Method and apparatus for temperature control of a refrigerator appliance

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a temperature control method and device of a refrigerator, and relates to the technical field of refrigerator devices. The method comprises: obtaining a first temperature of a target compartment air inlet area and a second temperature of a target compartment air return area; determining an air inlet-return temperature difference of the target compartment according to the first temperature and the second temperature; if the air inlet-return temperature difference is greater than or equal to a first preset temperature difference threshold, controlling the refrigerator to enter an anti-freezing mode, and the anti-freezing mode is used for controlling the air door to be intermittently opened according to an opening duty cycle of the air door, wherein the opening duty cycle is used to represent a proportion of an opening time length of the air door in a total time length in an intermittent opening cycle. The method can make the temperature of the air inlet area naturally rise in the stage of stopping air supply when the air door is closed, thereby helping to avoid the food materials near the air inlet being frozen due to long-time direct blowing of cold air, and thus the fresh-keeping effect of the target compartment is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of refrigerator equipment technology, and in particular to a temperature control method and device for refrigerator equipment. Background Technology

[0002] During refrigerator operation, the preservation effect of stored food is affected by various factors, among which temperature is one of the most direct and critical factors. Therefore, it is necessary to control the temperature of the target compartment (such as the refrigerator compartment). Currently, refrigerators can use temperature sensors to collect the real-time temperature of the target compartment. By controlling the deviation between the real-time temperature of the target compartment and the set temperature, the compressor's start / stop or the air vent opening is controlled to achieve temperature control of the target compartment. However, when a large amount of food is piled up, obstructing the circulation of cold air, the temperature in different areas inside the target compartment may vary. This causes the accuracy of the real-time temperature collected by the sensor to be reduced due to the influence of local temperature. In this case, food near the air inlet may freeze due to prolonged direct exposure to cold air, affecting the preservation effect of the target compartment. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To overcome the problems existing in related technologies, this disclosure provides a temperature control method and device for refrigerator equipment.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a temperature control method for a refrigerator is provided, comprising:

[0005] Obtain the first temperature of the air inlet area of ​​the target room and the second temperature of the air return area of ​​the target room;

[0006] The inlet and outlet air temperature difference of the target room is determined based on the first temperature and the second temperature.

[0007] If the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature difference threshold, the refrigerator is controlled to enter the anti-freeze mode. The anti-freeze mode is used to control the damper to open intermittently according to the duty cycle of the damper opening duration. The duty cycle of the opening duration is used to represent the proportion of the opening duration of the damper to the total duration of the cycle in an intermittent opening cycle.

[0008] In some embodiments, determining the duty cycle of the opening duration of the damper includes: acquiring the ambient temperature of the refrigerator; and determining the duty cycle of the opening duration of the damper based on the ambient temperature, the duty cycle coefficient of the ambient temperature, the temperature difference between the inlet and return air, and the duty cycle coefficient of the temperature difference between the inlet and return air.

[0009] In some embodiments, the duty cycle coefficient of the ambient temperature is positively correlated with the ambient temperature; the duty cycle coefficient of the inlet and return air temperature difference is negatively correlated with the inlet and return air temperature difference.

[0010] In some embodiments, the temperature control method further includes: acquiring the ambient temperature of the refrigerator device; determining the target temperature range in which the ambient temperature is located; and determining a first preset temperature difference threshold corresponding to the target temperature range from the correspondence between the temperature range and the preset temperature difference threshold based on the target temperature range.

[0011] In some embodiments, the temperature control method further includes: obtaining a third temperature in the central region of the target room; if the inlet and outlet air temperature difference is less than the first preset temperature difference threshold, then controlling the operating state of the compressor and damper according to the third temperature.

[0012] In some embodiments, controlling the operating state of the compressor and damper based on the third temperature includes: if the third temperature is greater than the start-up temperature, controlling the compressor to start and opening the damper, wherein the start-up temperature is greater than the target room temperature set by the user; if the third temperature is less than or equal to the stop temperature, controlling the compressor to stop and closing the damper, wherein the stop temperature is less than the target room temperature; if the third temperature is less than the stop temperature but greater than or equal to the start-up temperature, controlling the compressor and damper to remain in their current state.

[0013] In some embodiments, the temperature control method further includes: acquiring the ambient temperature of the refrigerator device; controlling the opening of the damper according to the ambient temperature, or controlling the opening of the damper according to the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air.

[0014] In some embodiments, controlling the opening of the damper according to the ambient temperature includes: if the ambient temperature is less than or equal to a first preset temperature, controlling the opening of the damper to be less than or equal to the first preset opening; if the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to a second preset temperature, controlling the opening of the damper to be greater than or equal to the second preset opening.

[0015] In some embodiments, controlling the opening of the damper based on the temperature difference between the inlet and return air includes: if the temperature difference between the inlet and return air is greater than or equal to a third preset temperature difference threshold, then controlling the opening of the damper to be less than or equal to a first preset opening; if the temperature difference between the inlet and return air is less than or equal to a fourth preset temperature difference threshold, then controlling the opening of the damper to be greater than or equal to a second preset opening.

[0016] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a temperature control device for a refrigerator is provided, the temperature control device comprising:

[0017] The data acquisition module is configured to acquire the first temperature of the air inlet area of ​​the target room and the second temperature of the air return area of ​​the target room;

[0018] The determination module is configured to determine the inlet and outlet air temperature difference of the target room based on the first temperature and the second temperature;

[0019] The control module is configured to control the refrigerator to enter an anti-freeze mode if the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air is greater than or equal to a first preset temperature difference threshold. The anti-freeze mode is used to control the damper to open intermittently according to the duty cycle of the damper opening duration, wherein the duty cycle of the opening duration is used to represent the proportion of the opening duration of the damper to the total duration of the cycle in an intermittent opening cycle.

[0020] In some embodiments, the control module determines the duty cycle of the opening duration of the damper, including: acquiring the ambient temperature of the refrigerator; and determining the duty cycle of the opening duration of the damper based on the ambient temperature, the duty cycle coefficient of the ambient temperature, the temperature difference between the inlet and return air, and the duty cycle coefficient of the temperature difference between the inlet and return air.

[0021] In some embodiments, the duty cycle coefficient of the ambient temperature is positively correlated with the ambient temperature; the duty cycle coefficient of the inlet and return air temperature difference is negatively correlated with the inlet and return air temperature difference.

[0022] In some embodiments, the control module is further configured to acquire the ambient temperature of the refrigerator device; determine the target temperature range in which the ambient temperature is located; and determine a first preset temperature difference threshold corresponding to the target temperature range from the correspondence between the temperature range and the preset temperature difference threshold.

[0023] In some embodiments, the control module is further configured to acquire a third temperature in the central region of the target room; if the inlet and outlet air temperature difference is less than the first preset temperature difference threshold, then control the operating status of the compressor and damper according to the third temperature.

[0024] In some embodiments, the control module controls the operating state of the compressor and the damper based on the third temperature, including: if the third temperature is greater than the start-up temperature, controlling the compressor to start and opening the damper, wherein the start-up temperature is greater than the target room temperature set by the user; if the third temperature is less than or equal to the stop temperature, controlling the compressor to stop and closing the damper, wherein the stop temperature is less than the target room temperature; if the third temperature is less than the stop temperature but greater than or equal to the start-up temperature, controlling the compressor and the damper to remain in their current state.

[0025] In some embodiments, the control module is further configured to acquire the ambient temperature of the refrigerator device; control the opening of the damper according to the ambient temperature, or control the opening of the damper according to the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air.

[0026] In some embodiments, the control module controls the opening of the damper according to the ambient temperature, including: if the ambient temperature is less than or equal to a first preset temperature, controlling the opening of the damper to be less than or equal to the first preset opening; if the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to a second preset temperature, controlling the opening of the damper to be greater than or equal to the second preset opening.

[0027] In some embodiments, the control module controls the opening of the damper according to the temperature difference between the inlet and return air, including: if the temperature difference between the inlet and return air is greater than or equal to a third preset temperature difference threshold, then controlling the opening of the damper to be less than or equal to a first preset opening; if the temperature difference between the inlet and return air is less than or equal to a fourth preset temperature difference threshold, then controlling the opening of the damper to be greater than or equal to a second preset opening.

[0028] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a refrigerator device is provided, including a processor, a communication component, and a memory. The processor is communicatively connected to the communication component and the memory. The memory is used to store computer-executed instructions. The communication component is used to communicate and interact with external devices. The processor is used to execute the computer-executed instructions stored in the memory to implement the temperature control method of the refrigerator device as described above.

[0029] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that, when instructions in the computer-readable storage medium are executed by a processor of a refrigerator device, enables the refrigerator device to implement the temperature control method of the refrigerator device as described above.

[0030] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program product is provided, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor of a refrigerator device, enables the refrigerator device to implement the temperature control method of the refrigerator device as described above.

[0031] The present disclosure provides a temperature control method and apparatus for a refrigerator. The method includes: acquiring a first temperature of the air inlet area of ​​a target compartment and a second temperature of the air return area of ​​the target compartment; determining the air inlet and return temperature difference of the target compartment based on the first temperature and the second temperature; if the air inlet and return temperature difference is greater than or equal to a first preset temperature difference threshold, controlling the refrigerator to enter an anti-freeze mode. The anti-freeze mode is used to control the damper to open intermittently according to the opening duration duty cycle of the damper, wherein the opening duration duty cycle is used to represent the proportion of the opening duration of the damper to the total duration of the cycle in an intermittent opening cycle. In this embodiment, since the temperature difference between the incoming and outgoing air can reflect the air circulation in the target room, when the temperature difference between the incoming and outgoing air is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature difference threshold, the air circulation in the target room is poor. At this time, by controlling the intermittent opening of the air damper, the temperature balance between the upper and lower layers of the target room can be achieved by utilizing the natural sinking characteristic of cold air during the air damper closing and stopping the air supply. This allows the temperature in the air inlet area to rise naturally, thereby helping to prevent food near the air inlet from freezing due to prolonged direct cold air blowing, thus improving the preservation effect of the target room.

[0032] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. 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] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a temperature control method for a refrigerator device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0035] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a temperature control method for a refrigerator device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0036] Figure 3 This is a block diagram illustrating a temperature control device for a refrigerator according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0037] Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating a refrigerator device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0038] Some embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. Various changes, modifications, and equivalents of the methods, apparatus, and / or systems described herein will become apparent upon understanding this disclosure. For example, the order of operations described herein is merely illustrative and is not limited to those orders set forth herein, but can be changed as will become apparent upon understanding this disclosure, except for operations that must be performed in a particular order. Furthermore, for clarity and brevity, descriptions of features known in the art may be omitted.

[0039] The embodiments described in the following examples of this disclosure are not representative of all embodiments consistent with this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

[0040] During refrigerator operation, the preservation effect of stored food is affected by various factors, among which temperature is one of the most direct and critical factors. Therefore, it is necessary to control the temperature of the target compartment (such as the refrigerator compartment). Currently, refrigerators can use temperature sensors to collect the real-time temperature of the target compartment. By controlling the deviation between the real-time temperature of the target compartment and the set temperature, the compressor's start / stop or the air vent opening is controlled to achieve temperature control of the target compartment. However, when a large amount of food is piled up, obstructing the circulation of cold air, the temperature in different areas inside the target compartment may vary. This causes the accuracy of the real-time temperature collected by the sensor to be reduced due to the influence of local temperature. In this case, food near the air inlet may freeze due to prolonged direct exposure to cold air, affecting the preservation effect of the target compartment.

[0041] Therefore, how to avoid food freezing in order to improve the preservation effect of the target compartment is a key technical problem that urgently needs to be solved.

[0042] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application proposes the following technical concept: based on the temperature difference between the air inlet area and the air return area of ​​the target compartment, the refrigerator is controlled to enter an anti-freeze mode, and the intermittent opening of the damper is controlled by the duty cycle of the damper opening duration to achieve anti-freeze protection for the food in the target compartment.

[0043] Optionally, the specific steps may include: first, obtaining a first temperature of the air inlet area of ​​the target compartment and a second temperature of the air return area of ​​the target compartment; then, determining the air inlet and return temperature difference of the target compartment based on the first and second temperatures; finally, if the air inlet and return temperature difference is greater than or equal to a first preset temperature difference threshold, controlling the refrigerator to enter the anti-freeze mode. The anti-freeze mode is used to control the intermittent opening of the damper according to the duty cycle of the damper opening duration, wherein the duty cycle of the opening duration is used to represent the proportion of the opening duration of the damper to the total duration of the cycle within an intermittent opening cycle.

[0044] In this embodiment, since the temperature difference between the incoming and outgoing air can reflect the air circulation in the target room, when the temperature difference between the incoming and outgoing air is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature difference threshold, the air circulation in the target room is poor. At this time, by controlling the intermittent opening of the air damper, the temperature balance between the upper and lower layers of the target room can be achieved by utilizing the natural sinking characteristic of cold air during the air damper closing and stopping the air supply. This allows the temperature in the air inlet area to rise naturally, thereby helping to prevent food near the air inlet from freezing due to prolonged direct cold air blowing, thus improving the preservation effect of the target room.

[0045] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present disclosure, the present disclosure will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0046] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a temperature control method for a refrigerator device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the temperature control method includes:

[0047] S101. Obtain the first temperature of the air inlet area of ​​the target room and the second temperature of the air return area of ​​the target room.

[0048] In embodiments of this disclosure, the refrigerator device may include one or more refrigerator compartments. When the refrigerator device includes multiple refrigerator compartments, the target compartment may be any one of the multiple refrigerator compartments.

[0049] In some embodiments, a first temperature sensor is installed at the air inlet of the target room to collect the temperature of the cold air entering the target room. A second temperature sensor is installed at the air return vent of the target room to collect the temperature of the cold air returning after passing through the target room. Optionally, this step may include: obtaining a first temperature in the air inlet area of ​​the target room using the first temperature sensor, and obtaining a second temperature in the air return vent area of ​​the target room using the second temperature sensor.

[0050] Optionally, a first temperature in the air inlet area of ​​the target compartment and a second temperature in the air return area of ​​the target compartment can be acquired periodically. In this embodiment, the duration of the aforementioned period is not specifically limited. For example, the period duration can be 5 seconds, 10 seconds, or 15 seconds, etc.

[0051] For example, the first temperature can be expressed as T. in The second temperature can be expressed as T. return .

[0052] S102. Determine the inlet and outlet air temperature difference of the target room based on the first temperature and the second temperature.

[0053] In this embodiment, the temperature difference between the inlet and return air can be obtained by subtracting the first temperature from the second temperature, reflecting the airflow within the target room. When the temperature difference is small, the airflow within the target room is good, indicating that the food in the target room does not obstruct the airflow. When the temperature difference is large, the airflow within the target room is poor, indicating that the food in the target room is obstructing the airflow.

[0054] For example, the first temperature can be expressed as T. in The second temperature can be expressed as T. return The temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air can be expressed as ∆T = T return -T in .

[0055] S103. If the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature difference threshold, the refrigerator is controlled to enter the anti-freeze mode. The anti-freeze mode is used to control the intermittent opening of the damper according to the duty cycle of the damper opening duration. The duty cycle of the opening duration is used to represent the proportion of the opening duration of the damper to the total duration of the cycle in an intermittent opening cycle.

[0056] In this embodiment, the refrigerator includes an anti-freeze mode and a normal mode. If the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air is greater than or equal to a first preset temperature difference threshold, the refrigerator is controlled to enter the anti-freeze mode; if the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air is less than the first preset temperature difference threshold, the refrigerator is controlled to enter the normal mode.

[0057] Optionally, an intermittent opening cycle includes the opening duration of the damper and the closing duration of the damper. For example, the total duration of an intermittent opening cycle can be expressed as t. protect The opening duration of the damper can be represented as t1, and the closing duration of the damper can be represented as t2; where t protect = t1 + t2.

[0058] The temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air reflects the airflow of cold air within the target compartment. When the temperature difference is large, it indicates that the cold air is not effectively absorbed and accumulates in the air inlet area, causing the temperature in that area to rise abnormally. In this case, the air damper can be opened intermittently. During the damper closure phase, the cold air relies on its natural sinking characteristic to slowly flow from the upper layer to the middle and lower layers, reducing the temperature difference and preventing food near the air inlet from freezing due to direct cold air blowing, thus improving the preservation effect of the target compartment.

[0059] In some embodiments, the duty cycle of the damper opening duration can be adjusted based on the ambient temperature and the temperature difference between the inlet and return air. Optionally, determining the duty cycle of the damper opening duration includes: acquiring the ambient temperature where the refrigerator is located; and determining the duty cycle of the damper opening duration based on the ambient temperature, the duty cycle coefficient of the ambient temperature, the temperature difference between the inlet and return air, and the duty cycle coefficient of the temperature difference between the inlet and return air. For example, the ambient temperature where the refrigerator is located can be the indoor temperature of the room where the refrigerator is located.

[0060] Optionally, the duty cycle of the damper opening duration can be determined using the following formula: based on the ambient temperature, the duty cycle factor of the ambient temperature, the temperature difference between the inlet and return air, and the duty cycle factor of the temperature difference between the inlet and return air.

[0061] Formula 1: D on =W env ×T env +W diff ×∆T;

[0062] Among them, D on W represents the duty cycle of the on / off state. env The duty cycle factor, T, represents the ambient temperature. env Indicates ambient temperature, W diff The duty cycle coefficient represents the temperature difference between the inlet and return air, and ∆T represents the temperature difference between the inlet and return air.

[0063] In this embodiment, the duty cycle of the damper opening duration can be adjusted according to the ambient temperature and the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air. Increasing the duty cycle of the opening duration can improve the cooling effect of the refrigerator, while decreasing the duty cycle of the opening duration can improve the antifreeze protection effect of the refrigerator. Thus, by dynamically adjusting the duty cycle of the damper opening duration, a dynamic balance between cooling effect and antifreeze protection under different operating conditions is achieved.

[0064] In some embodiments, the duty cycle coefficient of ambient temperature is positively correlated with ambient temperature, that is, the higher the ambient temperature, the larger the value of the duty cycle coefficient of ambient temperature. The duty cycle coefficient of the inlet and return air temperature difference is negatively correlated with the inlet and return air temperature difference, that is, the larger the inlet and return air temperature difference, the smaller the value of the duty cycle coefficient of the inlet and return air temperature difference.

[0065] Optionally, the greater the temperature difference between the inlet and return air, the smaller the product of the temperature difference between the inlet and return air and the duty cycle coefficient of the temperature difference between the inlet and return air, and the smaller the duty cycle of the operating time.

[0066] In this embodiment, by reducing the duty cycle of the damper's opening time and increasing the duration of the damper's closure, the temperature in the air inlet area naturally rises, thus helping to prevent food near the air inlet from freezing due to prolonged direct exposure to cold air. Furthermore, since the duty cycle coefficient of ambient temperature is positively correlated with ambient temperature, increasing the duty cycle of the damper in high-temperature environments can prioritize ensuring the cooling effect, while reducing the duty cycle of the damper in low-temperature environments can prioritize the implementation of anti-freezing protection. Therefore, a dynamic balance between cooling effect and anti-freezing protection is achieved.

[0067] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the value of the first preset temperature difference threshold is not specifically limited. For example, the first preset temperature difference threshold is 3℃, 4℃, or 5℃, etc. The first preset temperature difference threshold can be represented as k.

[0068] In some embodiments, the first preset temperature difference threshold can be dynamically adjusted based on the ambient temperature of the refrigerator. Optionally, the temperature control method further includes: acquiring the ambient temperature of the refrigerator; determining the target temperature range of the ambient temperature; and determining the first preset temperature difference threshold corresponding to the target temperature range from the correspondence between the temperature range and the preset temperature difference threshold.

[0069] Optionally, the temperature range includes a first ambient temperature range, a second ambient temperature range, and a third ambient temperature range. The first ambient temperature range is an ambient temperature range where the temperature is less than or equal to a first temperature value; the second ambient temperature range is an ambient temperature range where the temperature is greater than the first temperature value and less than or equal to a second temperature value; the third ambient temperature range is an ambient temperature range where the temperature is greater than the second temperature value; wherein the first temperature value is lower than the second temperature value.

[0070] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the values ​​of the first temperature value and the second temperature value are not specifically limited. For example, the first temperature value is 18°C ​​and the second temperature value is 32°C; in this case, the first ambient temperature range is the ambient temperature range with a temperature less than or equal to 18°C; the second ambient temperature range is (18°C, 32°C); and the third ambient temperature range is the ambient temperature range with a temperature greater than 32°C.

[0071] Optionally, the ambient temperature of the refrigerator is positively correlated with a preset temperature difference threshold. For example, the preset temperature difference threshold corresponding to the first ambient temperature range is less than the preset temperature difference threshold corresponding to the second ambient temperature range; the preset temperature difference threshold corresponding to the second ambient temperature range is less than the preset temperature difference threshold corresponding to the third ambient temperature range.

[0072] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, when the ambient temperature is high, the temperature recovery rate of the target compartment is also high. At this time, by increasing the preset temperature difference threshold, the refrigerator can be made to enter the normal cooling mode first, thereby ensuring the refrigeration effect of the refrigerator. When the ambient temperature is low, the temperature recovery rate of the target compartment is also low. At this time, by decreasing the preset temperature difference threshold, the refrigerator can be made to enter the anti-freeze mode first, thereby ensuring the anti-freeze protection effect of the refrigerator.

[0073] In some embodiments, a first temperature sensor is used to collect the temperature of the cold air entering the target chamber, and the temperature collected by the first temperature sensor is lower than the temperature of the target chamber. A second temperature sensor is used to collect the temperature of the cold air returning after passing through the target chamber, and the temperature collected by the second temperature sensor is higher than the temperature of the target chamber. To accurately obtain the temperature of the target chamber, this application installs a third temperature sensor at the center of the target chamber to collect the temperature of the target chamber, and controls the start / stop status of the compressor and damper based on the temperature of the target chamber.

[0074] Optionally, such as Figure 2 As shown, the temperature control method further includes: S104, obtaining the third temperature of the central region of the target room; if the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air is less than the first preset temperature difference threshold, then controlling the operating status of the compressor and the damper according to the third temperature.

[0075] In this embodiment of the disclosure, since the accuracy of the target compartment temperature can be improved by using a third temperature sensor, the operating status of the compressor and damper can be controlled by the third temperature collected by the third temperature sensor, thereby improving the cooling effect and stability of the refrigerator equipment.

[0076] Specifically, based on the third temperature, the operating status of the compressor and damper is controlled as follows: if the third temperature is greater than the start-up temperature, the compressor is controlled to start and the damper is opened, and the start-up temperature is greater than the target room temperature set by the user; if the third temperature is less than or equal to the stop temperature, the compressor is controlled to stop and the damper is closed, and the stop temperature is less than the target room temperature; if the third temperature is less than the stop temperature but greater than or equal to the start-up temperature, the compressor and damper are controlled to remain in their current state.

[0077] Specifically, the start-up temperature is higher than the target room temperature, and the stop-down temperature is lower than the target room temperature. For example, if the target room temperature is 3°C, the start-up temperature could be 5°C, and the stop-down temperature could be 1°C.

[0078] For example, the third temperature can be represented as T. mid The start-up temperature can be expressed as T. on The shutdown point temperature can be expressed as T. off When T mid >Ton When T is detected, it is determined that the target room temperature is too high. At this point, the compressor is activated and the damper is opened to deliver cooling to the target room. mid ≤T off When the target room temperature is determined to have reached the standard, the compressor is shut down and the damper is closed to stop cooling. off ≤T mid <T on When the third temperature is determined to be within the hysteresis range of the target temperature, the compressor and damper are controlled to remain in their current state.

[0079] In this embodiment, when the third temperature is greater than the start-up temperature, the compressor is controlled to start and the damper is opened; when the third temperature is less than or equal to the stop-down temperature, the compressor is controlled to stop and the damper is closed. This control logic avoids frequent start-stop of the compressor by controlling the hysteresis range of the target temperature, thus improving the cooling effect and stability of the refrigerator.

[0080] In some embodiments, after one or more intermittent on-off cycles, it can be determined whether the refrigerator meets the conditions for exiting the antifreeze mode. Optionally, the temperature control method further includes: determining the inlet and return air temperature difference of the target compartment according to a preset cycle, wherein the preset cycle is a multiple of the intermittent on-off cycle; if the inlet and return air temperature difference is less than a second preset temperature difference threshold, then controlling the refrigerator to exit the antifreeze mode.

[0081] In this embodiment, the value of the second preset temperature difference threshold is not specifically limited. For example, the second preset temperature difference threshold is 3℃, 4℃, or 5℃, etc. The second preset temperature difference threshold can be expressed as k. return If the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air, ∆T, is less than k. return Then control the refrigerator to exit anti-freeze mode; if the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air ∆T ≥ k return If so, the anti-freeze mode will be maintained.

[0082] In some embodiments, the opening of the damper can be dynamically adjusted according to the ambient temperature of the refrigerator, thereby adjusting the air intake volume. Optionally, the temperature control method further includes: acquiring the ambient temperature of the refrigerator; controlling the opening of the damper according to the ambient temperature, or controlling the opening of the damper according to the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air.

[0083] Optionally, controlling the opening of the damper according to the ambient temperature includes: if the ambient temperature is less than or equal to a first preset temperature, controlling the opening of the damper to be less than or equal to the first preset opening; if the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to a second preset temperature, controlling the opening of the damper to be greater than or equal to the second preset opening.

[0084] In this embodiment of the disclosure, since the heat load loss of the refrigerator is small when the ambient temperature is low, the damper can be opened at a small angle to ensure basic cooling input and avoid overcooling. When the ambient temperature is high, the heat load loss of the refrigerator is high, so the damper can be opened fully to cool down quickly, ensuring the cooling needs of the refrigerator and thus helping to improve the cooling effect of the refrigerator.

[0085] Optionally, the opening of the damper is controlled according to the temperature difference between the inlet and return air, including: if the temperature difference between the inlet and return air is greater than or equal to a third preset temperature difference threshold, the opening of the damper is controlled to be less than or equal to a first preset opening; if the temperature difference between the inlet and return air is less than or equal to a fourth preset temperature difference threshold, the opening of the damper is controlled to be greater than or equal to a second preset opening.

[0086] In this embodiment, when the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air is large, the damper can be opened at a small angle to ensure basic cooling input and avoid overcooling; when the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air is small, the damper can be fully opened to quickly cool down, thus ensuring the cooling needs of the refrigerator and improving the cooling effect of the refrigerator.

[0087] This disclosure provides a temperature control method for a refrigerator: acquiring a first temperature in the air inlet area of ​​a target compartment and a second temperature in the air return area of ​​the target compartment; determining the air inlet and return temperature difference of the target compartment based on the first and second temperatures; if the air inlet and return temperature difference is greater than or equal to a first preset temperature difference threshold, controlling the refrigerator to enter an anti-freeze mode. The anti-freeze mode is used to control the intermittent opening of the damper according to the duty cycle of the damper's opening duration, wherein the duty cycle of the opening duration is used to represent the proportion of the damper's opening duration to the total duration of the cycle within an intermittent opening cycle. In this embodiment, since the air inlet and return temperature difference can reflect the cold air circulation in the target compartment, when the air inlet and return temperature difference is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature difference threshold, the cold air circulation in the target compartment is poor. At this time, by controlling the damper to open intermittently, during the damper closing and stopping airflow, the temperature balance between the upper and lower layers of the target compartment can be achieved by utilizing the natural sinking characteristic of cold air, allowing the temperature in the air inlet area to naturally rise, thereby helping to prevent food near the air inlet from freezing due to prolonged direct cold air blowing, thus improving the preservation effect of the target compartment.

[0088] Figure 3 This is a block diagram illustrating a temperature control device for a refrigerator according to some embodiments of this disclosure. (Refer to...) Figure 3 The device includes:

[0089] The acquisition module 301 is configured to acquire the first temperature of the air inlet area of ​​the target room and the second temperature of the air return area of ​​the target room;

[0090] The determination module 302 is configured to determine the inlet and return air temperature difference of the target room based on the first temperature and the second temperature.

[0091] The control module 303 is configured to control the refrigerator to enter the anti-freeze mode if the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air is greater than or equal to a first preset temperature difference threshold. The anti-freeze mode is used to control the damper to open intermittently according to the duty cycle of the damper opening duration. The duty cycle of the opening duration is used to represent the proportion of the opening duration of the damper to the total duration of the cycle in an intermittent opening cycle.

[0092] In some embodiments, the control module 303 determines the duty cycle of the damper opening duration, including: acquiring the ambient temperature of the refrigerator; and determining the duty cycle of the damper opening duration based on the ambient temperature, the duty cycle coefficient of the ambient temperature, the temperature difference between the inlet and return air, and the duty cycle coefficient of the temperature difference between the inlet and return air.

[0093] In some embodiments, the duty cycle coefficient of ambient temperature is positively correlated with ambient temperature; the duty cycle coefficient of inlet and return air temperature difference is negatively correlated with inlet and return air temperature difference.

[0094] In some embodiments, the control module 303 is further configured to acquire the ambient temperature of the refrigerator device; determine the target temperature range in which the ambient temperature is located; and determine the first preset temperature difference threshold corresponding to the target temperature range from the correspondence between the temperature range and the preset temperature difference threshold based on the target temperature range.

[0095] In some embodiments, the control module 303 is further configured to acquire a third temperature in the central region of the target room; if the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air is less than a first preset temperature difference threshold, then control the operating status of the compressor and the damper according to the third temperature.

[0096] In some embodiments, the control module 303 controls the operating state of the compressor and the damper according to the third temperature, including: if the third temperature is greater than the start-up temperature, controlling the compressor to start and opening the damper, the start-up temperature being greater than the target room temperature set by the user; if the third temperature is less than or equal to the stop temperature, controlling the compressor to stop and closing the damper, the stop temperature being less than the target room temperature; if the third temperature is less than the stop temperature but greater than or equal to the start-up temperature, controlling the compressor and the damper to remain in their current state.

[0097] In some embodiments, the control module 303 is further configured to acquire the ambient temperature of the refrigerator device; control the opening of the damper according to the ambient temperature, or control the opening of the damper according to the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air.

[0098] In some embodiments, the control module 303 controls the opening of the damper according to the ambient temperature, including: if the ambient temperature is less than or equal to a first preset temperature, controlling the opening of the damper to be less than or equal to the first preset opening; if the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to a second preset temperature, controlling the opening of the damper to be greater than or equal to the second preset opening.

[0099] In some embodiments, the control module 303 controls the opening of the damper according to the temperature difference between the inlet and return air, including: if the temperature difference between the inlet and return air is greater than or equal to a third preset temperature difference threshold, then the opening of the damper is controlled to be less than or equal to a first preset opening; if the temperature difference between the inlet and return air is less than or equal to a fourth preset temperature difference threshold, then the opening of the damper is controlled to be greater than or equal to a second preset opening.

[0100] Regarding the apparatus in the above embodiments, the specific manner in which each module performs its operation has been described in detail in the embodiments concerning the temperature control method for refrigerator equipment, and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0101] Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating a refrigerator device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. (Refer to...) Figure 4 The refrigerator device 400 may include one or more of the following components: processing component 402, memory 404, power component 406, multimedia component 408, audio component 410, input / output (I / O) interface 412, sensor component 414, and communication component 416.

[0102] Processing component 402 typically controls the overall operation of the refrigerator device 400, including operations related to refrigeration, such as display, data communication, and temperature control. Processing component 402 may include one or more processors 420 to execute instructions to complete all or part of the steps of the temperature control method for the refrigerator device described above. Furthermore, processing component 402 may include one or more modules to facilitate interaction between processing component 402 and other components. For example, processing component 402 may include a multimedia module to facilitate interaction between multimedia component 408 and processing component 402.

[0103] Memory 404 is configured to store various types of data to support the operation of device 400. Examples of this data include instructions for any application operating on refrigerator device 400 or temperature control methods of the refrigerator device, contact data, phone book data, messages, pictures, videos, etc. Memory 404 can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device or a combination thereof, such as static random access memory (SRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic storage, flash memory, magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0104] The power supply component 406 provides power to the various components of the refrigerator appliance 400. The power supply component 406 may include a power management system, one or more power supplies, and other components associated with generating, managing, and distributing power to the refrigerator appliance 400.

[0105] Multimedia component 408 includes a screen that provides an output interface between the refrigerator device 400 and the user. In some embodiments, the screen may include a liquid crystal display (LCD) and a touch panel (TP). If the screen includes a touch panel, the screen may be implemented as a touchscreen to receive input signals from the user. The touch panel includes one or more touch sensors to sense touches, swipes, and gestures on the touch panel. The touch sensors may sense not only the boundaries of touch or swipe actions but also the duration and pressure associated with the touch or swipe operation. In some embodiments, multimedia component 408 includes a front-facing camera and / or a rear-facing camera. When the device 400 is in an operating mode, such as a shooting mode or a video mode, the front-facing camera and / or the rear-facing camera may receive external multimedia data. Each front-facing camera and rear-facing camera may be a fixed optical lens system or have focal length and optical zoom capabilities.

[0106] Audio component 410 is configured to output and / or input audio signals. For example, audio component 410 includes a microphone (MIC) configured to receive external audio signals when the refrigerator device 400 is in an operating mode, such as call mode, recording mode, and voice recognition mode. The received audio signals may be further stored in memory 404 or transmitted via communication component 416. In some embodiments, audio component 410 also includes a speaker for outputting audio signals.

[0107] I / O interface 412 provides an interface between processing component 402 and peripheral interface modules, such as keyboards, click wheels, buttons, etc. These buttons may include, but are not limited to, home buttons, volume buttons, power buttons, and lock buttons.

[0108] Sensor assembly 414 includes one or more sensors for providing state assessments of various aspects of the refrigerator device 400. For example, sensor assembly 414 may detect the open / closed state of the device 400, the relative positioning of components such as the display and keypad of the refrigerator device 400, changes in the position of the refrigerator device 400 or a component of the refrigerator device 400, the presence or absence of user contact with the refrigerator device 400, the orientation or acceleration / deceleration of the refrigerator device 400, and temperature changes of the refrigerator device 400. Sensor assembly 414 may include a proximity sensor configured to detect the presence of nearby objects without any physical contact. Sensor assembly 414 may also include a light sensor, such as a CMOS or CCD image sensor, for use in imaging applications. In some embodiments, sensor assembly 414 may also include an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a pressure sensor, or a temperature sensor.

[0109] Communication component 416 is configured to facilitate wired or wireless communication between the refrigerator device 400 and external devices. The refrigerator device 400 can access wireless networks based on communication standards, such as WiFi, 3G, 4G, 5G, other communication standards, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments of this disclosure, communication component 416 receives broadcast signals or broadcast-related information from an external broadcast management system via a broadcast channel. In some embodiments of this disclosure, communication component 416 also includes a near-field communication (NFC) module to facilitate short-range communication. For example, the NFC module may be implemented based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, Infrared Data Association (IrDA) technology, ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, Bluetooth (BT) technology, and other technologies.

[0110] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the refrigerator device 400 may be implemented by one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, or other electronic components to perform the temperature control method of the refrigerator device described above.

[0111] In some embodiments of this disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions is also provided, such as a memory 404 including instructions, which can be executed by a processor 420 of a refrigerator device 400 to complete the temperature control method of the refrigerator device. For example, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may be a ROM, random access memory (RAM), CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, and optical data storage device, etc.

[0112] In some embodiments of this disclosure, a computer program product is also provided, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor 420 of a refrigerator device 400, enables the refrigerator device 400 to implement the temperature control method of the refrigerator device as described above.

[0113] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the following claims.

[0114] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A temperature control method for a refrigerator, characterized in that, The temperature control method includes: Obtain the first temperature of the air inlet area of ​​the target room and the second temperature of the air return area of ​​the target room; The inlet and outlet air temperature difference of the target room is determined based on the first temperature and the second temperature. If the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature difference threshold, the refrigerator is controlled to enter the anti-freeze mode. The anti-freeze mode is used to control the damper to open intermittently according to the duty cycle of the damper opening duration. The duty cycle of the opening duration is used to represent the proportion of the opening duration of the damper to the total duration of the cycle in an intermittent opening cycle.

2. The temperature control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The duty cycle of the damper's opening duration is determined according to the following method: Obtain the ambient temperature of the refrigerator device; The duty cycle of the damper's opening duration is determined based on the ambient temperature, the duty cycle coefficient of the ambient temperature, the temperature difference between the inlet and return air, and the duty cycle coefficient of the temperature difference between the inlet and return air.

3. The temperature control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The duty cycle coefficient of the ambient temperature is positively correlated with the ambient temperature; the duty cycle coefficient of the inlet and return air temperature difference is negatively correlated with the inlet and return air temperature difference.

4. The temperature control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature control method further includes: Obtain the ambient temperature of the refrigerator device; Determine the target temperature range within which the ambient temperature falls; Based on the target temperature range, the first preset temperature difference threshold corresponding to the target temperature range is determined from the correspondence between the temperature range and the preset temperature difference threshold.

5. The temperature control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature control method further includes: Obtain the third temperature in the central region of the target compartment; If the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air is less than the first preset temperature difference threshold, the operating status of the compressor and damper is controlled according to the third temperature.

6. The temperature control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The step of controlling the operating status of the compressor and damper based on the third temperature includes: If the third temperature is greater than the start-up temperature, the compressor is controlled to start and the damper is opened. The start-up temperature is greater than the target room temperature set by the user. If the third temperature is less than or equal to the stop point temperature, then control the compressor to shut down and close the damper, wherein the stop point temperature is less than the target temperature of the target room; If the third temperature is less than the shutdown point temperature but greater than or equal to the startup point temperature, then the compressor and damper are controlled to remain in their current state.

7. The temperature control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature control method further includes: Obtain the ambient temperature of the refrigerator device; The opening of the damper is controlled according to the ambient temperature, or according to the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air.

8. The temperature control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The step of controlling the opening degree of the damper based on the ambient temperature includes: If the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the first preset temperature, then the opening degree of the damper is controlled to be less than or equal to the first preset opening degree; If the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to the second preset temperature, then the opening degree of the damper is controlled to be greater than or equal to the second preset opening degree.

9. The temperature control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The step of controlling the opening of the damper based on the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air includes: If the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air is greater than or equal to the third preset temperature difference threshold, then the opening of the damper is controlled to be less than or equal to the first preset opening. If the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air is less than or equal to the fourth preset temperature difference threshold, then the opening degree of the damper is controlled to be greater than or equal to the second preset opening degree.

10. A temperature control device for a refrigerator, characterized in that, The temperature control device includes: The data acquisition module is configured to acquire the first temperature of the air inlet area of ​​the target room and the second temperature of the air return area of ​​the target room; The determination module is configured to determine the inlet and outlet air temperature difference of the target room based on the first temperature and the second temperature; The control module is configured to control the refrigerator to enter an anti-freeze mode if the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet air is greater than or equal to a first preset temperature difference threshold. The anti-freeze mode is used to control the damper to open intermittently according to the duty cycle of the damper opening duration, wherein the duty cycle of the opening duration is used to represent the proportion of the opening duration of the damper to the total duration of the cycle in an intermittent opening cycle.

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