Refrigerator and control method thereof

Abstract

This invention provides a refrigerator and its control method. The refrigerator has a aging space, and the control method includes: determining that the aging space has ended aging; acquiring a trigger signal to open the aging space; after determining that the aging space is closed, acquiring information on the state changes of the food within the aging space, the state change information reflecting the shape changes of the food within the aging space; determining whether new surfaces have appeared on the food within the aging space; if so, adjusting the surface state of the new surfaces. Using the solution of this invention, the risk of microbial growth on the new surfaces can be reduced, thereby helping to reduce or avoid spoilage of food returned to the refrigerator's aging space.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to refrigeration equipment, and more particularly to refrigerators and their control methods. Background Technology

[0002] Maturation is the process of placing the food to be matured under suitable temperature and humidity conditions, allowing it to ferment slowly and naturally, thereby producing a better flavor.

[0003] After the food has finished maturing in the maturation space, the user may remove the food, choose to eat only a portion, and then put the rest back into the maturation space. If the food returned to the maturation space has exposed, newly formed surfaces, it is very easy for bacteria to grow, causing the remaining food to spoil.

[0004] The information disclosed in this background section is only intended to enhance the understanding of the background technology of this application, and therefore may include prior art that is not known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One object of the present invention is to overcome at least one technical defect in the prior art and to provide a refrigerator and a method for controlling the refrigerator thereto.

[0006] A further objective of this invention is to reduce or prevent food spoilage when it is returned to the aging space of a refrigerator.

[0007] Another further object of the present invention is to reduce or avoid the impact on the flavor of food that has been reprocessed after being returned to the aging space of the refrigerator.

[0008] Another further objective of this invention is to ensure the successful maturation rate of food within the refrigerator's maturation space.

[0009] In particular, according to one aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling a refrigerator is provided, the refrigerator having a curing space, and the method includes:

[0010] The maturation space is determined to be at the end of maturation;

[0011] Obtain the trigger signal to open the ripening space;

[0012] After determining that the maturation space is closed, information on the state changes of the ingredients within the maturation space is obtained, and the state change information reflects the shape changes of the ingredients within the maturation space.

[0013] Determine whether new, newly formed surfaces appear on the food within the maturation space;

[0014] If so, adjust the surface state of the newly formed surface.

[0015] Optionally, the step of adjusting the surface state of the newly formed surface includes: increasing the airflow velocity through the newly formed surface.

[0016] Optionally, before increasing the airflow velocity across the newly formed surface, the method further includes:

[0017] Determine whether the ingredients within the maturation space retain their original, natural appearance;

[0018] If so, while increasing the airflow velocity through the newly formed surface, the airflow velocity through the original surface is reduced, so that the airflow velocity through the original surface is lower than the airflow velocity through the newly formed surface.

[0019] Optionally, the maturation space is formed within a maturation container, and the wall of the maturation container has multiple air outlets for supplying airflow to the maturation space; and

[0020] The airflow velocity of the newly formed surface is adjusted by the opening degree and / or the outlet speed of the air outlet that supplies airflow to the newly formed surface; the airflow velocity of the original surface is adjusted by the opening degree and / or the outlet speed of the air outlet that supplies airflow to the original surface.

[0021] Optionally, the step of increasing the airflow velocity across the newly formed surface includes:

[0022] From the plurality of air outlets, the air outlet opposite to the new surface is determined as the speed-up air outlet; the opening of the speed-up air outlet is increased; and

[0023] The steps to reduce the airflow velocity across the primary surface include:

[0024] From the plurality of air outlets, the air outlet opposite to the original surface is determined as the deceleration air outlet;

[0025] Reduce the opening of the deceleration air outlet.

[0026] Optionally, the refrigerator further includes an air outlet duct communicating with the plurality of air outlets, and a fan is installed in the air outlet duct. The fan is configured to operate at a preset low speed before the curing space is opened; and

[0027] In the process of increasing the opening of the speed-increasing air outlet and decreasing the opening of the speed-reducing air outlet, the control method further includes: increasing the rotational speed of the fan.

[0028] Optionally, the state change information is determined based on image information of the food ingredients within the maturation space; and

[0029] The steps for determining whether newly formed surfaces appear in the food within the maturation space include:

[0030] Determine whether the outline of the food ingredient has changed based on the state change information;

[0031] If so, then it is determined that the new surface of the food in the maturation space has appeared.

[0032] Optionally, the state change information is determined based on image information of the food ingredients within the maturation space; and

[0033] The steps for determining whether the ingredients within the maturation space retain their original, natural appearance include:

[0034] Based on the state change information, determine whether the food ingredient has an original region whose outline has not changed;

[0035] If so, then it is determined that the ingredients within the maturation space retain their original surface.

[0036] Optionally, before determining that the ripening space has ended ripening, the method further includes:

[0037] Determine the maturation space to initiate maturation;

[0038] The airflow velocity in the maturation space is adjusted according to the preset wind speed adjustment scheme;

[0039] Determine whether the ingredients in the maturation space have completed maturation;

[0040] If so, the step of determining that the maturation space has ended maturation is executed, and a prompt signal is output to prompt the user to open the maturation space.

[0041] Optionally, the step of determining whether the food in the maturation space has completed maturation includes:

[0042] The weight loss rate and microbial content of the food within the maturation space were obtained;

[0043] Determine whether the weight loss rate reaches a preset first ratio threshold and whether the microbial content reaches a preset first content threshold;

[0044] If so, then it is determined that the ingredients in the maturation space have completed maturation.

[0045] Optionally, the step of adjusting the airflow velocity in the maturation space according to a preset wind speed adjustment scheme includes:

[0046] The airflow velocity in the maturation space is adjusted to a preset first velocity;

[0047] Based on the changes in the weight loss rate and microbial content of the ingredients in the maturation space, the airflow velocity in the maturation space is reduced in stages to a preset second velocity, which is less than the first velocity.

[0048] According to another aspect of the present invention, a refrigerator is also provided, the refrigerator having a curing space therein, and the refrigerator comprising:

[0049] A processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores a machine-executable program, which, when executed by the processor, is used to implement the control method according to any of the above.

[0050] The refrigerator and its control method of the present invention, when it is determined that the aging space has ended aging, obtains a trigger signal to open the aging space, and after it is determined that the aging space is closed, obtains information on the state changes of the food in the aging space, and determines whether the food in the aging space has a new surface. If it is determined that the food in the aging space has a new surface, the surface state of the new surface is adjusted to reduce the risk of microbial growth on the new surface, thereby helping to reduce or avoid the spoilage of food that is put back into the aging space of the refrigerator.

[0051] Furthermore, in the refrigerator and control method of the present invention, when food is returned to the aging space while retaining its original surface, since the surface state of the original surface has not changed, if the airflow velocity flowing through all areas of the food is increased indiscriminately, it is inevitable that the area where the original surface is located will suffer from over-aging and thus deteriorate in flavor. Therefore, by increasing the airflow velocity flowing through the new surface while decreasing the airflow velocity flowing through the original surface, the influence of reprocessing the food returned to the aging space of the refrigerator on the flavor of the food can be reduced or avoided.

[0052] Furthermore, in the process of adjusting the airflow speed of the aging space according to the preset wind speed adjustment scheme, after adjusting the airflow speed of the aging space to the preset maximum speed, the airflow speed of the aging space is reduced to the preset minimum speed in stages according to the changes in the weight loss rate and microbial content of the food in the aging space. This can ensure the success rate of aging of the food in the aging space of the refrigerator, ensure that the food is in a better state after aging, and avoid excessive loss.

[0053] 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

[0054] The following sections will describe some specific embodiments of the invention in detail by way of example and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts or portions. Those skilled in the art should understand that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings:

[0055] Figure 1This is a schematic block diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 3 This is an internal structural diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0058] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator control method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0059] Figure 5 This is a control flowchart of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0060] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The various embodiments provided are intended to explain the invention and not to limit it. In fact, various modifications and variations to the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For example, a feature illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used with another embodiment to produce yet another embodiment. Therefore, the invention is intended to cover such modifications and variations within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0061] The following reference Figures 1 to 5 The present invention describes a refrigerator 10 and its control method according to embodiments of the present invention. In the description of this embodiment, the term "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified. When a feature "includes or contains" one or more of the features it covers, unless otherwise specifically described, this indicates that other features are not excluded and may be further included.

[0062] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "a case," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0063] The present invention first provides a refrigerator 10. Figure 1This is a schematic block diagram of a refrigerator 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The refrigerator 10 generally includes a processor 110 and a memory 120. A aging space 230 may be provided inside the refrigerator 10. The aging space 230 is a place for providing aged food ingredients.

[0064] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigerator 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The refrigerator 10 of this embodiment may further include a cabinet 100, which internally defines a storage compartment 210 for storing food. A processor 110 and a memory 120 may be respectively disposed within the cabinet 100. The number of storage compartments 210 may be one or more. In one example, there may be multiple storage compartments 210, and they may include a refrigerator compartment, a freezer compartment, and a variable temperature compartment, but are not limited thereto.

[0065] Figure 3 This is an internal structural diagram of a refrigerator 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the aging container 600 and its surrounding structure. In one example, the refrigerator 10 may further include the aging container 600 for aging, which is disposed in any of the storage compartments 210 of the refrigerator 10, for example, it may be disposed in the refrigerator compartment. The interior of the aging container 600 may define the aforementioned aging space 230.

[0066] In some alternative embodiments, the refrigerator 10 may further include a refrigeration system. The refrigeration system may be a compression refrigeration system. For example, the refrigeration system generally includes a compressor, a condenser, a throttling device, and an evaporator. The refrigeration system may utilize the refrigerant absorbing heat and undergoing a phase change within the evaporator to cool the storage compartment 210, thereby regulating the temperature and / or humidity of the storage compartment 210 and the aging space 230 disposed within the storage compartment 210, creating a suitable atmosphere in the aging space 230 for successful aging of food.

[0067] The memory 120 and processor 110 can form part of the main control board of the refrigerator 10. The memory 120 stores a machine-executable program 121, which, when executed by the processor 110, is used to implement the control method of the refrigerator 10 according to any of the following embodiments. The processor 110 can be a central processing unit (CPU), a digital processing unit (DSP), etc. The memory 120 is used to store the program executed by the processor 110. The memory 120 can be any medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory 120 can also be a combination of various types of memory 120. Since the machine-executable program 121, when executed by the processor 110, implements the various processes of the following method embodiments and achieves the same technical effects, it will not be described again here to avoid repetition.

[0068] This invention also provides a control method for a refrigerator 10. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a control method for a refrigerator 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The control method of this embodiment can provide a suitable storage environment for fully cooked food. Using the method of this embodiment, even if the user takes out the fully cooked food in multiple portions, the food will not spoil. The control method of this embodiment generally includes the following steps:

[0069] Step S402: Determine that maturation in maturation space 230 has ended. The end of maturation in maturation space 230 means that the ingredients in maturation space 230 have finished maturing and can be taken by the user.

[0070] Step S404: Obtain the trigger signal for opening the maturation space 230. When the user takes food from the maturation space 230, the maturation space 230 needs to be opened first. When the user opens the maturation space 230, a trigger signal for opening the maturation space 230 is generated.

[0071] Step S406: After confirming that the aging space 230 is closed, acquire information on the state changes of the ingredients within the aging space 230. After the user completes the ingredient retrieval process, the aging space 230 will automatically close or be manually closed. After the aging space 230 returns to its closed state, the step of acquiring information on the state changes of the ingredients within the aging space 230 is executed. The information on the state changes of the ingredients reflects the shape changes of the ingredients within the aging space 230. The information on the state changes of the ingredients may include any one or a combination of the following: weight change information and contour change information.

[0072] Step S408: Determine whether newly formed surfaces have appeared in the food within the aging space 230. If so, proceed to step S410. Newly formed surfaces refer to the food before the aging space 230 was opened, and specifically to the newly formed surfaces within the food after the aging space 230 was closed. These surfaces did not exist in the food before the aging space 230 was opened. When a user takes food, newly formed surfaces appear. For example, after the aging space 230 has finished aging, if the user takes only a portion of the food, they may break it apart through cutting, tearing, or other actions, thus creating newly formed surfaces.

[0073] Step S410: Adjust the surface condition of the newly formed surface. In this step, the surface temperature, surface humidity, and / or surface airflow rate of the newly formed surface can be adjusted to make the surface condition of the newly formed surface meet the storage requirements. For example, the surface condition of the newly formed surface can be made consistent with the surface condition of the non-newly formed surface.

[0074] Since the newly formed surface is not located on the surface of the food but inside the food before the maturation space 230 is opened, the inventors realized that the surface state of the newly formed surface is different from that of the non-newly formed surface. When the newly formed surface is exposed to the air as the surface of the food, it is very easy for microorganisms to grow, which leads to the spoilage of the food.

[0075] Using the above method, when it is determined that the aging space 230 has ended aging, the trigger signal for opening the aging space 230 is obtained, and after it is determined that the aging space 230 is closed, the state change information of the food in the aging space 230 is obtained, and it is determined whether the food in the aging space 230 has a new surface. If it is determined that the food in the aging space 230 has a new surface, the surface state of the new surface is adjusted, which can reduce the risk of microbial growth on the new surface, thereby helping to reduce or avoid the spoilage of food that is put back into the aging space 230 of the refrigerator 10.

[0076] It needs to be further emphasized that although the application of aging technology in refrigerator 10 is commonplace, existing aging technologies only focus on solving the atmosphere control problem during the aging process, generally only involving the setting of aging programs, without addressing the issue of food preservation after aging, and failing to recognize the technical problems described in the background art. The inventors of this application creatively propose a food preservation solution after aging, which not only breaks through the ideological constraints of existing technologies, but also substantially solves the pain point problem of users taking food in multiple portions, making the operation of refrigerator 10 more user-friendly, intelligent, and automated, and achieving significant beneficial technical effects.

[0077] In one example, the method for adjusting the surface state of the new surface is not limited to the examples above, as long as the adjustment method can reduce the water content of the new surface.

[0078] In some optional embodiments, the step of adjusting the surface state of the newly formed surface includes increasing the airflow velocity through the newly formed surface. When the airflow velocity through the newly formed surface is increased, the large volume of airflow flowing through the newly formed surface can remove moisture from the newly formed surface, thereby reducing the risk of microbial growth on the newly formed surface.

[0079] By using the above method to adjust the surface condition of the new surface, since there is no need to directly adjust the temperature and / or humidity of the new surface, the problem of over-aging of the new surface of the food due to reprocessing can be avoided to a certain extent.

[0080] In some optional embodiments, before increasing the airflow velocity through the newly formed surface, the method further includes: determining whether the food in the maturation space 230 retains its original surface; if so, increasing the airflow velocity through the newly formed surface while decreasing the airflow velocity through the original surface, so that the airflow velocity through the original surface is lower than the airflow velocity through the newly formed surface. That is, in this embodiment, when it is determined that the food in the maturation space 230 has a newly formed surface and retains its original surface, the airflow velocity through the newly formed surface is increased on the one hand, and the airflow velocity through the original surface is ensured to be lower than the airflow velocity through the newly formed surface on the other hand.

[0081] The original surface refers to the surface of the food that existed before the enclosed maturation space 230, and it is the surface of the food that has not changed before the enclosed maturation space 230. When a user takes out the food, if only a part of the food is taken out, the original surface is generally retained when new surfaces appear on the food.

[0082] It should be further clarified that the reduction in airflow velocity across the primary surface is relative to the airflow velocity across the newly formed surface. Reducing the airflow velocity across the primary surface means lowering the airflow velocity across the primary surface relative to the airflow velocity across the newly formed surface, thereby making the airflow velocity across the primary surface less than the airflow velocity across the newly formed surface.

[0083] Since the original surface of the food remains on the surface throughout the opening and closing of the maturation space 230, the inventors recognized that increasing the airflow velocity would alter the maturation level of the original surface area. By reducing the airflow velocity through the original surface, changes in maturation level can be minimized or avoided, thus preventing any impact on the flavor of the original surface area.

[0084] When food is returned to the aging space 230 with its original surface intact, since the surface condition of the original surface has not changed, if the airflow velocity flowing through all areas of the food is increased indiscriminately, the flavor of the area where the original surface is located will inevitably deteriorate due to over-aging. Therefore, by increasing the airflow velocity flowing through the new surface while decreasing the airflow velocity flowing through the original surface, the flavor of the food can be reduced or avoided from being affected by the reprocessing of the food returned to the aging space 230 of the refrigerator 10.

[0085] Methods for increasing the airflow velocity across the newly formed surface while reducing the airflow velocity across the primary surface may include: directing airflow toward the newly formed surface to allow the airflow to avoid the primary surface, or dispersing airflow non-directionally toward the entire maturation space 230 and shielding the primary surface.

[0086] In some alternative embodiments, a curing space 230 is formed within a curing container 600, the walls of which are provided with a plurality of air outlets for supplying airflow to the curing space 230. The airflow velocity on the nascent surface is adjusted by the opening degree and / or airflow velocity of the air outlets supplying airflow to the nascent surface; the airflow velocity on the primary surface is adjusted by the opening degree and / or airflow velocity of the air outlets supplying airflow to the primary surface.

[0087] Using the above method, there is no need to take measures to cover the original surface of the food. Simply adjust the opening and / or air speed of the designated air outlet to increase the airflow velocity through the newly formed surface while reducing the airflow velocity through the original surface. It has the advantages of being simple in method and structure.

[0088] In some further embodiments, the step of increasing the airflow velocity across the nascent surface includes: identifying an air outlet opposite the nascent surface from among a plurality of air outlets as a speed-increasing air outlet, and increasing the opening of the speed-increasing air outlet. The step of decreasing the airflow velocity across the primary surface includes: identifying an air outlet opposite the primary surface from among a plurality of air outlets as a speed-decelerating air outlet, and decreasing the opening of the speed-decelerating air outlet.

[0089] In the process of identifying the speed-up air outlets opposite the newly formed surface and the speed-down air outlets opposite the original surface from multiple air outlets, image information of the food within the maturation space 230 can be analyzed to determine the positions of the newly formed and original surfaces of the food. Then, based on the positions of the newly formed and original surfaces, the speed-up air outlets opposite the newly formed surface and the speed-down air outlets opposite the original surface are determined. In one example, a spatial coordinate system can be pre-established within the maturation space 230. By analyzing the three-dimensional image information of the food within the maturation space 230, the positions of the newly formed and original surfaces of the food can be determined. In a further example, the three-dimensional image information of the food within the maturation space 230 can carry the position coordinates of various locations within the food.

[0090] After the maturation space 230 has finished maturing, the opening of each air outlet can be adjusted to the preset minimum opening. When increasing the opening of the speed-up air outlet, the opening of the speed-up air outlet can be increased by 1 to 5 times, or it can be increased to the preset maximum opening. When decreasing the opening of the speed-down air outlet, the opening of the speed-down air outlet can be reduced by 20 to 80%, or it can be reduced to an opening of 0.

[0091] Using the above method, the airflow velocity flowing through the newly formed surface and the airflow velocity flowing through the original surface are adjusted by adjusting the opening of the corresponding air outlet, so that the airflow flowing to the maturation space 230 is distributed in a reasonable direction. The method is very ingenious and the control logic is relatively simple.

[0092] In some optional embodiments, the refrigerator 10 further includes an air outlet duct communicating with multiple air outlets. A fan 300 is disposed within the air outlet duct and configured to operate at a preset low speed before the curing space 230 is opened. The air outlet duct may connect to the refrigeration chamber containing the evaporator of the refrigeration system, allowing the heat exchange airflow passing through the evaporator to flow into the curing space 230 via the air outlet duct, thereby regulating the temperature and / or humidity of the curing space 230. In one example, the refrigeration chamber is connected to the storage monitor containing the curing container 600 via a first air outlet 241 and to the air outlet duct via a second air outlet 242.

[0093] After the maturation space 230 is confirmed to have completed maturation, the speed of the fan 300 can be adjusted to a preset minimum speed. During the process of increasing the opening of the speed-increasing air outlet and decreasing the opening of the speed-reducing air outlet, the control method also includes increasing the speed of the fan 300. The speed of the fan 300 can be increased by 1 to 3 speed increments, or it can be increased to a preset maximum speed. The timing of increasing the speed of the fan 300 can be the same as the timing of increasing the opening of the speed-increasing air outlet and decreasing the opening of the speed-reducing air outlet.

[0094] Using the above method, while increasing the opening of the speed-increasing air outlet and decreasing the opening of the speed-reducing air outlet, the rotation speed of the fan 300 is increased. On the one hand, this can increase the airflow velocity through the newly formed surface, allowing the area where the newly formed surface is located to quickly approach the state of the area where the original surface is located. On the other hand, the airflow distribution method can reduce or avoid the airflow velocity through the original surface being too high, thus preventing the original surface from deteriorating in flavor due to over-maturation.

[0095] In some optional embodiments, when the food in the maturation space 230 develops new surfaces but does not retain its original surfaces, the airflow velocity across the entire area of ​​the food can be increased. When the food in the maturation space 230 does not develop new surfaces, the airflow velocity across the food can be kept constant.

[0096] In some optional embodiments, the state change information is determined based on image information of the food within the maturation space 230. After determining that maturation in the maturation space 230 has ended, image information of the food within the maturation space 230 can be acquired and recorded as initial state image information. After determining that the maturation space 230 is closed, and in the step of acquiring state change information of the food within the maturation space 230, image information of the food within the maturation space 230 can be acquired again and recorded as real-time image information. Then, the initial state image information and the real-time image information are compared to determine the state change information of the food, that is, to determine the shape change of the food.

[0097] The steps for determining whether a new surface has appeared in the food within the maturation space 230 may include: determining whether the outline of the food has changed based on the state change information; if so, then determining that a new surface has appeared in the food within the maturation space 230.

[0098] In one example, the image information of the food in the aging space 230 may include six views of the food. By comparing the image information of the food before and after the aging space 230 is opened, it can be determined whether the outline of the food has changed.

[0099] In another example, an indirect method can be used to determine whether a new surface has appeared on the food. For instance, information about changes in the food's state could include changes in its weight. By analyzing the weight of the food before and after the maturation space 230 is opened, the weight change can be determined. If the weight of the food decreases after the maturation space 230 is closed, it can be determined that a new surface has appeared on the food. This is because when a user takes a portion of the food, it obviously needs to be broken down, and the resulting food inevitably produces a new surface.

[0100] Using the above method, we can determine whether the outline of the food has changed based on the information about the changes in the state of the food, and determine whether new surfaces have appeared based on the judgment results. The method is simple and reliable, and the judgment results are very accurate.

[0101] In some optional embodiments, the state change information is determined based on the image information of the food within the aging space 230. The step of determining whether the food within the aging space 230 retains its original surface includes: determining whether there is an original region of the food whose outline has not changed based on the state change information; if so, determining that the food within the aging space 230 retains its original surface.

[0102] In one example, the image information of the ingredients in the maturation space 230 may include six views of the ingredients. By comparing the image information of the ingredients before and after the maturation space 230 is opened, it can be determined whether there are original areas of the ingredients whose outlines have not changed.

[0103] In another example, information input by the user can be used to determine changes in the state of the food. For instance, while or after the aging space 230 is closed, the refrigerator 10 can receive information on changes in the state of the food input by the user, including but not limited to touchscreen and button input. The user-inputted information on changes in state can include whether the food has a newly formed surface or a naturally formed surface.

[0104] In some optional embodiments, before determining that the maturation space 230 has ended maturation, the control method may further include: determining that the maturation space 230 has started maturation, adjusting the airflow speed of the maturation space 230 according to a preset wind speed adjustment scheme, determining whether the food in the maturation space 230 has finished maturing, and if so, executing the step of determining that the maturation space 230 has ended maturation, and outputting a prompt signal to prompt the user to open the maturation space 230. After receiving the prompt signal, the user can choose an appropriate time to open the maturation space 230 according to actual needs and take out the maturated food.

[0105] In other words, this embodiment also includes a design for controlling the maturation process of the ingredients. During the maturation process, the airflow velocity of the maturation space 230 is adjusted according to a preset wind speed adjustment scheme, so that the airflow velocity of the maturation space 230 is not constant. The airflow velocity of the maturation space 230 can be increased in the early stage of maturation, decreased in the middle stage of maturation, and decreased again in the late stage of maturation, thereby increasing the yield while ensuring the maturation effect.

[0106] In some optional embodiments, the step of determining whether the food in the maturation space 230 has been fully matured includes: obtaining the weight loss rate and microbial content of the food in the maturation space 230, determining whether the weight loss rate reaches a preset first ratio threshold and whether the microbial content reaches a preset first content threshold, and if so, determining that the food in the maturation space 230 has been fully matured.

[0107] Using the above method, by comprehensively assessing whether the ingredients have completed maturation based on the weight loss rate and microbial content during the maturation process, it can, on the one hand, avoid the spoilage of the maturated ingredients due to high microbial content in local areas, thus ensuring the success rate of maturation; on the other hand, it can reduce the high losses caused by constant wind speed during the maturation process, thereby increasing the maturation yield.

[0108] In one example, after the curing space 230 is determined to have finished curing, the speed of the fan 300 can be adjusted to 0. If the curing space 230 is not opened within the set time after the curing space is determined to have finished curing, the speed of the fan 300 can be adjusted to the preset minimum speed, that is, the preset low speed.

[0109] In some optional embodiments, the step of adjusting the airflow velocity of the maturation space 230 according to a preset wind speed adjustment scheme includes: adjusting the airflow velocity of the maturation space 230 to a preset first velocity, and then, based on changes in the weight loss rate and microbial content of the food within the maturation space 230, gradually reducing the airflow velocity of the maturation space 230 to a preset second velocity. The second velocity is lower than the first velocity. In one example, the first velocity can be a preset maximum velocity, and the second velocity can be a preset minimum velocity.

[0110] During the process of adjusting the airflow speed of the maturation space 230 according to the preset wind speed adjustment scheme, after adjusting the airflow speed of the maturation space 230 to the preset first speed, the airflow speed of the maturation space 230 is reduced to the preset second speed in stages according to the changes in the weight loss rate and microbial content of the food in the maturation space 230. This can ensure the success rate of maturation of the food in the maturation space 230 of the refrigerator 10, ensure that the food is in a better state after maturation, and avoid excessive loss.

[0111] In one example, while adjusting the airflow speed in the aging chamber 230 according to a preset wind speed adjustment scheme, the weight loss rate and microbial content of the food within the aging chamber 230 can be continuously monitored. For example, a weight sensor and a microbial content sensor 400 can be installed inside the refrigerator 10. The weight sensor can be installed below the shelf in the aging chamber 230 to detect the weight and / or weight loss rate of the food. The microbial content sensor 400 can be installed on the wall of the aging chamber 230 to detect the microbial content in the gas flowing through it, thereby indirectly determining the microbial content of the food.

[0112] During the process of adjusting the airflow velocity in the maturation space 230 according to the preset wind speed adjustment scheme, the airflow velocity in the maturation space 230 can be first adjusted to a preset first velocity. Then, when the weight loss rate of the food in the maturation space 230 reaches a second ratio threshold and the microbial content of the food in the maturation space 230 reaches a second content threshold, the airflow velocity in the maturation space 230 is adjusted to a preset third velocity. When the weight loss rate of the food in the maturation space 230 reaches a third ratio threshold and the microbial content of the food in the maturation space 230 reaches a third content threshold, the airflow velocity in the maturation space 230 is adjusted to a preset second velocity. Specifically, the first velocity is greater than the third velocity, and the third velocity is greater than the second velocity. The first ratio threshold is greater than the third ratio threshold, and the third ratio threshold is greater than the second ratio threshold. The first content threshold is less than the third content threshold, and the third content threshold is less than the second content threshold.

[0113] The airflow velocity in the maturation space 230 is regulated by the rotational speed of the fan 300. The higher the rotational speed of the fan 300, the greater the airflow velocity in the maturation space 230. In one example, the preset low rotational speed of the fan 300 may be less than the rotational speed of the fan 300 required to bring the airflow velocity in the maturation space 230 to the second velocity.

[0114] In some optional embodiments, the refrigerator 10 can achieve higher technical effects through further optimization and configuration of the above steps. The following describes the control method of the refrigerator 10 in this embodiment in detail with reference to an optional execution flow of this embodiment. This embodiment is only an example of the execution flow. In specific implementation, the execution order and operating conditions of some steps can be modified according to specific implementation requirements.

[0115] Figure 5 This is a control flowchart of a refrigerator 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The control flow generally includes the following steps:

[0116] Step S502: Determine the maturation space 230 and start maturation.

[0117] Step S504: Adjust the airflow velocity in the maturation space 230 to a preset first velocity.

[0118] Step S506: Based on the changes in the weight loss rate and microbial content of the ingredients in the maturation space 230, the airflow velocity in the maturation space 230 is reduced in stages to a preset second velocity, which is less than the first velocity.

[0119] Step S508: Obtain the weight loss rate and microbial content of the ingredients in the maturation space 230.

[0120] Step S510: Determine whether the weight loss rate reaches the preset first ratio threshold and whether the microbial content reaches the preset first content threshold. If yes, proceed to step S512; otherwise, proceed to step S508.

[0121] Step S512: Determine the maturation space 230 to end maturation.

[0122] Step S514: Output a prompt signal to prompt the user to open the ripening space 230.

[0123] Step S516: Obtain the trigger signal for opening the maturation space 230.

[0124] Step S518: After confirming that the maturation space 230 is closed, obtain the state change information of the food in the maturation space 230. The state change information reflects the shape change of the food in the maturation space 230.

[0125] Step S520: Based on the information on the changes in the state of the ingredients, determine that the newly formed surface of the ingredients has appeared while retaining the original surface.

[0126] Step S522: While increasing the airflow velocity through the newly formed surface, decrease the airflow velocity through the original surface, so that the airflow velocity through the original surface is lower than the airflow velocity through the newly formed surface.

[0127] Using the above method, when it is determined that the aging space 230 has ended aging, the trigger signal for opening the aging space 230 is obtained, and after it is determined that the aging space 230 is closed, the state change information of the food in the aging space 230 is obtained, and it is determined whether the food in the aging space 230 has a new surface. If it is determined that the food in the aging space 230 has a new surface, the surface state of the new surface is adjusted, which can reduce the risk of microbial growth on the new surface, thereby helping to reduce or avoid the spoilage of food that is put back into the aging space 230 of the refrigerator 10.

[0128] Therefore, those skilled in the art should recognize that although numerous exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications conforming to the principles of the present invention can be directly determined or derived from the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the present invention should be understood and construed as covering all such other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a refrigerator, wherein the refrigerator has a curing space, and the control method includes: The maturation space is determined to be at the end of maturation; Obtain the trigger signal to open the ripening space; After determining that the maturation space is closed, information on the state changes of the ingredients within the maturation space is obtained, and the state change information reflects the shape changes of the ingredients within the maturation space. Determine whether new surfaces appear on the food within the maturation space; the new surfaces are the surfaces that appear when the food is decomposed. If so, adjust the surface state of the newly formed surface; The steps for adjusting the surface state of the newly formed surface include: Increase the airflow velocity across the newly formed surface; Determine whether the ingredients within the maturation space retain their original, natural appearance; If so, then while increasing the airflow velocity through the newly formed surface, the airflow velocity through the original surface is reduced, so that the airflow velocity through the original surface is lower than the airflow velocity through the newly formed surface. The state change information is determined based on the image information of the food ingredients within the maturation space; and The steps for determining whether newly formed surfaces appear in the food within the maturation space include: Determine whether the outline of the food ingredient has changed based on the state change information; If so, then it is determined that the new surface of the food in the maturation space has appeared; The steps for determining whether the ingredients within the maturation space retain their original, natural appearance include: Based on the state change information, determine whether the food ingredient has an original region whose outline has not changed; If so, then it is determined that the ingredients within the maturation space retain their original surface.

2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein, The maturation space is formed within a maturation container, and the walls of the maturation container are provided with multiple air outlets for supplying airflow to the maturation space; and The airflow velocity of the newly formed surface is adjusted by the opening degree and / or the outlet speed of the air outlet that supplies airflow to the newly formed surface; the airflow velocity of the original surface is adjusted by the opening degree and / or the outlet speed of the air outlet that supplies airflow to the original surface.

3. The control method according to claim 2, wherein, The steps to increase the airflow velocity across the newly formed surface include: From the plurality of air outlets, determine the air outlet opposite to the new surface as the speed-up air outlet; Increase the opening of the speed-increasing air outlet; and The steps to reduce the airflow velocity across the primary surface include: From the plurality of air outlets, the air outlet opposite to the original surface is determined as the deceleration air outlet; Reduce the opening of the deceleration air outlet.

4. The control method according to claim 3, wherein, The refrigerator also includes an air outlet duct connected to the plurality of air outlets, and a fan is provided in the air outlet duct. The fan is configured to operate at a preset low speed before the curing space is opened. and In the process of increasing the opening of the speed-increasing air outlet and decreasing the opening of the speed-reducing air outlet, the control method further includes: increasing the rotational speed of the fan.

5. The control method according to claim 1, further comprising, before determining that the ripening space has ended ripening: Determine the maturation space to initiate maturation; The airflow velocity in the maturation space is adjusted according to the preset wind speed adjustment scheme; Determine whether the ingredients in the maturation space have completed maturation; If so, the step of determining that the maturation space has ended maturation is executed, and a prompt signal is output to prompt the user to open the maturation space.

6. The control method according to claim 5, wherein, The steps for determining whether the food in the maturation space has completed maturation include: The weight loss rate and microbial content of the food within the maturation space were obtained; Determine whether the weight loss rate reaches a preset first ratio threshold and whether the microbial content reaches a preset first content threshold; If so, then it is determined that the ingredients in the maturation space have completed maturation.

7. The control method according to claim 5, wherein, The steps for adjusting the airflow velocity in the maturation space according to the preset wind speed adjustment scheme include: The airflow velocity in the maturation space is adjusted to a preset first velocity; Based on the changes in the weight loss rate and microbial content of the ingredients in the maturation space, the airflow velocity in the maturation space is reduced in stages to a preset second velocity, which is less than the first velocity.

8. A refrigerator, wherein a curing space is provided inside the refrigerator, and the refrigerator comprises: A processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores a machine-executable program, which, when executed by the processor, is used to implement the control method according to any one of claims 1-7.

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