Refrigerator door, display pattern control methods, stability compensation methods, and refrigerator

Abstract

This disclosure provides a refrigerator door, a control method for displaying patterns, a stability compensation method, and a refrigerator, relating to the field of smart home appliance technology. The refrigerator door proposed in this disclosure includes a first door panel with a first groove, a module support plate with a second groove, and a second door panel with a third groove. The first opening direction of the first groove is opposite to the second opening direction of the second groove, and the third opening direction of the third groove is the same as the second opening direction. The second door panel is located on the side of the module support plate closer to the storage compartment. The first door panel and the second door panel of the refrigerator door are assembled in a reverse snap-fit ​​manner. The first groove and the third groove together enclose a receiving cavity for accommodating the module support plate. The module support plate is located in the receiving cavity. The refrigerator door also includes at least one electrowetting display module disposed in the receiving cavity. The second door panel and the module support plate are assembled in a co-directional snap-fit ​​manner. The electrowetting display module is located in the second groove.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of smart home appliance technology, and more specifically, to a method for controlling a refrigerator door and display patterns, a stability compensation method, and a refrigerator in the field of smart home appliance technology. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing demand for intelligent, scenario-based, and personalized home appliances, refrigerators are no longer merely simple refrigeration and freezing devices. Their appearance design and human-computer interaction capabilities have gradually become important directions for product differentiation. Most existing refrigerator door exteriors use static surface layers such as metal plates, glass plates, laminated panels, or sprayed coatings. Their colors, textures, and patterns are usually fixed after leaving the factory, making dynamic adjustments difficult. Therefore, existing refrigerator door exteriors have significant shortcomings in terms of personalized expression, visual interaction, and dynamic change capabilities, failing to meet users' demands for flexible configuration and continuous updates to the appearance of high-end home appliances. One related technology involves directly mounting an electrophoretic EPD display panel on the outside of the refrigerator door. The processor can receive user input commands or control the EPD panel to switch display colors based on the refrigerator's operating status. Color changes are achieved through electrophoretic particle migration, allowing for adjustments to the external decorative style without replacing the physical door panel.

[0003] However, using electrophoretic EPD as the display medium results in a slow refresh rate, allowing only static display of a limited number of colors and making it difficult to present dynamic images. Color saturation is insufficient, and it cannot output delicate gradient grayscale effects. Furthermore, this solution simply attaches the EPD panel to the outer surface of the door. In high-humidity environments like kitchens and where there are significant temperature differences between the inside and outside of the refrigerator, condensation easily forms on the panel surface, allowing moisture to penetrate the display layer and cause display failure. Vibrations from the long-term opening and closing of the refrigerator door, along with changes in ambient temperature, continuously cause color differences and inconsistent brightness, and there is no automatic correction mechanism.

[0004] Therefore, when EPD panels are used in refrigerator doors, their display effect is easily affected by kitchen moisture and temperature differences between the inside and outside of the refrigerator. Frequent opening and closing of the refrigerator door can also cause vibrations and impacts, affecting the display effect. Traditional electrophoretic display devices have slow refresh rates, can only achieve simple static colors, and cannot output color gradients or dynamic interactive patterns, resulting in a monotonous display effect on refrigerator doors. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above problems, this disclosure provides a refrigerator door, a control method for displaying patterns, a stability compensation method, and a refrigerator that overcomes or at least partially solves the above problems. The technical solution is as follows: In a first aspect, this disclosure provides a refrigerator door, the refrigerator door including a first door panel with a first groove, a module support plate with a second groove, and a second door panel with a third groove, wherein the first opening direction of the first groove is opposite to the second opening direction of the second groove, the first opening direction faces the refrigerator's storage compartment, the second opening direction faces away from the refrigerator's storage compartment, and the third opening direction of the third groove is the same as the second opening direction. The second door panel is located on the side of the module support plate closest to the storage compartment; The sidewall of the third groove is attached to the sidewall of the second groove; The first and second door panels of the refrigerator door are assembled in a reverse interlocking manner. The first and third grooves together form a receiving cavity that is larger than the overall volume of the module support plate. The module support plate is located inside the receiving cavity. The refrigerator door also includes at least one electrowetting display module disposed in the receiving cavity, the second door panel and the module support plate are assembled in a co-directional fastening manner, and the electrowetting display module is located in the second groove; The backlight surface of the electrowetting display module is close to the module support plate, and the light-emitting surface of the electrowetting display module is close to the first door panel. The electrowetting display module displays a target pattern according to the drive control signal. The electrowetting display module includes at least one electrowetting display unit. The first door panel includes: The carrier plate is parallel to the light-emitting surface of the electrowetting display module; and Sidewall panels are located at the top and bottom ends of the support plate. Each sidewall panel includes intersecting limiting and fixing portions. A gap exists between the light-emitting surface of the electrowetting display module, the fixing portion, and a position on the support plate near the light-emitting surface. The refrigerator door also includes: An optical adhesive layer fills the gap, and the optical adhesive layer and the fixing part form a moisture barrier structure to prevent moisture from entering the electrowetting display module; and A heat insulation barrier layer is located between the third groove near the module support plate and the second groove near the second door panel. The heat insulation barrier layer is used to prevent the cold air in the storage compartment from being conducted to the electrowetting display module.

[0006] In one embodiment, the first door panel includes: The limiting part is perpendicular to the bearing plate. The fixing part is parallel to the support plate and is fixedly connected to the surface of the support plate near the storage chamber. The limiting part, the fixing part and the support plate together form the first groove for mounting the electrowetting display module.

[0007] In one embodiment, the surface of the optical adhesive layer near the support plate and the surface of the fixing part near the support plate are on the same horizontal plane.

[0008] In one embodiment, The depth of the first groove is greater than the depth of the third groove, and the end surfaces of the first groove and the second groove away from the storage chamber are aligned and both abut against the fixing part. The side wall panel and the second door panel on the side away from the load-bearing plate form a recessed structure; The refrigerator door also includes an insulation layer filled in the recessed structure.

[0009] In one embodiment, the refrigerator door further includes: the thickness of the heat insulation barrier layer at the location corresponding to the electrowetting display module is greater than the thickness at other locations.

[0010] In one embodiment, the module support plate includes a second support plate surface near the storage compartment and a first support plate surface away from the storage compartment; The surface of the first support plate is provided with a first electrical connection structure for electrical connection with the electrowetting display module; The second groove has a groove opening on at least one side wall, and the first electrical connection structure is located on the surface of the first support plate corresponding to the groove opening.

[0011] In one embodiment, at least one second electrical connection structure is provided on the surface of the second support plate; One end of the at least one second electrical connection structure is electrically connected to the first electrical connection structure, and the other end is electrically connected to the control module of the refrigerator. The second support plate also has a first wiring groove on its surface to accommodate the electrical connection wires between the second electrical connection structure and the first electrical connection structure.

[0012] In one embodiment, the second door panel includes a first mounting surface near the storage compartment and a second mounting surface near the module support plate; The third groove is formed on the second mounting surface at the position corresponding to the module support plate, and the third groove is located in the central region of the second mounting surface; The edge region of the second mounting surface is provided with reinforcing ribs, which are distributed at least on both sides of the third groove.

[0013] In one embodiment, the first mounting surface has: The control module mounting slot is used to install the various components of the refrigerator's control module; The second wiring channel is used to accommodate the electrical connection lines between the second electrical connection structure and the control module of the refrigerator, as well as the electrical connection lines between the various components of the control module. The second electrical connection structure is electrically connected to the control module assembled in the control module mounting slot.

[0014] In one embodiment, the control module includes: a leakage current detection circuit and a controller; The leakage current detection circuit includes: a voltage driving module, a sampling resistor, and a current detection module; both the current detection module and the voltage driving module are electrically connected to the controller; the voltage driving module is electrically connected to the electrodes of the electrowetting display unit through the second electrical connection structure and the first electrical connection structure. Each sampling resistor is individually connected in series in the current loop between the second electrical connection structure and the first electrical connection structure matched by each corresponding electrowetting display unit, and the current loops of each electrowetting unit are isolated from each other. The controller is configured to output a drive control signal to the voltage drive module; The voltage driving module is configured to output a driving voltage to the corresponding electrowetting display unit according to the driving control signal, so as to realize the display of the image; The current detection module is configured to acquire the current signal of the sampling resistor and process it to generate the corresponding detection signal of the electrowetting display unit. The controller is configured to determine the current leakage current value of the corresponding electrowetting display unit based on the received detection signal, and generate a compensation control signal based on the current leakage current value.

[0015] In this embodiment, the refrigerator door is formed by assembling three independent grooved panels: a first door panel with a first groove, a module support plate with a second groove, and a second door panel with a third groove. The opening of the first groove faces the storage compartment, while the openings of the second and third grooves face away from the storage compartment. The first and second door panels are fastened together in opposite directions, while the second door panel and the module support plate are fastened together in the same direction. The first and third grooves together enclose a sealed cavity. The module support plate is entirely located within the cavity, and the electrowetting display module is embedded in the second groove of the module support plate, capable of receiving drive signals and outputting various target patterns. The first door panel's support plate, limiting part, and fixing part form the first groove. Optical adhesive is filled between the module's light-emitting surface and the fixing plate to form a water vapor barrier structure. At the same time, a heat insulation barrier layer is provided between the second and third grooves.

[0016] In the aforementioned structure, this application utilizes a fully enclosed interlayer cavity formed by the reverse and unidirectional double-locking of three layers of grooved plates, completely embedding the electrowetting display module within it. Combined with optical adhesive and the door panel fixing part, this forms an integrated water vapor barrier structure. An additional heat-insulating layer in the interlayer provides double isolation between kitchen moisture and the temperature difference in the storage compartment, preventing the drift of the conductive liquid phase and coloring oil phase within the electrowetting system. This effectively eliminates afterimages, image shift, and short-circuit faults, adapting to the high humidity and temperature difference conditions of the refrigerator and extending the module's lifespan. The progressively nested, grooved sidewalls of the three layers progressively distribute the vibration and impact from door opening and closing and external forces, limiting module warping and displacement, maintaining module flatness over a long period, and ensuring a uniform and stable display image. Simultaneously, the electrowetting display module, containing multiple electrowetting display units, can receive drive signals to achieve dynamic pattern display, breaking through the limitations of traditional monochrome static screens in refrigerators and enriching the door's interactive and decorative effects.

[0017] Secondly, based on the same inventive concept, this disclosure also provides a refrigerator, the refrigerator comprising: The refrigerator door is the first aspect of this disclosure; A control module, connected to the electrowetting display module, is used to generate a drive control signal in response to a user command to drive the electrowetting display module to display a target pattern.

[0018] In an optional embodiment, the refrigerator further includes at least one of an operation panel, a storage module, and a communication module; The operation panel is connected to the control module and is used to receive user commands. The storage module is connected to the control module and is used to store target pattern data; The communication module is connected to the control module and is used to communicate with the smart terminal.

[0019] The refrigerator provided in this disclosure has the following advantages compared with the prior art: The second embodiment of this disclosure discloses a refrigerator structure equipped with the aforementioned multi-functional display refrigerator door. The control module establishes an electrical connection with the electrowetting display module on the refrigerator door through a first electrical connection structure. It can receive and respond to various operation commands issued by the user in real time, generate a drive control signal matching the target pattern according to the command content, and then stably transmit it to each electrowetting display module through the electrical connection structure to accurately drive the display module to complete the display output of specified graphics, logos, decorative images, etc.

[0020] Thirdly, based on the same inventive concept, this disclosure also provides a method for controlling a display pattern on a refrigerator door, the method comprising: Obtain the target pattern; The target pattern is decomposed into target display state parameters corresponding to each electrowetting display unit in the electrowetting display module; Based on the target display state parameters, determine the driving parameters corresponding to each electrowetting display unit; A drive control signal is generated based on the drive parameters, and the drive control signal is applied to the electrowetting display unit in the electrowetting display module so that the electrowetting display module displays the target pattern.

[0021] In an optional embodiment, acquiring the target pattern further includes: The display zones of the refrigerator door are determined based on the target refrigerator model; In response to a user's pattern selection instruction for at least one pattern display zone on the refrigerator door, the target pattern selected by the user is determined; According to the pattern selection instruction, the target pattern is mapped to the corresponding display partition; Upon receiving the user's pattern confirmation command, the target pattern is displayed.

[0022] In an optional embodiment, the step of decomposing the target pattern into target display state parameters corresponding to each electrowetting display unit in the electrowetting display module further includes: The target pattern is divided into sub-patterns corresponding to the display zones of the refrigerator door; Obtain the image feature values ​​at the positions of each electrowetting display unit in the sub-pattern; Based on the preset mapping relationship between image feature values ​​and aperture ratio, the image feature values ​​are converted into the target aperture ratio and / or target coverage ratio of the corresponding electrowetting display unit. The target aperture ratio represents the ratio of the bottom visible area exposed after the coloring oil phase in the electrowetting display unit retracts to the total visible area of ​​the electrowetting display unit. The target coverage ratio represents the ratio of the coverage area of ​​the coloring oil phase in the electrowetting display unit to the total visible area of ​​the electrowetting display unit. The target aperture ratio and / or the target coverage ratio are used as target display status parameters.

[0023] In an optional embodiment, the electrowetting display module includes at least one color display pixel, and the color display pixel includes a plurality of electrowetting display units displaying different colors. The process of decomposing the target pattern into target display state parameters corresponding to each electrowetting display unit in the electrowetting display module further includes: The target pattern is divided into sub-patterns corresponding to the number of display zones on the refrigerator door; Obtain the image feature values ​​at the positions of each electrowetting display unit in the sub-pattern, wherein the image feature values ​​also include color channels and color weights; Based on the stacking order of electrowetting display units of different colors along the first direction, the color parameters of the electrowetting display units at the corresponding positions of each sub-pattern are determined. The color parameters include the color of the coloring oil phase and the color superposition relationship of each electrowetting display unit in the color display pixel. Based on the preset mapping relationship between image feature values ​​and color parameters, and the preset mapping relationship between image feature values ​​and aperture ratio, the image feature values ​​are converted into the target aperture ratio and / or target coverage of the corresponding electrowetting display unit; The color parameter, the target aperture ratio, and / or the target coverage ratio are used as target display status parameters.

[0024] In an optional embodiment, determining the driving parameters corresponding to each electrowetting display unit based on the target display state parameters further includes: Based on the preset mapping relationship between contact angle and aperture ratio, the contact angle required for the electrowetting display unit to achieve the target aperture ratio is determined; Determine the driving voltage based on the contact angle; The driving duration, driving waveform, and refresh sequence of the corresponding electrowetting display unit are determined based on the driving voltage.

[0025] In an optional embodiment, the control method further includes: Obtain the current leakage current value of at least one electrowetting display unit when it is in display state; Based on the current leakage current value, it is determined whether the electrowetting display unit is in a droplet drift state. When the determination result is that the electrowetting display unit is in a droplet drift state, a compensation control signal is generated and applied to the corresponding electrowetting display unit. The droplet drift state indicates the degree of displacement of the electrowetting display unit due to gravity when the refrigerator door is installed vertically.

[0026] The refrigerator door display pattern control method disclosed in the third embodiment of this disclosure can conveniently realize the autonomous generation, rapid switching and dynamic updating of the target pattern on the refrigerator door appearance, get rid of the limitations of traditional fixed appearance styles, effectively improve the flexibility of refrigerator door appearance display control, and further enhance the overall intelligence level of home appliance appearance display and intelligent interaction.

[0027] Fourthly, based on the same inventive concept, this disclosure also provides a method for compensating the stability of a refrigerator door, the method comprising: Determine the target display status parameters of each electrowetting display unit in the electrowetting display module based on the target pattern; A drive control signal is generated based on the target display state parameters, and the drive control signal is applied to the electrowetting display unit; Obtain the current leakage current value of at least one electrowetting display unit when it is in display state; Based on the current leakage current value, it is determined whether the electrowetting display unit is in a droplet drift state. When the determination result is that the electrowetting display unit is in a droplet drift state, a compensation command is generated. The droplet drift state indicates the degree of displacement of the electrowetting display unit due to gravity when the refrigerator door is installed vertically. A compensation control signal is generated according to the compensation instruction, and the compensation control signal is applied to the corresponding electrowetting display unit.

[0028] In an optional embodiment, determining whether the electrowetting display unit is in a droplet drift state based on the current leakage current value includes: Determine the reference leakage current value based on the target display status parameters; The deviation between the reference leakage current value and the current leakage current value is compared. When the deviation value is greater than the preset upper limit of deviation or less than the preset lower limit of deviation, the electrowetting display unit is determined to be in a droplet drift state.

[0029] In an optional embodiment, generating the compensation control signal according to the compensation command includes: The current aperture ratio and / or current coverage ratio of the electrowetting display unit are determined based on the current leakage current value. Obtain the target aperture ratio and / or target coverage corresponding to the target display status parameters; A compensation coefficient is determined based on a first difference between the current aperture ratio and the target aperture ratio, and / or a second difference between the current coverage ratio and the target coverage ratio, wherein the compensation coefficient is positively correlated with the first difference, and / or the compensation coefficient is positively correlated with the second difference; The compensation control signal is generated by compensating and correcting the current driving voltage based on the compensation coefficient.

[0030] In an optional embodiment, the current driving voltage is compensated and corrected according to the compensation coefficient, satisfying the following formula: ; in, The corrected driving voltage for the i-th electrowetting display unit; For the first Current reference drive voltage for each electrowetting display unit; The compensation coefficient is... The deviation between the reference leakage current value and the current leakage current value.

[0031] The stability compensation method disclosed herein generates a compensation control signal based on the calibration mapping relationship between leakage current and aperture ratio and coverage ratio, and corrects the driving parameters to bring the electrowetting display unit back to the target display state. This method can effectively suppress droplet attitude shift during long-term use of the door, and improve the uniformity, stability and consistency of the pattern display.

[0032] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution disclosed herein. In order to better understand the technical means of this disclosure and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this disclosure more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of this disclosure are described below. Attached Figure Description

[0033] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0034] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure or the prior art, the accompanying 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.

[0035] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings.

[0036] In the attached diagram: Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of a refrigerator door according to the first embodiment of this disclosure is shown. Figure 2a A schematic diagram of multiple display zones is shown below a front view of a refrigerator door according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2b A side view of a refrigerator door according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 3a This diagram shows a structural schematic of the module support plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 3b A schematic diagram showing the structure of the surface of the first support plate of the module support plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 3c A schematic diagram showing the structure of the second support plate surface of the module support plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 4a A schematic diagram showing the structure of the second mounting surface of the second door panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 4b A schematic diagram showing the structure of the first mounting surface of the second door panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 5 This diagram illustrates the assembly structure of the module support plate, the heat insulation barrier layer, and the second door panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing different areas displaying the same pattern according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 7 A schematic diagram showing different patterns displayed in different areas according to embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of the electrowetting display unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 9 A schematic diagram illustrating the display principle of the electrowetting display unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 10 A schematic diagram showing the "voltage on" and "voltage off" states of the electrowetting display unit is displayed. Figure 11 A schematic diagram showing the electrowetting display unit displaying different colors is shown; Figure 12 A schematic diagram of the frame structure of a refrigerator according to a second embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 13 This diagram illustrates the steps of the control method according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Figure 14 This diagram illustrates the process of controlling a refrigerator to display a target pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 15 This diagram illustrates the steps of the stability compensation method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 16 A schematic diagram of the leakage current detection framework according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0037] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Refrigerator door; 100. Storage compartment; 10. First door panel; 11. Support plate; 12. Side wall panel; 121. Fixing part; 122. Limiting part; 20. Module support plate; 20C. Second groove; 20A. Surface of first support plate; 20B. Surface of second support plate; 21. First electrical connection structure; 22. Second electrical connection structure; 23. First wiring groove; 30. Electrowetting display module; 31. Electrowetting display unit; 301. Substrate; 302. First driving electrode layer; 303. Insulating dielectric layer; 304. Hydrophobic layer; 305. Coloring oil phase; 306. Conductive liquid phase; 307. Second driving electrode layer; 308. Transparent substrate; 309. Pixel wall; 40. Optical adhesive layer; 50. Second door panel; 50C. Third groove; 50A. First mounting surface; 50B. Second mounting surface; 51. Reinforcing rib; 52. Control module mounting slot; 53. Second wiring channel; 60. Thermal insulation layer; 70. Thermal insulation layer. Detailed Implementation

[0038] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this disclosure, the solutions disclosed herein will be further described below. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described herein can be combined with each other.

[0039] Numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of this disclosure, but this disclosure may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein; obviously, the embodiments in the specification are only some, and not all, of the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0040] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0041] To enhance the information display or interactive functions of refrigerator doors, existing technologies have included integrating display devices into refrigerator doors, such as traditional LED, LCD, luminous film, and backlight display components. However, these solutions typically suffer from technical bottlenecks such as high overall power consumption and relatively weak decorative attributes.

[0042] To enhance the personalization of refrigerator designs, some technologies have proposed solutions based on e-paper displays. However, e-paper display technology still suffers from limitations such as limited color reproduction and saturation, and insufficient refresh rate. Other technologies offer the option to set any photo or image from a smart handheld device as wallpaper for the refrigerator's display screen. While this technology enables interaction between the refrigerator and smart devices to change wallpapers, its display area is limited to the refrigerator's display screen rather than the entire refrigerator exterior.

[0043] In view of this, the present disclosure proposes a refrigerator door, a method for controlling the display pattern, a stability compensation method, and a refrigerator to solve one or more of the above-mentioned problems.

[0044] like Figure 2b As shown in the side view, the refrigerator door 1 is located on the outside of the storage compartment 100. Figure 1 Show Figure 2bA cross-sectional schematic diagram of a refrigerator door. The first embodiment of this disclosure proposes a refrigerator door 1, which is designed specifically for the refrigerator door structure based on the working mechanism and environmental requirements of the electrowetting display module.

[0045] like Figure 1 , Figure 3a , Figure 3b , Figure 3c , Figure 4a and Figure 4b As shown, the refrigerator door 1 includes a first door panel 10 with a first groove, a module support plate 20 with a second groove 20C, and a second door panel 50 with a third groove 50C. The first opening direction of the first groove is opposite to the second opening direction of the second groove 20C. The first opening direction faces the refrigerator's storage compartment 100, and the second opening direction faces away from the refrigerator's storage compartment 100. The third opening direction of the third groove 50C is the same as the second opening direction. The second door panel 50 is located on the side of the module support plate 20 near the storage compartment 100. The sidewall of the third groove 50C is attached to the sidewall of the second groove 20C. The module support plate is located within the first groove. The first door panel 10 and the second door panel 50 of the refrigerator door are assembled in a reverse-interlocking manner. The first groove and the third groove 50C together form a receiving cavity for accommodating the module support plate 20. The second door panel 50 and the module support plate 20 are assembled in a co-directional interlocking manner. The electrowetting display module 30 is located within the second groove 20C. The refrigerator door 1 also includes at least one electrowetting display module 30 disposed in the receiving cavity. The second door panel 50 and the module support plate 20 are assembled in a co-directional fastening manner. The electrowetting display module 30 is located in the second groove 20C. The backlight surface of the electrowetting display module 30 is close to the module support plate 20, and the light-emitting surface of the electrowetting display module 30 is close to the first door panel 10. The electrowetting display module 30 displays a target pattern according to a drive control signal. The electrowetting display module includes at least one electrowetting display unit.

[0046] Compared to related technologies that simply attach the electrophoretic EPD panel directly to the outer surface of the refrigerator door, this method suffers from the problem that the panel is directly exposed to the high humidity of the kitchen and the drastic temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerator, which affects the display effect.

[0047] The refrigerator door 1 of this application is provided with a first door panel 10 with a first groove, a module support plate 20 with a second groove 20C, and a second door panel 50 with a third groove 50C. The side walls of the third groove 50C and the second groove 20C are fitted together. The first door panel 10 and the second door panel 50 are fastened in opposite directions. The first groove and the third groove 50C together enclose a receiving cavity. The module support plate 20 is arranged inside the receiving cavity. The second door panel 50 is fastened in the same direction as the module support plate 20. The electrowetting display module 30 is housed in the second groove 20C of the module support plate 20. This nested and fastened sealed cavity structure can completely seal the display module, effectively isolating external moisture from the direct blowing of cold air from the storage compartment 100 onto the display element, and structurally avoiding display defects caused by moisture and low temperature.

[0048] Furthermore, the module support plate forms an overall rigid load-bearing structure for the electrowetting display module, and the three-layer door panel absorbs the mechanical stress caused by opening and closing vibrations in stages, preventing image distortion caused by module bending under pressure. At the same time, the grooves in the door panel itself form a sandwich space, eliminating the need for additional external display components and maintaining the slim appearance of the refrigerator door.

[0049] Based on the above structure, this application adopts an electrowetting display module, which has a faster response speed, can output rich colors, gradient grayscale and dynamic decorative patterns, and the three-layer detachable snap-fit ​​door panel allows the display module to be disassembled and installed separately, greatly reducing the difficulty of maintenance and replacement.

[0050] This disclosure utilizes an electrowetting display technology based on liquid interface wetting for display. The electrowetting display technology has advantages such as reflective display, low power consumption, visibility under ambient light, relatively simple display structure, and suitability for dynamic pattern output. The electrowetting display module 30 is installed inside the refrigerator door 1 to realize the display target pattern on the refrigerator door 1.

[0051] This embodiment employs a structural design where the first and third grooves interlock in opposite directions to form a receiving cavity. This design fully utilizes the internal space of the refrigerator door 1, achieving stable housing of the electrowetting display module 30 without requiring additional increase in door thickness. The structure is compact and highly integrated. The electrowetting display module 30 is enclosed within the receiving cavity formed by the interlocking of the first door panel 10 and the module support plate 20, providing a safe working environment and extending the module's lifespan. The light-emitting surface of the electrowetting display module 30 is close to the first door panel 10, and the backlight surface is close to the module support plate 20. The light path outputs directly outward, ensuring clear target patterns and enhancing the aesthetic appearance and visual quality of the refrigerator door 1.

[0052] Unlike traditional refrigerators that rely solely on screens, light strips, and printed patterns for appearance display, this embodiment does not simply add display components to the refrigerator door surface. Instead, it integrates an electrowetting display module as a functional layer within the refrigerator door structure. The refrigerator door structure is systematically designed around the requirements of the electrowetting display module regarding operating temperature stability, optical output path, mechanical support and flatness, sealing and moisture protection, and maintainability. The refrigerator door based on electrowetting display proposed in this disclosure integrates an electrowetting display module 30 inside the refrigerator door body. The oil phase spreading and retraction control of the electrowetting display unit 31 enables the visualization of patterns on the outer surface of the refrigerator door, giving the refrigerator door itself information display or interactive functions.

[0053] Compared to related technologies that involve externally attaching the display panel without a sealed protective cavity, which can lead to direct corrosion of the display device by moisture and cold air, this application uses a first cabinet door panel, a module support plate, and a second cabinet door panel, which are fitted together with their respective grooves in opposite directions to form a sealed enclosure. This encloses the electrowetting display module entirely within the enclosure, preventing kitchen moisture and refrigerator cold air from directly affecting the electrowetting display module. This avoids the drift of the conductive liquid phase and coloring oil phase of the electrowetting display module caused by humidity and large temperature differences, reducing display defects such as afterimages and image shift, and extending the service life of the display module. This technology is suitable for special environments such as kitchens and other environments with large temperature differences, such as those with refrigerators.

[0054] The module support plate 20 is disposed on the backlight side of the electrowetting display module 30 to provide planar support and rigid load-bearing for the electrowetting display module 30, so as to prevent the display module from bending, bulging or becoming unstable during long-term opening and closing, pressure or thermal expansion and contraction of the door.

[0055] Preferably, the module support plate 20 is made of a material with high flatness and low thermal expansion, such as an aluminum-based composite plate, a fiberglass-reinforced composite plate, or a high-rigidity engineering plastic plate. The module support plate 20 is provided with positioning holes, snap-fit ​​slots, cable routing slots, and / or heat dissipation transition structures to facilitate the installation, fixing, and cable concealment of the display module.

[0056] In an alternative embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the first door panel 10 includes: The carrier plate 11 is parallel to the light-emitting surface of the electrowetting display module 30; and The side wall panel 12 is located at the top and bottom ends of the support plate 11, that is, the upper and lower ends when the refrigerator is installed vertically. The side wall panel includes intersecting limiting parts and fixing parts. The side wall panel 12 includes a limiting part 122 perpendicular to the support plate 11 and a fixing part 121 parallel to the support plate 11. The fixing part 121 is fixedly connected to the support plate 11.

[0057] The limiting part 122, the fixing part 121 and the supporting plate 11 surround each other to define the first groove. The first groove is a special cavity structure that is specially adapted to the embedded installation, lateral limiting and accommodating positioning of the electrowetting display module 30. It can perform circumferential limiting and installation constraint on the electrowetting display module 30 to prevent the module from shifting or loosening under the conditions of frequent opening and closing of the refrigerator door and vertical static placement.

[0058] In this embodiment, the first door panel 10 is a split combination structure of the bearing plate 11 and the side wall panel 12, which takes into account both the flatness of the outer panel and the structural strength of the side wall panel 12, making the first door panel 10 more rigid and less prone to deformation, thus providing a stable and reliable installation foundation for the electrowetting display module 30.

[0059] In this embodiment, the support plate 11 is parallel to the light-emitting surface of the electrowetting display module 30, serving as the exterior display panel on the outside of the refrigerator door 1. A tempered glass panel is used, exemplarily, to ensure transparent light path, a smooth appearance, and reliable strength. Side wall panels 12 are located at both ends of the support plate 11, forming the side wall structure of the first groove. The side wall panels 12 are provided with a limiting part 122 and a fixing part 121. The limiting part 122 is perpendicular to the support plate 11 and is used for assembling, positioning, and lateral limiting of the electrowetting display module 30 and the module support plate 20. The fixing part 121 is parallel to the support plate 11 and is fixedly connected to it to ensure the overall structural strength and connection reliability of the first door panel 10.

[0060] In this embodiment, the support plate 11 is placed on the outermost side of the refrigerator, serving as an exterior layer that is directly visible and touchable by the user. Preferably, the support plate 11 is ultra-clear tempered glass, anti-glare glass, or tempered glass with a hydrophobic and anti-fouling surface treatment. Furthermore, the outer surface of the support plate 11 is provided with a transparent anti-fouling coating and / or an anti-fog coating to reduce the impact of water mist adhesion, oil residue, and frequent wiping on display visibility in the high-humidity environment of the kitchen.

[0061] In this embodiment, the limiting part 122 of the side wall panel 12 can form a lateral constraint on the electrowetting display module 30, realizing the rapid positioning and centering assembly of the display module, avoiding assembly misalignment, and improving production efficiency and display consistency. As the inner side panel of the door, the side wall panel 12 can smoothly cooperate with the module support plate 20, insulation layer, rigid mounting back plate and other structures, which facilitates the formation of receiving cavity, wiring groove and sealing structure inside the door, and the overall layout is more reasonable.

[0062] In an optional embodiment, such as Figure 1As shown, there is a gap between the light-emitting surface of the electrowetting display module 30, the fixing part 121 and the carrier plate 11 near the light-emitting surface. The refrigerator door 1 also includes an optical adhesive layer 40 filled in the gap. The optical adhesive layer 40 and the fixing part 121 form a water vapor barrier structure to prevent water vapor from entering the electrowetting display module 30.

[0063] In this embodiment, the optical adhesive layer 40 is disposed in the gap between the carrier plate 11 and the electrowetting display module 30, and is used to bond the carrier plate 11 and the electrowetting display module 30 together. The optical adhesive layer 40 is used to reduce interface reflection, improve the transmittance of the display area and the clarity of the pattern display, fill the tiny gap between the carrier plate 11 and the display module, reduce fogging and interface scattering, and form a buffer layer between the glass panel and the display module to improve vibration and impact resistance.

[0064] Preferably, the optical adhesive layer 40 is a transparent OCA adhesive, OCR resin, or other high-transmittance, low-haze bonding material. In this embodiment, the optical adhesive layer 40 has a grooved structure at its edges to form a sealing structure, thereby inhibiting external moisture from penetrating into the electrowetting display module 30.

[0065] In this embodiment, the optical adhesive layer 40 and the fixing part 121 form a water vapor barrier structure to prevent water vapor from entering the electrowetting display module 30. On the one hand, the optical adhesive layer 40 realizes the optical coupling and bonding between the light-emitting surface of the electrowetting display module 30 and the carrier plate 11, ensuring uniform light transmission and clear imaging of the display pattern; on the other hand, the optical adhesive layer 40 and the fixing part 121 cooperate to form a circumferentially sealed water vapor barrier structure, which can effectively prevent external water vapor and condensation from invading into the interior of the electrowetting display module 30, avoiding the coloring oil phase and conductive liquid phase in the electrowetting display unit from being affected by water vapor, causing interface state changes, droplet drift and display failure, and ensuring long-term stable operation of the electrowetting display module under the high humidity and temperature change conditions of the refrigerator door.

[0066] In an optional embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the refrigerator door 1 also includes: The second door panel 50 with a third groove 50C is located on the side of the module support plate 20 near the storage chamber 100. The third opening direction of the third groove 50C is the same as the second opening direction. The third groove 50C is used to accommodate the module support plate 20. The side wall of the third groove 50C is attached to the side wall of the second groove 20C.

[0067] The second door panel 50 is used to mount the module support plate 20 and the electrowetting display module 30, providing structural fixation, installation positioning and mechanical support. The opening direction of the third groove 50C is consistent with the opening direction of the second groove 20C, and the module support plate 20 can be nested. The side walls fit together to improve assembly accuracy and structural integrity, and have rigid support and installation fixation functions.

[0068] In an optional embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the first door panel 10 and the second door panel 50 of the refrigerator door are assembled in a reverse interlocking manner, and the first groove and the third groove 50C together enclose a closed space for receiving cavity that is larger than the overall volume of the module support plate 20.

[0069] The first groove opening of the first door panel 10 faces the refrigerator's storage compartment, i.e., towards the inside of the refrigerator, while the third groove opening of the second door panel 50 faces away from the refrigerator's storage compartment, i.e. towards the outside of the refrigerator. The two openings are in opposite directions and, after being fastened together, form a closed chamber inside the door body to accommodate the module support plate 20 and the electrowetting display module 30. The spatial dimensions of the chamber are larger than the overall volume of the module support plate 20, providing a stable installation and protection space for the module.

[0070] In an optional embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the side wall of the third groove 50C of the second door panel 50 is nested and fitted with the side wall panel 12 of the first door panel 10, forming a primary sealing and positioning structure on the outside of the door. The side wall of the second groove 20C of the module support plate 20 is further nested and fitted with the side wall of the third groove 50C of the second door panel 50, forming a secondary positioning and protection structure for module installation. Through the three-layer nesting relationship of the side wall of the first door panel, the side wall of the groove of the second door panel, and the side wall of the groove of the module support plate, precise positioning and physical protection are achieved step by step from the outside of the door to the module installation position.

[0071] The aforementioned structure enables rapid alignment and installation between the module support plate and the second door panel, and between the second door panel and the first door panel, reducing the impact of assembly tolerances on the light output path of the electrowetting display module, ensuring the parallelism between the display image and the refrigerator door panel, and improving production efficiency and product consistency. On the other hand, the multi-layer nested structure significantly enhances the overall impact and deformation resistance of the refrigerator door. When the refrigerator door is subjected to external forces or vibrates due to frequent opening and closing, the stress can be absorbed and dispersed step by step, effectively protecting the internal electrowetting display module from mechanical damage.

[0072] Meanwhile, the sealed cavity formed by the reverse snap-fit ​​and side wall fitting can effectively block the intrusion of external moisture, dust and condensation on the outside of the refrigerator door, preventing moisture from entering the electrowetting display module and causing droplet drift, short circuit and other faults. This provides a stable and reliable working environment for the display module, extends its service life, and the overall structure is compact with no extra unnecessary space occupation. The integration of the display module is achieved without increasing the overall thickness of the refrigerator door, which is suitable for the thin appearance design requirements.

[0073] In an optional embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the refrigerator door 1 also includes a heat insulation barrier layer 60, located between the third groove 50C near the module support plate 20 and the second groove 20C near the second door panel 50.

[0074] The heat insulation barrier layer 60 is located between the third groove 50C near the module support plate 20 and the second groove 20C near the second door panel 50. The heat insulation barrier layer is used to block the cold air in the storage room from being conducted to the electrowetting display module, so as to ensure the stable working environment of the electrowetting display module 30.

[0075] A heat insulation barrier layer 60 is disposed between the second door panel 50 and the module support plate 20 to reduce the direct thermal impact of the low-temperature area inside the refrigerator door 1 on the electrowetting display module 30, and to reduce the transfer of external heat to the refrigerator interior. This prevents problems such as slow response, abnormal oil phase viscosity, and droplet drift caused by low temperatures in the display module, thus maintaining a stable operating temperature for the display module. Preferably, the heat insulation barrier layer 60 is a low thermal conductivity foam layer, an aerogel composite layer, a microporous heat insulation board, or a multi-layer barrier film structure. Furthermore, the thickness of the heat insulation barrier layer 60 at the corresponding position on the electrowetting display module 30 is greater than the thickness at other positions, forming a temperature buffer layer for the display area. This arrangement can weaken the conduction of the low-temperature environment inside the refrigerator to the display module, reducing the impact of low temperature on the response characteristics of the electrowetting liquid; and the heat insulation barrier layer 60 can reduce the sudden temperature difference in the thickness direction of the door body, reducing the risk of condensation, thereby improving the working stability of the electrowetting display module 30 under high humidity and low temperature conditions.

[0076] In the aforementioned structure, this application utilizes a fully enclosed interlayer cavity formed by the reverse and unidirectional double-locking of three layers of grooved plates, completely embedding the electrowetting display module within it. Combined with optical adhesive and the door panel fixing part, it forms an integrated water vapor barrier structure. An additional heat-insulating layer in the interlayer provides double isolation between kitchen moisture and the temperature difference in the storage compartment, preventing the drift of the conductive liquid phase and coloring oil phase inside the electrowetting module. This effectively eliminates afterimages, image shift, and short-circuit faults, adapting to the high humidity and temperature difference conditions of refrigerators and extending the module's lifespan. The progressively nested, grooved sidewalls of the three layers progressively distribute the vibration and impact from door opening and closing and external forces, limiting module warping and displacement, maintaining module flatness for a long time, and ensuring a uniform and stable display image. Furthermore, the absence of an outward-protruding structure allows for controllable door thickness, meeting the requirements of slim and minimalist home appliance designs. Simultaneously, the electrowetting display module, containing multiple electrowetting display units, can receive drive signals to achieve dynamic pattern display, breaking through the limitations of traditional monochrome static screens in refrigerators and enriching the door's interactive and decorative effects.

[0077] In one alternative embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the depth of the first groove is greater than the depth of the third groove 50C. The end surface of the first groove away from the storage chamber 100 and the end surface of the second groove 20C away from the storage chamber 100 are aligned and both abut against the fixing part 121. The side wall panel 12 and the surface of the second door panel 50 away from the bearing plate 11 form a recessed structure.

[0078] In this embodiment, by setting the depth of the first groove to be greater than the depth of the third groove, a regular recessed structure can be naturally formed on the inner side of the first door panel 10 facing the storage room 100 by the difference in groove depth. The recessed structure is jointly formed by the side wall panel 12 of the first door panel 10 and the side surface of the second door panel 50 away from the bearing plate 11, providing a dedicated installation area for the insulation layer 70.

[0079] The recessed structure in this embodiment is naturally formed by existing components, without the need for additional frames or protrusions, without increasing the overall size of the door, resulting in high space utilization and a simpler structure.

[0080] In an optional embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the refrigerator door 1 also includes an insulation layer 70 filled in the recessed structure.

[0081] In this embodiment, the insulation layer 70 fills the recessed structure, serving as the core heat insulation component of the refrigerator door 1. It prevents the loss of internal cold air and external heat from entering the refrigerator, maintaining cooling efficiency and reducing energy consumption. The insulation layer 70 can be made of polyurethane foam, vacuum insulation material, or other commonly used insulation materials for refrigerator doors 1. In this embodiment, to avoid the display structure weakening the overall heat insulation performance of the door, the thickness, density, or material type of the insulation layer 70 at the corresponding location in the display area can be locally optimized and compensated according to the door's thermal design.

[0082] After the insulation layer 70 is filled, it is flush with the end face of the side wall panel 12, making the inside of the door flat, which is convenient for installation with the refrigerator body and improves the overall strength and sealing.

[0083] In this embodiment, the heat insulation layer 70 and the heat insulation barrier layer 60 form a double heat insulation, which further stabilizes the working temperature environment of the electrowetting display module 30, avoids the impact of low temperature and condensation on the droplet posture and aperture ratio of the electrowetting display unit, and improves display stability.

[0084] For example, the dual insulation structure includes a basic insulation structure with an insulation layer 70 as the first layer and a basic insulation structure with an insulation barrier layer 60 as the second layer.

[0085] The insulation layer 70 is located between the second door panel 50 and the heat insulation barrier layer 60, and uses honeycomb, foam, or porous filled heat insulation material as the first heat insulation barrier. Through the numerous closed microcavity structures inside the insulation layer 70 material, the heat transfer efficiency from the inside of the refrigerator to the outside of the door is significantly reduced. At the same time, it weakens the convection of hot and cold air caused by the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the refrigerator, suppresses the overall temperature fluctuation of the refrigerator door, and reduces the temperature conditions for condensation formation from the source.

[0086] A heat insulation barrier layer 60 is disposed between the insulation layer 70 and the module support plate 20, closely adhering to the side wall of the second groove 20C of the module support plate 20, serving as a second heat insulation barrier. The heat insulation barrier layer 60 can be made of a dense, low thermal conductivity sheet or coating material. On the one hand, it further blocks the trace amounts of cold air that the insulation layer 70 cannot completely block, preventing low temperatures from being directly transferred to the electrowetting display module 30; on the other hand, it forms a physical isolation interface, blocking the water vapor penetration path and preventing trace amounts of condensation and moisture from the refrigerator side from contacting the display module.

[0087] By using the dual-layer structure of the outer insulation layer to block hot and cold convection and the inner heat insulation barrier layer to directly protect the module, a closed environment with stable temperature and controllable humidity is created in the working area of ​​the electrowetting display module 30. This avoids the impact of low temperature on the viscosity and interfacial tension of the coloring oil phase and conductive liquid phase, prevents droplet slippage and uneven spreading, ensures the aperture ratio control accuracy of the electrowetting display unit, and improves display stability.

[0088] like Figure 3a , Figure 3b and Figure 3c As shown, the module support plate 20 includes a second support plate surface 20B on the side closer to the storage compartment and a first support plate surface 20A on the side farther from the storage compartment. The first support plate surface 20A is provided with a first electrical connection structure 21 for electrical connection with the electrowetting display module 30; The second groove 20C has a groove opening on at least one side of its groove wall, and the first electrical connection structure 21 is located at the position of the first support plate surface 20A corresponding to the groove opening.

[0089] In this embodiment, the first support plate surface 20A of the module support plate 20 faces away from the storage chamber. The first support plate surface 20A has a shallow concave mounting groove that matches the shape of the electrowetting display module. The shallow concave mounting groove forms the second groove 20C. One end of the second groove 20C has a groove opening as a lead wire channel. The electrowetting display module 30 is embedded in the second groove 20C and is limited by the groove wall to prevent displacement or tilting due to vibration when opening and closing the door.

[0090] The first electrical connection structure 21 is arranged on the surface 20A of the first support plate and corresponds to the opening of the groove 20C. The flexible ribbon cable and lead wire of the electrowetting display module can be led out through the groove opening and directly connected to the first electrical connection structure 21 by plugging or crimping. The first electrical connection structure 21 is responsible for the transfer and transmission of driving voltage and leakage current detection signals. On the one hand, it outputs a driving electric field to the electrodes of the electrowetting display unit to regulate the interface state between the colored oil phase and the conductive liquid phase of the electrowetting display unit; on the other hand, it provides an independent current path for the sampling resistor corresponding to each electrowetting display unit to realize the leakage current acquisition of a single unit.

[0091] like Figure 3a , Figure 3b and Figure 3c As shown, at least one second electrical connection structure 22 is provided on the surface 20B of the second support plate. One end of the at least one second electrical connection structure 22 is electrically connected to the first electrical connection structure 21, and the other end is electrically connected to the control module of the refrigerator. The second support plate surface 20B is also provided with a first wiring groove 23 for accommodating the electrical connection wires between the second electrical connection structure 22 and the first electrical connection structure 21.

[0092] In this embodiment, a first electrical connection structure 21 is arranged on the surface 20A of the first support plate of the module support plate 20 for direct connection with the ribbon cable of the electrowetting display module 30 embedded in the second groove 20C; a second electrical connection structure 22 is arranged on the surface 20B of the second support plate. The two are connected across the plate surface through wires, on-board conductive lines, and flexible ribbon cables. In this embodiment, a complete signal transmission channel is built on the front and back of the module support plate 20. The first electrical connection structure 21 is responsible for transmitting the driving voltage to each electrowetting display unit and collecting the independent leakage current signal of the unit. The second electrical connection structure 22 receives all signals and transmits them to the control module of the refrigerator, realizing signal communication between the electrowetting display unit and the control module at the rear of the door.

[0093] The second support plate has a recessed embedded first wiring groove 23 on its surface 20B. The wiring route matches the connection path between the first electrical connection structure 21 and the second electrical connection structure 22. The electrical connection wires between the two are housed inside the first wiring groove 23 and hidden, avoiding exposed, messy, and frizzy wiring due to door pressure. At the same time, it provides limiting protection for the wiring, reducing the risk of wire bending and breakage and signal crosstalk during assembly and door opening and closing vibrations, and making the wiring on the back of the module support plate neat and compact.

[0094] This embodiment implements a partitioned layout for display-side wiring and control-side wiring. One side surface only has the plug-in interface for the electrowetting display module, while the other side surface uniformly summarizes and stores the wiring. During assembly and maintenance, the connection end of the second electrical connection structure and the control module can be directly separated without disassembling the front electrowetting display module. At the same time, the independently isolated wiring channel can ensure that the independent drive and leakage current sampling circuits corresponding to each electrowetting display unit do not interfere with each other, providing a stable hardware transmission foundation for the control module to complete single-unit leakage current acquisition and droplet offset compensation.

[0095] like Figure 4a and Figure 4b As shown, the second door panel 50 includes a first mounting surface 50A near the storage compartment and a second mounting surface 50B near the module support plate. The third groove 50C is formed on the second mounting surface 50B at a position corresponding to the module support plate 20, and the third groove 50C is located in the central region of the second mounting surface 50B. The edge region of the second mounting surface 50B is provided with reinforcing ribs 51, and the reinforcing ribs 51 are arranged at least on the opposite sides of the third groove 50C.

[0096] A third groove 50C is provided in the center area of ​​the second mounting surface 50B of the second door panel 50. The shape and structure of the third groove 50C are adapted to the module, and the module support plate 20 can be embedded and positioned in the third groove 50C. This limits the vibration and impact of opening and closing the refrigerator door, as well as the positional displacement of the module support plate during long-term vertical placement. Screws, clips, rivets and other fasteners can also be used to achieve a firm assembly between the module support plate and the second door panel.

[0097] Reinforcing ribs 51 are arranged on the edge area of ​​the second mounting surface 50B of the second door panel 50 and on the opposite sides of the third groove 50C. The reinforcing ribs 51 are arranged around the third groove 50C, which can improve the overall structural rigidity of the third groove 50C area, reduce the bending deformation caused by the force on the second mounting surface 50B, ensure the flatness and positioning accuracy of the electrowetting display module after assembly, and avoid deformation of the module support plate caused by long-term stress, temperature changes and external impacts on the door body, which would lead to a decrease in the display uniformity of the electrowetting display module.

[0098] Meanwhile, the second mounting surface 50B of the second door panel 50 is provided with an embedded wiring groove. The wiring groove is connected to the leakage current detection wire and voltage drive wire led out from the surface 20B of the second support plate of the module support plate. It is used to store the two types of wires, reduce the exposure of the lines, prevent the wires from being squeezed, bent and interfered with the signal, and improve the reliability of the line operation.

[0099] like Figure 4a and Figure 4b As shown, the first mounting surface 50A has the following openings: The control module mounting slot 52 is used to install the various components of the refrigerator's control module; The second wiring groove 53 is used to accommodate the electrical connection wires between the second electrical connection structure 22 and the control module of the refrigerator, as well as the electrical connection wires between the various components of the control module. The second electrical connection structure 22 is electrically connected to the control module assembled in the control module mounting groove 52.

[0100] In this embodiment, the control module mounting slot 52 is used to accommodate devices such as the leakage current detection circuit, controller, voltage drive module, and current detection module included in the control module; the second wiring slot 53 is used to accommodate two types of wires: one is the connection line between the second electrical connection structure 22 and the control module, and the other is the connection line between the various devices inside the control module; the line led out from the second electrical connection structure 22 of the module support plate extends to the second mounting surface 50B of the second door panel, and then extends along the second wiring slot 53 to the control module mounting slot 52 of the first mounting surface 50A, so as to realize the electrical conduction between the second electrical connection structure 22 and the control module; Related technologies also include organic light-emitting display devices that use thermal sensors to collect the overall temperature of the panel, and controllers that have two types of leakage current compensation units built in. Based on the detected temperature, the voltage level and light emission duty cycle are adjusted synchronously to compensate for the leakage current across sub-pixels of the OLED common layer, thereby improving the color difference and brightness unevenness of the screen caused by temperature changes.

[0101] However, the leakage current of electrowetting display units and OLED display units are caused by completely different reasons. Furthermore, when electrowetting display units are applied to refrigerator structures with high humidity in the kitchen, designing the relevant circuit structure becomes another challenge.

[0102] like Figure 16 As shown, the control module includes: a leakage current detection circuit and a controller. The leakage current detection circuit includes a voltage driving module, a sampling resistor, and a current detection module; both the current detection module and the voltage driving module are electrically connected to the controller; the voltage driving module is electrically connected to the electrodes of the electrowetting display unit through the second electrical connection structure 22 and the first electrical connection structure 21. Each sampling resistor is connected in series in the current loop between the second electrical connection structure 22 and the first electrical connection structure 21 matched by each corresponding electrowetting display unit, and the current loops of each electrowetting unit are isolated from each other. The controller is configured to output a drive control signal to the voltage drive module; The voltage driving module is configured to output a driving voltage to the corresponding electrowetting display unit according to the driving control signal, so as to realize the display of the image; The current detection module is configured to acquire the current signal of the sampling resistor and process it to generate the corresponding detection signal of the electrowetting display unit. The controller is configured to determine the current leakage current value of the corresponding electrowetting display unit based on the received detection signal, and generate a compensation control signal based on the current leakage current value.

[0103] In this embodiment, the first mounting surface 50A of the second door panel is provided with a second wiring groove 53 and a control module mounting groove 52. The control module mounting groove 52 is divided into a controller mounting groove, a voltage drive module mounting groove, and a current detection module mounting groove. The control module is assembled in the control module mounting groove 52. The control module includes a leakage current detection circuit and a controller. The leakage current detection circuit is provided with a voltage drive module, a sampling resistor, and a current detection module. The current detection module and the voltage drive module are electrically connected to the controller.

[0104] The voltage drive line and leakage current detection wire, led from the module support plate, are concealed along the second wiring groove 53. The voltage drive wire is connected to the voltage drive module, and the leakage current detection wire is connected to the current detection module. Both the current detection module and the voltage drive module are electrically connected to the controller. The voltage drive module is connected to the electrodes of the electrowetting display unit via the second electrical connection structure 22 and the first electrical connection structure 21. Each sampling resistor is connected in series in an independent current loop formed by a single set of second electrical connection structures 22 and first electrical connection structures 21. The current loops corresponding to each electrowetting unit are isolated from each other.

[0105] During operation, the controller outputs a drive control signal to the voltage drive module. The voltage drive module outputs a drive voltage to the electrowetting display unit based on the signal, adjusting the wetting state of the conductive liquid phase and controlling the spreading and retraction of the coloring oil to complete the display. The current detection module collects the current signals of each sampling resistor and processes them to generate the corresponding unit's detection signal, which is then sent back to the controller. The controller calculates the real-time leakage current of the corresponding electrowetting display unit based on the detection signal, and then outputs a compensation control signal based on the leakage current value to determine and correct the deviation of droplet posture, aperture ratio, and coverage.

[0106] like Figure 5 As shown, the installation structure of the electrowetting display module 30, from top to bottom, includes a module support plate 20, a heat insulation layer 60, and a second door panel 50. These three components together form a modular installation assembly for the installation, heat insulation protection, and control circuit integration of the electrowetting display module 30. The module support plate 20, heat insulation layer 60, and second door panel 50 adopt a detachable assembly structure. The electrowetting display module forms an independent module; in case of failure, it is not necessary to disassemble the entire refrigerator door. Only the module support plate needs to be removed for individual inspection and replacement of the display module, electrical connection components, and detection circuitry. The three components work together to achieve module positioning, thermal isolation, mechanical support, and electrical integration, respectively, forming an integrated installation platform inside the refrigerator door suitable for the long-term operation of the electrowetting display module, improving display consistency, operational reliability, and ease of maintenance.

[0107] Compared to related technologies that simply attach the display panel to the outside of the refrigerator door, this technology lacks multi-layered buffering and limiting, making the panel prone to deformation due to vibrations when opening and closing the door. Furthermore, the integrated structure of the panel and door requires the entire door panel to be disassembled for repairs, making it impossible to simultaneously achieve vibration protection and convenient disassembly.

[0108] In this application, the first door panel, the module support plate, and the second door panel are nested in layers, with the grooved sidewalls fitting together for restraint. This reverse interlocking and nesting structure can distribute the vibration and impact generated by the frequent opening and closing of the refrigerator door, limit the displacement and warping of the module support plate and the internal electrowetting display module, ensure the flatness of the electrowetting display module, and improve the uniformity of the display over long-term use, thereby improving the display effect. Furthermore, this structure can be disassembled for modular assembly. During maintenance, it is not necessary to disassemble the entire refrigerator door; the module support plate and the internal electrowetting display module can be disassembled and installed separately, reducing the difficulty of repair and replacement and maintenance costs.

[0109] In this application, the recessed space of the door panel itself is used to enclose the space, eliminating the need for additional protruding display components on the outside of the refrigerator door. This simplifies the appearance structure, controls the overall thickness of the refrigerator door, and meets the needs of thinner home appliances and simpler home decoration.

[0110] In an optional embodiment, there are multiple electrowetting display modules 30, such as... Figure 2a As shown in the front view, the refrigerator door of this embodiment includes multiple display zones. Multiple electrowetting display modules 30 are respectively disposed in different display zones of the refrigerator door 1, such as zone A, zone B, zone C, and zone D. When displaying using the electrowetting display modules 30, sub-patterns can be displayed in different display zones, and the sub-patterns of all display zones together constitute a complete target pattern.

[0111] In one embodiment, such as Figure 6 As shown, the refrigerator door includes one or more display zones, and the sub-patterns corresponding to the one or more display zones constitute the target pattern; at least two electrowetting display modules 30 located in different display zones respond to the same drive control signal to display the same sub-pattern, and the sub-patterns of all display zones together constitute the target pattern.

[0112] like Figure 6 As shown, electrowetting display modules 30 are respectively arranged in areas A, B, C, and D of the refrigerator door 1. The electrowetting display modules 30 in areas A and B operate synchronously in response to the same drive control signal. The same drive control signal is transmitted to the electrowetting display modules 30 in areas A and B respectively through the first electrical connection structure, so that the two modules refresh synchronously and display the same sub-pattern, such as the same floral pattern. Areas C and D do not receive the drive control signal and are displayed as blank or background color. The same sub-pattern displayed in areas A and B, and the blank sub-pattern in areas C and D are combined to form the target pattern on the upper part of the refrigerator door.

[0113] In another embodiment, such as Figure 7As shown, at least two electrowetting display groups located in different display zones display different sub-patterns in response to independent drive control signals, and the sub-patterns of all display zones together constitute the target pattern.

[0114] like Figure 7 As shown, the electrowetting display module 30 in area B and the electrowetting display module 30 in area D, which are arranged in different display zones of the refrigerator door 1, receive their own independent drive control signals. The electrowetting display modules 30 in areas B and D can be refreshed and displayed with different target patterns independently.

[0115] like Figure 7 As shown, electrowetting display modules 30 are respectively arranged in areas A, B, C, and D of the refrigerator door 1. The electrowetting display modules 30 in areas B and D receive their own independent drive control signals. The electrowetting display module 30 in area B refreshes and displays a lotus flower sub-pattern, and the electrowetting display module 30 in area D refreshes and displays a flower and grass sub-pattern. Areas A and C are displayed as blank or background color. The blank sub-patterns in areas A and C, and the different sub-patterns displayed in areas B and D, together form the overall target pattern of the refrigerator door.

[0116] This solution sets up two control modes: synchronous drive and independent drive, to achieve differentiated content display, enrich the application forms of electrowetting display, and effectively improve the screen customization effect and human-computer interaction experience.

[0117] It is worth noting that, Figure 6 Synchronous drive Figure 7 The two presentation modes, driven independently, can be compatible and applied to the same target pattern, allowing for flexible mixing and matching. For example, in the same image, areas A and B can use the synchronous driving mode to display the same sub-pattern, ensuring the local image is neat and coordinated; areas B and D can use the independent driving mode to present different styles of sub-patterns, creating a contrast in layers, while the remaining areas can be paired with blank background styles, combining to form an overall visual effect that is both unified and personalized.

[0118] Compared with a full-area high-resolution pixel matrix, the partitioned display design in this embodiment can reduce the number of driving channels, reduce control complexity, and improve the consistency, stability and long-term reliability of the display status of each display partition in a large-size door.

[0119] In an optional embodiment, such as Figure 8As shown, the electrowetting display unit 31 includes a substrate 301, a first driving electrode layer 302, an insulating dielectric layer 303, a hydrophobic layer 304, a colored oil phase 305, a conductive liquid phase 306, a second driving electrode layer 307, and a transparent substrate 308, which are sequentially stacked along the first direction. The colored oil phase 305 and the conductive liquid phase 306 are confined within a closed cavity by pixel walls 309 to prevent liquid crosstalk between adjacent electrowetting display units 31. The first direction is the direction from the storage compartment 100 towards the refrigerator door 1.

[0120] A hydrophobic layer 304 is disposed on the surface of the insulating dielectric layer 303 to adjust the initial wetting state of the liquid on its surface, so that the colored oil phase 305 preferentially spreads on the display area in the unenergized state; the insulating dielectric layer 303 is disposed between the first driving electrode layer 302 and the liquid system to achieve electrical insulation and establish the dielectric response interface required for electrowetting; the second driving electrode layer 307 is disposed inside the transparent substrate 308 as the electrode structure for electrowetting the display unit 31; the substrate 301 is used to support the above-mentioned unit structure, and the transparent substrate 308 is disposed above the second driving electrode layer 307 for encapsulating the unit structure; the conductive liquid phase 306 and the colored oil phase 305 are immiscible with each other, wherein the conductive liquid phase 306 is preferably a transparent or light-colored conductive liquid containing migratable ions, and the colored oil phase 305 is preferably an insulating oily liquid with a preset color.

[0121] In this embodiment, the first driving electrode layer 302 and the second driving electrode layer 307 are used to receive the driving control signal to form an electric field between the first driving electrode layer 302 and the second driving electrode layer 307 for receiving the driving control signal. The equivalent contact angle between the conductive liquid phase 306 and the hydrophobic layer 304 decreases in response to the increase of the electric field strength. When the equivalent contact angle decreases, the wettability of the conductive liquid phase 306 on the surface of the hydrophobic layer 304 increases, and the conductive liquid phase 306 extends along the surface of the hydrophobic layer 304 to change the display state of the electrowetting display unit 31.

[0122] The display states of the plurality of electrowetting display units 31 are combined on the surface of the refrigerator door 1 to form the target pattern.

[0123] like Figure 9The diagram illustrates the basic principle of electrowetting display. Electrowetting display is based on the electrowetting effect. When the droplets of the conductive liquid phase 306 are not energized, they remain electrically neutral. When the first driving electrode layer 302 and the second driving electrode layer 307 are energized, ions in the conductive liquid phase 306 accumulate near the solid-liquid interface, generating interfacial electro-driving force. This enhances the wetting ability of the conductive liquid phase 306 on the interface of the hydrophobic layer 304 and promotes its preferential spreading. Consequently, it changes the interfacial force balance between the conductive liquid phase 306 and the coloring oil phase 305, driving the coloring oil phase 305 to retract, migrate, or locally aggregate.

[0124] The voltage-wetting control relationship preferably satisfies the Young–Lippmann equation. The larger the applied driving voltage, the smaller the equivalent contact angle of the conductive liquid phase 306, and the stronger the wetting and spreading driving force. The voltage can be used to control the coverage area and spatial distribution of the colored oil phase 305 relative to the bottom visible area, thereby realizing the switching of color and brightness of the display unit. In the classical electrowetting system, the free energy of the droplet is mainly composed of electrostatic energy and interfacial free energy. According to formula (1), the charge accumulation between the micro-droplet and the dielectric layer generates a capacitance effect, which leads to energy change and thus changes the surface tension of the micro-droplet, resulting in a change in the contact angle.

[0125] (1); In the formula, , , These represent the contact areas at the liquid-gas, solid-gas, and solid-liquid interfaces in the classical electrowetting model, respectively. , , These are the interfacial tensions at the liquid-gas, solid-gas, and solid-liquid interfaces, respectively. It is the vacuum dielectric constant; is the relative permittivity of the hydrophobic insulating layer; d is the thickness of the hydrophobic layer; U is the voltage between the droplet and the substrate. This refers to the pressure drop at the liquid-gas interface. It should be noted that the electrowetting display unit 31 in this invention is actually a two-phase liquid system composed of a conductive liquid phase 306 and a colored oil phase 305. It is preferred as the liquid-liquid surface tension.

[0126] like Figure 10 As shown, Figure 10The diagram illustrates the "voltage on" and "voltage off" states of the electrowetting display unit 31. Specifically, when no driving voltage is applied, the electrowetting display unit 31 is in the "voltage off" state. The hydrophobic layer 304 has a weak wetting ability on the conductive liquid phase 306, while the coloring oil phase 305 spreads more easily on the surface of the hydrophobic layer 304 than the conductive liquid phase 306. Therefore, the coloring oil phase 305 forms a continuous or near-continuous oil film at the bottom of the display unit, covering the corresponding display area. At this time, when viewed from the outside of the refrigerator door 1, the color presented by the coloring oil phase 305 is mainly visible.

[0127] When the control system applies a driving voltage to the first driving electrode layer 302, the electrowetting display unit 31 is in a "voltage-on" state, and an electric field is formed between the first driving electrode layer 302 and the second driving electrode layer 307, acting on the conductive liquid phase 306. Under the action of the electrowetting effect, the equivalent contact angle of the conductive liquid phase 306 at the interface of the hydrophobic layer 304 decreases, its wetting ability on the bottom interface is enhanced, and it preferentially spreads along the surface of the lower hydrophobic layer 304. As the conductive liquid phase 306 spreads on the bottom interface, the coloring oil phase 305 that originally covered the display area is squeezed and retracts towards the vicinity of the pixel wall 309, the corner of the pixel wall 309, or the preset shrinkage area, thereby exposing the area that was originally covered by the coloring oil phase 305. At this time, when viewed from the outside of the refrigerator door 1, the color of the reflective bottom surface corresponding to the exposed area is mainly visible.

[0128] It is worth mentioning that, in addition to switching between two basic display states, a single electrowetting display unit 31 can also form different apparent brightness, grayscale or comprehensive color output states by adjusting the degree of retraction, opening area and background exposure ratio of the coloring oil phase 305.

[0129] Most existing electrowetting display solutions only support black and white dual-color or single grayscale display, making it difficult to achieve rich color performance and meet the full-color display requirements of refrigerator door exterior patterns. Some simple multi-color solutions achieve color output through external color filters, which have defects such as low light transmittance, large brightness loss, and insufficient color saturation. Moreover, the color filters are easily affected by the humid and temperature difference environment inside the refrigerator, resulting in discoloration and peeling, and poor long-term display consistency. In addition, conventional display units can only achieve switching between two extreme states, lacking intermediate grayscale and brightness adjustment capabilities, resulting in insufficient image layering and inability to present delicate color transitions and gradient effects, making it difficult to meet the requirements of high-quality visual effects for refrigerator door exterior decoration.

[0130] In an optional embodiment, in order to meet the color display requirements of the refrigerator door appearance pattern, the electrowetting display module 30 includes at least one color display pixel, and the color display pixel includes a plurality of electrowetting display units 31 displaying different colors. The color pattern display in this embodiment is achieved in the following ways.

[0131] In one embodiment of a stacked configuration, each color display pixel includes a plurality of electrowetting display units 31 stacked sequentially along the first direction. The plurality of electrowetting display units 31 display different colors in the first direction, and each of the plurality of electrowetting display units 31 has a coloring oil phase 305 of a different color. In the color pattern display, the substrate 301 of the plurality of electrowetting display units 31 is transparent.

[0132] In this embodiment, a single color pixel display is composed of three vertically stacked electrowetting display units 31. Each color display pixel has three independently driveable electrowetting display units 31 arranged sequentially in the vertical direction, such as... Figure 11 As shown, each electrowetting display unit 31 corresponds to a different coloring oil phase 305, preferably three subtractive primary colors: cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y).

[0133] Each electrowetting display unit 31 can independently control the spreading and shrinking state of the coloring oil phase 305 in its own layer under the action of electrowetting, thereby controlling the absorption and transmission of specific wavelengths in the incident light by the layer respectively; under the synergistic effect of the three layers, subtractive color mixing display can be achieved in the vertical direction.

[0134] like Figure 11 As shown, when all three layers of coloring oil phase 305 are in a large-area spread state, the three layers of oil phase jointly absorb the corresponding spectral components, and the overall color display pixel displays color a (black); when all three layers of coloring oil phase 305 are in a contracted state and the bottom high-reflectivity background is fully exposed, the overall color display pixel displays color b (white); when only one of the three layers is in a spread state and the other two layers are in a contracted state, the color display pixel displays the color corresponding to the spread layer, i.e., display color c; when two of the three layers are in a spread state and the other layer is in a contracted state, the color display pixel displays the complementary color of the ink color corresponding to the contracted layer, i.e., display color d; furthermore, by adjusting the aperture ratio and coverage of the three layers of coloring oil phase 305 respectively, different gray levels and different comprehensive color states can be obtained, such as display color e and display color f, thereby realizing color pattern display and its switchable output.

[0135] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the electrowetting effect does not directly produce a pattern display effect. Instead, it changes the wetting state of the conductive liquid phase 306 in the electrowetting display unit at the bottom interface, thereby driving the coloring oil phase 305 to retract, spread, migrate, or locally aggregate. This alters the overlap between the coloring oil phase 305 and the bottom visible area, achieving single-pixel display. The final output image, pattern, texture, or logo is a spatially combined overall visual result formed by multiple electrowetting display units in different covered and exposed states.

[0136] It should be further noted that, in this embodiment, the voltage used for the electrowetting display is usually a dedicated display driving voltage obtained by converting the power supply of the refrigerator through power management, boost, and drive modules, rather than directly using the refrigerator input voltage to drive the display module.

[0137] Existing conventional refrigerators only have basic storage and cooling functions, the door panels lack independent display and control capabilities, and the appearance style is fixed and cannot be changed; they cannot switch screen patterns according to user needs, and lack personalized display functions for different zones; the human-computer interaction is limited, only basic parameters can be viewed, and it is difficult to achieve visual graphic interaction; the overall intelligent expansion capability is insufficient, and the user experience and appearance are limited.

[0138] Compared to other related technologies, there is a solution that uses an independent, separate pre-embedded box embedded in the foam layer of the refrigerator door. This related technology installs the display screen into the pre-embedded box from the outside of the door, and fixes the screen by using clips and inserts to lock it in place.

[0139] However, this pre-embedded box solution has the following drawbacks: The embedded box is a separately purchased component that needs to be pre-installed before the foaming process and secured by the foaming material. This poses a risk of misalignment and deformation due to foaming, potentially leading to display screen deformation or breakage. With the display screen fully exposed to the outside of the refrigerator, kitchen moisture and cold air from the storage compartment can directly contact the screen, easily causing liquid droplet drift and affecting display quality. In contrast, a single-layer embedded box supporting the screen is prone to warping, displacement, and uneven image quality due to vibrations from frequent door opening and closing, further impacting display performance. In practical applications, the embedded box is only compatible with standard flat-panel displays and cannot display complex patterns or enable dynamic interaction with target images. Furthermore, for subsequent disassembly and repair, the screen is fixed to the embedded box and foamed door assembly; replacing the screen requires complete disassembly of the entire door foaming assembly, resulting in cumbersome disassembly and high maintenance costs.

[0140] Compared to that solution, the advantages of this application are as follows: Structurally, this application eliminates the separate independent pre-embedded box structure, and directly integrates the third groove for accommodating the electrowetting module, the control module mounting groove, and the wiring groove into the second box door panel. This eliminates the need for pre-installation of independent boxes before foaming and avoids the foaming and wrapping fixing process, thus preventing the problem of pre-embedded offset and foaming extrusion causing deformation and cracking of display components from the root.

[0141] During the use of the refrigerator, this application adopts a three-layer grooved sidewall progressively nested structure. The first door panel, module support plate, and second door panel are multiple layers of plates that share the vibration and impact of opening and closing the door. The multi-layer limiting structure restricts the displacement and warping of the electrowetting module. Even after long-term use, the flatness of the module can still be guaranteed, and the uniformity of the image can be improved.

[0142] Furthermore, in the complex environment of high temperature, high humidity and high temperature in a refrigerator, this application utilizes the heat-insulating recessed area and the interlayer heat-insulating barrier layer to double block the cold conduction of the storage compartment, greatly reducing the interference of temperature difference on the electrohumidification display effect, adapting to the complex working conditions of high temperature, high humidity and high temperature in the kitchen, and ensuring the display effect.

[0143] During the interaction, this application is equipped with an electrowetting display module and sets up multiple independent display zones. It can output the same sub-patterns to splice the whole picture at the same time, or each zone can drive and display different sub-patterns independently. It can output color, gradient and dynamic target patterns according to the drive control signal to achieve rich dynamic interactive display effects.

[0144] In subsequent maintenance, this application features a three-layer detachable and snap-fit ​​modular structure, which eliminates the need to disassemble the refrigerator door foam body. Only the door panel needs to be disassembled to remove the module support plate and the internal electrowetting display module. This simplifies the inspection and replacement process and significantly reduces the difficulty of disassembly and assembly as well as maintenance costs.

[0145] Based on the above problems, a second embodiment of this disclosure proposes a refrigerator, the refrigerator comprising: Refrigerator door 1 as described in any of the above embodiments of this disclosure; A control module, connected to the electrowetting display module, is used to generate a drive control signal for driving the target pattern of the electrowetting display module 30 in response to a user command.

[0146] The second embodiment of this disclosure discloses a complete refrigerator structure equipped with the aforementioned multi-functional display refrigerator door 1. The complete unit is composed of a refrigerator door 1 with electrowetting display function and a control module. The control module establishes an electrical connection with the electrowetting display module 30 on the refrigerator door 1 through a first electrical connection structure 21 and a second electrical connection structure 22. It can receive and respond to various operation commands issued by the user in real time, generate drive control signals that match the target pattern according to the command content, and then stably transmit them to each electrowetting display module 30 through the electrical connection structure to drive the display module to complete the display output of specified graphics, logos, decorative images, etc.

[0147] The disclosed refrigerator structure enhances the overall intelligence and human-computer interaction of the refrigerator. It effectively solves the problems of fixed appearance and uncustomizable patterns in traditional refrigerators, supports flexible partitioned display and free pattern switching, and enriches the visual expression of the door panel. At the same time, it breaks through the limitations of simple interaction, realizes visual graphic interaction, greatly expands the intelligent application scenarios of the device, and effectively improves the overall intelligence level, appearance decoration value and daily user interaction experience of the refrigerator.

[0148] In an optional embodiment, such as Figure 12 As shown, the refrigerator also includes at least one of an operation panel, a storage module, and a communication module; The operation panel is connected to the control module and is used to receive user commands. The storage module is connected to the control module and is used to store target pattern data; The communication module is connected to the control module and is used to communicate with the smart terminal.

[0149] like Figure 12 As shown, the operation panel, storage module, communication module and smart terminal are located on the upper layer of the system for interaction and data management. The control module is used to complete the display control logic processing and drive command generation. The electrowetting display module 30 is set on the door as the final display execution unit and is used to output the corresponding appearance pattern.

[0150] The storage module stores data related to the appearance display of the refrigerator door 1, including: overall theme pattern, local pattern element library, display area mapping relationship, drive parameter configuration table, user personalized setting data, and historical display scheme data. The storage module can receive local data from the operation panel and remote data from the smart terminal, and interacts with the control module to provide pattern data and parameter basis for the control module to generate display commands.

[0151] The communication module establishes data transmission channels between the control module and the smart terminal, as well as between various functional modules of the system. The communication module supports wired and / or wireless communication methods, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC, serial bus, or other near-field / remote communication protocols. Users can configure the appearance scheme in the smart terminal through the communication module and send the corresponding data to the control module or storage module.

[0152] The smart terminal is preferably a mobile phone, tablet, wearable device, or other control terminal with a human-computer interaction interface. The smart terminal can run an appearance design module for remote appearance design.

[0153] The control module is used to receive input information from the operation panel, storage module and communication module, and generate voltage drive control signals for the electrowetting display module 30 based on the received drive voltage parameters.

[0154] The electrowetting display module 30 is installed on the refrigerator door 1 and is the execution unit for realizing the dynamic display of the appearance of the refrigerator door 1. The electrowetting display module 30 receives the drive control signal controlled by the control module, and adjusts the interface distribution state of the conductive liquid phase 306 and the coloring oil phase 305 in the electrowetting display unit 31 based on the electrowetting effect, thereby changing the aperture ratio, coverage and optical output state of each electrowetting display unit, so as to form the corresponding image effect on the surface of the refrigerator door.

[0155] Preferably, the electrowetting display module 30 can be divided into multiple independent control zones in different refrigerator door 1 structures. Each zone can simultaneously display the overall appearance pattern, or display different pattern elements according to the local instructions issued by the control module, so as to achieve the appearance control effect of combining the whole machine and the local.

[0156] The refrigerator door appearance display control system based on electrowetting display can operate as follows: the user can switch the appearance locally through the operation panel, or set the pattern remotely through the smart terminal; the storage module is used to store the display scheme selected by the user and the preset pattern resources; the communication module is responsible for realizing the data transmission between the external terminal and the control module; the control module generates the actual drive signal according to the received display command, and sends the drive signal to the electrowetting display module 30 on the door; finally, the electrowetting display module 30 outputs the target appearance effect on the surface of the door.

[0157] It should be noted that the control module also automatically calls up the corresponding appearance theme scheme based on user historical preference data, scene mode data, or preset linkage rules stored in the storage module, and controls the electrowetting display module 30 to display accordingly. For example, it automatically adjusts the pattern background to reflect different weather conditions, and automatically calls up festive patterns in holiday mode. Thus, the system can not only respond to the appearance control commands actively input by the user, but also realize intelligent and scenario-based dynamic display control of the refrigerator door 1 appearance according to preset rules.

[0158] Traditional refrigerator door decorative patterns are mostly printed, laminated, or pre-made glass textures, fixed after leaving the factory. Appearance choices are limited to factory presets, and personalized customization is costly and time-consuming. The few refrigerator doors with electronic displays mostly use fixed backlit patterns or simple static screens, unable to support real-time modification, partial editing, or zone updates of the pattern content. Changing the display content requires complex firmware upgrades or specialized equipment, making user operation difficult and hindering convenient dynamic updates. Existing solutions cannot support differentiated pattern displays in different areas of the refrigerator door, nor can they achieve multi-zone collaborative combination into a complete image. They are also difficult to adapt to different refrigerator door structures, such as single-door and multi-door models, limiting the freedom of appearance design.

[0159] Therefore, existing refrigerator doors generally suffer from problems such as fixed appearance styles at the factory, inability to change patterns independently, cumbersome operation for updating display content, lack of partition display functions, single human-computer interaction form, and insufficient scene adaptability.

[0160] Based on the above problems, the third embodiment of this disclosure proposes a method for controlling the display pattern on a refrigerator door, such as... Figure 13 As shown, the control method includes: S10, Obtain the target pattern; S20. Decompose the target pattern into target display state parameters corresponding to each electrowetting display unit in the electrowetting display module; S30. Determine the driving parameters corresponding to each electrowetting display unit based on the target display state parameters. S40. Generate a drive control signal according to the drive parameters, and apply the drive control signal to each electrowetting display unit in the electrowetting display module so that the electrowetting display module displays the target pattern.

[0161] The refrigerator door display pattern control method disclosed in the third embodiment of this disclosure can conveniently realize the autonomous generation, rapid switching and dynamic updating of the target pattern on the refrigerator door appearance, get rid of the limitations of traditional fixed appearance styles, effectively improve the flexibility of refrigerator door appearance display control, and further enhance the overall intelligence level of home appliance appearance display and intelligent interaction.

[0162] The following is an example process: In an optional embodiment, step S10, "acquiring the target pattern," further includes: S11. Determine the display zone of the refrigerator door 1 based on the target refrigerator model.

[0163] For example, the door 1 of a large-capacity side-by-side refrigerator can be a large, full-screen display area, while the door 1 of a small, single-door refrigerator can be a narrow strip on the side defining the display area, thus clearly defining the display size, boundary range, and layout specifications corresponding to different models. Combined with... Figure 6 The refrigerator model shown has its doors pre-divided into four display zones: Zone A, Zone B, Zone C, and Zone D. Zones A and B are the two independent zones at the top of the double doors, while Zones C and D are the two zones corresponding to the lower drawers. Based on the target refrigerator model's appearance, number of doors, and dimensions, different display zone schemes can be pre-defined, such as the two independent zones at the top of the double doors or the zones in the lower drawers.

[0164] The above-mentioned display partition design will then adapt, crop, and arrange the acquired target patterns according to the display partitions of the corresponding models, and then split them into each electrowetting display unit. This will ensure that the size and arrangement of the patterns are precisely matched to the structural dimensions of different refrigerator door models 1, effectively solving problems such as pattern misalignment, overflow, and proportional imbalance caused by differences in the door structure of different models. This will allow the same pattern to be adapted to multiple refrigerator models, greatly improving the adaptability of the pattern display and the universal compatibility of the products.

[0165] S13. In response to a user's pattern selection instruction for at least one display zone of the refrigerator door 1, determine the target pattern selected by the user.

[0166] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the refrigerator door 1 in this embodiment can achieve zoned display. For example, if the user selects only area A, then the display will only be shown in area A.

[0167] Step S13 includes: Responding to user-defined commands, such as Figure 14 As shown, one or more display zones display an appearance preview interface, a refrigerator model selection interface, a whole-machine pattern setting interface, and a partial pattern display interface. Through the above interface settings, users can intuitively view the layout position, size ratio, and combination relationship of different zones in a graphical interface, thereby realizing the visualization operation of the appearance design process.

[0168] The appearance preview interface is used when the user interacts with the smart terminal. The electrowetting display module 30 displays the door appearance layout of the currently selected model and directly displays configurable display areas such as area A, area B, area C and area D in the appearance preview interface.

[0169] The refrigerator model selection interface is used for user interaction with the smart terminal. The electrowetting display module 30 displays different refrigerator models or different door structures that the user can select. Since different models may differ in the number of doors, door dimensions, handle positions, hinge positions, and the arrangement of the electrowetting display zones, the refrigerator appearance design module, upon receiving the user's model selection command, can automatically call up the corresponding door layout template, zone parameters, and display mapping rules, and generate a corresponding preview interface in the refrigerator appearance preview interface. Therefore, the system can adaptively establish the correspondence between display zones and pattern control objects for different refrigerator structures, improving the consistency and adaptability between the appearance design and the actual display.

[0170] S15. According to the pattern selection instruction, map the target pattern to the corresponding display partition.

[0171] The overall pattern setting interface is used to display appearance patterns when users interact with smart terminals, allowing users to make overall selections or quickly switch between appearance schemes for the refrigerator door 1 at the overall machine level.

[0172] In practical applications, different refrigerator models have different door structures, number of partitions, and sizes. For example, in the figure, models E, F, and G correspond to different combinations of side-by-side doors and drawers. Therefore, the system will first automatically match the display partitions according to the target refrigerator model to ensure that the subsequent pattern mapping completely corresponds to the physical partition boundaries.

[0173] The overall appearance settings interface offers multiple preset options, such as Appearance H1, Appearance H2, Appearance H3, and Appearance H4. These options are pre-adapted to the partition structure of different refrigerator models, including the overall screen layout, color scheme, and element distribution for adaptation areas A, B, C, and D. After the user selects any overall appearance option, the system automatically decomposes the overall appearance option into target display state parameters corresponding to each display partition, including the image feature values, display position boundaries, and display timing of each partition's sub-pattern. Then, the system outputs drive control signals to the corresponding area's electrowetting display module 30, controlling the electrowetting display modules 30 in different refrigerator areas to refresh synchronously, fully presenting the selected overall appearance effect and achieving one-click switching of the overall visual style.

[0174] The partial pattern display interface is used to display partial patterns when the user interacts with the smart terminal, allowing the user to edit or customize the display content of individual areas, achieving personalization while maintaining the overall appearance of the device. Preferably, the partial pattern display interface provides multiple reusable pattern element options, such as pattern element G1, pattern element G2, and pattern element G3. The pattern element can be at least one of the following: partial texture, geometric shape, brand symbol, text information, prompt icon, or dynamic decorative element. Users can also upload custom images as partial pattern elements.

[0175] Users can flexibly apply the selected pattern elements to one or more display zones. For example, they can select different flowers or pattern elements for zone A and zone B, keep the background texture unchanged for zone C and zone D, or they can replace the pattern in a single zone while the other zones use the original background or uniform decorative texture, thus creating a differentiated zone display effect.

[0176] After receiving a local pattern setting instruction, the system can update the target pattern parameters of the corresponding partition only according to the preset area mapping relationship, and send the updated drive control signal only to the electrowetting display module of the target partition, without having to refresh all display partitions of the whole machine at the same time. This effectively reduces the complexity of drive control, reduces the amount of data transmission and processing load, and significantly improves the switching efficiency of local patterns. It also supports users to gradually combine multiple local settings to create a unique customized appearance scheme.

[0177] S17. Receive the user's pattern confirmation command and display the target pattern.

[0178] In this step, the user can complete the entire process from selecting the refrigerator model and previewing the appearance to setting the overall / partial pattern in the interactive interface shown in the figure, and then click to confirm and submit the pattern configuration command. After receiving the user's pattern confirmation command, the system will, based on the target refrigerator model matched in the previous steps, the divided display zones, and the selected overall appearance scheme or partial pattern elements, send the sub-pattern parameters and target display status parameters corresponding to each display zone to the electrowetting display module 30 in the corresponding area, driving each module to refresh the display synchronously or independently, and finally presenting the user-customized target pattern effect in the corresponding area of ​​the refrigerator door 1.

[0179] The above-described embodiments of this disclosure can adapt to the structural differences of different models of refrigerator doors 1, such as the different structural forms of models E, F, and G in the figure, such as side-by-side doors and drawers, French doors, and cross doors. By automatically matching the physical partition boundaries of different doors through a preset display partition scheme, the partition display logic can be made compatible with different models of refrigerators.

[0180] The appearance preview interface set in the interactive interface can provide real-time feedback on the display effect of the target pattern on the refrigerator door of that model after the user selects the refrigerator model and configures the whole machine or part of the pattern, making it easy for the user to intuitively adjust the layout and element matching; The overall pattern settings interface provides multiple preset schemes such as H1-H4, allowing users to switch the overall style of the device with one click and achieve quick scene adaptation. The partial pattern settings interface provides optional materials such as pattern elements G1-G3, which allow users to arrange single or multiple display zones in a targeted manner. It can achieve various arrangement forms such as independent pattern setting for a single area, combination of patterns for multiple areas, and partial decoration. For example, only place floral patterns in areas A and B, while keeping the background color in areas C and D, or place lotus flowers in area B, place different floral elements in area D, and leave the rest of the areas blank.

[0181] The overall operation logic aligns with users' daily usage habits, significantly enhancing the freedom and layout flexibility of selecting target patterns for the refrigerator door. It supports batch operations for quickly changing the overall style of the refrigerator door, as well as finely customized partition display content, fully meeting users' needs for personalized and diverse appearance decorations in different scenarios, such as holiday themes, home style adaptation, brand logo display, interactive prompt information presentation, and other display needs, thus improving the interactive experience of the refrigerator door.

[0182] In an optional embodiment, step S20, "decomposing the target pattern into target display state parameters corresponding to each electrowetting display unit in the electrowetting display module," further includes: S21. Divide the target pattern into sub-patterns corresponding to the display partition of the refrigerator door 1.

[0183] S22. Obtain image feature values ​​at the positions corresponding to each electrowetting display unit in the sub-pattern, wherein the image feature values ​​include at least pattern brightness features. S23. Based on a preset mapping relationship between image feature values ​​and aperture ratio, convert the image feature values ​​into a target aperture ratio and / or target coverage ratio for the corresponding electrowetting display unit. The target aperture ratio represents the ratio of the visible area exposed after the coloring oil phase 305 in the electrowetting display unit retracts to the total visible area of ​​the electrowetting display unit. The target coverage ratio represents the ratio of the coverage area of ​​the coloring oil phase 305 in the electrowetting display unit to the total visible area of ​​the electrowetting display unit. S24. Use the target aperture ratio and / or the target coverage ratio as target display status parameters.

[0184] This embodiment, through processes S21 to S24, determines the driving parameters from the target pattern to the electrowetting display unit. S21 divides the overall target pattern of the refrigerator door into sub-patterns corresponding to each display zone boundary, ensuring that subsequent processing corresponds one-to-one with the physical display area. S22 extracts image feature values ​​from each sub-pattern corresponding to the position of the electrowetting display unit, quantifying the brightness characteristics required for that position. S23, based on a preset mapping relationship, converts the image feature values ​​into the target aperture ratio or target coverage of each electrowetting display unit. S24 uses the converted target aperture ratio or target coverage as the target display state parameter to generate the driving control signal.

[0185] The above process converts the user's target pattern requirements into executable driving parameters for the electrowetting display unit, achieving a direct correspondence between the image signal and the physical state of the display unit, thus avoiding pattern misalignment or distortion. Simultaneously, by adjusting the aperture ratio and coverage, the brightness and darkness levels of the target pattern are restored, improving the contrast and depth of the displayed image. The preset mapping relationship establishes a standardized conversion channel, allowing refrigerator doors of different models and partitions to display patterns through the same process, eliminating the need for separate control logic development, reducing development costs, improving the solution's versatility, avoiding brightness banding or color deviation during partitioned display, and enhancing drive response speed and overall display effect.

[0186] In an optional embodiment, step S20, "decomposing the target pattern into target display state parameters corresponding to each electrowetting display unit in the electrowetting display module," further includes: S21. Divide the target pattern into sub-patterns corresponding to the display partition of the refrigerator door 1.

[0187] This step involves dividing the overall target pattern into regions according to the preset display partition boundaries of refrigerator door 1, dividing it into sub-patterns that correspond one-to-one with the physical display partitions, and matching the structural design such as the shape of the display partition boundaries to achieve a pattern layout that corresponds to the door display structure, so that the sub-patterns can be parsed in subsequent partitioning.

[0188] For example, the user sends the target pattern to the cloud processor through a smart terminal or operation panel. In this embodiment, steps S21-S24 are executed by the cloud processor.

[0189] S22. Obtain the image feature values ​​at the positions of each electrowetting display unit in the sub-pattern, wherein the image feature values ​​include at least the pattern brightness features.

[0190] After the cloud processor receives the target pattern, it needs to decompose the overall pattern into the target display states that each electrowetting display unit needs to achieve. This step follows the decomposition logic to extract the image feature values ​​of each point corresponding to the electrowetting display unit in each sub-pattern, collect the brightness and darkness levels and color depth visual information of the sub-pattern, and establish the target display state of the electrowetting display unit accordingly. The target display state includes the image feature values ​​and pixel positions of the sub-pattern.

[0191] The image feature values ​​at least characterize the brightness characteristics of the pattern. A single electrowetting display unit only has two basic color states and cannot achieve multi-color gradient output. However, by adjusting its aperture ratio, the transmittance and visual mixing ratio of the two basic colors can be changed, thus presenting different brightness levels. In this case, image feature values ​​are used to characterize the brightness requirement at the corresponding location. By matching the brightness component of the image feature values ​​with the aperture ratio adjustment range of the corresponding electrowetting display unit, accurate reproduction of the pattern's brightness levels can be achieved.

[0192] The target display status output of the entire pattern can be represented as: ; in, Output the target pattern. This is the target display state for the first electrowetting display unit. This is the target display state for the second electrowetting display unit. For the target display state of the nth electrowetting display unit, F( ) represents the target state set of each electrowetting display unit.

[0193] S23. Based on the preset mapping relationship between image feature values ​​and aperture ratio, the image feature values ​​are converted into the target aperture ratio and / or target coverage ratio of the corresponding electrowetting display unit. The target aperture ratio represents the ratio of the visible area exposed after the coloring oil phase 305 in the electrowetting display unit retracts to the total visible area. The target coverage ratio represents the ratio of the coverage area of ​​the coloring oil phase 305 in the electrowetting display unit to the total visible area.

[0194] This step, based on the pre-calibrated image feature value-aperture ratio and image feature value-coverage mapping relationships, completes the conversion of image grayscale data into electrowetting physical control parameters. Combining the device's working principle, adjusting the input voltage can change the wetting state of the conductive liquid phase 306, thereby causing the coloring oil phase 305 to retract, spread, and migrate, thus changing the background exposure area and oil film coverage area. A larger aperture ratio results in a larger bottom background exposure area, a higher proportion of screen brightness and background color, and a larger coverage ratio, resulting in a stronger color filtering and masking effect of the coloring oil phase 305, and a more pronounced coloring and dark-state effect. Based on this, the oil film coverage area and background exposure area corresponding to each electrowetting display unit are calculated, ultimately forming a target aperture ratio matrix. or target coverage matrix .

[0195] For the i-th electrowetting display unit, the definition is: ; ; in, Let i be the target aperture ratio of the i-th electrowetting display unit. The target coverage of the i-th electrowetting display unit; Let be the expected bottom visible area exposed after the coloring oil phase 305 in the i-th electrowetting display unit shrinks. The target coverage area of ​​the coloring oil phase 305 within the electrowetting display unit. This represents the total visible area of ​​the electrowetting display unit.

[0196] S24. Use the target aperture ratio and / or the target coverage ratio as target display status parameters.

[0197] This step unifies the calculated target aperture ratio and target coverage ratio as the target display status parameters for each electrowetting display unit, thereby completing the full conversion of the target pattern into dedicated electrowetting control parameters.

[0198] The physical basis of this step lies in the electrowetting effect, which alters the wetting state formula of the conductive liquid phase 306 at the bottom interface, ultimately driving the retraction, spreading, or migration of the coloring oil phase 305. The wetting regulation of the conductive liquid phase 306 at the bottom interface satisfies the Young-Lippmann relation: ; in, Let be the initial contact angle of the i-th electrowetting display unit when no power is applied. The equivalent contact angle after applying voltage Ui, The vacuum permittivity, d is the relative permittivity of the insulating dielectric layer, and d is the thickness of the insulating dielectric layer. This is the equivalent interfacial tension.

[0199] Furthermore, based on the calibrated "contact angle-aperture ratio" or "voltage-aperture ratio" relationship, the target aperture ratio for the i-th electrowetting display unit is determined. The required driving voltage Ui, driving duration ti, driving waveform Wi, and refresh sequence are determined. Therefore, the output state of the i-th electrowetting display unit can be expressed as: ; in, Let represent the target display state of the i-th electrowetting display unit, where i is less than the total number of electrowetting display units n. Ui represents the driving voltage, ti represents the driving duration, Wi represents the driving waveform, Gi represents the geometric structure parameters, Pi represents the material property parameters, and f represents the matrix set constructed for each parameter. Geometric structure parameters include, but are not limited to, the shape of the pixel wall 309, the outline of the bottom visible area, the shape of the display partition boundary, and local micro-textures. Material property parameters include, but are not limited to, the thickness of the insulating dielectric layer, the dielectric constant, the surface energy of the hydrophobic layer 304, the conductivity of the conductive liquid phase 306, the viscosity of the colored oil phase 305, and the interfacial tension between the two phases.

[0200] The overall process described above takes into account the control characteristics brought about by the structural design and material properties of the electrowetting display unit. It can accurately complete pattern layering and splitting, grayscale acquisition and parameter conversion, and can also match parameters according to the movement law of the coloring oil phase 305. This ensures that the target display state parameters obtained by analysis are consistent with the actual working characteristics of the device, and guarantees the accuracy of subsequent voltage control from the source, effectively improving the pattern reproduction and the stability of the image display.

[0201] In an optional embodiment, the electrowetting display module 30 includes at least one color display pixel, which includes a plurality of electrowetting display units 31 displaying different colors to achieve color pattern-level display.

[0202] Based on the color pattern display, step S20, "decomposing the target pattern into target display state parameters corresponding to each electrowetting display unit in the electrowetting display module," further includes: S211. Divide the target pattern into sub-patterns corresponding to the display partition of the refrigerator door 1; S212. Obtain the image feature values ​​at the positions of each electrowetting display unit in the sub-pattern, wherein the image feature values ​​also include color channels and color weights; S213. Based on the stacking order of the electrowetting display units 31 of different colors stacked along the first direction, determine the color parameters of the electrowetting display units at the corresponding positions of each sub-pattern. The color parameters include the color of the coloring oil phase 305 and the color superposition relationship of each electrowetting display unit 31 in the color display pixel. S214. Based on the preset mapping relationship between image feature values ​​and color parameters, and the preset mapping relationship between image feature values ​​and aperture ratio, the image feature values ​​are converted into the target aperture ratio and / or target coverage of the corresponding display unit.

[0203] S215. Use the color parameter, the target aperture ratio, and / or the target coverage ratio as target display status parameters.

[0204] In the above process, the target display state parameters are expanded into a color state matrix or a comprehensive color state matrix. At this point, in addition to calculating the aperture ratio and coverage of each electrowetting display unit, the required output color state of each electrowetting display unit can be determined by combining different oil phase colors, bottom background colors, and the superposition relationship of multiple color units, and a corresponding driving parameter matrix can be generated accordingly. For single-layer color electrowetting displays, different color sub-pixels can be combined in a plane to form a color pattern; for multi-layer color electrowetting displays, multiple color units can be superimposed to enable a single pixel to achieve comprehensive color output in the vertical direction.

[0205] The above process is illustrated using an example flow.

[0206] S211. Divide the target pattern into sub-patterns corresponding to the number of display partitions of the refrigerator door 1.

[0207] This step is used to complete the area division of the target pattern according to the door display partition. When dividing the pattern into partitions in this step, the structural layout requirements of two types of color display units are simultaneously taken into account: coplanar layout and vertical stacked layout. This can reserve adaptation space for subsequent color parameter matching.

[0208] S212. Obtain the image feature values ​​at the positions of each electrowetting display unit in the sub-pattern, wherein the image feature values ​​also include color channels and color weights.

[0209] The image feature values ​​collected in this step simultaneously carry pattern brightness and darkness information, color channel information, and color weight information, which can provide complete data support for brightness adjustment, color channel ratio, and multi-layer color overlay adjustment. For example, the image feature values ​​include red channel components, green channel components, blue channel components, and the color weight ratio of each channel. Subsequently, color overlay calculations are performed in combination with the overlay color display rules of the multi-layer electrowetting display unit. After multi-layer color overlay and composite, the color display effect of the corresponding sub-pattern is accurately reproduced.

[0210] The color channels and color weights in the image feature values ​​are image-level parameters of the target pattern. They are pixel-level visual features extracted from the target pattern to be displayed, representing the ideal color, hue ratio and weight ratio of each color channel that the position needs to be presented. They provide the expected color display target for electrowetting display and are determined solely by the pattern itself.

[0211] S213. Based on the stacking order of the electrowetting display units 31 of different colors along the first direction, determine the color parameters of the electrowetting display units at the corresponding positions of each sub-pattern. The color parameters include the color of the coloring oil phase 305 and the color superposition relationship of each electrowetting display unit 31 in the color display pixel.

[0212] This step only performs color logic matching and parameter calibration for the structure in which electrowetting display units 31 of different colors are vertically stacked along the first direction. Electrowetting display units 31 with different color rendering attributes are stacked sequentially along the first direction perpendicular to the module support plate 20. Each layer of electrowetting display unit 31 can independently receive drive control signals and independently regulate the wetting and spreading state of the internal conductive liquid phase and coloring oil phase. Relying on ambient light to penetrate each layer of electrowetting display unit, after multiple layers of coloring oil phase filtering and light transmission superposition, subtractive color mixing and color fusion imaging are completed.

[0213] The color parameters and the stacking order of the electrowetting display units along the first direction are inherent parameters of the hardware structure of the electrowetting display pixel. They are determined by the physical design of each different color electrowetting display unit inside the color display pixel. The determined color parameters include: the inherent hue of the coloring oil phase 305 built into each layer of electrowetting display unit 31, the arrangement order of each layer of electrowetting display unit 31 along the stacking direction, the light penetration path and color superposition rules between multiple display units, and the composite color weight and color matching parameters corresponding to the coordinated adjustment of the aperture ratio of each layer of electrowetting display unit 31, so as to match the color channel and color weight requirements in the image feature value and calculate the target aperture ratio and target coverage of each layer of display unit.

[0214] S214. Based on the preset mapping relationship between image feature values ​​and color parameters, and the preset mapping relationship between image feature values ​​and aperture ratio, the image feature values ​​are converted into the target aperture ratio and / or target coverage of the corresponding display unit.

[0215] In one example, when the refrigerator door 1 displays a monochrome pattern, the color ratio of the corresponding base 301 or the coloring oil phase 305 is matched according to the mapping relationship between image feature values ​​and color parameters. At the same time, the target aperture ratio and target coverage are calculated by using the mapping relationship between image feature values ​​and aperture ratio, so that the base 301 is fully exposed and the coloring oil phase 305 is reduced to present a monochrome effect.

[0216] In another example, when the refrigerator door 1 displays a colored pattern, the substrate 301 of the plurality of electrowetting display units 31 is transparent. Based on image feature values, the color ratio of the coloring oil phase of the different electrowetting display units 31 vertically stacked along the first direction at that location is determined. This yields the target aperture ratio and target coverage of each electrowetting display unit 31 in different layers at the same location, thus completing the conversion of grayscale values ​​to the aperture ratio and coverage parameters required for color display.

[0217] S215. Use the color parameter, the target aperture ratio, and / or the target coverage ratio as target display status parameters.

[0218] The aforementioned disassembly process S21 to S24 is only applicable to parameter analysis and conversion of monochrome and grayscale patterns. The color pattern display steps S211-S215 added in this embodiment can fully adapt to various color pixel structures such as coplanar heterogeneous color arrangement and vertical stacked color display of the electrowetting display unit 31, thus broadening the application scope of the electrowetting display module 30 in the visual display scenario of the refrigerator door 1.

[0219] In an optional embodiment, step S30, "determining the driving parameters corresponding to each electrowetting display unit based on the target display state parameters," further includes: Based on the preset mapping relationship between contact angle and aperture ratio, the equivalent contact angle required for the electrowetting display unit to achieve the target aperture ratio is determined; The driving voltage required to achieve the equivalent contact angle is determined based on the equivalent contact angle. The driving duration, driving waveform, and refresh sequence of the corresponding electrowetting display unit are determined based on the driving voltage.

[0220] Before the above steps in this embodiment, a corresponding relationship between the wetting contact angle and the aperture ratio of the conductive liquid phase 306 inside the electrowetting display unit 31 is established in advance through experimental calibration. After obtaining the target aperture ratio of each electrowetting display unit, the preset mapping relationship is retrieved to calculate the equivalent contact angle required for the electrowetting display unit to stably reach the target aperture ratio, and the interface wetting state required for the conductive liquid phase 306 is clarified.

[0221] This disclosure combines the Young-Lippmann wetting control mechanism followed by the electrowetting effect, and uses the inherent physical properties of the insulating dielectric layer thickness, dielectric constant, and interfacial tension of the electrowetting display unit to calculate the driving voltage required to drive the conductive liquid phase 306 to undergo wetting deformation and form the corresponding contact angle state based on the determined equivalent contact angle.

[0222] After determining the driving voltage, the driving duration, voltage output driving waveform, and screen refresh sequence among multiple electrowetting display units 31 are determined by combining the viscosity of the coloring oil phase 305, the flow response speed of the two-phase liquid phase, and the pixel structure arrangement characteristics, thus forming the driving parameters of the complete target pattern.

[0223] For example, if the refrigerator door 1 needs to display a light-colored decorative image, the corresponding electrowetting display unit 31 is set to a high target aperture ratio. The large equivalent contact angle is obtained by matching the contact angle and aperture ratio mapping relationship, and then a low-amplitude driving voltage is calculated. This voltage can cause the conductive liquid phase 306 to spread fully, causing the coloring oil phase 305 to shrink significantly, fully exposing the base color of the substrate 301. At the same time, with a short driving time and a smooth gradient driving waveform, the area is refreshed first, and a bright light-colored display effect is quickly presented.

[0224] In another embodiment, when a dark-colored logo pattern needs to be displayed, the electrowetting display unit 31 at the corresponding position is set to a low target aperture ratio, matched to obtain a small equivalent contact angle, and a higher amplitude driving voltage is calculated to drive the conductive liquid phase 306 to retract, allowing the coloring oil phase 305 to spread over a large area to cover the visible area, ensuring that the dark-colored image is displayed uniformly and stably, and ultimately achieving stable display of different colors and different brightness patterns.

[0225] S40. Generate a drive control signal according to the drive parameters, and apply the drive control signal to each electrowetting display unit in the electrowetting display module 30, so that the electrowetting display module 30 outputs a target pattern corresponding to the target pattern.

[0226] In an optional embodiment, step S40, "generating a drive control signal according to the drive parameters and applying the drive control signal to each electrowetting display unit in the electrowetting display module," further includes: S41. Determine the output voltage amplitude range of the drive control signal based on the drive voltage; S42. Modulate the driving voltage according to the driving waveform; S43. Limit the continuous output duration of the drive control signal by the drive duration; S44. Complete the timing arrangement and group output of the drive control signals according to the refresh order.

[0227] In this embodiment, in step S41, the calculated driving voltage is used as a reference to define the highest and lowest voltage ranges when the driving control signal is actually output, ensuring that the output level can accurately meet the power requirements of the electrowetting display unit to achieve the target equivalent contact angle, and conforming to the voltage matching requirements of the electrowetting interface wetting control. In step S42, according to the preset driving waveform type, the driving voltage of the predetermined amplitude is morphologically modulated, converting the constant voltage into different styles such as DC steady waveform, gradual waveform, pulse waveform, and reset reverse waveform, so as to adapt to different motion states such as the retraction, spreading, and static reset of the coloring oil phase 305, and to match the voltage change rhythm with the liquid phase flow response characteristics.

[0228] For example, a stable DC waveform is used to modulate the driving voltage, and the output voltage amplitude remains constant. The electric field is continuously and stably applied to adapt to the steady-state display scenario where the coloring oil phase 305 maintains a fixed spreading state or a retracted posture. This is used for the static decorative texture of the refrigerator door 1 to maintain the long-term stability of the screen brightness and color without fluctuation.

[0229] For example, the driving voltage is modulated into a gradually rising and falling waveform. The voltage rises or falls slowly, and the electric field force changes gradually, so as to achieve a smooth transition of pattern brightness and color. This method is often used for displaying gradient and gradient color patterns.

[0230] For example, by modulating the driving voltage into an intermittent pulse waveform and applying an electric field in an intermittent energizing manner, the coloring oil phase 305 can be quickly driven to complete rapid retraction or rapid spreading. This is suitable for quick pattern switching and dynamic flashing prompts, enabling rapid screen response switching.

[0231] For example, the driving voltage is modulated into a reverse voltage waveform to form an electric field opposite to the direction of the working electric field, which can drive the coloring oil phase 305 to quickly return to its original position and restore it to its initial tiling state. This can be used in scenarios such as pattern clearing and screen reset.

[0232] In an optional embodiment, the drive control signal is applied sequentially to the electrowetting display units 31 at different locations according to a preset refresh order.

[0233] For example, the drive control signal is sent to each electrowetting display unit 31 at different positions in a preset refresh order, such as a top-to-bottom arrangement. For example, when the overall interface of the refrigerator door 1 is changed to display the target pattern across the entire area, the drive control signal is first applied to the electrowetting display unit 31 at the top of the door, and then the signal is applied to each area sequentially downwards. The spreading and retraction states of the coloring oil phase 305 inside each electrowetting display unit are controlled step by step, so that the overall pattern is formed sequentially. This effectively avoids the problem of concentrated circuit load caused by instantaneous full-area power-on and ensures that the pattern is formed in a neat and orderly manner.

[0234] In another embodiment, drive control signals are applied synchronously to multiple electrowetting display units 31 within the same display partition.

[0235] This embodiment applies to all electrowetting display units 31 belonging to the same display zone, synchronously applying drive control signals. For example, the top marking display area and the narrow side decorative display area of ​​the refrigerator door 1 can be designated as independent display zones. Drive control signals are synchronously output to all electrowetting display units 31 within the same zone, enabling each electrowetting display unit within the zone to synchronously complete the adjustment of the target aperture ratio and target coverage, quickly completing pattern formation within the zone and effectively improving the local pattern display response rate.

[0236] In another embodiment, independent drive control signals are applied to the electrowetting display modules 30 in different display zones of the refrigerator door 1 to achieve synchronous display of multi-region differentiated patterns.

[0237] For example, a drive control signal adapted to a natural landscape pattern is applied to the upper display zone of the refrigerator door 1; a drive control signal adapted to a simple texture pattern is applied to the lower display zone of the refrigerator door 1 to make it display a textured decorative image; at the same time, a dedicated status indicator drive control signal is applied to the side status prompt zone. The display status of each zone does not interfere with each other, and multiple different types of display content can be displayed simultaneously on the same door interface to meet diverse appearance display needs.

[0238] In the refrigerator door 1 where the electrowetting display module 30 is actually applied, the display relies on the interface distribution of the conductive liquid phase 306 and the colored oil phase 305 within a confined cavity. Since the refrigerator door 1 is constantly under vertical installation, periodically opened and closed, and in a low-temperature, high-humidity environment, the door's operating conditions not only affect the mechanical installation of the display module but also directly alter the droplet force balance, the oil phase retraction endpoint, and the stability of the opening ratio. Therefore, targeted droplet stability compensation is necessary. Thus, in an optional embodiment, the control method further includes: Obtain the current leakage current value of at least one electrowetting display unit when it is in display state; Based on the current leakage current value, it is determined whether the electrowetting display unit is in a droplet drift state. When the determination result is that the electrowetting display unit is in a droplet drift state, a compensation control signal is generated and applied to the corresponding electrowetting display unit. The droplet drift state indicates the degree of offset of the electrowetting display unit 31 when the refrigerator door is installed vertically, affected by one or more of the following: gravity, installation environment, and opening and closing of the refrigerator door.

[0239] This disclosure generates a compensation control signal based on the drive control signal, and corrects the drive parameters in real time, so that the electrowetting display unit returns to the target display state. This method can effectively suppress the droplet attitude shift during long-term use of the door, improve the uniformity, stability and consistency of the pattern display, and does not require an additional optical detection structure. It is suitable for the actual use conditions of refrigerator doors and has strong practicality.

[0240] In the refrigerator door 1 where the electrowetting display module 30 is actually applied, the display module 30 relies on the interface distribution of the conductive liquid phase 306 and the colored oil phase 305 in the confined cavity to achieve the display. However, the refrigerator door 1 is in a vertical installation, periodic opening and closing, and low temperature and high humidity environment for a long time. Therefore, the door condition not only affects the mechanical installation state of the display module, but also directly changes the droplet force balance, the oil phase retraction endpoint and the stability of the opening ratio. Therefore, targeted droplet stability compensation is required.

[0241] Therefore, based on the above problems, another embodiment of this disclosure proposes a stability compensation method for the refrigerator door, such as... Figure 15 As shown, the stability compensation method includes: S151. Determine the target display status parameters of each electrowetting display unit 31 in the electrowetting display module according to the target pattern. S152. Generate a drive control signal according to the target display state parameters, and apply the drive control signal to the electrowetting display unit 31; S153. Obtain the current leakage current value of at least one electrowetting display unit 31 when it is in display state; S154. Determine whether the electrowetting display unit 31 is in a droplet drift state based on the current leakage current value. When the determination result is that the electrowetting display unit 31 is in a droplet drift state, generate a compensation command. The droplet drift state indicates the degree of offset of the electrowetting display unit 31 when the refrigerator door is installed vertically, affected by one or more of the following factors: gravity, installation environment, and opening and closing of the refrigerator door. S155. Generate a compensation control signal according to the compensation instruction, and apply the compensation control signal to the corresponding electrowetting display unit 31.

[0242] The stability compensation method disclosed herein obtains the steady-state leakage current of the electrowetting display unit 31, determines the droplet drift state caused by gravity, vibration, etc. in the vertical installation state, and generates a compensation control signal based on the calibration mapping relationship between leakage current and aperture ratio and coverage ratio to correct the driving parameters in real time, so that the electrowetting display unit returns to the target display state. This method can effectively suppress droplet attitude shift during long-term use of the door, improve the uniformity, stability and consistency of the pattern display, and does not require additional optical detection structure. It is suitable for the actual use conditions of refrigerator doors and has strong practicality.

[0243] The stability compensation method of this embodiment will now be described using an exemplary process: S151. Determine the target display state parameters of each electrowetting display unit 31 in the electrowetting display module 30 according to the target pattern.

[0244] For example, this step can refer to the control method of the previous display pattern, which includes acquiring the target pattern; and decomposing the target pattern into target display state parameters corresponding to each electrowetting display unit 31 in the electrowetting display module 30.

[0245] S152. Generate a drive control signal according to the target display state parameters, and apply the drive control signal to the electrowetting display unit 31.

[0246] Based on the same principle, step S152 includes determining the driving parameters corresponding to each electrowetting display unit 31 according to the target display state parameters; and generating a driving control signal according to the driving parameters. This step can also refer to the control method of the previous target pattern, and will not be described again here.

[0247] S153. Obtain the current leakage current value of at least one electrowetting display unit 31 when it is in display state.

[0248] Since the first driving electrode layer 302, conductive liquid phase 306, insulating dielectric layer 303, hydrophobic layer 304, and second driving electrode layer 307 in the electrowetting display unit 31 can be equivalently configured as a variable capacitor with a leakage current channel, as the conductive liquid phase 306 spreads along the bottom interface under electrowetting, its effective wetting area corresponding to the bottom insulating dielectric layer 303 changes, thereby changing the leakage current characteristics of the electrowetting display unit. Based on this, the droplet state of the current electrowetting display unit 31 can be indirectly characterized by detecting the leakage current of the electrowetting display unit under a preset detection signal.

[0249] In this embodiment, the current leakage current value is obtained through a leakage current detection circuit, such as... Figure 16As shown, the leakage current detection circuit includes a voltage drive module, a sampling resistor, a current detection module, a controller, and an electrowetting display unit 31. The current detection module has a differential amplification function. The voltage drive module is connected to the electrodes of the electrowetting display unit. Specifically, the controller outputs a drive control signal to the voltage drive module, and the voltage drive module outputs a voltage signal to the corresponding electrowetting display unit according to the drive control signal, so that the electrowetting display unit can display the signal. At the same time, the current detection module collects the current signal flowing through the sampling resistor, and transmits the detected current signal to the controller after differential amplification. The controller then determines the current leakage current value of the electrowetting display unit 31.

[0250] It is worth noting that in this embodiment, each electrowetting display unit 31 is configured with an independent sampling resistor to realize leakage current detection and compensation at the unit level. Each unit's current loop has an independent sampling resistor connected in series, which avoids signal crosstalk and detection errors when multiple units share the sampling resistor.

[0251] S154. Determine whether the electrowetting display unit 31 is in a droplet drift state based on the current leakage current value. When the determination result is that the electrowetting display unit 31 is in a droplet drift state, generate a compensation command. The droplet drift state indicates the degree of offset of the electrowetting display unit 31 under the influence of gravity, installation environment, or opening and closing of the refrigerator door when the refrigerator door is installed vertically.

[0252] In this application, the refrigerator door is vertically installed, and the electrowetting display unit is in a vertically static state. Under the continuous action of gravity, the fluid coloring oil phase and conductive liquid phase inside the unit will naturally tend to sink downwards and slide laterally, disrupting the original horizontal equilibrium distribution of the droplets and forming an inherent static offset, thus affecting the display effect. The installation environment includes the internal temperature and humidity of the refrigerator, airflow disturbances inside the refrigerator, and stress on the door assembly gaps. Changes in temperature and humidity will change the viscosity and interfacial tension of the liquid phase, and airflow impacts will easily disturb the equilibrium shape of the droplets, thus causing droplet offset. The opening and closing process of the refrigerator door will generate vibration impacts and instantaneous posture shaking, breaking the static steady state of the droplets and causing shape offset. After the droplets offset, the effective conductive contact area and the conductivity state of the dielectric layer inside the unit will change accordingly, directly causing fluctuations and offsets in the steady-state leakage current value of the circuit. The greater the drift amplitude, the greater the difference between the leakage current and the standard reference value.

[0253] Therefore, this application uses the measurable value of leakage current to determine whether the electrowetting display unit is in a droplet drift state.

[0254] In an optional embodiment, step S154 includes: Determine the reference leakage current value based on the target display status parameters; The deviation between the reference leakage current value and the current leakage current value is compared. When the deviation value is greater than the preset upper limit of deviation or less than the preset lower limit of deviation, the electrowetting display unit 31 is determined to be in a droplet drift state.

[0255] In this embodiment, after determining that the i-th electrowetting display unit reaches the ideal target display state under the action of the driving parameters, the target steady-state leakage current under the target display state is determined. This serves as the reference leakage current value for the electrowetting display unit under the target aperture ratio and target coverage.

[0256] Subsequently, during the refrigerator door's stationary closed state, the stable phase after the door has finished opening and closing, or the display holding phase, the current steady-state leakage current of the electrowetting display unit 31 is detected in real time.

[0257] When the following conditions are met: ,or When this occurs, it is determined that the droplet attitude of the display unit has drifted. The preset upper limit of deviation, This is the preset lower limit value for deviation.

[0258] In other words, under known, stable, or compensated conditions of driving voltage, ambient temperature, and gate state, if the current steady-state leakage current... Relative to the target steady-state leakage current If a significant deviation occurs, it can be assumed that the interface distribution between the conductive liquid phase 306 and the colored oil phase 305 in the electrowetting display unit has changed, which in turn causes the aperture ratio and coverage to deviate from the target values.

[0259] In another case, when the determination result is that the electrowetting display unit 31 is in a stable droplet state, no compensation command is generated, and the drive is performed according to the drive control signal.

[0260] S155. Generate a compensation control signal according to the compensation instruction, and apply the compensation control signal to the corresponding electrowetting display unit 31.

[0261] In this embodiment, the compensation voltage to be applied is calculated based on the leakage current deviation, and then applied to the electrode layer of the electrowetting display unit 31 via a compensation control signal. This adjusts the wettability of the conductive liquid phase 306 and further adjusts the distribution of the liquid within the electrowetting display unit, thereby stabilizing the droplet opening rate and coverage rate and ensuring the consistency of the display effect.

[0262] In an optional embodiment, step S155, "generating the compensation control signal according to the compensation command," includes: S1551. Determine the current aperture ratio and / or current coverage of the current display state of the electrowetting display unit 31 based on the current leakage current value.

[0263] In this embodiment, based on the pre-calibrated correspondence between "steady-state leakage current, aperture ratio, and coverage," the detected electrical signal is converted into the actual optical state parameters of the electrowetting display unit, and the actual aperture ratio of the current electrowetting display unit is calculated. and actual coverage The above mapping relationship is obtained through factory calibration, initial calibration, or historical learning. For example, under different known aperture ratios and coverage states, the corresponding steady-state leakage current values ​​are recorded, and lookup tables, fitting curves, or function models are established. This allows the current actual aperture ratio and / or current coverage of the electrowetting display unit 31 to be derived from the current steady-state leakage current, providing a practical basis for subsequent compensation calculations.

[0264] S1552. Obtain the target aperture ratio and / or target coverage ratio corresponding to the target display status parameters.

[0265] In this embodiment, the target aperture ratio and / or target coverage can be determined by referring to steps S21-S24 in the above embodiment. According to the preset mapping relationship between image feature values ​​and aperture ratio, the image feature values ​​are converted into the target aperture ratio and / or target coverage of the corresponding electrowetting display unit. The target aperture ratio represents the ratio of the visible area exposed after the coloring oil phase 305 in the electrowetting display unit shrinks to the total visible area. The target coverage represents the ratio of the coverage area of ​​the coloring oil phase 305 in the electrowetting display unit to the total visible area. The target aperture ratio and / or target coverage are used as the target benchmark for compensation correction.

[0266] S1553. Determine a compensation coefficient based on a first difference between the current aperture ratio and the target aperture ratio, and / or a second difference between the current coverage ratio and the target coverage ratio, wherein the compensation coefficient is positively correlated with the first difference, and / or the compensation coefficient is positively correlated with the second difference.

[0267] This step determines the compensation level by calculating the deviation between the actual state and the target state. The deviation between the current aperture ratio and the target aperture ratio is recorded as the first difference, and the deviation between the current coverage ratio and the target coverage ratio is recorded as the second difference. A compensation coefficient is calculated based on the first difference and / or the second difference. This compensation coefficient is positively correlated with the magnitude of the deviation; that is, the larger the deviation, the larger the compensation coefficient, and the stronger the required compensation; the smaller the deviation, the smaller the compensation coefficient, and the weaker the required compensation, thereby achieving a match between the magnitude of the deviation and the compensation level.

[0268] S1554. Based on the compensation coefficient, the current driving voltage is compensated and corrected to generate a compensation control signal.

[0269] In an optional embodiment, the current driving voltage is compensated and corrected according to the compensation coefficient, satisfying the following formula: ; ; in, The corrected driving voltage for the i-th electrowetting display unit; For the first The current reference driving voltage of each electrowetting display unit can be obtained from the voltage detection circuit. The compensation coefficient is... The reference leakage current value and the current leakage current value The deviation between them.

[0270] When the following conditions are met: ,or This indicates that compensation is required.

[0271] like but >0, based on the compensation coefficient, the driving voltage is increased to increase the electric field force in the electrowetting unit and push the coloring oil phase back to the target position; like but If the value is less than 0, then the driving voltage is reduced based on the compensation coefficient to decrease the electric field force and make the cell coverage return to the target value.

[0272] It is worth noting that in this embodiment, the preset compensation coefficient and compensation voltage value are determined as follows: the electrowetting display unit is calibrated under standard operating conditions to establish a benchmark correspondence between the target leakage current and the target driving voltage; then, by introducing known droplet drift deviation, error and voltage response tests are conducted, and the linear relationship between leakage current error and voltage adjustment is obtained by fitting, thereby determining the initial compensation coefficient. After stability verification and iterative optimization, the compensation coefficient is solidified as a preset parameter.

[0273] The stability compensation method in this embodiment is based on the current driving voltage and adjusts the driving voltage in combination with the aforementioned compensation coefficient to obtain the compensated driving voltage. Then, according to the compensated driving voltage, driving duration, driving waveform, pulse and other parameters, a compensation control signal that can be directly applied to the electrode is generated and applied to the corresponding electrowetting display unit 31 to adjust the wetting state of the conductive liquid phase 306 and the spreading / retraction state of the colored oil phase 305, so that the current aperture ratio and / or current coverage gradually return to the target aperture ratio and / or target coverage, thus completing the closed-loop compensation of the droplet attitude.

[0274] The aforementioned stability compensation method obtains the steady-state leakage current of the electrowetting display unit 31 to determine the droplet drift state caused by gravity, vibration, etc., under vertical installation conditions. Based on the calibration mapping relationship between leakage current and aperture ratio and coverage ratio, a compensation control signal is generated to correct the driving parameters in real time, enabling the electrowetting display unit to return to the target display state. This method effectively suppresses droplet attitude shift during long-term use of the door, improves the uniformity, stability, and consistency of the pattern display, and requires no additional optical detection structure, making it suitable for the actual operating conditions of refrigerator doors and highly practical.

[0275] Based on the refrigerator door, the control method for displaying patterns, the stability compensation method, and the refrigerator according to the above embodiments, this disclosure has the following beneficial effects: This invention employs electrowetting display technology, achieving pattern display by regulating the interface distribution between the conductive liquid phase and the coloring oil phase within the electrowetting display unit. Unlike display solutions that rely on active light emission or backlighting, this technology offers superior low-power potential. It is particularly suitable for applications such as refrigerator doors, which require long-term standby and primarily focus on aesthetic decoration and low-frequency pattern switching, thus reducing the additional energy consumption of the door's appearance display system.

[0276] Structurally, this disclosure integrates an electrowetting display module into the refrigerator door, so that the appearance of the door is no longer limited to a fixed color, fixed texture and fixed decorative layer, but can be dynamically changed according to the needs of the scene, thereby significantly improving the personalization, visual interaction capability and product differentiation of the refrigerator door appearance.

[0277] Regarding the display pattern control method of this disclosure, this disclosure proposes a step-by-step process from target pattern input, pattern parsing, aperture ratio / coverage calculation, driving parameter solution to driving voltage output. This disclosure transforms the user-selected target pattern into a state matrix, color matrix, aperture ratio matrix, or driving parameters of multiple electrowetting display units, and further controls the electrowetting display module to display the corresponding target pattern. Therefore, it enables autonomous generation, rapid switching, and dynamic updating of refrigerator door appearance patterns, improving the flexibility and intelligence level of appearance control.

[0278] The stability compensation method disclosed herein generates a compensation control signal based on the calibration mapping relationship between leakage current and aperture ratio and coverage ratio, and corrects the driving parameters in real time to bring the electrowetting display unit back to the target display state. This method can effectively suppress droplet attitude shift during long-term use of the door, and improve the uniformity, stability and consistency of the pattern display.

[0279] In summary, this application proposes a refrigerator door, a method for controlling the display pattern, a stability compensation method, and a refrigerator. Regarding the refrigerator door of this disclosure, this disclosure utilizes electrowetting display technology based on liquid interface wetting. Electrowetting display technology has advantages such as reflective display, low power consumption, visibility under ambient light, relatively simple display structure, and suitability for dynamic pattern output. The electrowetting display module is installed inside the refrigerator door to achieve the display of the target pattern. This embodiment employs a structural design where the first and third grooves interlock in opposite directions to form a receiving cavity. This fully utilizes the internal space of the refrigerator door, achieving stable housing of the electrowetting display module without increasing the door thickness, resulting in a compact structure and high integration. The electrowetting display module is enclosed within the receiving cavity formed by the interlocking of the first door panel and the module support plate, providing a safe working environment and extending the lifespan of the display module. The light-emitting surface of the electrowetting display module is close to the first door panel, and the backlight surface is close to the module support plate. The light path outputs directly outward, ensuring clear target patterns and improving the decorative effect and visual quality of the refrigerator door.

[0280] The second embodiment of this disclosure discloses a refrigerator structure equipped with the aforementioned multi-functional display refrigerator door. The control module establishes an electrical connection with the electrowetting display module on the refrigerator door through a first electrical connection structure. It can receive and respond to various operation commands issued by the user in real time, generate drive control signals that match the target pattern according to the command content, and then stably transmit them to each electrowetting display module through the electrical connection structure to accurately drive the display module to complete the display output of specified graphics, logos, decorative images, etc. The refrigerator door display pattern control method disclosed in the third embodiment of this disclosure can conveniently realize the autonomous generation, rapid switching and dynamic updating of the target pattern on the refrigerator door appearance, get rid of the limitations of traditional fixed appearance styles, effectively improve the flexibility of refrigerator door appearance display control, and further enhance the overall intelligence level of home appliance appearance display and intelligent interaction.

[0281] The stability compensation method disclosed in the fourth embodiment of this disclosure generates a compensation control signal based on the calibration mapping relationship between leakage current and aperture ratio and coverage ratio, and corrects the driving parameters to bring the electrowetting display unit back to the target display state. This method can effectively suppress droplet attitude shift during long-term use of the door, and improve the uniformity, stability and consistency of the pattern display.

[0282] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts that are not described in detail or recorded in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0283] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, only the division of the above functional modules is used as an example. In actual applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above.

[0284] In the embodiments provided in this disclosure, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of modules or units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another device, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0285] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. It should also be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes the element.

[0286] The above are merely embodiments of this disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Various modifications and variations can be made to this disclosure by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this disclosure should be included within the scope of the claims of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A refrigerator door, characterized in that, The refrigerator door includes a first door panel with a first groove, a module support plate with a second groove, and a second door panel with a third groove. The first opening direction of the first groove is opposite to the second opening direction of the second groove. The first opening direction faces the refrigerator's storage compartment, and the second opening direction faces away from the refrigerator's storage compartment. The third opening direction of the third groove is the same as the second opening direction. The second door panel is located on the side of the module support plate closer to the storage compartment. The sidewall of the third groove is attached to the sidewall of the second groove; The first and second door panels of the refrigerator door are assembled in a reverse interlocking manner. The first and third grooves together form a receiving cavity for accommodating the module support plate, and the module support plate is located within the receiving cavity. The refrigerator door also includes at least one electrowetting display module disposed within the receiving cavity. The second door panel and the module support plate are assembled in a co-directional fastening manner, and the electrowetting display module is located within the second recess. The backlight surface of the electrowetting display module is close to the module support plate, and the light-emitting surface of the electrowetting display module is close to the first door panel. The electrowetting display module displays a target pattern according to the drive control signal. The electrowetting display module includes at least one electrowetting display unit. The first door panel includes: The carrier plate is parallel to the light-emitting surface of the electrowetting display module; and Sidewall panels are located at the top and bottom ends of the support plate. Each sidewall panel includes intersecting limiting and fixing portions. A gap exists between the light-emitting surface of the electrowetting display module, the fixing portion, and a position on the support plate near the light-emitting surface. The refrigerator door also includes: An optical adhesive layer fills the gap, and the optical adhesive layer and the fixing part form a moisture barrier structure to prevent moisture from entering the electrowetting display module; and A heat insulation barrier layer is located between the third groove near the module support plate and the second groove near the second door panel. The heat insulation barrier layer is used to prevent the cold air in the storage compartment from being conducted to the electrowetting display module.

2. The refrigerator door according to claim 1, characterized in that, The limiting part is perpendicular to the bearing plate. The fixing part is parallel to the support plate and is fixedly connected to the surface of the support plate near the storage chamber. The limiting part, the fixing part, and the carrier plate together form the first groove for mounting the electrowetting display module.

3. The refrigerator door according to claim 2, characterized in that, The surface of the optical adhesive layer near the support plate is on the same horizontal plane as the surface of the fixing part near the support plate.

4. The refrigerator door according to claim 2, characterized in that, The depth of the first groove is greater than the depth of the third groove. The end surfaces of the first groove and the second groove away from the storage chamber are aligned and both abut against the fixing part. The side wall panel and the second door panel have recessed structures on the side away from the support plate. The refrigerator door also includes an insulation layer filled in the recessed structure.

5. The refrigerator door according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the heat insulation barrier layer at the corresponding position of the electrowetting display module is greater than the thickness at other positions.

6. The refrigerator door according to claim 1, characterized in that, The module support plate includes a second support plate surface near the storage compartment and a first support plate surface away from the storage compartment. The surface of the first support plate is provided with a first electrical connection structure for electrical connection with the electrowetting display module; The second groove has a groove opening on at least one side wall, and the first electrical connection structure is located on the surface of the first support plate corresponding to the groove opening.

7. The refrigerator door according to claim 6, characterized in that, The surface of the second support plate is provided with at least one second electrical connection structure. One end of the at least one second electrical connection structure is electrically connected to the first electrical connection structure, and the other end is electrically connected to the control module of the refrigerator. The second support plate also has a first wiring groove on its surface to accommodate the electrical connection wires between the second electrical connection structure and the first electrical connection structure.

8. The refrigerator door according to claim 7, characterized in that, The second door panel includes a first mounting surface near the storage compartment and a second mounting surface near the module support plate. The third groove is formed on the second mounting surface at the position corresponding to the module support plate, and the third groove is located in the central region of the second mounting surface. The edge region of the second mounting surface is provided with reinforcing ribs, which are distributed at least on both sides of the third groove.

9. The refrigerator door according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first mounting surface has the following openings: The control module mounting slot is used to install the various components of the refrigerator's control module; The second wiring channel is used to accommodate the electrical connection lines between the second electrical connection structure and the control module of the refrigerator, as well as the electrical connection lines between the various components of the control module. The second electrical connection structure is electrically connected to the control module assembled in the control module mounting slot.

10. The refrigerator door according to claim 9, characterized in that, The control module includes: a leakage current detection circuit and a controller. The leakage current detection circuit includes a voltage driving module, a sampling resistor, and a current detection module; both the current detection module and the voltage driving module are electrically connected to the controller; the voltage driving module is electrically connected to the electrodes of the electrowetting display unit through the second electrical connection structure and the first electrical connection structure. Each sampling resistor is individually connected in series in the current loop between the second electrical connection structure and the first electrical connection structure matched by each corresponding electrowetting display unit, and the current loops of each electrowetting unit are isolated from each other. The controller is configured to output a drive control signal to the voltage drive module; The voltage driving module is configured to output a driving voltage to the corresponding electrowetting display unit according to the driving control signal, so as to realize the display of the image; The current detection module is configured to acquire the current signal of the sampling resistor and process it to generate the corresponding detection signal of the electrowetting display unit. The controller is configured to determine the current leakage current value of the corresponding electrowetting display unit based on the received detection signal, and generate a compensation control signal based on the current leakage current value.

11. The refrigerator door according to claim 10, characterized in that, The refrigerator door includes one or more display zones, and the sub-patterns corresponding to the one or more display zones constitute the target pattern. When responding to the same drive control signal, at least two electrowetting display modules located in different display zones display the same sub-pattern, and the sub-patterns of all display zones together constitute the target pattern; When responded to an independent drive control signal, at least two electrowetting display modules located in different display zones display different sub-patterns, and the sub-patterns of all display zones together constitute the target pattern.

12. A method for controlling the display pattern on a refrigerator door according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that, The control method includes: Obtain the target pattern; The target pattern is decomposed into target display state parameters corresponding to each electrowetting display unit in the electrowetting display module; Based on the target display state parameters, determine the driving parameters corresponding to each electrowetting display unit; A drive control signal is generated based on the drive parameters, and the drive control signal is applied to the electrowetting display unit in the electrowetting display module so that the electrowetting display module displays the target pattern.

13. The control method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The acquisition of the target pattern further includes: The display zones of the refrigerator door are determined based on the target refrigerator model; In response to a user's pattern selection instruction for at least one display zone on the refrigerator door, the target pattern selected by the user is determined; According to the pattern selection instruction, the target pattern is mapped to the corresponding display partition; Upon receiving the user's pattern confirmation command, the target pattern is displayed.

14. The control method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The step of decomposing the target pattern into target display state parameters corresponding to each electrowetting display unit in the electrowetting display module further includes: The target pattern is divided into sub-patterns corresponding to the display zones of the refrigerator door; Obtain image feature values ​​at the positions of each electrowetting display unit in the sub-pattern, wherein the image feature values ​​include at least pattern brightness features; Based on the preset mapping relationship between image feature values ​​and aperture ratio, the image feature values ​​are converted into the target aperture ratio and / or target coverage ratio of the corresponding electrowetting display unit. The target aperture ratio represents the ratio of the bottom visible area exposed after the coloring oil phase in the electrowetting display unit retracts to the total visible area of ​​the electrowetting display unit. The target coverage ratio represents the ratio of the coverage area of ​​the coloring oil phase in the electrowetting display unit to the total visible area of ​​the electrowetting display unit. The target aperture ratio and / or the target coverage ratio are used as target display status parameters.

15. The control method according to claim 14, characterized in that, The electrowetting display module includes at least one color display pixel, and the color display pixel includes a plurality of electrowetting display units stacked sequentially along a first direction. The plurality of electrowetting display units display different colors in the first direction, and the plurality of electrowetting display units each have a coloring oil phase of different colors. The process of decomposing the target pattern into target display state parameters corresponding to each electrowetting display unit in the electrowetting display module further includes: The target pattern is divided into sub-patterns corresponding to the number of display zones on the refrigerator door; Obtain the image feature values ​​at the positions of each electrowetting display unit in the sub-pattern, wherein the image feature values ​​also include color channels and color weights; Based on the stacking order of electrowetting display units of different colors along the first direction, the color parameters of the electrowetting display units at the corresponding positions of each sub-pattern are determined. The color parameters include the color of the coloring oil phase and the color superposition relationship of each electrowetting display unit in the color display pixel. Based on the preset mapping relationship between image feature values ​​and color parameters, and the preset mapping relationship between image feature values ​​and aperture ratio, the image feature values ​​are converted into the target aperture ratio and / or target coverage of the corresponding electrowetting display unit; The color parameter, the target aperture ratio, and / or the target coverage ratio are used as target display status parameters.

16. The control method according to claim 12, characterized in that, Based on the target display state parameters, the driving parameters corresponding to each electrowetting display unit are determined, further including: Based on the preset mapping relationship between contact angle and aperture ratio, the contact angle required for the electrowetting display unit to achieve the target aperture ratio is determined; Determine the driving voltage based on the contact angle; The driving duration, driving waveform, and refresh sequence of the corresponding electrowetting display unit are determined based on the driving voltage.

17. The control method according to claim 16, characterized in that, The control method further includes: Obtain the current leakage current value of at least one electrowetting display unit when it is in display state; Based on the current leakage current value, it is determined whether the electrowetting display unit is in a droplet drift state. When the determination result is that the electrowetting display unit is in a droplet drift state, a compensation control signal is generated and applied to the corresponding electrowetting display unit. The droplet drift state indicates the degree of offset of the electrowetting display unit when the refrigerator door is installed vertically, affected by one or more of the following factors: gravity, installation environment, and opening and closing of the refrigerator door.

18. A method for compensating the stability of a refrigerator door according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that, The stability compensation method includes: Determine the target display status parameters of each electrowetting display unit in the electrowetting display module based on the target pattern; A drive control signal is generated based on the target display state parameters, and the drive control signal is applied to the electrowetting display unit; Obtain the current leakage current value of at least one electrowetting display unit when it is in display state; Based on the current leakage current value, it is determined whether the electrowetting display unit is in a droplet drift state. When the determination result is that the electrowetting display unit is in a droplet drift state, a compensation command is generated. The droplet drift state indicates the degree of offset of the electrowetting display unit when the refrigerator door is installed vertically, which is affected by one or more of the following factors: gravity, installation environment, and opening and closing of the refrigerator door. A compensation control signal is generated according to the compensation instruction, and the compensation control signal is applied to the corresponding electrowetting display unit.

19. The stability compensation method according to claim 18, characterized in that, The step of determining whether the electrowetting display unit is in a droplet drift state based on the current leakage current value includes: Determine the reference leakage current value based on the target display status parameters; The deviation between the reference leakage current value and the current leakage current value is compared. When the deviation value is greater than the preset upper limit of deviation or less than the preset lower limit of deviation, the electrowetting display unit is determined to be in a droplet drift state.

20. The stability compensation method according to claim 19, characterized in that, The step of generating a compensation control signal according to the compensation instruction includes: The current aperture ratio and / or current coverage ratio of the electrowetting display unit are determined based on the current leakage current value. Obtain the target aperture ratio and / or target coverage corresponding to the target display status parameters; A compensation coefficient is determined based on a first difference between the current aperture ratio and the target aperture ratio, and / or a second difference between the current coverage ratio and the target coverage ratio, wherein the compensation coefficient is positively correlated with the first difference, and / or the compensation coefficient is positively correlated with the second difference; The compensation control signal is generated by compensating and correcting the current driving voltage based on the compensation coefficient.

21. The stability compensation method according to claim 20, characterized in that, The current driving voltage is compensated and corrected according to the compensation coefficient, satisfying the following formula: ； in, The corrected driving voltage for the i-th electrowetting display unit; For the first The current reference drive voltage for each electrowetting display unit; The compensation coefficient is... The deviation between the reference leakage current value and the current leakage current value.

22. A refrigerator, characterized in that, The refrigerator includes: Refrigerator door according to any one of claims 1 to 11; A control module, connected to the electrowetting display module, is used to generate a drive control signal in response to a user command to drive the electrowetting display module to display a target pattern.

23. The refrigerator according to claim 22, characterized in that, The refrigerator also includes at least one of an operation panel, a storage module, and a communication module; The operation panel is connected to the control module and is used to receive user commands. The storage module is connected to the control module and is used to store target pattern data; The communication module is connected to the control module and is used to communicate with the smart terminal.

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