Patent Application
20250060142
The disclosure relates to a refrigerator and a controlling method thereof, and more particularly, to a refrigerator that identifies ice making and water supplying states based on the temperature change of an ice making tray, and a controlling method thereof.
A refrigerator including an ice making device is a device that stores stored goods at a low temperature by supplying cold air to a storage chamber by using a refrigerating cycle, and it can generate ice by supplying cold air to the ice making device.
An ice making device of a refrigerator maintains a condition lower than 0° C. which is a freezing point while an ice making tray is filled with ice making water.
Here, in case water supply to the ice making tray was not completed normally, a method for determining whether water supply to the ice making tray was completed normally for stopping ice making driving is needed.
A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes an ice making tray in which ice making water to be supplied, an ice making device configured to generate ice by using the ice making water supplied to an ice making tray, an ice making heater configured to heat the ice making tray, a sensor configured to detect a temperature of the ice making tray, a memory that stores at least one instruction, and a processor that is connected with the memory and controls the refrigerator, wherein the processor is configured to detect a temperature change of the ice making tray during a first cooling time corresponding to whether the ice making heater operates within a predetermined time after a start of an ice making driving, and based on a magnitude of the detected temperature change of the ice making tray being greater than or equal to a first value corresponding to the cooling time, stop the ice making driving.
The processor may be configured to, based on the ice making heater operating within the predetermined time after the start of the ice making driving, identify whether a magnitude of a temperature change of the ice making tray during a first cooling time is greater than or equal to a first value, and based on the ice making heater not operating within the predetermined time after the start of the ice making driving, identify whether a magnitude of a temperature change of the ice making tray during a second cooling time, which is shorter than the first cooling time, is greater than or equal to a second value which is bigger than the first value.
The processor may be configured to based on the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray during the second cooling time being greater than or equal to the second value which is bigger than the first value, stop the operation of the ice making driving, based on the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray during the second cooling time being smaller than the second value which is bigger than the first value, identify whether a defrost heater operates during the ice making driving, and determine whether to stop the operation of the ice making driving according to whether the defrost heater operates.
The processor may be configured to based on the defrost heater not having operated, continue performing the ice making driving, and based on the defrost heater having operated, determine whether to stop the operation of the ice making driving according to whether a magnitude of a temperature change of the ice making tray by the ice making driving during a third cooling time is greater than or equal to a third value.
The processor may be configured to based on the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray being smaller than the value corresponding to the cooling time, continue performing the ice making driving.
The processor may be configured to based on there being a history that supply of ice making water was identified to be abnormal before the start of the ice making driving, identify whether the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray during a first cooling time is greater than or equal to a first value.
The processor may be configured to based on the ice making heater operating during the first cooling time, identify whether the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray during the first cooling time is greater than or equal to the first value, and based on the ice making heater not operating during the first cooling time, identify whether the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray during the first cooling time is greater than or equal to a second value bigger than the first value.
The processor may be configured to based on the operation of the ice making driving being stopped, provide information notifying that a supply state of ice making water is abnormal, and based on acquiring a predetermined user input, restart the ice making driving.
The processor may be configured to based on the operation of the ice making driving being stopped, provide information notifying that a supply state of ice making water is abnormal, and based on detecting opening of a door of the refrigerator, restart the ice making driving after a predetermined second time passes.
A controlling method of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes detecting a temperature change of an ice making tray during a first cooling time corresponding to whether the ice making heater operates within a predetermined time after a start of ice making driving, and based on the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray being greater than or equal to a first value corresponding to the first cooling time, stopping the operation of the ice making driving.
The stopping the operation of the ice making driving may comprise based on the ice making heater operating within the predetermined time after the start of the ice making driving, identifying whether a magnitude of a temperature change of the ice making tray during a first cooling time is greater than or equal to a first value; and based on the ice making heater not operating within the predetermined time after the start of the ice making driving, identifying whether a magnitude of a temperature change of the ice making tray during a second cooling time, which is shorter than the first cooling time, is greater than or equal to a second value which is bigger than the first value.
The stopping of the operation of the ice making driving may comprise based on the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray during the second cooling time being greater than or equal to the second value which is bigger than the first value, stopping the operation of the ice making driving; based on the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray during the second cooling time being smaller than the second value which is bigger than the first value, identifying whether a defrost heater operates during the ice making driving; and determining whether to stop the operation of the ice making driving according to whether the defrost heater operates.
The stopping of the operation of the ice making driving may comprise based on the defrost heater not having operated, continuing performing the ice making driving; and based on the defrost heater having operated, determining whether to stop the operation of the ice making driving according to whether a magnitude of a temperature change of the ice making tray by the ice making driving during a third cooling time is greater than or equal to a third value.
The stopping of the operation of the ice making driving may comprise based on the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray being smaller than the value corresponding to the cooling time, continuing performing the ice making driving.
In a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium including a program executing a controlling method of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the disclosure, the controlling method includes detecting a temperature change of an ice making tray during a first cooling time corresponding to whether the ice making heater operates within a predetermined time after a start of ice making driving, and based on a magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray being greater than or equal to a first value corresponding to the first cooling time, stopping the operation of the ice making driving.
The various embodiments of the disclosure and the terms used in the embodiments are not intended to limit the technical characteristics described in the disclosure to specific embodiments, but they should be interpreted to include various modifications, equivalents, or alternatives of the embodiments.
Meanwhile, with respect to the detailed description of the drawings, similar or related components may be designated by similar reference numerals.
Also, a singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or a plurality of the item, unless instructed obviously differently in the context.
In addition, in the disclosure, each of the phrases “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” “at least one of A or B,” “A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” and “at least one of A, B, or C” may include any one of the items listed together with the corresponding phrase among the phrases, or all possible combinations thereof.
Further, for example, the expression “at least one of A and B” may include any of the following: A, B, “A and B,” and the expression “at least one of A, B, and C” may include any of the following: A, B, C, “A and B,” “A and C,” “B and C,” “A and B and C.”
Further, the term “and/or” includes a combination of a plurality of related components described, or any one component among the plurality of related components described.
Also, terms such as “first,” “second,” and the like may be used just to distinguish a component from another component, and are not intended to limit a component in another aspect (e.g.: importance or order).
In addition, terms such as ‘front surface,’ ‘rear surface,’ ‘top surface,’ ‘bottom surface,’ ‘side surface,’ ‘left side,’ ‘right side,’ ‘upper part,’ ‘lower part,’ and the like used in the disclosure were defined based on the drawings, and the shapes and locations of respective elements are not limited by these terms.
Meanwhile, terms such as “include” and “have,” and the like should be construed as denoting that there are such characteristics, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, or a combination thereof described in the disclosure, but not as excluding in advance the existence or possibility of adding one or more of other characteristics, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, or a combination thereof.
Also, the description in the disclosure that one element is “connected with,” “combined with,” “supported by,” or “contacted with” another element not only includes a case wherein the elements are directly connected, combined, supported, or contacted, but also a case wherein the elements are indirectly connected, combined, supported, or contacted through a third element.
In addition, the description in the disclosure that one element is “on top of” another element not only includes a case wherein the one element contacts the another element, but also a case wherein still another element exists between the two elements.
A refrigerator 100 according to an embodiment of the disclosure may include a main body 110.
The main body 110 may include an inner cabinet including a storage chamber 120, an outer cabinet arranged on the outer side of the inner cabinet, and a heat insulating material provided between the inner cabinet and the outer cabinet.
“The inner cabinet” may include at least one of a case forming the storage chamber 120, a plate, a panel, or a liner. The inner cabinet may be formed as one body, or may be formed as a plurality of plates are assembled. “The outer cabinet” may form the exterior of the main body 110, and may be coupled to the outer side of the inner cabinet such that the heat insulating material is arranged between the inner cabinet and the outer cabinet.
“The heat insulating material” may insulate the inside of the storage chamber 120 and the outside of the storage chamber 120 such that the temperature inside the storage chamber 120 can be maintained at a set appropriate temperature without being influenced by the external environment of the storage chamber 120. According to an embodiment, the heat insulating material may include a foam heat insulating material. By injecting and foaming urethane foam wherein polyurethane and a foaming agent are mixed between the inner cabinet and the outer cabinet, a foam heat insulating material may be formed.
According to an embodiment, the heat insulating material may additionally include a vacuum heat insulating material other than a foam heat insulating material, or the heat insulating material may be constituted only with a vacuum heat insulating material instead of a foam heat insulating material. The vacuum heat insulating material may include a core material, and an outer covering that accommodates the core material and seals the inside with vacuum or pressure close to vacuum. However, the heat insulating material is not limited to the aforementioned foam heat insulating material or vacuum heat insulating material, but may include various materials that can be used for heat insulation.
The storage chamber 120 may include a space limited by the inner cabinet. The storage chamber 120 may further include an inner cabinet limiting a space corresponding to the storage chamber 120. In the storage chamber 120, various goods such as food, medicine, cosmetics, etc. may be stored, and the storage chamber 120 may be formed such that at least one side is opened for putting in and taking out goods.
The refrigerator 100 may include one or more storage chambers 120. When two or more storage chambers 120 are formed in the refrigerator 100, the respective storage chambers 120 may have different uses, and may be maintained at different temperatures. For this, the respective storage chambers 120 may be partitioned from one another by partition walls including a heat insulating material.
The storage chambers 120 may be provided to be maintained within an appropriate temperature range according to the uses, and may include “a refrigerating chamber,” “a freezing chamber,” “a temperature conversion chamber,” or “an ice making chamber” that are divided according to the uses and/or the temperature ranges. The refrigerating chamber may be maintained at a temperature appropriate for refrigerating goods, and the freezing chamber may be maintained at a temperature appropriate for freezing goods. “Refrigeration” may mean that goods are cooled to be cold within a limitation that the goods are not frozen, and as an example, the refrigerating chamber may be maintained in a range of 0 degree Celsius and 7 degrees Celsius. “Freezing” may mean that goods are cooled such that they are frozen or maintained in a frozen state, and as an example, the freezing chamber may be maintained in a range of −20 degree Celsius and −1 degree Celsius. The temperature conversion chamber may be used as any one of a refrigerating chamber or a freezing chamber according to a user's selection or regardless of it.
The storage chamber 120 may also be referred to as various names such as “a vegetable chamber,” “a fresh chamber,” “a cooling chamber,” and “an ice making chamber,” etc. other than names such as “a refrigerating chamber,” “a freezing chamber,” and “a temperature conversion chamber,” etc., and the terms such as “a refrigerating chamber,” “a freezing chamber,” “a temperature conversion chamber,” and “an ice making chamber,” etc. used below should respectively be understood as a meaning comprehensively including a storage chamber having the corresponding use and temperature range.
According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 100 may include at least one door 140 that is constituted to open or close one opened side of the storage chamber 120. The door 140 may be provided to open or close each of the one or more storage chambers 120, or may be provided such that one door 140 opens or closes the plurality of storage chambers 120. The door 140 may be rotatably or slidably installed on the front surface of the main body 110.
The door 140 may be constituted to seal the storage chamber 120 when the door 140 is closed. The door 140 may include a heat insulating material like the main body 110 such that the storage chamber 120 is insulated when the door 140 is closed.
According to an embodiment, the door 140 may include a door outer plate forming the front surface of the door 140, a door inner plate forming the rear surface of the door 140 and facing the storage chamber 120, an upper cap, a lower cap, and a door heat insulating material provided in their insides.
On the rim of the door inner plate, a gasket that seals the storage chamber 120 by being adhered to the front surface of the main body 110 when the door 140 is closed may be provided. The door inner plate may include a dyke that projects toward the rear side such that a door basket that can keep goods is installed.
According to an embodiment, the door 140 may include a door body, and a front panel that is separably coupled to the front side of the door body and forms the front surface of the door. The door body may include a door outer plate forming the front surface of the door body, a door inner plate forming the rear surface of the door body and facing the storage chamber, an upper cap, a lower cap, and a door heat insulating material provided in their insides.
The refrigerator 100 may be divided into a French door type, a side-by-side type, a bottom mounted freezer (BMF), a top mounted freezer (TMF), or a 1 door refrigerator, etc. according to the arrangement of the door 140 and the storage chamber 120.
Also, the door 100 may include a sensor for detecting opening or closing of the door.
According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 100 may include a cold air supplying device 130 that is provided to supply cold air to the storage chamber 120.
The cold air supplying device 130 may include a machine, a tool, an electronic device, and/or a system combining them that can cool the storage chamber by generating cold air and guiding the cold air.
According to an embodiment, the cold air supplying device 130 may generate cold air through a freezing cycle including compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation processes of a refrigerant. For this, the cold air supplying device 130 may include a freezing cycle device including a compressor that can drive a freezing cycle, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator. Also, according to an embodiment, the cold air supplying device 100 may include a semiconductor such as a thermoelectric element. The thermoelectric element may cool the storage chamber 120 with heat generating and cooling operations through a Peltier effect.
According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 100 may include a machine chamber that is provided such that at least some components belonging to the cold air supplying device 130 are arranged.
The machine chamber may be provided to be partitioned and insulated from the storage chamber 120 for preventing transmission of heat generated from the components arranged in the machine chamber to the storage chamber. In order to radiate heat to the components arranged inside the machine chamber, the inside of the machine chamber may be constituted to communicate with the outside of the main body 110.
According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 100 may include a dispenser that is provided on the door 140 to provide water and/or ice. The dispenser may be provided on the door such that a user can approach it without opening the door.
The cold air supplying device 130 may include a defrost heater for removing frost or ice formed in the surroundings (e.g., the evaporator) of the cold air supplying device 130 while generating cold air. While the defrost heater is driven, the freezing cycle of generating cold air may be stopped.
According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 100 may include an ice making device 150 that is provided to generate ice. The ice making device 150 may include an ice making tray 151 storing water, a water supplying device 152 suppling water to the ice making tray 151, an ice moving device 153 separating ice from the ice making tray 151, and an ice storage 154 storing ice generated in the ice making tray 151 (e.g., an ice bucket or a dispenser). Also, the ice making device 150 may include an ice making heater 155 for applying heat to the ice making tray 151 at the time of ice making driving for generating transparent ice.
Here, the operation time, the operation cycle, etc. of the ice making heater 155 may vary according to a predetermined ice making driving mode.
The ice making tray 151 may be implemented in a form of having a spherical inner circumferential surface. Accordingly, the ice making device 150 may generate spherical ice.
Also, the refrigerator 100 may include a temperature sensor 160. The temperature sensor 160 may detect the temperature of the storage chamber. Specifically, the temperature sensor 160 may detect the temperature of the ice making tray 151 located inside the ice making chamber. Here, the temperature sensor 160 may measure the temperature of the ice making water supplied inside the ice making tray 151, or the ice inside the ice making tray 151.
According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 100 may include a controller 170 for controlling the refrigerator 100.
The controller 170 may include a memory 171 that stores or memorizes a program and/or data for controlling the refrigerator 100, and a processor 172 that outputs a control signal for controlling the cold air supplying device 130, etc. according to the program and/or the data memorized in the memory 171.
The memory 171 stores or records various kinds of information, data, instructions, programs, etc. necessary for the operations of the refrigerator 100. The memory 171 may memorize temporary data generated while a control signal for controlling the components included in the refrigerator 100 is generated. The memory 171 may include at least one of a volatile memory or a non-volatile memory or a combination of them.
The processor 172 controls the overall operations of the refrigerator 100. The processor 172 may control the components of the refrigerator 100 by executing the program stored in the memory 171. The processor 172 may include a separate NPU that performs operations of an artificial intelligence model. Also, the processor 172 may include a central processing unit, a graphic-dedicated processor (GPU), etc. The processor 172 may generate a control signal for controlling the operations of the cold air supplying device 130. For example, the processor 172 may receive temperature information of the storage chamber from the temperature sensor 160, and generate a cooling control signal for controlling the operations of the cold air supplying device 130 based on the temperature information of the storage chamber.
Also, the processor 172 may process a user input of a user interface 180 according to the program and/or the data memorized/stored in the memory 171, and control the operation of the user interface 180. The user interface 180 may be provided by using an input interface 181 and an output interface 182. The processor 172 may receive a user input from the user interface 180. Also, the processor 172 may transmit a display control signal for displaying an image on the user interface 180 in response to a user input and image data to the user interface 180.
The processor 172 and the memory 171 may be provided integrally, or provided separately. The processor 172 may include one or more processors. For example, the processor 172 may include a main processor and at least one sub processor. The memory 171 may include one or more memories.
According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 100 may include the processor 172 controlling all of the components included in the refrigerator 100 and the memory 171 and include a plurality of processors 172 individually controlling the components of the refrigerator 100 and a plurality of memories 171. For example, the refrigerator 100 may include the processor 172 controlling the operation of the cold air supplying device 130 according to an output of the temperature sensor 160, and the memory 171. Also, the refrigerator 100 may separately include the processor 172 controlling the operation of the user interface according to a user input, and the memory 171.
The communication interface 190 may communicate with external devices such as a server, a mobile device, another home appliance, etc. through an ambient access point (AP). The access point (AP) may connect a local area network (LAN) to which the refrigerator or a user device is connected to a wide area network (WAN) to which a server is connected. The refrigerator 100 or the user device may be connected to the server through the wide area network (WAN).
The input interface 181 may include a key, a touch screen, a microphone, etc. The input interface 181 may receive a user input and transmit it to the processor 172.
The output interface 182 may include a display, a speaker, etc. The output interface 182 may output various kinds of notifications, messages, information, etc. generated in the processor 172.
Referring to
Here, the processor 172 may start ice making driving according to a predetermined ice making mode. For example, before ice making driving is performed, the processor 172 may acquire a user input for performing ice driving making through the user interface 180. Here, the user input may include information on the amount of ice generated by the ice making driving.
Based on the user input for performing the ice making driving, the processor 172 may identify an ice making driving mode corresponding to the user input for performing the ice making driving. Then, the processor 172 may start the ice making driving according to the identified ice making driving mode.
Specifically, the memory 172 may store information on a plurality of ice making driving modes. Here, each of the plurality of ice making driving modes may include information on the capacity of supply of ice making water, the ice making temperature, whether the ice making heater 155 is operated at the time of ice making driving, the operation time of the ice making heater 155 at the time of ice making driving, whether the defrost heater 131 is operated at the time of ice making driving, or the operation time of the defrost heater 131 at the time of ice making driving.
When the ice making driving starts, the processor 172 may control the water supplying device 152 such that ice making water is supplied to the ice making tray 151.
Then, the processor 172 may control the cold air supplying device 130 such that ice is generated by cooling the ice making water.
Here, the processor 172 may identify whether supply of the ice making water to the ice making tray 151 was completed normally (i.e., whether supply of the ice making water is normal) based on a temperature change of the ice making tray 151. In case supply of the ice making water to the ice making tray 151 was not completed, the processor 172 may stop performing the ice making driving. A case wherein supply of the ice making water was completed normally may mean a case wherein water supply was performed to the ice making tray as much as a predetermined capacity of supply of the ice making water. Meanwhile, a case wherein supply of the ice making water was not completed may mean a case wherein water supply was not performed to the ice making tray as much as the predetermined capacity of supply of the ice making water.
When the ice making driving starts, the processor 172 may identify whether a predetermined condition is satisfied in operation S220.
Here, the predetermined condition may be a condition wherein supply of the ice making water during the previous ice making driving of the refrigerator 100 was identified to be abnormal. Specifically, the predetermined condition may be a condition wherein supply of the ice making water during the ice making driving performed prior to the operation S310 was identified to be abnormal.
Alternatively, the predetermined condition may be a condition wherein the ice making heater 155 was operated within a predetermined time while the refrigerator 100 was performing the ice making riving. Specifically, the predetermined condition may be a condition wherein the ratio of the operation time of the ice making heater 155 to the ice making driving time is greater than or equal to a predetermined ratio. Here, the ice making driving time may be the time that passed from the starting point of the ice making driving. Alternatively, the predetermined condition may be a condition wherein the ice making heater 155 was operated within the predetermined time after the refrigerator 100 started the ice making driving.
Then, the processor 172 may perform cooling of the ice making tray 151 during a time corresponding to whether the predetermined condition is satisfied, and identify whether the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray 151 is greater than or equal to a value corresponding to whether the predetermined condition is satisfied. For example, if the temperature change of the ice making tray 151 changes from 25 degrees to 17 degrees, the magnitude of the temperature change may be 8 degrees.
Specifically, if the predetermined condition is satisfied in operation S220-Y, the processor 172 may identify whether the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray 151 by the ice making driving during a first cooling time (e.g., 50 minutes) is greater than or equal to a first predetermined value in operation S230.
Here, the cooling time may mean the time excluding the operation time of the defrost heater during the ice making driving time. That is, while the defrost heater 131 operates during the ice making driving, cooling of the ice making chamber may be stopped. For example, in case the refrigerator 100 performed the defrosting driving from 1:00 to 2:00, and the defrost heater operated from 1:30 to 1:40, the cooling time may be 50 minutes. Here, the processor 172 may identify whether the temperature change of the ice making tray during 60 minutes from 1:00 to 2:00 is greater than or equal to the first predetermined value.
Here, the first predetermined value may be a value corresponding to the first cooling time. Here, the first predetermined value may vary according to whether the ratio of the operation time of the ice making heater 155 to the ice making driving time (or, the cooling time) while the ice making driving is performed is greater than or equal to the predetermined ratio.
For example, while the ice making driving is performed, if the ratio of the operation time of the ice making heater to the ice making driving time is greater than or equal to the predetermined ratio (e.g., 40%), the first predetermined value may be 7 degrees. Also, while the ice making driving is performed, if the ratio of the operation time of the ice making heater to the ice making driving time is smaller than the predetermined ratio, the first predetermined value may be 11 degrees.
If the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray by the ice making driving during the first cooling time is greater than or equal to the first predetermined value in operation S230-Y, the processor 172 may identify the supply state of the ice making water to be abnormal in operation S240. Here, the processor 172 may stop the ice making driving.
If the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray by the ice making driving during the first cooling time is smaller than the first predetermined value in operation S230-N, the processor 172 may identify the state of the refrigerator 100 as a normal supply state of the ice making water in operation S250. Here, the processor 172 may continue performing the ice making driving.
Also, referring to
Then, if the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray 151 by the ice making driving during the second cooling time is greater than or equal to the second predetermined value in operation S260-Y, the processor 172 may identify the supply state of the ice making water to be abnormal in operation S240. Here, the processor 172 may stop the ice making driving.
Meanwhile, if the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray 151 by the ice making driving during the second cooling time is smaller than the second predetermined value in operation S260-N, the processor 172 may identify whether the defrost heater 131 operates during the ice making driving in operation S270.
If the defrost heater 131 did not operate during the ice making driving in operation S270-N, the processor 172 may identify the supply state of the ice making water to be normal in operation S250.
If the defrost heater 131 operated during the ice making driving in operation S270-Y, the processor 172 may identify whether the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray 151 by the ice making driving during a third cooling time is greater than or equal to a third predetermined value in operation S280.
Here, the third cooling time may be the same as the first cooling time, but this is merely an example, and the disclosure is not limited thereto.
If the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray 151 by the ice making driving during the third cooling time is greater than or equal to the third predetermined value in operation S280-Y, the processor 172 may identify the supply state of the ice making water to be abnormal in operation S240. Here, the processor 172 may stop the ice making driving.
Meanwhile, if the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray 151 by the ice making driving during the third cooling time is smaller than the third predetermined value in operation S280-N, the processor 172 may identify the supply state of the ice making water to be normal in operation S250.
Referring to
If the ice making tray 151 is cooled to the predetermined ice making temperature, the processor 172 may perform ice moving driving after a predetermined time (e.g., 1 hour) passes in operation S420. Specifically, if the ice making tray 151 is cooled to the predetermined ice making temperature, the processor 172 may stop the ice making driving, and perform ice moving driving after the predetermined time passes.
Specifically, the processor 172 may drive the ice making heater 155 to separate the ice generated on the ice making tray and the ice making tray. Then, the processor 172 may control the ice making device 150 such that the ice generated on the ice making tray moves to an ice storage 154.
When performing of the ice moving driving is completed, the processor 172 may restart the ice making driving in operation S210.
Meanwhile, in the disclosure, the operation S410 may be performed after the operation S250, but this is merely an example, and the operation S250 may be omitted.
Specifically, if the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray 151 by the ice making driving during the first cooling time is smaller than the first predetermined value in operation S230-N, or the defrost heater 131 did not operate during the ice making driving in operation S270-N, or the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray 151 by the ice making driving during the third cooling time is smaller than the third predetermined value in operation S280-N, the processor 172 may continue performing the ice making driving in operation S410.
Referring to
Here, the processor 172 may control the output interface 182 such that a text or a voice like “Water supply was not completed normally” is output. Alternatively, the processor 172 may control the communication interface 190 to transmit information for a text or a voice like “Water supply was not completed normally” to be output to the user terminal device.
Then, the processor 172 may identify whether a predetermined user input is acquired from the user in operation S520.
Here, the predetermined user input may be a user input for starting the ice making driving after the operation of the refrigerator 100 was initialized and the ice moving driving was performed. Alternatively, the predetermined user input may be a user input for initializing the operation of the refrigerator 100, and starting the ice making driving.
If the predetermined user input is acquired in operation S520-Y, the processor 172 may perform the ice moving driving in operation S420, and start the ice making driving in operation S210.
Here, the operation S420 may be omitted. That is, if the predetermined user input is acquired in operation S520-Y, the processor 172 may start the ice moving driving in operation S210.
Meanwhile, if the predetermined user input was not acquired in operation S520-N, the processor 172 may detect whether the door of the refrigerator 100 is opened in operation S530.
If opening of the door of the refrigerator 100 was not detected in operation S530-N, the processor 172 may identify whether the predetermined user input is acquired from the user in operation S520.
If opening of the door of the refrigerator 100 is detected in operation S530-Y, the processor 172 may perform the ice moving driving after the predetermined time (e.g., 8 hours) passes in operation S420, and restart the ice making driving in operation S210.
That is, if a notification regarding the abnormal water supply is provided to the user, and the door of the refrigerator 100 is opened, water supply to the ice making tray 151 may be completed by the user. Accordingly, in a state wherein water supply to the ice making tray 151 was completed by the user, when the predetermined time passes, the processor 172 may restart the ice making driving in operation S210. Here, the processor 172 may perform the ice moving driving before restarting the ice making driving in operation S420, and when the ice moving is completed, restart the ice making driving in operation S210. Through this, the refrigerator 100 according to the disclosure can prevent repetition of unnecessary ice making driving and ice moving driving when the supply of the ice making water was identified to be abnormal, and prevent unnecessary energy consumption.
Referring to
Then, if the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray is greater than or equal to a temperature change corresponding to the cooling time, the refrigerator 100 may stop the operation of the ice making driving in operation S620.
Here, if the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray is smaller than the value corresponding to the cooling time, the refrigerator 100 may continue performing the ice making driving.
If there is a history that supply of ice making water was identified to be abnormal before the start of the ice making driving, the refrigerator 100 may identify whether the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray during a first cooling time is greater than or equal to a first value. Specifically, if the ice making heater operates during the first cooling time, the refrigerator 100 may identify whether the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray during the first cooling time is greater than or equal to the first value, and if the ice making heater does not operate within the first cooling time, the refrigerator 100 may identify whether the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray during the first cooling time is greater than or equal to a second value bigger than the first value.
Alternatively, if the ice making heater operates within the predetermined time after the start of the ice making driving, the refrigerator 100 may identify whether the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray during the first cooling time is greater than or equal to the first value. Then, if the ice making heater does not operate within the predetermined time after the start of the ice making driving, the refrigerator 100 may identify whether the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray during a second cooling time shorter than the first cooling time is greater than or equal to a second value bigger than the first value.
Here, if the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray during the second cooling time is greater than or equal to the second value bigger than the first value, the refrigerator 100 may stop the operation of the ice making driving. Meanwhile, if the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray during the second cooling time is smaller than the second value bigger than the first value, the refrigerator 100 may identify whether a defrost heater operates during the ice making driving, and determine whether to stop the operation of the ice making driving according to whether the defrost heater operates.
Specifically, if the defrost heater did not operate, the refrigerator 100 may continue performing the ice making driving. Meanwhile, if the defrost heater operated, the refrigerator 100 may determine whether to stop the operation of the ice making driving according to whether the magnitude of the temperature change of the ice making tray by the ice making driving during a third cooling time is greater than or equal to a third value.
Meanwhile, if the operation of the ice making driving is stopped, the refrigerator 100 may provide information notifying that a supply state of ice making water is abnormal, and if a predetermined user input is acquired, restart the ice making driving.
Alternatively, if the operation of the ice making driving is stopped, the refrigerator 100 may provide information notifying that a supply state of ice making water is abnormal, and if opening of the door of the refrigerator is detected, restart the ice making driving after a predetermined second time passes.
Meanwhile, the term “a part” or “a module” used in the disclosure may include a unit implemented as hardware, software, or firmware, and may be interchangeably used with, for example, terms such as a logic, a logical block, a component, or a circuit. In addition, “a part” or “a module” may be a component constituted as an integrated body or a minimum unit or a part thereof performing one or more functions. For example, a module may be constituted as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).
Also, the various embodiments of the disclosure may be implemented as software including instructions stored in machine-readable storage media, which can be read by machines (e.g.: computers). The machines refer to devices that call instructions stored in a storage medium, and can operate according to the called instructions, and the devices may include the refrigerator 100 according to the embodiments disclosed herein. In case an instruction is executed by a processor, the processor may perform a function corresponding to the instruction by itself, or by using other components under its control. An instruction may include a code that is generated or executed by a compiler or an interpreter. A storage medium that is readable by a machine may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, the term ‘non-transitory’ only means that the storage medium is a tangible device, and does not include a signal, and the term does not distinguish a case wherein data is stored semi-permanently in a storage medium and a case wherein data is stored temporarily.
In addition, according to an embodiment, the method according to the various embodiments disclosed herein may be provided while being included in a computer program product. A computer program product refers to a product, and it can be traded between a seller and a buyer. A computer program product can be distributed on-line in the form of a storage medium that is readable by machines (e.g.: a compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)), or through an application store (e.g.: Play Store™). In the case of on-line distribution, at least a portion of a computer program product may be stored in a storage medium such as the server of the manufacturer, the server of the application store, and the memory of the relay server at least temporarily, or may be generated temporarily.
Further, each of the components according to the aforementioned various embodiments (e.g.: a module or a program) may consist of a singular object or a plurality of objects. Also, among the aforementioned corresponding sub components, some sub components may be omitted, or other sub components may be further included in the various embodiments. Alternatively or additionally, some components (e.g.: a module or a program) may be integrated as an object, and perform the functions that were performed by each of the components before integration identically or in a similar manner. Operations performed by a module, a program, or other components according to the various embodiments may be executed sequentially, in parallel, repetitively, or heuristically. Or, at least some of the operations may be executed in a different order or omitted, or other operations may be added.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2023-0064933 | May 2023 | KR | national |
| 10-2023-0115775 | Aug 2023 | KR | national |
This application is a continuation application, filed under 35 U.S.C. § 111 (a), of International Application PCT/KR2024/095798 filed May 17, 2024, and is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent Applications No. 10-2023-0064933, filed on May 19, 2023, and No. 10-2023-0115775, filed on Aug. 31, 2023 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/KR2024/095798 | May 2024 | WO |
| Child | 18934984 | US |
