Control device and control method for refrigeration appliance and refrigeration appliance

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a control device for a refrigeration appliance, the refrigeration appliance comprises a compressor, the control device comprises a controller, and the controller is in communication connection with a frequency converter and is configured to generate and send a software reset instruction to the frequency converter when a reset condition is met; the frequency converter is configured to be capable of adjusting the running rotating speed of the compressor, and responds to a software reset instruction received from the controller to execute software reset operation, and the software reset operation enables the frequency converter to be reset in an uninterruptible power mode. The invention further provides the refrigeration appliance and a control method for the refrigeration appliance. According to some embodiments of the invention, program errors of the frequency converter can be eliminated by means of software reset, so that normal operation of the refrigeration appliance can be automatically recovered in a short time, maintenance time and cost are reduced, and customer satisfaction is improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of household appliances, and in particular to a control device for a refrigeration appliance, a control method for a refrigeration appliance and a refrigeration appliance. BACKGROUND

[0002] As one of the indispensable electrical appliances in the family, the refrigeration appliance plays a vital role in modern life. With the increasing awareness of energy conservation and environmental protection and the continuous development of intelligent technology, variable frequency technology has become the mainstream application in refrigeration appliances.

[0003] However, although the frequency converter has made significant progress in improving refrigeration efficiency and reducing energy consumption, it may still cause abnormal refrigeration of the refrigeration appliance in some cases. Although the frequency converter itself may not be damaged in fact, it may cause program running errors or system crashes due to its internal software bug. This situation brings challenges to maintenance personnel, because it is often difficult to troubleshoot the cause in a short time. Therefore, it has to be repaired many times, and many components are replaced at the same time, which not only wastes time and effort, but also increases the maintenance cost, and the customer experience is poor. SUMMARY

[0004] The purpose of the embodiments of the present application is to provide a control device for a refrigeration appliance, a control method for a refrigeration appliance and a refrigeration appliance to at least solve some of the problems in the prior art.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present application, a control device for a refrigeration appliance is provided, the refrigeration appliance comprising a compressor, the control device comprising:

[0006] a controller, which is communicatively connected with the frequency converter and is configured to generate and send a software reset instruction to the frequency converter when a reset condition is met; and

[0007] a frequency converter, which is configured to be able to adjust the running speed of the compressor, and performs a software reset operation in response to receiving the software reset instruction from the controller, the software reset operation resetting the frequency converter in a manner of keeping power on.

[0008] The present application particularly includes the following technical concept: when it is detected that the reset condition is met, an attempt is made to eliminate the program error of the frequency converter by software reset without having to blindly replace components. This can reduce maintenance costs and improve customer satisfaction and product quality. In addition, this software reset method allows initiation through remote control or remote access without the need for physical contact with the frequency converter, and without the need to change the original hardware structure of the frequency converter, which is simple to implement and reduces manufacturing costs.

[0009] According to an optional embodiment of the present application, the frequency converter is configured to perform the software reset operation in the following manner: restarting the frequency converter, and / or reinitializing the internal configuration of the frequency converter, and / or automatically releasing the protection state of the frequency converter. Through these software reset means, the entire reset process is faster without the need to wait for power-up, and hardware damage or impact on device stability caused by sudden power-off is also avoided.

[0010] According to an optional embodiment of the present application, the controller is connected with a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the compartment of the refrigeration appliance and is configured to determine the current refrigeration effect of the refrigeration appliance based on the compartment temperature detected by the temperature sensor and the compressor operation time length of the refrigeration appliance, and further determine whether the reset condition is met based on the current refrigeration effect of the refrigeration appliance; and / or the controller is configured to determine that the current refrigeration effect of the refrigeration appliance is abnormal and further determine that the reset condition is met when the compressor operation time length is greater than the preset time length, the compartment temperature does not reach the preset target temperature and / or the compartment temperature drop amplitude is less than the preset minimum amplitude and / or the compartment temperature drop amplitude is greater than the preset maximum amplitude. Most of the frequency converter failures can be reflected by the abnormality of the refrigeration effect of the refrigerator. By strictly monitoring the refrigeration effect, the problem can be quickly found out, which helps to speed up the fault diagnosis and solution.

[0011] According to an optional embodiment of the present application, the controller is connected with the frequency converter in a bidirectional communication manner. The frequency converter is configured to be able to perform self-diagnosis and report the fault state to the controller; and / or the controller is configured to determine whether the reset condition is met based on the case that the frequency converter reports the fault state. This bidirectional communication not only allows the controller to send the compressor speed instruction and the reset instruction to the frequency converter, but also allows the frequency converter to feed back its own state to the controller, solving the problem that the frequency converter fault information cannot be fed back to the controller and improving the accuracy of the controller in judging the reset condition.

[0012] According to an optional embodiment of the present application, the controller is configured to determine that the reset condition is not met when the fault state reported by the frequency converter is received, or determine that the reset condition is met when the fault state reported by the frequency converter is received; or determine that the reset condition is met when the fault state reported by the frequency converter is not received and it is determined that the current refrigeration effect of the refrigeration appliance is abnormal. Generally, the fault found by the self-diagnosis of the frequency converter usually involves a hardware fault, at this time, the reset cannot eliminate the fault, and even further worsen the problem, and in this case, the reset is not performed to improve the maintenance efficiency. Of course, in some cases, the self-diagnosis may also report some temporary errors, and in this case, the reset is performed in response to the reporting of the fault to save the diagnosis time and quickly restore the system stability and reliability. In addition, in the case of comprehensively considering the self-diagnosis result and the refrigeration effect, the program error of the frequency converter can be effectively distinguished, so that the program error is more effectively solved, and the maintenance time and cost are saved.

[0013] According to an optional embodiment of the present application, the controller is configured to check the number of resets of the frequency converter that have been initiated and / or the refrigeration effect of the refrigeration appliance after the reset of the frequency converter, and when the number of resets that have been initiated exceeds a preset number and / or the refrigeration effect of the refrigeration appliance after the reset of the frequency converter is abnormal, it is determined that the frequency converter is in a fault state. If the operation abnormality cannot be completely eliminated after the reset (multiple times), it indicates that the fault is likely caused by a hardware abnormality (for example, a line or circuit element is damaged) or some irreversible problem of the frequency converter. In this case, the fault state of the frequency converter is timely confirmed to help the user pay attention as soon as possible and let the maintenance personnel intervene.

[0014] According to an optional embodiment of the present application, the control device further comprises a display, and the controller is configured to control the display to output a fault prompt when the fault state reported by the frequency converter is received and / or when it is determined that the frequency converter is in a fault state; and / or the controller is configured to send a fault prompt to an after-sales server of the refrigeration appliance when the fault state reported by the frequency converter is received and / or when it is determined that the frequency converter is in a fault state. By displaying or notifying the fault state of the frequency converter, the after-sales personnel can quickly find the problem, and the convenience and accuracy of the judgment of the after-sales personnel on the fault of the frequency converter are improved.

[0015] According to an optional embodiment of the present application, the controller is configured to perform a hardware reset operation on the frequency converter when the reset condition is met, the hardware reset operation resetting the frequency converter in a power-off manner; and / or generate and send a hardware reset instruction to the frequency converter when the reset condition is met, the frequency converter being configured to perform a hardware reset operation in response to receiving the hardware reset instruction from the controller, the hardware reset operation resetting the frequency converter in a power-off manner. With the power-off reset manner, the state of the frequency converter can be reset more directly in an emergency. In addition, this re-powering-off and powering-on manner can more effectively solve some electrical faults (such as voltage / current errors, etc.) that cannot be completely eliminated by software reset.

[0016] According to an optional embodiment of the present application, the controller comprises:

[0017] a first power module configured to be capable of powering the controller, the first power module being further connected to the frequency converter and configured to be further capable of powering the frequency converter,

[0018] a first switch module arranged between the first power module and the frequency converter and configured to be capable of switching the connection between the first power module and the frequency converter,

[0019] wherein the controller is configured to perform a hardware reset operation on the frequency converter by controlling the first switch module to be opened for a preset time and then reclosed to cut off and restore the power supply to the frequency converter when the reset condition is met.

[0020] This makes the frequency converter and the controller share one power module, which can reduce the repeated components in the system, thereby saving the internal space of the equipment and making the entire control device more compact. In addition, sharing the power module can also make power-off more convenient, because only the power switch needs to be switched to control the power supply of the frequency converter. In this way, the reset difficulty is reduced.

[0021] According to an optional embodiment of the present application, the controller is configured to send a hardware reset instruction to the frequency converter when the reset condition is met,

[0022] the frequency converter comprises:

[0023] a second power module connected to an external power supply and configured to power the frequency converter,

[0024] a second switch module configured to be capable of switching the connection between the external power supply and the second power module,

[0025] wherein the frequency converter is configured to perform a hardware reset operation by controlling the second switch module of the frequency converter to be opened for a preset time and then reclosed to cut off and restore the power supply to the frequency converter in response to receiving the hardware reset instruction.

[0026] Thus, the power supply of the frequency converter can be independently controlled, which makes the hardware reset scheme also executable through remote control or remote access.

[0027] According to an optional embodiment of the present application, the controller is configured to perform a hardware reset operation on the frequency converter and / or control the frequency converter to perform a hardware reset operation when it is determined that the refrigeration effect of the refrigeration appliance is abnormal after the software reset operation of the frequency converter. Generally speaking, the software reset mode is faster and more flexible, but the hardware reset mode can eliminate a wider range of errors. Through the cooperation of the two reset modes, better reset effect can be achieved in general.

[0028] According to an optional embodiment of the present application, the controller is connected with a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the chamber of the refrigeration appliance and is configured to determine the refrigeration demand of the refrigeration appliance based on the chamber temperature detected by the temperature sensor, and further generate a rotation speed instruction based on the determined refrigeration demand, and send the rotation speed instruction to the frequency converter; and / or the frequency converter is configured to adjust the operating rotation speed of the compressor based on the rotation speed instruction received from the controller. By letting the same controller generate both the reset signal and the compressor rotation speed instruction, the number of components and lines required by the system can be simplified, and problems caused by communication coordination between multiple logic decision modules are also reduced, improving the reliability of the system.

[0029] According to an optional embodiment of the present application, the communication connection between the controller and the frequency converter includes a data bus connection and / or a serial port connection. This facilitates efficient communication and bidirectional data exchange between the controller and the frequency converter, enhancing the flexibility and scalability of the system and adapting to different application requirements.

[0030] According to a second aspect of the present application, a refrigeration appliance is provided, characterized in that the refrigeration appliance comprises:

[0031] a compressor; and

[0032] a control device according to the first aspect of the present application.

[0033] According to a third aspect of the present application, a control method for a refrigeration appliance is provided, which is implemented by means of the control device according to the first aspect of the present application and / or the refrigeration appliance according to the second aspect of the present application, and the control method comprises the following steps:

[0034] S1: checking, by means of the controller, whether a reset condition is established;

[0035] S2: generating and sending, by means of the controller, a software reset instruction to the frequency converter when the reset condition is established; and

[0036] S3: receiving a software reset instruction by means of the frequency converter and performing a software reset operation based on the software reset instruction, the software reset operation resetting the frequency converter in a manner of keeping power supply.

[0037] According to an optional embodiment of the present application, the controller is connected with the frequency converter in a bidirectional communication manner, wherein the control method further comprises the following steps:

[0038] performing self-diagnosis by means of the frequency converter and reporting a fault state to the controller; and / or

[0039] judging whether a reset condition is established or not based on the fault state reported by the frequency converter by means of the controller. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0040] The principles, features and advantages of the present application can be better understood by referring to the following detailed description of the application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0041] Figure 1A and Figure 1B a schematic view of a refrigeration appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0042] Figure 2 a schematic view of a control device for a refrigeration appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0043] Figure 3 a schematic view of a control device for a refrigeration appliance according to another exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0044] Figure 4 a schematic view of a control device for a refrigeration appliance according to another exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0045] Figure 5 a flow chart of a control method for a refrigeration appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0046] Figure 6 a flow chart of a control method for a refrigeration appliance according to another exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0047] Figure 7 a flow chart of a logic process for judging whether a reset condition is established or not by means of a controller according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown; and

[0048] Figure 8 a flow chart of a logic process for judging whether a reset condition is established or not by means of a controller according to another exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] In order to make the technical problems to be solved, technical solutions and beneficial technical effects of the present application clearer, the present application will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the drawings and a plurality of exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application, but not to limit the protection scope of the present application.

[0050] It should be understood that, herein, the expressions "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes, and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance, nor should it be understood as implying the number of the indicated technical features.

[0051] Figure 1A and Figure 1B A schematic view of a refrigeration appliance according to exemplary embodiments of the present application is shown.

[0052] The refrigeration appliance 1, 1' comprises a compressor 5 and a control device 2, which can adjust the rotation speed of the compressor 5 according to the refrigeration demand. The control device 2 further comprises a frequency converter 20 and a controller 10.

[0053] The refrigeration appliance 1, 1' further comprises a temperature sensor 15, which is connected with the controller 10. The temperature sensor 15 is arranged in the chamber of the refrigeration appliance 1, 1' and is used to detect the chamber temperature in real time. The controller 10 can receive the chamber temperature from the temperature sensor 15 and determine the refrigeration demand of the refrigeration appliance 1, 1', and then generate a rotation speed instruction based on the determined refrigeration demand. Here, the temperature sensor 15 can be directly coupled to the analog input channel of the controller 10, so that the controller 10 can acquire the output signal of the temperature sensor 15 by means of the analog input channel. In addition, the temperature sensor 15 and the controller 10 can also be connected through a communication channel, so that the controller 10 can receive the temperature detection result sent by the temperature sensor 15 through the communication channel (such as a bus). The frequency converter 20 adjusts the rotation speed of the compressor 5 in real time according to the received rotation speed instruction, so as to realize stable control of the internal temperature of the refrigeration appliance 1, 1'. Exemplarily, when the chamber temperature is high, the controller 10 will control the frequency converter 20 to increase the rotation speed of the compressor 5, so as to quickly refrigerate. When the chamber temperature is low, the controller 10 will control the frequency converter 20 to reduce the rotation speed of the compressor 5 or make the compressor 5 stop, so as to reduce power consumption.

[0054] In Figure 1A and Figure 1B In the embodiment shown, the controller 10 and the frequency converter 20 can be connected in bidirectional communication. In Figure 1AIn the illustrated embodiment, the refrigeration appliance 1 comprises a communication bus connection, to which the controller 10 and the frequency converter 20 are coupled for data transmission, respectively. Further bus users (e.g. temperature sensor 15 and display 30) can also be coupled to the communication bus 9. The plurality of bus users connected via the communication bus 9 can exchange data with each other according to a standardized communication protocol. The communication bus 9 is for example a so-called D-Bus, but the application is not limited to a specific bus type. In Figure 1B In the illustrated embodiment, the controller 10 and the frequency converter 20 of the refrigeration appliance 1' can also be connected to each other by a pair of data lines (TX and RX) and implement a point-to-point bidirectional data transmission by means of a serial port (e.g. RS232, RS485 and / or RS422 interface, etc.). In another not illustrated embodiment, the controller 10 and the frequency converter 20 can also exchange data wirelessly (e.g. by WIFI, Bluetooth, Zigbee, radio frequency and / or NFC technology, etc.).

[0055] According to embodiments of the application, the controller 10 is configured to determine whether a reset condition is fulfilled and to generate and send a software reset instruction to the frequency converter 20 when the reset condition is fulfilled. To determine whether the reset condition is fulfilled, the controller 10 can receive the chamber temperature from the temperature sensor 15 and determine whether the current refrigeration effect of the refrigeration appliance 1, 1' is abnormal in combination with the running time of the compressor 5. The reset condition is determined to be fulfilled when the refrigeration effect is determined to be abnormal. Additionally or alternatively, to determine whether the reset condition is fulfilled, the controller 10 can also consider the self-diagnosis result reported by the frequency converter 20. This will be further explained in the following with reference to Figure 7 and Figure 8 The illustrated embodiment further illustrates

[0056] The frequency converter 20 is configured to be able to adjust the running speed of the compressor 5 and to perform a software reset operation in response to receiving the software reset instruction from the controller 10, which resets the frequency converter 20 in a non-power-off manner. The software reset is initiated by the controller 10 and performed by the frequency converter 20 itself. In the following, the software reset procedure will be further explained with reference to the illustrated flow chart, which is not repeated here for the sake of brevity. Figure 5

[0057] As Figure 1A and Figure 1B ​As shown, the control device 2 can optionally further comprise a display 30. The display 30 can be configured as a liquid crystal display, an LED display or other type of display device, for example. The controller 10 is connected to the display 30 wirelessly or by wire. When the frequency converter 20 detects a fault or abnormal situation by means of the self-diagnosis function, a corresponding fault code is generated. The fault code typically indicates a specific error type or problem type, such as overload, overcurrent, short circuit, open circuit and / or overtemperature, for example. The frequency converter 20 sends the fault status in the form of the fault code to the controller 10 by means of the bidirectional communication connection. The controller 10 then converts the fault code into an appropriate format and sends it to the display 30 for display. The user can thus identify the problem of the frequency converter 20 by means of the fault code displayed on the display 30. In addition to the fault code, the controller 10 can also control the display 30 to display other information, such as fault name, solution suggestion, etc., for example.

[0058] In addition, the controller 10 can further comprise a corresponding network interface (not shown in detail). By means of the network interface, the controller 10 can communicate with an after-sales server. Accordingly, the controller 10 can also be configured to send a fault prompt to the after-sales server of the refrigeration appliance 1, 1' when receiving the fault status reported by the frequency converter 20 and / or when determining that the frequency converter 20 is in a fault status.

[0059] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a control device 2 for a refrigeration appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown. In Figure 2 In the shown embodiment, the internal topology of the frequency converter 20 is shown in more detail. Exemplarily, the frequency converter 20 comprises a second power supply module 21, an inverter module 24, a control module 23 and a communication module 22, which are connected to each other.

[0060] The second power supply module 21 is responsible for providing power for the entire frequency converter 20, which typically includes a rectification circuit and a filter circuit (not shown in detail) to convert an input power supply, typically an alternating current, into a direct current power supply signal suitable for use by the individual components 22, 23, 24 within the frequency converter 20. By means of the communication module 22, the frequency converter 20 is able to transmit and receive data to and from the controller 10. The control module 23 is used to generate a drive signal, i.e. a PWM (pulse width modulation) signal, for the inverter module 24 upon receiving a control instruction, such as a speed instruction, transmitted by the communication module 22. In addition, the control module 23 can also perform a software reset operation of the frequency converter 20 according to a software reset instruction. The inverter module 24 comprises six power transistors connected to form a three-phase bridge circuit, for example. The inverter module 24 alternately turns on or off the corresponding power transistors in response to the drive signal from the control module 23, thereby converting the direct current power supply signal provided by the second power supply module 21 into a three-phase alternating current signal and providing the three-phase alternating current signal to the compressor.

[0061] In one embodiment, to perform a software reset operation (e.g., a restart), the control module 23 can suspend sending the drive signal to the inverter module 24, so that the compressor stops running. After that, the control module 23 performs a re-initialization operation to restore the internal state to the initial state, which includes clearing temporary data in the memory, resetting control parameters and states, etc. After the re-initialization operation is completed, the control module 23 of the frequency converter 20 can resume sending the drive signal to the inverter module 24, and the inverter module 24 also resumes driving the compressor to run.

[0062] In one embodiment, the control module 23 of the frequency converter 20 has a built-in PWM signal generation function, which can generate a PWM signal according to an input speed instruction (which can be a digital signal, an analog signal, or other forms of signals) to control the operation of the compressor. In this case, the controller 10 only needs to encapsulate the desired speed (frequency) of the compressor into a data packet, and then transmit this data packet to the frequency converter 20 using a suitable communication protocol, without the need to directly generate a PWM signal.

[0063] In another embodiment, the frequency converter 20 does not have a built-in PWM signal generation function, but directly receives a PWM signal from the controller 10. In this case, the speed instruction transmitted by the controller 10 to the frequency converter 20 is in the form of a PWM signal. To this end, a traditional cable connection can be retained between the frequency converter 20 and the controller 10 (one wire is used to transmit the pulse signal of the PWM signal, and the other wire is used as the signal ground), while the D-Bus bus can also be used to transmit other control instructions such as software reset instructions. This mixed use of cable communication and bus communication can take full advantage of their respective advantages, while also meeting different control requirements. Cable communication is generally more suitable for applications with high real-time requirements and high control accuracy requirements, while bus communication is more suitable for transmitting reset instructions and data to achieve more complex control functions.

[0064] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a control device for a refrigeration appliance according to another exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0065] In Figure 3In the illustrated embodiment, the controller 10 is further configured to perform a hardware reset operation on the frequency converter 20 when the reset condition is fulfilled, the hardware reset operation being a power-off reset operation that resets the frequency converter 20 in a power-off manner. To this end, the controller 10 comprises a first power supply module 11 and a first switch module 16. The first power supply module 11 is configured to supply power to all components of the controller 10, and in addition, the first power supply module 11 is connected to the frequency converter 20 and is configured to supply power to the frequency converter 20 as well. The first switch module 16 is arranged between the output of the first power supply module 11 and the frequency converter 20 and is configured to switch the connection between the first power supply module 11 and the frequency converter 20 on and off. The controller 10 further comprises a processing module 12 that can send a control signal to the first switch module 16 for controlling the switching state of the first switch module 16. The first switch module 16 can be configured as a relay switch, a transistor switch (e.g. a bipolar transistor switch or a field effect transistor switch) or other types of switching devices. Exemplarily, the processing module 12 can send a control signal to the first switch module 16 to control the state of the relay contacts or the on and off state of the transistor switch in the first switch module 16.

[0066] The hardware reset procedure of the frequency converter 20 will be described as follows:

[0067] The processing module 12 of the controller 10 can send a power-off signal to the first switch module 16 when the reset condition is fulfilled. Upon receiving the power-off signal, the first switch module 16 sets the switching state to the open state to cut off the power supply to the frequency converter 20. After the power-off, all internal circuits and modules of the frequency converter 20 will stop running and clear the temporary data. After a preset time, or upon receiving a resume power signal from the processing module 12, the first switch module 16 sets the switching state back to the closed state, so that the power supply to the frequency converter 20 can be resumed and the frequency converter 20 can be powered up again. The frequency converter 20 can then be reinitialized and start running normally. The preset time for the power-off of the frequency converter 20 should be long enough, for example, at least 3 minutes. Because, a too short power-off time can not be enough for the frequency converter 20 to completely lose the power supply, resulting in an incomplete or unsuccessful reset.

[0068] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a control device 2 for a refrigeration appliance according to another exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0069] In Figure 4In the illustrated embodiment, the controller 10 is further configured to send a hardware reset instruction to the frequency converter 20 when the reset condition is met, so as to cause the frequency converter 20 to perform a hardware reset operation that resets the frequency converter 20 in a power-off manner. To this end, the frequency converter 20 comprises a second power supply module 21 and a second switch module 26. The second power supply module 21 is connected to an external power supply (typically an alternating current power supply) and is configured to supply power to the frequency converter 20. The second switch module 26 is disposed between the second power supply module 21 and the external power supply, for example, so as to be capable of switching the connection between the external power supply and the second power supply module 21 on and off. In another embodiment, the second switch module 26 can also be disposed between the output of the second power supply module 21 and other components of the frequency converter 20, so as to be capable of switching the connection between the second power supply module 21 and the other components on and off. The frequency converter 20 further comprises a control module 23, which is configured to send a control signal to the second switch module 26, the control signal being configured to control the state of the second switch module 26. For example, the second switch module 26 can be configured as a relay switch, a transistor switch (e.g. a bipolar transistor switch or a field effect transistor switch), or another type of switching device. Accordingly, the control module 23 can send a control signal to the second switch module 26 to control the state of the relay contacts or the on and off state of the transistor switch. In addition, the frequency converter 20 further comprises a communication module 22, by means of which the frequency converter 20 is capable of sending and receiving data to and from the frequency converter 20. Exemplarily, the second switch module 26 of the frequency converter 20, as the core component of the hardware reset, does not itself depend on the power supply state of the second power supply module 21, for example. Therefore, even if other components of the frequency converter 20 lose power supply during the hardware reset, the circuits (e.g. timers, etc.) inside the second switch module 26 can continue to operate.

[0070] The hardware reset process of the frequency converter 20 will be described below:

[0071] The controller 10 can determine whether the reset condition is met and send a hardware reset instruction to the frequency converter 20 when the reset condition is met. When the control module 23 of the frequency converter 20 receives the hardware reset instruction by means of the communication module 22, it will analyze the instruction and perform the corresponding hardware reset operation. Specifically, the communication module 22 transmits the analyzed hardware reset instruction to the control module 23, which generates a power-off signal and sends the power-off signal to the second switch module 26. Upon receiving the power-off signal, the second switch module 26 sets the switch state to the open state to cut off the power supply of the frequency converter 20. After the power-off, most of the internal circuits and modules of the frequency converter 20 (especially other than the second switch module 26) will stop operating and clear temporary data. A timer is provided in the second switch module 26, for example, and after a preset time, the second switch module 26 re-sets the switch state to the closed state, thereby restoring the power supply of the frequency converter 20 and causing it to be powered on again. The frequency converter 20 can be powered on again after the hardware reset operation is completed.Figure 3 Similarly to the embodiments described above, the preset time for which the frequency converter 20 is powered off should be long enough to allow the frequency converter 20 to lose power supply sufficiently, thereby ensuring that the hardware reset of the frequency converter 20 is performed completely.

[0072] Generally, the control device 2 can only have the software reset function of the frequency converter 20. However, in some cases, the control device 2 can have both the software reset function and the hardware reset function of the frequency converter 20. In one embodiment, the controller 10 is configured to first cause the frequency converter 20 to perform the software reset operation and check the number of times of the initiated reset of the frequency converter 20. When the software reset is unsuccessful, i.e. when the controller 10 finds that the number of times of the initiated reset of the frequency converter 20 exceeds the preset number of times and / or the refrigeration effect of the refrigeration appliance is still abnormal after the software reset of the frequency converter 20, the hardware reset operation is performed on the frequency converter 20 and / or the frequency converter 20 is controlled to perform the hardware reset operation. In another embodiment, the hardware reset operation can also be performed alternately or sequentially in other orders with the software reset operation.

[0073] Figure 5 A flow chart of a control method for a refrigeration appliance according to one example embodiment of the present application is shown. In this embodiment, Figure 5 The method shown includes steps S501-S504 and can be implemented in the case of using Figure 1A and Figure 1B the control device 2 shown.

[0074] In step S501, the controller 10 checks whether the reset condition is met. This can be judged in combination with the current refrigeration effect of the refrigeration appliance or in combination with the case that the frequency converter 20 reports a fault state. The specific judging manner will be further described below in combination with Figure 7 and Figure 8 the embodiments shown.

[0075] In step S502, when the reset condition is met, the controller 10 sends a software reset instruction to the frequency converter 20, which is usually achieved by means of a specific data frame or message in the communication protocol. The software reset instruction is used to inform the frequency converter 20 to perform the software reset operation.

[0076] In step S503, after receiving the software reset instruction, the frequency converter 20 parses the instruction and performs the corresponding software reset operation. Specifically, the frequency converter 20 can perform the software reset operation in the following manner: restarting the frequency converter 20, reinitializing the internal configuration of the frequency converter 20 (restoring the default settings), automatically releasing the protection state of the frequency converter 20, etc. Here, the frequency converter 20 has corresponding protection functions, for example, when the frequency converter 20 monitors that some parameters are out of the set range or abnormal situations occur through the self-diagnosis function, it can take appropriate measures to protect the frequency converter 20 itself and the compressor. Such protection mechanisms usually include overcurrent protection, overvoltage protection, undervoltage protection, and / or overload protection, etc. However, in fact, the abnormal situation monitored may not be caused by the hardware damage of the frequency converter 20, but only a temporary program error. Therefore, sometimes it may involve the "mis-triggering" of such protection functions. By automatically releasing the protection state or exiting the protection mode, the frequency converter 20 can quickly recover to the normal working state in a short time. Usually, the frequency converter 20 will provide some built-in function interfaces to support such software reset operation, and the specific implementation manner may be different according to the specific model or manufacturer of the frequency converter 20.

[0077] In optional step S504, after performing the software reset operation, the frequency converter 20 can send a confirmation message to the controller 10 to indicate that the reset operation has been successfully performed. Correspondingly, the controller 10 can confirm whether the reset operation is successful according to the received confirmation message in optional step S505.

[0078] Figure 6 A flow chart of a control method for a refrigeration appliance according to another exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown. In this embodiment, Figure 6 The method shown includes steps S601-S610, wherein steps S601-S603 can be performed with reference to steps S501-S503 of Figure 5 respectively, and the following will mainly elaborate Figure 6 and Figure 5 the differences.

[0079] In the embodiment shown in Figure 6 , after the frequency converter 20 has performed a software reset operation in step S603, the controller 10 judges again that the reset condition is established in step S604, and further sends a software reset instruction to the frequency converter 20 in step S605. Then the frequency converter 20 performs a software reset operation again in step S606. After that, the controller 10 judges again that the reset condition is established in step S607, and sends a software reset instruction to the frequency converter 20 in step S608. Correspondingly, the frequency converter 20 performs a software reset operation in step S609.

[0080] In step S610, the controller 10 detects that the inverter 20 has been reset three times so far, exceeding the preset number (e.g., two times). Therefore, in step S610, the controller 10 no longer sends software reset commands to the inverter 20, but instead determines that the inverter is in a fault state.

[0081] It should be noted that, although combined Figure 6 While it's possible to determine whether an inverter is in a faulty state solely based on the number of resets initiated by the controller within a certain period, it's equally possible to determine whether the inverter is in a faulty state based on whether the cooling effect of the refrigeration appliance is abnormal after the reset.

[0082] Figure 7 A flowchart is shown of a logic process for determining whether a reset condition is met by means of a controller, according to an exemplary embodiment of this application. Figure 7 The logic process shown includes steps S701-S706, and these steps can be implemented by means of a controller.

[0083] In step S701, if the compressor operating conditions are met, it is checked whether a compressor operating command has been sent. For example, the compressor operating conditions can be confirmed to be met when the compartment temperature is high. Then, the controller can send a compressor operating command in the form of a speed command to the frequency converter to drive the compressor to run.

[0084] If it is determined in step S701 that the controller has not yet sent a compressor operation command to the frequency converter, then this command can be sent in step S702 with the help of the controller.

[0085] If it is determined in step S701 that the compressor operation command has been sent, then in step S703, it can be checked whether the compressor operation time is greater than a preset duration. This preset duration can be determined, for example, through a pre-calibration process, and is for example, 30 minutes. Under normal inverter operation, the room temperature of the refrigeration appliance should be able to be adjusted to the desired level within this preset duration. Therefore, if it is determined in step S703 that the preset duration has been reached, then in the following step S704, it can be further checked whether the room temperature has reached the preset target temperature. Alternatively, in step S704, it can also be checked whether the room temperature drop is greater than a preset minimum drop (for example, 5°C), or whether the room temperature drop is less than a preset maximum drop (for example, 20°C). If the above conditions are met, it indicates that the cooling effect is normal, and therefore there is no need to reset the inverter. Thus, the controller determines in step S705 that the reset condition is not met. Conversely, if the conditions are met, it indicates that the cooling effect is abnormal, and then the controller can determine in step S706 that the reset condition is met.

[0086] Figure 8A flow chart showing a logic process for determining, by means of the controller, whether a reset condition is met according to another example embodiment of the present application. Figure 8 The logic process shown includes steps S801-S804, and these steps can be implemented by means of the controller.

[0087] In step S801, it has been determined, for example, by means of the controller, that the refrigeration effect of the refrigeration appliance is abnormal.

[0088] In step S802, it is checked, by means of the controller, whether a fault status reported by the frequency converter is received. Illustratively, the frequency converter can perform self-diagnosis and report the fault status to the controller. For example, the frequency converter can monitor parameters such as current, voltage and / or temperature of itself, and can detect some common abnormal operating conditions (such as over-current, over-voltage and / or over-temperature, etc.). Such self-diagnosis function can help the frequency converter to discover some common or known types of hardware faults in time, but not all types of abnormal conditions can be detected and diagnosed by self-diagnosis. For some complex software bugs, especially those related to control logic, communication protocol and / or parameter setting, the self-diagnosis function of the frequency converter can not be able to completely detect. Such software bugs often need to be discovered and solved by professional maintenance personnel or technicians through analysis and debugging.

[0089] According to this embodiment, if it is determined in step S802 that the fault status reported by the frequency converter is not received by means of the controller, it means that the frequency converter has not detected common faults through self-diagnosis. In this case, there is a high probability that the abnormal refrigeration of the refrigeration appliance is caused by program errors of the frequency converter, and such program errors are suitable to be eliminated by the reset operation of the frequency converter. Therefore, it can be determined in step S803 by means of the controller that the reset condition is met.

[0090] If it is determined in step S802 that the fault status reported by the frequency converter is received by means of the controller, it means that there is a high probability that the abnormal refrigeration is caused by hardware problems of the frequency converter, and such hardware problems are not suitable to be eliminated by the reset operation. Therefore, it can be determined in step S804 by means of the controller that the reset condition is not met.

[0091] It should be noted that although the reset condition is determined to be met when the fault status reported by the frequency converter is not received by means of the controller, this is only illustrative. In other embodiments not shown, other conclusions about the reset condition can also be drawn when the fault status reported by the frequency converter is received. In addition, other additional factors can also be combined to determine whether the reset condition is met. Figure 8 It should be noted that although the reset condition is determined to be met when the fault status reported by the frequency converter is not received by means of the controller, this is only illustrative. In other embodiments not shown, other conclusions about the reset condition can also be drawn when the fault status reported by the frequency converter is received. In addition, other additional factors can also be combined to determine whether the reset condition is met.

[0092] According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, a machine-readable storage medium, such as a CD-ROM, is provided, comprising a computer program, which, when executed by a computer or processor, causes the computer or processor to carry out a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The machine-readable storage medium can be, for example, an optical storage medium or a solid-state memory, which is supplied together with, or as part of, another hardware device.

[0093] If an embodiment comprises "a" or "one" feature, this does not exclude more than one of that feature. Thus, e.g. an embodiment can comprise "one or more" features.

[0094] Although specific embodiments have been described above, these are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, even if only a single embodiment is described with respect to a particular feature. The features illustrated or described herein are intended to be examples and are not intended to be limiting, unless specified. In practicing the present disclosure, the features as described can be combined in any combination. Various modifications, alterations, and permutations of the described embodiments are also possible. These and other changes can be made to the application in light of the above description.

Claims

1. A control device (2) for a refrigeration appliance (1), the refrigeration appliance (1) comprising a compressor (5), characterized in that, The control device (2) includes: A controller (10), which is communicatively connected to the frequency converter (20) and configured to generate and send a software reset command to the frequency converter (20) when a reset condition is met; and The inverter (20) is configured to adjust the operating speed of the compressor (5) and to perform a software reset operation in response to receiving a software reset command from the controller (10), the software reset operation resetting the inverter (20) in a power-off manner.

2. The control device (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The frequency converter (20) is configured to perform a software reset operation in the following manner: Restart the inverter (20); and / or Reinitialize the internal configuration of the frequency converter (20); and / or Automatically release the protection status of the frequency converter (20).

3. The control device (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The controller (10) is connected to a temperature sensor (15) for detecting the room temperature of the refrigeration appliance (1) and is configured to: determine the current cooling effect of the refrigeration appliance (1) based on the room temperature detected by the temperature sensor (15) and the operating time of the compressor (5) of the refrigeration appliance (1), and further determine whether the reset condition is met based on the current cooling effect of the refrigeration appliance (1); and / or The controller (10) is configured to determine that the current cooling effect of the refrigeration appliance (1) is abnormal and thereby determine that the reset condition is met when the compressor (5) runs for a longer time than a preset duration, the room temperature does not reach the preset target temperature and / or the room temperature drops less than the preset minimum and / or the room temperature drops more than the preset maximum.

4. The control device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The controller (10) and the frequency converter (20) are bidirectionally connected, wherein: The frequency converter (20) is configured to perform self-diagnostics and report fault status to the controller (10); and / or The controller (10) is configured to determine whether the reset condition is met based on the fault status reported by the frequency converter (20).

5. The control device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The controller (10) is configured to: When a fault status is reported by the frequency converter (20), it is determined that the reset condition is not met; or When the fault status reported by the frequency converter (20) is received, it is determined that the reset condition is met; or When no fault status is reported by the inverter (20) and it is determined that the current cooling effect of the refrigeration appliance (1) is abnormal, the reset condition is determined to be met.

6. The control device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The controller (10) is configured to check the number of times the frequency converter (20) has been reset and / or the cooling effect of the refrigeration appliance (1) after the frequency converter (20) has been reset, and to determine that the frequency converter (20) is in a fault state when the number of resets exceeds a preset number and / or the cooling effect of the refrigeration appliance (1) after the frequency converter (20) has been reset abnormal.

7. The control device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The control device (2) further includes a display (30), and the controller (10) is configured to: when receiving a fault status reported by the frequency converter (20) and / or when determining that the frequency converter (20) is in a fault state, control the display (30) to output a fault indication; and / or The controller (10) is configured to send a fault notification to the after-sales server of the refrigeration appliance (1) when it receives a fault status reported by the frequency converter (20) and / or when it is determined that the frequency converter (20) is in a fault state.

8. The control device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The controller (10) is configured to: When the reset condition is met, a hardware reset operation is performed on the inverter (20), the hardware reset operation resetting the inverter (20) by power-off; and / or When the reset condition is met, a hardware reset command is generated and sent to the inverter (20), which is configured to perform a hardware reset operation in response to receiving the hardware reset command from the controller (10), the hardware reset operation resetting the inverter (20) by power-off.

9. The control device (2) according to claim 8, characterized in that, The controller (10) includes: • A first power supply module (11), configured to supply power to the controller (10), is also connected to and configured to supply power to the frequency converter (20). • A first switch module (16), which is disposed between the first power module (11) and the frequency converter (20) and is configured to switch the connection between the first power module (11) and the frequency converter (20). The controller (10) is configured to perform a hardware reset operation on the inverter (20) by controlling the first switch module (16) to disconnect for a preset time and then re-close when the reset condition is met, so as to cut off and then restore the power supply to the inverter (20); and / or The controller (10) is configured to send a hardware reset command to the frequency converter (20) when a reset condition is met. The frequency converter (20) includes: • A second power supply module (21), which is connected to an external power supply and configured to power the frequency converter (20). powered by, • A second switch module (26) is configured to switch the connection between an external power supply and the second power supply module (21). The inverter (20) is configured to perform a hardware reset operation in response to receiving a hardware reset command by controlling the second switching module (26) of the inverter (20). The circuit is disconnected for a preset time and then closed again to cut off and restore the power supply to the inverter (20).

10. The control device (2) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, The controller (10) is configured to perform a hardware reset operation on the inverter (20) and / or control the inverter (20) to perform a hardware reset operation when it is determined that the cooling effect of the refrigeration appliance (1) is abnormal after the software reset operation of the inverter (20).

11. The control device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The controller (10) is connected to a temperature sensor (15) for detecting the room temperature of the refrigeration appliance (1) and is configured to: determine the refrigeration demand of the refrigeration appliance (1) based on the room temperature detected by the temperature sensor (15), and then generate a speed command based on the determined refrigeration demand, and send the speed command to the frequency converter (20); and / or The inverter (20) is configured to adjust the operating speed of the compressor (5) based on the speed command received from the controller (10).

12. The control device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that, The communication connection between the controller (10) and the frequency converter (20) includes a data bus connection and / or a serial port connection.

13. A refrigeration appliance (1), characterized in that, The refrigeration appliance (1) includes: Compressor (5); and The control device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A control method for a refrigeration appliance (1), characterized in that, The control method is implemented using a control device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 12 and / or a refrigeration appliance (1) according to claim 13, and the control method includes the following steps: S1: Check whether the reset condition is met using the controller (10); S2: When the reset condition is met, a software reset command is generated by the controller (10) and sent to the inverter (20); and S3: Receive software reset command with the help of frequency converter (20) and perform software reset operation based on the software reset command. The software reset operation resets the frequency converter (20) in a way that does not require power interruption.

15. The control method according to claim 14, characterized in that, The controller (10) and the frequency converter (20) are bidirectionally connected, wherein the control method further includes the following steps: The inverter (20) performs self-diagnostics and reports fault status to the controller (10); and / or The controller (10) uses the fault status reported by the frequency converter (20) to determine whether the reset condition is met.

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