Electrical appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing energy management systems lack real-time pricing information and consumer-directed energy management, leading to inefficiencies in energy distribution and usage, with consumers unable to effectively respond to price changes and resulting in potential power supply issues or blackouts.
Innovation Solution
An electrical appliance with a communication unit, control unit, and input unit that receives energy-related information to select between power-saving modes, including delay appliance load and temporary appliance load reduction modes, based on restriction time periods, allowing for dynamic energy consumption adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If appliances operate in user-input time zones and operation modes, then user convenience is improved, but power supply stability deteriorates due to excessive consumption during peak times
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit receives energy related information (including real-time pricing and restriction time periods) from the communication unit and uses this feedback to automatically adjust appliance operation modes, switching between first and second power saving modes based on current energy conditions, thereby resolving the contradiction between user convenience and power supply stability
Solution Approach 2:
The appliance transitions from static user-input operation modes to dynamic automated mode selection, where the control unit continuously adjusts operation modes based on real-time energy related information received through the communication unit, enabling the system to adapt to changing energy conditions while maintaining user convenience
2Device complexity
If a fixed price system is used, then system simplicity is improved, but energy management effectiveness deteriorates due to inability to implement price-based inducements
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates real-time pricing information and restriction time periods as dynamic parameters that the control unit uses to adjust appliance operation, enabling price-based energy management inducements while maintaining relative system simplicity through automated control logic
3Ease of operation
If appliances do not respond to real-time energy information, then operation simplicity is improved, but energy consumption efficiency deteriorates during peak demand periods
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit automatically manages appliance operation based on received energy related information without requiring user intervention, selecting between different power saving modes autonomously to improve energy consumption efficiency while maintaining operation simplicity
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical appliance includes a communication unit receiving energy related information from the outside; a control unit receiving the energy related information from the communication unit; an energy consumption component operating by the control unit; and an input unit receiving a command for selecting an operation mode of the energy consumption component. The operation mode of the energy consumption component includes a first power saving mode in which the operation of the energy consumption component is restricted on a basis of the energy related information, and a second power saving mode in which the operation of the energy consumption component is restricted irrespective of the energy related information. One of the first and second power saving modes is selected through the input unit.