Refrigerator and control method thereof

Abstract

This invention provides a refrigerator and its control method. The refrigerator includes a cabinet defining a freezer compartment. The control method includes: in response to the refrigerator detecting an action command that the door of its freezer compartment is closed, determining the current temperature of the stored items in the freezer compartment; in response to the current temperature being higher than a preset temperature and in response to the current time being outside of a low-electricity consumption period, controlling the refrigerator to adjust the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment to a preset temperature range; and in response to entering a low-electricity consumption period, controlling the refrigerator to lower the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment to a normal temperature range. The refrigerator of this invention improves the preservation effect of the freezer compartment on food.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of refrigeration equipment technology, and specifically provides a refrigerator and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] Most refrigerators have a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment. The refrigerator compartment is used for non-freezing low-temperature preservation of the stored items (including food, medicine, alcohol, biological reagents, bacteria, chemical reagents, etc.), while the freezer compartment is used for freezing the stored items.

[0003] Currently, refrigerator freezers typically maintain a constant low temperature (e.g., -18°C) for freezing food. However, for most foods, the sudden freezing after being placed in the freezer not only causes them to absorb odors from the refrigerator but also affects their taste, resulting in a poor user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One objective of this invention is to solve the problem that existing refrigerators cause food to lose its texture when freezing it.

[0005] A further objective of this invention is to reduce the energy consumption of refrigerators during off-peak hours, thereby reducing the overall power grid load.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a method for controlling a refrigerator in a first aspect, the refrigerator including a cabinet defining a freezer compartment; the control method includes:

[0007] In response to a command from the refrigerator that it detects that the door of its freezer compartment has been closed, the current temperature of the stored items in the freezer compartment is determined.

[0008] In response to the current temperature being higher than the preset temperature, and in response to the current time being outside of a low-power period, the refrigerator is controlled to adjust the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment to the preset temperature range.

[0009] In response to the arrival of off-peak electricity hours, the refrigerator is controlled to lower the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment to the normal temperature range.

[0010] Optionally, determining the current temperature of the stored items in the freezer compartment includes:

[0011] The refrigerator is controlled to obtain the temperature of the air inside the freezer compartment in real time through a temperature sensor;

[0012] In response to the door being closed for a first preset time, the refrigerator is controlled to take the largest value among all temperatures acquired within the first preset time as the current temperature.

[0013] Optionally, the preset temperature range is [preset temperature - m℃, preset temperature + n℃], where m and n are both positive numbers.

[0014] Optionally, the preset temperature is -10℃; m and n are both 1.

[0015] Optionally, the response to entering a low-electricity consumption period, controlling the refrigerator to lower the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment to a normal temperature range includes:

[0016] In response to the fact that the current time has reached the start of a low electricity consumption period, the time interval between the current time and the time when the door is closed is determined;

[0017] In response to the time interval reaching the second preset time, the refrigerator is controlled to directly reduce the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment to the normal temperature range;

[0018] In response to the time interval not reaching the second preset time, the refrigerator is controlled to gradually reduce the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment to the normal temperature range.

[0019] Optionally, the control method further includes:

[0020] In response to the current temperature being higher than the preset temperature, and in response to the current time being during a low electricity consumption period, the refrigerator is controlled to gradually lower the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment to the normal temperature range.

[0021] Optionally, controlling the refrigerator to gradually reduce the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment to the normal temperature range includes:

[0022] The refrigerator is controlled to reduce the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment by 1°C every third preset time interval.

[0023] Optionally, the refrigerator further includes an image acquisition module;

[0024] The control method further includes:

[0025] The refrigerator is controlled to acquire images of all stored items in the freezer compartment via the image acquisition module.

[0026] The refrigerator is controlled to identify the types of all stored items from the image;

[0027] The refrigerator is controlled to determine the melting temperature of each type of stored item;

[0028] The refrigerator is controlled to use the lowest of the determined melting temperatures as the preset temperature.

[0029] Furthermore, in a second aspect, the present invention also provides a refrigerator, comprising:

[0030] The cabinet is designed to include a freezer compartment;

[0031] Controller;

[0032] A memory storing execution instructions configured to enable the refrigerator to perform the control method described in any one of the first aspects when executed by the controller.

[0033] Optionally, the refrigerator further includes an image acquisition module;

[0034] The execution instruction is further configured to, when executed by the controller, enable the refrigerator to perform the control method for obtaining a preset temperature as described in the first aspect.

[0035] Based on the foregoing description, those skilled in the art will understand that in the aforementioned technical solution of the present invention, when the refrigerator detects an action command that the door of its freezer compartment is closed, the refrigerator determines the current temperature of the stored items in the freezer compartment. When the current temperature is higher than a preset temperature and the current time is not a low-power period, the refrigerator adjusts the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment to the preset temperature range. This allows the freezer compartment to refrigerate and preserve the stored items at a higher temperature, preventing the stored items (especially food) from deteriorating in taste and absorbing odors from the freezer compartment when they are rapidly cooled. Furthermore, after entering off-peak electricity hours, the refrigerator lowers the freezing temperature in the freezer compartment to the normal temperature range, allowing stored items (especially food) to be preserved at a higher temperature during off-peak hours. This ensures the food's taste while reducing the refrigerator's energy consumption. Conversely, preserving items at a lower temperature during off-peak hours extends the shelf life of stored items (especially food) and allows the refrigerator to store cold in the freezer compartment. Consequently, during the next day's off-peak hours, the refrigerator only needs to use less power to achieve low-temperature preservation of stored items (especially food) in the freezer compartment.

[0036] Those skilled in the art will understand that, at a microscopic level, when food is rapidly frozen, the outer parts freeze first, while the inner parts remain unfrozen. Because water changes volume upon freezing, the initially frozen portions of components such as fibers, cells, and long-chain amino acids interact with the unfrozen portions due to this volume change, leading to damage to these components and a deterioration in texture. However, if the food is frozen uniformly, all parts of the components—fibers, cells, and long-chain amino acids—will freeze simultaneously, preventing interactions between different parts and preserving the food's texture.

[0037] Furthermore, when the current moment reaches the start of a low-power consumption period, the time interval between the current moment and the moment the door is closed is determined. When this time interval reaches a second preset time, the refrigerator is controlled to directly lower the freezing temperature in the freezer compartment to the normal temperature range. This allows the refrigerator to utilize the electricity generated during the low-power period to freeze the stored items and charge the freezer compartment. If this time interval has not reached the second preset time, the refrigerator is controlled to gradually lower the freezing temperature in the freezer compartment to the normal temperature range. This ensures that the food in the freezer compartment is cooled evenly, allowing all parts of the food to be frozen almost simultaneously.

[0038] Furthermore, the image acquisition module acquires images of all stored items in the freezer compartment, and then the refrigerator identifies the type of each stored item from the images. The refrigerator then determines the melting temperature of each type of stored item, and finally sets the lowest of the determined melting temperatures as the preset temperature. This allows the refrigerator to preserve the food in the freezer compartment at a high temperature while preventing the already frozen food in the freezer compartment from thawing.

[0039] The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0040] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, some embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art should understand that the same reference numerals may indicate the same or similar parts or components in different drawings; the drawings of the present invention are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0041] In the attached image:

[0042] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the effect of a refrigerator provided according to the inventive concept of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the main steps of the refrigerator control method in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the location of the temperature sensor in the freezer compartment in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of some steps of the refrigerator control method in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the location of the image acquisition module in some other embodiments of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of some steps of the refrigerator control method in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the functional modules of a refrigerator in some other embodiments of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0049] Those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments described below are merely a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments of the present invention. These partial embodiments are intended to explain the technical principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Based on the embodiments provided by the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should still fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0050] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "top," "bottom," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," which indicate direction or positional relationships, are based on the direction or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. These are used merely for ease of description and do not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation; therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0051] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can also refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0052] Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description and to enable those skilled in the art to quickly understand the technical solution of this invention, the following description only focuses on technical features that are strongly related (directly or indirectly related) to the technical problem and / or concept to be solved by this invention. Technical features that are less related to the technical problem and / or concept to be solved by the invention (such as the refrigeration system of a refrigerator) will not be described in detail. Since such less related technical features are common knowledge in the field, the omission of such less related features will not result in insufficient disclosure of this invention.

[0053] like Figure 1 As shown, in a refrigerator provided according to the inventive concept of the present invention, the refrigerator 100 includes a cabinet 110 and a door 120 pivotally connected to the cabinet 110. The cabinet 110 defines a freezer compartment 111 and a refrigerator compartment 112. Each of the freezer compartment 111 and the refrigerator compartment 112 is provided with a door 120.

[0054] It should be noted that in the description of the refrigerator control method below, "door" specifically refers to door 120 corresponding to the freezer compartment 111, that is, Figure 1 The lower middle door is 120.

[0055] In addition, those skilled in the art may, as needed, limit the cabinet 110 to only the freezer compartment 111, or limit the cabinet 110 to also the variable temperature compartment.

[0056] The following reference Figures 2 to 4 The following describes in detail the refrigerator control methods in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0057] like Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments of the present invention, the refrigerator control method includes:

[0058] In step S110, in response to the refrigerator 100 detecting that the door 120 of its freezer compartment 111 has been closed, the current temperature of the stored items in the freezer compartment 111 is determined.

[0059] In some embodiments of the present invention, the stored items include food ingredients, medicines, alcoholic beverages, biological reagents, bacterial colonies, chemical reagents, etc.

[0060] Specifically, the refrigerator 100 is equipped with a door opening / closing detection device for detecting whether the door 120 of the freezer compartment 111 is open. This device can be any feasible detection device such as a micro switch, a combination of a Hall sensor and a magnet, a combination of a reed switch and a magnet, or a proximity switch. When the door 120 changes from a closed position to an open position, the micro switch, Hall sensor, reed switch, or proximity switch is triggered (the internal circuit is connected or a signal is always received). At this time, the refrigerator 100 can determine that the door 120 is open based on this information. When the door 120 changes from an open position to a closed position, the micro switch, Hall sensor, reed switch, or proximity switch is disengaged. At this time, the refrigerator 100 can determine that the door 120 is closed based on this information. Alternatively, when the door 120 changes from a closed position to an open position, the micro switch, Hall sensor, reed switch, or proximity switch is disengaged, and when the door 120 changes from an open position to a closed position, the micro switch, Hall sensor, reed switch, or proximity switch is triggered (the internal circuit is connected or always receives a signal).

[0061] For example, the door opening / closing detection device is a microswitch, which is deactivated when the door 120 is opened and activated when the door 120 is closed. Therefore, the "action command in response to the refrigerator 100 detecting that the door 120 of its freezer compartment 111 has been closed" includes: information indicating that the refrigerator 100 has detected that the microswitch has been activated. In other words, when the refrigerator 100 detects that the microswitch has been activated, it can be assumed that the door 120 of the freezer compartment 111 has been opened and has been closed.

[0062] Optionally, such as Figure 3 As shown, the refrigerator 100 also includes a temperature sensor 130 for detecting the air inside the freezer compartment 111. This temperature sensor 130 can be installed at any location within the refrigerator 100, such as on the top or side wall of the freezer compartment 111. Furthermore, "determining the current temperature of the stored items inside the freezer compartment 111" includes: controlling the refrigerator 100 to acquire the temperature of the air inside the freezer compartment 111 in real time via the temperature sensor 130; and, in response to the door 120 being closed for a first preset time, controlling the refrigerator 100 to use the largest value among all temperatures acquired within the first preset time as the current temperature.

[0063] In some embodiments of the present invention, a first preset time is used to ensure that the air in the freezer compartment 111 has reached a temperature substantially the same as the surface of the newly placed stored item. Based on this, the first preset time can be any feasible time, such as 30 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, etc.

[0064] Alternatively, the refrigeration system of the refrigerator 100 may be stopped during the first preset time, or it may continue to operate according to normal refrigeration parameters. In order to make the first preset time as short as possible, those skilled in the art may also, as needed, configure a fan for the freezer compartment 111 to promote the airflow in the freezer compartment 111, thereby delivering the air around the newly placed items in the freezer compartment 111 to the temperature sensor 130.

[0065] Furthermore, although not shown in the figure, those skilled in the art can interpret it as needed. Figure 3 The temperature sensor 130 shown is replaced with at least one infrared temperature sensor 130, and the at least one infrared temperature sensor 130 is configured to detect the temperature of the stored items at a location within the freezer compartment 111. Then, "determining the current temperature of the stored items in the freezer compartment 111" includes: controlling the refrigerator 100 to acquire the temperature of the stored items in the freezer compartment 111 through all the infrared temperature sensors 130; and controlling the refrigerator 100 to select the highest temperature from all the acquired temperatures as the current temperature.

[0066] Those skilled in the art will understand that, compared to detecting the temperature of the stored items in the freezer compartment 111 using the temperature sensor 130, the detection speed is faster using the infrared temperature sensor 130.

[0067] In step S120, in response to the current temperature being higher than the preset temperature and in response to the current time being outside of the off-peak electricity consumption period, the refrigerator 100 is controlled to adjust the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment 111 to the preset temperature range.

[0068] In some embodiments of the present invention, the preset temperature can be input into the refrigerator 100 (specifically, the refrigerator 100's memory) by the user or the manufacturer, or it can be obtained by the refrigerator 100 from a cloud server or a backend server through its own communication module, or it can be obtained in the manner described in some embodiments below. The preset temperature can be any feasible value, such as -3℃, -5℃, 7℃, 9℃, 10℃, 11℃, etc.

[0069] In some embodiments of the present invention, the off-peak electricity usage period can be input by the user or the manufacturer into the refrigerator 100 (specifically, it can be the refrigerator 100's memory), or it can be obtained by the refrigerator 100 from a cloud server or a back-end server through its own communication module.

[0070] In some embodiments of the present invention, the preset temperature range includes a preset temperature.

[0071] Preferably, the preset temperature range is [preset temperature - m℃, preset temperature + n℃]. Here, m can be any possible positive number, such as 0.5, 1, 1.2, 1.5, 2, etc. Similarly, n can be any possible positive number, such as 0.5, 1, 1.2, 1.5, 2, etc. Furthermore, m and n can be the same value or different values.

[0072] More preferably, the preset temperature is -10℃, and both m and n are 1.

[0073] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the refrigeration system of the refrigerator 100 provides cooling capacity to the freezer compartment 111. When the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment 111 drops to a preset temperature -m℃, the refrigeration system stops providing cooling capacity to the freezer compartment 111; when the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment 111 rises to a preset temperature +n℃, the refrigeration system resumes providing cooling capacity to the freezer compartment 111.

[0074] In step S130, in response to the arrival of a low-electricity period, the refrigerator 100 is controlled to reduce the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment 111 to the normal temperature range.

[0075] In some embodiments of the present invention, the off-peak electricity hours can be input by the user or the manufacturer into the refrigerator 100 (specifically, the refrigerator 100's memory), or the refrigerator 100 can obtain them from a cloud server or a back-end server through its own communication module.

[0076] In some embodiments of the present invention, after the refrigerator 100 adjusts the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment 111 to a preset temperature range during off-peak electricity hours, step S130 specifically includes:

[0077] Step S131: In response to the current time reaching the start time of the power consumption off-peak, determine the time interval between the current time and the time when the door 120 is closed.

[0078] The moment when the door 120 is closed is the moment when the refrigerator 100 detects the action command that the door 120 of its freezer compartment 111 is closed.

[0079] In step S132, in response to the aforementioned time interval reaching the second preset time, the refrigerator 100 is controlled to directly reduce the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment 111 to the normal temperature range.

[0080] In some embodiments of the present invention, the second preset time is the time elapsed from the moment the stored item (especially food) is placed in the freezer compartment 111 until it is completely frozen, within a preset temperature range. Based on this, the second preset time can be any feasible time, such as 1 hour, 1.5 hours, 3 hours, 5 hours, etc.

[0081] One method for determining the second preset time is as follows: a weighing sensor is installed on the bottom side of the freezer compartment 111. The weight of the food placed in the freezer compartment 111 is determined by the weight change detected by the weighing sensor when the door 120 is opened. Then, the second preset time is determined from the weight-time mapping table stored in the refrigerator 100 based on this weight. This weight-time mapping table is based on data obtained from multiple repeated experiments. Specifically, different weights and types of food can be placed in a refrigeration environment within a normal temperature range. When the food is completely frozen, the freezing time for all types of food at the corresponding weight is determined, and the longest freezing time is used as the second preset time. Furthermore, to ensure the accuracy of the weighing sensor detection, if the weighing sensor detects a decrease in weight in the freezer compartment 111 (food being removed by the user) followed by an increase (new food being placed in by the user) during the period when the door 120 is opened, the increased weight is used as the basis for determining the first preset time.

[0082] The second method for determining the second preset time is as follows: the second preset time is determined according to the maximum amount that a normal user places each time (e.g., 1 kg), and the manufacturer stores the second preset time in the refrigerator 100 in advance during the production process of the refrigerator 100.

[0083] In some embodiments of the present invention, the conventional temperature range is the temperature range of the freezer compartment 111 during normal refrigeration, which can be any feasible value, such as [-18℃, -17℃], [-18℃, -16℃], [-21℃, -18℃], etc.

[0084] Specifically, in some embodiments of the present invention, when the aforementioned time interval is greater than or equal to a second preset time, the refrigeration system of the refrigerator 100 is operated at rated power or maximum power and refrigerated for the freezer compartment 111, so that the refrigeration temperature in the freezer compartment 111 is rapidly reduced to the normal temperature range.

[0085] In step S133, in response to the time interval not reaching the second preset time, the refrigerator 100 is controlled to gradually reduce the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment 111 to the normal temperature range.

[0086] Preferably, when the aforementioned time interval is less than a second preset time, the refrigerator 100 is controlled to reduce the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment 111 by 1°C every third preset time interval.

[0087] The third preset time can be any feasible time, such as 10min, 30min, 45min, 90min, etc.

[0088] In step S140, in response to the current temperature not being higher than the preset temperature, the refrigerator 100 is controlled to reduce the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment 111 to the normal temperature range.

[0089] In some embodiments of the present invention, when the aforementioned time interval is less than a second preset time, the refrigeration system of the refrigerator 100 is operated at rated power and refrigerated for the freezer compartment 111, so that the refrigeration temperature in the freezer compartment 111 is rapidly reduced to the normal temperature range.

[0090] Based on the foregoing description, those skilled in the art will understand that, in some embodiments of the present invention, when the refrigerator 100 detects an action command that the door 120 of its freezer compartment 111 is closed, the refrigerator 100 determines the current temperature of the stored items in the freezer compartment 111. When the current temperature is higher than a preset temperature and the current time is not a low-power period, the refrigerator 100 adjusts the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment 111 to the preset temperature range. This allows the freezer compartment 111 to refrigerate and preserve the stored items at a higher temperature, preventing the stored items (especially food) from deteriorating in taste and absorbing odors from the freezer compartment 111 when they are rapidly cooled. Furthermore, after entering the off-peak electricity consumption period, the refrigerator 100 is controlled to lower the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment 111 to the normal temperature range, so that the stored items (especially food) are preserved at a higher temperature during the off-peak electricity consumption period. This not only ensures the taste of the food, but also reduces the energy consumption of the refrigerator 100. Preserving the food at a lower temperature during the off-peak electricity consumption period extends the storage time of the stored items (especially food), and at the same time, the refrigerator 100 stores cold in the freezer compartment 111. As a result, the refrigerator 100 only needs to use a lower power to achieve low-temperature preservation of the stored items (especially food) in the freezer compartment 111 during the off-peak electricity consumption period of the next day.

[0091] Furthermore, when the current moment reaches the start of a low-electricity consumption period, the time interval between the current moment and the moment when the door 120 is closed is determined. When this time interval reaches a second preset time, the refrigerator 100 is controlled to directly reduce the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment 111 to the normal temperature range. This allows the refrigerator 100 to utilize the electricity generated during the low-electricity consumption period to freeze the stored items at a low temperature and to charge the freezer compartment 111. If this time interval has not reached the second preset time, the refrigerator 100 is controlled to gradually reduce the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment 111 to the normal temperature range. This ensures that the food in the freezer compartment 111 is cooled evenly, allowing all parts of the food to be frozen almost simultaneously.

[0092] The control method of the refrigerator 100 in another embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail.

[0093] Although not shown in the figure, in some embodiments of the present invention, compared with some embodiments described above, the control method further includes a step parallel to step S120: in response to the current temperature being higher than a preset temperature and in response to the current time being a low-power period, controlling the refrigerator 100 to gradually lower the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment 111 to the normal temperature range.

[0094] Preferably, when the current temperature is higher than the preset temperature and the current time is during a low electricity consumption period, the refrigerator 100 is controlled to reduce the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment 111 by 1°C every third preset time interval.

[0095] Based on the foregoing description, those skilled in the art will understand that in some embodiments of the present invention, whether during off-peak hours or during off-peak hours, it can be ensured that the stored items (especially food) placed in the freezer compartment 111 will not be cooled down rapidly, thus preserving the taste of the food.

[0096] The following reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 The control method of refrigerator 100 in another embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0097] like Figure 5 As shown, compared to any of the embodiments described above, in another embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator 100 further includes an image acquisition module 140, which is used to acquire images of the freezer compartment 111. Provided that the image acquisition module 140 acquires images of all stored items in the freezer compartment 111, the image acquisition module 140 can be placed in any feasible location, for example, on the top wall of the freezer compartment 111.

[0098] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present invention, the image acquisition module 140 can be any feasible module or device such as a camera, a regular camera, or an infrared camera.

[0099] like Figure 6 As shown, compared with any of the embodiments described above, in another embodiment of the present invention, before step S110, the control method of the refrigerator 100 further includes:

[0100] In step S310, the refrigerator 100 is controlled to acquire images of all stored items in the freezer compartment 111 through the image acquisition module 140.

[0101] Specifically, at the same time or before the refrigerator 100 detects that the door 120 of the freezer compartment 111 has been opened, the image acquisition module 140 acquires images of all the stored items in the freezer compartment 111.

[0102] In step S320, the refrigerator 100 is controlled to identify the types of all stored items from the image.

[0103] Specifically, the area containing each stored item is first extracted from the image. Then, it is determined whether there is a text or graphic code representing the type of the stored item within that area. If so, the type of the stored item is determined using that text or graphic code. If not, the type of the stored item is determined by its shape, color, and texture.

[0104] Step S330: Control refrigerator 100 to determine the melting temperature of each type of stored item.

[0105] Specifically, the type determined in step S320 is found from the pre-stored type-melting temperature table, and then the melting temperature of the corresponding type is determined. This type-melting temperature table can be pre-stored on the refrigerator 100 by the manufacturer during the manufacturing process of the refrigerator 100, or it can be obtained by the refrigerator 100 from a cloud server or a back-end server through its own communication module.

[0106] In this type-melting temperature table, each type of stored material corresponds to a melting temperature, which can be obtained through multiple experiments for each type of stored material.

[0107] In step S340, the refrigerator 100 controls the lowest of the determined melting temperatures as the preset temperature.

[0108] Based on the foregoing description, those skilled in the art will understand that some embodiments of the present invention enable the refrigerator 100 to preserve food in the freezer compartment 111 at high temperatures while also preventing the already frozen food in the freezer compartment 111 from thawing.

[0109] In addition, those skilled in the art can, as needed, set the preset temperature slightly lower than the lowest of the determined melting temperatures. For example, lower it by 0.1°C, 0.5°C, or 1°C.

[0110] The following reference Figure 7 Further detailed descriptions of other embodiments of the present invention will be provided below.

[0111] like Figure 7 As shown, in some other embodiments of the present invention, the refrigerator 100 further includes a memory 150 and a controller 160. The memory 150 stores execution instructions; the controller 160 executes the execution instructions stored in the memory 150 to cause the refrigerator 100 to perform the control method described in any of the preceding embodiments.

[0112] The memory 150 is used to store execution instructions, specifically executable computer programs. Further, the memory 150 may include main memory and non-volatile memory, and provides execution instructions and data to the controller 160. For example, the main memory may be high-speed random-access memory (RAM), and the non-volatile memory may be at least one disk storage device.

[0113] Those skilled in the art will understand that the above-described control method can be applied to, or implemented using, the controller 160. Exemplarily, the controller 160 is an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. During the execution of the above-described control method by the controller 160, each step of the control method can be completed by integrated logic circuits in hardware form or instructions in software form within the controller 160. Furthermore, the controller 160 can be a general-purpose processor, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), Network Processor (NP), Digital Signal Processor (DSP), Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, microprocessors, and any other conventional processors.

[0114] Finally, it should be noted that in this invention, the refrigerator 100 can be a direct-cooling refrigerator or a frost-free refrigerator. Those skilled in the art will understand that, because a frost-free refrigerator causes air to flow from the freezer compartment 111 to the evaporator, when the current temperature of the stored items in the freezer compartment 111 is higher than a preset temperature, by slowly cooling the stored items in the freezer compartment 111, the ambient temperature air entering the freezer compartment 111 during door opening flows to the evaporator and frosts, thus reducing the amount of frost formed in the freezer compartment 111 by the ambient temperature air entering during door opening.

[0115] The technical solutions of the present invention have been described in conjunction with several embodiments above. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the technical principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can disassemble and combine the technical solutions in the above embodiments, and can also make equivalent changes or substitutions to related technical features. Any changes, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the technical concept and / or technical principles of the present invention will fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a refrigerator, the refrigerator comprising a cabinet defining a freezer compartment; the control method comprising: In response to a command from the refrigerator that it detects that the door of its freezer compartment has been closed, the current temperature of the stored items in the freezer compartment is determined. In response to the current temperature being higher than the preset temperature, and in response to the current time being outside of a low-power period, the refrigerator is controlled to adjust the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment to the preset temperature range. In response to the arrival of off-peak electricity hours, the refrigerator is controlled to reduce the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment to the normal temperature range. The step of responding to a low-electricity-consumption period by controlling the refrigerator to lower the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment to a normal temperature range includes: In response to the fact that the current time has reached the start of a low electricity consumption period, the time interval between the current time and the time when the door is closed is determined; In response to the time interval reaching the second preset time, the refrigerator is controlled to directly reduce the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment to the normal temperature range; In response to the time interval not reaching the second preset time, the refrigerator is controlled to gradually reduce the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment to the normal temperature range.

2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein, Determining the current temperature of the stored items in the freezer compartment includes: The refrigerator is controlled to obtain the temperature of the air inside the freezer compartment in real time through a temperature sensor; In response to the door being closed for a first preset time, the refrigerator is controlled to take the largest value among all temperatures acquired within the first preset time as the current temperature.

3. The control method according to claim 1, wherein, The preset temperature range is [preset temperature - m℃, preset temperature + n℃] Where m and n are both positive numbers.

4. The control method according to claim 3, wherein, The preset temperature is -10℃; m and n are both 1.

5. The control method according to claim 1, wherein, The control method further includes: In response to the current temperature being higher than the preset temperature, and in response to the current time being during a low electricity consumption period, the refrigerator is controlled to gradually lower the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment to the normal temperature range.

6. The control method according to claim 1 or 5, wherein, The control of the refrigerator to gradually reduce the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment to the normal temperature range includes: The refrigerator is controlled to reduce the cooling temperature in the freezer compartment by 1°C every third preset time interval.

7. The control method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The refrigerator also includes an image acquisition module; The control method further includes: The refrigerator is controlled to acquire images of all stored items in the freezer compartment via the image acquisition module. The refrigerator is controlled to identify the types of all stored items from the image; The refrigerator is controlled to determine the melting temperature of each type of stored item; The refrigerator is controlled to use the lowest of the determined melting temperatures as the preset temperature.

8. A refrigerator, comprising: The cabinet is designed to include a freezer compartment; Controller; A memory storing execution instructions configured to enable the refrigerator to perform the control method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 when executed by the controller.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein, The refrigerator also includes an image acquisition module; The execution instructions are further configured to enable the refrigerator to perform the control method of claim 7 when executed by the controller.

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