Patent ID: 9146604
Filing Date: 2015-09-29
Classification: G06F,H02J,Y02B,Y04S

Abstract:
1. An electric apparatus using electric power, comprising: a communication unit configured to receive power information including electric rate information or power demand information on each of time zones from an outside of the electric apparatus; a timer configured to determine a user unused time period which is a time period passed from a user's final handling time on the electric apparatus or final user presence time to the electric apparatus detected by a sensor during a normal operation mode of the electric apparatus; a shifting time period setting unit configured to vary a mode shifting reference time period with reference to the electric rate information or the power demand information, wherein the mode shifting reference time period in the time zone in which the electric rate is a high rate is shorter than the mode shifting reference time period in the time zone in which the electric rate is a middle rate, and wherein the mode shifting reference time period in the time zone in which the electric rate is the middle rate is shorter than the mode shifting reference time period in the time zone in which the electric rate is a low rate; and a control unit configured to shift an operation mode of the electric apparatus from the normal operation mode to a power saving mode for enabling the electric apparatus to use less power than the normal operation mode when the user unused time period is greater than or equal to the mode shifting reference time period.