Refrigerator control method and device, refrigerator and storage medium

Abstract

The invention relates to a refrigerator control method and device, a refrigerator and a storage medium, and the method comprises the steps that a defrosting program of the refrigerator is started in response to the situation that a defrosting triggering condition is met; after the defrosting program is executed, environmental parameters in the refrigerator cavity are monitored; and starting a degerming program of the refrigerator in response to the condition that the environmental parameters in the refrigerator cavity meet the set degerming triggering conditions. In this way, on-demand defrosting matched with the actual use requirement is achieved, refrigeration efficiency reduction caused by untimely defrosting or energy waste caused by excessive defrosting are effectively avoided, and the remarkable energy-saving effect is achieved; and in the degerming aspect, the degerming action is ensured to be executed in the most efficient physical environment, and the reliability of the degerming effect is greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of refrigerators, and more particularly to a refrigerator control method, device, refrigerator, and storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Most existing refrigerators' automatic defrosting functions rely on preset fixed time intervals for triggering or on a single sensor based on evaporator temperature. However, in actual use, frequent food storage and retrieval can cause drastic changes in the heat and humidity load inside the refrigerator, and a fixed defrosting cycle cannot respond to this in a timely manner. This may result in delayed defrosting leading to decreased cooling efficiency, or unnecessary defrosting during idle periods, causing energy waste.

[0003] Meanwhile, refrigerators with sterilization functions typically operate their sterilization module as a separate system. A common practice is to automatically activate sterilization devices such as ultraviolet light after the defrosting process ends; however, the interior of the refrigerator is often still at a low temperature at this time. Studies have shown that low temperatures can affect the physiological activity of microorganisms and may also reduce the efficiency of certain physical sterilization methods. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a refrigerator control method, device, refrigerator, and storage medium to solve the technical problems of low refrigerator energy efficiency and poor sterilization effect caused by rigid defrosting control and improper sterilization timing in the prior art.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a refrigerator control method, the method comprising: In response to the defrosting trigger condition being met, the refrigerator's defrosting program is initiated; After the defrosting procedure is executed, the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity are monitored; In response to the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity meeting the set sterilization trigger conditions, the sterilization program of the refrigerator is started.

[0006] In one possible implementation, monitoring the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity includes: Monitor the temperature inside the refrigerator cavity; The response to the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity meeting the set sterilization trigger conditions includes: In response to the temperature inside the refrigerator cavity being greater than a set temperature threshold, it is determined that the set sterilization trigger condition is met.

[0007] In one possible implementation, activating the refrigerator's sterilization program includes: Determine the target sterilization area of ​​the refrigerator; Based on the target sterilization area, at least one operating parameter of the refrigerator's sterilization program is determined; The sterilization procedure is executed based on the determined operating parameters.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: Obtain information on the door opening behavior of the refrigerator after a specific time, wherein the specific time is one of the following: the time when the last defrosting program ended, or the time when the refrigerator was powered on and initialized; Based on the door opening behavior information, a defrosting threshold is determined to determine whether the defrosting trigger condition is met.

[0009] In one possible implementation, determining the defrosting threshold for judging whether the defrosting trigger condition is met based on the door opening behavior information includes: Based on the door opening behavior information, determine the most recent effective door opening duration of the refrigerator; Based on the most recent valid door opening duration and the set basic threshold, a defrosting threshold is determined to determine whether the defrosting trigger condition is met.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: Based on the door opening behavior information, determine the cumulative effective door opening time of the refrigerator from the specific moment up to the current moment; The response to satisfying the defrost trigger condition includes: Determine whether the cumulative effective door opening time has reached the defrosting threshold; If the cumulative effective door opening time reaches the defrosting threshold, determine whether the refrigerator is in a defrosting-allowed state; If the refrigerator is determined to be in a defrosting-enabled state, then the defrosting trigger condition is determined to be met.

[0011] In one possible implementation, determining whether the refrigerator is in a defrosting-allowed state includes: Check whether the refrigerator is in the cooling period; the cooling period includes at least one of the following situations: no preset cooling time has elapsed since the end of the last defrosting program, or the defrosting program is in progress; If it is determined that the refrigerator is not in a cooling period, it is determined that the refrigerator is in a defrosting-allowed state; if it is determined that the refrigerator is in a cooling period, it is determined that the refrigerator is in a defrosting-disallowed state.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the method further includes: Visual feedback on at least one of the following states is provided through multi-level lighting modes: Defrosting program in progress, sterilization program in progress, waiting for sterilization, sterilization completed, refrigerator door opened timeout abnormal status.

[0013] Secondly, this application provides a refrigerator control device, the device comprising: The first control module is used to start the refrigerator's defrosting program in response to the defrosting trigger condition being met; The monitoring module is used to monitor the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity after the defrosting procedure is executed; The second control module is used to start the sterilization program of the refrigerator in response to the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity meeting the set sterilization trigger conditions.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the monitoring module is specifically used for: Monitor the temperature inside the refrigerator cavity; The second control module is specifically used for: In response to the temperature inside the refrigerator cavity being greater than a set temperature threshold, it is determined that the set sterilization trigger condition is met.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the second control module includes: A sterilization target determination unit is used to determine the target sterilization area of ​​the refrigerator; The parameter adjustment unit is used to determine at least one operating parameter of the sterilization program of the refrigerator based on the target sterilization area. A sterilization unit is used to execute the sterilization procedure based on the determined operating parameters.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the device further includes: The door opening sensor module is used to acquire information about the door opening behavior of the refrigerator after a specific time, wherein the specific time is one of the following: the time when the last defrosting program ended, or the time when the refrigerator was powered on and initialized. The threshold determination module is used to determine a defrosting threshold for judging whether the defrosting trigger condition is met based on the door opening behavior information.

[0017] In one possible implementation, the threshold determination module is specifically used for: Based on the door opening behavior information, determine the most recent effective door opening duration of the refrigerator; Based on the most recent valid door opening duration and the set basic threshold, a defrosting threshold is determined to determine whether the defrosting trigger condition is met.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the device further includes: The duration accumulation module is used to determine the cumulative effective door opening time of the refrigerator from the specific moment to the current moment based on the door opening behavior information. The first control module includes: The first determining unit is used to determine whether the cumulative effective door opening time has reached the defrosting threshold. The second determining unit is used to determine whether the refrigerator is in a defrosting state when the cumulative effective door opening time reaches the defrosting threshold. The third determining unit is used to determine whether the defrosting trigger condition is met when the refrigerator is in a defrosting-allowed state.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the second determining unit is specifically used for: Check whether the refrigerator is in the cooling period; the cooling period includes at least one of the following situations: no preset cooling time has elapsed since the end of the last defrosting program, or the defrosting program is in progress; If it is determined that the refrigerator is not in a cooling period, it is determined that the refrigerator is in a defrosting-allowed state; if it is determined that the refrigerator is in a cooling period, it is determined that the refrigerator is in a defrosting-disallowed state.

[0020] In one possible implementation, the device further includes: The prompt module is used to provide visual feedback on at least one of the following states through multi-level lighting modes: Defrosting program in progress, sterilization program in progress, waiting for sterilization, sterilization completed, refrigerator door opened timeout abnormal status.

[0021] Thirdly, this application provides a refrigerator, including: a processor and a memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute a refrigerator control program stored in the memory to implement the refrigerator control method described in any one of the first aspects.

[0022] Fourthly, this application provides a storage medium storing one or more programs that can be executed by one or more processors to implement the refrigerator control method described in any one aspect.

[0023] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution provided in this application has the following advantages: The method provided in this application solves the drawbacks of fixed-cycle defrosting being "untimely" or "excessive" by initiating the defrosting program in response to the fulfillment of defrosting trigger conditions. It achieves "on-demand defrosting" that matches actual usage needs, effectively avoiding the decrease in cooling efficiency caused by untimely defrosting or the energy waste caused by excessive defrosting, thus achieving significant energy-saving effects. Regarding sterilization, by monitoring the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity after the defrosting program is executed, and in response to the environmental parameters meeting the set sterilization trigger conditions, the refrigerator's sterilization program is initiated, ensuring that the sterilization action is performed in the most efficient physical environment, greatly improving the reliability of the sterilization effect. This solution, through the intelligent linkage and precise control of the two major functions of defrosting and sterilization, synergistically optimizes energy consumption economy and storage hygiene at the system level. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference numerals in the accompanying drawings. These illustrations do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are denoted as similar elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings are not to be limited by scale.

[0027] Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a refrigerator control method provided in this application; Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating an embodiment of another refrigerator control method provided in this application; Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating another embodiment of a refrigerator control method provided in this application; Figure 4 A block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a refrigerator control device provided in this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0029] The following disclosure provides numerous different embodiments or examples for implementing various structures of this application. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. These are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples. Such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed.

[0030] To address the technical problems of low refrigerator energy efficiency and poor sterilization effect caused by rigid defrosting control and improper timing of sterilization in existing technologies, this application provides a refrigerator control method, device, refrigerator, and storage medium that can achieve "on-demand defrosting" that matches actual usage needs. This effectively avoids the decrease in cooling efficiency caused by untimely defrosting or the energy waste caused by excessive defrosting, achieving significant energy-saving effects. In terms of sterilization, it ensures that the sterilization action is performed in the most efficient physical environment, greatly improving the reliability of the sterilization effect.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a refrigerator control method provided in this application. Figure 1 As shown, the method includes the following steps: Step 101: In response to the defrosting trigger condition being met, start the refrigerator's defrosting program.

[0032] The defrost trigger condition is used to determine whether the refrigerator needs to perform defrost. In one embodiment, the refrigerator's control system (hereinafter referred to as the control system) actively and cyclically determines whether the defrost trigger condition is met at a set time interval (e.g., per second). Once the control system logic determines that the defrost trigger condition is met, it issues a control command to start the refrigerator's defrost program, putting the refrigerator into defrost mode. Conversely, if the defrost trigger condition is not met, the refrigerator's defrost program is not started.

[0033] Therefore, the technical solution provided in this application does not use the "inherent periodic triggering" method (for example, regardless of the actual usage of the refrigerator, the compressor is forced to start the defrosting program every 8 hours of cumulative operation. This method is time-driven, and its trigger point is fixed and immutable) to control the refrigerator to defrost. Instead, it uses a "condition-based dynamic determination" method to control the refrigerator to defrost. Under this method, dynamic calculations or selections can be made according to the actual operating status of the refrigerator, the usage environment, or user behavior, providing an architectural foundation for achieving "on-demand defrosting".

[0034] The specific methods for determining whether the defrosting trigger conditions are met will be explained in detail below through specific examples, and will not be elaborated here.

[0035] Step 102: After the defrosting program is executed, monitor the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity.

[0036] In this embodiment, after each defrosting procedure, the control system actively monitors the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity. These environmental parameters may include one or more physical state quantities inside the refrigerator cavity, such as temperature, humidity, and gas concentration. The purpose of monitoring is to obtain the actual impact of the thermodynamic behavior of defrosting on the microenvironment inside the refrigerator cavity, and thus determine whether it is appropriate to carry out sterilization at that time.

[0037] Step 103: In response to the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity meeting the set sterilization trigger conditions, start the refrigerator's sterilization program.

[0038] The sterilization triggering condition is based on the internal environmental parameters of the refrigerator cavity and is used to determine whether sterilization is suitable. When the environmental parameters monitored in step 102 above determine that the set sterilization triggering condition is met, the control system issues a control command to start the refrigerator sterilization program, putting the refrigerator into sterilization mode.

[0039] In one embodiment, the design intent of the sterilization trigger condition is to accurately identify the "golden window" during which sterilization efficiency is highest. For example, the sterilization trigger condition is set to: the internal temperature of the refrigerator cavity is higher than 5°C. That is, when the internal temperature of the refrigerator cavity is detected to be higher than 5°C, it is determined that the sterilization trigger condition is met, and the refrigerator's sterilization program (such as an ultraviolet sterilization program) is activated.

[0040] Specifically, immediately after the defrosting process ends, the internal temperature of the refrigerator cavity is typically low (e.g., below 5°C). Under these low-temperature conditions, bacterial metabolic activity is significantly reduced, placing them in a state of so-called "cold shock," where their physiological activities almost cease. Simultaneously, the inactivation efficiency of ultraviolet radiation is also significantly inhibited in low-temperature environments. These two factors combined result in the less than ideal effect of immediate sterilization at this time.

[0041] Conversely, if you wait for the internal temperature to naturally rise above 5°C, a unique "window of opportunity" emerges: on the one hand, the residual moisture from defrosting hasn't completely evaporated, keeping the internal environment relatively humid; on the other hand, as the temperature rises, bacteria recover from cold shock, their metabolic activity increases again, and their cell structure and physiological functions become more vulnerable during the adaptation process. Therefore, this stage creates the optimal sterilization environment through the synergistic effect of temperature and humidity. Activating the refrigerator's sterilization program at this time allows for intervention at the stage when bacteria are most easily inactivated, significantly improving the efficiency of ultraviolet light inactivation. This ensures sterilization reliability while also increasing the energy efficiency of the entire sterilization process.

[0042] Based on this, in one embodiment, monitoring the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity in step 102 includes monitoring the temperature inside the refrigerator cavity. Correspondingly, step 103, in response to the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity meeting the set sterilization triggering conditions, includes determining that the set sterilization triggering conditions are met in response to the temperature inside the refrigerator cavity being greater than a set temperature threshold. The set temperature threshold is, for example, 5°C.

[0043] It should be noted that controlling the sterilization activation based on the temperature inside the refrigerator cavity is only one preferred embodiment of the present invention, and not the only one. In practical applications, the sterilization triggering conditions can also be set or comprehensively determined based on other environmental parameters after defrosting, such as the humidity inside the refrigerator, the condensation state, the concentration of specific gases, or a combination and trend of the above parameters. These parameters can also reflect whether the microenvironment after defrosting is in a state conducive to efficient sterilization. Therefore, the core of the present invention lies in using the monitorable environmental state after defrosting as the scientific basis for sterilization triggering, thereby breaking the rigid time-sequence linkage and realizing intelligent and precise sterilization control. Any scheme based on similar principles that determines the timing of sterilization by judging whether the environmental conditions after defrosting meet preset requirements falls within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0044] As can be seen from the above description, the technical solution provided by this application embodiment has two aspects: First, in terms of control strategy, it abandons the traditional mechanical mode of "inherent periodic triggering" and adopts a "dynamic judgment based on environmental conditions" mechanism, so that the triggering of the sterilization action directly responds to the actual physical state of the refrigerator. Second, in terms of system association, the sterilization function is intelligently linked with the defrosting program. The core of this is to use the microenvironmental state inside the refrigerator directly shaped by the defrosting behavior as the precise decision-making basis for starting sterilization. This is not to unconditionally start sterilization after applying a fixed time delay after defrosting, but to actively monitor and evaluate the real-time changes of environmental parameters (such as temperature and humidity) inside the refrigerator after defrosting. The sterilization program is only triggered when these environmental parameters meet the preset conditions set based on the principle of optimal sterilization efficiency (for example, the temperature rises above 5°C and the humid environment brought by defrosting is still maintained). This design accurately captures and utilizes the brief "golden sterilization window" of "temperature rise and humidity maintenance period after defrosting". During this window period, bacteria recover from cold shock due to the temperature rise, their metabolic activity increases, and their cell structure becomes more fragile during the adaptation process. At the same time, suitable humidity also improves the inactivation efficiency. Therefore, the linkage between defrosting and sterilization in this solution can achieve a significant improvement in sterilization reliability, energy utilization efficiency, and overall hygiene performance at the system level.

[0045] In one embodiment, initiating a sterilization program for a refrigerator includes: determining a target sterilization area for the refrigerator; determining at least one operating parameter for the sterilization program based on the target sterilization area; and executing the sterilization program based on the determined operating parameter.

[0046] This embodiment provides a zone-adaptive sterilization strategy. The core of this strategy lies in identifying and implementing differentiated sterilization operations for different "target sterilization zones" (such as refrigerators, variable temperature compartments, or specific preservation drawers).

[0047] Specifically, the first step is to determine the target sterilization area, which is the specific space where the sterilization program intends to operate. For example, the target sterilization area can be automatically associated with the area where defrosting occurs; or, the system can receive active selection commands from the user through the interface; or the system can intelligently determine the area that most needs sterilization based on sensor data (such as temperature and humidity differences).

[0048] Secondly, based on the target sterilization area, determine at least one operating parameter of the sterilization program (such as sterilization intensity, working time, etc.). Different areas have different requirements for sterilization intensity, duration, etc., due to differences in the types of stored items, temperature settings, contamination risks, and spatial structures. Therefore, operating parameters that match each area can be preset. For example, a higher ultraviolet irradiation intensity or a longer treatment time can be used for fruit and vegetable areas that are prone to bacterial growth, while standard operating parameters can be used for areas storing packaged foods.

[0049] Finally, based on the determined operating parameters, the sterilization procedure is executed. The control system sends the configured operating parameters to the sterilization actuators (such as ultraviolet lamp modules for specific areas), driving them to operate in a customized mode within the designated area.

[0050] This embodiment, building upon the previous one, makes sterilization control not only more scientific in timing but also more precise in spatial targeting. This helps improve the hygiene and safety of key areas while avoiding unnecessary energy consumption, achieving optimal allocation of sterilization resources and further enhancing overall energy efficiency.

[0051] The technical solution provided in this application, by initiating the refrigerator's defrosting program in response to the fulfillment of defrosting trigger conditions, solves the drawbacks of fixed-cycle defrosting being "untimely" or "excessive," achieving "on-demand defrosting" that matches actual usage needs. This effectively avoids the decrease in cooling efficiency caused by untimely defrosting or the energy waste caused by excessive defrosting, achieving significant energy-saving effects. Regarding sterilization, by monitoring the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity after the defrosting program is executed, and in response to the environmental parameters meeting the set sterilization trigger conditions, the refrigerator's sterilization program is initiated, ensuring that the sterilization action is performed in the most efficient physical environment, significantly improving the reliability of the sterilization effect. This solution, through the intelligent linkage and precise control of the two major functions of defrosting and sterilization, synergistically optimizes energy consumption economy and storage hygiene at the system level.

[0052] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating an embodiment of another refrigerator control method provided in this application. Figure 2 As shown, it includes the following steps: Step 201: Obtain the refrigerator door opening behavior information after a specific time. The specific time is one of the following: the time when the last defrosting program ended, or the time when the refrigerator was powered on and initialized.

[0053] Door opening behavior information refers to quantifiable data related to refrigerator door opening, such as the number of times the door is opened, the duration of each opening (i.e., door opening time), the cumulative door opening time, and the duration of the most recent door opening.

[0054] In one embodiment, to improve control accuracy and energy efficiency, not all door opening actions are recorded. Instead, a reasonable time threshold (e.g., 5 seconds) is set to filter out invalid, brief door openings, and only records with opening durations exceeding this threshold are considered "valid door opening events." In practical implementation, door opening events can be collected using sensing devices such as millimeter-wave radar. This radar, embedded inside the refrigerator door, can reliably detect the door's opening and closing status in real time and output corresponding detection signals.

[0055] From the perspective of the execution mechanism, the embodiments of this application are actively executed periodically (e.g., once per second) by the control system. This means that the control system actively summarizes the door opening behavior information collected since a specific moment at regular intervals. The specific moment is defined as the moment the last defrosting program ended or the moment the refrigerator was powered on and initialized. This ensures that each defrosting judgment cycle accumulates user behavior data from a clear starting point. Furthermore, it provides a continuous data stream for subsequent dynamic, real-time calculation of defrosting thresholds and determination of whether defrosting trigger conditions are met, forming the basis for achieving "on-demand defrosting."

[0056] For example, suppose the refrigerator completes defrosting at 8:00 AM. This time is set as the "specific moment" for determining the next defrosting cycle (i.e., the end time of the previous defrosting process). Subsequently, the refrigerator control system begins periodically (e.g., every second) summarizing door opening behaviors since 8:00 AM. Assume the user opens the door for the first time (starting at 8:05 AM, lasting 8 seconds), the second time (starting at 8:20 AM, lasting 3 seconds), and the third time (starting at 8:30 AM, lasting 15 seconds). During this process, the control system continuously acquires and updates the door opening behavior records at approximately 1-second intervals, and updates door opening behavior information accordingly, such as updating "cumulative door opening duration" and "last door opening duration."

[0057] For example, when the control system executes step 201 in the next defrost judgment cycle (e.g., 8:05:01), it will obtain the refrigerator door opening behavior information since a specific time, including: number of times the door was opened 1 time (the second door opening is invalid and will not be recorded), cumulative door opening duration of 8 seconds, and the most recent door opening duration of 8 seconds.

[0058] When the refrigerator control system executes step 201 in the next defrost judgment cycle (e.g., 8:30:01), it will obtain the refrigerator door opening behavior information since the specific time, including: number of times the door was opened 2 times (the second door opening is invalid and will not be recorded), cumulative door opening time of 23 seconds, and the most recent door opening time of 15 seconds.

[0059] Step 202: Based on the door opening behavior information, determine the defrosting threshold used to determine whether the defrosting trigger condition is met.

[0060] The defrost threshold, used as a benchmark value for subsequent determination of whether the defrost triggering conditions are met, can be physically understood as the upper limit of the "effective door opening time" allowed for the refrigerator to accumulate before triggering the next defrost cycle under the current usage mode. Therefore, the defrost threshold in this embodiment is fundamentally different from the fixed time or temperature thresholds in traditional solutions.

[0061] Based on the explanation in step 201 above, the defrosting threshold is not a fixed value, but a dynamic one. It adjusts in real time according to changes in the "door opening behavior information" that reflects the user's actual usage habits.

[0062] In one embodiment, determining a defrosting threshold for judging whether the defrosting trigger condition is met based on door opening behavior information includes: determining the most recent effective door opening duration of the refrigerator based on the door opening behavior information; and determining a defrosting threshold for judging whether the defrosting trigger condition is met based on the most recent effective door opening duration and a set basic threshold.

[0063] In this embodiment, the most recent valid door opening duration of the refrigerator is first determined based on the door opening behavior information. For example, in the example of step 201 above, when the control system executes step 202 in the next defrost judgment cycle (e.g., 8:05:01), it will obtain the most recent valid door opening duration of the refrigerator as 8 seconds. When the control system executes step 202 in the next defrost judgment cycle (e.g., 8:30:01), it will obtain the most recent valid door opening duration of the refrigerator as 15 seconds.

[0064] Secondly, based on the most recent effective door opening duration and the set baseline threshold, the final defrost threshold is determined. The most recent effective door opening duration is used to ensure that the latest user behavior immediately influences the sensitivity of triggering defrost. In practical implementation, a negative correlation algorithm is used to calculate the personalized defrost threshold applicable at the current moment. This mechanism allows the control system to sensitively adapt to user behavior: when the user's most recent door opening time is long (possibly due to placing more items and bringing in more humid and warm air), the defrost threshold is dynamically lowered to prompt faster defrosting to handle the additional load; conversely, the defrost threshold is maintained or slightly increased to avoid unnecessary defrosting, thereby achieving precise energy consumption control and an optimized user experience.

[0065] For example, the final defrosting threshold is determined using the following formula based on the most recent valid door opening duration and the set base threshold:

[0066] The values ​​“100”, “180”, and “450” in the above formulas are empirical values, and this application does not impose any restrictions on them.

[0067] The base threshold is set differently depending on the time of day. For example, the base threshold is set to 450 seconds between 22:00-24:00 and 0:00-6:00, and 300 seconds for the rest of the time. The principle behind this design is to fully consider user habits and environmental needs at different times, achieving intelligent and user-friendly defrosting control. During the daytime (e.g., 6:00-22:00), users are active, the refrigerator door is opened frequently, and the internal heat and humidity load increases rapidly. Therefore, a lower base threshold (e.g., 300 seconds) is used to make defrosting trigger more sensitive, promptly addressing frost accumulation caused by frequent door openings and ensuring cooling efficiency. At night (e.g., 22:00-6:00), users are usually resting, the refrigerator door is opened significantly less frequently, and the environment is quiet, making users more sensitive to operating noise. By setting a higher base threshold (e.g., 450 seconds), the frequency of defrosting triggers is proactively reduced. This minimizes unnecessary defrosting actions, saving energy, and also prevents noise from the defrosting heater and compressor restarting from disturbing the user's sleep. This time-based differentiated threshold setting allows defrosting control to not only respond to the user's real-time door opening behavior but also take into account daily life rhythms, optimizing energy consumption and user experience while ensuring efficient defrosting.

[0068] Step 203: Based on the door opening behavior information, determine the cumulative effective door opening time of the refrigerator from a specific moment up to the current moment.

[0069] Step 204: Determine whether the cumulative effective door opening time has reached the defrosting threshold; if the cumulative effective door opening time has reached the defrosting threshold, proceed to step 205; if the cumulative effective door opening time has not reached the defrosting threshold, return to step 201 and proceed to a new round of judgment.

[0070] Step 205: Determine if the refrigerator is in a defrosting-allowed state; if the refrigerator is in a defrosting-allowed state, proceed to step 206; if the refrigerator is in a defrosting-disallowed state, return to step 201 and proceed to a new round of judgment.

[0071] Step 206: Determine if the defrosting trigger conditions are met.

[0072] For ease of understanding, steps 203 to 206 are explained uniformly below: First, steps 203 to 206 together constitute a complete two-level defrosting trigger decision logic. The core of this logic is that defrosting is not simply triggered based on the cumulative effective door opening time reaching the defrosting threshold, but rather by introducing the constraint of system status, thereby achieving more precise, reliable, and protective intelligent control of the equipment.

[0073] Specifically, firstly, in step 203, the cumulative effective door opening time is calculated based on the "door opening behavior information" collected since a specific time (e.g., after the last defrost cycle). For example, in the example of step 201 above, when the control system executes step 203 in the next defrost judgment cycle (e.g., 8:05:01), it will obtain the cumulative effective door opening time of the refrigerator from the specific time up to the current time as 8 seconds. When the refrigerator control system executes step 201 in the next defrost judgment cycle (e.g., 8:30:01), it will obtain the cumulative effective door opening time of the refrigerator from the specific time up to the current time as 23 seconds.

[0074] Secondly, step 204 performs the first-level conditional judgment: comparing the cumulative effective door opening time calculated in step 203 with the defrosting threshold determined by the dynamic algorithm. If the cumulative effective door opening time does not reach the defrosting threshold, it indicates that the current usage intensity has not reached the level requiring defrosting, and the control system returns to step 201 to continue monitoring, forming a continuous evaluation loop. Only when the cumulative effective door opening time reaches (is greater than or equal to) the defrosting threshold is it considered that, from the perspective of usage load, the necessity of triggering defrosting has been established, and the process proceeds to the next level of judgment.

[0075] Subsequently, step 205 executes the second-level condition judgment, the core of which is to check whether the refrigerator is in a defrosting-allowed state. This mainly assesses whether the system is in a "cooling period," which includes at least one of the following situations: no preset cooling time has elapsed since the end of the last defrosting program, or the defrosting program is in progress. This step solves the problem of "whether defrosting is possible at this moment," and is an important protective mechanism to prevent excessive defrosting, protect critical components such as the compressor, and ensure the complete completion of the previous defrosting cycle. If the refrigerator is in a defrosting-allowed state (such as still being in the cooling period), even if the cumulative effective door opening time has reached the defrosting threshold, the control system will temporarily suspend defrosting and return to step 201 to continue monitoring.

[0076] If, after the above two levels of judgment, it is determined that the cumulative effective door opening time has reached the defrosting threshold and the refrigerator is in a defrosting-allowed state, then in step 206, it is determined that the defrosting trigger condition is met. This means that, judging from both the user's workload and the system's own operating status, all conditions for safe and efficient defrosting initiation have been met. This dual-condition judgment mechanism ensures that the defrosting action responds to actual needs while also taking into account equipment operation protection and lifespan extension, enabling this application to effectively avoid excessive defrosting or defrosting conflicts while achieving "on-demand defrosting".

[0077] Step 207: In response to the defrosting trigger condition being met, start the refrigerator's defrosting program.

[0078] Step 208: After the defrosting program is executed, monitor the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity.

[0079] Step 209: In response to the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity meeting the set sterilization trigger conditions, start the refrigerator's sterilization program.

[0080] For a detailed description of steps 207 to 209, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0081] Figure 2 The process shown is in Figure 1 Based on the process shown, a dynamic defrosting trigger mechanism based on door opening behavior is further introduced. This process collects and analyzes user door opening data in real time, dynamically calculates the defrosting threshold, and makes dual condition judgments in combination with system status, ultimately achieving "defrosting on demand" and systematically achieving the triple effect of optimal energy efficiency, reliable sterilization, and user-friendly experience.

[0082] As can be seen from the above embodiments, the control process in the technical solutions provided in this application involves various operating and waiting states, such as defrosting, sterilization, waiting for temperature to rise to start sterilization, sterilization completed, and abnormal states such as refrigerator door opening timeout. To enable users to clearly and intuitively perceive the real-time operating status of the refrigerator's core functions and improve interactive transparency and user experience, this application further provides the following solutions: Visual feedback on at least one of the above states is provided through multi-level lighting modes.

[0083] For example, a six-level ambient light status feedback system can be used, with the following mapping relationship: Flashing green: This indicates that the cumulative door opening time is approaching the threshold and defrosting is imminent, serving as an early warning. Solid green: Indicates that the defrosting process is in progress; Solid blue light: Indicates that the sterilization process is in progress; Slow green flashing: This indicates that defrosting has ended and the system is waiting for the internal temperature to rise to a suitable level for sterilization. Solid white light: This indicates that the sterilization process has been completed and the refrigerator is in a clean and ready state. Flashing red: This indicates an abnormal state such as door opening timeout, requiring user intervention.

[0084] The core of this feedback mechanism lies in encoding key information such as "when to defrost," "whether sterilization is in progress," "why wait," and "whether any abnormalities have occurred" into a clear visual language through a combination of color, brightness, and flashing frequency. This achieves a precise mapping from internal control status to external user perception, providing users with status visualization capabilities. This significantly reduces the rate of user misoperation due to unclear status and greatly optimizes the user experience.

[0085] The following combination Figure 3 The flowchart shown provides an overall explanation of the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application: 1. At the hardware configuration level, the refrigerator provided in this application embodiment is equipped with the following modules: (1) Radar signal detection module: For example, a 24GHz millimeter-wave radar is embedded inside the refrigerator door, outputting only a "motion detection signal" (0 / 1, where 0 represents the door being closed and 1 represents the door being open), without analyzing motion details. Its function is to detect the door's opening and closing status in real time, filter out short-term interference (such as door vibration), and only record valid door opening events (opening for more than 5 seconds).

[0086] (2) Temperature detection module: For example, an NTC thermistor (10K) is used, installed inside the refrigerator, to output an analog voltage. The logic only uses threshold comparison (temperature > 5°C). Its function is to monitor the internal temperature after defrosting and provide a condition for initiating sterilization.

[0087] (3) Control core: For example, an 8-bit microcontroller is used, running state machine logic without complex algorithms. It can integrate radar and temperature signals to perform defrosting-sterilization linkage control.

[0088] (4) Ambient lighting feedback device: For example, an RGB LED light strip is integrated into the inside of the refrigerator door, supporting six lighting modes. The color / blink frequency can be used to map the functional status, providing intuitive visual feedback on the refrigerator's dynamics.

[0089] 2. Control Process (1) System initialization: Cumulative effective door opening time = 0, cooling timer = 0, defrost flag = 0, sterilization standby flag = 0, ambient light status = off. The purpose is to clear all variables and ensure that the system starts from a zero state.

[0090] (2) Radar signal processing: Determine if the radar signal is equal to 1 and the door opening duration is greater than 5 seconds. If so, record the last door opening duration (the time from when the radar detects the door opening to when it closes), and accumulate the effective door opening duration (the sum of the durations of all effective door opening events).

[0091] (3) Calculation of defrosting threshold: First, determine if the current time period is between 0:00-6:00 or 22:00-24:00. If so, set the base threshold to 450; otherwise, set the base threshold to 300. Calculate the current defrost threshold as the base threshold minus (last door opening duration / 100). Then, perform a range check: if the calculated defrost threshold is less than 180, set it to 180; if the calculated defrost threshold is greater than 450, set it to 450. The goal is to dynamically adjust the defrost threshold based on the time period and door opening behavior, avoiding the problem of a fixed threshold.

[0092] (4) Frost triggering conditions: First, it checks if the cumulative effective door opening time exceeds the current defrost threshold and if the cooling timer is equal to 0. If so, it sets the defrost flag to 1, clears the cumulative effective door opening time to zero, sets the cooling timer to 3600 seconds, and enters the defrost execution phase. Otherwise, it checks again if the cumulative effective door opening time exceeds 80% of the current threshold; if so, the green ambient light will flash. Then it checks if the cumulative effective door opening time exceeds 600 seconds; if so, the red ambient light will start flashing. This process can dynamically trigger defrost, providing status warnings and anomaly alerts.

[0093] Example Explanation: Currently, it's daytime. The base threshold is 300 seconds. This means that if a user opens the door for the first time and the opening duration is greater than 5 seconds, it's a valid opening, and the door opening timer starts. The door closes for the first time, and this opening duration is 100 seconds. Therefore, the cumulative opening time is 0 + 100 = 100 seconds. Defrosting threshold calculation: Last opening duration = 100 seconds, current defrosting threshold = 300 - 100 / 100 = 300 - 1 = 299 seconds. However, the cumulative opening time of 100 seconds is less than the current defrosting threshold of 299 seconds, so defrosting is not triggered. The user opens the door a second time, and the opening duration is greater than 5 seconds, which is a valid opening event. The timer for this opening duration starts. The door closes for the second time, and this opening duration is 200 seconds. The cumulative opening time is 100 + 200 = 300 seconds. Defrosting threshold calculation: Current defrosting threshold = 300 - 200 / 100 = 298 seconds. If the cumulative door opening time exceeds 300 seconds, which is greater than the current defrosting threshold of 298 seconds, then defrosting will be triggered.

[0094] (5) Defrosting execution phase: Similarly, check if the defrost indicator is 1 and if the defrost timer is less than 600 seconds. If so, start the defrost heater and keep the green ambient light on, then increment the defrost timer by 1 second. Next, check if the defrost timer is greater than 600 seconds and if the internal temperature is greater than 5°C. If so, set the sterilization standby indicator to 1; otherwise, set the sterilization standby indicator to 0 and keep the blue ambient light on. The purpose is to perform the defrost operation, and after defrosting, determine the sterilization timing based on the temperature.

[0095] (6) Sterilization execution phase: First, check if the sterilization standby indicator is 1 and if the sterilization timer is less than 30 seconds. If so, start UV sterilization, turn on the blue ambient light, and increment the sterilization timer by 1 second. Then, check again if the sterilization timer is greater than 30 seconds. If so, stop UV sterilization, turn on the white ambient light, and reset all indicators. The purpose is to start UV sterilization when the temperature reaches the target level to ensure efficient inactivation.

[0096] (7) Abnormal status handling: First, check if the sterilization standby indicator is 0. If so, activate the green ambient light and start flashing slowly. Then, check if the cumulative door opening time exceeds 600 seconds. If so, activate the red ambient light and start flashing. This transparent approach reduces user anxiety by clearly identifying the cause of the anomaly.

[0097] (8) Cooling-off period management: Upon entering a check, the system checks if the cooling timer is greater than 0. If so, the cooling timer is decremented by 1 second. Otherwise, defrosting is allowed. Its purpose is to prevent frequent defrosting triggers and protect the compressor.

[0098] The technical solution provided in this application innovatively realizes a defrosting and sterilization linkage control mechanism: First, the adaptive defrosting threshold mechanism dynamically calculates the defrosting threshold based on the duration of door opening. For high-frequency openings, the threshold is finely adjusted to improve response speed, while for low-frequency openings, the threshold is slightly lowered to avoid excessive defrosting. Second, the threshold is automatically increased at night to reduce defrosting frequency, lower noise interference, and ensure users' sleep quality at night, while maintaining efficient defrosting response during the day. Third, the temperature-assisted sterilization mechanism activates ultraviolet sterilization only after defrosting when the internal temperature (temperature > 5℃) reaches a suitable level. This fully utilizes the humid environment after defrosting (where bacterial inactivation efficiency is optimal) to enhance inactivation efficiency and ensure reliable sterilization results.

[0099] Finally, the multi-level ambient lighting closed-loop feedback system precisely maps six core functional states to lighting modes: flashing green indicates defrosting is imminent, solid green indicates defrosting is in progress, solid blue indicates sterilization is in progress, slow flashing green indicates temperature is pending, solid white confirms sterilization is complete, and flashing red warns of abnormal conditions. This state-feedback closed-loop design allows users to intuitively understand the refrigerator's operating logic without having to look at the control panel, significantly reducing the risk of misoperation.

[0100] The entire process relies solely on a state machine, timers, and threshold judgments, resulting in low hardware costs and direct integration into existing refrigerator production lines without requiring a software development team. This solution systematically addresses the control linkage between defrosting and sterilization, significantly improving defrosting response accuracy, sterilization reliability, and user experience.

[0101] Figure 4This is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a refrigerator control device provided in this application. Figure 4 As shown, the device includes: The first control module 41 is used to start the defrosting program of the refrigerator in response to the defrosting trigger condition being met; Monitoring module 42 is used to monitor the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity after the defrosting procedure is executed; The second control module 43 is used to start the sterilization program of the refrigerator in response to the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity meeting the set sterilization trigger conditions.

[0102] In one possible implementation, the monitoring module 42 is specifically used for: Monitor the temperature inside the refrigerator cavity; The second control module 43 is specifically used for: In response to the temperature inside the refrigerator cavity being greater than a set temperature threshold, it is determined that the set sterilization trigger condition is met.

[0103] In one possible implementation, the second control module 43 includes: A sterilization target determination unit is used to determine the target sterilization area of ​​the refrigerator; The parameter adjustment unit is used to determine at least one operating parameter of the sterilization program of the refrigerator based on the target sterilization area. A sterilization unit is used to execute the sterilization procedure based on the determined operating parameters.

[0104] In one possible implementation, the device further includes: The door opening sensor module is used to acquire information about the door opening behavior of the refrigerator after a specific time, wherein the specific time is one of the following: the time when the last defrosting program ended, or the time when the refrigerator was powered on and initialized. The threshold determination module is used to determine a defrosting threshold for judging whether the defrosting trigger condition is met based on the door opening behavior information.

[0105] In one possible implementation, the threshold determination module is specifically used for: Based on the door opening behavior information, determine the most recent effective door opening duration of the refrigerator; Based on the most recent valid door opening duration and the set basic threshold, a defrosting threshold is determined to determine whether the defrosting trigger condition is met.

[0106] In one possible implementation, the device further includes: The duration accumulation module is used to determine the cumulative effective door opening time of the refrigerator from the specific moment to the current moment based on the door opening behavior information. The first control module 41 includes: The first determining unit is used to determine whether the cumulative effective door opening time has reached the defrosting threshold. The second determining unit is used to determine whether the refrigerator is in a defrosting state when the cumulative effective door opening time reaches the defrosting threshold. The third determining unit is used to determine whether the defrosting trigger condition is met when the refrigerator is in a defrosting-allowed state.

[0107] In one possible implementation, the second determining unit is specifically used for: Check whether the refrigerator is in the cooling period; the cooling period includes at least one of the following situations: no preset cooling time has elapsed since the end of the last defrosting program, or the defrosting program is in progress; If it is determined that the refrigerator is not in a cooling period, it is determined that the refrigerator is in a defrosting-allowed state; if it is determined that the refrigerator is in a cooling period, it is determined that the refrigerator is in a defrosting-disallowed state.

[0108] In one possible implementation, the device further includes: The prompt module is used to provide visual feedback on at least one of the following states through multi-level lighting modes: Defrosting program in progress, sterilization program in progress, waiting for sterilization, sterilization completed, refrigerator door opened timeout abnormal status.

[0109] like Figure 5 As shown in the figure, this application embodiment provides a refrigerator, including a processor 111, a communication interface 112, a memory 113, and a communication bus 114, wherein the processor 111, the communication interface 112, and the memory 113 communicate with each other through the communication bus 114. Memory 113 is used to store computer programs; In one embodiment of this application, when the processor 111 executes the program stored in the memory 113, it implements the refrigerator control method provided in any of the foregoing method embodiments, including: In response to the defrosting trigger condition being met, the refrigerator's defrosting program is initiated; After the defrosting procedure is executed, the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity are monitored; In response to the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity meeting the set sterilization trigger conditions, the sterilization program of the refrigerator is started.

[0110] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the refrigerator control method provided in any of the foregoing method embodiments.

[0111] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0112] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that each embodiment can be implemented using software plus a general-purpose hardware platform, or of course, using hardware. Based on this understanding, the above technical solutions, in essence or the parts that contribute to the related technology, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk, etc., and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments or some parts of the embodiments.

[0113] It should be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “described” as used herein may also include the plural forms. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” and “having” are inclusive and therefore indicate the presence of the stated features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not construed as requiring them to be performed in a particular order described or illustrated unless the order of performance is explicitly indicated. It should also be understood that additional or alternative steps may be used.

[0114] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement this application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features claimed herein.

Claims

1. A refrigerator control method, characterized in that, The method includes: In response to the defrosting trigger condition being met, the refrigerator's defrosting program is initiated; After the defrosting procedure is executed, the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity are monitored; In response to the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity meeting the set sterilization trigger conditions, the sterilization program of the refrigerator is started.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The monitoring of environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity includes: Monitor the temperature inside the refrigerator cavity; The response to the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity meeting the set sterilization trigger conditions includes: In response to the temperature inside the refrigerator cavity being greater than a set temperature threshold, it is determined that the set sterilization trigger condition is met.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of activating the refrigerator's sterilization program includes: Determine the target sterilization area of ​​the refrigerator; Based on the target sterilization area, at least one operating parameter of the refrigerator's sterilization program is determined; The sterilization procedure is executed based on the determined operating parameters.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Obtain information on the door opening behavior of the refrigerator after a specific time, wherein the specific time is one of the following: the time when the last defrosting program ended, or the time when the refrigerator was powered on and initialized; Based on the door opening behavior information, a defrosting threshold is determined to determine whether the defrosting trigger condition is met.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The step of determining the defrosting threshold for judging whether the defrosting trigger condition is met based on the door opening behavior information includes: Based on the door opening behavior information, determine the most recent effective door opening duration of the refrigerator; Based on the most recent valid door opening duration and the set basic threshold, a defrosting threshold is determined to determine whether the defrosting trigger condition is met.

6. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The method further includes: Based on the door opening behavior information, determine the cumulative effective door opening time of the refrigerator from the specific moment up to the current moment; The response to satisfying the defrost trigger condition includes: Determine whether the cumulative effective door opening time has reached the defrosting threshold; If the cumulative effective door opening time reaches the defrosting threshold, determine whether the refrigerator is in a defrosting-allowed state; If the refrigerator is determined to be in a defrosting-enabled state, then the defrosting trigger condition is determined to be met.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, Determining whether the refrigerator is in a defrosting-allowed state includes: Check whether the refrigerator is in the cooling period; the cooling period includes at least one of the following situations: no preset cooling time has elapsed since the end of the last defrosting program, or the defrosting program is in progress; If it is determined that the refrigerator is not in a cooling period, it is determined that the refrigerator is in a defrosting-allowed state; if it is determined that the refrigerator is in a cooling period, it is determined that the refrigerator is in a defrosting-disallowed state.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Visual feedback on at least one of the following states is provided through multi-level lighting modes: Defrosting program in progress, sterilization program in progress, waiting for sterilization, sterilization completed, refrigerator door opened timeout abnormal status.

9. A refrigerator control device, characterized in that, The device includes: The first control module is used to start the refrigerator's defrosting program in response to the defrosting trigger condition being met; The monitoring module is used to monitor the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity after the defrosting procedure is executed; The second control module is used to start the sterilization program of the refrigerator in response to the environmental parameters inside the refrigerator cavity meeting the set sterilization trigger conditions.

10. A refrigerator, characterized in that, include: A processor and a memory, the processor being configured to execute a refrigerator control program stored in the memory to implement the refrigerator control method according to any one of claims 1-8.

11. A storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium stores one or more programs, which can be executed by one or more processors to implement the refrigerator control method according to any one of claims 1-8.

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