Component-oriented design of an intelligent, networked refrigerator

Fieldbus systems in home automation are still an emerging technology, although the networking of household appliances has advantages like remote control and maintenance, but also energy management We demonstrate how the controller of an off-the-shelf refrigerator can be redesigned to make the device network-aware. In this case study, the appliance has been equipped with an EIB interface. Both hard- and software have been designed in a modular way according to functional components. This concept gives the possibility to replace control algorithms by more sophisticated ones and to establish a coordinated consumption of electrical energy to avoid expensive load peaks.