Television Receiver Power Usage Monitoring and Appliance Status Notifications
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing home power usage monitoring systems lack granularity to identify specific sources of inefficiency, and users often cannot be notified when appliances complete tasks due to lack of audible indicators while watching television.
Innovation Solution
A television receiver system that receives and processes power usage information from electrical devices or monitoring devices, allowing users to view this information on a presentation device, and outputs status messages regarding the operational status of these devices, including task completion notifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If total power usage meters are used to monitor energy consumption, then energy monitoring capability is provided, but granularity to identify specific device sources of inefficiency is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the monitoring system into multiple independent components: individual appliance monitoring devices that attach to specific appliances, a communication network that transports data, and a central display device (television) that presents aggregated information. This segmentation enables granular measurement of each appliance's power consumption while distributing system complexity across multiple simple components rather than requiring one complex centralized meter.
2Ease of operation
If users watch television while waiting for appliance tasks to complete, then entertainment is provided, but awareness of task completion is lost due to inability to hear appliance indicators
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a television as an intermediary device that receives status information from appliances via a communication network and converts it into visual notifications displayed on the screen. This intermediary translates appliance status data into a format (visual overlays, pop-up messages, or dedicated status screens) that users can perceive while watching television, eliminating the need to physically approach or listen to appliance indicators.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/acoustic indicator system of appliances (visual lights and audible beeps) with an electronic information system that transmits data through a communication network and displays status on a television screen. This substitution allows users to receive status information remotely through visual channels that do not interfere with television watching, maintaining awareness without requiring physical proximity to appliances.
3Loss of information
If individual appliance monitoring is implemented, then detailed power usage information is obtained, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the television receiver a multi-functional device that simultaneously serves as an entertainment device and an information display device for the monitoring system. By utilizing the existing television screen and processing capabilities, the system avoids adding dedicated display hardware, reducing overall system complexity while providing detailed appliance-level power consumption information to users.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are techniques for displaying power usage information on a television receiver. A television receiver receives power usage information regarding electrical devices and outputs the power usage information and status information regarding the electrical device for presentation by a presentation device.