Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6625999
-
Patent Number
6,625,999
-
Date Filed
Friday, March 29, 200222 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, September 30, 200321 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 062 186
- 062 208
- 062 209
- 062 213
- 062 441
- 062 443
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International Classifications
-
Abstract
A method for controlling a cooling system configured to cool a compartment is provided. The method includes receiving a temperature of the compartment from a temperature sensor, adjusting the received temperature to obtain a corrected temperature, and controlling the cooling system based on the corrected temperature
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to sealed system refrigeration devices, and more particularly, to control systems for refrigerators.
Typical refrigerators includes a fresh food compartment and a frozen food compartment. A temperature sensor is typically located in walls of both compartments and sends indications of the sensors temperature to a control unit which controls a compressor and a plurality of fans for cooling the compartments.
However, the temperature of the sensor is not typically the same as the temperature of the air within each compartment. Rather the wall in which the sensor is mounted effects the temperature of the sensor. For example, if a sensor in the fresh food compartment is mounted in a mullion which is a common wall between the fresh food compartment and the frozen food compartment, the sensor is at a temperature cooler than the air within the fresh food compartment. Alternatively, if a sensor is mounted in an exterior wall, then the sensor is typically warmer than the air within the fresh food compartment. Both of these two phenomenons are attributable to heat transfer through the wall in which the sensor is mounted. Therefore, the temperature sent to the control unit can vary from the true temperature of the air within a compartment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect, a method for controlling a cooling system configured to cool a compartment is provided. The method includes receiving a temperature of the compartment from a temperature sensor, adjusting the received temperature to obtain a corrected temperature, and controlling the cooling system based on the corrected temperature.
In another aspect, a cooling device includes a first compartment comprising a plurality of first walls and at least one first door defining a first enclosed volume of the first compartment. A sealed system configured to provide cooling capacity to the first compartment is operationally coupled to the first compartment and at least one first temperature sensor is coupled to at least one of the first walls and at least partially exposed to the first enclosed volume. A temperature control system is operationally coupled to said the temperature sensor and to the sealed system. The control system is configured to receive a temperature sensor reading from the first temperature sensor, and to control a temperature of the first compartment with the sealed system based on the temperature sensor reading and a correction factor.
In a further aspect, a refrigerator includes a first compartment configured to preserve food, the first compartment includes a plurality of first walls and at least one first door defining a first enclosed volume of the first compartment. The refrigerator also includes a second compartment configured to preserve food coupled to one of the first walls, the second compartment includes a plurality of second walls and at least one second door defining a second enclosed volume of the second compartment with one of the first walls. A sealed system is operationally coupled to the first and second compartments. The sealed system is configured to provide cooling capacity to the first and second compartments. At least one first temperature sensor is coupled to at least one of the first walls and at least partially exposed to the first enclosed volume. A temperature control system is operationally coupled to the first temperature sensor and to the sealed system. The control system is configured to receive a temperature sensor reading from the first temperature sensor, and to control a temperature of the first compartment with the sealed system based on the temperature sensor reading and a correction factor.
In yet another embodiment, a refrigerator includes a first compartment configured to preserve food, the first compartment includes a plurality of first walls and at least one first door defining a first enclosed volume of the first compartment. The refrigerator also includes a second compartment configured to preserve food coupled to one of the first walls, the second compartment includes a plurality of second walls and at least one second door defining a second enclosed volume of the second compartment with one of the first walls. A sealed system is operationally coupled to the first and second compartments, and the sealed system is configured to provide cooling capacity to the first and second compartments. At least one first temperature sensor is coupled to at least one of the first walls and at least partially exposed to the first enclosed volume. At least one second temperature sensor is at least partially exposed to the second enclosed volume. A temperature control system is operationally coupled to the first and second temperature sensors and to the sealed system. The control system is configured to receive a first temperature sensor reading from the first temperature sensor and receive a second temperature sensor reading from the second temperature sensor. The control system is also configured to control a first temperature of the first compartment with the sealed system based on the first temperature sensor and a correction factor that is a function of temperature difference between the first received temperature sensor reading and the second received temperature sensor reading. The control system is also configured to control a second temperature of the second compartment with the sealed system based on the second temperature sensor and a correction factor that is a function of temperature difference between the first received temperature sensor reading and the second received temperature sensor reading, wherein the second temperature is different from said first temperature.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of an exemplary refrigerator.
FIG. 2
illustrates test data of the refrigerator shown in FIG.
1
.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1
illustrates a side-by-side refrigerator
100
in which the present invention may be practiced. It is recognized, however, that the benefits of the present invention apply to other types of refrigerators, freezers, refrigeration appliances, and refrigeration devices, including climate control systems having similar control issues and considerations such as, for example, but not limited to, one compartment units, three compartment units, units with any number of compartments, commercial units including vending units, and residential units. Consequently, the description set forth herein is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the invention in any aspect.
Refrigerator
100
includes a fresh food storage compartment
102
and a freezer storage compartment
104
. Freezer compartment
104
and fresh food compartment
102
are arranged side-by-side in an outer case
106
with inner liners
108
and
110
. A space between case
106
and liners
108
and
110
, and between liners
108
and
110
, is filled with foamed-in-place insulation. Outer case
106
normally is formed by folding a sheet of a suitable material, such as pre-painted steel, into an inverted U-shape to form top and side walls of case. A bottom wall of case
106
normally is formed separately and attached to the case side walls and to a bottom frame that provides support for refrigerator
100
.
Inner liners
108
and
110
are molded from a suitable plastic material to form freezer compartment
104
and fresh food compartment
102
, respectively. Alternatively, liners
108
,
110
may be formed by bending and welding a sheet of a suitable metal, such as steel. The illustrative embodiment includes two separate liners
108
,
110
as it is a relatively large capacity unit and separate liners add strength and are easier to maintain within manufacturing tolerances. In smaller refrigerators, a single liner is formed and a mullion spans between opposite sides of the liner to divide it into a freezer compartment and a fresh food compartment.
A breaker strip
112
extends between a case front flange and outer front edges of liners. Breaker strip
112
is formed from a suitable resilient material, such as an extruded acrylo-butadiene-styrene based material (commonly referred to as ABS).
The insulation in the space between liners
108
,
110
is covered by another strip of suitable resilient material, which also commonly is referred to as a mullion
114
. Mullion
114
also preferably is formed of an extruded ABS material. It will be understood that in a refrigerator with separate mullion dividing a unitary liner into a freezer and a fresh food compartment, a front face member of mullion corresponds to mullion
114
. Breaker strip
112
and mullion
114
form a front face, and extend completely around inner peripheral edges of case
106
and vertically between liners
108
,
110
. Mullion
114
, insulation between compartments
102
,
104
, and a spaced wall of liners
108
,
110
separating compartments
102
,
104
sometimes are collectively referred to herein as a center mullion wall
116
.
Shelves
118
and slide-out drawers
120
normally are provided in fresh food compartment
102
to support items being stored therein. A bottom drawer or pan
122
partly forms a quick chill and thaw system (not shown) and selectively controlled, together with other refrigerator features, by a microprocessor (not shown) according to user preference via manipulation of a control interface
124
mounted in an upper region of fresh food storage compartment
102
and coupled to the microprocessor. A shelf
126
and wire baskets
128
are also provided in freezer compartment
104
. In addition, an ice maker
130
may be provided in freezer compartment
104
.
A freezer door
132
and a fresh food door
134
close access openings to fresh food and freezer compartments
102
,
104
, respectively. Each door
132
,
134
is mounted by a top hinge
136
and a bottom hinge (not shown) to rotate about its outer vertical edge between an open position, as shown in
FIG. 1
, and a closed position (not shown) closing the associated storage compartment. Freezer door
132
includes a plurality of storage shelves
138
and a sealing gasket
140
, and fresh food door
134
also includes a plurality of storage shelves
142
and a sealing gasket
144
.
In accordance with known refrigerators, refrigerator
100
also includes a machinery compartment (not shown) that at least partially contains components for cooling air. The cooled air is used to refrigerate one or more refrigerator or freezer compartments via fans (not shown). The construction of the cooling system components is well known and therefore not described in detail herein.
Refrigerator
100
includes a plurality of temperature sensors
146
. In one embodiment, sensors
146
are thermistors. Alternatively, sensors
146
are thermocouples. Fresh food and freezer compartments
102
,
104
each include a side wall
148
,
150
respectively. Some sensors
146
are located on side walls
148
and
150
to avoid obstruction of compartments
102
and
104
. Additionally, some sensors
146
are located in mullion
114
. Although the purpose of sensors
146
are to sense the temperature of compartment
102
and
104
, sensors
146
sense the temperature of the location where each sensor
146
is located. Sometimes the measured temperature will be different from the true temperature in compartments
102
and
104
. Additionally, the measured temperature is also influenced by the temperatures and the temperature change on the other side of side walls
148
and
150
on or in which a particular sensor
146
is installed. For example, a sensor located in mullion
114
senses the temperature change on both fresh food compartment
102
and freezer compartment
104
because of heat transfer through mullion
114
.
Therefore, to improve the accuracy of the temperatures in compartments
102
and
104
, the temperature measurements from sensors
146
are corrected as described herein. The moving force of heat transfer through walls
148
and
150
, doors
132
and
134
, and mullion
114
is a temperature difference between the temperatures from both sides of the walls
148
and
150
, doors
132
and
134
, or mullion
114
. With good accuracy, the heat flux Q may be described by the equation Q=U*A*(T
1
−T
2
), where U is a heat transfer coefficient that combines the influence of the heat transfer resistance from air to both sides of walls
148
and
150
, doors
132
and
134
, or mullion
114
with the conductance of walls
148
and
150
, doors
132
and
134
, or mullion
114
material. A is the surface area, and T
1
and T
2
are temperatures from a sensor mounted to an exterior surface and a sensor mounted to an interior surface of a wall, wherein the interior surface is interior to the compartment being measured and the exterior surface is exterior to the compartment but not necessary exterior to refrigerator
100
. For example, one sensor
146
is coupled to a surface of mullion
114
interior to fresh food compartment
102
and one sensor
146
is coupled to mullion
114
exterior to fresh food compartment
102
and interior to frozen food compartment
104
. Also, in one embodiment, the two different compartments are both above freezing but at different temperatures.
Also the surface area each particular sensor
146
is exposed to is also constant. So, with good accuracy the heat flux Q is proportional to dTw=T
1
−T
2
or Q=Cw*dTw (equation 1), where Cw is a constant that depends on the refrigerator and thermal sensor cavity geometry, and where dTw represents the temperature difference between a first sensor interior a compartment and a second sensor exterior the compartment. The temperature influence (dTs) on each sensor
146
from heat flux Q can be calculated as dTs=Q/(Us*As), where Us is the heat transfer coefficient from air to a particular sensor
146
and As is the sensor surface area exposed to the heat flux Q. During operation of the closed cooling system, sensors
146
do not move and therefore the areas As are constant. Although, airflow can influence the heat transfer coefficients Us, each sensor
146
is usually located in a cavity (not shown) with very small air movement within the cavity and changes in air movement within the cavity during a full cycle are not considerable. Therefore, Us also can be considered as a constant. Thus, dTs=Q/Cs (equation 2), where Cs is a constant.
Combination of equations (1) and (2) results in dTs=C*dTw (equation 3), where C is a constant combining two constants Cw and Cs. Constant C for each combination of sensors can be either calculated or found experimentally. The correction in the sensor temperature is done depending on the location of a particular sensor
146
and a difference between the temperatures from both sides of the wall. For any sensor(s) located in side walls
148
and
150
, or doors
132
and
134
, the sensor temperature correction is proportional to the difference between ambient temperature and the temperature of compartments
102
or
104
.
For sensor(s) located in mullion
114
, the sensor temperature correction is proportional to the difference between temperatures in adjacent compartments
102
and
104
. The temperatures in compartments
102
and
104
are known. Thus, for any sensor(s)
146
located in mullion
114
, there is no need for any additional temperature measurement. In other words, each compartment has an associated target temperature, say 1° for freezer compartment
104
and 35° for fresh food compartment
102
. The correction is then
34
times the constant coefficient. To correct the temperature from a sensor located in the walls or doors the ambient temperature is used. However, with an assumption that the ambient temperature in a kitchen is a constant the correction is calculated as dTs=Cc*Tc+Ca, where Cc and Ca are constants that can be determined by experiment. For example, fresh food compartment
102
has a target temperature of 38° and the ambient temperature is measured at 72°, then the correction factor is proportional to 72−38 which is 34. As used herein a target temperature is the temperature that the compartment is set to maintain.
FIG. 2
illustrates test data with the above described compensation of refrigerator
100
. The accuracy of the temperature was significantly improved over refrigerators which do not compensate the sensor readings. Accordingly, a cost effective refrigerator is provided that economically compensates for the difference between the true temperature in a compartment and the measured temperature in the compartment. Additionally, while described in the context of sensors mounted in mullions and side walls of refrigerators, it is contemplated that the benefits of the invention accrue to all cooling devices having temperature sensors.
While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.
Claims
- 1. A method for controlling a cooling system configured to cool a compartment, said method comprising:receiving a temperature of the compartment from a temperature sensor mounted in a side of a wall of the compartment; adjusting the received temperature, to obtain a corrected temperature, with a correction factor that is a function of temperature difference between the recerved temperature and a temperature on a side of the wall opposite the side with the temperature sensor mounted thereon; and controlling the cooling system based on the corrected temperature.
- 2. A method for controlling a cooling system configured to cool a compartment, said method comprising:receiving a temperature of the compartment from a temperature sensor mounted in an interior side of an exterior wall of the compartment; adjusting the received temperature, to obtain a corrected temperature, with a correction factor that is a function of temperature difference between the received temperature and an ambient exterior temperature; and controlling the cooling system based on the corrected temperature.
- 3. A method for controlling a cooling system configured to cool a compartment, said method comprising:receiving a temperature of the compartment from a temperature sensor mounted in an interior side of an exterior wall of the compartment; adjusting the received temperature, to obtain a corrected temperature, with a correction factor that is a function of temperature difference between a target temperature and an ambient exterior temperature; and controlling the cooling system based on the corrected temperature.
- 4. A method for controlling a cooling system configured to cool a compartment, said method comprising:receiving a temperature of the compartment from a temperature sensor mounted in a side of a wall of the compartment separating the compartment from a second compartment; adjusting the received temperature, to obtain a corrected temperature, with a correction factor that is a function of temperature difference between the received temperature and a temperature sensed in the second compartment; and controlling the cooling system based on the corrected temperature.
- 5. A method in accordance with claim 4 further comprising:adjusting the sensed temperature of the second compartment to obtain a second corrected temperature; and controlling the temperature of the second compartment based on the second corrected temperature.
- 6. A method in accordance with claim 5 wherein said controlling the temperature of the second compartment comprises controlling the temperature of the second compartment based on the second corrected temperature, wherein the second compartment is below freezing and the first compartment is above freezing.
- 7. A method for controlling a cooling system configured to cool a compartment, said method comprising:receiving a temperature of the compartment from a temperature sensor mounted in a side of a wall of the compartment separating the compartment from a second compartment; adjusting the received temperature, to obtain a corrected temperature, with a correction factor that is a function of temperature difference between a target temperature and a temperature sensed in the second compartment; and controlling the cooling system based on the corrected temperature.
- 8. A cooling device comprising:a first compartment comprising a plurality of first walls and at least one first door defining a first enclosed volume of said first compartment; a sealed system configured to provide cooling capacity to said first compartment operationally coupled to said first compartment; at least one first temperature sensor coupled to at least one of said first walls and at least partially exposed to said first enclosed volume; and a temperature control system operationally coupled to said first temperature sensor and to said sealed system, said control system configured to: receive a temperature sensor reading from said first temperature sensor; and control a temperature of said first compartment with said sealed system based on the temperature sensor reading and a correction factor by changing at least one operating parameter of the sealed system according to the temperature sensor reading and said correction factor, wherein said correction factor is a function of a temperature difference between the temperature sensor reading and a temperature of a temperature sensor mounted to a surface of said first wall coupled to said first temperature sensor, said surface exterior to said first compartment.
- 9. A device in accordance with claim 8 further comprising at least one fan configured to move air in said first compartment.
- 10. A cooling device comprising:a first compartment comprising a plurality of first walls and at least one first door defining a first enclosed volume of said first compartment; a sealed system configured to provide cooling capacity to said first compartment operationally coupled to said first compartment; at least one first temperature sensor coupled to at least one of said first walls and at least partially exposed to said first enclosed volume; a second compartment coupled to one of said first walls, said second compartment comprising a plurality of second walls and at least one second door defining a second enclosed volume of said second compartment with one of said first walls, at least one second temperature sensor coupled to said first wall coupled to said first sensor, said second sensor at least partially exposed to said second enclosed volume; and a temperature control system operationally coupled to said first temperature sensor, said second temperature sensor and to said sealed system, said control system configured to: receive a temperature sensor reading from said first temperature sensor; control a temperature of said first compartment with said sealed system based on the temperature sensor reading and a correction factor; receive a temperature sensor reading from said second temperature sensor; and control a temperature of said second compartment with said sealed system based on the second temperature sensor reading and the first temperature sensor reading.
- 11. A device in accordance with claim 10 wherein said control device further configured to:maintain said first compartment at a temperature above freezing; and maintain said second compartment at a temperature below freezing.
- 12. A device in accordance with claim 10 wherein said control device further configured to:maintain said first compartment at a temperature above freezing; and maintain said second compartment at a temperature above freezing.
- 13. A cooling device comprising:a first compartment comprising a plurality of first walls and at least one first door defining a first enclosed volume of said first compartment; a sealed system configured to provide cooling capacity to said first compartment operationally coupled to said first compartment; at least one first temperature sensor coupled to at least one of said first walls and at least exposed to said first enclosed volume; and a temperature control system operationally coupled to said first temperature sensor and to said sealed system, said control system configured to: receive a temperature sensor reading from said first temperature sensor; and control a temperature of said first compartment with said sealed system based on the temperature sensor reading and a correction factor by changing at least one operating parameter of the sealed system according to the temperature sensor reading and said correction factor, wherein said correction factor is a function of a temperature difference between a target temperature and a temperature of a temperature sensor mounted to a surface of said first wall coupled to said first temperature sensor, said surface exterior to said first compartment.
- 14. A device in accordance with claim 13 further comprising:a second compartment coupled to one of said first walls, said second compartment comprising a plurality of second walls and at least one second door defining a second enclosed volume of said second compartment with one of said first walls, at least one second temperature sensor coupled to said first wall coupled to said first sensor, said second sensor at least partially exposed to said second enclosed volume, said control system configured to: receive a temperature sensor reading from said second temperature sensor; and control a temperature of said second compartment with said sealed system based on a target temperature of said second compartment.
- 15. A refrigerator comprising:a first compartment configured to preserve food, said first compartment comprising a plurality of first walls and at least one first door defining a first enclosed volume of said first compartment; a second compartment configured to preserve food coupled to one of said first walls, said second compartment comprising a plurality of second walls and at least one second door defining a second enclosed volume of said second compartment with one of said first walls; a sealed system operationally coupled to said first and second compartments, said sealed system configured to provide cooling capacity to said first and second compartments; at least one first temperature sensor coupled to at least one of said first walls and at least partially exposed to said first enclosed volume; and a temperature control system operationally coupled to said first temperature sensor and to said sealed system, said control system configured to: receive a temperature sensor reading from said first temperature sensor; control a temperature of said first compartment with said sealed system based on the temperature sensor reading and a correction factor; and adjust the received temperature with said correction factor that is a function of temperature difference between a target temperature and a temperature of a sensor mounted on a side of said first wall opposite a side with said first temperature sensor mounted thereon.
- 16. A refrigerator comprising:a first compartment configured to preserve food, said first compartment comprising a plurality of first walls and at least one first door defining a first enclosed volume of said first compartment; a second compartment configured to preserve food coupled to one of said first walls, said second compartment comprising a plurality of second walls and at least one second door defining a second enclosed volume of said second compartment with one of said first walls; a sealed system operationally coupled to said first and second compartments, said sealed system configured to provide cooling capacity to said first and second compartments; at least one first temperature sensor coupled to at least one of said first walls and at least partially exposed to said first enclosed volume; and a temperature control system operationally coupled to said first temperature sensor and to said sealed system, said control system configured to: receive a temperature sensor reading from said first temperature sensor; control a temperature of said first compartment with said sealed system based on the temperature sensor reading and a correction factor; and adjust the received temperature with said correction factor that is a function of temperature difference between the received temperature and a temperature on a side of said first wall opposite a side with said temperature sensor mounted thereon.
- 17. A refrigerator comprising:a first compartment configured to preserve food, said first compartment comprising a plurality of first walls and at least one first door defining a first enclosed volume of said first compartment; a second compartment configured to preserve food coupled to one of said first walls, said second compartment comprising a plurality of second walls and at least one second door defining a second enclosed volume of said second compartment with one of said first walls; a sealed system operationally coupled to said first and second compartments, said sealed system configured to provide cooling capacity to said first and second compartments; at least one first temperature sensor coupled to at least one of said first walls and at least partially exposed to said first enclosed volume; and a temperature control system operationally coupled to said first temperature sensor and to said sealed system, said control system configured to: receive a temperature sensor reading from said first temperature sensor; control a temperature of said first compartment with said sealed system based on the temperature sensor reading and a correction factor; and adjust the received temperature with said correction factor that is a function of a temperature difference between a target temperature and a temperature sensed in said second compartment.
- 18. A refrigerator comprising:a first compartment configured to preserve food, said first compartment comprising a plurality of first walls and at least one first door defining a first enclosed volume of said first compartment; a second compartment configured to preserve food coupled to one of said first walls, said second compartment comprising a plurality of second walls and at least one second door defining a second enclosed volume of said second compartment with one of said first walls; a sealed system operationally coupled to said first and second compartments, said sealed system configured to provide cooling capacity to said first and second compartments; at least one first temperature sensor coupled to at least one of said first walls and at least partially exposed to said first enclosed volume; at least one second temperature sensor coupled to said first wall coupled to said first sensor, said second sensor at least partially exposed to said second enclosed volume; and a temperature control system operationally coupled to said first temperature sensor and to said sealed system, said control system configured to: receive a temperature sensor reading from said first temperature sensor; control a temperature of said first compartment with said sealed system based on the temperature sensor reading and a correction factor; receive a temperature sensor reading from said second temperature sensor; and control a temperature of said second compartment with said sealed system based on the second temperature sensor reading and the first temperature sensor reading.
- 19. A refrigerator in accordance with claim 18 wherein said control further configured to:maintain said first compartment at a temperature above freezing; and maintain said second compartment at a temperature below freezing.
- 20. A refrigerator in accordance with claim 18 wherein said control further configured to:maintain said first compartment at a temperature above freezing; and maintain said second compartment at a temperature above freezing.
- 21. A refrigerator comprising:a first compartment configured to preserve food, said first compartment comprising a plurality of first walls and at least one first door defining a first enclosed volume of said first compartment; a second compartment configured to preserve food coupled to one of said first walls, said second compartment comprising a plurality of second walls and at least one second door defining a second enclosed volume of said second compartment with one of said first walls; a sealed system operationally coupled to said first and second compartments, said sealed system configured to provide cooling capacity to said first and second compartments; at least one first temperature sensor coupled to at least one of said first walls and at least partially exposed to said first enclosed volume; at least one second temperature sensor coupled to said first wall coupled to said first sensor, said second sensor at least partially exposed to said second enclosed volume; and a temperature control system operationally coupled to said first temperature sensor and to said sealed system, said control system configured to: receive a temperature sensor reading from said first temperature sensor; control a temperature of said first compartment with said sealed system based on the temperature sensor reading and a correction factor; receive a temperature sensor reading from said second temperature sensor; and control a temperature of said second compartment with said sealed system based on the second temperature sensor reading and a target temperature of said first compartment.
- 22. A refrigerator comprising:a first compartment configured to preserve food, said first compartment comprising a plurality of first walls and at least one first door defining a first enclosed volume of said first compartment; a second compartment configured to preserve food coupled to one of said first walls, said second compartment comprising a plurality of second walls and at least one second door defining a second enclosed volume of said second compartment with one of said first walls; a sealed system operationally coupled to said first and second compartments, said sealed system configured to provide cooling capacity to said first and second compartments; at least one first temperature sensor coupled to at least one of said first walls and at least partially exposed to said first enclosed volume; at least one second temperature sensor at least partially exposed to said second enclosed volume; a temperature control system operationally coupled to said first and second temperature sensors and to said sealed system, said control system configured to: receive a first temperature sensor reading from said first temperature sensor; receive a second temperature sensor reading from said second temperature sensor; control a first temperature of said first compartment with said sealed system based on the first temperature sensor and a correction factor that is a function of temperature difference between the first received temperature sensor reading and the second received temperature sensor reading; and control a second temperature of said second compartment with said sealed system based on the second temperature sensor and a correction factor that is a function of temperature difference between the first received temperature sensor reading and the second received temperature sensor reading, said second temperature different from said first temperature.
- 23. A refrigerator in accordance with claim 22 wherein the first temperature is above freezing and the second temperature is below freezing.
US Referenced Citations (6)