Household Appliance Control Module for Dynamic Tariff Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Household appliances lack the flexibility to utilize favorable electricity tariffs effectively, as they do not have a mechanism to receive and respond to dynamic electricity pricing information from energy suppliers.
Innovation Solution
A household appliance with an electronic control facility that integrates an interface contact for receiving electricity tariff information via ripple control signals, WLAN, or internet, allowing for optimization of operation timing and parameters, and featuring a control module that can be retrofitted for remote control and signal processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If household appliances operate without integrated communication interfaces, then device complexity remains low, but the ability to utilize favorable electricity tariffs is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The connection means is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides both electrical energy supply to the appliance and enables communication for receiving electricity tariff information from the energy supply network. This multi-functionality allows the appliance to utilize favorable tariffs without adding separate communication hardware, thus improving adaptability while controlling complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A control module is introduced as an intermediary component that mediates between the connection means and the appliance's control facility. The control module receives tariff information via the connection means and transmits it to the control facility, enabling tariff utilization while keeping the core appliance design relatively simple and allowing optional retrofitting.
2Extent of automation
If a control module is integrated into the appliance, then remote control capability is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control module is designed as a separate, modular component that can be attached to the appliance externally rather than being fully integrated during manufacturing. This segmentation allows the appliance to be manufactured in a basic configuration, with the control module added later as an optional retrofit, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture while achieving remote control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection means is pre-designed with interface contacts that can accommodate the control module, preparing the appliance structure in advance for potential remote control functionality. This preliminary preparation allows for easy addition of the control module later without requiring major structural modifications, balancing ease of manufacture with automation capability.
3Loss of information
If interface contacts are added to the connection means, then information transmission capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The interface contacts for information transmission are merged with the existing connection means that already provides electrical energy supply. By combining communication functionality with the existing power connection, the system enables information transmission without adding separate communication hardware, thus improving information capability while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A household appliance includes an electronic control facility controlling at least one appliance component of the household appliance, and a connection adapted for connecting the household appliance to a network connection line to supply the household appliance with electrical energy. The connection has at least one interface contact, wherein electricity tariff information is routed from an energy supplier to the control facility, when the interface contact is contacted.