Darin L Franks

US Patent:

8367984, Feb 5, 2013

Filed:

Sep 15, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/559654

Inventors:

John K. Besore - Prospect KY, US
Jeff Donald Drake - Louisville KY, US
Michael F. Finch - Louisville KY, US
Darin Franks - Lanesville IN, US
John Joseph Roetker - Louisville KY, US
Steven Keith Root - Buckner KY, US
Natarajan Venkatakrishnan - Louisville KY, US
Eric K. Watson - Crestwood KY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

H05B 1/02

US Classification:

219490, 219492, 219494, 219510

Abstract:

A water heater comprises a body defining a chamber for holding water to be heated, an inlet opening and an outlet opening in communication with the chamber for flowing water therethrough and one or more power consuming features/functions including a heater for heating the water within the chamber. A controller is operatively connected to the one or more power consuming features/functions. The controller is configured to receive and process a signal indicative of a utility state. The controller operates the water heater in one of a plurality of operating modes, including at least a normal operating mode and an energy savings mode, in response to the received signal. The controller is configured to at least one of selectively adjust and deactivate at least one of the one or more power consuming features/functions to reduce power consumption of the water heater in the energy savings mode.

US Patent:

8474279, Jul 2, 2013

Filed:

Sep 15, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/559561

Inventors:

John K. Besore - Prospect KY, US
Richard DeVos - Goshen KY, US
Jeff Donald Drake - Louisville KY, US
Michael F. Finch - Louisville KY, US
Ronald Gary Foster - Louisville KY, US
Darin Franks - Lanesville IN, US
William Newton - Brooks KY, US
Steven Keith Root - Buckner KY, US
Natarajan Venkatakrishnan - Louisville KY, US
Eric K. Watson - Crestwood KY, US
Timothy Dale Worthington - Crestwood KY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G05D 23/19
F25B 49/00

US Classification:

62157, 622281, 62230, 34087017

Abstract:

A refrigerator comprises a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment and one or more power consuming features/functions including a refrigeration system for cooling the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment. A controller is operatively connected to the one or more power consuming features/functions. The controller is configured to receive and process a signal indicative of current state of an associated energy supplying utility. The controller operates the refrigerator in one of plurality of operating modes, including at least a normal operating mode and an energy savings mode, in response to the received signal. The controller is configured to at least one of selectively schedule, delay, adjust and deactivate at least one of the one or more power consuming features/functions to reduce power consumption of the refrigerator in the energy savings mode.

US Patent:

8617316, Dec 31, 2013

Filed:

Sep 15, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/559577

Inventors:

Michael F. Finch - Louisville KY, US
John K. Besore - Prospect KY, US
Jeff Donald Drake - Louisville KY, US
Darin Franks - Lanesville IN, US
Erick Paul Graven - Louisville KY, US
Om Hari - Louisville KY, US
Steven Keith Root - Buckner KY, US
Nagaraju Valluri - Louisville KY, US
Natarajan Venkatakrishnan - Louisville KY, US
Eric K. Watson - Crestwood KY, US
Timothy Martin Wetzel - Louisville KY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

B08B 7/04
B08B 3/04

US Classification:

134 18, 134 252

Abstract:

A dishwasher is provided comprising one or more power consuming functions and a controller in signal communication with an associated utility. The controller can receive and process a signal from the associated utility indicative of current cost of supplied energy. The controller operates the dishwasher in one of a normal operating mode and an energy savings mode based on the received signal. The controller is configured to change the power consuming functions by adjusting one or more of an operation schedule, an operation delay, an operation adjustment, and a selective deactivation of at least one of the one or more power consuming functions to reduce power consumption of the dishwasher in the energy savings mode.

US Patent:

8626347, Jan 7, 2014

Filed:

Dec 14, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/715263

Inventors:

John K. Besore - Prospect KY, US
Michael Thomas Beyerle - Pewee Valley KY, US
David C. Bingham - Louisville KY, US
Darin Franks - Lanesville IN, US
Byron K. Guernsey - Charlestown IN, US
Darko Ilickovic - Mount Washington KY, US
Mallika Ravindra Patel - DesPlaines IL, US
Brian Michael Schork - Louisville KY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G05D 7/00
G05D 11/00
G05D 3/12
G05D 5/00
G05D 9/00
G05D 17/00

US Classification:

700282, 700295

Abstract:

A household appliance system comprising an appliance control system having a common appliance interface provided on an appliance and a demand side management module connected to the common appliance interface. The module corresponds to one select utility of a plurality of utilities and is configured to communicate with the one select utility of the plurality of utilities. The appliance control system operates the appliance based on communications with the one select utility through the module.

US Patent:

8627689, Jan 14, 2014

Filed:

Sep 15, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/559751

Inventors:

Michael F. Finch - Louisville KY, US
John Besore - Prospect KY, US
Jeff Donald Drake - Louisville KY, US
Darin Franks - Lanesville IN, US
Chad Michael Helms - Louisville KY, US
Jerrod Aaron Kappler - Louisville KY, US
Steven Keith Root - Buckner KY, US
Natarajan Venkatakrishnan - Louisville KY, US
Eric K. Watson - Crestwood KY, US
Joshua S. Wiseman - Elizabethtown KY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

D06F 33/00

US Classification:

68 1212, 68 1216

Abstract:

A clothes washer is provided comprising one or more power consuming functions and a controller in signal communication with an associated utility. The controller can receive and process a signal from the associated utility indicative of current state of an associated utility. The controller operates the clothes washer in one of a plurality of operating modes, including at least a normal operating mode and an energy savings mode in response to the received signal. The controller is configured to change the power consuming functions by adjusting one or more of an operation schedule, an operation delay, an operation adjustment, and a selective deactivation of at least one of the one or more power consuming functions to reduce power consumption of the clothes washer in the energy savings mode.

US Patent:

20100070099, Mar 18, 2010

Filed:

Sep 15, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/559636

Inventors:

Eric K. Watson - Crestwood KY, US
John K. Besore - Prospect KY, US
Michael Thomas Beyerle - Pewee Valley KY, US
David C. Bingham - Louisville KY, US
Darin Franks - Lanesville IN, US
Byron Guernsey - Charlestown IN, US
Darko Ilickovic - Mount Washington KY, US
Mallika Ravindra Patel - DesPlaines IL, US
Brian Michael Schork - Louisville KY, US

International Classification:

G06F 1/32
G06F 1/26

US Classification:

700295

Abstract:

A household appliance system and method include an appliance control system having a common appliance interface provided on an appliance and a demand side management module connected to the common appliance interface. The module corresponds to one select utility of a plurality of utilities and is adapted to communicate with the one select utility of the plurality of utilities. The appliance control system operates the appliance based on communications with the one select utility through the module.

US Patent:

20100092625, Apr 15, 2010

Filed:

Sep 15, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/559597

Inventors:

Michael F. Finch - Louisville KY, US
John K. Besore - Prospect KY, US
Timothy Dale Worthington - Crestwood KY, US
Brian M. Steurer - Louisville KY, US
Derrick Douglas Little - Louisville KY, US
Ashley Wayne Burt - Louisville KY, US
Patrick Ryan Cox - Louisville KY, US
Craig Nold - Louisville KY, US
Jeff Donald Drake - Louisville KY, US
Jeremy Joseph Ryan - Louisville KY, US
Darin Franks - Lanesville IN, US
Steven Keith Root - Buckner KY, US
Natarajan Venkatakrishnan - Louisville KY, US
Eric Watson - Crestwood KY, US
Jeffrey S. Weber - Cincinnati OH, US

International Classification:

H05B 1/02
A47J 36/00

US Classification:

426231, 99325

Abstract:

A cooking appliance comprises one or more power consuming features/functions including at least one of a cooking cavity having a heating element and a cooking surface having a surface heating element. A controller is configured to receive and process a signal indicative of current state of an associated energy supplying utility. The controller operates the cooking appliance in one of a plurality of operating modes, including at least a normal operating mode and an energy savings mode, in response to the received signal. The controller is configured to at least one of selectively delay, adjust and disable at least one of the one or more power consuming features/functions to reduce power consumption of the cooking appliance in the energy savings mode.

US Patent:

20100174668, Jul 8, 2010

Filed:

Sep 15, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/559684

Inventors:

MICHAEL F. FINCH - Louisville KY, US
John K. Besore - Prospect KY, US
Jeff Donald Drake - Louisville KY, US
Darin Franks - Lanesville IN, US
Chad Michael Helms - Louisville KY, US
Jerrod Aaron Kappler - Louisville KY, US
Steven Keith Root - Buckner KY, US
Natarajan Venkatakrishnan - Louisville KY, US
Eric K. Watson - Crestwood KY, US
Joshua S. Wiseman - Elizabethtown KY, US

International Classification:

G06F 1/32
F26B 25/06
F26B 19/00
F26B 21/06
G06Q 30/00
G06Q 50/00

US Classification:

705412, 34218, 34572, 34 88, 34543, 700275, 700296

Abstract:

A clothes dryer is provided comprising one or more power consuming functions and a controller in signal communication with an associated utility. The controller can receive and process a signal from the associated utility indicative of current cost of supplied energy. The controller operates the clothes dryer in one of a normal operating mode and an energy savings mode based on the received signal. The controller is configured to change the power consuming functions by adjusting one or more of an operation schedule, an operation delay, an operation adjustment, and a selective deactivation of at least one of the one or more power consuming functions to reduce power consumption of the clothes dryer in the energy savings mode.