Granted Patent B2

US 7,200,467 · App. 11/254,994 · Granted Apr 3, 2007

Abstract

Claims (61)

1. A method for managing electric power consumed by an appliance having an interior accessible by consumers through a door having an open state and a closed state, the appliance including a cooling system having at least a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation for cooling the interior of the appliance, the method comprising:

monitoring the appliance to identify the open state of the door; and

transitioning the cooling system of the appliance from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation responsive at least in part to identification of the open state of the door.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interior of the appliance accessible by consumers has an internal temperature and wherein the method further comprises:

monitoring the internal temperature of the interior of the appliance; and

transitioning the cooling system of the appliance from the second mode of operation to the first mode of operation responsive at least in part to the monitored internal temperature being below a predefined temperature and the door open state not being identified for a predefined period of time.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first mode of operation is an energy savings mode of operation and the second mode of operation is a normal mode of operation.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the cooling system includes an evaporator fan and a compressor and wherein the energy savings mode of operation includes an energy savings minimum mode in which the evaporator fan is on and the compressor is off and an energy savings maximum mode in which the evaporator fan is off and the compressor is off.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the normal mode of operation includes an initialization mode in which the evaporator fan is off and the compressor is off, a recovery mode in which the evaporator fan is on and the compressor is off, a normal off mode in which the evaporator fan is on and the compressor is off, and a normal cooling mode in which the evaporator fan is on and the compressor is on.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the cooling system further comprises an evaporator coil and wherein the method further comprises:

transitioning the cooling system from the normal cooling mode to the recovery mode prior to transitioning to the normal off cooling mode if the compressor has been on longer than a predetermined period of time, whereby the evaporator coil is prevented from freezing up.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising the step of:

providing a visual indication of a current mode of the cooling system with a visual indicator.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring includes:

obtaining and storing a prior temperature within the interior of the appliance;

obtaining a current temperature within the interior of the appliance;

comparing the current temperature to the prior temperature to develop a rate of temperature change; and

identifying the door open state if the rate of temperature change is greater than a predefined rate of change.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring includes:

monitoring a proximity switch that is actuated when the door of the appliance is open; and

identifying the door open state when the proximity switch is actuated.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring includes:

monitoring an occupancy sensor positioned within the interior of the appliance; and

identifying the door open state when the occupancy sensor senses movement.

11. A method for managing electric power consumed by an appliance having an interior accessible by consumers through a door having an open state and a closed state, the appliance including a cooling system having at least an energy savings mode of operation and a normal mode of operation for cooling the interior of the appliance, the interior of the appliance having an internal temperature, the method comprising:

monitoring the door to identify the open state of the door;

monitoring the internal temperature of the interior of the appliance;

transitioning the cooling system of the appliance from the energy savings mode of operation to the normal mode of operation responsive at least in part to identification of the open state of the door; and

transitioning the cooling system of the appliance from the normal mode of operation to the energy savings mode of operation responsive at least in part to the monitored internal temperature being below a predefined temperature and the door open state not being identified for a predefined period of time.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the monitoring of the door includes:

obtaining a current temperature within the interior of the appliance;

obtaining a prior temperature within the interior of the appliance;

comparing the current temperature to the prior temperature to develop a rate of temperature change; and

identifying the door open state if the rate of temperature change is greater than a predefined rate of change.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cooling system includes an evaporator fan and a compressor, wherein the energy savings mode of operation includes (i) an energy savings minimum mode in which the evaporator fan is on and the compressor is off and (ii) an energy savings maximum mode in which the evaporator fan is off and the compressor is off, and wherein the normal mode of operation includes (iii) an initialization mode in which the evaporator fan is off and the compressor is off, (iv) a recovery mode in which the evaporator fan is on and the compressor is off, (v) a normal off mode in which the evaporator fan is on and the compressor is off, and (vi) a normal cooling mode in which the evaporator fan is on and the compressor is on.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the cooling system further comprises an evaporator coil and wherein the method further comprises:

transitioning the cooling system from the normal cooling mode to the recovery mode prior to transitioning to the normal off cooling mode if the compressor has been on longer than a predetermined period of time, whereby the evaporator coil is prevented from freezing up.

15. An appliance that manages electric power consumption, the appliance comprising:

a housing including a product display area having an interior, the interior having a temperature;

a door coupled to the housing through which consumers access the product display area, the door having an open state and a closed state; and

a cooling system having at least an energy savings mode of operation and a normal mode of operation coupled to the interior of the product display area, the cooling system;

monitoring the appliance to identify the door open state;

controlling the temperature within the interior of the product display area, and

transitioning between the energy savings mode of operation and the normal mode of operation responsive at least in part to identification of the door open state.

16. The appliance of claim 15 , further comprising:

a temperature sensor coupled to the cooling system, the temperature sensor positioned within the interior of the product display area and generating a temperature signal representing the temperature within the interior of the product display area,

wherein the cooling system monitors the appliance to identify the door open state by monitoring a rate of change of the temperature signal.

17. The appliance of claim 15 , further comprising:

an occupancy sensor positioned within the interior of the product display area, the occupancy sensor generating an occupancy signal responsive to movement of the door,

wherein the cooling system identifies the door open state responsive to the occupancy signal.

18. The appliance of claim 15 , further comprising:

a proximity switch coupled to the housing, the proximity switch generating an actuated signal responsive to movement of the door,

wherein the cooling system identifies the door open state responsive to the actuated signal.

19. The appliance of claim 15 , wherein the appliance receives power from a power source and wherein the cooling system includes:

a compressor;

an evaporator fan;

a first switch coupled to the compressor that couples the compressor to the power source responsive to a first control signal;

a second switch coupled to the evaporator fan that couples the evaporator fan to the power source responsive to a second control signal; and

a processor coupled to the first and second switch, the processor generating the first and second control signals responsive to the door open state and the temperature within the interior of the product display area.

20. The appliance of claim 15 , further comprising:

a visual indicator coupled to the cooling system, the visual indicator indicating a current one of the modes of operation of the cooling system.

Assignments (11)