Control method, controller and refrigerator

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of refrigerators, in particular to a control method which is applied to a refrigerator with an unfreezing function, the refrigerator comprises a controller and an unfreezing device which is at least in signal connection with the controller, the unfreezing device comprises an unfreezing cavity and an electromagnetic wave emitter which emits radio frequency electromagnetic waves towards the unfreezing cavity, the control method comprises the following steps: S100, acquiring monitoring data of the unfreezing chamber; s200, analyzing and processing the monitoring data so as to determine frosting information of the unfreezing chamber; and S300, controlling the electromagnetic wave emitter to emit radio frequency electromagnetic waves according to the frosting information of the unfreezing chamber so as to enable the unfreezing chamber to be in a frostless state. The invention further relates to a controller and a refrigerator. Therefore, severe frosting in the unfreezing chamber can be effectively prevented, the unfreezing performance is prevented from being influenced, and the attractiveness and reliability of the product are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of refrigerators, specifically to a control method, a controller, and a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] With the improvement of people's living standards, refrigerators have become an indispensable household appliance in modern families. People's demands for refrigerator quality and ease of use are also increasing. Currently, most mainstream refrigerators on the market are equipped with a freezer compartment for storing frozen food. To maintain the taste and nutrition of food, a thawing process is required before it can be cooked. Traditional natural thawing methods are time-consuming, while microwave thawing, although fast, can cause localized overheating, affecting the thawing effect. With the rapid development of electronic technology, radio frequency (RF) technology has begun to be applied to the heating and thawing of food. Compared with microwaves, RF electromagnetic waves have a lower frequency, generally in the MHz range (e.g., 433MHz, 40.68MHz, or 13.56MHz). RF electromagnetic waves have stronger penetrating power into food and provide more even heating. Existing technologies include solutions that apply radio frequency (RF) defrosting technology to refrigerators. The basic principle is to set up an RF electromagnetic wave transmitter (such as two opposing antenna plates) in a specific defrosting chamber of the refrigerator. When defrosting is required, a solid-state RF power supply generates an RF signal, which is amplified and transmitted to the antenna plate through an RF cable. The signal is then emitted to the frozen food inside the defrosting chamber. The RF energy causes the polar molecules (mainly water molecules) inside the food to oscillate at high speed. The molecules rub against each other to generate heat, thereby raising the temperature of the food evenly inside and out, achieving effective defrosting.

[0003] However, existing radio frequency defrosting refrigerators still have some shortcomings. When the ambient humidity is high, moisture in the air will condense into frost upon cooling, for example, adhering to the inner walls of the defrosting chamber. This not only affects the refrigerator's appearance but can also, in severe cases, interfere with the normal operation of the defrosting function.

[0004] Therefore, there is still a real need to improve refrigerators with defrosting functions. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the purpose of embodiments of this application is to provide an improved control method, an improved controller, and an improved refrigerator, to overcome at least one of the above-mentioned disadvantages and / or other possible disadvantages not mentioned herein.

[0006] According to a first aspect of this application, a control method is provided for a refrigerator with a defrosting function. The refrigerator includes a controller and a defrosting device at least signal-connected to the controller. The defrosting device includes a defrosting chamber and an electromagnetic wave transmitter that emits radio frequency electromagnetic waves toward the defrosting chamber. The control method includes the following steps:

[0007] S100: Acquire monitoring data of the thawing chamber;

[0008] S200: Analyze and process the monitoring data to determine the frost information of the thawing chamber;

[0009] S300: Based on the frost information of the thawing chamber, control the electromagnetic wave transmitter to emit radio frequency electromagnetic waves to make the thawing chamber frost-free.

[0010] Therefore, by acquiring monitoring data from the defrosting chamber, the system analyzes and determines whether frost may form inside. If frost is likely, it controls an electromagnetic wave transmitter to emit radio frequency electromagnetic waves. The heat generated by these waves removes the frost from the defrosting chamber. The entire process is automated by the refrigerator controller, requiring no manual intervention. This effectively prevents severe frost buildup inside the chamber, avoiding impacts on defrosting performance and improving the product's aesthetics and reliability.

[0011] According to an optional embodiment, the defrosting chamber includes an opening for loading and unloading loads and a door for shielding the opening. The monitoring data includes the number of times the door is opened and / or the duration of opening. Therefore, by directly monitoring the usage data of the door as a basis for judgment, the risk of frost formation can be reflected more accurately, providing a reliable basis for the controller to promptly activate the anti-frost procedure.

[0012] According to an optional embodiment, the control method further includes the following steps:

[0013] S10: Obtain the ambient humidity data of the refrigerator;

[0014] S20: Analyze and process the ambient humidity data to determine whether the ambient humidity of the refrigerator exceeds a preset humidity threshold.

[0015] Therefore, by acquiring ambient humidity data in real time, and combining it with other monitoring data when the humidity exceeds a preset threshold, the frost situation can be judged more accurately and comprehensively, resulting in better anti-frost effects.

[0016] According to an optional embodiment, in step S200, it is determined whether the monitored data exceeds a preset threshold. The preset threshold is preferably determined by analyzing the monitored data based on the ambient humidity of the refrigerator. Therefore, to ensure the defrost program can be activated at the optimal time, a more reasonable threshold judgment condition is used to improve the overall reliability and practicality of the system. Preferably, the judgment threshold is adaptively adjusted based on the real-time ambient humidity, setting a lower threshold when the humidity is high and a higher threshold when the humidity is low, thereby matching different usage environments, reducing unnecessary operations, and making defrost control more intelligent and efficient.

[0017] According to an optional embodiment, in step S200, it is determined whether the weighted sum of the number of times the cavity door is opened and the duration of each opening exceeds a preset sum threshold, or whether the weighted sum of the coefficient corresponding to the ambient humidity and the number of times the cavity door is opened and the duration of each opening exceeds a preset sum threshold. This allows for a more precise reflection of the likelihood of frost formation and a more accurate assessment of the risk of frost formation.

[0018] According to an optional embodiment, in step S300, the electromagnetic wave transmitter is controlled to emit radio frequency electromagnetic waves at a first power and / or a first duration, wherein the first power is different from (preferably greater than) the second power of the defrosting device when used for normal defrosting load. Thus, when a defrosting requirement is determined based on the frost information in the defrosting chamber, the electromagnetic wave transmitter is controlled to operate, using the heat generated by the radio frequency electromagnetic waves to melt the frost. The radio frequency transmission power (first power) is different from the power used for normal defrosting of food (second power), and is preferably set to be greater for rapid and concentrated defrosting. By reasonably setting the magnitude of the radio frequency power during defrosting, distinguishing it from the power used for defrosting food, the energy consumption and defrosting effect of the refrigerator are better balanced while ensuring the defrosting effect.

[0019] According to an optional embodiment, in step S300, the electromagnetic wave transmitter is manipulated to emit radio frequency electromagnetic waves at a first power and / or a first duration, wherein the first duration is different from (preferably less than) the second duration when the defrosting device is used for normal defrosting of a load. Thus, in addition to the power, the duration for which the electromagnetic wave transmitter is manipulated to defrost (the first duration) can also differ from the duration for normal defrosting of food (the second duration), and can typically be set shorter. By reasonably setting the emission duration to differentiate it from the duration for defrosting food, the defrosting effect can be better balanced with the refrigerator's energy consumption.

[0020] According to an optional embodiment, the defrosting device includes a monitoring device for monitoring the image and / or conductivity inside the defrosting chamber, the monitoring data including real-time monitoring data from the monitoring device. Therefore, by directly acquiring visual image information of the frost layer inside the chamber or electrical conductivity information between the frost layer and the chamber wall, the degree of frost formation can be reflected more intuitively. Using the monitoring data as a basis for judgment allows for more accurate detection of frost formation, providing a more reliable trigger condition for initiating the anti-frost procedure.

[0021] According to an optional embodiment, in step S300, the electromagnetic wave transmitter is controlled to transmit radio frequency electromagnetic waves at a first power and / or a first duration, wherein the first power and / or the first duration are automatically set based on the frost information of the defrosting chamber determined in step S200. Thus, the power and / or duration of radio frequency defrosting are adaptively adjusted according to the severity of frost in the defrosting chamber. The more severe the frost, the greater the heat required for defrosting and melting, allowing for an appropriate increase in power or extension of time. Conversely, if the frost is detected to be relatively mild, the power or duration can be reduced accordingly. Compared to fixed parameters, this method allows for rapid handling of minor frost, reducing energy consumption; for severe frost, parameters are increased to ensure thorough defrosting, thereby maximizing the efficiency of the radio frequency device and making the defrosting process more flexible and intelligent.

[0022] According to an optional embodiment, before step S300, load information inside the defrosting chamber is acquired, and a first power and / or a first duration is adjusted based on the load information. Thus, before operating the electromagnetic wave transmitter for defrosting, load information inside the chamber, i.e., the presence and attribute information of the food, is acquired, and the radio frequency power and / or duration of defrosting is adjusted accordingly, thereby ensuring the defrosting effect while avoiding affecting the quality of the food.

[0023] According to an optional embodiment, the defrosting device includes a heating electronic device and an air supply device for supplying air to the heating electronic device, wherein, in step S300, the air supply device is activated to blow the heat generated by the heating electronic device toward the defrosting chamber. This further utilizes the heat generated by the heating electronic device to accelerate the melting of frost on the defrosting chamber wall, significantly improving defrosting efficiency.

[0024] According to an optional embodiment, step S300 includes the following sub-steps:

[0025] S310: Obtain the heating data of the heating electronic device and / or the defrosting degree data of the defrosting chamber;

[0026] S320: Analyze and process the heating data and / or the defrosting degree data;

[0027] S330: Control the operation of the electromagnetic wave transmitter and / or the air supply equipment based on the analysis and processing results.

[0028] Therefore, by acquiring real-time heating data from the heating electronic devices and / or defrosting progress data inside the defrosting chamber, and dynamically optimizing RF power, duration, and airflow strategy accordingly, heat supply can be matched with defrosting demand, avoiding insufficient defrosting when supply is less than demand, or energy waste when supply exceeds demand. Because RF, airflow, and monitoring form a closed-loop feedback control, the defrosting process becomes more adaptive, further improving stability, efficiency, and energy efficiency.

[0029] According to an optional embodiment, in sub-step S330, the operating time of the electromagnetic wave transmitter is shorter than the operating time of the air supply device. This further saves radio frequency energy consumption and improves heat utilization.

[0030] According to an optional embodiment, in sub-step S330, the difference in operating time between the electromagnetic wave transmitter and the air supply device is maximized by manipulating the operation of the electromagnetic wave transmitter and / or the air supply device. This ensures that the energy consumption of the electromagnetic wave transmitter is minimized, saving resources to the greatest extent possible.

[0031] According to an optional embodiment, if it is detected that the defrosting device is being used for normal defrosting load during the execution of the control method, the monitoring data obtained in step S100 is reset, and step S100 is re-executed after the defrosting process is completed. Thus, through this reset mechanism, the defrosting and food defrosting functions can be coordinated in a unified manner, and the monitoring data can be dynamically updated to ensure that the criteria are always valid and reliable.

[0032] According to an optional embodiment, after each execution of step S300, the monitoring data obtained in step S100 is reset, and then step S100 is executed again. This reset mechanism ensures that the defrosting process can run continuously and stably for a long period, constantly removing newly generated frost layers and effectively guaranteeing the frost-free state of the defrosting chamber.

[0033] According to a second aspect of this application, a controller is provided, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory, the processor being configured to execute the computer program to implement the control method provided according to any alternative embodiment of the first aspect described above. Thus, this controller particularly possesses the advantages mentioned in the above embodiments.

[0034] According to a third aspect of this application, a refrigerator is provided, wherein the refrigerator includes a controller according to any alternative embodiment of the second aspect described above and a defrosting device at least signal-connected to the controller, the defrosting device including a defrosting chamber and an electromagnetic wave transmitter emitting radio frequency electromagnetic waves toward the defrosting chamber. Thus, this refrigerator particularly possesses the advantages mentioned in the above embodiments.

[0035] According to an optional embodiment, the defrosting chamber includes an opening for loading and unloading a load and a door for shielding the opening, wherein a gap exists between the opening and the door and / or the defrosting chamber has a bottom surface sloping downward toward the opening. This ingenious structural design avoids the accumulation of defrost water, thoroughly removes frost, and prevents repeated frosting. Attached Figure Description

[0036] The principles, features, and advantages of this application will be better understood below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings include:

[0037] Figure 1 A front view of a refrigerator according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown;

[0038] Figure 2 A schematic side cross-sectional view of a refrigerator according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown;

[0039] Figure 3 A perspective view of the defrosting chamber of a refrigerator defrosting apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown;

[0040] Figure 4 It shows Figure 3 A schematic cross-sectional view of the thawing chamber taken along the yz plane;

[0041] Figure 5 It shows Figure 3 A schematic cross-sectional view of the thawing chamber taken along the xz plane;

[0042] Figure 6 A schematic flowchart of a control method according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown;

[0043] Figure 7 A schematic flowchart of a control method according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown; and

[0044] Figure 8 A schematic flowchart of a control method according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown.

[0045] Figure label:

[0046] 2000: Refrigerator; 2100: Controller; 2200: Defrost device; 2210: Defrost chamber; 2211: Chamber opening; 2212: Chamber door; 2213: Bottom surface; 2220: Electromagnetic wave transmitter; 2250: Heating electronic device; 2260: Air supply equipment; 2240: Monitoring equipment; 1000: Control method; 10: Radio frequency power module; d: Gap; a: Angle; L: Horizontal plane; x: Width direction; y: Height direction; z: Depth direction. Detailed Implementation

[0047] To make the technical problems to be solved, the technical solutions, and the beneficial technical effects of this application clearer, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and several exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for explaining this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Various embodiments may share the same view or multiple views for description, but not all features appearing in the same view should be interpreted as features that must be present in an embodiment.

[0048] For ease of understanding, the description made in the background section of this application can be recalled. One object of this application is to provide an improved control method for a refrigerator with a defrosting function, the refrigerator including a controller and a defrosting device at least signal-connected to the controller, the defrosting device including a defrosting chamber and an electromagnetic wave transmitter emitting radio frequency electromagnetic waves toward the defrosting chamber, wherein the control method includes the following steps:

[0049] S100: Acquire monitoring data of the thawing chamber;

[0050] S200: Analyze and process the monitoring data to determine the frost information of the thawing chamber;

[0051] S300: Based on the frost information of the thawing chamber, control the electromagnetic wave transmitter to emit radio frequency electromagnetic waves to make the thawing chamber frost-free.

[0052] Therefore, by acquiring monitoring data from the defrosting chamber, the system analyzes and determines whether frost may form inside. If frost is likely, it controls an electromagnetic wave transmitter to emit radio frequency electromagnetic waves. The heat generated by the radio frequency is used to defrost the chamber, leaving it frost-free. The entire process is completed automatically by the refrigerator controller without manual intervention, effectively preventing severe frost buildup inside the chamber, avoiding impact on defrosting performance, and improving the product's aesthetics and reliability.

[0053] Exemplary embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0054] Figure 1A front view of a refrigerator 2000 according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown. The refrigerator door is not shown here, thus revealing the interior of the refrigerator 2000. Furthermore, the xy axes of the refrigerator 2000 in the xyz coordinate system are schematically shown, where x represents the width direction of the refrigerator 2000, y represents the height direction of the refrigerator 2000, and z (not shown) represents the depth direction of the refrigerator 2000. For clarity, this xyz coordinate system will be substantially referenced in the following figures and descriptions.

[0055] like Figure 1 As shown, the refrigerator 2000 includes a controller 2100 schematically illustrated herein and a defrosting device 2200. The controller 2100 and the defrosting device 2200 can be connected via wired or wireless communication (as schematically shown by dashed lines) for transmitting control signals. The defrosting device 2200 includes a defrosting chamber 2210 and an electromagnetic wave transmitter 2220 (see also the description below). Figure 4 Electromagnetic wave transmitter 2220 is used to transmit radio frequency electromagnetic waves into the thawing chamber 2210. Figure 1 As can be seen, the refrigerator 2000, as an exemplary household refrigerator, is constructed with two storage compartments, left and right. The left storage compartment is, for example, a freezer compartment, and the right storage compartment is, for example, a refrigerator compartment. The defrosting chamber 2210 may be located inside the freezer compartment. This application also relates to a controller 2100 (in... Figure 1 (Shown only schematically) It includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored on the memory. The processor is configured to execute the computer program to implement all the steps of the control method 1000 described below. Within the scope of this application, the computer program may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium may include, for example, high-speed random access memory, and may also include non-volatile memory such as hard disks, RAM, plug-in hard disks, smart memory cards, secure digital cards, flash memory cards, at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, or other volatile solid-state storage devices. The processor may be a central processing unit, or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors, application-specific integrated circuits, off-the-shelf programmable gate arrays or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The memory, processor, and communication interface may be interconnected via a bus.

[0056] Figure 2 A schematic side cross-sectional view of a refrigerator 2000 according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 2As shown, the defrosting device 2200 also includes an RF power module 10 for providing RF signals to the electromagnetic wave transmitter 2220. The RF power module 10 specifically includes an AC-DC power supply, an RF signal generation and power amplification circuit unit, and related heat dissipation and support structures. The housing of the RF power module 10 is made of, for example, metal to shield electromagnetic waves, preventing electromagnetic wave leakage from affecting the electromagnetic compatibility and safety performance of the refrigerator 2000. The RF power module 10 is connected to the electromagnetic wave transmitter 2220 via RF cables and wiring harnesses (not shown). The controller 2100 communicates with the RF power module 10, for example, via a D-Bus communication interface.

[0057] Figure 3 A perspective view of the defrosting chamber 2210 of the defrosting device 2200 of a refrigerator 2000 according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 4 It shows Figure 3 A schematic cross-sectional view of the thawing chamber 2210 along the yz plane; Figure 5 It shows Figure 3 The schematic cross-sectional view of the thawing chamber 2210 along the xz plane is shown.

[0058] like Figure 3 As shown, the thawing chamber 2210 is, for example, encased in a metal shell, while the interior walls of the thawing chamber 2210 used for placing food are non-metallic. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the defrosting chamber 2210 includes an opening 2211 and a door 2212. The opening 2211 is used for the user to load and unload loads (usually food items), and the door 2212 is used to cover the opening 2211. A non-metallic layer may be provided on the side of the door 2212 facing the opening 2211. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the door 2212 is pivotally opened and closed via a hinge. In an embodiment not shown in the figures, the defrosting chamber 2210 may be constructed as a pull-out drawer. When constructed as a drawer, for example, when the user uses it as a regular freezer compartment, the defrosting chamber 2210 needs to be pulled out completely. This results in a longer contact time and a larger contact area between the interior of the defrosting chamber and the outside humid air, making it more prone to frost formation inside compared to the embodiment shown in the figures.

[0059] from Figure 4As can be seen, the two opposing antenna plates serving as the electromagnetic wave transmitter 2220 are located in two separate spaces, one above the other. The defrosting device 2200 also includes heat-generating electronic components 2250 (e.g., inductors necessary for the defrosting device 2200) connected to the electromagnetic wave transmitter 2220. To cool these heat-generating electronic components 2250 during normal use of the radio frequency defrosting function, the defrosting device 2200 also includes an air supply device 2260 (e.g., a fan) for supplying air to the heat-generating electronic components 2250. Figure 4 and Figure 5 It also schematically shows multiple air outlets and return air inlets, and uses thick arrows to schematically indicate the direction of internal airflow circulation.

[0060] Figure 6 A schematic flowchart of a control method 1000 according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown. The control method 1000 can be applied, for example, to a refrigerator 2000 with a defrosting function as shown in the above figures. Figure 6 As shown, the control method 1000 includes steps S100, S200 and S300.

[0061] In step S100, monitoring data of the thawing chamber 2210 is acquired. This monitoring data can be collected by various sensors. In one embodiment, a door opening / closing sensor and a timer can be installed on the door 2212 of the thawing chamber 2210 to monitor the user's actions and duration of opening and closing the door 2212. Each opening action and duration is recorded and sent to the controller 2100. That is, the monitoring data may include the number of times the door 2212 is opened and / or the duration of opening. In another embodiment, a monitoring device 2240 (such as...) can also be installed inside the thawing chamber 2210. Figure 5 (Schematic illustration with dashed boxes) is used to monitor the images and / or conductivity inside the thawing chamber 2210. That is, the monitoring data may also include real-time monitoring data from the monitoring device 2240. Specifically, the monitoring device 2240 may be configured as an imaging device (such as a camera) to capture images of the chamber's inner wall, or it may be configured as a conductivity sensor to detect the conductivity between the frost layer inside the thawing chamber 2210 and the wall surface. Through a real-time dynamic monitoring process, changes in the frost layer can be continuously tracked, thereby monitoring the internal conditions of the thawing chamber 2210 from multiple angles.

[0062] In step S200, the collected monitoring data is analyzed and processed to determine the frost information of the thawing chamber 2210. After the controller 2100 receives the monitoring data, it performs analysis and calculations using a preset algorithm. For example, based on the detected number of door openings and the cumulative door opening time, it determines whether frost may occur; by comparing images, it identifies the characteristic patterns of the frost layer, determines the distribution location and coverage area of ​​the frost, and thus determines the degree of frost. Through comprehensive analysis, an assessment of the frost status in each area within the thawing chamber 2210 can be obtained.

[0063] In step S300, based on the assessed frost information, the electromagnetic wave transmitter 2220 is operated to ensure the defrosting chamber 2210 is in a frost-free state. Depending on the severity of the frost, the controller 2100 may automatically adjust, for example, the transmission power and duration of the electromagnetic wave transmitter 2220. If the frost is severe, the transmission power is increased and the transmission time is extended; if there is only slight frost, the transmission power is reduced and the transmission time is shortened. Even if the defrosting chamber 2210 is only about to frost, the likelihood of frost formation can be significantly reduced by slight heating. In a preferred embodiment, the electromagnetic wave transmitter 2220 is operated to transmit radio frequency electromagnetic waves at a first power and / or a first duration based on the frost information of the defrosting chamber 2210, wherein the first power is different from (preferably greater than) the second power when the defrosting device 2200 is used for normal defrosting of a load, and the first duration is different from (preferably less than) the second duration when the defrosting device 2200 is used for normal defrosting of a load. More preferably, the first power and / or first duration are automatically set based on the frosting information of the defrosting chamber 2210 determined in step S200. For example, the second power of the electromagnetic wave transmitter 2220 during normal defrosting of food varies between 100W and 250W. Since the output power can automatically change with the absorption of radio frequency energy by the food during defrosting, the second duration for normal defrosting is usually 20 minutes to ensure maximum efficiency of radio frequency energy utilization. However, the first power during defrosting can be increased to 250W to 300W, and the first duration can be reduced to 2 minutes. Thus, the radio frequency power and running time can be optimized according to actual defrosting needs, avoiding excessive resource consumption. In another preferred embodiment, before step S300, the load information inside the defrosting chamber 2210 (i.e., the presence and attribute information of the food) is obtained, and the first power and / or first duration are adjusted according to the load information. Since the dielectric constant of the load (i.e., food) is usually different at different temperatures, the presence or absence of the load and the different loads at different temperatures directly affect the amount of radio frequency energy reflected. Therefore, the load information inside the defrosting chamber 2210 can be obtained by detecting the output power and return power of the radio frequency signal. When frozen food is detected inside the defrosting chamber 2210, for example, because the user uses the defrosting chamber 2210 as a regular freezer storage compartment, the first power and / or the first duration are set to the above values ​​(250W to 300W, 2 minutes). The food inside the defrosting chamber 2210 will not be defrosted, and the temperature rise will not exceed 3°C (for example, when using a radio frequency of 40.68MHz). Therefore, it will not affect the quality of the food, but it can achieve the effect of defrosting. In another preferred embodiment, in step S300, the air supply device 2260 of the defrosting device 2200 is activated to blow the heat generated by the heating electronic device 2250 toward the defrosting chamber 2210 to assist defrosting (see also...). Figure 4 and Figure 5 ).

[0064] Therefore, the control method 1000 can be implemented using the refrigerator's own controller 2100 without modifying the hardware configuration. The automatic defrosting function of the refrigerator's defrosting device 2200 can be achieved through software upgrades, resulting in low implementation costs.

[0065] In a preferred embodiment, also as Figure 6 As shown, after each execution of step S300, the monitoring data obtained in step S100 is reset, and step S100 is executed again. Since there is no frost layer in the defrosting chamber 2210 after a complete defrosting process, the previous defrosting criterion data has essentially lost its reference value. By updating the monitoring data in a timely manner, excessively frequent defrosting initiation is avoided, which would lead to energy waste.

[0066] In another preferred embodiment, if the defrosting device 2200 is detected to be used for normal defrosting load during the execution of control method 1000, the monitoring data obtained in step S100 is reset, and step S100 is re-executed after the user's desired defrosting process is completed. In other words, when the user's use of the defrosting function (e.g., the user opens the cavity door 2212 and / or activates the radio frequency defrosting function to defrost food) is detected during routine monitoring or defrosting, the current defrosting program (if it is running) is immediately terminated, and the collected defrosting criterion data (such as the number of times the door is opened, the duration, etc.) is cleared, while the initiation of a new defrosting program is prohibited. At this time, the controller 2100 prioritizes cooperating with the electromagnetic wave transmitter 2220 to complete the defrosting of the food. Only after the food has been defrosted is the defrosting monitoring program reactivated, and relevant data is re-collected. This is because when the defrosting device 2200 is used to defrost food, it generates a large amount of heat, which is sufficient to melt the frost layer in the defrosting chamber 2210 in a short time. Therefore, once the defrosting device 2200 is detected to be used for normal defrosting load, all the collected defrosting criterion data can be cleared and a new defrosting monitoring cycle can begin.

[0067] Figure 7 A schematic flowchart of a control method 1000 according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 7 As shown, in addition to the above steps S100, S200 and S300, the control method 1000 also includes steps S10 and S20.

[0068] In step S10, the ambient humidity data of the refrigerator 2000 is acquired. For example, the ambient humidity data can be acquired by directly using the existing temperature and humidity sensor of the refrigerator 2000, and sending the data collected by the temperature and humidity sensor to the controller 2100. This allows the trend of changes in parameters such as temperature and humidity to be obtained as a reliable basis for judging frost formation.

[0069] In step S20, the collected ambient humidity data is analyzed to determine whether the ambient humidity of the refrigerator 2000 exceeds a preset humidity threshold. The humidity threshold can be set, for example, to 70% RH (Relative Humidity), and values ​​above this are considered high humidity environments. When the ambient humidity exceeds the preset threshold, for example, it can be determined that frequent opening and closing of the door 2212 by the user could easily lead to frost buildup in the defrosting chamber 2210. Therefore, ambient humidity is used as an additional condition for triggering the defrosting program in the defrosting chamber 2210. If the ambient humidity of the refrigerator 2000 does not exceed the preset humidity threshold, the ambient humidity can continue to be monitored, and the defrosting program in the defrosting chamber 2210 will not be started temporarily. This effectively reduces the frequency of defrosting and saves energy.

[0070] In a preferred embodiment, step S200 can determine whether the monitoring data obtained in step S100 exceeds a preset threshold. This preset threshold is preferably determined based on the ambient humidity of the refrigerator 2000. For example, when the monitoring data includes the number of times the door 2212 is opened and / or the duration of opening, if the ambient humidity is low (e.g., below 40% RH), a higher threshold can be automatically set, such as a threshold of 30 times for the number of times the door is opened, or a threshold of 300 seconds for the total duration of opening. In this case, even if the user frequently opens and closes the door 2212, or the total duration of opening the door 2212 is long, frost is unlikely to form inside the cavity due to the dry environment. If the ambient humidity is high (e.g., above 70% RH), a lower threshold can be automatically set, such as a threshold of 10 times for the number of times the door is opened, or a threshold of 150 seconds for the total duration of opening. In this case, once the number of times the door is opened or the duration of opening exceeds the preset threshold, frost may have already formed, requiring timely defrosting.

[0071] In a further preferred embodiment, step S200 can determine whether the weighted sum of the number of door openings and the single-door opening duration of the chamber door 2212 obtained in step S100 exceeds a preset total threshold. For example, assuming that the average single-door opening duration of the chamber door 2212 monitored is m (unit: seconds) and the number of door openings is n (unit: times), then the weighted sum S can be expressed as: S = m × n. The controller 2100 substitutes the real-time statistically obtained m and n into the formula to calculate the weighted sum S during this monitoring period. The physical meaning of the weighted sum S is that within this monitoring period, the cumulative impact of the humid and hot air from the outside entering the thawing chamber 2210, such as located in the freezer compartment, causing frosting. The larger the S value, the higher the likelihood of frosting. Compare S with the preset total threshold A (unit: seconds·times). If S > A, it is determined that frosting may have occurred in the thawing chamber and the defrosting program needs to be immediately started; if S ≤ A, it is determined that the frosting risk is low and the defrosting program is not started temporarily. For example, when the environmental humidity is 70% RH, A can be set to 150 seconds·times, that is, when the product of the average single-door opening duration and the number of door openings exceeds 150, it is considered necessary to start the defrosting program. For example, if it is monitored that there have been 10 door opening actions, with an average of 10 seconds for each door opening, then m = 10, n = 10. Substituting into the formula gives S = 10 × 10 = 100 < A, which means that although the number of door openings is large, the average door opening time is short, and the frosting risk is not high, so the defrosting program can be not started temporarily; but if it is monitored that there have been only 5 door opening actions, but with an average of 40 seconds for each door opening, then m = 40, n = 5. Substituting into the formula gives S = 40 × 5 = 200 > A, which means that although the number of door openings is not large, due to the long opening time for each time, there is a high frosting risk and the defrosting program should be immediately started. The above value of A is only an example, and in actual applications, necessary corrections can be made according to factors such as the structural characteristics of the product and environmental conditions. For example, in the case of high environmental humidity, the value of A can be appropriately reduced; conversely, the value of A can be increased. Thus, when judging whether frosting has occurred, the impacts of the single-door opening duration and the number of door openings are comprehensively considered, so as to more comprehensively and objectively reflect the frosting risk and severity.

[0072] In a further preferred embodiment, the formula for calculating the weighted sum S can be further optimized to: S = m × n + α × m + β × n. Here, α and β are weighting coefficients greater than 0, used to adjust the weights of the average door opening time m and the number of door openings n, respectively. The values ​​of α and β can be set according to factors such as the specific refrigerator's usage environment, structural characteristics, and user habits. For example, when the defrosting chamber 2210 has a small volume and limited contact area between its walls and the outside air, and the user is unlikely to use it as a regular freezer compartment for storing food, then α can be set to a larger value, such as 0.3, and β to a smaller value, such as 0.1. Conversely, when the defrosting chamber 2210 has a large volume and a larger contact area between its walls and the outside air, and the user is more likely to use it as a regular freezer compartment for storing food, then α can be set to a smaller value, such as 0.1, and β to a larger value, such as 0.3. This means that for larger thawing chambers 2210, the duration of a single door opening has a greater impact on frost formation, while for smaller thawing chambers 2210, the frequency of door openings has a greater impact. Therefore, further refining the analysis of these two influencing factors—duration of a single door opening and the number of openings—allows the weighted sum S to more precisely describe the complex influencing patterns of frost formation and to more accurately assess the risk of frost formation.

[0073] In another preferred embodiment, step S200 can determine whether the weighted sum S of the coefficient k corresponding to the ambient humidity obtained in step S10, the number of times the cavity door 2212 is opened, n, and the average opening duration m exceeds a preset summation threshold A, where the weighted summation S = k × m × n. For ease of explanation, the following exemplary values ​​are used: for example, the preset summation threshold A is set to 200 seconds per instance. For instance, if 10 door opening actions are detected, with an average opening duration of 10 seconds per instance, then m = 10 and n = 10. Unlike the previously described embodiments, when the obtained ambient humidity does not exceed the first humidity threshold H1 (e.g., 70% RH), the coefficient k can, for example, be k1 = 0, meaning the weighted sum S is zero, which is necessarily less than the sum threshold A. In this case, monitoring continues without automatic defrosting. When the obtained ambient humidity exceeds the first humidity threshold H1 (e.g., 70% RH) but does not exceed the second humidity threshold H2 (e.g., 80% RH), the coefficient k can, for example, be k2 = 0.5, meaning the weighted sum S = 0.5 × 10 × 10 = 50, which also does not exceed the sum threshold A. In this case, monitoring continues without automatic defrosting. When the obtained ambient humidity exceeds the second humidity threshold H2 (e.g., 80% RH) but does not exceed the third humidity threshold H3 (e.g., 90% RH), the coefficient k can be, for example, k3 = 1.3, meaning the weighted sum S = 1.3 × 10 × 10 = 130, which does not exceed the total threshold A, so monitoring continues without automatic defrosting. When the obtained ambient humidity exceeds the third humidity threshold H3 (e.g., 90% RH), the coefficient k can be, for example, k4 = 2.2, meaning the weighted sum S = 2.2 × 10 × 10 = 220, which exceeds the total threshold A, so automatic defrosting should then proceed. In summary, the value of the coefficient k is related to the humidity threshold H, where H1 < H2 < H3, and k1 < k2 < k3 < k4.

[0074] Figure 8 A schematic flowchart of a control method 1000 according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 8 As shown (also in comparison) Figure 4 and Figure 5 Step S300 includes, for example, sub-steps S310, S320 and S330.

[0075] In sub-step S310, the heating data of the heating electronics 2250 of the defrosting device 2200 and / or the defrosting degree data of the defrosting chamber 2210 are monitored in real time. The heating data can be acquired, for example, by a temperature sensor installed near the heating electronics 2250 to reflect the real-time temperature changes of the heating electronics 2250. The defrosting degree data can be acquired, for example, by combining... Figure 5 The monitoring device 2240 obtains data in real time to dynamically reflect the defrosting process within the defrosting chamber 2210. Both types of data are sent to the controller 2100.

[0076] In sub-step S320, the controller 2100 analyzes and processes the heating data and / or defrosting degree data to evaluate the current defrosting effect.

[0077] In sub-step S330, the operation of the electromagnetic wave transmitter 2220 and / or the air supply device 2260 is controlled based on the analysis and processing results. Here, based on the evaluation results, the operating parameters of the electromagnetic wave transmitter 2220 (such as power, duration, voltage, etc.) and the operating parameters of the air supply device 2260 (such as rotation speed, duration, etc.) are automatically adjusted to achieve dynamic optimization control of radio frequency heating and auxiliary heating. Preferably, the operating time of the electromagnetic wave transmitter 2220 is shorter than that of the air supply device 2260. That is, when the electromagnetic wave transmitter 2220 stops operating, the air supply device 2260 continues to operate for a period of time (e.g., about two minutes) to ensure that the remaining heat of the heating electronic device 2250 is still used for defrosting the interior of the defrosting chamber 2210. More preferably, the difference in operating time between the electromagnetic wave transmitter 2220 and the air supply device 2260 is maximized. This minimizes the energy consumption of the electromagnetic wave transmitter 2220, and since the energy consumption of the air supply device 2260 (e.g., a small blower) is typically very small, the overall energy consumption can be optimized.

[0078] Back Figure 4 It can be seen that a gap d, for example, 3 mm to 10 mm, is preferably present between the cavity opening 2211 and the cavity door 2212. This small gap serves as a channel for melted frost to drain from the defrosting chamber 2210 during defrosting. In an embodiment not shown in the figures, a contact sealing portion (e.g., a sealing strip or dotted sealing parts) other than the gap d may be provided between the cavity opening 2211 and the cavity door 2212 to prevent radio frequency electromagnetic waves from escaping into the refrigerator 2000. More preferably, the defrosting chamber 2210 has a bottom surface 2213 that slopes downwards towards the cavity opening 2211, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the angle α between the bottom surface 2213 and the horizontal plane L schematically indicated by the dashed line is, for example, 3° to 10°. This allows the melted frost to flow towards the opening 2211 under gravity, accelerating drainage and preventing water from accumulating inside the defrosting chamber 2210 and refreezing. This sloping design also facilitates the molding and demolding of the defrosting chamber 2210 itself. After being discharged from the defrosting chamber 2210, the melted frost can, for example, accumulate at a certain location within the refrigerator 2000 (e.g.,...). Figure 2 (Illustrated by the dashed circle) The accumulated frost or ice particles can slide out of the refrigerator 2000 by opening the refrigerator door, for example, so that the user can clean them up later.

[0079] Although specific embodiments have been described above, these embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of this application, even when only a single embodiment is described with respect to a particular feature. The feature examples provided in this application are intended to be illustrative and not limiting, unless explicitly stated otherwise. In practice, multiple features may be combined with each other as needed and where technically feasible. Various substitutions, modifications, and alterations are also conceived without departing from the spirit and scope of this application.

Claims

1. A control method (1000) applied to a refrigerator (2000) having a defrosting function, the refrigerator (2000) including a controller (2100) and a defrosting device (2200) at least signal-connected to the controller (2100), the defrosting device (2200) including a defrosting chamber (2210) and an electromagnetic wave transmitter (2220) emitting radio frequency electromagnetic waves toward the defrosting chamber (2210), in, The control method (1000) includes the following steps: S100: Acquire monitoring data of the thawing chamber (2210); S200: Analyze and process the monitoring data to determine the frost information of the thawing chamber (2210); S300: Based on the frost information of the thawing chamber (2210), the electromagnetic wave transmitter (2220) is controlled to emit radio frequency electromagnetic waves to make the thawing chamber (2210) frost-free.

2. The control method (1000) according to claim 1, wherein, The thawing chamber (2210) includes an opening (2211) for loading and unloading loads and a door (2212) for covering the opening (2211). The monitoring data includes the number of times the door (2212) is opened and / or the duration of opening.

3. The control method (1000) according to claim 2, wherein, The control method (1000) further includes the following steps: S10: Obtain the ambient humidity data of the refrigerator (2000); S20: Analyze and process the ambient humidity data to determine whether the ambient humidity of the refrigerator (2000) exceeds the preset humidity threshold.

4. The control method (1000) according to claim 3, wherein, In step S200, it is determined whether the monitoring data exceeds a preset threshold. The preset threshold is preferably based on the ambient humidity of the refrigerator (2000) to analyze and process the monitoring data.

5. The control method (1000) according to claim 4, wherein, In step S200, it is determined whether the weighted sum of the number of times the cavity door (2212) is opened and the duration of each opening exceeds a preset total threshold, or it is determined whether the weighted sum of the coefficient corresponding to the ambient humidity and the number of times the cavity door (2212) is opened and the duration of each opening exceeds a preset total threshold.

6. The control method (1000) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, In step S300, the electromagnetic wave transmitter (2220) is manipulated to transmit radio frequency electromagnetic waves with a first power and / or a first duration, wherein: The first power is different from, and preferably greater than, the second power of the defrosting device (2200) when it is used for a normal defrosting load; and / or The first duration is different from, and preferably less than, the second duration when the thawing device (2200) is used for normal thawing of the load.

7. The control method (1000) according to claim 1, wherein, The thawing device (2200) includes a monitoring device (2240) for monitoring images and / or conductivity inside the thawing chamber (2210), the monitoring data including real-time monitoring data from the monitoring device (2240).

8. The control method (1000) according to claim 7, wherein, In step S300, the electromagnetic wave transmitter (2220) is controlled to transmit radio frequency electromagnetic waves with a first power and / or a first duration, wherein the first power and / or the first duration are automatically set according to the frost information of the defrosting chamber (2210) determined in step S200.

9. The control method (1000) according to claim 8, wherein, Before step S300, load information inside the defrosting chamber (2210) is obtained, and the first power and / or first duration are adjusted according to the load information.

10. The control method (1000) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, The defrosting device (2200) includes a heating electronic device (2250) and an air supply device (2260) for supplying air to the heating electronic device (2250), wherein, in step S300, the air supply device (2260) is activated to blow the heat generated by the heating electronic device (2250) toward the defrosting chamber (2210).

11. The control method (1000) according to claim 10, wherein, Step S300 includes the following sub-steps: S310: Obtain the heating data of the heating electronic device (2250) and / or the defrosting degree data of the defrosting chamber (2210); S320: Analyze and process the heating data and / or the defrosting degree data; S330: Control the operation of the electromagnetic wave transmitter (2220) and / or the air supply device (2260) based on the analysis and processing results.

12. The control method (1000) according to claim 11, wherein, In sub-step S330, the operating time of the electromagnetic wave transmitter (2220) is shorter than the operating time of the air supply device (2260).

13. The control method (1000) according to claim 12, wherein, In sub-step S330, the difference in operating time between the electromagnetic wave transmitter (2220) and the air supply device (2260) is maximized by manipulating the operation of the electromagnetic wave transmitter (2220) and / or the air supply device (2260).

14. The control method (1000) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein, If it is detected during the execution of the control method (1000) that the defrosting device (2200) is being used for normal defrosting of the load, the monitoring data obtained in step S100 is reset, and step S100 is re-executed after the defrosting process is completed; and / or After each execution of step S300, the monitoring data obtained in step S100 is reset, and then step S100 is executed again.

15. A controller (2100) includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory, the processor being configured to execute the computer program to implement the control method (1000) according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. A refrigerator (2000), wherein, The refrigerator (2000) includes: The controller (2100) according to claim 15; and A thawing device (2200) at least signal-connected to the controller (2100), the thawing device (2200) including a thawing chamber (2210) and an electromagnetic wave transmitter (2220) that emits radio frequency electromagnetic waves toward the thawing chamber (2210).

17. The refrigerator (2000) according to claim 16, wherein the defrosting chamber (2210) includes an opening (2211) for loading and unloading a load and a door (2212) for covering the opening (2211), wherein: There is a gap between the cavity opening (2211) and the cavity door (2212); and / or The thawing chamber (2210) has a bottom surface (2213) that slopes downward toward the opening (2211).

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