Abstract: An air conditioning device for a vehicle includes: a housing having an inside divided into an inflow space, a heat exchange space, and an outflow space, which are straightly arranged, and having a plurality of discharge ports, which communicates with an interior, at the inflow space; a blowing unit disposed at the inflow space of the housing and configured to blow air; a heat exchange unit disposed at the heat exchange space of the housing and configured to adjust a temperature of conditioned air by exchanging heat with air; and an opening-closing door disposed at the outflow space of the housing and configured to open and close the plurality of discharge ports such that conditioned air at an adjusted temperature selectively flows to the plurality of discharge ports. The air conditioning device adjusts the temperature of conditioned air for respective modes and reduces a flow resistance of air.

Abstract: A method for controlling a power management system includes if a registration mode of a smart socket is performed in a power management apparatus, displaying a second code of the power management apparatus; acquiring a code image of the second code on the power management apparatus using a terminal acquiring a code image from a first code assigned to the smart socket to recognize each other; receiving information of an electric device to be coupled to the smart socket; and pairing the smart socket corresponding to the first code by reading the code image with the electric device information, transmitting the paired information to the power management apparatus corresponding to the second code, and storing the paired information in the power management apparatus corresponding to the displayed code.

Abstract: A method of controlling operations of a participating controlled device in a network that includes a control device and the participating controlled device, the method including: receiving operation limiting information from the participating controlled device, the operation limiting information including combinations of allowed operations from among a plurality of operations that the participating controlled device is capable of performing, and power consumption levels that are relative amounts of power consumption of the combinations of allowed operations; setting a power consumption level corresponding to the participating controlled device, from among the power consumption levels, based on information regarding time-based price and the operation limiting information; and controlling the operations of the participating controlled device based on the set power consumption level.

Abstract: A cleaning robot and a control method thereof may improve power consumption efficiency by using low-voltage power for a moving or inspecting operation and performing the moving or inspecting operation while operation of the cleaning unit is stopped when the operation of the cleaning unit is not needed. The cleaning robot includes a battery, a moving unit, a cleaning unit, a power converter which converts and outputs power supplied from the battery into a first voltage driving the moving unit and a second voltage driving the cleaning unit, and a controller which supplies power having the first voltage to the moving unit so as to drive the moving unit and supplies power having the second voltage to the cleaning unit so as to perform a cleaning operation. The controller continues driving the moving unit but stops driving the cleaning unit when the cleaning robot moves on an already cleaned area.

Abstract: A robot cleaner that sweeps dust on the floor toward its center and absorbs the dust through a small-area inlet with a strong suction force, by a cleaning tool that integrates functions of side brushes and a main brush into one. The present disclosure also provides a robot cleaner that enables a large-diameter foreign material to be guided to and effectively absorbed through the inlet without interference by a cleaning tool. The robot cleaner includes a main unit including a fan motor and a dust collector and having an inlet arranged on a base to absorb foreign materials, and a cleaning tool arranged in the bottom of the base, extending to a front side of the base from the inlet and guiding a foreign material on a floor to a side of the inlet, wherein the cleaning tool is arranged to be movable by an external force.

Abstract: A power management apparatus includes an electric device including a plurality of operation algorithm information and power information for each operation level corresponding to each operation algorithm information, and a power management unit to receive power rate information from a power provider, determine an operation level of the electric device on the basis of the received power rate information and power information for each operation level of the electric device, and control an operation of the electric device at the determined operation level. As a result, the power management apparatus performs different operation algorithms according to power rate information, and controls power consumption of the electric device, such that energy efficiency at the user side can be maximized. In response to the changed power rate information, the currently-driven electric device and the electric device to be driven can be driven at the optimum operation level appropriate for their power consumption characteristics.

Abstract: A robot cleaner capable of vacuuming foreign materials on a floor includes a main body to which a dust collector is mounted and a vacuuming unit provided at a front portion of the main body to clean a floor. The vacuuming unit is configured to move relative to the main body. If it is determined that the robot cleaner is located near a wall or an obstacle, the vacuuming unit moves to the wall or the obstacle. Since the vacuuming unit contacts the wall or the obstacle, a region of a floor near the wall or the obstacle may be cleaned. Further, a manual cleaner may be selectively connected to a channel connector of the robot cleaner so that a user may choose automatic or manual cleaning of a floor at the user's convenience.

Abstract: A method of controlling operations of a participating controlled device in a network that includes a control device and the participating controlled device, the method including: receiving operation limiting information from the participating controlled device, the operation limiting information including combinations of allowed operations from among a plurality of operations that the participating controlled device is capable of performing, and power consumption levels that are relative amounts of power consumption of the combinations of allowed operations; setting a power consumption level corresponding to the participating controlled device, from among the power consumption levels, based on information regarding time-based price and the operation limiting information; and controlling the operations of the participating controlled device based on the set power consumption level.

Abstract: An energy management apparatus and a user interface method thereof, an electric device controlled by the energy management apparatus, and an energy management apparatus including the same are disclosed. A user interface that intuitively and simply displays a user input for controlling energy consumption of the electric device and a degree of inconvenience that a user experiences when the electric device operates according to the user input is provided to allow the user to be intuitively aware of the degree of inconvenience due to the user input, thereby enabling more intuitive user interaction.

Abstract: A method of controlling operations of a participating controlled device in a network that includes a control device and the participating controlled device, the method including: receiving operation limiting information from the participating controlled device, the operation limiting information including combinations of allowed operations from among a plurality of operations that the participating controlled device is capable of performing, and power consumption levels that are relative amounts of power consumption of the combinations of allowed operations; setting a power consumption level corresponding to the participating controlled device, from among the power consumption levels, based on information regarding time-based price and the operation limiting information; and controlling the operations of the participating controlled device based on the set power consumption level.

Abstract: A power management system includes a plurality of electrical instruments and a power management apparatus. Each of the plurality of electrical instruments has at least one characteristic function and an arbitration function which is discriminated from the characteristic function and requires power arbitration. Each electrical instrument includes a plurality of operation algorithms having at least one characteristic function, operation levels respectively corresponding to the plurality of operation algorithms, power information for the respective operation levels, and power information of the arbitration function. The power management apparatus receives power rate information from a power provider, determines the operation levels of the plurality of electrical instruments and controls the electrical instruments to be driven at the determined operation levels.

Abstract: An electric device includes a storage unit to store operation information for each period, a controller to generate a power consumption pattern on the basis of the operation information for each period, and generate a consulting message on the basis of a power consumption pattern, and a display to display the consulting message. A power management device includes a communication unit to receive operation information for each period from several electric devices, a controller to generate a consulting message for each electric device, generate a power consumption pattern on the basis of operation information for each period, and generate a consulting message on the basis of the power consumption pattern, and a display to display a consulting message for each electric device. The electric device or the power management device informs a user of a power consumption pattern on the basis of operation- and environmental-information for each electric device.

Abstract: A method for controlling a power management system includes if a registration mode of a smart socket is performed in a power management apparatus, displaying a second code of the power management apparatus; acquiring a code image of the second code on the power management apparatus using a terminal acquiring a code image from a first code assigned to the smart socket to recognize each other; receiving information of an electric device to be coupled to the smart socket; and pairing the smart socket corresponding to the first code by reading the code image with the electric device information, transmitting the paired information to the power management apparatus corresponding to the second code, and storing the paired information in the power management apparatus corresponding to the displayed code.

Abstract: A power management system includes a smart socket to meter power consumption of an electric device by connecting to the electric device, and be assigned a code, a power management apparatus to display a code image when a registration mode of the smart socket is performed, and a terminal to acquire a code image of the power management apparatus and a code image of the smart socket, receive information of an electric device to be coupled to the smart socket, read the acquired code images of the power management apparatus and the smart socket, pair the read power management apparatus and the smart socket code with the electric device information, and transmit the paired information to the power management apparatus. Users of all ages and dexterity can easily register, change, and release the smart socket and the electric device, such that user efficiency and accessibility are increased.

Abstract: A robot cleaner capable of vacuuming foreign materials on a floor includes a main body to which a dust collector is mounted and a vacuuming unit provided at a front portion of the main body to clean a floor. The vacuuming unit is configured to move relative to the main body. If it is determined that the robot cleaner is located near a wall or an obstacle, the vacuuming unit moves to the wall or the obstacle. Since the vacuuming unit contacts the wall or the obstacle, a region of a floor near the wall or the obstacle may be cleaned. Further, a manual cleaner may be selectively connected to a channel connector of the robot cleaner so that a user may choose automatic or manual cleaning of a floor at the user's convenience.

Abstract: A cleaning robot and a control method thereof may improve power consumption efficiency by using low-voltage power for a moving or inspecting operation and performing the moving or inspecting operation while operation of the cleaning unit is stopped when the operation of the cleaning unit is not needed. The cleaning robot includes a battery, a moving unit, a cleaning unit, a power converter which converts and outputs power supplied from the battery into a first voltage driving the moving unit and a second voltage driving the cleaning unit, and a controller which supplies power having the first voltage to the moving unit so as to drive the moving unit and supplies power having the second voltage to the cleaning unit so as to perform a cleaning operation. The controller continues driving the moving unit but stops driving the cleaning unit when the cleaning robot moves on an already cleaned area.

Abstract: A robot cleaner that sweeps dust on the floor toward its center and absorbs the dust through a small-area inlet with a strong suction force, by a cleaning tool that integrates functions of side brushes and a main brush into one. The present disclosure also provides a robot cleaner that enables a large-diameter foreign material to be guided to and effectively absorbed through the inlet without interference by a cleaning tool. The robot cleaner includes a main unit including a fan motor and a dust collector and having an inlet arranged on a base to absorb foreign materials, and a cleaning tool arranged in the bottom of the base, extending to a front side of the base from the inlet and guiding a foreign material on a floor to a side of the inlet, wherein the cleaning tool is arranged to be movable by an external force.

Abstract: A power management apparatus includes an electric device including a plurality of operation algorithm information and power information for each operation level corresponding to each operation algorithm information, and a power management unit to receive power rate information from a power provider, determine an operation level of the electric device on the basis of the received power rate information and power information for each operation level of the electric device, and control an operation of the electric device at the determined operation level. As a result, the power management apparatus performs different operation algorithms according to power rate information, and controls power consumption of the electric device, such that energy efficiency at the user side can be maximized. In response to the changed power rate information, the currently-driven electric device and the electric device to be driven can be driven at the optimum operation level appropriate for their power consumption characteristics.

Abstract: A power management apparatus includes an electric device including a plurality of operation algorithm information and power information for each operation level corresponding to each operation algorithm information, and a power management unit to receive power rate information from a power provider, determine an operation level of the electric device on the basis of the received power rate information and power information for each operation level of the electric device, and control an operation of the electric device at the determined operation level. As a result, the power management apparatus performs different operation algorithms according to power rate information, and controls power consumption of the electric device, such that energy efficiency at the user side can be maximized. In response to the changed power rate information, the currently-driven electric device and the electric device to be driven can be driven at the optimum operation level appropriate for their power consumption characteristics.

Abstract: A power management apparatus includes a communication unit to receive power rate information from a power provider and receive power consumption information and reservation information from an electric device, and a controller to decide an operation order on the basis of power consumption information and reservation information of the electric device, perform scheduling to decide an operation start time on the basis of the power rate information and reservation information in the operation order, and control an operation time of the electric device on the basis of the scheduling result. As a result, the power management apparatus performs optimum scheduling of an electric device using power rate information provided from the power provider, and power consumption information and reservation information of the electric device, resulting in an increase in user satisfaction.