005] Please note that the figures are not drawn to scale, and elements having similar structures or functions are generally represented by the same reference numerals throughout the figures for illustrative purposes. Also note that the figures are intended solely to facilitate the description of preferred embodiments. The figures do not depict all aspects of the embodiments described and do not limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0006] The systems and methods for battery-enhanced home appliances described in the various embodiments discussed herein can function to provide a variety of solutions and enhanced functions for modern home appliances. In particular, some example systems and methods can provide energy-storage equipped cooking stoves (or other types of home appliances) that use electrical architectures and configurations that ensure safety and supply DC power to high-load cooking elements of stoves or other types of home appliances.

[0007] Systems and methods of some embodiments may include components and / or operating processes that facilitate the conversion from an AC power source (e.g., from a wall outlet) to DC power used to drive various elements of a cooktop (e.g., high-load elements such as oven convection and / or broiler heating elements, induction coil drivers, and / or integrated induction cooktop modules), and charge an auxiliary power supply that can also supply DC power. In some modifications, the DC power is matched to the voltage of the auxiliary power supply (e.g., storage battery voltage), thereby allowing high-load elements of the appliance to be powered directly from the auxiliary power supply without further voltage conversion.

[0008] Systems and methods of various embodiments may include, or be implemented through, an AC power input, an AC / DC conversion module, and one or more heating modules / elements. The heating modules / elements may include induction heating modules (e.g., used in induction cooktops) and / or resistive heating modules / elements (e.g., used in ovens, cooktops, clothes dryers, water heaters, heat pumps, etc.). The system may further include an auxiliary power supply that can be managed and used as a backup or to supplement the power supplied through the AC power input.

[0009] The components of various embodiments are integrated into home appliance systems such as cooking ranges, ovens, cooktops, clothes dryers, water heaters, and heat pumps. The exact architecture of such appliances can be adjusted according to the capabilities and characteristics of those appliances. For example, the systems and methods described herein can be embodied in cooktops or other home appliances configured as a combination of a cooktop and an oven, a cooktop only, an oven only, and / or any suitable type of cooking appliance.

[0010] While the systems and methods are described in several examples within the context of use and applications with induction cooktops having cooktops and ovens, these examples should not be construed as limiting. Various embodiments of the systems and methods may additionally or alternatively include resistive heating in addition to, or instead of, induction heating. Various embodiments of the systems and methods may be modified or configured for use with other household appliances or devices such as water heaters, washer / dryer appliances, and heat pumps.

[0011] In some variations, battery-enhanced appliances may be used in conjunction with a network of other appliances. These may be other appliances in the same household, which may also be battery-enhanced appliances, or other types of electrical appliances that do not have batteries or power storage. In some variations, some example systems and methods may be used in conjunction with power supply building systems and power distribution systems, such as those described in U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 692,714, filed March 11, 2022, entitled “APPLIANCE LEVEL BATTERY-BASED ENERGY STORAGE”.

[0012] One potential benefit is that some example systems and methods can enable the use of line power (i.e., wall outlet power) with battery power to enhance the capacity of electric stoves. Some example systems and methods can maintain the functionality and capacity of a wider range of conventional natural gas while enabling a transition to electricity. Enabling the use of power sources could bring many benefits as the world moves towards more sustainable power sources.

[0013] One potential advantage is that some example systems and methods can reduce the requirements of a building's existing electrical system when using electrical appliances, thereby enabling wider adoption of electrical appliances. Typical residential electrical outlets (e.g., "standard 120V outlets") may have insufficient power capacity for many appliances, usually requiring the installation of higher voltage and higher power outlets (e.g., "240V appliance outlets"). By extending appliances with systems and methods of some embodiments (e.g., integrated or mounted energy storage systems such as batteries), standard 120V electrical outlets can be used in conjunction with various example systems and methods to supply much higher power levels to appliances for discontinuous use. In some embodiments, this may be equivalent to the power level of a conventional 240V appliance outlet.

[0014] In some variations, such as on-demand water heaters, even a single 240V appliance outlet may be insufficient for the appliance, and by using some embodiments herein, it is possible to provide sufficient power to the appliance in various examples, otherwise multi-circuit and / or wired electrical installations may be required or may exceed the capacity of the entire load center.

[0015] Another potential advantage is that some embodiments of the systems and methods can allow the use of stoves and / or other types of electrical appliances while power availability is changing. For example, some modifications described herein can allow the use of stoves during power blackouts, during increased grid usage (e.g., when electricity costs are high), and / or when other electrical appliances are used simultaneously.

[0016] Another potential advantage is that the systems and methods of various embodiments can avoid the limitations and problems that occur with AC induction-based heating appliances. This may include audible and tactile vibrations that can reduce the comfort of the cooking experience. Furthermore, some variations of the systems and methods described herein may allow for the customization of the sounds and sensations of induction cooking to make the cooking experience more comfortable and / or safer. For example, certain auditory and / or vibratory sensations can be actively activated when cooking, in the form of feedback that the pot is heating up. These auditory and tactile cues can be modified on a conditional basis.

[0017] Another potential benefit is that some example systems and methods may enable a reduction in the use of various components used in AC home appliances. For example, systems and methods of various embodiments may avoid or reduce the number of filter capacitors / inductors, which are rectifier systems. In particular, some example systems and methods may eliminate or reduce the need for PFC circuits and / or EMI / RFI circuits, which may be required in AC power supply induction devices. Firmware may also be simplified in some embodiments. Systems and methods resulting from various embodiments may enable home appliances that are lighter, smaller, cheaper, and quieter.

[0018] Another potential advantage is that some embodiments of systems and methods can decouple device performance from the limitations of outlet capacity and / or inverter capacity. Various examples of systems and methods include batteries, which can enable battery-based capacity and power capacity. Cooktops in some embodiments can be designed with power capacity to support an increased number of cooktop heating zones, larger cooktop heating zones, more ovens, larger ovens, faster preheating times, more fans, more lights, and / or other features.

[0019] In one example, a modified system may include a battery charger that can draw up to 15A from a standard 120V wall outlet and charge a battery with a nominal capacity of 230VDC and 5kWh. When fully charged, the system in various embodiments can, for example, supply approximately 7kW to an appliance for one hour (5kW battery + 1.875kW from a standard wall outlet), after which the battery may require recharging. In some example scenarios, the battery is charged whenever the appliance is not in use or is being used at a low power level, thereby being fully charged when needed or desired. The specific battery voltage can be adjusted in various embodiments based on the internal design of the appliance load element. The battery capacity (kWh) can be adjusted in various embodiments based on the desired usage profile of the appliance, cost, or other factors. In another example, the charger can draw 30A from a standard 240V appliance outlet and charge a battery with a nominal capacity of 230VDC and 10kWh. When fully charged, the system in some embodiments can provide approximately 30 kW in 20 minutes, so that it can be utilized by on-demand water heaters, which in some examples may require two or three times the capacity of a standard 240V household outlet.

[0020] One exemplary embodiment includes a first battery system which is an integral component of the housing of a plurality of load sources and is located within the first load source of a plurality of load sources, wherein the first load source includes a first power cord plugged into a first receptacle of a plurality of receptacles, and the first battery system includes a first battery configured to acquire and store power from the first receptacle, wherein the first load source is configured to be fully powered by power stored by the first battery, fully powered by power acquired from the first receptacle, and partially powered by both the first battery and power acquired from the first receptacle.

[0021] Various embodiments can eliminate the substantial upgrade costs required to replace fossil fuel-powered home appliances. Many electric appliances (e.g., induction ranges and electric dryers) require the installation of a dedicated high-capacity circuit, but only draw the full capacity for short periods of time. This electrical work greatly increases the cost of such upgrades, can become a significant barrier to entry, and may invalidate any valuable propositions that the improved efficiency of these more advanced home appliances can provide. By way of example, a four-burner induction cooktop with a separate oven costs $1,000 to $2,000, and (if a homeowner is fortunate enough to already have a suitable 240V circuit available) can be installed by the homeowner or a general contractor for $150 to $200. However, when a stove according to some embodiments replaces a natural gas stove, it is very unlikely that a suitable unused circuit is available at the correct location, the cost to install the required 30-40 amp appliance circuit is approximately $800 to $1,000, and an additional $380 to $460 is required if the routing from the circuit breaker to the stove is long or inconvenient. Furthermore, in most cases, the available electrical service is designed under the assumption of fossil fuel use, and is insufficient for this large additional circuit. Upgrading the service panel in this situation can add an additional $1,500 to $4,000 to the project cost, making the total cost of replacing a natural gas stove two to six times higher than the cost of the basic new appliance.

[0022] In various embodiments, the integrated battery described herein or the home appliance with an associated battery can supply the high current required during use while only drawing a low average power from an existing 110V electrical outlet for recharging, thereby eliminating the need to upgrade electrical service. In the case of an induction cooktop, the overwhelming majority of dinner cooking needs can be met by an integrated battery of 0.75 to 1.5 kWh. When this battery is installed at the factory at current EV pricing, it can only add $100 to $200 to the cost of the home appliance, and this cost will become even lower as the industry scale continues to drive down costs. As a result, the total project cost for homeowners to eliminate this residential emission source remains predictable and low, and the dinner cooking load, which mainly occurs outside of solar energy production hours, can be cost-effectively shifted to be powered by renewable energy.

[0023] Furthermore, a centralized main home battery may require a large dedicated inverter to supply AC power even if the home appliance (e.g., an induction cooktop) uses internal rectification to convert power back to DC. Installing the battery at these load points enables direct DC power supply to the home appliance, and in various embodiments results in only a small amount of AC drawn from the electrical outlet. At the system level, in various embodiments, this can eliminate the inverse rectification cycle for power drawn from the power grid and deferred, and can greatly reduce the power requirement for the inverter that supplies power from the rooftop solar array. As a result, system cost can be reduced and efficiency is improved because power conversion is eliminated.

[0024] Furthermore, large battery packs, which may be required for home main batteries, often fail due to just one defective cell. In contrast, commercially available packs of around 1 kWh that can be used to power home appliances may be easier to manage than centralized batteries and, in various embodiments, may be easier to replace in case of failure. In some embodiments, having fewer cells under a battery management system (BMS) allows for better management of charge cycles, mechanical and thermal stresses, as well as more robust health checks, leading to a longer battery life. The battery management system and supporting power electronics may be the price point, and as a result, increasing their number does not become a cost barrier. As an additional advantage of this approach, in some embodiments, smaller battery packs used in load storage may be better suited for second-life applications of plug-in EV batteries—their supply is expected to increase rapidly in the next decade. Such cells are expected to retain 70% of their initial capacity even after use in an EV and be usable for another decade in second-life applications.

[0025] Figure 1 shows an example of a power supply building system 100, which includes a building 105 that can obtain power from various suitable power sources such as a power grid 110 and one or more solar panels 115. Such power can supply power to various suitable load sources 200 (e.g., household appliances, elements, systems, vehicles, etc.), such as a heat pump 120, an electric stove 125, a refrigerator 130, an electric vehicle 135, a water heater 140, and an electric floor heating element 145. Power can be distributed to or between such load sources 200 via a power distribution system 150, which may include power lines 155 and electrical sub-elements 160 that supply power to electrical receptacles 165.

[0026] As will be described in more detail herein, in various embodiments, the load source 200 may be associated with a battery 305 and / or a load source system 300, respectively (see, for example, Figure 3). However, in some embodiments, the power supply building system 100 may not be directly associated with a specific load source 200 and may include one or more building system batteries 170 that can be configured to store energy for the power supply building system 100 for distribution to the power grid 110, such as load sources 200 associated with the power supply building system 100. In some embodiments, the building system batteries 170 may not be present.

[0027] Figure 1 shows one exemplary embodiment of the power supply building system 100, but such embodiments should not be interpreted as being limited to a wide variety of load sources 200 that can be powered and associated with batteries and / or battery systems, etc. For example, Figure 2 shows further examples of load sources 200 that can be associated with the power supply building system 100 in further embodiments. Furthermore, while various embodiments of the power supply building system 100 may relate to single-family homes, it should be clear that further embodiments may relate to apartment buildings, mixed-use buildings, commercial buildings, factories, airports, farms, or other suitable buildings, structures, or land. In addition, some embodiments are also applicable to vehicles or structures such as cruise ships, offshore platforms, aircraft, and buses.

[0028] Furthermore, while the example in Figure 1 shows a power supply building system 100 associated with a power grid 110, such as a local power provider that provides power to multiple buildings 105 and / or power supply building systems 100, in further embodiments, the power supply building system 100 may not be associated with or connected to a power grid 110. In addition, while the example in Figure 1 shows a power supply building system 100 that obtains power from one or more solar panels, in further embodiments, any suitable additional or alternative power generation systems and methods, such as wind turbines, hydroelectric turbines, geothermal generators, nuclear power systems, chemical generators, or combustion generators, may be part of the power supply building system 100.

[0029] Figure 3 shows an example of a load source 200 for a stove 125, including one embodiment 300A of a load source system 300 having a battery 305. For example, the load source system 300A may be an internal component of the stove 125, an integral component of the stove 125 located within the housing of the stove 125, etc. For example, in some embodiments, a portion of the load source system 300A and / or the battery 305 may be an integral part of the stove 125 such that such a portion cannot be removed from the stove 125, or cannot be easily removed, and the stove 125 includes such a portion, which is sealed within the housing of the stove 125 so that it is not accessible to the user from the outside. However, in some examples, the battery 305 may be removable, replaceable, and / or modular, as described herein.

[0030] As shown in Figure 3, the stove 125 may include a power cord 310 with a plug 315 configured to connect to a power receptacle 165 of a power distribution system 150. For example, the power distribution system 150 may supply power to the receptacle 165 via a power line 155, and the receptacle 165 may be located in the wall of building 105 (Figure 1) where the power line 155 runs through a wall or the like. The stove 125 may be plugged into the receptacle 165 which can supply power to the stove 125 and the battery 305 of the battery system 300, and the load source system 300 may be configured to store power and / or supply power to the stove 125, as described herein.

[0031] In various embodiments, the cooktop 125 may include a housing 350, an oven 360 having an oven door 362, a cooktop 370 having one or more heating areas 372, and a cooktop interface 380 having a plurality of knobs 382 and a display 384. As will be described in more detail herein, such elements may be part of or associated with a load source system 300, such as heating elements of the load source system 300 configured to generate heat in the oven 360 and / or the cooktop 370, at least in part based on the configuration of the knobs 382 and / or the display 384 of the cooktop interface 380. In various embodiments, the cooktop 125 may be an induction cooktop including an induction driver that supplies power to induction coils associated with one or more heating areas 372. However, the heating area 372 of the oven 360 and / or cooktop 370 can be heated or generate heat in any suitable way in further embodiments, including induction heating, resistance heating, gas heating, halogen heating, microwave heating, convection heating, radiant heating, steam heating, solid fuel heating, and the like.

[0032] One preferred embodiment includes a cooktop 125 that is a standard 30-inch range with a width of 29 7 / 8 inches, a depth of 28 15 / 16 inches, and a height of 35 3 / 4 to 36 1 / 4 inches to the cooking surface, including the handle. Further embodiments of the cooktop may have or be configured with a standardized or customized width in a range of widths such as 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 28 inches, or between such exemplary values. In some embodiments, the cooktop 125 may have a depth in a range of 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 inches, or between such exemplary values. In various embodiments, the cooktop 125 may be configured to a standard 36-inch countertop height with adjustable legs that provide adjustments in a range of ±0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0 inches, or between such exemplary values.

[0033] In one preferred embodiment, the stovetop 125 has an oven 360 having an oven capacity of 4.55 cubic feet, an oven depth of 22 1 / 8 inches, an oven height of 16 1 / 4 inches, an oven height of 17 inches, and five oven rack positions. Further embodiments may include an oven 360 having a capacity of values ​​such as 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.5, 6.0, 6.5 cubic feet, or a range between such exemplary values.

[0034] In one preferred embodiment, the cooktop 370 of the stove 125 includes four symmetrical 7.9-inch high-power induction cooking zones 372 having a minimum pan pairing size of 3 1 / 8 inches. In further embodiments, the stove 125 may include any suitable number of cooking zones 372, including 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, etc., or a range between such exemplary values. Such cooking zones 372 may be the same size or different sizes, and may include diameters in the range of 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 inches, etc., or a range between such exemplary values. Such cooking zones 372 may be flat or, in some embodiments, concave to accommodate curved pans (e.g., for induction heating). However, since further embodiments may include any suitable stove, range, etc., and may include any elements of various configurations, it will be clear that these examples should not be construed as limiting.

[0035] In some embodiments, one or more batteries 305 and / or battery systems 300 may be integrated into the load source 200 (e.g., in the appliance housing) at the factory where the load source is manufactured, or they may be integrated into the after-sales service market for the load source. For example, a load source 200 (e.g., an appliance) can be specifically designed to allow the integration of an appropriate number of batteries 305 and / or other elements of the load source system 300 into its normal housing. This makes it possible to place such a load source 200 or appliance in a home without making any changes to how the appliance is integrated into standardized fixtures such as counters. In various embodiments, the electrical connections of the load source system 300 to the batteries 305 and / or other elements are made at the factory and fully integrated into the appliance circuit. This makes it possible for a load source 200, such as an appliance that utilizes DC current (e.g., an induction stove), to draw power directly from one or more batteries 305 without adding the cost of a high-power inverter.

[0036] In some embodiments, the battery can be designed to be integrated into the load source (e.g., a home appliance) in a factory setting in the after-sales market. For example, a company that is not an original equipment manufacturer of a home appliance purchases a new home appliance, installs the load source system 300 in its facility, and resells the home appliance as new. In some examples, a retrofitter installs one or more batteries 305 and / or elements of the load source system 300 inside the housing of the home appliance and wires them directly to the integrated electrical system of the home appliance. This may be desirable in some embodiments where high-voltage connections are required and the risks of such high-voltage connections are not handled by a professional given. Also, in some embodiments where the load source 200 (e.g., a home appliance), such as an induction stove, has an internal rectifier circuit that converts 60Hz AC current to DC, in some examples it may be desirable to connect the load source system 300 directly to the internal circuit of the load source (e.g., to avoid the expensive addition of high-power inversion).

[0037] In some embodiments, the batteries 305 and elements of the load source system 300 are designed to nest with the load source (e.g., an appliance), such as as a base or backing. Such nesting can be done by the customer in various examples. The batteries 305 and / or elements of the load source system 300 can also be designed to nest directly outside the appliance, such as by taking into account the shape and intended location of the appliance in the house 105. One or more batteries 305 and elements (e.g., power control stage) of the load source system 300 are packaged so that they can be placed directly in parallel with the appliance in various examples. The appliance can be plugged into the load source system 300, and then the load source system 300 is plugged into the wall.

[0038] In addition, it should be clear that the power supply building system 100 may include any suitable number and type of battery systems 300, including one or more of the battery systems 300 shown herein. However, in some examples, one or more of the battery systems 300 shown herein may not be specifically present.

[0039] The load source system 300 may include a variety of suitable elements. For example, Figure 4 shows one exemplary embodiment of the load source system 300, which may include one or more batteries 305, a processor 410, memory 420, a clock 430, a control system 440, a communication system 450, an interface 460, a power bus 470, an AC / DC conversion module 480, and one or more sensors 490.

[0040] For example, in some embodiments, the load source system 300 may include a computing device that can be configured to perform the methods and parts thereof described herein. The memory 420 may include a computer-readable medium that stores instructions and, when executed by the processor 410, causes the load source system 300 to perform the methods or parts thereof described herein, or other appropriate functions. The clock 430 may be configured to determine the date and / or time (e.g., year, month, day of the week, time, etc.) and, as described in more detail herein, in some examples, can be used to configure the power storage and / or power discharge of the battery 305 based on time.

[0041] In various embodiments, the control system 440 can be configured to control the power storage and / or power discharge of the battery 305 based on instructions from a processor or the like. In addition, in some embodiments, the control system 440 can determine various aspects, characteristics, or states of the battery 305, such as the charge state (e.g., the percentage charged or discharged), battery charge capacity, battery health, and battery temperature. For example, in various embodiments, the load source system 300 may include various appropriate sensors to determine such aspects, characteristics, or states of the battery 305, or aspects, characteristics, or states of other elements of the building system 100, which may include environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity inside or outside the building 105.

[0042] In some embodiments, the control system 440 can be configured for a variety of functions, such as maintaining a data pipeline to the cloud or another wireless device (e.g., via CANBus communication between peripherals and Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or a cellular module) to remotely record system data and manage firmware updates, interpreting the state / position of user interface controls (e.g., knobs, buttons, switches) and performing corresponding actions within the device, providing feedback control to the cooking operation of the load source system 300 by sensing temperature and current, and so on. The control system 440 can be further used to enable and facilitate various operating modes and functions (e.g., cooking functions, safety functions, etc.).

[0043] In various embodiments, the communication system 450 can be configured to enable communication with the load source system 300 via one or more communication networks, as described in detail herein, and in some embodiments the communication networks may include wireless and / or wired networks and may include communication with one or more other battery systems 300, user devices, servers, and other devices.

[0044] Interface 460 may include various elements configured to receive input and / or present information (e.g., to the user). For example, in some embodiments, the interface may include a touchscreen, a keyboard, one or more buttons, one or more knobs, one or more lights, a speaker, a microphone, a haptic interface, and the like. In various embodiments, interface 460 may be used by the user for various purposes, such as configuring the load source system 300, viewing the aspects, features, or state of the load source system 300, or configuring the network connectivity of the load source system 300. In some embodiments, interface 460 may include a stove interface 380 having multiple knobs 382, ​​as shown in the example in Figure 3.

[0045] The power bus 470 can be configured to obtain power from one or more power sources and / or to supply power to one or more load sources 200. For example, in various embodiments, the power bus 470 can obtain power from one or more power receptacles 165 (see, for example, Figure 3) or other suitable interfaces with the power distribution system 150, or directly from power sources such as the power grid 110, solar panels 115. The power thus obtained may be stored via one or more batteries 305 or directed to one or more load sources 200 connected to the load source system 300. The power thus obtained can be directed to such one or more load sources 200 via one or more batteries 305 or by bypassing one or more batteries 305.

[0046] In various embodiments, the AC / DC converter module 480 (e.g., in an induction cooktop) can be configured to convert alternating current (AC) from a standard household outlet or the like into direct current (DC) suitable for powering various elements of a load source system 300 (e.g., part of an induction cooktop). Various examples of the AC / DC converter module 480 may include a rectifier circuit that converts the AC voltage into a pulsed DC voltage, followed by a filter that smooths out fluctuations to produce a stable DC output. In addition, various embodiments of the AC / DC converter module 480 may include a voltage regulation circuit to ensure the output remains within a specific voltage range, addressing the precise needs of elements of the load source system 300, such as electronic controls and induction drivers. Some examples of the AC / DC converter module 480 not only power the main induction heating element but also supply DC power to auxiliary components such as control panels and sensors. Exemplary embodiments of the AC / DC converter module 480 and its components are described in more detail herein.

[0047] Any suitable sensor 490 can be used in the load source system 300. For example, various suitable sensors can be used to sense temperature (e.g., to generate an over-temperature cutoff response), including thermal fuses, thermostats, thermocouples, thermistors, PTC (Potential Temperature Coefficient) devices, RTD (Resistance Temperature Detectors), bimetallic switches, IC temperature sensors, thermocutout switches, infrared sensors, etc.

[0048] In further embodiments, the sensors may include one or more of the following: a magnetic field sensor, such as a Hall effect sensor, for detecting the presence and size of a cookware; current and voltage sensors for monitoring and protecting from fluctuations in power consumption; a capacitive touch sensor for the user interface; a safety mechanism that may be supported by overheat protection and boil-dry detection sensors; a pan detection sensor for identifying when a cookware is placed in or removed from the cooking zone; a power monitoring sensor for managing power distribution; a residual heat sensor for indicating when the cooktop 370 is still hot after use; an electromagnetic interference sensor for monitoring and minimizing emissions; a humidity sensor for detecting steam and adjusting cooking parameters; a weight sensor for more accurate cooking; and so on.

[0049] One or more batteries 305 may be any suitable system configured to store and release energy. For example, in some embodiments, one or more batteries 305 may include rechargeable nickel-cadmium leadate (NiCd), nickel metal hydride (NiMH), lithium ions (Li ions), LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate), lithium-ion polymer (LiPo), rechargeable alkaline batteries, sodium ions (Na ions), lithium titanate (LTO), lithium sulfur (Li-S), nickel-zinc (Ni-Zn), zinc-air, solid lithium, flow batteries (e.g., vanadium redox flow batteries), and the like.

[0050] In some embodiments, the battery 305 of the load source system 300 may be configured to generate a variety of suitable voltages including 80V, 90V, 100V, 110V, 120V, 130V, 140V, 150V, 160V, 170V, 180V, 190V, 200V, 210V, 220V, 230V, 240V, 250V, 260V, etc., or a range between such exemplary values. In various examples, the battery 305 may contain multiple cells, which in some examples may have nominal voltages of 3.0V, 3.1V, 3.2V, 3.3V, 3.4V, 3.5V. In one example, the battery 305 may contain 72 cells in series, which can generate a voltage of approximately 240VDC (e.g., 230VDC-250VDC).

[0051] In various embodiments, components of the load source system 300, such as the heating area 372 of the cooktop 370, the oven 360, and the auxiliary electrical output 540, may be configured to operate on different input voltages, such as 130V, 140V, 150V, 160V, 170V, 180V, 190V, 200V, 210V, 220V, 230V, 240V, 250V, and 260V, or in a range between such exemplary values. For example, such input voltages may be based on power from either or both of the receptacle 165 (e.g., a 120V receptacle) and the battery 305.

[0052] As described herein, rechargeable in various embodiments can be defined as having the ability to store and release energy multiple times over multiple cycles (e.g., 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 10k, 100k, 1M, 10M, 100M, etc.) without significantly reducing the ability to store and release energy. Various preferred embodiments may include chemical storage of electrical energy, but in further embodiments, one or more batteries 305 may be configured to store energy in various suitable ways, such as mechanical energy, compressed fluid, thermal energy, etc.

[0053] In some embodiments, one or more batteries 305 may include, or be defined by, a removable cartridge that allows one or more batteries 305 to be expanded or replaced. In some examples, the battery pack may consist of small subpacks that can be easily removed. This allows, in some examples, to replace old or defective cells. Furthermore, in some examples, such a configuration allows for fine-tuning of the pack size within the network of load source systems 300, as described herein. For example, one or more batteries 305 may be initially sized and placed in the same location as the expected load source 200.

[0054] Referring to Figure 5, another exemplary embodiment of the load source system 300 is shown, which includes an electrical input 505, a charger 510, an inductive driver 515, a battery 305, a DC-DC converter 525, and an inverter 530, a switch 535, and an auxiliary electrical output 540.

[0055] In various embodiments, the electrical input 505 may include a power cord 310 with a plug 315 configured to connect to a power receptacle 165 of the power distribution system 150 (see, for example, Figure 3). However, various suitable elements may be part of the electrical input 505, and such an electrical input 505 may be via a direct wire connection in various examples, as described herein. In various embodiments, the electrical input 505 may be an AC power input that functions to provide a primary power source that can be used to charge and / or power elements of the load source system 300. The electrical input 505 may be used to power an auxiliary power source or other power storage system such as a battery 305 and / or to power other elements such as a processor 410, memory 420, clock 430, control system 440, communication system 450, interface 460 (see, for example, Figure 4). In some examples, the AC power input for electrical input 505 may be 120VAC (and / or 240VAC) from a wall outlet (e.g., a standard 15A outlet).

[0056] In various embodiments, the charger 510 may include a power converter or battery charger that manages the flow of electrical energy from the electrical input 505 to the battery 350 and / or the inductive driver 515. For example, in some embodiments, the charger 510 can convert an AC voltage from a wall outlet (e.g., 120VAC or 240VAC) to a suitable DC voltage required to charge the battery 305, which may include rectification (converting AC to DC) and regulation (ensuring the DC output is stable and suitable for the battery). In some examples, an AC / DC regulator in the AC / DC conversion module of the charger 510 can be used to convert the power input from the electrical input 505. In various embodiments, the charger 510 can monitor and control the charging process of the battery 305 to ensure that it is charged efficiently and safely, preventing overcharging or overheating, and can manage the charging current and voltage according to the specifications of the battery 305.

[0057] In various embodiments, the charger 510 and / or battery 305 can supply DC power to the inductive driver 515 to drive one or more inductive coils to generate an electromagnetic field for heating. For example, in various embodiments, the inductive driver 515 can be configured to be powered only by the charger 510, powered only by the battery 305, and / or powered simultaneously by both the charger 510 and the battery 305. As discussed herein, such power supply capability may be desirable in various examples to enable cooking via power from the battery 305 when power from the electrical input 505 is unavailable or undesirable, such as during a power outage or when power obtained from the electrical input 505 is undesirably expensive (e.g., when such power obtained from the power grid is expensive). Such power supply capability may be desirable in various examples to allow the use of a combination of power from electrical input 505 and battery 305, thereby enabling more power to the induction driver 515 than is available from electrical input 505 alone, thereby enabling the cooktop 125 to operate at a capacity close to, at, or exceeding, that of a cooktop 125 powered by 240VAC, even if it is powered only by 120VAC via electrical input 505. Such power supply capability may be desirable in various examples to allow the use of a combination of power from electrical input 505 and battery 305, thereby enabling a reduction in the amount of power consumed from electrical input 505, which may be desirable when the power obtained from electrical input 505 is unstable, inconsistent, or undesirably expensive (e.g., when such power obtained from the power grid is expensive), or when it is desirable to draw less power from electrical input 505 (e.g., when the circuit does not support drawing the full power due to the presence of other appliances on the circuit).Such power supply capability may be desirable in various cases, such as when it is undesirable to use power from battery 305, when battery 305 is depleted, when battery 305 is malfunctioning, when battery 305 is overheating, or when power from electrical input 505 is obtained from a renewable source (e.g., solar power). As various additional and / or alternative elements can be powered via DC power from charger 510 and / or battery 305, as discussed herein, the examples of the inductive driver 515 should not be interpreted as limiting.

[0058] For example, the load source system 300 can supply additional or alternative power to the oven's resistance heating element, bake heating element, convection heating element, and / or broiler heating element. Further elements may include convection fans, cooling fans, oven lamps, status indicators (e.g., LEDs, displays, audio systems), user interface displays, outward-facing USB ports (and their devices), speakers, and externally daisy-chained high-voltage DC devices. Some of these elements may require a DC / DC regulator or DC / AC inverter downstream (e.g., 240VDC from a battery) to operate. Some of these elements, such as the convection fan and oven lamps, may be enabled via manual control (e.g., rocker switches), while others may be enabled via autonomous software control (e.g., via the control system 440).

[0059] In various embodiments, the auxiliary electrical output 540 may include a standard electrical receptacle (e.g., a 120VAC receptacle) located on the housing of the load source 200 (e.g., a stove 125) that is attached to the load source system 300 and allows various other household appliances, tools, etc. powered by the load source system 300 to be plugged in. In various embodiments, the electrical input 505 and / or the battery 305 can supply AC power to the auxiliary electrical output 540 directly or indirectly. For example, in various embodiments, the electrical output 540 may be configured to be powered only by the electrical input 505, powered only by the battery 305, and / or powered simultaneously by both the electrical input 505 and the battery 305. As discussed herein, such power supply capability may be desirable in various examples to enable auxiliary power from battery 305 when power from electrical input 505 is unavailable or undesirable, such as during a power outage or when the power obtained from electrical input 505 is undesirably expensive (e.g., when such power obtained from the power grid is expensive). Such power supply capability may be desirable in various examples to enable the use of a combination of power from electrical input 505 and battery 305, thereby enabling more power to the auxiliary electrical output 540 than is available from electrical input 505 alone, thereby enabling the load source system 300 to operate at or above the capacity of a stove 125 powered by 240VAC, even when powered only at 120VAC via electrical input 505.Such power supply capability may be desirable in various cases to allow the use of a combination of power from electrical input 505 and battery 305, thereby allowing a reduction in the amount of power consumed from electrical input 505, which may be desirable when the power obtained from electrical input 505 is unstable, inconsistent, or undesirably expensive (e.g., when such power obtained from the power grid is expensive), or when it is desirable to draw less power from electrical input 505 (e.g., when the circuit does not support drawing the full power due to the presence of other appliances on the circuit). Such power supply capability may be desirable in various cases to allow the auxiliary electrical output 540 to be powered via electrical input 505, such as when it is undesirable to use power from battery 305, when battery 305 is depleted, when battery 305 is malfunctioning, when battery 305 is overheating, or when power from electrical input 505 is obtained from a renewable source (e.g., solar). In some embodiments, the electrical input 505 (e.g., 120VAC from a wall receptacle) provides power to a dedicated outward-facing "auxiliary power" inverter, which can function as a default pass-through to maintain the battery's charge state and avoid power conversion losses (and associated noise from the fan).

[0060] One or more auxiliary electrical outputs 540 may be incorporated into the load source system 300 in a conveniently accessible location such as the front of the cooktop 125 near the floor, behind the cover above the cooktop 125, in an accessible location on the back of the cooktop 125, on top of the cooktop 125 with a fluid cover, with a small whip attached to allow the user to move the outlet to a kitchen counter near the water heater 125, and / or any other suitable location.

[0061] The auxiliary electrical output 540 may, in some examples, include a NEMA5-15 or NEMA5-20 plug 540. In some examples, the auxiliary power port 540 may provide a standardized AC power supply (e.g., a 120VAC power supply). Some alternative form of DC auxiliary power port (e.g., a USB port) may be included additionally or alternatively. In some embodiments, the auxiliary electrical output 540 can be powered by a DC battery and connected to an internal inverter to convert DC to AC power.

[0062] In some embodiments, the auxiliary power port 540 can be "full power" or provide maximum available power such as 2400W (NEMA 5-20) or 1800W (NEMA 5-15). In some examples, the auxiliary electrical output 540 can provide less power, such as 1000W, 500W, or 300W, either alternatively or dynamically.

[0063] In some embodiments, the auxiliary electrical output 540 may be integrated into the load source system 300 as a pass-through system, so that a device can be plugged into the auxiliary electrical output 540 and power can be supplied by default via the AC power input, but then, in the event of a power outage or other appropriate circumstances, the load source system 300 can switch to supplying power via the battery 305.

[0064] In some embodiments, the load source system 300 may additionally or alternatively include a DC auxiliary electrical output 540. This can, in some examples, provide a DC power rail. The DC auxiliary electrical output 540 can be used in a variety of ways, including, in some examples, powering an additional induction burner. Such an additional induction burner may be modular and placed on a nearby countertop to provide more cooktop capacity while heating larger portions of food. In another variation, the DC auxiliary electrical output 540 may be used to power an external inverter that can be used to supply AC power to high-power devices such as an air fryer or dishwasher. In some variations, the DC auxiliary electrical output 540 may be used to connect an external battery, which can be used as additional power storage capacity.

[0065] Additionally or alternatively, one or more additional or alternative power inputs, which may be AC ​​and / or DC, can be used as power sources. For example, in some embodiments, the electrical input 505 may be a DC power source. In some embodiments, in addition to the AC electrical input 505, there may be one or more additional DC power inputs.

[0066] In various embodiments, the AC / DC converter module 480 (see, for example, Figure 4) functions to convert the AC power input from the electrical input 505 and output DC power to charge the battery 305, inductive driver 515, etc. For example, as shown in the embodiment of Figure 6, the AC power input may enter the AC / DC converter module 480 via an AC relay 610 (e.g., normally open (NO) and double-pole single-throw (DPST)) before going to the charger 510. The charger 510 may output a DC signal (e.g., 230VDC) that can be connected to the inductive driver 515 and / or battery 305 via a DC relay 620 (e.g., normally closed (NC) and double-pole double-throw (DPDT)).

[0067] DC power from charger 510 (e.g., nominal 240VDC) can, in various examples, be supplied to battery 305 by safety relay. Current from battery 305 can be supplied to various elements of load source system 300 by safety relay and can serve as a source for powering elements of load source system 300 such as processors and / or safety triggers by DC / DC regulators.

[0068] The AC power input 505 can be connected (e.g., using a cord and plug) to an electrical receptacle (for example, a common receptacle with 120VAC 15A, 20A, etc., or a household appliance outlet with 230VAC with 20A, 30A, 50A, etc.) to supply external power to the load source system 300. The AC / DC conversion module 480 can use the AC power input from power input 505 to charge the battery source 305, which is used to charge the auxiliary battery system or to directly power various systems or elements.

[0069] In some variations, the amount of current drawn from the power input 505 may be limited in some embodiments (e.g., through configuration settings). For example, the limit may be set to less than 10A, 15A, 20A, 30A, 50A, etc. For example, in a remodeled kitchen, the circuit capacity may be insufficient to operate all appliances at once, so the cooktop 125 with the load source system 300 can be configured to draw less power. For example, a toaster and a microwave oven may be on the same circuit as the cooktop 125 with the load source system 300, and the cooktop 125 can be configured to have a lower maximum charge rate to facilitate the operation of all appliances on the circuit.

[0070] In some embodiments, the load source system 300 may include a monitoring system that monitors the AC voltage entering the shared branch circuit. Under heavy use, the voltage may drop, and the load source system 300 may respond by automatically reducing the charging current of the load source system 300 (for example, to avoid triggering a circuit breaker). Since sensing and / or control may be part of the load source system 300, in some examples, techniques such as synchronous source detection may be used to calibrate the difference between the grid voltage and other applications.

[0071] In some embodiments, the AC / DC conversion module 480 can output a DC power output (e.g., nominal 240VDC), which, as described, in some examples may be supplied to a battery 305 by a safety relay. The charger 510 and / or battery 305 may be supplied to elements of the system load source system 300 by a safety relay, and in some examples may function as a main power source to supply power to one or more processors and / or safety triggers by a DC / DC regulator.

[0072] In some embodiments, DC power may be used primarily to directly power the high-load elements of the load source system 300. In a cooktop embodiment, the load source system 300 may include an induction heating module capable of performing induction heating. The induction heating module may include an induction coil drive and / or an integrated induction cooktop module interface. In some cases, the load source system 300 may be configured to interface with an external or existing heating element. Alternatively, the heating element may be directly integrated with and / or customized with the load source system 300.

[0073] As will be discussed, the load source system 300 in various embodiments may include one or more auxiliary battery systems that can be used as backup to the battery 305. In some modifications, such auxiliary battery systems may be or include a battery-equipped uninterruptible power supply (UPS). For example, in the event of a grid blackout and / or a battery 305 failure or deactivation, the battery-equipped UPS can continue to power the processor(s) to maintain a certain level of continuous processor operation (e.g., to continue logging events).

[0074] To meet appropriate safety standards (e.g., UL standards), in some embodiments, there may be a set of redundant controls that can independently (e.g., without software) disable / disengage some or all potentially hazardous aspects of the load source system 300, such as power to the charger 510, the output of the high-voltage battery, some or all connections to the high-voltage battery when powered off, etc. Such control schemes may include thermal fuses, current fuses, insulation fault detectors, or any combination thereof, so that a tripped fuse can disconnect trigger signals to normally controlled relays that control paths and / or subsystems. Thermal fuses in some examples may be configured to trip / trigger at a determined temperature point and may be oriented inside or near the oven, stovetop and high-voltage battery. Current fuses may be integrated inside the battery 305 (e.g., integrated into a battery management system, BMS). Additional safety measures may include earth fault protection between one or both terminals of the DC signal (e.g., 240VDC) and the system chassis (e.g., range chassis), and earth fault protection between the range's auxiliary AC power supply 540 and the chassis.

[0075] Some variations of the load source system 300 and / or the method carried out by the load source system 300 can be configured to boost the preheating capacity of an oven or other heating element. The load source system 300 may be configured to carry out a process of the method that includes using a battery 305 to provide a high instantaneous power output. This may be used to enable a “boost” mode for use during preheating or in other situations. Some convection ovens can utilize a rear convection element (e.g., located around a fan) and an upper element which may be used primarily for broiling. In some examples, a broiling element can be used to power the oven during preheating. This may be done when there is no food in the oven to avoid burning the food, in some embodiments. This boost mode can be very powerful, as battery-powered stoves in various embodiments can output higher instantaneous power than conventional wired stoves. In one embodiment, five minutes may be sufficient to preheat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit during such a boost mode, which may be, for example, two to three times faster than a conventional preheating cycle.

[0076] In some embodiments, instead of using a power inverter to generate AC power for conventional oven fans (e.g., driven by shaded-pole motors) and / or oven lights, DC-driven versions of oven fans and / or oven lights can be created. In some such modifications, the drive circuit may rely on a DC-DC converter, which may be smaller and less expensive. These DC fans and / or lights can use proportional control, which, in the case of fans, can be used to regulate airflow, limit noise, and create a more uniform oven temperature without convection baking of food. In the case of lights, the lights can create softer lighting conditions or be used to communicate information to the user, such as whether the oven is preheated or whether the food is cooked.

[0077] Some variations of the load source system 300 and / or the methods implemented by the load source system 300 may be configured to reduce or eliminate undesirable audible and tactile artifacts associated with the low-frequency envelope of the AC imposed on the generated electromagnetic field. In some inductive systems driven by AC signals, the envelope of the AC signal (e.g., 60 Hz, 120 Hz) can drive inductive systems that may be both emotional (vibrational) and auditory. The load source system 300 and / or the methods implemented by the load source system 300 may use a DC signal with a flat envelope so that electromagnetic effects causing audible or tactile vibrations can be eliminated or reduced.

[0078] Using a DC input in some examples can reduce the size of the components used to drive the induction heating system. AC-driven induction systems may use bulky ripple capacitors, which are both expensive and large. Ripple capacitors can also reduce the overall efficiency of the circuit and lower the power factor. Some AC-driven systems may require a PFC circuit and / or EMI / RFI circuit, which may be eliminated or simplified in the system when powered from a line-isolated DC battery. A DC input to the induction system avoids the need for such components and, in some embodiments, can result in a more energy-efficient load source system 300.

[0079] In some variations, the load source system 300 may include cascaded DC and AC relays. In some examples, the load source system 300 may include a single DC relay to control multiple AC relays. By switching first using a DC relay, in some embodiments, the AC relays can be switched in a dry state, minimizing or reducing any contact arcing problems associated with the AC relays. This can also help extend contact life and reduce maintenance costs. In addition, multiple AC relays can be controlled using a single DC relay, which simplifies the wiring and control system and reduces the overall cost of the load source system 300.

[0080] In some modifications, the use of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) is possible, either through the DC power supply approach of the load source system 300 or in the manner implemented by the load source system 300, enabling the switching of power to a high-power load. For example, in some embodiments, MOSFETs can be used to switch 230VDC 20A power to power the heating elements of an oven bake / broil. MOSFETs may have a longer switching lifetime than other switching elements that can be used in an AC-operated oven. This can result in increased lifetime, easier maintenance, and / or more precise temperature control due to their ability to switch rapidly between power states. As one potential advantage, system modifications using FET control at faster cycles can provide more flexibility to control each oven element when each is on, allowing for adjustment of the power draw to limit the total power draw of the stovetop 125.

[0081] In some variations, the load source system 300 may include a maximum power point tracker (MPPT) that can function to allow the load source system 300 to accept locally generated power from a solar panel, wind turbine, or other power source. This solar power supply solution may be more commonly applied as part of a common energy storage equipment (ESE) appliance, which may be a range hob 125 as described herein, but may be any suitable type of appliance. In some variations, the ESE may be a water heater or heat pump, or other suitable load source 200, as described herein.

[0082] In one example, energy may be generated by a solar panel and enter the battery 305 of the ESE appliance via an MPPT. In various embodiments, this energy can increase the power received by the ESE appliance from the receptacle 165 and limit the total amount of power drawn by the ESE appliance from the residential power distribution system 150. In some modifications, the load source system 300 may be configured to avoid "reverse supply" to the residential electrical system or grid, which may mean that in some examples this type of installation can be carried out without permission from the utility, thereby simplifying the installation.

[0083] In some variations, the load source system 300 may include an interface subsystem to facilitate interfacing with the inductive driver 515 (see Figure 5). By interfacing with the inductive driver 515, the load source system 300 may be made usable with existing inductive drivers 515 provided by other external load source systems 300. The interface subsystem, when implemented, can be configured to enable the process of creating a DC current measurement, supplying the DC current measurement to the driver, and synthesizing a 120 Hz signal (or other suitable frequency). This solution may be internationally deployable by adapting the frequency to any desired frequency.

[0084] To make an existing, conventional AC-powered inductive driver 515 function with a DC voltage (e.g., power from battery 305), the inductive driver 515 can be extended with a controller that provides it with a synthesized AC signal that meets various conditions it needs to satisfy to operate. For example, the inductive driver 515 can periodically measure the amplitude and / or frequency of the input power signal to ensure that its components are operating this signal properly or are not synchronized (e.g., zero-crossing of the signal), or that such a signal is cleanly powered and does not propagate as radiated noise, or that the signal is electrically safe. In various embodiments, since the inductive driver 515 is DC-powered, the variability of the AC signal may no longer be relevant. Thus, the operation of the inductive driver 515 can be geographically agnostic and can be deployed anywhere without special SKUs.

[0085] In one modification, the load source system 300 and / or the method implemented by the load source system 300 may include a slow preheating / capped burner power mode that can function to maintain the energy stored by the battery 305. A control system may be used to manage the operation of a device that adjusts the stored power availability, the expected power availability from the AC power input 505, or any other power source, in conjunction with the expected usage time of the appliance (e.g., time of day, cooking habits, etc.). In some embodiments, the load source system 300 and / or the method implemented by the load source system 300 may use a time and / or usage-based charge profile. The charging of the auxiliary power and the heating capacity of the appliance may be adjusted to meet expected requirements. Several examples of such methods are disclosed in related U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 692,714, filed March 11, 2022, entitled “APPLIANCE LEVEL BATTERY-BASED ENERGY STORAGE,” which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0086] In another variation, the load source system 300 and / or the method implemented by the load source system 300 may include detecting an overdraw of a circuit breaker (for a shared branch circuit) by measuring the voltage drop from the wall. In yet another variation, the load source system 300 and / or the method implemented by the load source system 300 may use special heating modes. For example, the load source system 300 and / or the method implemented by the load source system 300 may include a pan warping prevention heating profile, which can function as a gentle mode to prevent warping or deterioration of the cooker.

[0087] In another variation, the load source system 300 and / or the method implemented by the load source system 300 may operate to manage the power storage of the battery 305 based on an external data source. In one such example, the load source system 300 may charge the battery 305 based on external data if the discharge intensity is below a threshold.

[0088] In another variation, the load source system 300 and / or the method implemented by the load source system 300 may use an alternative heating approach to reduce the heating of the battery 305. For example, the load source system 300 and / or the method implemented by the load source system 300 may use an upper oven element to support the convection element, thereby eliminating the need for or reducing the amount of the lower element used, and reducing the heating of the battery 305 located below the oven.

[0089] In another variation, the load source system 300 and / or the method implemented by the load source system 300 can use a variety of sensing approaches. The load source system 300 and / or the method implemented by the load source system 300 can use multi-probe oven chamber sensing. This may involve sensing and detecting thermal uniformity, and if a sufficiently large temperature difference is detected, the load source system 300 can activate a convection fan for air mixing. The load source system 300 and / or the method implemented by the load source system 300 may further include detecting the operation of an oven fan (e.g., detecting a broken oven fan) and / or controlling the fan for extended cooking.

[0090] In some modifications, the load source system 300 may integrate the battery 305 into the load source system 300 at a specific location to improve operability and functionality. The location of the battery 305 within a residential range for an enhanced induction range system may be desirable to ensure the efficient and safe operation of the range. One of the first modifications may involve placing the battery under the oven, within a defined cavity (e.g., where a range heating drawer may be located). In some modifications, the battery 305 may be physically incorporated into the heating drawer. In some modifications, the battery 305 may replace the heating drawer within the appliance or simply be located under the oven. This location in various embodiments can provide access to cool air from the floor (e.g., by the room's hydrothermal layer). The air can cool the battery 305 passively or via forced convection without the need to pipe air around the stove.

[0091] In addition, by positioning the battery 305 as low as possible, or as close to the ground as possible, mechanical stability can be provided, which acts as a counterweight to prevent the stovetop from falling when the oven door is open. The battery 305 can transfer its weight directly to the ground through legs attached to the stovetop or through the legs of the stovetop, minimizing the amount of material required to transfer the weight to the ground. Alternatively, a weight (e.g., a cement block or other counterweight) can be attached to or installed at the base of the oven. Additionally or alternatively, the load source system 300 can be mounted or secured in place using brackets and screws.

[0092] Another variation involves utilizing the space behind the stovetop to position the flat battery pack behind it. This position can provide a compact stovetop design, enhance its aesthetic appeal, and not interfere with its operation. Depending on the specific design and dimensions of the enhanced induction or electric stovetop system, other locations may also be suitable for battery placement.

[0093] In some variations, the load source system 300 may include a battery holder that allows for easy relocation of the battery 305 or access to the battery 305. This may be useful for enabling cleaning, maintenance, etc. The battery 305 may include legs made of a low-resistance material (e.g., Delrin, Teflon®, etc.) to allow the battery 305 to slide without loading mounting points onto the stove 125. In another variation, the battery 305 can be mounted on the stove 125 but has rotating legs. The load source system 300 in some examples may include design features that facilitate installation and service accessibility. The battery 305 and / or related components may use connectors and fixing mechanisms to facilitate connection of a power plug and access to the battery 305 and / or related components.

[0094] In some examples, the battery 305 may be a removable unit that allows for the separate supply of the battery 305. This can be useful for replacing the battery 305 and installing the battery 305 in previously set up appliances, etc.

[0095] In various embodiments, the battery 305 may include safety features to ensure that the battery 305 is used when it is properly installed and in a safe operating state. A battery control system, which may be part of an auxiliary power system, may measure and record the state of the battery 305 via one or more sensors, including but not limited to accelerometers, switches, and thermometers.

[0096] In some variations, the battery 305 may include a protective casing or layer, which may be a component that encloses the battery 305 within a protective material to ensure protection from fire. This can be designed to provide protection to the battery 305 for at least 60 minutes or at least 120 minutes in the event of a building fire, for example. For example, gypsum or a similar fire-resistant material or phase-change material can be used. In some embodiments, the load source system 300 may also include a battery cooling system, which in some examples may be a special cooling fan that is activated only when necessary to cool the battery / oven interface.

[0097] The load source system 300 and / or the methods implemented by the load source system 300 may include an integrated safety system to address potential electrical safety issues. In the case of a cooking range, potential issues that may be mitigated may include detection of oven overtemperature events, battery overtemperature events, and detection of electrical hazards (e.g., insulation failure, improper installation, damaged battery, DC isolation failure, AC hazard, etc.).

[0098] In some embodiments, the method for activating the safety system may include determining whether an oven temperature overheating event exists, whether a battery temperature overheating event exists, or whether an electrical hazard event exists (e.g., by the control system 480 based on data from one or more sensors 490). In response, the safety system (e.g., a safety circuit) may trigger a suitable response, which may include a battery cutout, a charger cutout, grounding, or a residual current circuit breaker (CFCI). In various examples, a temperature overheating event may be determined at least in part on data from a temperature sensor or a physical response indicating that the temperature has exceeded a given threshold for a period of time.

[0099] In some embodiments, the safety system can enable the safe operation of the battery-powered range by ensuring that the battery 305 is in close proximity to the oven 360 and / or cooktop 370. In some examples, overheating of the battery 305 can cut off the oven 360, and overheating of the oven 360 can cut off the battery 305 to ensure that both are operating safely. A similar method can be applied to other household appliances or elements of the range or cooktop 125.

[0100] In some embodiments, the same set of relays can be used to activate multiple safety measures (e.g., not multiple independent pairs of relays), one or more of which include responding to a determined oven temperature overheat event, a determined battery temperature overheat event, and a determined electrical hazard event.

[0101] In some examples, the subsequent over-temperature cutoff can be associated with various heat sources, generally or specifically, such as a battery 305, an oven 360, a cooktop 370, and a heating zone 372. In some embodiments, such a sequel may have redundant over-temperature cutoffs for some or all such heat source locations. In some embodiments, two or more independent sequels may have only one over-temperature cutoff for some or all such heat source locations. Various suitable sensors can be used to sense temperature and generate an over-temperature cutoff response, including thermal fuses, thermostats, thermocouples, thermistors, PTC (Potential Temperature Coefficient) devices, RTD (Resistance Temperature Detectors), bimetallic switches, IC temperature sensors, and thermocutout switches.

[0102] In some embodiments, redundant relays can be configured to stop heating some or all of the load source system 300, for example, by cutting off battery 305 and / or charger 510. Such cutoffs can be configured to cut off power to the oven 360, cooktop 370, heating zone 372, or other elements including heat sources and non-heat sources. In some embodiments, at least some non-heat sources, such as interfaces 380, 460, screen 384, processor 410, control system 440, communication system 450, and auxiliary electrical outputs, may remain active after such cutoffs.

[0103] In some embodiments, the same or different cutoff relays may be configured to respond to electrical hazards, such as electrical hazards caused by isolation failures in the battery system. In some embodiments, the continuation of the sensor may have additional sensors or relays as part of the sensor continuation, which may be configured to open when an electrical fault is detected, thus triggering a power cutoff relay.

[0104] In some embodiments, the relay that performs the battery cutoff may be located within the battery housing and, in some examples, may be configured to perform a safety function that prevents the battery from being activated unless the battery is properly installed in the product (for example, in embodiments where the battery is removable). For example, in some embodiments, if the battery 305 is not properly installed in the load source system 300, a series of sensors cannot be completed, and as a result, if the battery 305 is not installed or not installed properly (e.g., the battery connection is improperly or incompletely seated), the cutoff relay that disables the battery power cannot be turned on unless the battery 305 is installed in the load source system 300.

[0105] Referring to Figure 7, an exemplary embodiment of the load source system 300 of the stove 125 is shown, including a plurality of safety systems 710, 720, 730, and 740. The load source system 300 in this example includes a first safety system 710, which includes a first safety circuit 712 and two switch pairs 714A and 714B. The load source system 300 in this example further includes a second safety system 720, which includes a second safety circuit 722 and two switch pairs 724A and 724B.

[0106] In various embodiments, the first and second safety circuits 712, 722 may be connected to the housing 350 of the oven 125 and to a string 750 connected to the battery 305, the battery management system 750, the oven 360, the cooktop 370, and the charger 510. The first and second safety circuits 712, 722 may be configured to activate a pair of switches 714A, 724A arranged in parallel on the string 750. In various embodiments, activating at least one of the switch pairs 714A, 724A on the string 750 can disconnect the battery 305 from the oven 360, the cooktop 370, and the charger 510, thereby preventing or stopping the flow of power to and from the battery 305 and / or from the oven 360, the cooktop 370, and the charger 510. For example, by activating at least one of the switch pairs 714A, 724A on string 750, the charger 510 can be prevented from charging the battery 350, the battery 305 can be prevented from supplying power to the oven 360, the battery 305 can be prevented from supplying power to the cooktop 370, and so on. Such configurations may be desirable in various embodiments to cut off power to heating elements such as the oven 360 and / or cooktop 370 in response to safety events determined or detected by the first and / or second safety circuits 712, 722. Such configurations may be desirable in various embodiments to cut off power supplied to the battery 305 in response to safety events determined or detected by the first and / or second safety circuits 712, 722.

[0107] The first and second safety circuits 712 and 722 can be configured to activate switch pairs 714B and 724B, respectively, located between the AC electrical input 505 and the charger 510. In various embodiments, activating at least one of the switch pairs 714B and 724B between the AC electrical input 505 and the charger 510 can disconnect the charger 510 from the AC electrical input 505, thereby preventing or stopping power from flowing from the electrical input 505 to the charger 510. For example, activating at least one of the switch pairs 714B and 724B can prevent or stop the charger 510 from charging the battery 350, prevent or stop the charger 510 from supplying power to the oven 360, prevent or stop the charger 510 from supplying power to the cooktop 370, and so on. Such a configuration may be desirable in various embodiments to cut off power to heating elements such as the oven 360 and / or cooktop 370 in response to a safety event determined or detected by the first and / or second safety circuits 712, 722. Such a configuration may also be desirable in various embodiments to cut off power supplied to the battery 305 in response to a safety event determined or detected by the first and / or second safety circuits 712, 722.

[0108] In various embodiments, the first and second safety circuits 712, 722 can respond to electrical hazards such as insulation failure, improper installation, damaged battery, DC isolation failure, and AC hazard. In various embodiments, the first safety circuit 712 can be configured to trip switch pair 714A, 714B simultaneously, and switch pair 714A, 714B can be configured to stop or prevent power to heating elements such as the oven 360 and / or cooktop 370 based on power from battery 305 and / or electrical input 505. Such a configuration may be desirable in various embodiments to cut off power to heating elements such as the oven 360 and / or cooktop 370, regardless of whether the oven 360 and / or cooktop 370 is powered by one or both of the power from battery 305 and electrical input 505, in response to safety events determined or detected by the first and / or second safety circuits 712, 722.

[0109] In various embodiments, the load source system 300 of the stove 125 may include a third safety system 730 associated with a battery 305, the third safety system 730 may include at least one battery temperature sensor 732 associated with the battery 305, which may be configured to sense the temperature of the battery 305, which can be used to determine, based on the temperature of the battery 305, that the battery 305 has exceeded a threshold temperature over a threshold period of time. In response, the third safety system 730 may trigger a battery switch 734, which may prevent or cut off power being supplied to the battery 305 and / or prevent or cut off power being supplied by the battery 305. Such embodiments may be desirable to identify or determine the presence of a battery overtemperature event and respond by generating a battery cutout.

[0110] In various embodiments, the third safety system 730 may include any number of battery temperature sensors 732 of any suitable type(s), which may be located inside, on, or around the battery 305, and in some examples may be located as part of a battery management system 760 associated with the battery 305. In various embodiments, a battery switch 734 may be part of the battery management system 760 or located in any other suitable location.

[0111] In various embodiments, the load source system 300 of the stove 125 may include a fourth safety system 740 associated with the oven 360, the fourth safety system 740 may include at least one oven temperature sensor 742 associated with the oven 360, which may be configured to sense the temperature of the oven 360, which can be used to determine, based on the temperature of the oven 360, that the oven 360 has exceeded a threshold temperature over a threshold period of time. Accordingly, the fourth safety system 740 may trigger an oven switch 744 which can prevent or cut off power to the oven 360. Such embodiments may be desirable to identify or determine the presence of an oven overtemperature event and respond by generating an oven cutout.

[0112] In various embodiments, the fourth safety system 740 may include any number of oven temperature sensors 742 of any suitable type(s), which may be located inside the oven 360, on the oven 360, or around the oven 360, and in some examples may be located as part of an oven system associated with the oven 360. In various embodiments, oven switches 744 may be located in any other suitable location.

[0113] In further embodiments, other elements of the cooktop 125 may include a related temperature safety system, which may include heating elements such as a cooktop 370, one or more heating zones 372 of the cooktop 370. Such a temperature safety system may be desirable for identifying or determining the presence of overheating events of such elements.

[0114] In some embodiments, the same set of relays can be used to activate multiple safety measures (e.g., not multiple independent pairs of relays), one or more of which include responding to a determined oven temperature overheat event, a determined battery temperature overheat event, and a determined electrical hazard event.

[0115] For example, Figure 8 shows an exemplary embodiment of the load source system 300 of the stove 125, including a relay system 800 configured to respond to a determined oven overtemperature event and at least a determined battery overtemperature event. For example, the relay system 800 may extend between one or more temperature sensors 832, 842 of the battery safety system 830 and the oven safety system 840. The relay system 800 may further extend between switches 814A, 814B, 824A, 824B. Thus, the relay system 800 can be configured to respond to both a determined oven overtemperature event and at least a determined battery overtemperature event.

[0116] In some embodiments, switches 814A, 824A are part of a 2x single-pole single-throw normally open (SPST-NO) switch assembly located on a string 850 between the battery 305, oven 360, cooktop 370, and charger 510, and also include a standard oven control switch 870 and a standard battery switch 862, which may be part of a battery management system 760. In some embodiments, switch pairs 814B, 824B may be part of a 2x double-pole single-throw normally open (DPST-NO) switch assembly located between the electrical input 505 and charger 510. In some embodiments, switches 814A, 814B may be part of a first circuit, and switches 824A, 824B may be part of a second circuit. In some embodiments, a relay system 800 may be configured to respond to a determined electrical hazard event, etc.

[0117] In various embodiments, the load source system 300, such as the stove 125, can be configured to operate in different operating modes depending on the state of the battery 305. For example, the load source system 300 can be configured to operate the stove 125 in full power mode or in one or more limited power modes (for example, when the battery 305 is down, or when it is desirable to conserve the power stored in the battery 305 and / or drawn from the receptacle 165).

[0118] In various embodiments, an advantage of having a load source system 300, such as a cooktop 125 including a battery 305, may be that the cooktop 125 can be operated even when power from the grid and / or renewable sources is unavailable, intermittent, or limited. To facilitate uninterrupted use of the cooktop 125 under such conditions, in some examples, an interface 460 may be configured to alert the user about the charge status of the battery 305 and / or the remaining energy in the battery 305, so that the user can make informed decisions about the amount of energy to use while cooking, such as when energy costs from the grid are high or when there is a delay in the recovery of power supply from utilities or renewable sources.

[0119] Energy consumption can be displayed or otherwise presented in various appropriate ways (to suit user preferences), such as the absolute percentage of remaining battery capacity, the amount of energy stored in kWh or Wh, the predicted consumption time based on current energy draw-in, or the average of the last X minutes of cooking. In some embodiments, the load source system 300 can determine energy consumption using a machine learning approach based on a cooking training dataset (e.g., data accumulated over the lifespan of the stove 125, including a travel time window within it).

[0120] If the battery 305 is depleted, the user can be notified via interface 460, such as via display 384, another visual indicator, an audio indicator, etc. In various examples, interface 460 can indicate that the range of the cooktop 125 will operate at a limited capacity based on the amount of energy coming from the receptacle 165 to which the cooktop 125 is connected. In some embodiments, if limited power is available due to a lack of power from the battery 305 or the receptacle 165, the cooktop 125 may still have a functional oven 360, although in some examples, the cooktop 125 may take longer to reach temperature because it operates below full power. In some embodiments, if limited power is available due to a lack of power from the battery 305 or the receptacle 165, the cooktop 125 may be configured to operate with a reduced number of burners and / or below the maximum power output of one or more burners.

[0121] In various environments, the load source system 300 of the stove 125 can be configured to operate with any suitable number of power configurations, including one, two, three, four, five, ten, twelve, and so on. For example, some embodiments may include a full-power operating configuration and a minimum operating capacity configuration, the minimum operating power configuration providing less operating capacity than the full-power operating configuration. Some embodiments may include a full-power operating configuration, a first reduced operating power configuration providing less operating capacity than the full-power operating configuration, and a second reduced operating power configuration providing less operating capacity than both the first reduced operating power configuration and the full-power operating configuration.

[0122] The full, reduced, or minimum operating power configurations of the cooktop 125 can provide more or less operating capacity in various appropriate ways. For example, in an embodiment in which the cooktop 125 includes an oven 360, a full-power operating configuration may allow the oven 360 to operate at 100% of its power capacity, while one or more reduced operating power configurations may limit the oven 360 to operate at 80%, 75%, 70%, 65%, 60%, 55%, 50%, 45%, 40%, 35%, 30%, 25%, 20%, 15%, 10%, 5% or less, or in a range between such exemplary values. One embodiment may include a full-power operating configuration that allows the oven 360 to operate at 100% of its power capacity, and a minimum operating power configuration that limits the oven 360 to operate at 50% power or less. Another embodiment may include a full-power operating configuration that allows the oven 360 to operate at 100% power capacity, a first reduced operating power configuration that limits the oven 360 to operate at 65% power or less, and a further reduced operating power configuration that limits the oven 360 to operate at 35% power or less.

[0123] In embodiments in which the stove 125 includes a cooktop 370 having one or more heating areas 372 (e.g., separate induction burners), a full-power operating configuration may allow one or more heating areas 372 to operate at 100% power capacity, while one or more reduced operating power configurations may limit at least one of the one or more heating areas 372 to operate at a range of 80%, 75%, 70%, 65%, 60%, 55%, 50%, 45%, 40%, 35%, 30%, 25%, 20%, 15%, 10%, 5% or less, or between such exemplary values. One embodiment may include a full-power operating configuration that allows one or more heating areas 372 to operate at 100% power capacity, and a minimum operating power configuration that limits one or more heating areas 372 to operate at 50% power or less, individually or collectively. Another embodiment may include a full-power operating configuration that allows one or more heating regions 372 to operate at 100% power capacity, a first reduced operating power configuration that limits one or more heating regions 372 to operate at 65% power or less individually or collectively, and a reduced operating power configuration of base 2 that limits one or more heating regions 372 to operate at 35% power or less individually or collectively.

[0124] In some embodiments, if the cooktop includes a cooktop 370 with multiple heating zones 372 (e.g., two, three, four, or five separate induction burners), different power configurations can limit the total number of heating zones 372 that can operate simultaneously. For example, if the cooktop 370 consists of four heating zones 372, a full-power operating configuration may allow up to all four heating zones 372 to operate simultaneously, while one or more reduced-power operating configurations may limit the maximum number of heating zones 372 operating simultaneously to three, two, or one at a time. In some examples, such limitations may apply to specific heating zones 372 or to any set of two, three, or four of the four heating zones 372.

[0125] In various embodiments, when power becomes available from a previously unavailable or unused power source, the stove 125 can switch from a limited operating configuration to a fully operational configuration. For example, after operating in a limited operating configuration using only power from the receptacle 165, if the battery 305 is depleted or below a minimum charge threshold, and as a result the battery 305 is charged to a minimum change state (defined, for example, by a set charge percentage or historical data for how the stove 125 is being used), the stove 125 can return to a fully operational configuration based on power from both the battery 305 and the receptacle 165. Such configuration changes can be presented via the interface 460 in various appropriate ways.

[0126] In another example, after operating in a limited operating configuration using only power from battery 305 as a result of power from receptacle 165 being unavailable or unused, the stove 125 can return to a full operating configuration based on power from battery 305 and receptacle 165 when power from receptacle 165 becomes available or usable (for example, after a blackout, when the cost of power from the grid falls below a cost threshold that makes its use desirable, or when renewable power becomes available via receptacle 165 in an amount sufficient to provide full power instead of grid power).

[0127] In various embodiments, the load source system 300 can determine or predict the time required to achieve different operating capacities. For example, if the stove 125 is operating in a capacity-limited mode due to the battery 305 being depleted or having insufficient power, the system can determine or predict the time required for the battery 305 to charge to the necessary level so that the stove 125 can operate at a greater operating capacity and / or full operating capacity. For example, if the stove 125 requires a minimum charge of 10% to operate at full power, the system can determine the time required for the battery 305 to charge to 10% capacity. Such determinations can be made based on data such as the current charge rate, the current power usage by the stove 125, the predicted power usage by the stove 125, the current charging current, the current charging voltage, and the stage of the charging protocol.

[0128] Similarly, in some embodiments, when the stove 125 is operating at a level greater than its full or minimum operating configuration, it is possible to determine or predict how long the battery 305 will have enough charge to operate at such a level, and how long it will take for the stove to switch to a minimum or lower operating configuration. For example, if the stove 125 requires a minimum charge of 10% to operate at full power, it is possible to determine how long it will take for the battery 305 to be depleted to below 10% capacity. Such determinations can be made based on data such as the current charge rate, the current power usage by the stove 125, the predicted power usage by the stove 125, the current charging current, the current charging voltage, and the stage of the charging protocol.

[0129] In some embodiments, the interface 460 of the load source system 300 may include a timer that counts down until the cooktop 125 is expected to be able to operate at its full capacity configuration, is expected to be able to operate at a capacity exceeding the minimum capacity configuration, is expected to be required to operate at the minimum operating configuration, is expected to be required to operate at a capacity below the maximum operating configuration, and so on. In various examples, the ability of the load source system 300 to provide information on energy consumption, battery status, and switching between normal mode and one or more limited modes can enhance the user experience by enabling the user to make informed decisions about using the enhanced induction cooktop system, thereby optimizing energy usage and user satisfaction. In various embodiments, the load source system 300 may automatically switch between one or more operating power modes without user interaction, for example, when the battery charge reaches or exceeds one or more thresholds, or when the battery charge reaches or falls below one or more thresholds. In some embodiments, the operating power modes may be configured by the user via the interface 460 of the load source system 300, etc.

[0130] Referring to Figure 9, an exemplary method 900 for determining the operating configuration is shown, which includes block 920 where load source usage data (e.g., stove usage data) is acquired, and block 925 where power availability data is acquired. In block 930, the operating configuration is determined, and in 935, it is determined whether the determined operating configuration differs from the current operating configuration. If it differs, in 940 the current output configuration is modified (e.g., to the determined operating configuration). However, if it does not differ, the current operating configuration is maintained in 945. Method 900 returns to 920 regardless of whether the current operating configuration is changed or modified, thereby enabling monitoring of whether a change in the operating configuration is necessary or desirable. Such monitoring may be in real time or periodic at various intervals (e.g., real time, seconds, minutes, hours, days, etc.).

[0131] In various embodiments, the usage data of the load source may include data relating to elements of the load source 200 being used, such as the oven 360 and the heating regions 372 of the cooktop 370. For example, the usage data may include the identity of one or more heating regions 372 of the cooktop 370 being used, the power level at which the heating regions 372 are set, the amount of energy consumed by the heating regions 372, the mode of the heating regions 372, the power level at which the oven 360 is set, the amount of energy consumed by the oven 360, the mode of the oven 360, the amount of energy consumed by the auxiliary electrical output 540, the mode of the auxiliary electrical output 540, and so on.

[0132] In various embodiments, power availability data may include an indication of whether power is available from battery 305, the amount of energy available from battery 305, the voltage and / or current available from battery 305, an indication of whether power is available from receptacle 165, the amount of energy available from receptacle 165, the voltage and / or current available from receptacle 165, one or more sources of power coming from receptacle 165, and the cost of power coming from receptacle 165.

[0133] In various embodiments, determining the operating configuration can be based at least in part on whether power is available from the battery 305 and / or the receptacle 165. For example, if it is determined that power from the receptacle 165 has become unavailable but power from the battery 305 remains available, it can be determined that the operating configuration should be changed from a full-power configuration to a reduced-power configuration. In another example, if it is determined that power from the battery 305 has become unavailable but power from the receptacle 165 remains available, it can be determined that the operating configuration should be changed from a full-power configuration to a reduced-power configuration. In yet another example, if it is determined that power from both the receptacle 165 and the battery 305 becomes available after one of them becomes unavailable, it can be determined that the operating configuration should be changed from a reduced-power configuration to a full-power configuration.

[0134] In various embodiments, power from battery 305 may be unavailable, such as when battery 305 is uncharged, lacks a charge above a threshold minimum, is damaged, is not present in the load source system 300, is improperly installed in the load source system 300, or when it is undesirable to use power from battery 305. In various embodiments, power from receptacle 165 may be unavailable due to a power grid outage, lack of power generated by renewable sources (e.g., solar or wind), or when it is undesirable for cost reasons to use power from receptacle 165, or when it originates from a non-renewable source.

[0135] For example, in some embodiments, if the cost of electricity from the electric grid obtained via the receptacle 165 exceeds a cost threshold, a decision can be made to change from a full power configuration to a reduced power configuration, based on price data, time, user selection, etc. For example, in some embodiments, if the cost of electricity from the electric grid obtained via the receptacle 165 falls below a cost threshold, a decision can be made to change from a reduced power configuration to a full power configuration, based on price data, time, user selection, etc.

[0136] In some embodiments, a decision can be made to change from a full power configuration to a reduced power configuration when electricity from renewable sources becomes available, or when the amount of electricity from renewable sources exceeds a threshold. In some embodiments, a decision can be made to change from a reduced power configuration to a full power configuration when electricity from renewable sources becomes unavailable, or when the amount of electricity from renewable sources falls below a threshold.

[0137] In various embodiments, the operating configuration can be selected based on the mode of the load source system 300, and in some examples, it can be selected by the user, set based on a timer, set based on acquired data, etc. In some embodiments, the mode may include a battery charging priority mode, a renewable energy mode that prioritizes the use of renewable energy sources in supplying power to the load source and / or charging the battery 305, a cost reduction mode that prioritizes the use of free energy sources such as renewable energy and / or when the cost of electricity from the grid is more affordable, or a performance mode that prioritizes higher functionality of the load source 200 over battery charging, the use of renewable energy, the cost of electricity from the grid, etc.

[0138] In some embodiments, when the user switches from performance mode to battery charge priority mode, a determination can be made to change from a full power configuration to a reduced power configuration. In some embodiments, when the user switches from battery charge priority mode to performance mode, a determination can be made to change from a reduced power configuration to a full power configuration.

[0139] In some embodiments, when the user switches from performance mode to cost-saving or renewable energy priority mode, a determination can be made to change from a full power configuration to a reduced power configuration. In some embodiments, when the user switches from cost-saving or renewable energy priority mode to performance mode, a determination can be made to change from a reduced power configuration to a full power configuration.

[0140] In some embodiments, the reduced power configuration may include limiting, stopping, or preventing the operation of one or more elements of the load source system 200, and the cooktop 125 may include limiting, stopping, or preventing the operation of one or more elements of the oven 360, the heating zone 372 of the cooktop 370, and the auxiliary electrical output 540.

[0141] In some embodiments, such method 900 in Figure 9 can be performed by one or more load source systems 300, user devices, or battery servers to configure one or more load source systems 300. For example, using Figure 4 for illustrative purposes, in some embodiments, a load source system 300 can control its own configuration (e.g., via method 900). In some embodiments, individual load source systems 300 can exist as groups, one for each other device or set of load source systems 300 (e.g., primary load source system 300). Thus, load source usage data and power availability data can be obtained from multiple battery systems 300 or from a single battery system 300, which may or may not include communication of such data over a network (e.g., via a communication system 450).

[0142] As described herein, determining the output configuration may serve a variety of appropriate purposes, such as maximizing the use of renewable energy sources (e.g., solar panels 115), maximizing the storage of electricity from renewable energy sources, maximizing the storage of electricity from the power grid 110 when such electricity is low cost or less cost, maximizing the performance of load sources 200, maximizing the energy efficiency of load sources, maximizing energy storage by one or more batteries 305, and minimizing the charging time of one or more batteries 305. For example, in some cases, shorter nighttime cooking sessions can be fully covered by onboard or associated batteries 305 charged with sufficient solar resources during the day, while longer, more demanding nighttime cooking sessions will be jointly powered by batteries 305 and low-capacity outlets (e.g., receptacles 165). In this way, the charging and discharging control laws of the system and / or network can, in some cases, maximize the use of renewable generated electricity without affecting the user experience.

[0143] In various embodiments, the load source system 300 may include settings that allow a user to control functional and usability-related aspects of the load source system 300 (e.g., via interface 460), which in some examples may include the selection of a charging mode based on user preference, based on external factors, etc. One embodiment may include a charging mode configured to charge the battery 305 via receptacle 165 during off-peak hours for lower costs and less grid strain. For example, such a charging mode may be based on time of day, day of the week, month, season, etc., and may be set by the user based on historical patterns, etc. In some examples, such a charging mode may be based on electricity price data (e.g., obtained from a power company) in which charging takes place when the price falls below a threshold.

[0144] Another exemplary charging mode may be configured to keep the battery 305 fully charged at all times in preparation for a commercial power interruption or other desired use of the battery 305. Yet another exemplary charging mode may be configured to charge the battery 305 during times when charging is prioritized when the electricity supplied to the receptacle 165 comes from a renewable resource such as solar power, or at least renewable power is supplied to the receptacle (e.g., charging the battery 305 via renewable power as long as the battery 305 does not reach or fall below a charging threshold). In various examples, such charging modes may be based on data acquired with respect to the power supply and may include a residential server that provides information on the amount of electricity generated by one or more renewable sources and / or supplied by the power grid.

[0145] To provide the user with information about one or more such charging modes, the interface 460 of the load source system 300 can display such charging modes on a digital display, along with a brief description of each charging mode. In this way, the user can obtain information about the options available to them and select the charging mode that best suits their needs or preferences.

[0146] In a home with multiple appliances having built-in batteries 305 that are networked with each other, one or more of the appliances may include an integrated control interface. Using the integrated control interface, a global energy policy for the appliance network can be set, for example, to charge after 9 p.m. or to always remain charged in the event of a blackout. For example, it may be desirable to instruct a connected mini-split air conditioner to turn off the stove if the stove is on a lower floor and cooking is already in progress. The ability to control appliances from other appliances may enable embodiments of such appliances that do not have their own interfaces and rely on other nodes in the appliance network to control them.

[0147] In some embodiments, a cooktop 125 including a load source system 300 may include a temperature cruise control function that allows a user of the cooktop 125 to dynamically maintain a consistent temperature on one or more heating zones 372 of the cooktop 370. In some examples, such a cruise control function may allow a hybrid approach that mixes power-based control inputs for the heating zones 372 with temperature control inputs to the heating zones 372. Such a temperature cruise control function in some examples may include power level-based input modes, which lead to the delivery of a substantially consistent amount of continuous heating adjusted based on power levels (e.g., low, medium-low, medium, medium-high, and high). This can emulate a conventional gas cooktop in an open-loop heating situation where the user needs to measure the temperature based on the state of what is in the pan and adjust the power level accordingly. Interface 460 may include a mechanism for engaging the temperature cruise control mode. When in temperature cruise control mode, one or more sensors 490 (e.g., temperature sensors) can be used to maintain a substantially consistent temperature on the heating pan or cooking element. For example, in some embodiments, each heating zone 372 of the cooktop 370 may be associated with one or more sensors 490 (e.g., temperature sensors) configured to determine the temperature of a pot or pan in the heating zone 372, the temperature of the cooktop 370 in the heating zone 372, and so on.

[0148] In one embodiment, a method for maintaining a temperature in the heating zone 372 may include obtaining an indication that the heating zone 372 of the cooktop 370 is entering a temperature maintenance mode, and in response, entering the temperature maintenance mode in the heating zone 372 of the cooktop 370. The method may further include determining a temperature to maintain, which may be based on user input, user settings, default settings, etc. The method may further include obtaining associated temperature data from one or more sensors 490 associated with the heating zone 372 and determining whether the temperature is outside a defined temperature range (e.g., + / - 0°C, 0.5°C, 1.0°C, 1.5°C, 2.0°C, 5.0°C, 10.0°C, 25.0°C, 50.0°C, etc., or a range between values ​​in such examples). If the temperature is determined to be within that range, the current power level of the heating zone 372 may be maintained. However, if the temperature is determined to be outside the range, the power of the heating zone 372 may be increased or decreased to raise or lower the temperature so that it is within the temperature range. Such temperature sensing and power adjustment can be performed automatically at any appropriate time interval while the temperature maintenance mode is engaged. The method may further include receiving an indication to stop the temperature maintenance mode in the heating zone 372 of the cooktop 370 and return to the normal or default heating mode. In various embodiments, each of the multiple heating zones 372 of the cooktop 370 may be configured to be set to a different temperature in order to maintain according to a separate temperature maintenance mode for the separate heating zone 372.

[0149] In one modification, the knob 382 used to set the power level may also serve as an initiator for engaging and / or disengaging a temperature cruise control mode. For example, each burner control knob 382 may have a temporary push button that allows the user to turn on a “temperature hold” mode once the user has identified a desired temperature for a given heating zone 372. In some embodiments, the user may be presented with a desired temperature setting and be able to select it (e.g., interface 460 presents a temperature such as 200°C that the user can select), or the user may be able to select a temperature without an explicit temperature being indicated by interface 460. In some modifications, the knob 382 is not only a rotating element but also has a latching push button to enable the “temperature hold” mode. Once this mode is enabled, the heating zone 372 may be configured to maintain a specified temperature without the user having to continuously check and adjust the specified temperature. In one embodiment, once the user has identified an ideal temperature based on tangible feedback, such as cooking a perfect pancake, the user may enable a “cruise control” mode to consistently maintain that temperature, similar to how a car maintains speed. In some embodiments, the "cruise control" mode can be disabled to allow the user to immediately control the burner temperature and power level by turning the knob 382 (or performing another appropriate action). The temperature control cruise control function in various embodiments can improve the user experience by maintaining a consistent burner temperature and providing an intuitive interface to optimize cooking quality and user satisfaction. While an example of the knob 382 on interface 380 is described, the start, control, and end of the cruise control mode can be performed in various preferred ways, such as using various preferred elements of interface 460.

[0150] In various embodiments, the oven 360 of the cooktop 125 may include a cruise control mode. For example, the oven 360 of the cooktop 125 may include one or more temperature sensors and a digital temperature control loop that can enable the oven 360 to maintain a temperature within a desired range. In some embodiments, the heating zones 372 of the oven 360 and / or cooktop 370 may include a preheating mode that overshoots a set temperature point during preheating of the oven 360 and / or one or more heating zones 372. In some embodiments, multiple temperature sensors can better determine the uniformity of temperature within the cavity of the oven 360. The average temperature can be determined in some embodiments based on data from multiple sensors 490, and a suitable operational adjustment can be applied based on the determined value. In some examples, if data from multiple temperature sensors identifies a temperature difference that exceeds a threshold, the load source system 300 may enable the convection fan of the oven 360 to mix air within the cavity of the oven 360 to produce uniform temperature rise within the cavity of the oven 360.

[0151] For example, a method for heating the inside of the oven 360 may include acquiring data from multiple temperature sensors, determining whether the difference between one or more detected temperatures exceeds a threshold, and if so, turning on the fan of the oven 360. If the difference between one or more detected temperatures does not exceed a threshold, the fan may be automatically turned off or not turned on. Data sampling from the temperature sensors can be performed at any appropriate interval.

[0152] In some embodiments, a method for allocating power for a local power grid including battery-powered home appliances may include providing power to an appliance, which may include providing battery power to the appliance in response to appliance startup; providing power to an external power use, which may include providing battery power to an external power use in response to external power use; and providing power to a battery in response to battery depletion.

[0153] The method, in various examples, can provide dynamic power allocation to a local energy grid connected to a high-power consumption load source 200, such as a stove 125, which includes an energy storage device (e.g., battery 305). The method can work with the load source system 300 described herein, but can be incorporated with any applicable system, additionally or alternatively. Exemplary use cases of such a method include office buildings, local residences, residential buildings (e.g., apartment buildings, hotels), local communities (e.g., HOAs, condominium communities, gated communities, etc.), data farms, and / or any other type of local energy grid.

[0154] Providing power to the load source 200 enables the function of the load source 200 by providing power to the load source 200 when the load source 200 is started. In some embodiments, the load source 200 may include a high-power consumption stove 125 (e.g., a 220V appliance such as a stove 125 connected to a 110V receptacle 165) which may not be able to function when directly powered by the local power grid. In some embodiments, the load source 200 may include a high-power consumption stove 125 which may not be able to function when directly powered by the local power grid, for example, a 220V appliance such as a stove 125 connected to a 110V receptacle 165 which may be configured to function fully at 220V power, configured to function fully at power above 110V, configured to operate in a limited power configuration of 110V, configured to operate in a minimum power configuration of 110V, etc.

[0155] In other words, some embodiments may include a load source 200 such as a stove 125, which includes a load source system 300 that cannot operate in a full power configuration based solely on power from a receptacle 165 into which the load source 200 is plugged. In some embodiments, such a load source 200 may not be able to operate solely via power from the receptacle 165 into which the load source 200 is plugged, and may require a combination of power from the receptacle 165 and a battery 305 of the load source system 300 to operate in a full power configuration (e.g., over 110V, 220V, etc.). In some embodiments, such a load source 200 may not be able to operate in a full power configuration solely through power from the receptacle 165 into which the load source 200 is plugged in, and may require a combination of power from the receptacle 165 and the battery 305 of the load source system 300 to operate in a full power configuration (e.g., above 110V, 220V, etc.), but may be able to operate in a reduced, low, or minimum power configuration solely through power from the receptacle 165 into which the load source 200 is plugged in. In some embodiments, the load source system 300 can operate in a first reduced power configuration via power only from the receptacle 165 into which the load source 200 is plugged in; in a second reduced power configuration via power only from the battery 305 of the load source 200; in a third reduced power configuration via a combination of power from the receptacle 165 and the battery 305; and in a full power configuration via power from the receptacle 165 and the battery 305. In various embodiments, the first, second, and third reduced power configurations may have a reduced power capacity of the load source 200 compared to the full power configuration.

[0156] In various examples, such embodiments may be desirable to provide the operability of the load source 200 when power from battery 305 is unavailable or undesirable to use, when power from receptacle 165 is unavailable or undesirable to use, and / or when power from both receptacle 165 and battery 305 is available and desirable to use.

[0157] In various embodiments, providing power to the load source 200 from the battery 305 can function to provide auxiliary power to the load source 200 in addition to, or as an alternative to, the power from the receptacle 165, thereby allowing the load source 200 to operate with one or more power supply configurations. In some modifications, not all functions of the load source 200 may require auxiliary power, and therefore, power from the battery 305 may be provided only when, in some examples, the load source 200 requires additional power to function.

[0158] In some variations, the method can be implemented using a system that includes multiple battery-integrated load sources 200. In some such variations, power may be supplied separately to each load source 200, and supplying battery power to the load sources 200 can function independently for each load source 200. For example, a battery 305 integrated with a single load source 200 can provide auxiliary power for the function of that single load source 200.

[0159] Providing power for external power use can function to power devices connected to a local power grid. In various examples, providing power for external power use can provide devices with enough power to enable them to function within their device specifications. In some examples, power can be provided to multiple devices, and in some embodiments of home energy grids, it can function to allocate power to dozens of devices / operations as needed or desired.

[0160] Providing power to external power use may include providing power to external power use from battery 305. Providing battery power to external power use may, in some examples, depend on the external power use and the battery charge level (e.g., the current amount of energy stored in battery 305). Providing battery power to external power use can enable auxiliary power to external power use when more power is being used and battery 305 is fully charged. In addition, if battery 305 is integrated into the load source 200, providing battery power to external power use in some examples may be reserved for when the load source 200 is not running and battery 305 is not providing (e.g., auxiliary) power to the load source 200. Thus, providing battery power to external power use can, in various examples, function to provide auxiliary power for general power use in the local power grid when power needs increase and / or when the load source 200 has reduced its power needs or has no power needs.

[0161] In some variations, including multiple load sources 200 and multiple batteries 305 integrated together, each battery 305 may have a separate call to provide battery power for external power use, each unactivated load source 200 may have its integrated battery 305 provide power for external power use, while each activated load source 200 may have its integrated battery 305 provide power for use by each activated load source 200.

[0162] Providing power to battery 305 can function to charge battery 305 from an external power source. In various examples, power can be provided to battery 305 whenever it needs to be charged, but in some examples, charging of battery 305 can be initiated during periods of low power consumption in the local power grid (e.g., when load source 200 is not in use and external power usage is lower than usual). For example, in the case of a household power grid, this could be done at night.

[0163] In some embodiments, the load source 200 is a standard 120V, 20Am Receptacle While a cooktop 125 with a load source system 300 operating at 165 is possible, it can still provide the functionality and quality of the cooking experience available with a cooktop 125 plugged into a standard 240V, 20-amp, 30-amp, or 50-amp receptacle 165. Various embodiments may include a cooktop 125 with a load source system 300 that does not require skilled labor beyond what is needed to perform an electrical upgrade (e.g., installing a new 220V receptacle in place of a 110V receptacle) or a standard cooktop replacement, allowing the cooktop 125 to be installed in an apartment in use while limiting disruption to the home.

[0164] Various embodiments may include a cooktop 125 with at least three cooking zones 372, of which at least two use induction coils, and an electric heating oven 360, which can be configured to operate by plugging into a standard three-prong household wall socket (e.g., a 120VAC+ / -10%, single-phase, 60Hz socket on a 20-amp circuit breaker), which can be configured for installation that can be completed by asset management staff within two hours without requiring an electrician or other skilled worker, which has a form factor that matches a width of 24 or 30 inches and a standard slide-in range, which can obtain relevant UL certification and meet all other applicable industry standard safety requirements, which can be a cost-effective electrification renovation option for apartment buildings, and so on.

[0165] In various embodiments, the load source 200 (e.g., stovetop 125) may be configured to meet one or more of the following standards: ASTM F1496: Standard test method for the performance of convection ovens, ASTM F1521: Standard test method for the performance of range tops, UL858: Standard for household electric ranges, UL2595: Safety standard for general requirements for battery-powered household appliances, UL1642: Standard for lithium batteries (cells), UL2054: Standard for household and commercial batteries, UL / IEC62133-2: Safety standard for secondary batteries and batteries containing alkaline or other non-acidic electrolytes - Safety requirements for portable sealed secondary batteries and batteries manufactured from them for portable applications, UL1973: Standard for batteries for use in stationary, vehicle auxiliary power and light electric rail (LER) applications, UL9540A: Standard for test method for evaluating the propagation of thermal runaway in battery energy storage systems, etc.

[0166] Various embodiments may include a load source 200 (e.g., cooktop 125) having one or more of the following characteristics: a maximum power of the load source 200 operating on an electric panel not exceeding 1,800W; a maximum amperage used by the load source 200 during use not exceeding 16A; at least three cooking zones 372, of which at least two are equipped with induction coils, one of which has a diameter of at least 8 inches and is positioned at the front of the range to facilitate its preferred use; a glass cooktop 370 having the ability to combine two or more cooking zones into a larger single zone without exposed resistance coils for the cooking zones 372; a water heating time on the cooking zones 372 of the cooktop 370 being 7 minutes or less (e.g., according to the ASTM F1521 standard test method for rangetop performance); and the cooking zones 372 having a turn-down ratio of at least 6:1 in increments of at least 10 steps from the lowest heat to the highest heat (e.g., via the knob 382 of the interface 380). A glass cooktop 370, a control unit for the cooktop 370 and / or oven 360 including a clock, timer, oven temperature display, and oven / broiler presets (e.g., via interface 380), a control unit for interface 380 having a set of control units (e.g., knobs 382) positioned in front of the cooktop 125, at a height of 48 inches or less from the ground, so that the user does not need to go past or over the cooking zone 372 to control the cooking zone 372, with a minimum volume of 2.5 cubic feet for a 24-inch width or 4.5 cubic feet for a 30-inch width.An oven 360 with a capacity of 5 cubic feet, an oven 360 having at least three rack positions, an oven 360 with a broiler, an oven 360 with a convection fan, an oven 360 with an oven light, an oven 360 having performance that meets or exceeds ASTM F1496, an oven 360 and / or broiler capable of operating at full power simultaneously with the largest heating zone 372 of the cooktop 370 for at least 10 minutes, a battery 305 integrated into the stovetop 125 so that the user cannot remove the battery 305 but a trained technician can replace it with the appropriate tools, a battery 305 with a minimum of 5,000 charge cycles, and the ability to operate the oven 360 at full power simultaneously with two or more heating zones 372 of the cooktop at full power for at least 10 minutes.

[0167] It should be clear that the embodiments described herein are only some exemplary embodiments of the load source system 300, and that load source systems 300 having fewer or more elements, or more or less complexity, are within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. For example, one or more elements of Figures 3 to 8 may be explicitly absent in some embodiments, or present in any suitable multiple. In some embodiments, the communication system 450 may be absent, and the load source system 300 may be inoperable for wired and / or wireless communication with other devices. In some embodiments, elements such as the processor 410 and clock 430 may be absent. The interface 460 may, in some examples, include multiple interface elements or a complex interface, while in some embodiments, it may be a simple interface 460 or absent. In some embodiments, the interface of the load source system 300 can be embodied in a separate device such as a user device (e.g., a smartphone, laptop, home automation system, or other suitable device). In addition, the Battery System 300 can be a variety of suitable sizes, including systems weighing 1-5 pounds, 10-30 pounds, 50-100 pounds, 150-500 pounds, and 500-1,500 pounds.

[0168] In addition, in some embodiments, onboard or network control laws can be adapted to usage patterns, thereby enabling a given battery capacity to match expected demand. Furthermore, these laws in various embodiments can be configured to adapt to local usage rate, enabling confidential energy arbitrage. The implementation of these control laws may be based on reinforcement learning and control techniques, accompanied by a best-practice user interface that allows homeowners to monitor and adjust.

[0169] Various embodiments can be configured to manage the thermal requirements of the battery 305 of the load source 200. Due to their high energy density, thermal runaway of lithium batteries can be a safety concern in various cases and must be prevented in various cases. In addition, at less catastrophic levels, batteries operating at elevated temperatures can affect battery life. Due to these factors, the battery management system 760 may have integrated temperature sensing and thermal interlocks. Thus, various embodiments may include the battery management system 760 along with careful thermal design to isolate the battery compartment from areas or local environments of appliances that have unsafe operating temperatures. For example, an effective design strategy for thermal management in various embodiments is to construct high aspect ratio packs adjacent to the surrounding environment. Another strategy may be to incorporate fire suppression at the appliance level within the individual load source system 300. For example, in some embodiments, the load source system 300 may include a fire suppression system that includes sensors capable of determining whether a fire is occurring in the battery and, if a fire is occurring, performing fire suppression measures such as foam, liquid, gas release or vacuum generation to extinguish the fire.

[0170] Some embodiments involve obtaining appropriate safety certifications by directly installing batteries in home appliances and obtaining full consent from home appliance manufacturers to adopt this technology. Mitigation strategies may include one or more of the following: Firstly, some embodiments may include data analysis and software modeling to estimate the most effective home appliance targets and quantify the value proposition. For example, some examples may include local estimates of the value per watt-hour capacity for each home appliance based on the electricity price during usage time, the size of the power grid, and enabled distributed renewable energy, as well as the electricity upgrade costs avoided. Secondly, some embodiments may include hardware units that can be located between existing home appliances and electrical outlets before integration with the home appliances. These hardware units can validate the value proposition in terms of the demand response achievable during real-world use and test the robustness of the hardware, networking, and control electronics, and can be used in place of battery-integrated home appliances, such as with conventional home appliances before replacement with battery-integrated home appliances, along with battery-integrated home appliances. Thirdly, various embodiments may include safety certifications by UL or another organization, and green certifications such as the new ENERGY STAR Connected Functionality program.

[0171] In various embodiments (see, for example, Figure 3), the battery can reside within the appliance itself, regardless of whether the appliance is a stove, refrigerator, HVAC system, washing machine, clothes dryer, television, game console, tools, barbecue, lighting, lawnmower, brush cutter, vacuum cleaner, blender, juicer, food processor, basement freezer, speaker, audio equipment, cooling fan, or other household appliance. In some examples, these batteries may be installed at the factory and directly integrated with the appliance's control electronics.

[0172] In various embodiments, the control scheme for such appliances may operate in several modes, including one or more of the following examples. Firstly, such appliances may effectively share the load between the wall plug and the battery without interfering with the user experience, based on estimated usage requirements. This scheme may be used in some examples to maximize the energy used from solar installations or other alternative energy sources, or to enable the use of high-capacity devices operating from a 110V socket, or to enable the use of electricity rates for extended periods. Another control scheme may operate when the appliance is not in use or is not expected to be used in the near future, and the appliance provides an energy arbitrage service that allows the home to absorb and store cheap electricity from the grid for later use.

[0173] In various embodiments, the control scheme for a battery-integrated home appliance may function using several levels of data, including one or more of the following examples: Firstly, the control scheme may rely solely on calendar and time to predict load and supply. Secondly, the control scheme may incorporate historical usage data to tailor the algorithm to user habits. Thirdly, the control scheme may report data to a central system where the data is aggregated and used to provide control rules. Fourthly, the central system may accept user input to switch control modes (e.g., the user can press a button to prepare the stove for cooking a large meal, while the stove is pre-charged to full capacity and / or load-sharing between the battery and the plug during operation). Fifthly, the control scheme may use data about electricity rates from the power company (e.g., hourly rates) to tailor the control rules to use the cheapest electricity from the grid. Sixthly, the control scheme may use data from a rooftop solar array to predict and maximize the use of available solar electricity.

[0174] Additional benefits may be provided to home appliances by batteries according to further embodiments. For example, many conventional home appliances have their performance limited by the peak power provided by wall outlets. Batteries can enable much higher peak power that can be used to improve the performance of home appliances. For example, induction cooktops may have extremely fast temperature rise, higher peak output, and lower noise. On-demand water heating may have higher capacity, enabling higher-power, no-storage water heaters. Electric kettles can boil water faster. In the case of devices with motors, these motors can operate at higher peak power and, if desired, at a more optimal voltage than AC from the wall. In some cases, battery thermal management may have a synergistic effect with home appliance performance. For example, heat from a battery pack can increase the performance coefficient of heat pump devices such as electric dryers.

[0175] In home electrical systems, many costs can be proportional to peak power. By installing batteries in the end-use system, peak power decreases, and therefore these costs can be reduced. By enabling hybrid AC / DC systems, battery-integrated home appliances can also allow for the use of more efficient solid-state power conversion, including inverters and DC / DC voltage converters.

[0176] Various embodiments of battery-integrated home appliances can provide flame retardancy to protect lithium batteries from thermal runaway and may include fire alarms to warn of emergencies. Further device health monitoring may be incorporated to monitor the health status of the battery pack. This can be implemented by capacity monitoring, internal resistance measurement, or impedance spectroscopy. Such devices may also be waterproofed to protect the battery and electronic circuits. These devices may also provide voltage regulation services to the home's electrical system.

[0177] In various embodiments, the battery can enable high-power appliances to be used with a 120V receptacle, in contrast to the need to install a 240V power supply. In some examples, the battery may have a storage capacity of 4 to 24 hours. Some embodiments can acquire real-time or historical usage data for rooms, houses, buildings, blocks, cities, states, etc. In various examples, it may be beneficial to minimize reversals (for example, multiple reversals can be prevented by an inverter of the battery module located on the DC bus). Some embodiments can have power sharing between appliances (for example, via extension cords, existing or new in-wall wiring, Ethernet, etc.). Some examples can have an integrated or replaceable battery module within the appliance. Such a battery module can be configured to be an integrated unit, such as being waterproof and heat-resistant, and can provide battery shallow cycles, fire suppression, battery monitoring, etc. Since control systems may be less expensive than batteries, the entire module including the control system may be a replaceable unit.

[0178] In various examples, battery modules can acquire and use different types of data to control battery usage. This may depend on network connectivity or system complexity. A simple battery module might simply include a clock and a lookup table, and the battery module operates based on time, day of the week, season, etc. Another more complex version might store usage history from the battery module itself or only from local battery modules and use the clock to control battery operation. Yet another more complex version may have network connectivity (e.g., to the internet), providing access to data from the power grid and allowing the use of data from remote modules.

[0179] Various embodiments can be configured to predict usage based on the data described above. Some embodiments can be configured to operate based on user input (for example, the user indicates whether they are cooking a meal now or will cook a meal later or at a later date). The prediction may be based on data such as a user calendar or a user-defined schedule.

[0180] Some devices may have high ramp-up requirements, and having a local battery 305 can reduce this, resulting in faster and better appliances (e.g., faster heating). Appliances can be configured to dial up the voltage as needed to provide improved appliance performance. Other advantages may include quieter operation from static electricity and ultrasonic induction in washer / dryer machines, and improved inverter efficiency.

[0181] While specific examples are described herein, these examples should not be construed as limiting the various alternative and additional embodiments that fall within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. For example, a home appliance, device, or system may be associated with one or more batteries described herein. Also, while residential examples are the focus of some of the examples herein, further embodiments may include apartment buildings, commercial buildings, vehicles, and the like.

[0182] As used herein, terms such as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc., are used to characterize and distinguish various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections. These elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections should not be limited by these terms. The use of numerical terms may be used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, and / or section from another element, component, region, layer, and / or section. The use of such numerical terms does not imply order or sequence unless explicitly indicated by the context. Such numerical references may be used interchangeably without departing from the teachings of embodiments and modifications herein.

[0183] Embodiments of this disclosure can be described in view of the following clauses. 1. A computer implementation method for determining the operating configuration of an electric stove, To obtain usage data of the electric stove associated with the electric stove, the electric stove is A cooktop having multiple heating regions, wherein each of the multiple heating regions includes an induction heating coil, and An interface including a plurality of knobs and a display, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of knobs is configured to control the plurality of heating regions, The power cord connected to the 120V receptacle, A charger that obtains power from the aforementioned 120V receptacle, Housing and A rechargeable 230VDC-250VDC lithium-ion battery integrally disposed within the housing, wherein the battery is configured to receive power from the charger and be charged by the charger, An induction driver for driving the induction heating coil of the heating region of the cooktop, including a first configuration that provides power only from the battery, a second configuration that provides power only from the 120V receptacle, and a third configuration that provides power from both the battery and the 120V receptacle, An electric oven is configured to be powered by a first configuration that provides power only from the battery, a second configuration that provides power only from the 120V receptacle, and a third configuration that provides power from both the battery and the 120V receptacle. An auxiliary electrical output is configured to output 120V power in a first configuration that provides power only from the battery, a second configuration that provides power only from the 120V receptacle, and a third configuration that provides power from both the battery and the 120V receptacle. Includes, The acquired stove usage data is Information regarding the current use of at least one of the heating regions of the cooktop, Information regarding the current use of the aforementioned electric oven, Information regarding the use of the aforementioned auxiliary electrical output, including, To obtain the above, To acquire power availability data including information regarding the availability of power from the 120V receptacle via the power cord and information regarding the availability of power from the battery, The operation configuration is determined based at least in part on the acquired stove usage data and the acquired power availability data, wherein the determined operation configuration is The heating area and the oven are configured to operate at a maximum power exceeding the 120V input voltage, based on power from both the 120V receptacle and the battery, or based on power from the battery alone. The heating area and the oven are configured to operate at a reduced power level lower than the maximum power, based on power from the 120V receptacle alone or from the battery alone. The determination includes one of the above, Switching to the determined operating configuration, which includes switching from the full power configuration to the reduced power configuration, or switching from the reduced power configuration to the full power configuration, The computer implementation method, including the above.

[0184] 2. The computer implementation method according to Clause 1, wherein the total power configuration further includes the auxiliary electrical output that outputs 120V power, and the reduced power configuration includes a shut-off power output from the auxiliary electrical output.

[0185] 3. The computer implementation method according to Clause 1 or 2, wherein the total power configuration includes the heating area and oven operating at a 240V input voltage based on power from both the 120V receptacle and the battery, or power from the battery alone.

[0186] 4. The computer implementation method according to any one of Clauses 1 to 3, wherein determining the operating configuration is at least in part further based on the acquired power availability data indicating that power is no longer available from the 120V receptacle or that power is no longer available from the battery.

[0187] 5. A computer implementation method for determining the operating configuration of a stove, The acquisition of usage data for the stove associated with the stove, wherein the stove is A cooktop having multiple heating zones, The power cord connected to the 120V receptacle, A charger that obtains power from the aforementioned 120V receptacle, Housing and A rechargeable 230VDC to 250VDC battery integrally disposed within the housing, wherein the battery is configured to receive power from the charger and be charged by the charger, A driver for driving the heating area of ​​the cooktop in multiple configurations, including two or more of the following: a first configuration that uses power only from the battery; a second configuration that uses power only from the 120V receptacle; and a third configuration that uses power from both the battery and the 120V receptacle. An oven is configured to be powered by multiple configurations, including two or more of the following: a first configuration powered solely by the battery; a second configuration powered solely by the 120V receptacle; and a third configuration powered by both the battery and the 120V receptacle. Includes, The acquired stove usage data is Information relating to the use of at least one of the heating regions of the cooktop, Information regarding the use of the oven, including, To obtain the above, To acquire power availability data including information regarding the availability of power from the 120V receptacle via the power cord and information regarding the availability of power from the battery, The operation configuration is determined based at least in part on the acquired stove usage data and the acquired power availability data, wherein the determined operation configuration is The heating area and the oven are configured to operate at a maximum power exceeding the 120V input voltage, based on power from both the 120V receptacle and the battery, or based on power from the battery alone. The heating area and the oven are configured to operate at a reduced power level lower than the maximum power, based on power from the 120V receptacle alone or from the battery alone. The determination includes one of the above, Switching to the determined operating configuration, which includes switching from the full power configuration to the reduced power configuration, or switching from the reduced power configuration to the full power configuration, The computer implementation method, including the above.

[0188] 6. The computer implementation method according to Clause 5, further comprising an auxiliary electrical output, wherein the stove is configured to output 120V power from two or more of the following: a first configuration having power from the battery only; a second configuration having power from the 120V receptacle only; and a third configuration having power from both the battery and the 120V receptacle.

[0189] 7. The computer mounting method according to either one of Clause 5 or 6, wherein the battery is a lithium system comprising at least one of lithium ions (Li ions), LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate), and lithium-ion polymer (LiPo).

[0190] 8. The computer implementation method according to any one of Clauses 5 to 7, further comprising an interface including a plurality of knobs and a display, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of knobs is configured to control the plurality of heating regions.

[0191] 9. The computer implementation method according to any one of the clauses 5 to 8, wherein each of the plurality of heating regions includes an induction heating coil.

[0192] 10. The computer implementation method according to any one of Clauses 5 to 9, wherein the total power configuration includes the heating area and oven that operate at an input voltage exceeding 200V based on power from both the 120V receptacle and the battery, or power from the battery alone.

[0193] 11. A computer implementation method for determining the operating configuration of a stove, The acquisition of usage data for the stove associated with the stove, wherein the stove is A cooktop having multiple heating zones, The power cord connected to the receptacle, Housing and A battery placed inside the housing, Includes, The acquired stove usage data is Information relating to the use of at least one of the heating regions of the cooktop, including, To obtain the above, To acquire power availability data including information regarding power availability from the receptacle via the power cord and information regarding power availability from the battery, The operation configuration is determined based at least in part on the acquired stove usage data and the acquired power availability data, wherein the determined operation configuration is The heating region has a total power configuration in which it operates at a maximum power exceeding a 120V input voltage, based on power from both the receptacle and the battery, or based on power from the battery alone. The heating region has a reduced power configuration in which it operates at a reduced power less than the maximum power, based on power from the receptacle alone or power from the battery alone. The determination includes one of the above, Switching to the determined operating configuration, which includes switching from the full power configuration to the reduced power configuration, or switching from the reduced power configuration to the full power configuration, The computer implementation method, including the above.

[0194] 12. The computer implementation method according to Clause 11, wherein the stove further includes a charger that obtains power from the receptacle, and the battery is configured to receive power from the charger and be charged by the charger.

[0195] 13. The computer implementation method according to either one of Clauses 11 or 12, wherein the battery is rechargeable, has a voltage of 230VDC to 250VDC, and is integrally located within the housing.

[0196] 14. The computer implementation method according to any one of clauses 11 to 13, wherein the stove further includes a driver for driving the heating area of ​​the cooktop in two or more configurations, including two or more of a first configuration having power from the battery only, a second configuration having power from the receptacle only, and a third configuration having power from both the battery and the receptacle.

[0197] 15. The computer implementation method according to any one of clauses 11 to 14, further comprising an oven configured to be powered in two or more configurations, including a first configuration having power from the battery only, a second configuration having power from the receptacle only, and a third configuration having power from both the battery and the receptacle.

[0198] 16. The stove is an oven, The heating region and the oven are configured to operate at a maximum power exceeding a 120V input voltage, based on power from both the receptacle and the battery, or based on power from the battery alone. The heating region and the oven are configured to operate at a reduced power level lower than the maximum power, based on power from the receptacle alone or from the battery alone. The computer implementation method described in any one of Clauses 11 to 15, further comprising the oven configured to operate in multiple configurations including the above.

[0199] 17. The computer implementation method according to any one of clauses 11 to 16, wherein the total power configuration includes the heating region which operates at a 240V input voltage based on power from both the receptacle and the battery, or power from the battery alone.

[0200] 18. The computer implementation method according to any one of the clauses 11 to 17, wherein determining the operating configuration is at least in part further based on the acquired power availability data indicating that power has become unavailable from the receptacle or power has become unavailable from the battery.

[0201] 19. A computer implementation method according to any one of the multiple heating regions, wherein one or more of the multiple heating regions each include an induction heating coil.

[0202] 20. The computer implementation method according to any one of claims 11 to 19, further comprising an auxiliary electrical output configured to output power in a plurality of configurations, including a first configuration having power from the battery only, a second configuration having power from the receptacle only, and a third configuration having power from both the battery and the receptacle.

[0203] The embodiments described are subject to various modifications and alternative forms, specific examples of which are shown as examples in the drawings and described in detail herein. However, the embodiments described should not be limited to any particular form or method disclosed; rather, it should be understood that this disclosure includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives. In addition, elements of a given embodiment should not be construed as applicable only to its exemplary embodiment; therefore, elements of one exemplary embodiment may be applicable to other embodiments. Furthermore, elements specifically shown in an exemplary embodiment should be construed as encompassing embodiments that include, are essentially derived from, or consist of such elements, or such elements may not be expressly present in further embodiments. Therefore, the description of elements present in an example should be construed as supporting some embodiments in which such elements are not expressly present.

Claims

1. A computer implementation method for determining the operating configuration of an electric stove, To obtain usage data of the electric stove associated with the electric stove, the electric stove is A cooktop having multiple heating regions, wherein each of the multiple heating regions includes an induction heating coil, and An interface including a plurality of knobs and a display, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of knobs is configured to control the plurality of heating regions, The power cord connected to the 120V receptacle, A charger that obtains power from the aforementioned 120V receptacle, Housing and A rechargeable 230VDC to 250VDC lithium-ion battery integrally disposed within the housing, wherein the battery is configured to receive power from the charger and be charged by the charger, An induction driver for driving the induction heating coil of the heating region of the cooktop, including a first configuration that provides power only from the battery, a second configuration that provides power only from the 120V receptacle, and a third configuration that provides power from both the battery and the 120V receptacle, An electric oven is configured to be powered by a first configuration that provides power only from the battery, a second configuration that provides power only from the 120V receptacle, and a third configuration that provides power from both the battery and the 120V receptacle. An auxiliary electrical output is configured to output 120V power in three configurations: a first configuration that provides power only from the battery, a second configuration that provides power only from the 120V receptacle, and a third configuration that provides power from both the battery and the 120V receptacle. Includes, The acquired stove usage data is Information relating to the current use of at least one of the heating regions of the cooktop, Information regarding the current use of the aforementioned electric oven, Information regarding the use of the aforementioned auxiliary electrical output, including, To obtain the above, To acquire power availability data including information regarding the availability of power from the 120V receptacle via the power cord and information regarding the availability of power from the battery, The operation configuration is determined based at least in part on the acquired stove usage data and the acquired power availability data, wherein the determined operation configuration is The heating area and the electric oven are configured to operate at a maximum power exceeding the 120V input voltage, based on power from both the 120V receptacle and the battery, or based on power from the battery alone. The heating area and the electric oven are configured to operate at a reduced power level lower than the maximum power, based on power from the 120V receptacle alone or from the battery alone. The determination includes one of the above, Switching to the determined operating configuration, which includes one of the following: switching from the full power configuration to the reduced power configuration, or switching from the reduced power configuration to the full power configuration. The computer implementation method, including the above.

2. The computer implementation method according to claim 1, wherein the total power configuration further includes the auxiliary electrical output that outputs 120V power, and the reduced power configuration includes a shut-off power output from the auxiliary electrical output.

3. The computer mounting method according to claim 1, wherein the total power configuration includes the heating area and oven that operate with a 240V input voltage based on power from both the 120V receptacle and the battery, or power from the battery alone.

4. The computer implementation method according to claim 1, wherein determining the operating configuration is at least partially further based on the acquired power availability data indicating that power is no longer available from the 120V receptacle or that power is no longer available from the battery.

5. A computer implementation method for determining the operating configuration of a stove, The acquisition of usage data for the stove associated with the stove, wherein the stove is A cooktop having multiple heating zones, The power cord connected to the 120V receptacle, A charger that obtains power from the aforementioned 120V receptacle, Housing and A rechargeable 230VDC to 250VDC battery integrally disposed within the housing, wherein the battery is configured to receive power from the charger and be charged by the charger, A driver that drives the heating area of ​​the cooktop in multiple configurations, including two or more of the following: a first configuration that uses power only from the battery; a second configuration that uses power only from the 120V receptacle; and a third configuration that uses power from both the battery and the 120V receptacle. An oven is configured to be powered by multiple configurations, including two or more of the following: a first configuration that provides power only from the battery; a second configuration that provides power only from the 120V receptacle; and a third configuration that provides power from both the battery and the 120V receptacle. Includes, The acquired stove usage data is Information relating to the use of at least one of the heating regions of the cooktop, Information regarding the use of the oven, including, To obtain the above, To acquire power availability data including information regarding the availability of power from the 120V receptacle via the power cord and information regarding the availability of power from the battery, The operation configuration is determined based at least in part on the acquired stove usage data and the acquired power availability data, wherein the determined operation configuration is The heating region and the oven are configured to operate at a maximum power exceeding the 120V input voltage, based on power from both the 120V receptacle and the battery, or based on power from the battery alone. The heating area and the oven are configured to operate at a reduced power level lower than the maximum power, based on power from the 120V receptacle alone or from the battery alone. The determination includes one of the above, Switching to the determined operating configuration, which includes one of the following: switching from the full power configuration to the reduced power configuration, or switching from the reduced power configuration to the full power configuration. The computer implementation method, including the above.

6. The computer implementation method according to claim 5, further comprising an auxiliary electrical output, wherein the stove is configured to output 120V power from two or more of the following: a first configuration having power only from the battery; a second configuration having power only from the 120V receptacle; and a third configuration having power from both the battery and the 120V receptacle.

7. The aforementioned battery is lithium-ion (Li-ion), LiFePO 4 The computer mounting method according to claim 5, wherein the lithium system comprises at least one of (lithium iron phosphate) and lithium-ion polymer (LiPo).

8. The computer implementation method according to claim 5, further comprising an interface including a plurality of knobs and a display, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of knobs is configured to control the plurality of heating regions.

9. The computer mounting method according to claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of heating regions includes an induction heating coil.

10. The computer mounting method according to claim 5, wherein the total power configuration includes the heating area and oven that operate at an input voltage exceeding 200V based on power from both the 120V receptacle and the battery, or power from the battery alone.

11. A computer implementation method for determining the operating configuration of a stove, The acquisition of usage data for the stove associated with the stove, wherein the stove is A cooktop having multiple heating zones, The power cord connected to the receptacle, Housing and A battery placed inside the aforementioned housing, Includes, The acquired stove usage data is Information relating to the use of at least one of the heating regions of the cooktop, including, To obtain the above, To acquire power availability data including information on power availability from the receptacle via the power cord and information on power availability from the battery, The operation configuration is determined based at least in part on the acquired stove usage data and the acquired power availability data, wherein the determined operation configuration is The heating region has a total power configuration in which it operates at a maximum power exceeding a 120V input voltage based on power from both the receptacle and the battery, or based on power from the battery alone. The heating region has a reduced power configuration in which it operates at a reduced power less than the maximum power, based on power from the receptacle alone or power from the battery alone. The determination includes one of the above, Switching to the determined operating configuration, which includes one of the following: switching from the full power configuration to the reduced power configuration, or switching from the reduced power configuration to the full power configuration. The computer implementation method, including the above.

12. The computer implementation method according to claim 11, wherein the stove further includes a charger that obtains power from the receptacle, and the battery is configured to receive power from the charger and be charged by the charger.

13. The computer mounting method according to claim 11, wherein the battery is rechargeable, has a voltage of 230 VDC to 250 VDC, and is integrally disposed within the housing.

14. The computer implementation method according to claim 11, further comprising a driver for driving the heating area of ​​the cooktop in two or more configurations, including two or more of the following: a first configuration having power only from the battery; a second configuration having power only from the receptacle; and a third configuration having power from both the battery and the receptacle.

15. The computer implementation method according to claim 11, further comprising an oven configured to be powered in two or more configurations, including a first configuration having power only from the battery, a second configuration having power only from the receptacle, and a third configuration having power from both the battery and the receptacle.

16. The aforementioned stove is an oven, The heating region and the oven are configured to operate at a maximum power exceeding a 120V input voltage, based on power from both the receptacle and the battery, or based on power from the battery alone. The heating region and the oven are configured to operate at a reduced power level lower than the maximum power, based on power from the receptacle alone or from the battery alone. The computer implementation method according to claim 11, further comprising the oven configured to operate in a plurality of configurations including the above.

17. The computer mounting method according to claim 11, wherein the total power configuration includes the heating region which operates at a 240V input voltage based on power from both the receptacle and the battery, or power from the battery alone.

18. The computer implementation method according to claim 11, wherein determining the operating configuration is at least partially further based on the acquired power availability data indicating that power has become unavailable from the receptacle or that power has become unavailable from the battery.

19. The computer mounting method according to claim 11, wherein one or more of the plurality of heating regions each include an induction heating coil.

20. The computer implementation method according to claim 11, further comprising an auxiliary electrical output configured to output power in a plurality of configurations, including two or more of the following: a first configuration having power only from the battery; a second configuration having power only from the receptacle; and a third configuration having power from both the battery and the receptacle.

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