Refrigerator and home appliance

Abstract

A refrigerator includes: a storage compartment; a motor; a door configured to open and close the storage compartment; a compressor configured to supply cold air to the storage compartment, and configured to compress a refrigerant using rotation of the motor; a first printed board assembly (PBA) including: a first communication circuit including a first low pass filter that comprises a first variable resistor and a first variable capacitor, and a first processor connected to the first communication circuit; and a second PBA including: a second communication circuit including a second low pass filter that comprises a second variable resistor and a second variable capacitor, and a second processor connected to the second communication circuit, wherein the first processor is configured to: set a resistance value of the first variable resistor and a capacitance value of the first variable capacitor.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation application of International Application No. PCT / KR2025 / 007911, designating the United States, filed on Jun. 10, 2025, in the Korean Intellectual Property Receiving Office, which claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0095767, filed on Jul. 19, 2024, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.BACKGROUND1. Field

[0002] The disclosure relates to a refrigerator and a home appliance.2. Description of Related Art

[0003] A home appliance may include components that perform various functions and are disposed at various positions and may include a plurality of modules (e.g., hardware circuits such as processors, software codes, or combinations of those hardware circuits and software codes) for controlling the components. The plurality of modules sometimes need to communicate with each other to ensure smooth operation and control of the home appliance.

[0004] However, communication between internal modules of the home appliance may be affected by noise (e.g., noise generated by the operation of the home appliance). The noise may cause errors in communication between the internal modules. Therefore, it may be necessary to consider a method to appropriately reduce or eliminate noise affecting the communication circuit to ensure smooth communication between internal modules of the home appliance.

[0005] The above-described information may be provided as related art to help understanding of the disclosure. The foregoing cannot be claimed as, or used to determine, the prior art related to the present disclosure.SUMMARY

[0006] According to an aspect of the disclosure, a refrigerator includes: a storage compartment; a motor; a door configured to open and close the storage compartment; a compressor configured to supply cold air to the storage compartment, and configured to compress a refrigerant using rotation of the motor; a first printed board assembly (PBA) including: a first communication circuit including a first low pass filter that comprises a first variable resistor and a first variable capacitor, and a first processor connected to the first communication circuit; and a second PBA including: a second communication circuit including a second low pass filter that comprises a second variable resistor and a second variable capacitor, and a second processor connected to the second communication circuit, wherein the first processor is configured to: set a resistance value of the first variable resistor and a capacitance value of the first variable capacitor based on rotational speed information of the motor; and perform communication with the second processor using a asynchronous communication scheme (or communication scheme) through the first communication circuit.

[0007] The asynchronous communication scheme (or the communication scheme) may be a universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) communication scheme.

[0008] The first processor may be further configured to transmit, to the compressor or a control circuit of the compressor, a control signal corresponding to the rotational speed information of the motor.

[0009] The first processor may be further configured to: identify a change in the rotational speed information of the motor; and change the resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor, based on the change in the rotational speed information of the motor.

[0010] The first processor may be further configured to, based on a specified condition being met, update obtained setting value information based on a communication success rate, and wherein the setting value information includes a resistance setting value of the first variable resistor and a capacitance setting value of the first variable capacitor respectively corresponding to each of a plurality of rotational speeds that are within a rotational speed setting range of the motor.

[0011] The first processor may be further configured to, in a state in which the motor does not rotate, obtain a basic communication success rate for the communication performed with the second processor through the first communication circuit using the communication scheme, and determine a basic communication speed of the communication scheme based on the basic communication success rate.

[0012] The first processor may be further configured to: obtain, based on the rotational speed information about the motor, a combination of a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value to give a highest communication success rate to the communication with the second processor among combinations of settable resistance values and settable capacitance values; and change the obtained resistance setting value and the obtained capacitance setting value to the resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor, respectively.

[0013] The first communication circuit may further include a first field-effect transistor (FET), wherein a source of the first FET is connected to the first processor, wherein a drain of the first FET is connected to one end of the first low pass filter, and wherein another end of the first low pass filter is connected to an output end of the first communication circuit.

[0014] The resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor may be respectively set to a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value corresponding to the rotational speed information obtained based on a communication success rate for the communication performed with the second processor.

[0015] The first processor may be further configured to: set a rotational speed of the motor to a first rotational speed; set the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor to a first resistance value and a first capacitance value, respectively; obtain a first communication success rate which is the communication success rate for the communication performed with the second processor through the first communication circuit using the asynchronous communication scheme (or communication scheme) while the motor rotates according to the first rotational speed; determine whether the first communication success rate is greater than or equal to a previous communication success rate; and based on identifying that the first communication success rate is greater than or equal to the previous communication success rate, determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as a first resistance setting value and a first capacitance setting value, respectively, corresponding to the first rotational speed, and wherein the previous communication success rate is a communication success rate obtained at a previous time instance.

[0016] The first processor may be further configured to: based on identifying that the first communication success rate is greater than or equal to the previous communication success rate, determine whether the communication success rate is greater than or equal to a reference communication success rate; and based on identifying that the first communication success rate is greater than or equal to the reference communication success rate, determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as the first resistance setting value and the first capacitance setting value, respectively, corresponding to the first rotational speed.

[0017] The first processor may be further configured to, based on identifying that that the first communication success rate is lower than the reference communication success rate, determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as a temporary resistance setting value and a temporary capacitance setting value, respectively, corresponding to the first rotational speed.

[0018] The first processor may be further configured to reduce a communication speed of the asynchronous communication scheme (or communication scheme) based on identifying that none of communication success rates obtained for each of combinations of settable resistance values of the first variable resistor and settable capacitance values of the first variable capacitor exceed the reference communication success rate.

[0019] The first processor may be further configured to, based on identifying that that the first communication success rate is lower than the previous communication success rate, determine a second resistance value and a second capacitance value corresponding to the previous communication success rate as a temporary resistance setting value and a temporary capacitance setting value, respectively, corresponding to the first rotational speed.

[0020] The first processor may be further configured to, based on determining the temporary resistance setting value and the temporary capacitance setting value, set the first variable resistor to a third resistance value different from the first resistance value and the second resistance value, and set the first variable capacitor to a third capacitance value different from the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value.

[0021] The first processor may be further configured to: transmit a plurality of test packets to the second processor through the first communication circuit using the asynchronous communication scheme (or communication scheme) while the motor rotates according to the first rotational speed; receive a plurality of response packets for the plurality of test packets through the first communication circuit from the second processor; and obtain the first communication success rate, based on a first number of the plurality of test packets and a second number of the plurality of response packets.

[0022] According to an aspect of the disclosure, an electronic device includes: an internal noise source including a motor or a coil; a first printed board assembly (PBA) including: a first communication circuit comprises a first low pass filter that comprises a first variable resistor and a first variable capacitor, and a first processor connected to the first communication circuit; and a second PBA including: a second communication circuit including a second low pass filter that comprises a second variable resistor and a second variable capacitor, and a second processor connected to the second communication circuit, wherein the first processor is configured to: set a resistance value of the first variable resistor and a capacitance value of the first variable capacitor, based on information about a rotational speed of the motor or a current of the coil; and perform communication with the second processor using a asynchronous communication scheme (or communication scheme) through the first communication circuit.

[0023] The asynchronous communication scheme (or communication scheme) may be a universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) communication scheme.

[0024] The first processor may be further configured to: identify a change in the rotational speed information about the motor; and change the resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor, based on the change in the information.

[0025] The resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor may be respectively set to a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value corresponding to the information obtained based on a communication success rate for the communication performed with the second processor.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certain embodiments of the disclosure will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0027] FIG. 1A is a view illustrating an inner / outer appearance of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0028] FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the disclosure in terms of functions and controls;

[0029] FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C are views illustrating an arrangement of a plurality of processors performing communication between processors in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0030] FIG. 3 illustrates an example configuration for performing communication between processors in a home appliance according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0031] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of noise applied to a home appliance according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0032] FIG. 5 illustrates an example operation in which a home appliance performs communication between processors using a communication circuit including a fixed resistor and a fixed capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0033] FIG. 6 illustrates an example operation in which a home appliance performs communication between processors using a communication circuit including a variable resistor and a variable capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0034] FIG. 7 illustrates an example configuration of a communication circuit including a fixed resistor and a fixed capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0035] FIG. 8 illustrates an example configuration of a communication circuit including a variable resistor and a variable capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0036] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation in which a home appliance sets values of a variable resistor and a variable capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0037] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation in which a home appliance determines setting values of a variable resistor and a variable capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0038] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation in which a home appliance obtains a communication success rate using a test packet according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0039] FIG. 12 illustrates an example operation in which a home appliance obtains a communication success rate using an artificial intelligence model according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0040] FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of a home appliance according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0041] FIG. 14 illustrates a configuration of a home appliance according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0042] FIG. 15A is an exploded perspective view illustrating a cooking device according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0043] FIG. 15B illustrates a state in which a door of the cooking device is opened according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0044] FIG. 15C is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the cooking device according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0045] FIG. 16 illustrates an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0046] FIG. 17A is a perspective view illustrating an outer appearance of a washer according to an embodiment of the disclosure; and

[0047] FIG. 17B is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the washer according to an embodiment of the disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] Hereinafter, embodiments of the disclosure are described in detail with reference to the drawings so that those skilled in the art to which the disclosure pertains may easily practice the disclosure. However, the disclosure may be implemented in other various forms and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The same or similar reference denotations may be used to refer to the same or similar elements throughout the specification and the drawings. Further, for clarity and brevity, no description is made of well-known functions and configurations in the drawings and relevant descriptions.

[0049] Refrigerators according to an embodiment of the disclosure may be classified according to the shape of the storage compartment and the door. For example, refrigerators may include ‘top mounted freezer’ (TMF) refrigerators in which storage compartments are partitioned vertically by a horizontal partition wall so that a freezing compartment is formed on the upper side, and a refrigerating compartment is formed on the lower side, ‘bottom mounted freezer’ (BMF) refrigerators in which a refrigerating compartment is formed on the upper side, and a freezing compartment is formed on the lower side, ‘side-by-side’ (SBS) refrigerators in which storage compartments are partitioned left and right by a vertical partition wall so that a freezing compartment is formed on one side, and a refrigerating compartment is formed on the other side, and ‘French door refrigerator’ (FDR) refrigerators in which storage compartments are partitioned vertically by a horizontal partition wall, so that a refrigerating compartment is formed on the upper side and opened / closed by a pair of doors, and a freezing compartment is formed on the lower side.

[0050] Hereinafter, various example refrigerators are described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0051] FIG. 1A is a view illustrating an inner / outer appearance of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0052] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include a main body 10. The main body 10 may include an outer case 11 and an inner case 12 disposed inside the outer case 11. The outer case 11 may be provided to form at least a portion of the outer appearance of the main body 10. In an example, the outer case 11 may be configured to include a metal material having excellent durability and aesthetics. The inner case 12 may be provided to define a space of the storage compartment 20. The inner case 12 may include a case, a plate, a panel, and / or a liner forming the storage compartment 20. The inner case 12 may be formed as a single body or may be formed by assembling a plurality of plates. In an example, the inner case 12 may be integrally injection-molded using a plastic material, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0053] According to an embodiment, an accommodation space may be formed between the outer case 11 and the inner case 12. An insulator for insulating the storage compartment 20 may be disposed in at least a portion of the accommodation space. The insulation material may insulate the inside of the storage compartment 20 and the outside of the storage compartment 20 so that the temperature inside the storage compartment 20 may be maintained at a set appropriate temperature without being affected by the external environment of the storage compartment 20.

[0054] According to an embodiment, the insulation material may include a foam insulation material. In an example, after fixing the inner case 12 and the outer case 11 with a jig or the like, the foam insulation material may be formed by injecting and foaming a urethane foam mixed with polyurethane and a foaming agent into an accommodation space between the inner case 12 and the outer case 11. According to an embodiment, the insulation material may include a vacuum insulation material in addition to the foam insulation material or in place of the foam insulation material. The vacuum insulation material may include a core material and an outer cover material that accommodates the core material and seals the inside at a pressure close to vacuum or vacuum. The vacuum insulation material may further include an adsorbent that adsorbs gas and moisture to maintain a stable vacuum state. The insulation material of the refrigerator 1 is not limited to the foam insulation material or vacuum insulation material described above, but may be configured using various materials that may be used for insulation.

[0055] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include a storage compartment 20. The storage compartment 20 may store food. Food includes things that may be eaten or drunk, and specifically, may include meat, fish, seafood, fruits, vegetables, water, ice, beverages, kimchi, or alcoholic beverages such as wine. Drugs and cosmetics may be stored in the storage compartment 20 in addition to food, but there is no limitation on items that may be stored in the storage compartment 20.

[0056] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include one or more storage compartments 20. When two or more storage compartments 20 are formed in the refrigerator 1, each storage compartment may have a different use and may be maintained at a different temperature. To that end, the storage compartments 20 may be partitioned from each other by a partition wall 14 including an insulation material. In an example, the storage compartment may be referred to as a “refrigerating compartment”, a “freezing compartment”, or a “variable temperature compartment” according to the use and / or the temperature range. For example, the refrigerating compartment may refer to a storage chamber when food is maintained at an appropriate temperature for refrigerating and storing, and the freezing compartment may refer to a storage chamber when food is maintained at an appropriate temperature for freezing and storing. Refrigerating may refer to cooling food to the extent that the food is not frozen, and for example, the refrigerating compartment may be maintained in the range of 0 degrees Celsius to 7 degrees Celsius. Freezing may mean freezing food or cooling food to remain frozen, and for example, the freezing compartment may be maintained in the range of minus 20 degrees Celsius to minus 1 degree Celsius. The variable temperature compartment may refer to a storage compartment that may be maintained at a predetermined variable temperature by the user's selection or regardless of the user's selection. According to an embodiment, one storage compartment may be provided so that a portion thereof is used as a refrigerating compartment and the remaining portion thereof is used as a freezing compartment. Storage compartments may be referred to by various names such as “vegetable compartment”, “fresh compartment”, “cooling compartment”, and “ice making compartment” in addition to the above-described names such as “refrigeration compartment”, “freezing compartment”, and “variable temperature compartment”.

[0057] According to an embodiment, the number, size, and / or shape of the storage compartment 20 may vary depending on the shape or position of the partition wall 14. According to an embodiment, the partition wall 14 may be integrally formed with the main body 10. According to an embodiment, the partition wall 14 may be a separate partition provided separately from the main body 10 and assembled to the main body 10.

[0058] According to an embodiment, the storage compartment 20 may be partitioned left and right by a vertical partition wall 14v (a partition wall extending in the vertical direction). The size of the storage compartment 20 partitioned left and right may vary depending on the position of the vertical partition wall 14v. For example, the storage compartment 20 in which the vertical partition wall 14v is provided in the middle and partitioned left and right may be provided in mirror symmetry. According to an embodiment, there may be a plurality of vertical partition walls. When there are a plurality of vertical partition walls, the storage compartment may be divided into three or more storage compartments along the left and right directions.

[0059] According to an embodiment, the storage compartment 20 may be vertically partitioned by a horizontal partition wall 14h (a partition wall extending in the horizontal direction). The size of the storage compartment 20 divided vertically may vary depending on the position of the horizontal partition wall 14h. According to an embodiment, there may be a plurality of horizontal partition walls. When there are a plurality of horizontal partition walls, the storage compartment may be divided into three or more storage compartments in the vertical direction.

[0060] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator may be configured to include a plurality of storage compartments having various sizes and shapes according to various combinations of the vertical partition wall and the horizontal partition wall.

[0061] According to an embodiment, a plurality of shelves 24 and / or a plurality of storage containers 25 may be provided inside the storage compartment 20. Each of the plurality of shelves 24 and the plurality of storage containers 25 may be separable from an inner space of the storage compartment 20.

[0062] According to an embodiment, each storage compartment 20 may be formed so that at least one side thereof is open for receiving and receiving food. According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include each door 30 for opening and closing each storage compartment 20. In an example, the door 30 may be disposed on the front surface of the main body 10 and the storage compartment 20 to open and close the storage compartment 20. The door 30 may be configured to seal the storage compartment 20 while the door is closed. Like the main body 10, the door 30 may include an insulation material to insulate the storage compartment 20 from the external environment while the door 30 is closed.

[0063] According to an embodiment, the door 30 may be configured to be opened and closed by rotating about the hinge 16, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. In an example, the door may be configured to be opened and closed in a sliding manner.

[0064] According to an embodiment, the door 30 may include a door panel 30a and / or a door body 30b. The door panel 30a and the door body 30b may be detachably coupled to each other. For example, one side of the door body 30b may be fixed to the main body 10 by the hinge 16. The door panel 30a may form a portion of the front outer appearance of the refrigerator 1. Accordingly, the door panel 30a may serve as an important element of aesthetics when the refrigerator 1 is disposed indoors. The door panel 30a may have various colors and / or various designs and may be configured to be replaceable so that the user may decorate the front exterior of the refrigerator 1 according to his / her taste. According to an embodiment, the door panel 30a and the door body 30b may be integrally formed with each other.

[0065] According to an embodiment, the door 30 may include a door handle, a door shelf 313, a shelf support 314, and / or a gasket 315. The user may open and close the door 30 using the door handle. The door handle may be recessed on the bottom surface or the top surface of the door 30, or may protrude from the front surface of the door 30, but is not limited to a specific shape.

[0066] According to an embodiment, the door shelf 313 may be provided to receive food. Shelf supports 314 may be provided on both left and right sides of the door shelf 313 to support the door shelf 313. The shelf support 314 may extend vertically from, e.g., the door 30. For example, the shelf support 314 may protrude from the rear surface (the inner surface facing the storage compartment 20) of the door 30 toward the storage compartment 20 and may be provided to extend in the vertical direction. The shelf support 314 may be provided as a separate component separable from the door 30, or may be integrally formed with the door 30.

[0067] According to an embodiment, the gasket 315 may be provided to surround an edge of the door body 30b. The gasket 315 may be provided to seal a gap between the main body 10 and the door 30 in a state in which the door 30 is closed.

[0068] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include a cold air supply device. The cold air supply device may include a machine, an instrument, an electronic device, and / or a system combining the machine, the instrument, and the electronic device capable of generating cold air and guiding the generated cold air to the storage compartment to cool the storage compartment. For example, the cold air supply device may be provided inside the main body 10 to supply cold air to each of the storage compartments 20.

[0069] FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the disclosure in terms of functions and controls.

[0070] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include at least one input / output device 40, at least one communication device 50, at least one sensor device 60, a cold air supply device 70, at least one display 80, at least one processor 100, and / or at least one memory 101.

[0071] According to an embodiment, the input / output device 40 may include any type of user input means for obtaining setting information from the user for controlling the operation of the refrigerator 1. Various user inputs obtained through the input / output device 40 may be transferred to the processor 100 to be described below. In an example, various user inputs obtained through the input / output device 40 may be transmitted to the outside through the communication device 50 to be described below, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0072] According to an embodiment, the input device of the input / output device 40 may be installed on a door (e.g., the door 30 of FIG. 1A). The input device may include any type of user input means including one or more buttons or switches. Setting data (e.g., a desired storage chamber temperature) by the user may be input through the input device. For example, the input device may include a touch panel that receives the user's touch input and generates an electrical signal corresponding to the received touch input, but the disclosure is not limited to a specific type of input device. In an example, the touch panel constituting the input device may be formed of a transparent material that is positioned on the front surface of a separate display panel provided in the refrigerator 1 and does not distort an image displayed on the display panel. In an example, the input device may include an infrared signal reception unit. The user may remotely input configuration data through a remote controller, and the input configuration data may be received by the input device as an infrared signal. In an example, the input device may include a microphone, and configuration data by the user's voice may be obtained through the microphone.

[0073] According to an embodiment, the configuration data (e.g., a desired temperature of the storage compartment) obtained through the input device may be transferred to the processor 100 described below. In an example, the configuration data obtained through the input device may be transmitted to the outside through the communication device described below, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0074] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include a communication device 50 that supports signal transmission / reception to / from the inside or outside. In an example, the communication device 50 may include a communication circuit and may receive and / or transmit a wired / wireless signal to / from an external wired / wireless communication system, an external server, and / or other devices according to a predetermined wired / wireless communication protocol. In an example, the communication device 50 may include one or more modules to connect the refrigerator 1 to one or more networks. In an example, the communication device 50 may include at least one of a mobile communication module, a wired / wireless Internet module, a short-range communication module, and / or a location information module. Here, the term ‘module’ refers to a hardware component such as a processor or a circuit, a software component executed by a hardware component such as a processor, or combinations of the hardware components and the software components.

[0075] According to an embodiment, the mobile communication module may transmit / receive wireless signals with at least one of an external bracket structure, an external UE, and an external server through the mobile communication network according to any communication protocol among various communication protocols for mobile communication. The wireless signals may include various types of data signals. In an example, the wireless signals may include voice call signals, video call signals, and text / multimedia message signals, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0076] According to an embodiment, the wired / wireless Internet module may support wireless LAN (WLAN), wireless-fidelity (Wi-Fi), Wi-Fi direct, digital living network alliance (DLNA), wireless broadband (WiBro), world interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), high speed downlink packet access (HSDPA), high speed uplink packet access (HSUPA), long term evolution (LTE), or long term evolution-advanced (LTE-A), but embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. In an example, the wired / wireless Internet module of the communication device 50 may transmit / receive data according to at least one wired / wireless Internet technology among Internet technologies not listed above.

[0077] According to an embodiment, the short-range communication module may be intended for, e.g., short-range communication and may support short-range communication using at least one of Bluetooth, radio frequency identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), ultra-wideband (UWB), ZigBee, near-field communication (NFC), Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, or wireless universal serial bus (USB) technology. The short-range communication module may support, e.g., wireless communication between the refrigerator 1 and a wireless communication system, between the refrigerator 1 and another device, or between the refrigerator 1 and a network in which the other device is positioned through a short-range wireless communication network.

[0078] According to an embodiment, the location information module may be, e.g., a global positioning system (GPS) module or a Wi-Fi module as a module for obtaining the location of the refrigerator 1. When the refrigerator 1 utilizes the GPS module, the refrigerator 1 may receive information about the location of the refrigerator 1 using the signal transmitted from the GPS satellite. When the refrigerator 1 utilizes the Wi-Fi module, the refrigerator 1 may receive information about the location of the refrigerator 1 based on information about a wireless access point (AP) that transmits and receives a wireless signal to and from the Wi-Fi module.

[0079] According to an embodiment, the communication device 50 may receive the configuration data signal input by the user on the mobile terminal of the user in the form of a wireless signal according to a predetermined wireless communication protocol. In an example, the communication device 50 may receive information and / or a command for controlling the operation of the refrigerator 1 from an external server in the form of a signal according to a predetermined wired / wireless communication protocol. The communication device 50 may transfer various received signals to the processor 100 to be described below. In an example, the communication device 50 may transmit various data generated or obtained on the refrigerator 1 in the form of a wired / wireless signal according to a predetermined wired / wireless communication protocol, e.g., to a mobile terminal of the user or an external server.

[0080] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include a sensor device 60. In an example, the sensor device 60 may include a temperature sensor, a distance sensor, a proximity sensor, and / or a camera. However, the types of sensors listed here are merely illustrative and the disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0081] According to an embodiment, the temperature sensor may include a plurality of temperature sensors provided inside each storage compartment 10 to sense the temperature inside the storage compartment (e.g., the storage compartment 20 of FIG. 1A). A plurality of temperature sensors may be installed in each of the plurality of storage compartments 20 to detect the temperature of each of the storage compartments 20. The electrical signal corresponding to the detected temperature may be transferred to the processor 100. Each of the plurality of temperature sensors may include a thermistor whose electrical resistance changes according to temperature. In an example, the temperature sensor may include an external temperature sensor that is provided outside the refrigerator 1 (e.g., at one position of the outer case 11 of FIG. 1A) to detect the external temperature around the refrigerator 1.

[0082] According to an embodiment, the distance sensor may measure the distance to an object, e.g., the user, positioned around the refrigerator 1. The distance sensor may be, e.g., an ultrasonic sensor or an infrared sensor, but is not limited thereto. The distance sensor may detect an object or user around the refrigerator 1 and transfer the detected electrical signal to the processor 100.

[0083] According to an embodiment, the proximity sensor may be provided to detect the opening and closing of the door 30. The proximity sensor may detect whether the door 30 is in a state of contacting the main body (e.g., the main body 10 of FIG. 1A) to close the storage compartment 20. The plurality of proximity sensors respectively may be installed on the plurality of doors 30. The proximity sensor may transfer an electrical signal for the detected opening / closing state of the door 30 to the processor 100.

[0084] According to an embodiment, the camera is installed inside each storage room 20 to obtain an internal image of each storage compartment 20. In an example, the camera may be provided outside the refrigerator 1 (e.g., at one position of the outer case 11 of FIG. 1A) to obtain an external image around the refrigerator 1. The camera may include image sensors that capture an image and convert the image into an electrical signal. The image sensor may include, e.g., a charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensor or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. The electrical signal related to the image captured by the camera may be transferred to the processor 100.

[0085] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include a cold air supply device 70. In an example, the cold air supply device 70 may include a compressor 71, a condenser 72, an expander 73, and an evaporator 74. In an embodiment, the cold air supply device 70 may include a refrigerant pipe connecting the compressor 71, the condenser 72, the expander 73, and the evaporator 74. The refrigerant may circulate between the compressor 71, the condenser 72, the expander 73, and the evaporator 74 through the refrigerant pipe.

[0086] According to an embodiment, the compressor 71 may compress the refrigerant to a high temperature and high pressure state. For example, the compressor 71 may receive electrical energy from the outside and compress the gaseous refrigerant at high temperature and high pressure using a rotational force such as from an electric motor. The compressor 71 is a capacitive variable compressor, and may vary the capacitance by changing the frequency according to a driving control command. The compressed refrigerant may be moved to the condenser 72 by the refrigerant pipe. The condenser 72 may condense the compressed refrigerant received from the compressor 71. The condenser 72 may radiate heat generated while condensing the refrigerant to the outside of the condenser 72. The refrigerant condensed while passing through the condenser 72 may be transferred to the expander 73. The condensed refrigerant may be converted into a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid state while passing through the expander 73. In an example, the expander 73 may be implemented as an electronic expansion valve that may adjust the opening ratio (an electronic expansion valve that may adjust the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the valve's flow path to the cross-sectional area of the valve's flow path while fully open). In such a case, the amount of refrigerant passing through the expander 73 may be controlled depending on the opening ratio of the electronic expansion valve. In an example, the expander 73 may be implemented as a capillary device. The liquid refrigerant may pass through the expander 73 and move to the evaporator 74. The evaporator 74 may exchange heat with surrounding gas while the liquid refrigerant is evaporated. The liquid refrigerant is evaporated by the evaporator 74 to absorb the surrounding latent heat and, if the gas around the evaporator 74 is cooled accordingly, cold air may be generated. The generated cold air may be moved to the storage compartment 20 through a flow path provided between the outer case (e.g., the outer case 11 of FIG. 1A) and the inner case (e.g., the inner case 12 of FIG. 1A). The refrigerant evaporated in the evaporator 74 may be moved back to the compressor 71 and circulated.

[0087] According to an embodiment, the cold air supply device 70 may include a thermoelectric element. The thermoelectric element may cool the storage compartment 20 by heating and cooling through the Peltier effect.

[0088] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include a machine room in which at least some components of the cold air supply device 70 are disposed. The machine room may be configured to be partitioned and insulated from the storage compartment 20 so as to prevent heat generated from the components disposed in the machine room from being transferred to the storage compartment 20. The inside of the machine room may be configured to communicate with the outside of the main body 10 to dissipate heat from components disposed inside the machine room.

[0089] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include a display 80. In an example, the display 80 may be installed on the door 30. In an example, the display 80 may display various setting data (e.g., a desired storage compartment temperature) obtained through the input / output device 40 and / or the communication device 50 from the user or the outside or operation control information about the refrigerator 1. In an example, the display 80 may display various sensing information (e.g., one or more pieces of temperature information measured by the temperature sensor) obtained from the sensor device 60, the current operating state of the refrigerator 1, and / or various warning / error messages. The display 80 may be one of various visual display means capable of displaying images, characters, numbers, or the like, including a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, a light emitting diode (LED) panel, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel, a micro light emitting diode (uLED) panel, a plasma display panel, or the like, but is not limited to a specific type of display unit. In an example, the display 80 may include a speaker, and may provide each of the above-described information in the form of a voice through the speaker.

[0090] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include a memory 101 for storing or recording a program and / or data for controlling each component of the refrigerator 1, and a processor 100 for generating a control signal for controlling each component of the refrigerator 1 according to the program and / or data stored in the memory 101 and information obtained from each of the other components.

[0091] According to an embodiment, the processor 100 may include a processing circuit and execute commands (or instructions) included in a program (or application) stored in the memory 101. The processor 110 may include, e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphic processing unit (GPU), a neural processing unit (NPU), a tensor processing unit (TPU), a micro processing unit (MPU), a micro controller unit (MCU), an application processor (AP), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and / or a programmable logic device, but may include a program (or an instruction or Instructions) are not limited as long as they may be executed.

[0092] According to an embodiment, the memory 101 may include a volatile memory and / or a non-volatile memory, and may include, e.g., a hard disk storage device, RAM, ROM, and / or flash memory, but embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto.

[0093] According to an embodiment, the memory 101 may include one or more storage media and store various data that may be used to control the operation of each component of the refrigerator 1. The memory 101 may store, e.g., a plurality of application programs used in the refrigerator 1, data for controlling the operation of the refrigerator 1, and instructions. At least some of the application programs stored in the memory 101 may be downloaded from an external server through wireless communication. At least some of the application programs stored in the memory 101 may be stored in the memory 101 from the time of shipment for the basic functions of the refrigerator 1.

[0094] According to an embodiment, the processor 100 may receive various input / setting information, e.g., desired storage compartment temperature information, from the input / output device 40 and / or the communication device 50 described above. The processor 100 may obtain sensing information from the sensor device 60, such as one or more pieces of temperature information detected by the temperature sensor, a detection signal detected by the distance sensor, door opening / closing information detected by the proximity sensor, and / or image information detected by the camera. In an example, the processor 100 may obtain information about the state of the inside or outside of the storage compartment 20 of the refrigerator 1 by receiving image information obtained by the camera and analyzing the received image information.

[0095] According to an embodiment, the processor 100 may generate an operation control command for each component of the refrigerator 1, based on various information received from the input / output device 40, the communication device 50, and / or the sensor device 60. In an example, the processor 100 may control the operation of the cold air supply device 70, such as the compressor 71 and / or the expander 73, to adjust the temperature inside the storage compartment 20. In an example, the processor 100 may control the operation of each component of the cold air supply device 70 using information about the temperature of each storage compartment 20 received from the temperature sensor. For example, when the temperature inside the storage compartment 20 is higher than a preset temperature, the processor 100 may lower the temperature of the storage compartment 20 by operating the compressor 71 of the cold air supply device 70. In an example, the processor 100 may generate a command for controlling whether or how to display information through the display 80. In an example, the processor 100 may generate a command to control to turn on the lighting unit of the opened storage compartment 20 based on information about the door 30 opening from the proximity sensor. For example, the processor 100 may generate commands that control the respective operation states of each of the input / output device 40, the communication device 50, the sensor device 60, and / or the lighting device.

[0096] In the disclosure, the processor 100 is a comprehensive component for controlling all the components included in the refrigerator 1, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. In an example, the refrigerator 1 may be configured to include a plurality of processors components that individually control some of the components of the refrigerator 1. In an example, the refrigerator 1 may separately include a processor and a memory for controlling the operation of the cold air supply device 70 according to the output of the temperature sensor. In an example, the refrigerator 1 may separately include a processor and a memory for controlling the operation of the user interface according to a user input. The processor 100 may include a plurality of processors, and the memory 101 may include a plurality of memory devices.

[0097] Below, various embodiments related to performing communication between internal modules in a home appliance are described. An example in which a processor performs communication between modules is described, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the description of the embodiments below may be applied identically or similarly to other types of modules capable of performing communication other than the processor.

[0098] FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C illustrate an arrangement of a plurality of processors performing communication between processors in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0099] FIG. 3 illustrates an example configuration for performing communication between processors in a home appliance according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0100] In FIG. 3, according to an embodiment, the home appliance 300 may include a plurality of processors. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the home appliance 300 may include a first processor 311 and a second processor 312. When the home appliance 300 is a refrigerator (e.g., the refrigerator 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B), the first processor 311 and the second processor 312 may be any one of at least one processor included in the processor 100 of FIG. 1B.

[0101] According to an embodiment, each processor of the home appliance 300 may perform different operations or functions.

[0102] For example, the first processor 311 may be configured to process and / or control a unique function (a specific function) of the home appliance 300. For example, the first processor 311 may set a driving setting for driving a unique function of the home appliance 300. In the disclosure, the driving setting for driving the unique function of the home appliance 300 may be abbreviated as a “driving setting”.

[0103] According to an embodiment, when the home appliance 300 is a refrigerator, e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the unique functions of the home appliance 300 may include various functions (e.g., refrigerating function, freezing function, cooling function, temperature control function, dehumidifying / sterilizing function, and / or anti-frost function), but are not limited thereto. The first processor 311 may be configured to control at least one component configured to perform a unique function of the refrigerator, e.g., when the home appliance 300 is a refrigerator. At least one component configured to perform the unique functions of the refrigerator includes, e.g., a cold air supply device (e.g., the cold air supply device 70 including the compressor 71, the condenser 72, the expander 73, and / or the evaporator 74 of FIG. 1B), a fan, and / or a sensor device (e.g., the sensor device 60 of FIG. 1B), but is not limited thereto.

[0104] According to an embodiment, when the home appliance 300 is a cooking device, e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 15A to 15C, the unique functions of the home appliance 300 may include various functions (e.g., heating function, oven function, cooking function, etc.) for heating and cooking food, but are not limited thereto. For example, when the home appliance 300 is a cooking device, the first processor 311 may be configured to control at least one component configured to perform the unique function of the cooking device. At least one component configured to perform the unique function of the cooking appliance includes, e.g., a heating configuration (e.g., the heating unit 1531 of FIG. 15A or the induction coil of the heating unit 1531), but is not limited thereto.

[0105] For example, the second processor 312 may be configured to process and / or control additional functions of the home appliance 300. The additional functions of the home appliance 300 may be functions other than the unique functions of the home appliance 300.

[0106] According to an embodiment, when the home appliance 300 is a refrigerator, for example, as illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the additional functions of the home appliance 300 may include, but are not limited to, an overall system management function (e.g., a function of overall adjusting and operating the home appliance's unique function based on a user input), a convenience function (e.g., a display function, a control panel function), a notification function (e.g., a door open notification function), a safety function (e.g., a child protection function), and / or a smart function (e.g., a communication function such as Wi-Fi / BT, a voice control function). For example, when the home appliance 300 is a refrigerator, the second processor 312 may be configured to control at least one component configured to perform the additional functions of the refrigerator. At least one component configured to perform the additional function of the refrigerator includes, e.g., a communication device (e.g., the communication device 50 of FIG. 1B), an input / output device (e.g., the input / output device 40 of FIG. 1B), and / or a display (e.g., the display 80 of FIG. 1B), but is not limited thereto.

[0107] According to an embodiment, when the home appliance 300 is a cooking device, e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 15A to 15C, the additional functions of the home appliance 300 may include an overall system management function, a display function, a notification function, and / or a smart function, but are not limited thereto. For example, when the home appliance 300 is a cooking device, the second processor 312 may be configured to control at least one component configured to perform the additional functions of the cooking device. At least one component configured to perform the additional functions of the cooking device includes, e.g., a communication module (e.g., a Wi-Fi / BT communication module), a speaker, a microphone, a camera, a display, a control panel, and / or a touch panel, but is not limited thereto. According to an embodiment, each processor of the home appliance 300 may be disposed at a different position.

[0108] For example, the first processor 311 may be disposed adjacent to the corresponding component to control at least one component configured to perform the unique functions of the home appliance 300, and the second processor 312 may be disposed adjacent to the corresponding component to control at least one component configured to perform the additional functions of the home appliance 300. For example, the first processor 311 for controlling the unique functions of the home appliance 300 may be disposed closer to the component performing the unique functions of the home appliance 300 than the second processor 312, and the second processor 312 for controlling the additional functions of the home appliance 300 may be disposed closer to the component performing the additional functions of the home appliance 300 than the first processor 311. Through this arrangement, the processor may more reliably control the component at a position adjacent to the component controlled by the processor.

[0109] Hereinafter, the arrangement of the first processor 311 and the second processor 312 when the home appliance 300 is the refrigerator 1 is described as an example with reference to FIGS. 2A to 2C.

[0110] According to an embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2A, the first processor 311 may be disposed at a position adjacent to the compressor 71 (e.g., the compressor 71 of FIG. 1B), and the second processor 312 may be disposed at a position adjacent to the display 80 (e.g., the display 80 of FIG. 1B). For example, the first processor 311 may be disposed closer to the compressor 71 than the second processor 312 to control the driving of the compressor 71 (e.g., the driving of the motor of the compressor 71), and the second processor 312 may be disposed closer to the display 80 than the first processor 311 to control the display 80.

[0111] According to an embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2B, the second processor 312 may be disposed adjacent to the front surface of the refrigerator 1 where the display 80 displaying visual information is disposed, and as illustrated in FIG. 2C, the first processor 311 may be disposed adjacent to the rear surface of the refrigerator 1. For example, the first processor 311 and / or the first communication circuit 321 may be included in a printed board assembly (PBA) (e.g., an inverter PBA) positioned adjacent to the compressor, and the second processor 312 and / or the second communication circuit 322 may be included in a PBA (e.g., a main control PBA, a display PBA, or a network PBA) adjacent to the display. The inverter PBA (or the first processor 311 included in the inverter PBA) may perform, e.g., a function of controlling the motor of the compressor 71. The main control PBA may, e.g., perform functions of managing and / or controlling the overall operation of the refrigerator (e.g., overall system control, user interface management function, display control function, network and connection functions, diagnosis and notification functions). The display PBA may perform a function of controlling an interface with the display 80 of the refrigerator. The network PBA may support the smart functions of the refrigerator (e.g., the function of connecting the refrigerator to a smartphone or a smart home system through Wi-Fi / BT to remotely control the same). Some of the above-described PBAs may be configured as one PBA. For example, the main control PBA and the display PBA may be configured as one PBA. For example, the main control PBA and the network PBA may be configured as one PBA. Through the arrangement as illustrated in FIGS. 2A to 2C, the processor may more stably control the corresponding component at a position adjacent to the component controlled by the processor. In the disclosure, a PBA including the first processor 311 and / or the first communication circuit 321 may be referred to as a first PBA, and a PBA including the second processor 312 and / or the second communication circuit 322 may be referred to as a second PBA.

[0112] According to an embodiment, the home appliance 300 may include a plurality of communication circuits. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the home appliance 300 may include a first communication circuit 321 connected to the first processor 311 and a second communication circuit 322 connected to the second processor 312.

[0113] According to an embodiment, each processor of the home appliance 300 may communicate with another processor through a communication circuit. For example, the first processor 311 may transmit data (or signals) generated by the first processor 311 to the second processor 312 through the first communication circuit 321, and the second processor 312 may receive data (or signals) transmitted from the first processor 311 through the second communication circuit 322. The signal generated by the first processor 311 and transferred to the second processor 312 may include, e.g., a signal including state information about the home appliance 300 (e.g., temperature information about the refrigerator 1). For example, the second processor 312 may transmit data (or signals) generated by the second processor 312 to the first processor 311 through the second communication circuit 322, and the first processor 311 may receive data (or signals) transmitted from the second processor 312 through the first communication circuit 321. The signal generated by the second processor 312 and transferred to the first processor 311 may include, e.g., a signal generated based on a user input (e.g., a control signal for adjusting the temperature of the refrigerator 1 to a temperature corresponding to the user input).

[0114] According to an embodiment, the first communication circuit 321 may be connected to the first processor 311 through at least one cable (e.g., a line or a wire). For example, the first communication circuit 321 may be connected to the first processor 311 through a first line configured to transfer data from the first processor 311 to the first communication circuit 321 and a second line configured to transfer data from the first communication circuit 321 to the first processor 311, but is not limited thereto. For example, the first processor 311 may transmit data to the first communication circuit 321 and receive data from the first communication circuit 321 through one line.

[0115] According to an embodiment, the second communication circuit 322 may be connected to the second processor 312 through at least one cable (e.g., a line or a wire). For example, the second communication circuit 322 may be connected to the second processor 312 through the first line configured to transfer data from the second processor 312 to the second communication circuit 322 and the second line configured to transfer data from the second processor 312 to the second processor 312, but is not limited thereto. For example, the second processor 312 may transmit data to the second communication circuit 322 and receive data from the second communication circuit 322 through one line.

[0116] According to an embodiment, the first communication circuit 321 may be connected to the second communication circuit 322 through at least one cable (e.g., a line or a wire). For example, the first communication circuit 321 may be connected to the second communication circuit 322 through the first line configured to transfer data from the second communication circuit 322 to the first communication circuit 321 and the second line configured to transfer data from the first communication circuit 321 to the second communication circuit 322, but is not limited thereto. For example, the first communication circuit 321 may transmit data to the second communication circuit 322 and receive data from the second communication circuit 322 through one line.

[0117] According to an embodiment, each processor of the home appliance 300 may communicate with another processor through a communication circuit using a specified communication scheme (e.g., an asynchronous communication scheme). The asynchronous communication scheme may include, but is not limited to, a universal synchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) communication scheme and / or a recommended standard (RS)-485 communication scheme.

[0118] According to an embodiment, the UART communication scheme corresponds to a type of serial communication scheme, and when the UART communication scheme is used, the transmission device (e.g., the first processor 311) may transmit one bit of data to the reception device (e.g., the second processor 312) at a time. The transmission device transmits a data packet constituted of consecutive bits, and the reception device may identify that the data packet has been received through detection of a start bit and a stop bit. Since the UART communication scheme uses a high signal as a default value, it may be recognized that there is no transmission of a data packet when a high signal is continuously received by the reception device. On the other hand, when a low signal is received from the reception device, it may be recognized as a start bit to recognize that data packet transmission starts. For example, when the UART communication scheme is used, the first communication circuit 321 and the second communication circuit 322 may be designed to transmit and receive a high signal by default even when there is no data transmission. In this case, the operations of the first communication circuit 321 and the second communication circuit 322 may vary depending on whether the input signal input by the processor is a high signal or a low signal. The UART communication scheme is an asynchronous communication scheme and is capable of communication without synchronous signals (e.g., clock signals) using asynchronous data frames, may support various communication speeds or baud rates (e.g., 9600, 14400, 19200, 38400, 57600, and 115200 bps), and may have characteristics suitable for one-to-one communication and long-range communication between two devices. The UART communication scheme may be suitable for use in communication between two devices inside the home appliance 300 (e.g., communication between the first processor 311 and the second processor 312) due to a simple wiring structure and low costs.

[0119] According to an embodiment, each processor of the home appliance 300 may have the same driving voltage or different driving voltages. For example, the first processor 311 may have the same driving voltage (e.g., a driving voltage having a voltage level of 0 to 3.3 V or a driving voltage having a voltage level of 0 to 5 V) as the second processor 312. A description of communication between processors having the same driving voltage is described below with reference to FIG. 7. For example, the first processor 311 may have a driving voltage different from the driving voltage of the second processor 312. The first processor 311 may have a first driving voltage (e.g., a driving voltage having a voltage level of 0 to 5V), and the second processor 312 may have a second driving voltage (e.g., a driving voltage having a voltage level of 0 to 3.3V) different from the first driving voltage. When the driving voltages of the first processor 311 and the second processor312 are different, the first communication circuit 321 or the second communication circuit 322 may be configured to perform a voltage level shift in order to perform communication between the first processor 311 and the second processor 312. A description of communication between processors having different driving voltages is described below with reference to FIG. 8.

[0120] As described above, the processors of the home appliance 300 are not included in the same PBA but may be spaced apart from each other at different positions. In this case, communication between the processors may be affected by noise inside and / or outside the home appliance 300. Hereinafter, an example of noise affecting communication between processors is described with reference to FIG. 4.

[0121] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of noise applied to a home appliance according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0122] In FIG. 4, the home appliance 300 may include a first processor 311, a second processor 312, a first communication circuit 321, a second communication circuit 322, and / or an internal noise source 330. The first processor 311, the second processor 312, the first communication circuit 321, and the second communication circuit 322 are described above with respect to FIG. 3.

[0123] According to an embodiment, various noises may be applied to the home appliance 300. For example, the various noises may include electrical noise, mechanical noise, noise due to environmental factors (e.g., temperature, humidity, etc.), and subsequent noise due to noise, but the various noises are not limited to these examples.

[0124] The electrical noise may include, e.g., power noise generated by an AC power source 400 (or a device supplying the AC power source 400), and electromagnetic interference noise caused by electromagnetic waves generated from an electronic device inside or outside the home appliance 300, but is not limited thereto. The electromagnetic interference noise caused by the electronic device inside the home appliance 300 may include, e.g., noise generated by a coil (e.g., the induction coil of the heating unit 1531 of the cooking device 1500 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C). The mechanical noise may include, e.g., noise generated by rotation of a motor (e.g., the motor of the compressor 71 of the refrigerator 1 of FIG. 1B or the motor 1761 of the washer 1700 of FIG. 17B).

[0125] According to an embodiment, the internal noise source 330 may include at least one component that generates noise inside the home appliance. For example, when the home appliance 300 is a refrigerator (e.g., the refrigerator 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B), the internal noise source 330 may include a compressor (e.g., the compressor 71 of FIG. 1B) (or the motor of the compressor) that generates mechanical noise. For example, when the home appliance 300 is a cooking device (e.g., the cooking device 1500 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C), the internal noise source 330 may include a coil (e.g., the induction coil of the heating unit 1531 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C) generating electromagnetic noise.

[0126] According to an embodiment, the internal noise source 330 may generate various noise environments. Each noise environment may be associated with a different noise variable or driving setting (e.g., revolutions per minute (RPM) of the motor of the compressor, RPM of the motor of the washer, or current or alternating current supplied to the coil), different noise intensity, or different noise strength. For example, each noise environment may be associated with a different value of a different driving setting (e.g., the RPM value of the motor of the compressor, the RPM value of the motor of the washer, or the current value or alternating current value supplied to the coil). For example, each noise environment may include noise generated by driving the motor with the RPM value of the motor of the compressor corresponding to the noise environment, noise generated by driving the motor with the RPM value of the motor of the washer corresponding to the noise environment, or noise generated by supplying the alternating current of the coil corresponding to the noise environment to the coil. Each noise environment (or driving setting) may be set by a processor (e.g., the first processor 311) associated with the internal noise source 330 of the home appliance 300. In the disclosure, the noise environment may also be referred to as at least one of: noise intensity, noise strength, noise situation, noise condition, noise setting, noise environment setting, and noise state.

[0127] According to an embodiment, noise may have a noise path from the noise generation source 330 to a component of the home appliance 300. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the power noise path 401 by the AC power source 400 may have a noise path from the AC power source 400 through the first processor 311, the first communication circuit 321 to the second communication circuit 322. For example, the noise path 402 by the internal noise source 330 may have a noise path from the internal noise source 330 through the first processor 311, the first communication circuit 321 to the second communication circuit 322. However, the embodiments are not limited thereto, and may have a noise path in a different direction.

[0128] According to an embodiment, noise applied to the home appliance 300 may affect communication between processors. For example, power noise by the AC power source 400 and mechanical noise and / or electrical noise by the internal noise source 330 may affect the communication between the first processor 311 and the second processor 312, resulting in a communication error. At this time, communication between the first processor 311 and the first communication circuit 321 and communication between the second processor 312 and the second communication circuit 322 are relatively less affected by noise because the two components in which communication is performed are positioned adjacent to each other (e.g., included in the same PBA), but communication between the first communication circuit 321 and the second communication circuit 322 is relatively less affected by noise because of the long communication path, e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 2A to 2C. Thus, to reduce communication errors, the first communication circuit 321 and / or the second communication circuit 322 may be configured to perform processing (e.g., filtering processing) to reduce noise. For example, the first communication circuit 321 and / or the second communication circuit 322 may include components for the corresponding processing (e.g., resistors and capacitors, or filters composed of resistors and capacitors).

[0129] FIG. 5 illustrates an example operation in which a home appliance performs communication between processors using a communication circuit including a fixed resistor and a fixed capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0130] In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the home appliance 300 is a home appliance (e.g., the refrigerator 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B) that includes a compressor 530 (e.g., the compressor 71 of FIG. 1B) as an internal noise source (e.g., the internal noise source 330 of FIG. 4). However, the embodiments are not limited thereto, and the description of the embodiment of FIG. 5 may be applied to home appliances that include another noise source (e.g., the induction coil of the cooking device 1500 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C) as an internal noise source.

[0131] In FIG. 5, the home appliance 300 may include a first processor 311, a second processor 312, a first communication circuit 321, a second communication circuit 322, a compressor 530, and / or a compressor control circuit 531. For a description of the first processor 311, the second processor 312, the first communication circuit 321, and the second communication circuit 322, the description of FIG. 3 may be referred to. The overlapping description is omitted.

[0132] According to an embodiment, the compressor control circuit 531 may be included in the same PBA (e.g., the first PBA) or a different PBA as / from the first processor 311. For example, the compressor control circuit 531 may be a control circuit or a processing circuit included in a third processor included in the first PBA including the first processor 311 and the first communication circuit 321. According to an embodiment, the compressor control circuit 531 may be a control circuit included in the compressor 530. For example, the compressor control circuit 531 may be included in the compressor 530 together with the motor of the compressor 530.

[0133] According to an embodiment, power noise caused by the AC power source 400 may be applied to the home appliance 300 along the power noise path 501.

[0134] According to an embodiment, compressor noise by the compressor 530 may be applied to the home appliance 300 along the compressor noise path 502. For example, the compressor noise path 502 may have a noise path from the compressor 530 through the first processor 311, the first communication circuit 321 to the second communication circuit 322.

[0135] According to an embodiment, the intensity (or strength) of compressor noise may be associated with the rotational speed (e.g., revolutions per minute (RPM)) of the motor of the compressor 530. For example, as the rotational speed (or RPM) of the motor increases, the intensity of the compressor noise may increase.

[0136] Table 1 below shows an example of the RPM of the motor of the compressor 530 for each type of refrigerator. In the disclosure, the RPM of the motor of the compressor 530 may be referred to as a compressor RPM.TABLE 1itemsT TypeFDRSBSMAX RPM360040003600MIN RPM120012001200

[0137] In Table 1, a T-type refrigerator may have a setting range between a minimum RPM of 1200 and a maximum RPM of 3600, an FDR refrigerator may have a setting range between a minimum RPM of 1200 and a maximum RPM of 4000, and an SBS refrigerator may have a setting range between a minimum RPM of 1200 and a maximum RPM of 3600.

[0138] According to an embodiment, the first processor 311 may set the compressor RPM. For example, the first processor 311 may set a compressor RPM, transmit a control signal corresponding to the set compressor RPM to the compressor control circuit 531, and the compressor control circuit 531 may drive the motor of the compressor 530 at the RPM set by the first processor 311 based on the received control signal.

[0139] According to an embodiment, the first processor 311 may set the compressor RPM in a specified unit. For example, the first processor 311 may set the compressor RPM in units of 10 RPM within a setting range between the maximum RPM to the minimum RPM.

[0140] According to an embodiment, the first processor 311 may set various noise environments through the setting of the compressor RPM. For example, the first processor 311 may set the noise environment corresponding to each compressor RPM by setting the compressor RPM in units of 10 RPM within the range between the maximum RPM to the minimum RPM.

[0141] According to an embodiment, the first communication circuit 321 may include a first transmission circuit 521a and a first reception circuit 521b connected to the first processor 311, and the second communication circuit 322 may include a second reception circuit 522a and a second transmission circuit 522b connected to the second processor 312. The first processor 311 may transmit data through the first transmission circuit 521a, and the second processor 312 may receive data transmitted from the first processor 311 through the second reception circuit 522a. The second processor 312 may transmit data through the second transmission circuit 522b, and the first processor 311 may receive data transmitted from the second processor 312 through the first reception circuit 521b. In the disclosure, the path through which data (or signal) is transmitted from the first processor 311 to the second processor 312 may be referred to as a first path 541, and the path through which data (or signal) is transmitted from the second processor 312 to the first processor 311 may be referred to as a second path 542. In an embodiment of FIG. 5, the first path 541 may include the first transmission circuit 521a and the second reception circuit 522a, and the second path 542 may include the second transmission circuit 522b and the first reception circuit 521b.

[0142] According to an embodiment, the transmission circuit and the reception circuit may have a symmetrical structure with respect to a cable (e.g., a line or a wire) connecting the transmission circuit and the reception circuit. Accordingly, it may be possible to reduce the possibility of error when designing the communication device. For example, the first transmission circuit 521a of the first communication circuit 321 and the second reception circuit 522a of the second communication circuit 322 may have a symmetrical structure with respect to the connection line. For example, the second transmission circuit 522b of the second communication circuit 322 and the first reception circuit 521b of the first communication circuit 321 may have a symmetrical structure with respect to the connection line.

[0143] According to an embodiment, each communication circuit may include a fixed resistor and a fixed capacitor. For example, the first transmission circuit 521a may include a fixed resistor FR11 and a fixed capacitor FC11, the first reception circuit 521b may include a fixed resistor FR12 and a fixed capacitor FC12, the second transmission circuit 522b may include a fixed resistor FR21 and a fixed capacitor FC21, and the second reception circuit 522a may include a fixed resistor FR22 and a fixed capacitor FC22.

[0144] According to an embodiment, the fixed resistor included in each communication circuit and the fixed capacitor associated (or connected) with the fixed resistor may be used to remove or reduce noise when performing communication between processors. For example, the fixed resistor and the fixed capacitor connected to the fixed resistor may be used to construct a filter (e.g., a low pass filter (LPF) to filter high-frequency noise). For example, the fixed resistor FR11 and the fixed capacitor FC11 of the first transmission circuit 521a may constitute a first LPF, the fixed resistor FR12 and the fixed capacitor FC12 of the first reception circuit 521b may constitute a second LPF, the fixed resistor FR21 and the fixed capacitor FC21 of the second transmission circuit 522b may constitute a third LPF, and the fixed resistor FR22 and the fixed capacitor FC22 of the second reception circuit 522a may constitute a fourth LPF.

[0145] According to an embodiment, when a fixed resistor and a fixed capacitor associated with the fixed resistor constitute an LPF, the resistance value of the fixed resistor and the capacitance value (or the time constant (τ=R*C) value of the corresponding LPF) may be set in advance as one optimized value for minimizing noise in the noise environment of the home appliance 300. However, since the value is set to one fixed value, it may be impossible to flexibly change according to changes in the noise environment applied to the home appliance 300 during actual use. In a general noise environment, noise is reduced by one fixed optimal time value, allowing normal communication between processors, but in an environment where the noise environment deteriorates beyond the expected range or changes in various ways, noise may not be removed normally. This may cause an error in communication between processors, making normal communication impossible.

[0146] FIG. 6 illustrates an example operation in which a home appliance performs communication between processors using a communication circuit including a variable resistor and a variable capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0147] In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the home appliance 300 is a home appliance (e.g., the refrigerator 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B) that includes a compressor 530 (e.g., the compressor 71 of FIG. 1B) as an internal noise source (e.g., the internal noise source 330 of FIG. 4). However, the embodiments are not limited thereto, and the description of the embodiment of FIG. 6 may be applied to home appliances that include another noise source (e.g., the induction coil of the cooking device 1500 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C) as an internal noise source.

[0148] In FIG. 6, a home appliance 300 may include a first processor 311, a second processor 312, a first communication circuit 321, a second communication circuit 322, a compressor 530, and / or a compressor control circuit 531. For a description of the first processor 311, the second processor 312, the first communication circuit 321, and the second communication circuit 322, the description of FIG. 3 may be referred to. The overlapping description is omitted.

[0149] According to an embodiment, the compressor control circuit 531 may be included in the same PBA (e.g., the first PBA) or a different PBA as / from the first processor 311. For example, the compressor control circuit 531 may be a control circuit or a processing circuit included in a third processor included in the first PBA including the first processor 311 and the first communication circuit 321. According to an embodiment, the compressor control circuit 531 may be a control circuit included in the compressor 530. For example, the compressor control circuit 531 may be included in the compressor 530 together with the motor of the compressor 530.

[0150] According to an embodiment, power noise caused by the AC power source 400 may be applied to the home appliance 300 along the power noise path 501.

[0151] According to an embodiment, compressor noise by the compressor 530 may be applied to the home appliance 300 along the compressor noise path 502. For example, the compressor noise path 502 may have a noise path from the compressor 530 through the first processor 311, the first communication circuit 321 to the second communication circuit 322.

[0152] According to an embodiment, the intensity (or strength) of compressor noise may be associated with the rotational speed (e.g., RPM) of the motor of the compressor 530. For example, as the rotational speed of the motor increases, the intensity of the compressor noise may increase.

[0153] According to an embodiment, the first processor 311 may set the compressor RPM. For example, the first processor 311 may set a compressor RPM, transmit a control signal corresponding to the set compressor RPM to the compressor control circuit 531, and the compressor control circuit 531 may drive the motor of the compressor 530 at the RPM set by the first processor 311 based on the received control signal.

[0154] According to an embodiment, the first processor 311 may set the compressor RPM in a specified unit. For example, the first processor 311 may set the compressor RPM in units of 10 RPM within, e.g., a setting range between the maximum RPM to the minimum RPM in Table 1.

[0155] According to an embodiment, the first processor 311 may set various noise environments through the setting of the compressor RPM. For example, the first processor 311 may set the noise environment corresponding to each compressor RPM by setting the compressor RPM in units of 10 RPM within the range between the maximum RPM to the minimum RPM of the table 1.

[0156] According to an embodiment, the first communication circuit 321 may include a first transmission circuit 621a and a first reception circuit 621b connected to the first processor 311, and the second communication circuit 322 may include a second reception circuit 622a and a second transmission circuit 622b connected to the second processor 312. The first processor 311 may transmit data through the first transmission circuit 621a, and the second processor 312 may receive data transmitted from the first processor 311 through the second reception circuit 622a. The second processor 312 may transmit data through the second transmission circuit 622b, and the first processor 311 may receive data transmitted from the second processor 312 through the first reception circuit 621b. In the disclosure, the path through which data (or signal) is transmitted from the first processor 311 to the second processor 312 may be referred to as a first path 641, and the path through which data (or signal) is transmitted from the second processor 312 to the first processor 311 may be referred to as a second path 642. In an embodiment of FIG. 6, the first path 641 may include the first transmission circuit 621a and the second reception circuit 622a, and the second path 642 may include the second transmission circuit 622b and the first reception circuit 621b.

[0157] According to an embodiment, the transmission circuit and the reception circuit may have a symmetrical structure with respect to a cable (e.g., a line or a wire) connecting the transmission circuit and the reception circuit. Accordingly, it may be possible to reduce the possibility of error when designing the communication device. For example, the first transmission circuit 621a of the first communication circuit 321 and the second reception circuit 622a of the second communication circuit 322 may have a symmetrical structure with respect to the connection line. For example, the second transmission circuit 622b of the second communication circuit 322 and the first reception circuit 621b of the first communication circuit 321 may have a symmetrical structure with respect to the connection line.

[0158] According to an embodiment, each communication circuit may include a variable resistor and a variable capacitor. For example, the first transmission circuit 621a may include a variable resistor VR11 and a variable capacitor VC11, the first reception circuit 621b may include a variable resistor VR12 and a variable capacitor VC12, the second reception circuit 622a may include a variable resistor VR21 and a variable capacitor VC21, and the second transmission circuit 622b may include a variable resistor VR22 and a variable capacitor VC22.

[0159] In an embodiment, the variable resistor may be a digital resistor whose resistance value may be set within a specified range, and the variable capacitor may be a digital capacitor whose capacitance value may be set within a specified range.

[0160] Table 2 illustrates example settable ranges and setting units for the variable resistor and the variable capacitor.TABLE 2variablevariableTyperesistor (Ohm)capacitor (nF)setting unitset in units of 10set in units of 10setting range10 to 10001 to 1000

[0161] In Table 2, the variable resistor may be set in units of 10 (Ohm) within a range of 0 to 1000 (Ohm), and the variable capacitor may be set in units of 10 (nF) within a range of 1 to 1000 (nF).

[0162] According to an embodiment, the variable resistor included in each communication circuit and the variable capacitor associated (or connected) with the variable resistor may be used to remove or reduce noise when performing communication between processors. For example, the variable resistor and the variable capacitor connected to the variable resistor may be used to constitute a filter (e.g., an LPF for filtering high-frequency noise). For example, the variable resistor VR11 and the variable capacitor VC11 of the first transmission circuit 621a may constitute a first LPF, the variable resistor VR12 and the variable capacitor VC12 of the first reception circuit 621b may constitute a second LPF, the variable resistor VR21 and the variable capacitor VC21 of the second reception circuit 622a may constitute a third LPF, and the variable resistor VR22 and the variable capacitor VC22 of the second transmission circuit 622b may constitute a fourth LPF.

[0163] According to an embodiment, when the variable resistor and the variable capacitor associated with the variable resistor constitute LPF, the resistance value of the variable resistor and the capacitance value of the variable capacitor (or the time constant (τ=R*C) value of the corresponding LPF) may be set and updated (or adjusted) to a setting value for reducing (e.g., minimizing) noise in the corresponding driving setting (or noise environment) of the home appliance 300 not to cause an error in communication between processors.

[0164] According to an embodiment, the first processor 311 may set and adjust the resistance value of the variable resistor and the capacitance value of the variable capacitor included in the first communication circuit 321. For example, in operation 601, the first processor 311 may set the values of the variable resistor VR11 and the variable capacitor VC11 of the first transmission circuit 621a to values (e.g., optimized values) suitable for the corresponding driving setting (or noise environment) considering the driving setting (e.g., the rotational speed setting of the motor or the current setting of the coil) (or, noise environment) associated with noise. For example, in operation 602, the first processor 311 may set the values of the variable resistor VR12 and the variable capacitor VC12 of the first reception circuit 621b to values (e.g., optimized values) suitable for the corresponding driving setting (or noise environment) considering the driving setting (e.g., the rotational speed setting of the motor or the current setting of the coil) (or, noise environment) associated with noise.

[0165] According to an embodiment, the second processor 312 may set and adjust the resistance value of the variable resistor included in the second communication circuit 322 and the capacitance value of the variable capacitor. For example, in operation 611, the second processor 312 may set the values of the variable resistor VR21 and the variable capacitor VC21 of the second reception circuit 622a to values (e.g., optimized values) suitable for the corresponding driving setting (or noise environment) considering the driving setting (e.g., the rotational speed setting of the motor of the compressor) (or, noise environment) associated with noise. For example, in operation 612, the second processor 312 may set the values of the variable resistor VR22 and the variable capacitor VC22 of the second transmission circuit 622b to values (e.g., optimized values) suitable for the corresponding driving setting (or noise environment) considering the driving setting (e.g., the rotational speed setting of the motor or the current setting of the coil) (or, noise environment) associated with noise.

[0166] According to an embodiment, when a plurality of driving settings (e.g., the rotational speed setting of the motor of the compressor or the current setting of the coil) (or noise environment) associated with noise are set, each processor may preset (e.g., optimize) the resistance value of the variable resistor and the capacitance value of the variable capacitor included in the connected communication circuit for each driving setting (or noise environment). For example, the first processor 311 may preset the values of the variable resistor VR11 and the variable capacitor VC11 of the first transmission circuit 621a to values optimized for each driving setting (or noise environment). For example, the first processor 311 may preset the values of the variable resistor VR12 and the variable capacitor VC12 of the first reception circuit 621b to values optimized for each driving setting (or noise environment). For example, the second processor 312 may preset the values of the variable resistor VR21 and the variable capacitor VC21 of the second reception circuit 622a to values optimized for each driving setting (or noise environment). For example, the second processor 312 may preset the values of the variable resistor VR22 and the variable capacitor VC22 of the second transmission circuit 622b to values optimized for each driving setting (or noise environment).

[0167] By configuring the resistor and capacitor included in the communication circuit as a variable resistor and a variable capacitor and setting the resistance value of the variable resistor and the capacitance value of the variable capacitor considering the driving setting (e.g., the rotational speed setting of the motor of the compressor) (or the noise environment) associated with noise, the time constant value of the filter may be preset to a value suitable for the current driving setting (or the noise environment). In this case, even in situations where the noise environment deteriorates beyond the expected range or changes in various ways during actual use, the noise may be normally reduced through adjusted setting values or time constant. This prevents errors in communication between processors due to noise, enabling normal communication.

[0168] FIG. 7 illustrates an example configuration of a communication circuit including a fixed resistor and a fixed capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0169] In an embodiment of FIG. 7, the transmission circuit 721 may be, e.g., an example of the first transmission circuit 521a of FIG. 5 or the second transmission circuit 522b of FIG. 5. The reception circuit 722 may be, e.g., an example of the first reception circuit 521b or the second reception circuit 522a of FIG. 5. For example, when the signal is transferred from the first processor 311 to the second processor 312 of FIG. 5 along the first path (e.g., the first path 541 of FIG. 5), the first processor 711 may correspond to the first processor 311 of FIG. 5, the second processor 712 may correspond to the second processor 312 of FIG. 5, the transmission circuit 721 may correspond to the first transmission circuit 521a of FIG. 5, and the reception circuit 722 may correspond to the second reception circuit 522a of FIG. 5. For example, when the signal is transferred from the second processor 312 of FIG. 5 to the first processor 311 along the second path (e.g., the second path 542 of FIG. 5), the first processor 711 may correspond to the second processor 312 of FIG. 5, the second processor 712 may correspond to the first processor 311 of FIG. 5, the transmission circuit 721 may correspond to the second transmission circuit 522b of FIG. 5, and the reception circuit 722 may correspond to the first reception circuit 521b of FIG. 5.

[0170] In FIG. 7, the transmission circuit 721 may be connected to the first processor 711, and the reception circuit 722 may be connected to the second processor 712.

[0171] According to an embodiment, the transmission circuit 721 may include a first field effect transistor (FET) Q1, pull-up resistors R1 and R2, and / or a first LPF 701. The first LPF 701 may include a fixed resistor R3 (e.g., FR11 or FR22 of FIG. 5) and a fixed capacitor C1 (e.g., FC11 or FC22 of FIG. 5).

[0172] According to an embodiment, in the first FET Q1, a gate may be connected to the driving power source VCC, a source may be connected to the input end of the transmission circuit 721, the drain may be connected to one end of the first LPF 701, and the other end of the first LPF 701 may be disposed to be connected to the output end of the transmission circuit 721. The first FET Q1 may be, e.g., an N-channel metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor, but is not limited thereto. For example, the first FET Q1 may be a P-channel MOSFET.

[0173] According to an embodiment, when the first FET Q1 is an N-channel MOSFET, the first FET Q1 may be turned on when the difference VGS between the gate voltage VG and the source voltage VS is larger than a threshold voltage and may be turned off when the difference VGS is smaller than the threshold voltage according to the characteristics of the N-channel MOSFET. For example, when the levels of the gate voltage VG and the source voltage VS are the same, the difference between the gate voltage and the source voltage is 0 and thus has a value smaller than the threshold voltage so that the first FET Q1 may be turned off. According to this characteristic, the first FET Q1 may be turned on / off according to the level of the voltage of the signal input to the input end and the level of the voltage applied through the gate.

[0174] According to an embodiment, the reception circuit 722 may include a second FET Q2, pull-up resistors R5 and R6, and a second LPF 702. The second LPF 702 may include a fixed resistor R4 (e.g., FR12 or FR21 of FIG. 5) and a fixed capacitor C2 (e.g., FC12 or FC21 of FIG. 5).

[0175] According to an embodiment, the second FET Q2 may be disposed so that the gate is connected to the driving power source VCC, the source is connected to the output end of the reception circuit 722, the drain is connected to one end of the second LPF 702, and the other end of the second LPF 702 is connected to the input end of the reception circuit 722. The second FET Q2 may be, e.g., an N-channel MOSFET, but is not limited thereto. For example, the second FET Q2 may be a P-channel MOSFET. When the second FET Q2 is an N-channel MOSFET, the second FET Q2 may have the same N-channel MOSFET characteristics as the first FET Q1.

[0176] According to an embodiment, the pull-up resistors R1, R2, R5, and R6 may be used to reduce power consumption due to generation of standby power by reducing leakage current. The resistances of the pull-up resistors R1, R2, R5, and R6 may be set to various values according to design. The pull-up resistors R1, R2, R5, and R6 may be set to, e.g., a value of 4.7Ω to 47Ω.

[0177] According to an embodiment, the first processor 711 and the second processor 712 may have the same driving voltage. For example, the driving voltages of the first processor 711 and the second processor 712 may be the same as the driving voltage of the first voltage level (e.g., the driving voltage of the voltage level of 0V to 3.3V or the driving voltage of the voltage level of 0V to 5V). When the driving voltages of the first processor 711 and the second processor 712 are the same, a shift in the voltage level for the signal in the transmission circuit 721 and the reception circuit 722 is not required for communication between the processors.

[0178] Hereinafter, the operations of the transmission circuit 721 and the reception circuit 722 when the input signal input by the first processor 711 is a high signal (e.g., logic high) in a state in which the driving voltages of the first processor 711 and the second processor 712 are the same is described first.

[0179] For example, when the voltage level of the input signal is in the range of 0V to 3.3V, the level of the voltage applied from the driving power source VCC may be set to 3.3V, which is the level of the voltage corresponding to the high signal of the input signal. In this case, if the input signal is 3.3V, which is a high signal, since both the gate voltage VG and the source voltage VS are the same as 3.3V, the first FET Q1 may be turned off. On the other hand, if the input signal is 0V which is a low signal, the difference VGS between the gate voltage VG and the source voltage VS is 3.3V, and exceeds the level of the threshold voltage, so that the first FET Q1 may be turned on. On the other hand, even when the voltage level of the input signal is in the range of 0V to 5V, the first FET Q1 may be operated in the same manner as described above by setting the voltage applied to the driving power source VCC to 5V.

[0180] If a high signal is input, the first FET Q1 may be turned off. The floated signal generated as the first FET Q1 is turned off may be pulled up through the driving power source VCC and the pull-up resistor R2. For example, when the input signal is a high signal and the voltage applied from the driving power source VCC also has a voltage level corresponding to the high signal, the first FET Q1 is turned off so that no signal is output from the first FET Q1. In this case, a signal pulled up to have a value corresponding to a high signal due to the pull-up resistor R2 connected to the driving power source VCC and the voltage applied from the driving power source VCC may be generated. The pulled-up signal may be output from the transmission circuit 721 through the first LPF 701 and transferred to the reception circuit 722 through a cable (e.g., a line or a wire) connecting the transmission circuit 721 and the reception circuit 722. Since the signal output from the transmission circuit 721 corresponds to the high signal, it may be the same as the input signal of the transmission circuit 721, providing an effect of transferring a non-inverted signal to the reception circuit 722.

[0181] The signal transferred to the reception circuit 722 may pass through the second LPF 702, and the voltage level may be increased again by the driving power source VCC. For example, the voltage level may decrease as the voltage level is transferred to the reception circuit 722 through a signal cable output from the transmission circuit 721, but the voltage level may rise again by the driving power source VCC of the reception circuit 722. The signal whose voltage level is increased again by the driving power source VCC may have a voltage level corresponding to the high signal of the signal input to the transmission circuit 721. Accordingly, the voltage of the signal applied to the drain of the second FET Q2 may have a level corresponding to the high signal. Further, due to the internal diode characteristics of the FET, the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 may also have a level corresponding to the high signal. Further, a voltage having a level corresponding to the high signal may be applied to the gate of the second FET Q2 from the driving power source VCC. And, since the gate voltage VG of the second FET Q2 and the source voltage VS of the second FET Q2 are the same, the second FET Q2 may be turned off. Accordingly, the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 may maintain the voltage level corresponding to the high signal. The generated high signal may be output through the output end of the reception circuit 722 and transferred to the second processor 712.

[0182] Hereinafter, the operations of the transmission circuit 721 and the reception circuit 722 when the input signal input by the first processor 711 is a low signal (e.g., logical low) in a state in which the driving voltages of the first processor 711 and the second processor 712 are the same are described.

[0183] If a low signal is input, the first FET Q1 may be turned on. As the first FET Q1 is turned on, the low signal may be output through the drain of the first FET Q1, and may be output through the output end of the transmission circuit 721 through the first LPF Q1. In this case, since the signal output from the transmission circuit 721 corresponds to the low signal, the signal output is the same as the input signal from the transmission circuit 721, providing an effect of transferring the non-inverted signal to the reception circuit 722. The output signal may be applied to the drain of the second FET Q2 via the second LPF 702. Since the low signal is close to 0V, the voltage applied to the drain of the second FET Q2 may also be 0V, and a voltage drop may occur in which the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 also decreases to 0V according to characteristics by the internal diode of the FET. In this case, since the driving power source VCC applies a voltage corresponding to the high signal to the gate of the second FET Q2, the second FET Q2 may be turned on. Accordingly, pull-up due to the driving power source VCC and the pull-up resistor R6 does not occur, and the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 may be maintained as a value of 0V. The generated low signal may be output through the output end of the reception circuit 722 and transferred to the second processor 712.

[0184] Although the transmission circuit and the reception circuit transmit and receive signals using FETs in the embodiment of FIG. 7, it may be implemented that only at least one of the transmission circuit and the reception circuit transmits and receives signals using FETs, or that signals are transmitted and received using transistors (e.g., NPN transistors or PNP transistors) without using FETs.

[0185] FIG. 8 illustrates an example configuration of a communication circuit including a variable resistor and a variable capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0186] In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the transmission circuit 821 may be, e.g., an example of the first transmission circuit 621a of FIG. 6 or an example of the second transmission circuit 622b of FIG. 6. The reception circuit 822 may be, e.g., an example of the first reception circuit 621b and the second reception circuit 622a of FIG. 6. For example, when the signal is transferred from the first processor 311 to the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 along the first path (e.g., the first path 641 of FIG. 6), the first processor 811 may correspond to the first processor 311 of FIG. 6, the second processor 812 may correspond to the second processor 312 of FIG. 6, the transmission circuit 821 may correspond to the first transmission circuit 621a of FIG. 6, and the reception circuit 822 may correspond to the second reception circuit 622a of FIG. 6. For example, when the signal is transferred from the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 to the first processor 311 along the second path (e.g., the second path 642 of FIG. 6), the first processor 811 may correspond to the second processor 312 of FIG. 6, the second processor 812 may correspond to the first processor 311 of FIG. 6, the transmission circuit 821 may correspond to the second transmission circuit 622b of FIG. 6, and the reception circuit 822 may correspond to the first reception circuit 621b of FIG. 6.

[0187] In FIG. 8, the transmission circuit 821 may be connected to the first processor 811, and the reception circuit 822 may be connected to the second processor 812.

[0188] According to an embodiment, the transmission circuit 821 may include a first FET Q1, pull-up resistors R1 and R2, and a first LPF 801. The first LPF 801 may include a variable resistor R3 (e.g., VR11 or VR22 of FIG. 6) and a variable capacitor C1 (e.g., VC11 or VC22 of FIG. 6).

[0189] According to an embodiment, in the first FET Q1, a gate may be connected to the driving power source VCC, a source may be connected to the input end of the transmission circuit 821, the drain may be connected to one end of the first LPF 801, and the other end of the first LPF 801 may be disposed to be connected to the output end of the transmission circuit 821. The first FET Q1 may be, e.g., an N-channel MOSFET, but is not limited thereto. For example, the first FET Q1 may be a P-channel MOSFET. When a communication circuit is configured using an FET, the transmission circuit and the reception circuit may be configured symmetrically, thereby preventing errors in circuit design.

[0190] According to an embodiment, when the first FET Q1 is an N-channel MOSFET, the first FET Q1 may be turned on when the difference VGS between the gate voltage VG and the source voltage VS is larger than a threshold voltage and may be turned off when the difference VGS is smaller than the threshold voltage according to the characteristics of the N-channel MOSFET. For example, when the levels of the gate voltage VG and the source voltage VS are the same, the difference between the gate voltage and the source voltage is 0 and thus has a value smaller than the threshold voltage so that the first FET Q1 may be turned off. According to this characteristic, the first FET Q1 may be turned on / off according to the level of the voltage of the signal input to the input end and the level of the voltage applied through the gate.

[0191] According to an embodiment, the reception circuit 822 may include a second FET Q2, pull-up resistors R5 and R6, and a second LPF 802. The second LPF 802 may include a variable resistor R4 (e.g., VR12 or VR21 of FIG. 6) and a variable capacitor C2 (e.g., VC12 or VC21 of FIG. 6).

[0192] According to an embodiment, the second FET Q2 may be disposed so that the gate is connected to the driving power source VCC, the source is connected to the output end of the reception circuit 822, the drain is connected to one end of the second LPF 802, and the other end of the second LPF 802 is connected to the input end of the reception circuit 822. The second FET Q2 may be, e.g., an N-channel MOSFET, but is not limited thereto. For example, the second FET Q2 may be a P-channel MOSFET. When the second FET Q2 is an N-channel MOSFET, the second FET Q2 may have the same N-channel MOSFET characteristics as the first FET Q1.

[0193] According to an embodiment, the pull-up resistors R1, R2, R5, and R6 may be used to reduce power consumption due to generation of standby power by reducing leakage current. The resistances of the pull-up resistors R1, R2, R5, and R6 may be set to various values according to design. The pull-up resistors R1, R2, R5, and R6 may be set to, e.g., a value of 4.7Ω to 47Ω.

[0194] According to an embodiment, the first processor 811 and the second processor 812 may have the same driving voltage. For example, the driving voltages of the first processor 811 and the second processor 812 may be the same as the driving voltage of the first voltage level (e.g., the driving voltage of the voltage level of 0V to 3.3V or the driving voltage of the voltage level of 0V to 5V). When the driving voltages of the first processor 811 and the second processor 812 are the same, a shift in the voltage level for the signal in the transmission circuit 821 and the reception circuit 822 is not required for communication between the processors. When the driving voltages of the first processor 811 and the second processor 812 are the same, the driving voltages applied by the first driving power source Vcc1, the second driving power source Vcc2, the third driving power source Vcc3, and the fourth driving power source Vcc4 of FIG. 8 may all be set to the same value (e.g., 3.3V or 5V). For the operations of the transmission circuit 821 and the reception circuit 822 when the input signal input by the first processor 811 is a high signal and a low signal in a state in which the driving voltages of the first processor 811 and the second processor 812, the description of FIG. 7 may be referred to. For example, the description of the transmission circuit 721 and the reception circuit 722 when the driving voltages are the same in the embodiment of FIG. 7 may be likewise applied to the embodiment of FIG. 8, except that the LPF included in each circuit is changed to an LPF including a variable resistor and a variable capacitor.

[0195] According to an embodiment, the first processor 811 and the second processor 812 may have different driving voltages. For example, a driving voltage (e.g., a driving voltage having a voltage level of 0V to 5V) of the first processor 811 may be higher than a driving voltage having a voltage level of 0V to 3.3V of the second processor 812. For example, a driving voltage (e.g., a driving voltage having a voltage level of 0V to 3.3V) of the first processor 811 may be lower than a driving voltage having a voltage level of 0V to 5V of the second processor 812. When the driving voltages of the first processor 811 and the second processor 812 are different, if there is no shift in the voltage level in the transmission circuit 821 or the reception circuit 822, the second processor 812 may not clearly recognize whether the signal transmitted by the first processor 811 is a high signal or a low signal.

[0196] Therefore, when the driving voltages of the first processor 811 and the second processor 812 are different, a shift in the voltage level for the signal in the transmission circuit 821 or the reception circuit 822 is required for communication between the processors.

[0197] For example, when the driving voltage of the first processor 811 is higher than the driving voltage of the second processor 812, the first driving power source Vcc1, the second driving power source Vcc2, and the third driving power source Vcc3 of FIG. 8 may be set to the same first driving voltage (e.g., 5V), and the fourth driving power source Vcc4 of FIG. 8 may be set to a second driving voltage (e.g., 3.3V) lower than the first driving voltage for a shift in the voltage level for the signal generated by the first processor 811. In this case, the reception circuit 822 may perform a power level shift using a plurality of driving power sources that apply different voltage values.

[0198] For example, when the driving voltage of the first processor 811 is lower than the driving voltage of the second processor 812, the first driving power source Vcc1 of FIG. 8 may be set to the first driving voltage (e.g., 3.3V), and the second driving power source Vcc2, the third driving power source Vcc3, and the fourth driving power source Vcc4 may be set to a second driving voltage (e.g., 5V) higher than the first driving voltage. In this case, the transmission circuit 821 may perform a power level shift using a plurality of driving power sources that apply different voltage values.

[0199] Hereinafter, the operations of the transmission circuit 821 and the reception circuit 822 when the second processor 812 operates at a driving voltage (or voltage level) smaller than that of the first processor 811 are described.

[0200] In an embodiment, the first processor 811 is driven at a voltage level of 0V to 5V, and the second processor 812 is driven at a voltage level of 0V to 3.3V.

[0201] First, the operations of the transmission circuit 821 and the reception circuit 822 when the input signal input by the first processor 811 is a high signal are described first.

[0202] A voltage (5V) corresponding to a high signal of a signal input from the first driving power source Vcc1 may be applied to the gate of the first FET Q1. If a high signal is input to the input end, the first FET Q1 is turned off, and the floated signal generated accordingly may be pulled up through the second driving power source Vcc2 having the same driving voltage as the first driving power source Vcc1 and the pull-up resistor R2. Accordingly, the floated signal may be pulled up to a voltage (5V) corresponding to the high signal input to the transmission circuit 821. The pulled-up signal may be output through the output end of the transmission circuit 821 through the first LPF 801 including the variable resistor R3 and the variable capacitor C1, and may be transferred to the reception circuit 822 through a cable (e.g., a line or a wire) connecting the transmission circuit 821 and the reception circuit 822.

[0203] The signal transferred to the reception circuit 822 may pass through the second LPF 802, and the voltage level may rise again by the third driving power source Vcc3. For example, the voltage level may decrease as the voltage level is transferred to the reception circuit 822 through a signal cable output from the transmission circuit 821, but the voltage level may rise again by the third driving power source Vcc3 of the reception circuit 822. The signal whose voltage level is increased again by the third driving power source Vcc3 may have a voltage level (5V) corresponding to the high signal of the signal input to the transmission circuit 821. Accordingly, the voltage of the signal applied to the drain of the second FET Q2 may also have a voltage level (5V) corresponding to the high signal of the signal input to the transmission circuit 821. Further, a voltage (3.3V) corresponding to the high signal of the voltage level used by the second processor 812 may be applied to the gate of the second FET Q2 from the fourth driving power source Vcc4. Further, since the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 may also have the same level, and the voltage of the drain of the second FET Q2 has a value larger than the voltage (3.3V) of the source of the second FET Q2, a voltage drop may not occur. And, since the gate voltage VG of the second FET Q2 and the source voltage VS of the second FET Q2 are the same, the second FET Q2 may be turned off. Further, the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 may maintain the voltage level (3.3V) corresponding to the high signal of the voltage level used by the second processor 812. The high signal generated through such an operation may be output through the output end of the reception circuit 822 and transferred to the second processor 812.

[0204] Next, the operations of the transmission circuit 821 and the reception circuit 822 when the input signal input by the first processor 811 is a low signal are described.

[0205] If a low signal is input to the input end, the first FET Q1 may be turned on. As the first FET Q1 is turned on, the low signal may be output through the drain of the first FET Q1, and may be output through the output end of the transmission circuit 821 through the first LPF 801. The output signal may be applied to the drain of the second FET Q2 via the second LPF 802. Since the low signal is close to 0V, the voltage applied to the drain of the second FET Q2 may also be 0V, and a voltage drop may occur in which the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 also decreases to 0V according to characteristics by the internal diode of the FET. In this case, since the fourth driving power source Vcc4 applies a voltage corresponding to the high signal to the gate of the second FET Q2, the second FET Q2 may be turned on. Accordingly, pull-up due to the fourth driving power source Vcc4 and the pull-up resistor R6 does not occur, and the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 may be maintained as a value of 0V. The low signal generated through such an operation may be output through the output end of the reception circuit 822 and transferred to the second processor 812.

[0206] Hereinafter, the operations of the transmission circuit 821 and the reception circuit 822 when the second processor 812 operates at a driving voltage (or voltage level) larger than that of the first processor 811 are described.

[0207] In an embodiment, the first processor 811 is driven at a voltage level of 0V to 3.3V, and the second processor 812 is driven at a voltage level of 0V to 5V.

[0208] First, the operations of the transmission circuit 821 and the reception circuit 822 when the input signal input by the first processor 811 is a high signal are described.

[0209] A voltage (3.3V) corresponding to a high signal of a signal input from the first driving power source Vcc1 may be applied to the gate of the first FET Q1. If a high signal (3.3V) is input to the input end, the first FET Q1 is turned off, and the floated signal generated accordingly may be pulled up through the second driving power source Vcc2 and the pull-up resistor R2. In this case, the second driving power source Vcc2 may apply a voltage (5V) corresponding to a high signal of the voltage level used by the second processor 812. Accordingly, the floated signal may be pulled up to 5V. The pulled-up signal may be output through the output end of the transmission circuit 821 through the first LPF 801 including the variable resistor R3 and the variable capacitor C1, and may be transferred to the reception circuit 822 through a cable (e.g., a line or a wire) connecting the transmission circuit 821 and the reception circuit 822.

[0210] The signal transferred to the reception circuit 822 may pass through the second LPF 802, and the voltage level may rise again by the third driving power source Vcc3. For example, the voltage level may decrease as the voltage level is transferred to the reception circuit 822 through a signal cable output from the transmission circuit 821, but the voltage level may rise again by the third driving power source Vcc3 of the reception circuit 822. The signal whose voltage level is increased again by the third driving power source Vcc3 may have a voltage (5V) corresponding to a high signal of a voltage level used by the second processor 812. Accordingly, the voltage of the signal applied to the drain of the second FET Q2 may also have a voltage (5V) corresponding to the high signal of the voltage level used by the second processor 812. Further, a voltage (5V) may be applied to the gate of the second FET Q2 from the third driving power source Vcc3. Further, since the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 may also have the same level, and the voltage of the drain of the second FET Q2 and the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 are the same, a voltage drop may not occur. And, since the gate voltage of the second FET Q2 and the source voltage of the second FET Q2 are the same, the second FET Q2 may be turned off. Accordingly, the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 may maintain the voltage level corresponding to the high signal of the voltage level used by the second processor 812. The high signal generated through such an operation may be output through the output end of the reception circuit 822 and transferred to the second processor 812.

[0211] Next, the operations of the transmission circuit 821 and the reception circuit 822 when the input signal input by the first processor 811 is a low signal are described.

[0212] If a low signal is input to the input end, the first FET Q1 may be turned on. As the first FET Q1 is turned on, the low signal may be output through the drain of the first FET Q1, and may be output through the output end of the transmission circuit 821 through the first LPF 801. The output signal may be applied to the drain of the second FET Q2 via the second LPF 802. Since the low signal is close to 0V, the voltage applied to the drain of the second FET Q2 may also be 0V, and a voltage drop may occur in which the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 also decreases to 0V according to characteristics by the internal diode of the FET. In this case, since the fourth driving power source Vcc4 applies a voltage corresponding to the high signal to the gate of the second FET Q2, the second FET Q2 may be turned on. Accordingly, pull-up due to the fourth driving power source Vcc4 and the pull-up resistor R6 does not occur, and the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 may be maintained as a value of 0V. The low signal generated through such an operation may be output through the output end of the reception circuit 822 and transferred to the second processor 812.

[0213] The driving power source is illustrated as applying a voltage of 5V or 3V in the embodiment of FIG. 8, but it may be implemented to have a voltage other than the above-described voltages.

[0214] Although the transmission circuit and the reception circuit transmit and receive signals using FETs in the embodiment of FIG. 8, it may be implemented that only at least one of the transmission circuit and the reception circuit transmits and receives signals using FETs, or that signals are transmitted and received using transistors (e.g., NPN transistors or PNP transistors) without using FETs.

[0215] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation in which a home appliance sets values of a variable resistor and a variable capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0216] In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the home appliance is a refrigerator (e.g., the refrigerator 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B). However, the embodiments are not limited thereto, and the same description may be applied to various types of home appliances (e.g., the cooking device 1500 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C, the air conditioner 2000 of FIG. 16, or the washer 1700 of FIGS. 17A and 17B) that generate noise affecting communication between processors.

[0217] In FIG. 9, in operation 910, the home appliance may generate setting value information about a variable resistor (e.g., VR11, VR12, VR21, or VR22 of FIG. 6 or R3 or R4 of FIG. 8) and a variable capacitor (e.g., VC11, VC12, VC21, or VC22 of FIG. 6 or C1 or C2 of FIG. 8).

[0218] According to an embodiment, the setting value information may include a resistance setting value of the variable resistor and a capacitance setting value of the variable capacitor corresponding to each driving setting. The driving setting may include, e.g., a rotational speed setting of the motor (e.g., the rotational speed setting of the motor of the compressor 71 of FIG. 1B or the rotational speed setting of the motor 1761 of FIG. 17B) or a current setting of the coil (e.g., the current setting of the coil of the heating unit 1531 of FIG. 15A). For example, the setting value information may include the resistance setting value of the variable resistor and the capacitance setting value of the variable capacitor corresponding to each of the plurality of rotational speeds in the rotational speed setting range of the motor (e.g., the plurality of compressor RPMs set in units of 10 RPM in the compressor RPM setting range of Table 1). For example, the setting value information may include the resistance setting value of the variable resistor and the capacitance setting value of the variable capacitor corresponding to each of the plurality of currents in the current setting range of the coil.

[0219] According to an embodiment, the setting value information may include a resistance setting value of the variable resistor and a capacitance setting value of the variable capacitor corresponding to each noise environment.

[0220] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may determine the resistance setting values of all variable resistors and the capacitance setting values included in the first communication circuit (e.g., the first communication circuit 321 of FIG. 6 or the transmission circuit 821 of FIG. 8) and the second communication circuit (e.g., the second communication circuit 322 of FIG. 6 or the reception circuit 822 of FIG. 8) for each driving setting (or for each noise environment) to generate the setting value information. For example, the first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 6 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) may determine the resistance setting value of each variable resistor and the capacitance setting value of each variable capacitor included in the first communication circuit (e.g., the first communication circuit 321 of FIG. 6 or the transmission circuit 821 of FIG. 8) connected to the first processor. For example, the second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8) may determine the resistance setting value of each variable resistor and the capacitance setting value of each variable capacitor included in the second communication circuit (e.g., the second communication circuit 322 of FIG. 6 or the reception circuit 822 of FIG. 8) connected to the second processor.

[0221] According to an embodiment, the variable resistor and the variable capacitor may constitute a low pass filter LPF (e.g., the first LPF 801 and the second LPF 802 of FIG. 8).

[0222] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may set a predetermined number of driving settings (or noise environments). For example, the home appliance may set N driving settings (or noise environments).

[0223] According to an embodiment, each driving setting (or noise environment) may be associated with a different noise level or intensity. For example, the home appliance may set N driving settings (or noise environments) corresponding to N different noise levels.

[0224] According to an embodiment, each driving setting (or noise environment) may be associated with a different rotational speed (e.g., RPM) of the motor (e.g., the motor of the compressor 71 of the refrigerator of FIG. 1B). For example, each driving setting (or noise environment) may correspond to a different compressor RPM value. For example, the home appliance may set N driving settings (or noise environments) by driving the motor of the compressor at N different compressor RPMs. The N driving settings (or noise environments) may include, e.g., a first driving setting (or first noise environment) corresponding to a first compressor RPM, a second driving setting (or second noise environment) corresponding to a second compressor RPM, . . . , an Nth driving setting (or Nth noise environment) corresponding to an Nth compressor RPM. Each driving setting (or noise environment) may be associated with each noise generated by rotating the motor of the compressor at the corresponding compressor RPM. Each compressor RPM used to set the driving setting (or noise environment) may be included, e.g., in the range of the compressor RPMs of Table 1. For example, each compressor RPM used to set the driving setting (or noise environment) may be set in a specified unit (e.g., 10 RPM) in the setting range of the compressor RPMs in Table 1.

[0225] According to an embodiment, each driving setting (or noise environment) may be associated with a different current value of the coil (e.g., the coil of the heating unit 1531 of FIG. 15A). For example, each driving setting (or noise environment) may correspond to a different coil current value. For example, the home appliance may set N driving settings (or noise environments) by supplying N different coil current values to the coils, respectively. The N driving settings (or noise environments) may include, e.g., a first driving setting (or a first noise environment) corresponding to the first coil current, a second driving setting (or a second noise environment) corresponding to the second coil current, and an Nth driving setting (or an Nth noise environment) corresponding to the second coil current. Each driving setting (or noise environment) may be associated with each noise generated by supplying a corresponding coil current to the coil. Each coil current used to set the driving setting (or noise environment) may be included in a specified current range, for example. For example, each coil current used to set the driving setting (or noise environment) may be set in a specified unit (e.g., 1A) in a specified current range.

[0226] According to an embodiment, in a state in which each driving setting (or noise environment) is set, the home appliance may determine a resistance setting value of each variable resistor and a capacitance setting value of each variable capacitor. For example, when N driving settings (or noise environments) are set, the home appliance may determine the first resistance setting value of each variable resistor and the first capacitance setting value of each variable capacitor corresponding to the first driving setting (or first noise environment), the second resistance setting value of each variable resistor and the second capacitance setting value of each variable capacitor corresponding to the second driving setting (or second noise environment), and the Nth resistance setting value of each variable resistor and the Nth capacitance setting value of each variable capacitor corresponding to the Nth driving setting (or Nth noise environment).

[0227] When the resistance setting value of each variable resistor and the capacitance setting value of each variable capacitor are determined for each driving setting (or noise environment), although the noise generated while the home appliance is actually driven is varied over time, it may be possible to set a resistance value and a capacitance value (e.g., optimal resistance value and optimal capacitance value) suitable for the driving setting (or noise environment) at the current time. Accordingly, noise generated in the current noise situation may be normally reduced, thereby preventing an error in communication between processors.

[0228] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may determine a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value corresponding to each driving setting (or noise environment) based on a communication success rate for communication performed between the processors using an asynchronous communication scheme (e.g., a UART communication scheme) in a state in which each driving setting (or noise environment) is set. For example, the first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 3 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) of the home appliance may determine the respective resistance setting value and capacitance setting value of each variable resistor and each variable capacitor included in the first communication circuit corresponding to the corresponding driving setting (or noise environment) based on the communication success rate for communication performed with the second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 3 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8) through the first communication circuit (e.g., the first communication circuit 321 of FIG. 3 or the transmission circuit 821 of FIG. 8) connected to the first processor. For example, the second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 3 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8) of the home appliance may determine the respective resistance setting value and capacitance setting value of each variable resistor and each variable capacitor included in the second communication circuit corresponding to the corresponding driving setting (or noise environment) based on the communication success rate for communication performed with the first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 3 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) through the second communication circuit (e.g., the second communication circuit 322 of FIG. 3 or the reception circuit 822 of FIG. 8) connected to the second processor. An embodiment of determining a resistance setting value (e.g., an optimal resistance value) and a capacitance setting value (e.g., an optimal capacitance value) based on a communication success rate is described below with reference to FIGS. 10, 11, and 12.

[0229] According to an embodiment, setting value information about the resistance setting value of each variable resistor and the capacitance setting value of each variable capacitor for each driving setting (or noise environment) may be stored in the home appliance (or the memory 101 of FIG. 1B).

[0230] In operation 920, the home appliance may perform communication between processors through the communication circuit including the variable resistor and the variable capacitor set to the resistance setting value and the capacitance setting value corresponding to the current driving setting (e.g., the current rotational speed setting of the motor of the compressor 71 of FIG. 1B or a present current setting of the coil of the heating unit 1531 of FIG. 15A) (or noise environment). For example, the home appliance may identify the current rotational speed (e.g., current compressor RPM) (or current noise environment corresponding to the current rotational speed) of the motor of the compressor, obtain the resistance setting value and the capacitance setting value corresponding to the current rotational speed (or current noise environment) from setting value information previously obtained through operation 910, and perform communication between processors through the communication circuit including the variable resistor and the variable capacitor set to the obtained resistance setting value and the obtained capacitance setting value. For example, the home appliance may identify the present current (e.g., current coil current) (or current noise environment corresponding to the current coil current) of the coil, obtain the resistance setting value and the capacitance setting value corresponding to the current coil current (or current noise environment) from setting value information previously obtained through operation 910, and perform communication between processors through the communication circuit including the variable resistor and the variable capacitor set to the obtained resistance setting value and the obtained capacitance setting value.

[0231] The home appliance may prevent communication errors caused by noise associated with the current driving setting (or noise environment) by obtaining and setting the setting values of each variable resistor and each variable capacitor corresponding to the current driving setting (or noise environment) from the setting value information generated in advance through operation 910.

[0232] In operation 930, the home appliance may re-determine (or update) setting value information about the variable resistor and the variable capacitor based on identifying that a specified condition is met. For example, when specified cycles (e.g., two cycles a day (e.g., morning and afternoon) are met, the home appliance may identify that the specified condition is met. For example, if specified cycles (e.g., two cycles a day (e.g., morning and afternoon) are met, the home appliance may obtain a communication success rate between processors (e.g., a communication success rate for the current noise environment) and, if the communication success rate is identified to be lower than a reference communication success rate, identify that the specified condition is met. For example, when the communication success rate between processors is identified as being a specified value or less, the home appliance may identify that the specified condition is met.

[0233] The resistance setting value of each variable resistor and the capacitance setting value of each variable capacitor, which are determined for each driving setting or noise environment, may, rather than continuously maintained, be re-determined or updated as the specified condition is met, making it possible to flexibly adapt to changes in noise.

[0234] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may re-determine the resistance setting value of each variable resistor and the capacitance setting value of each variable capacitor for all or some of the set driving settings (or noise environments) based on identifying that the specified condition is met. In an embodiment, the home appliance may update the setting value for all of the set driving settings (or noise environments), or, if it may be unnecessary to update the setting values for all of the driving settings (or noise environments), may update the setting values only for some necessary driving settings (or noise environments).

[0235] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation in which a home appliance determines setting values of a variable resistor and a variable capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0236] In the embodiment of FIG. 10, the home appliance is a refrigerator (e.g., the refrigerator 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B). However, the embodiments are not limited thereto, and the same description may be applied to various types of home appliances (e.g., the cooking device 1500 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C, the air conditioner 2000 of FIG. 16, or the washer 1700 of FIGS. 17A and 17B) that generate noise affecting communication between processors.

[0237] In FIG. 10, in operation 1010, the home appliance may set the driving setting (or noise environment) to a first driving setting (or a first noise environment). The first driving setting (or the first noise environment) may be any one of driving settings (or noise environments) that may be set by the home appliance. The driving setting may be, e.g., a rotational speed setting of the motor (e.g., the motor of the compressor 71 of FIG. 1B or the motor 1761 of FIG. 17B) or a current setting of the coil (e.g., the coil of the heating unit 1531 of FIG. 15A).

[0238] For example, the first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 6 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) may set the first driving setting by setting the compressor RPM to the first compressor RPM (or the coil current to the first coil current). For example, the first processor may set the first noise environment associated with the first compressor RPM by driving the motor of the compressor at the first compressor RPM. In this case, the first driving setting (or the first noise environment) may be associated with noise generated by driving the motor of the compressor at the first compressor RPM. For example, the first processor may set the first noise environment associated with the first coil current by supplying the first coil current to the coil. In this case, the first driving setting (or the first noise environment) may be associated with noise generated by supplying the first coil current to the coil.

[0239] For example, the first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 6 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) may set the basic driving setting to the first driving setting by setting the compressor RPM (or coil current) to 0. For example, the first processor may set the basic noise environment to the first noise environment without driving the motor of the compressor at the compressor RPM. For example, the first processor may set the basic noise environment to the first noise environment without supplying the coil current to the coil. The basic driving setting (or basic noise environment) may be a driving setting (or noise environment) associated with power noise and noise generated by an external user environment without the influence of the internal noise source (e.g., the compressor RPM, coil current) of the home appliance. According to an embodiment, the home appliance may determine a basic communication speed for communication between processors based on the communication success rate obtained in a state in which the basic driving setting (or the basic noise environment) is set. For example, when the communication success rate in the basic driving setting (or the basic noise environment) is higher than a specified success rate, the home appliance may set the basic communication speed to be higher (e.g., 115,200 bps) than the reference communication speed (e.g., 9,600 bps). For example, when the communication success rate in the basic driving setting (or the basic noise environment) is lower than a specified success rate, the home appliance may set the basic communication speed to be lower than the reference communication speed (e.g., 9,600 bps). The home appliance may obtain a communication success rate using a communication circuit set to a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value of a variable resistor and a variable capacitor determined in a basic driving setting (or a basic noise environment).

[0240] In operation 1020, the home appliance may set a first variable resistor (e.g., VR11 or VR12 of FIG. 6 or R3 of FIG. 8) and a first variable capacitor (e.g., VC11 or VC12 of FIG. 6 or C1 of FIG. 8) included in the first communication circuit (e.g., the first communication circuit 321 of FIG. 6 or the transmission circuit 821 of FIG. 8) as a first resistance value and a first capacitance value, respectively. For example, the first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 6 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) may set the first variable resistor (e.g., VR11 of FIG. 6 or R3 of FIG. 8) and the first variable capacitor (e.g., VC11 of FIG. 6 or C1 of FIG. 8) included in the first transmission circuit (e.g., VC11 of FIG. 8 or C1 of FIG. 8) as the first resistance value and the first capacitance value, respectively.

[0241] In operation 1030, the home appliance may obtain a first communication success rate, which is the communication success rate for communication between processors performed through the first communication circuit, using an asynchronous communication scheme (e.g., UART communication scheme) in a state in which the first driving setting (or the first noise environment) is set. For example, the first processor may obtain the first communication success rate for communication performed with the second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8) through the first communication circuit using a specified communication scheme in a state in which the first driving setting (or the first noise environment) is set.

[0242] According to an embodiment, communication between processors may be performed at a specified communication speed (e.g., a first baud rate value (e.g., 19,200) of UART communication). The specified communication speed may be associated with, e.g., a driving setting (or a noise environment). For example, when the driving setting (or noise environment) corresponds to a higher noise intensity or strength, the communication speed for the driving setting (or noise environment) may have a lower communication speed.

[0243] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may obtain a communication success rate for communication between processors using a test packet. A method using the test packet is described below with reference to FIG. 11.

[0244] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may obtain a communication success rate for communication between processors using a trained AI model. A method using the AI model is described below with reference to FIG. 12.

[0245] In operation 1040, the home appliance may determine whether the first communication success rate is equal to or higher than a previous communication success rate. The previous communication success rate is a communication success rate obtained at a previous time instance.

[0246] For example, the first processor may determine whether the first communication success rate is the previous communication success rate or more (or higher). In other words, the first processor may determine whether the first communication success rate is equal to or higher than the previous communication success rate. When the first communication success rate is the previous communication success rate or more, operation 1050 may be performed. When the first communication success rate is smaller than the previous communication success rate, operation 1080 may be performed. In other words, when the first communication success rate is lower than the previous communication success rate, operation 1080 may be performed.

[0247] In operation 1050, when the first communication success rate is the previous communication success rate or more, the home appliance may determine whether the communication success rate is the reference communication success rate (e.g., 95%) or more. For example, the first processor may determine whether the first communication success rate is the reference communication success rate or more. When the first communication success rate is the reference communication success rate or more, operation 1060 may be performed. When the first communication success rate is smaller than the reference communication success rate, operation 1070 may be performed.

[0248] In operation 1060, when the first communication success rate is the reference communication success rate or more, the home appliance may determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value, respectively, of the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor corresponding to the first driving setting (or the first noise environment). For example, when the first communication success rate is the reference communication success rate or more, the first processor may determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as the resistance setting value and the capacitance setting value of the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor, respectively, corresponding to the first driving setting (or the first noise environment). When the communication success rate is the reference communication success rate or more, the success rate is large enough to disregard communication errors. Thus, the home appliance may finally determine the resistance value and the capacitance value corresponding to the communication success rate as the resistance setting value of the variable resistor and the capacitance setting value of the variable capacitor without performing an additional operation to determine the resistance setting value and the capacitance setting value.

[0249] In operation 1070, when the first communication success rate is smaller than the reference communication success rate, the home appliance may determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as a temporary resistance setting value and a temporary capacitance setting value of the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor, respectively, corresponding to the first driving setting (or the first noise environment). For example, when the first communication success rate is smaller than the reference communication success rate, the first processor may determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as the temporary resistance setting value and the temporary capacitance setting value of the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor, respectively, corresponding to the first driving setting (or the first noise environment). When the communication success rate is the previous communication success rate or more, but is smaller than the reference communication success rate, an additional operation need to be performed to determine the resistance setting value and capacitance setting value corresponding to a communication success rate higher than the reference communication success rate. When the additional operation is performed, the first resistance value and the first capacitance value corresponding to the current communication success rate may be used as the temporary resistance setting value and the temporary capacitance setting value.

[0250] In operation 1080, when the first communication success rate is smaller than the previous communication success rate, the home appliance may determine the second resistance value and the second capacitance value corresponding to the previous communication success rate as the temporary resistance setting value and the temporary capacitance setting value of the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor, respectively, corresponding to the first driving setting (or the first noise environment). For example, when the first communication success rate is smaller than the previous communication success rate, the first processor may determine the second resistance value and the second capacitance value corresponding to the previous communication success rate as the temporary resistance setting value and the temporary capacitance setting value, respectively, of the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor corresponding to the first driving setting (or the first noise environment). It may be necessary to further perform an additional operation to determine a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value corresponding to a communication success rate higher than the reference communication success rate, where the communication success rate is smaller than the previous communication success rate. When performing the additional operation, the first resistance value and the first capacitance value corresponding to the previous communication success rate, not the current communication success rate, may be used as the temporary resistance setting value and the temporary capacitance setting value.

[0251] In operation 1090, the home appliance may set the first variable resistor to a third resistance value different from the first resistance value and the second resistance value, and set the first variable capacitor to a third capacitance value different from the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value. For example, after operation 1070 or 1080 is performed, the first processor may set the first variable resistor to a third resistance value different from the first resistance value (current resistance value) and the second resistance value (previous resistance value), and set the first variable capacitor to a third capacitance value different from the first capacitance value (current capacitance value) and the second capacitance value (previous capacitance value).

[0252] After operation 1090 is performed, the home appliance may perform operations 1030 to 1090 again based on the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor set as the third resistance value and the third capacitance value. Operations 1030 to 1090 may be repeatedly performed until a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value corresponding to a communication success rate larger than or equal to the reference communication success rate for the first driving setting (or a first noise environment) are determined.

[0253] According to an embodiment, when the resistance setting value and the capacitance setting value of the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor corresponding to the first driving setting (or first noise environment) are determined, the home appliance may repeatedly perform operations 1010 to 1090 to determine the resistance setting value and the capacitance setting value of the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor for the second driving setting (or second noise environment) after the first driving setting (or first noise environment). For the descriptions of operations 1010 to 1090 for the second driving setting (or the second noise environment), the above descriptions of operations 1010 to 1090 for the first driving setting (or the first noise environment) may be referred to. In such a manner, the home appliance may obtain the setting values of the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor for each of all settable driving settings (or noise environments) by repeatedly performing operations 1010 to 1090 for all settable driving settings (or noise environments). Further, the home appliance may determine the respective resistance setting value and the capacitance setting value of each variable resistor and each variable capacitor included in all of the communication circuits included in the home appliance by repeatedly performing operations 1020 to 1090, and the determined resistance setting value and capacitance setting value of each variable resistor and each variable capacitor may be stored in the home appliance.

[0254] According to an embodiment, when the resistance setting value and the capacitance setting value for the first driving setting (or the first noise environment) are not determined, the home appliance may change the communication speed. For example, when none of the communication success rates for the first driving setting (or the first noise environment) obtained for all combinations of settable resistance values and settable capacitance values are the reference communication success rate or more, the first processor may decrease the communication speed (e.g., decrease the baud rate value of the UART communication scheme from a first value (e.g., 19,200) to a second value (e.g., 9,600). Thereafter, the home appliance may repeatedly perform operations 1010 to 1090 based on the adjusted (e.g., decreased) communication speed. Accordingly, a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value that meet a required communication success rate (e.g., a reference communication success rate of 95%) may be determined.

[0255] All or some of operations 1010 to 1090 of FIG. 10 described above may be performed by the first processor and / or the second processor of the home appliance. For example, operation 1010 for setting a driving setting (or noise environment) may be performed by the first processor that controls functions (e.g., the control of the motor of the compressor or the control of the current of the coil) associated with the driving setting (or noise environment), and operations 1020 to 1090 may be performed by each of the first processor and the second processor to determine the setting values of each variable resistor and each variable capacitor included in their communication circuit on their own.

[0256] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation in which a home appliance obtains a communication success rate using a test packet according to an embodiment of the disclosure

[0257] In the embodiment of FIG. 11, the home appliance is a refrigerator (e.g., the refrigerator 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B). However, the embodiments are not limited thereto, and the same description may be applied to various types of home appliances (e.g., the cooking device 1500 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C, the air conditioner 2000 of FIG. 16, or the washer 1700 of FIGS. 17A and 17B) that generate noise affecting communication between processors.

[0258] The operations of FIG. 11 may be an example of operation 1030 of FIG. 10.

[0259] In FIG. 11, the home appliance may transmit a plurality of test packets to the second processor through the first communication circuit using an asynchronous communication scheme (e.g., a UART communication scheme).

[0260] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may transmit a plurality of test packets to the second processor through the first communication circuit using an asynchronous communication scheme (e.g., a UART communication scheme) in a state in which the first driving setting (e.g., the rotational speed setting of the compressor 71 of FIG. 1B or the current setting of the coil of the heating unit 1531 of FIG. 15A) (or the first noise environment) is set. For example, the first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 6 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) may transmit a plurality of test packets to the second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8) through the first communication circuit (e.g., the first transmission circuit 621a of FIG. 6 or the transmission circuit 821 of FIG. 8) using a specified communication scheme in a state in which the first driving setting (or the first noise environment) is set. The second processor may receive the plurality of test packets transmitted by the first processor through the second communication circuit (e.g., the second reception circuit 622a of FIG. 6 or the reception circuit 822 of FIG. 8).

[0261] According to an embodiment, the test packet is a packet exchanged between processors to calculate a communication success rate, and may be a packet known in advance by each processor or a packet including information known in advance.

[0262] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may receive a plurality of response packets for the plurality of test packets from the second processor through the first communication circuit. For example, the second processor may transmit the plurality of response packets to the plurality of test packets through the second communication circuit, and the first processor may receive the plurality of response packets through the first communication circuit.

[0263] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may obtain a communication success rate based on the number of the plurality of test packets and the number of the plurality of response packets. For example, the first processor may obtain a communication success rate based on the number of the plurality of test packets and the number of the plurality of response packets. The communication success rate (%) may correspond to, e.g., (the number of the plurality of response packets / the number of the plurality of test packets)*100.

[0264] In the example of FIG. 11, the example in which the test packet is transmitted by the first processor is described as an example, but embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, the test packet may be transmitted by the second processor.

[0265] In the example of FIG. 11, an example in which the communication success rate is obtained or calculated by the first processor is described, but embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, the communication success rate may be calculated by both the first processor and the second processor, or may be calculated by the second processor. When the communication success rate is calculated by only one processor, the corresponding processor may transmit information about the communication success rate to the other processor. This is because the communication success rate is used by each processor to determine the setting values of each variable resistor and each variable capacitor included in the communication circuit. For a method in which each processor determines the setting values of each variable resistor and each variable capacitor for each noise environment based on the communication success rate, e.g., the description of FIG. 10 described above may be referred to.

[0266] FIG. 12 illustrates an example operation in which a home appliance obtains a communication success rate using an AI model according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0267] In the embodiment of FIG. 12, the home appliance is a refrigerator (e.g., the refrigerator 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B). However, the embodiments are not limited thereto, and the same description may be applied to various types of home appliances (e.g., the cooking device 1500 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C, the air conditioner 2000 of FIG. 16, or the washer 1700 of FIGS. 17A and 17B) that generate noise affecting communication between processors.

[0268] The operations of FIG. 12 may be an example of operation 1030 of FIG. 10.

[0269] In FIG. 12, the home appliance may obtain a communication success rate for communication between processors using a trained AI model. The trained AI model may be an on-device AI model stored in the home appliance or an AI model stored in a server. The AI model may be trained by the home appliance or trained by the server.

[0270] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may input data to the AI model and obtain output data associated with the communication success rate for communication between processors from the AI model. The input data may include, e.g., a communication speed (e.g., the baud rate of UART communication), a rotational speed of the motor of the compressor (e.g., the compressor RPM) (or current of a coil), a resistance value of a variable resistor (e.g., the first variable resistor), and / or a capacitance value of a variable capacitor (e.g., the first variable capacitor). The output data may include, e.g., the communication success rate corresponding to the resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor for the driving setting (e.g., the rotational speed setting of the motor of the compressor 71 of FIG. 1B or the coil current setting of the coil of the heating unit 1531 of FIG. 15A) or the noise environment corresponding to the driving setting. The first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor may be included in the same communication circuit (e.g., the transmission circuit 821 or the reception circuit 822 of FIG. 8) and used to configure the first LFP. Instead of using the test packet in this way, when the communication success rate is obtained using the AI model, the communication success rate may be obtained at a faster speed.

[0271] FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of a home appliance according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0272] In the embodiment of FIG. 13, the home appliance is a refrigerator (e.g., the refrigerator 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B). However, the embodiments are not limited thereto, and the same description may be applied to various types of home appliances (e.g., the cooking device 1500 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C, the air conditioner 2000 of FIG. 16, and the washer 1700 of FIGS. 17A and 17B) that generate noise affecting communication between processors.

[0273] In the embodiment of FIG. 13, the operations of the home appliance may be performed by the first processor of the home appliance (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 6 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8).

[0274] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may include a compressor (e.g., the compressor 71 of FIG. 1B) configured to compress a refrigerant using the rotation of a motor, a first communication circuit including a first low pass filter including a first variable resistor and a first variable capacitor, and a first processor connected to the first communication circuit. For example, the home appliance may include a storage compartment (e.g., the storage compartment 20 of FIG. 1A), a door (e.g., the door 30 of FIG. 1A) used to open / close the storage compartment, a compressor used to supply cold air to the storage compartment and configured to compress the refrigerant using rotation of the motor, a first PBA including a first communication circuit including a first low pass filter (e.g., the first LPF 801 of FIG. 8) including a first variable resistor and a first variable capacitor and a first processor connected to the first communication circuit, and a second PBA including a second communication circuit including a second low pass filter (e.g., the second LPF 802 of FIG. 8) including a second variable resistor and a second variable capacitor and a second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8) connected to the second communication circuit.

[0275] According to an embodiment, the first processor may be a processor configured to transmit a control signal corresponding to the rotational speed information of the motor to the compressor or the control circuit (e.g., the compressor control circuit 531 of FIG. 5 or 6) of the compressor for control of the motor.

[0276] In FIG. 13, in operation 1310, the home appliance may set a resistance value of a first variable resistor (e.g., VR11 of FIG. 6 or R3 of FIG. 8) and a capacitance value of a first variable capacitor (e.g., VC11 of FIG. 6 or R3 of FIG. 8) based on rotational speed information (e.g., the compressor RPM) of the motor.

[0277] In operation 1320, the home appliance may perform communication with a second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8) included in the refrigerator using an asynchronous communication scheme through the first communication circuit (e.g., the first transmission circuit 621a of FIG. 6 or the transmission circuit 821 of FIG. 8).

[0278] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may identify a change in rotational speed information of the motor and change the resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor based on the change in rotational speed information of the motor.

[0279] According to an embodiment, the resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor may be set to a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value corresponding to the rotational speed information obtained based on a communication success rate for communication performed with the second processor.

[0280] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may generate setting value information for a plurality of rotational speeds (e.g., a plurality of compressors RPMs set in units of 10 RPM in the compressor RPM setting range of the motor based on the communication success rate for communication performed with the second processor through the first communication circuit using an asynchronous communication scheme. The setting value information may include a resistance setting value of the first variable resistor and a capacitance setting value of the first variable capacitor corresponding to each of the plurality of rotational speeds. For a description of the operation of generating setting value information based on the communication success rate, the descriptions of FIGS. 10 to 12 may be referred to. The overlapping description is omitted.

[0281] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may obtain a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value corresponding to the rotational speed of the rotational speed information from the setting value information.

[0282] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may set the obtained resistance setting value and the obtained capacitance setting value as the resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor, respectively.

[0283] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may set a rotational speed of the motor to a first rotational speed, set the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor to a first resistance value and a first capacitance value, obtain a first communication success rate which is the communication success rate for the communication performed with the second processor through the first communication circuit using the asynchronous communication scheme while the motor rotates according to the first rotational speed, determine whether the first communication success rate is a previous communication success rate or more and, based on identifying that the first communication success rate is the previous communication success rate or more, determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as a first resistance setting value and a first capacitance setting value, respectively, corresponding to the first rotational speed.

[0284] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may, when the first communication success rate is the previous communication success rate or more, determine whether the communication success rate is a reference communication success rate or more and, when the first communication success rate is the reference communication success rate or more, determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as the first resistance setting value and the first capacitance setting value, respectively, corresponding to the first rotational speed.

[0285] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may, when the first communication success rate is less than the reference communication success rate, determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as a temporary resistance setting value and a temporary capacitance setting value, respectively, corresponding to the first rotational speed.

[0286] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may reduce a communication speed of the asynchronous communication scheme when identifying that none of communication success rates obtained for each of combinations of settable resistance values of the first variable resistor and settable capacitance values of the first variable capacitor exceed the reference communication success rate.

[0287] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may, when the first communication success rate is less than the previous communication success rate, determine a second resistance value and a second capacitance value corresponding as the previous communication success rate to a temporary resistance setting value and a temporary capacitance setting value, respectively, corresponding to the first rotational speed.

[0288] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may, in response to determining the temporary resistance setting value and the temporary capacitance setting value, set the first variable resistor to a third resistance value different from the first resistance value and the second resistance value and set the first variable capacitor to a third capacitance value different from the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value.

[0289] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may transmit a plurality of test packets to the second processor through the first communication circuit using the asynchronous communication scheme while the motor rotates according to the first rotational speed, receive a plurality of response packets for the plurality of test packets through the first communication circuit from the second processor, and obtain the first communication success rate based on a number of the plurality of test packets and a number of the plurality of response packets.

[0290] According to an embodiment, the asynchronous communication scheme may be a UART communication scheme.

[0291] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may update setting value information for at least some of the plurality of rotational speeds based on meeting a specified condition.

[0292] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may, in a state in which the motor does not rotate, obtain a basic communication success rate for communication performed with the second processor through the first communication circuit using the asynchronous communication scheme and determine a basic communication speed of the asynchronous communication scheme based on the basic communication success rate.

[0293] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may, based on the rotational speed information of the motor, obtain a combination of a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value to give a highest communication success rate to the communication with the second processor among combinations of settable resistance values and settable capacitance values and change the obtained resistance setting value and the obtained capacitance setting value to the resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor, respectively.

[0294] According to an embodiment, the first communication circuit may further include a first FET. A source of the first FET may be connected to the first processor. A drain of the first FET may be connected to one end of the first low pass filter, and another end of the first low pass filter may be connected to an output end of the first communication circuit.

[0295] According to an embodiment, the first low pass filter may have a first end connected to the drain of the first FET included in the first communication circuit, and a second end connected to the input end or the output end of the first communication circuit.

[0296] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may generate setting value information for a plurality of rotational speeds using a trained AI model. The AI model may be configured to receive input data generated based on a communication speed of an asynchronous communication scheme, a rotational speed of a motor, a resistance value of a first variable resistor, and a capacitance value of a first variable capacitor, and obtain output data including information about a communication success rate for communication performed with a second processor through the first communication circuit.

[0297] FIG. 14 illustrates a configuration of a home appliance according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0298] The home appliance of the embodiment of FIG. 14 may include, e.g., the refrigerator 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B, the cooking device 1500 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C, the air conditioner 2000 of FIG. 16, or the washer 1700 of FIGS. 17A and 17B.

[0299] In FIG. 14, the home appliance may include at least one communication circuit 1410, at least one processor 1420, and / or at least one memory 1430. According to an example, the home appliance may include additional components (e.g., an indoor heat exchanger, an indoor blower, etc.) in addition to the illustrated components, or at least one of the illustrated components may be omitted.

[0300] According to an embodiment, for each type of home appliance, at least some of the components disclosed in FIG. 14 may be omitted or an additional component may be further included. For example, when the home appliance is an air conditioner, all or some of additional components (e.g., an indoor heat exchanger, an indoor blower, an air inlet, an air outlet, etc.) may be added in addition to the components of FIG. 14.

[0301] According to an embodiment, the memory 1430 may store various pieces of information or data associated with the operation of the home appliance. For example, the memory 1430 may include one or more storage media storing at least one instruction. For example, the memory 1430 may include instructions that, when individually or collectively executed by at least one processor 1420, enable the home appliance to perform at least one operation. For example, the memory 1430 may include instructions that, when individually or collectively executed by at least one processor 1420, enable the electronic device to perform at least one of the operations described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 13.

[0302] According to an embodiment, the communication circuit 1410 may support wired or wireless communication with the inside of the electronic device and / or the electronic device and an external electronic device. The wired communication scheme may include, but is not limited to, UART, RS-485, and I2C. The wireless communication scheme may include, but is not limited to, e.g., an LTE scheme, a 5G NR scheme, a Wi-Fi scheme, Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy, infrared data association (IrDA), ultra-wideband (UWB), and near-field communication (NFC).

[0303] According to an embodiment, the communication circuit 1410 may include a first communication circuit (e.g., the first communication circuit 321 of FIG. 6 or the transmission circuit 821 of FIG. 8) and / or a second communication circuit (e.g., the second communication circuit 322 of FIG. 6 or the reception circuit 822 of FIG. 8).

[0304] According to an embodiment, the at least one processor 1420 may be electrically or operatively connected to the communication circuit 1410 and the memory 1430. The at least one processor 1420 may include a processing circuit for executing at least one instruction stored in the memory 1430.

[0305] According to an embodiment, the at least one processor 1420 may include a first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 6 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) and a second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8).

[0306] According to an embodiment, the at least one processor 1420 may include various processing circuits and / or multiple processors. One or more of the at least one processor 1420 may be configured to individually and / or collectively perform various functions described in the disclosure. In the disclosure, when it is described that “processor”, “at least one processor”, and “one or more processors” are configured to perform numerous functions, these terms may cover, e.g., a situation in which one processor performs some of the cited functions and another processor(s) performs other some of the cited functions, and may also cover a situation in which a single processor may perform all of the cited functions, but embodiments of the disclosure are not limited thereto. Additionally, the at least one processor 1420 may include, e.g., a combination of processors performing various functions cited / initiated in a distributed manner. The at least one processor 1420 may execute program instructions to achieve or perform various functions.

[0307] According to an embodiment, the at least one processor 1420 may include at least one of a CPU, an NPU, a GPU, an MPU, an MCU, an AP, a CP, a system on chip (SoC), or an integrated circuit (IC) sensor hub, a supplementary processor, a communication processor, an ASIC, or an FPGA, and may have a plurality of cores.

[0308] FIG. 15A is an exploded perspective view illustrating a cooking device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0309] FIG. 15B illustrates a state in which a door of a cooking device is opened according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0310] FIG. 15C is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a cooking device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0311] In FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C, the cooking device 1500 may be an oven or a device in which a cooktop 1530 positioned above the oven is coupled or integrally formed.

[0312] According to an embodiment, the cooking device 1500 may include at least one PBA including a processor (e.g., the processor 1420 of FIG. 14) and a communication circuit (e.g., the communication circuit 1410 of FIG. 14). For example, the cooking device 1500 may include a main control PBA, a display PBA, a network PBA, and an inverter PBA. The main control PBA may, e.g., perform functions of managing and / or controlling the overall operation of the cooking device 1500 (e.g., overall system control, user interface management function, display control function, network and connection functions, diagnosis and notification functions). The display PBA may perform a function of controlling an interface with the display of the cooking device 1500. The network PBA may support the smart functions of the cooking device 1500 (e.g., the function of connecting the cooking device 1500 to a smartphone or a smart home system through Wi-Fi / BT to remotely control the same). The inverter PBA may generate a high-frequency current and supply it to the coil (e.g., an induction coil) of the heating unit 1531. According to an embodiment, the heating unit 1531 may include a coil (e.g., an induction coil). The cooking device 1500 may generate a high-frequency magnetic field around the coil by allowing a high-frequency alternating current to flow through the coil, and the generated magnetic field may induce an eddy current (or Foucault's current) in the magnetic cooking device placed on the cooktop 1530 to heat the cooking device.

[0313] According to an embodiment, the first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 6 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) may be included in the inverter PBA of the cooking device 1500, and the second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8) may be included in the main control PBA or the display PBA of the cooking device 1500.

[0314] According to an embodiment, in the cooking device 1500 in which the cooktop 1530 and the oven are vertically coupled, the cooktop 1530 and the oven may have various types of heating source combinations. For example, the cooktop 1530 may include an electric or gas heating source. For example, the oven may be an electric or gas oven. For example, the heating methods of the cooktop 1530 and the oven may be different from each other.

[0315] According to an embodiment, the cooking device 1500 may include a main body 1510 including an inner case 1511 in which a cooking chamber 1520 is formed and an outer case 1512 coupled to the outside of the inner case 1511 to form the exterior of the cooking device 1500. Each of the inner case 1511 and the outer case 1512 may be formed to open the front surface thereof.

[0316] According to an embodiment, the cooking device 1500 may include a cooktop 1530 provided at the upper end of the cooking device 1500 and capable of placing and heating a container containing food. At least one heating unit 1531 may be provided in the cooktop 1530. The container containing the food may be positioned on the heating unit 1531 to be heated.

[0317] According to an embodiment, the cooking device 1500 may include a door 1550 provided on the front surface of the main body 1510 to open and close the cooking chamber 1520.

[0318] According to an embodiment, the outer case 1512 may include a front panel 1513 forming the front surface of the main body 1510, a side panel 1514 forming the side surface of the main body 1510, and a rear panel 1515 forming the rear surface of the main body 1510.

[0319] According to an embodiment, an opening is provided in the front panel 1513, and the front surface of the cooking chamber 1520 provided inside the main body 1510 may be opened by the opening. A control panel 1541 covering the front surface of the machine room 1540 may be provided at an upper portion of the front panel 1513.

[0320] According to an embodiment, the display module 1560 may be mounted on the control panel 1541. The display module 1560 may include a front plate 1561 provided on the front surface of the display unit. The front plate 1561 may be mounted to protect the display unit of the display module 1560, but is not limited thereto, and may be mounted as a touch panel capable of receiving the user's touch command.

[0321] According to an embodiment, the display module 1560 of the cooking device 1500 may include a display panel and a circuit board electrically connected to the display panel.

[0322] According to an embodiment, the control panel 1541 may be disposed on at least a portion of the main body 1510. For example, the control panel 1541 may be disposed at an upper side of the main body 1510. For example, the control panel 1541 may be disposed on the upper side of the front surface of the main body 1510.

[0323] According to an embodiment, an inlet 1515a may be provided in the rear panel 1515 so that air is sucked into the machine room 1540. Air sucked into the machine room 1540 through the inlet 1515a may flow inside the machine room 1540, cooling the electric components disposed in the machine room 1540. The air flowing inside the machine room 1540 may be discharged to the front of the cooking device 1500 through the outlet 1580 along the discharge flow path 1572. The outlet 1580 may include a space between the front panel 1513 and the control panel 1541. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the outlet 1580 may be provided at various positions to discharge the flowing air inside the machine room 1540. The inlet 1515a may be formed at various positions for introducing air into the machine room 1540 as well as the rear panel 1515.

[0324] According to an embodiment, the cooking chamber 1520 may be formed by a top plate 1521, a bottom plate 1522, two opposite side plates 1523 disposed to face each other, and a rear plate 1524. The cooking chamber 1520 is a cooking space, and has the front surface open through the opening of the front panel 1513 to allow food to be taken in and out.

[0325] According to an embodiment, a plurality of supports 1525 may be provided on inner surfaces of the two opposite side plates 1523. The plurality of supports may be provided to protrude in the inner direction of the two opposite side plates 1523. At least one detachable rack 1526 capable of placing food thereon may be mounted on the plurality of supports 1525. For example, the plurality of supports 1525 may extend in a horizontal direction to horizontally mount the rack 1526.

[0326] According to an embodiment, a rail capable of dividing the cooking chamber 1520 into a plurality of sections may be installed on the plurality of supports 1525. The user may move the rack 1526 through the rail. A divider capable of dividing the cooking chamber 1520 into a plurality sections may be detachably mounted on the plurality of supports 1525. The user may use the space of the cooking chamber 1520 divided into a plurality of sections in various manners according to intentions. The divider may be formed of an insulating material to insulate each of the divided spaces.

[0327] According to an embodiment, a heater 1527 for heating food may be provided in the cooking chamber 1520. The heater 1527 may be an electric heater including an electric resistor. However, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto, and the heater 1527 may be a gas heater that generates heat by burning a gas.

[0328] According to an embodiment, a circulation fan 1528 for circulating air in the cooking chamber 1520 to heat the food evenly and a circulation motor 1529 for driving the circulation fan 1528 may be provided on the rear plate 1524 of the cooking chamber 1520.

[0329] According to an embodiment, a fan cover 1528a covering the circulation fan 1528 may be provided on the front surface of the circulation fan 1528, and an outlet hole 1528b provided to allow air to flow may be formed in the fan cover 1528a.

[0330] According to an embodiment, the open front surface of the cooking chamber 1520 is opened and closed by the door 1550, and the door 1550 may be coupled to the main body 1510 to be rotatable with respect to the main body 1510. For example, the door 1550 may be coupled to the main body 1510 by a hinge 1551 provided at a lower portion of the main body 1510.

[0331] According to an embodiment, a handle gripped by the user to open and close the cooking chamber 1520 may be provided at an upper portion of the front surface of the door 1550.

[0332] According to an embodiment, a knob assembly 1590 capable of operating the cooking device 1500 may be provided on the control panel 1541. A plurality of knob assemblies 1590 may be provided according to the number of heating units 1531 to be operated. For example, four knob assemblies 1590 may be provided as shown. According to an example, the knob assembly 1590 may operate in a push-to-turn manner.

[0333] According to an embodiment, an insulator 1520a may be provided between the machine room 1540 and the cooking chamber 1520 to prevent heat from the cooking chamber 1520 from being transferred to the machine room 1540. The insulator 1520a may insulate the machine room 1540 and the cooking chamber 1520. The insulator 1520a may overall cover the outside of the cooking chamber 1520 to prevent heat of the cooking chamber 1520 from being transferred to the outside of the cooking device 1500, as well as the space between the machine room 1540 and the cooking chamber 1520.

[0334] According to an embodiment, since the temperature inside the machine room 1540 may be increased by the heat of various electrical components, the cooking device 1500 may be provided with a blower 1570 capable of cooling the machine room 1540 by circulating air around the machine room 1540. The blower 1570 may include a blower fan 1571 for flowing air and a discharge flow path 1572 provided to discharge air sucked by the blower fan 1571 to the front of the cooking device 1500.

[0335] According to an embodiment, the blower fan 1571 may suck air in an axial direction and then discharge air in a radial direction. The blower fan 1571 may be a centrifugal fan. Alternatively, the blower fan 1571 may include an axial fan.

[0336] According to an embodiment, part of the air inside the cooking chamber 1520 may be sucked toward the discharge flow path 1572 through the cooking chamber flow path 1573, and then discharged to the outside of the cooking device 1500. For example, the air inside the cooking chamber 1520 may be discharged to the front surface of the cooking device 1500.

[0337] According to an embodiment, the discharge flow path 1572 may include a bypass hole 1574 for introducing part of the air flowing through the outlet 1580 into the cooking chamber flow path 1573. The bypass hole 1574 may be opened or closed by an opening / closing device 1575. As the bypass hole 1574 is opened / closed by the opening / closing device 1575, the amount of the part of the air flowing from the discharge flow path 1572 to the outlet 1580 and introduced into the cooking chamber flow path 1573 may be adjusted. The amount of air exhausted from the cooking chamber 1520 to the cooking chamber flow path 1573 may be adjusted using the air flow adjustment.

[0338] According to an embodiment, the cooking device is not limited to the oven illustrated in FIGS. 15A to 15C, and any cooking device requiring high-temperature operation may be included in the scope of the disclosure.

[0339] FIG. 16 illustrates an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0340] In FIG. 16, an air conditioner 2000 according to an embodiment may include an indoor unit 2100 and an outdoor unit 2200.

[0341] According to an embodiment, the air conditioner 2000 may include at least one PBA including a processor (e.g., the processor 1420 of FIG. 14) and a communication circuit (e.g., the communication circuit 1410 of FIG. 14). For example, the air conditioner 2000 may include a main control PBA, a display PBA, a network PBA, and an inverter PBA. The main control PBA may, e.g., perform functions of managing and / or controlling the overall operation of the air conditioner 2000 (e.g., overall system control, user interface management function, display control function, network and connection functions, diagnosis and notification functions). The display PBA may perform a function of controlling an interface with the display of the air conditioner 2000. The network PBA may support the smart functions of the air conditioner 2000 (e.g., the function of connecting the air conditioner 2000 to a smartphone or a smart home system through Wi-Fi / BT to remotely control the same). The inverter PBA may generate a high frequency current to drive the motors of the compressor and the fan.

[0342] According to an embodiment, the first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 6 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) may be included in the inverter PBA of the air conditioner 2000, and the second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8) may be included in the main control PBA or the display PBA of the air conditioner 2000.

[0343] According to an embodiment, the indoor unit 2100 of the air conditioner 2000 may include a housing 2110 and internal components (e.g., an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor blower fan) disposed in the housing 2110.

[0344] According to an embodiment, the indoor unit 2100 of the air conditioner 2000 may include a housing 2110 forming the outer appearance. The housing 2110 may include a front housing 2112 covering the front of the housing 2110, a rear housing 2111 covering the rear, and a center housing 2116 disposed between the front housing 2112 and the rear housing 2111. According to an embodiment, each of the front housing 2112 and the rear housing 21114 may be detachable from the center housing 216 but the disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0345] According to an embodiment, a front panel 2118 may be disposed on the front housing 2112.

[0346] According to an embodiment, the front panel 2118 may include an input unit 2120. According to an embodiment, the input unit 2120 includes any type of user input means including a button, a switch, and a touch pad, and setting data (e.g., desired temperature, cooling / dehumidifying / air purifying operation mode settings, and air volume settings) may be input by the user through the input unit 2120.

[0347] According to an embodiment, the front panel 2118 may include a display module 2122. The display module 2122 may display information (e.g., desired temperature, air volume setting, and / or driving mode setting) inputted from the user through the input unit 2120. According to an embodiment, the display module 2122 may display various pieces of sensing information (e.g., current indoor temperature measured by a temperature sensor), the current air volume or operation state of the air conditioner 2000, and / or various warning messages on the air conditioner 2000.

[0348] According to an embodiment, the display module 2122 may be provided at various positions of the air conditioner 2000. According to the embodiment of FIG. 16, the display module 2122 is illustrated as being provided on the front panel 2118, but is not limited thereto.

[0349] According to an embodiment, the outdoor unit 2200 may include a housing 2210, internal components (e.g., the compressor, outdoor heat exchanger, and / or flow path switching valve) disposed in the housing 2210, and an outdoor blower that generates forced air blowing for heat exchange between the outdoor heat exchanger and outdoor air. The outdoor blower may include one or more outdoor blower fans 2250 and a fan motor, and the fan motor of the outdoor blower may provide a driving force to the outdoor blower fan 2250 through a shaft.

[0350] According to an embodiment, the housing 2210 may form the outer appearance of the outdoor unit 2200 and accommodate various components therein. The housing 2210 may have an overall hexahedral shape. The housing 2210 may include an upper housing 2215, a lower housing 2216, and center housings 2211, 2212, 2213, and 2214 disposed between the upper housing 2215 and the lower housing 2216.

[0351] The upper housing 2215 may be disposed to substantially cover the upper side (e.g., the +Z axis direction), for example. The lower housing 2216 may be disposed to substantially cover the lower side (e.g., the −Z axis direction), for example.

[0352] The center housings 2211, 2212, 2213, and 2214 may include, e.g., a front housing 2211 that substantially covers the front surface (e.g., +X-axis direction), a rear housing 2212 that substantially covers the rear surface (e.g., −X-axis direction), and side housings 2213 and 2214 that substantially cover the side surfaces (e.g., +Y-axis and / or −Y-axis direction). Unlike that illustrated, the center housings 2211, 2212, 2213, and 2214 may be integrally formed or may be formed by combining two or more housings.

[0353] A housing facing two or more surfaces among the housings (e.g., front, rear, side, upper, and lower housings) of the housing 2210 may be integrally formed. For example, the front housing 2211 may include a front portion overall facing the front (e.g., +X-axis direction), and partially an extension extending from the front portion toward the side surface (e.g., +Y-axis and / or −Y-axis direction) or upper or lower side (e.g., +Z-axis and / or −Z-axis direction). Each housing of the housing 2210 may be separately manufactured and assembled. The housing 2210 may be, e.g., press-molded with an iron plate material or injection-molded with a resin material.

[0354] According to an embodiment, a suction port (through which outside air is sucked) may be formed in one area of the side housing 213 and / or the rear housing 2212, and a discharge port 2211c through which the sucked outside air is discharged may be formed in one area of the front housing 2211. As the outdoor blower fan 2250 is disposed adjacent to the discharge port 2211c and is rotated by the fan motor rotating based on a control command, the outdoor blower fan 2250 may forcibly suck outside air. By rotation of the outer blower fan 2250, air flow and heat exchange around the outdoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner 2000 may be smoothly performed.

[0355] According to an embodiment, the indoor unit 2100 and the outdoor unit 2200 may be connected to each other by a pipe P. A gaseous or liquid refrigerant may move through the pipe P. The refrigerant of the air conditioner 2000 may circulate between the indoor unit 2100 and the outdoor unit 2200 through the pipe P.

[0356] FIG. 17A is a perspective view illustrating an outer appearance of a washer according to an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 17B is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a washer according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0357] According to an embodiment, the washer 1700 may include at least one PBA including a processor (e.g., the processor 1420 of FIG. 14) and a communication circuit (e.g., the communication circuit 1410 of FIG. 14). For example, the washer 1700 may include a main control PBA, a display PBA, a network PBA, and a motor control PBA. The main control PBA may, e.g., perform functions of managing and / or controlling the overall operation of the washer 1700 (e.g., overall system control, user interface management function, display control function, network and connection functions, diagnosis and notification functions). The display PBA may perform a function of controlling an interface with the display of the washer 1700. The network PBA may support the smart functions of the washer 1700 (e.g., the function of connecting the washer 1700 to a smartphone or a smart home system through Wi-Fi / BT to remotely control the same). The motor control PBA may control the speed and direction of the motor of the drum 1740 of the washer 1700.

[0358] According to an embodiment, the first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 6 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) may be included in the motor control PBA of the washer 1700, and the second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8) may be included in the main control PBA or the display PBA of the washer 1700.

[0359] In an example, the washer 1700 may include a housing 1710 for receiving various components therein. The housing 1710 may have an overall hexahedral shape. The housing 1710 may include an opening formed in one surface thereof. Two or more of the surfaces of the housing 1710 may be integrally formed. Each surface of the housing 1710 may be separately manufactured and assembled. The housing 1710 may be, e.g., press-molded with an iron plate material or injection-molded with a resin material.

[0360] In an example, a door 1720 for opening and closing the corresponding opening may be provided in a portion corresponding to the opening of the housing 1710. The door 1720 may be rotatably coupled to a hinge fixed to one surface of the housing 1710. For example, at least a portion of the door 1720 may be provided to be transparent or translucent so as to be visible inside. The user may open and close the door 1720 to put the laundry into the drum 1740 positioned inside the housing 1710 or withdraw the laundry from the drum 1740. For example, the door 1720 may be locked by a locking device so as not to be opened while the washer 1700 is running. In an example, the door 1720 may include a door frame 1721 and a glass member 1722. The glass member 1722 may be formed of, e.g., a transparent tempered glass material to see through the inside of the housing 1710, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0361] In an example, the washer 1700 may include a tub 1730 fixedly disposed inside the housing 1710. The tub 1730 may have a substantially cylindrical shape with one side open. A tub opening 1731 may be provided in the front surface of the tub 1730 at a position corresponding to the opening of the housing 1710. The tub 1730 may store washing water. A drain port 1732 for draining washing water may be provided under the tub 1730. The drain port 1732 may be connected to, e.g., the drain device 1780.

[0362] In an example, the washer 1700 may include a damper 1712. The damper 1712 may be provided to connect the housing 1710 and the tub 1730. One side of the damper 1712 may be fixed to the inner surface of the housing 1710 and the other side of the damper 1712 may be fixed to the tub 1730. The damper 1712 may be provided to attenuate vibration by absorbing vibration energy transferred to the tub 1730 and / or the housing 1710 when the drum 1740 rotates.

[0363] In an example, the washer 1700 may include a drum 1740 provided inside the tub 1730. The drum 1740 may have a substantially cylindrical shape with one side open. A front plate 1743 and a rear plate 1744 may be disposed on the front surface and the rear surface, respectively, of the drum 1740. The front plate 1743 may be provided with a drum opening at a position corresponding to the opening of the housing 1710 and the tub opening 1731 of the tub 1730. The drum 1740 may receive laundry. The drum 1740 may receive rotational power from the driving device 1760 and rotate inside the tub 1730. The drum 1740 may perform washing, rinsing, and / or spinning while rotating inside the tub 1730.

[0364] In an example, the drum 1740 may include a lifter 1741 and / or a plurality of through holes 1742. For example, the lifter 1741 may lift the laundry while the drum 1740 rotates so that the laundry repeatedly rises and falls, thereby evenly washing laundry on several surfaces thereof. The through hole 1742 may be, e.g., a passage formed so that the washing water received in the tub 1730 flows into the drum 1740 or the washing water inside the drum 1740 is discharged to the outside. In an example, the lifter 1741 or the through hole 1742 may be omitted.

[0365] In an example, the washer 1700 may include a control panel 1750 that supports interaction between the user and the washer 1700. In an example, the control panel 1750 may be disposed at an upper end of the front surface of the housing 1710 as illustrated in FIG. 1, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. In an example, the control panel 1750 may include an input unit 1751 and a display unit 1752.

[0366] The input unit 1751 may include, e.g., any type of user input means for obtaining a user input for controlling the washer 1700. The user may input power on / off, washing setting information (e.g., operation start / stop, course selection, time selection, etc.) of the washer 1700 through the input unit 1751. For example, the input unit 1751 may be a tact switch, a push switch, a slide switch, a toggle switch, a micro switch, or a touch switch, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the input unit 1751 may be in the form of a jog shuttle that the user may grip and rotate. In an example, the input unit 1751 may include an infrared sensor. The user may remotely input the setting information through the remote control, and the input setting information may be received by the input unit 1751 as an infrared signal. In an example, the input unit 1751 may include a microphone. Setting information by the user's voice may be obtained through a microphone.

[0367] The display unit 1752 may display various washing setting information and / or operation state information about the washer 1700 input from the user. The display unit 1752 may include various types of display panels such as an LCD, an LED, an OLED, a QLED, and a micro LED. For example, the display unit 1752 may be implemented as a touch screen with a touch pad provided on the front surface thereof, but the disclosure is not limited to a specific type of display means. In an example, the display unit 1752 may include any type of audio display means including a speaker, and may display each of the above-described information as an auditory signal through the audio display means. In an example, the display unit 1752 may operate to audibly provide the user with information for guiding the user's input and / or information related to the ongoing process.

[0368] In an example, the washer 1700 may include a driving device 1760 for rotating the drum 1740. The driving device 1760 may include a motor 1761 and a driving shaft 1762 for transferring the driving force generated by the motor 1761 to the drum 1740. The motor 1761 may include a fixed stator 17611 and a rotor 17612 that rotates by electromagnetically interacting with the stator 17611 to convert an electric force into a mechanical rotational force. The rotational force generated by the motor 1761 may be transferred to the drum 1740 through the driving shaft 1762. The driving shaft 1762 may be press-fitted into the rotor 17612 of the motor 1761 to rotate together with the rotor 17612. The driving shaft 1762 may, e.g., partially penetrate the rear wall of the tub 1730 to connect the drum 1740 and the motor 1761. The driving device 1760 may rotate the drum 1740 forward or backward to perform washing, rinsing, and / or spinning operations.

[0369] In an example, the washer 1700 may include a water supply device 1770 for supplying washing water to the drum 1740 and / or the tub 1730. The water supply device 1770 may include at least one water supply pipe 1771 and at least one water supply valve 1772. The at least one water supply pipe 1771 may be provided to supply washing water into the tub 1730 using an external water supply source. One of the at least one water supply pipe 1771 may be connected to a detergent supply device 1713 provided in the housing 1710. Here, the detergent supply device 1713 may be divided into a plurality of spaces, and each space may be provided with a detergent, a rinsing agent, or the like. The washing water passing through the detergent supply device 1713 may be supplied to the tub 1730 together with the detergent (or rinsing agent) through the detergent supply pipe 17131. Another one of the at least one water supply pipe 1771 may be directly connected to the tub 1730. For example, the washing water supplied through the water supply pipe 1771 directly connected to the tub 1730 may be directly supplied to the tub 1730 without going through an intermediate component such as the detergent supply device 1713.

[0370] In an example, the washer 171 may include a drain device 1780 for draining the washing water received in the drum 1740 and / or the tub 1730. The drain device 1780 may include a drain valve 1781, a first drain pipe 1782, a second drain pipe 1783, or a pump chamber 1784. The drain device 1780 may be disposed, e.g., under the tub 1730 to discharge the washing water discharged from the tub 1730 to the outside of the washer 1700.

[0371] In an example, the drain valve 1781 may be provided to open and close the drain port 1732. When the drain valve 1781 is opened, the washing water received in the tub 1730 may flow through the drain port 1732 to the drain device 1780.

[0372] In an example, the first drain pipe 1782 and the second drain pipe 1783 may form a flow path that guides washing water to be discharged to the outside. The upper stream of the pump chamber 1784 is referred to as the first drain pipe 1782 and the lower stream is referred to as the second drain pipe 1783. The first drain pipe 1782 and the second drain pipe 1783 may be integrally formed. The first drain pipe 1782 may have, e.g., one end connected to the drain port 1732 and the other end connected to the pump chamber 1784. The washing water may move into the pump chamber 1784 along the first drain pipe 1782. The second drain pipe 1783 may have, e.g., one end connected to the pump chamber 84 and the other end connected to the outside of the washer 1700. Accordingly, the washing water passing through the pump chamber 1784 may be discharged to the outside of the washer 1700 along the second drain pipe 1783.

[0373] In an example, the pump chamber 1784 may be provided under the tub 1730 to store washing water drained from the tub 1730. Inside the pump chamber 1784, e.g., a drain pump 17841 for discharging the stored washing water to the outside may be provided. The washing water pumped by the drain pump 17841 may be guided to the outside of the housing 1710 through the second drain pipe 1783.

[0374] An embodiment of the disclosure and terms used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described in the disclosure to specific embodiments, and should include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of the embodiment. With regard to the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used to refer to similar or related elements. A singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the things, unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, each of such phrases as “A or B,”“at least one of A and B,”“at least one of A or B,”“A, B, or C,”“at least one of A, B, and C,” and “at least one of A, B, or C,” may include all possible combinations of the items enumerated together in a corresponding one of the phrases. As used herein, such terms as “1st” and “2nd,” or “first” and “second” may be used to simply distinguish a corresponding component from another, and does not limit the components in other aspect (e.g., importance or order). If an element (e.g., a first element) is referred to, with or without the term “operatively” or “communicatively”, as “coupled with,”“coupled to,”“connected with,” or “connected to” another element (e.g., a second element), it means that the element may be coupled with the other element directly (e.g., through a wire or wires), wirelessly, or via a third element.

[0375] As used herein, the term “module” may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may interchangeably be used with other terms, for example, “logic,”“logic block,”“part,” or “circuitry”. A module may be a single integral component, or a minimum unit or part thereof, adapted to perform one or more functions. For example, according to an embodiment, the module may be implemented in a form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0376] An embodiment of the disclosure may be implemented as software including one or more instructions that are stored in a storage medium readable by a machine. For example, a processor of the machine may invoke at least one of the one or more instructions stored in the storage medium, and execute it, with or without using one or more other components under the control of the processor. This allows the machine to be operated to perform at least one function according to the at least one instruction invoked. The one or more instructions may include a code generated by a complier or a code executable by an interpreter. The storage medium readable by the machine may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Wherein, the term “non-transitory” simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device, and does not include a signal (e.g., an electromagnetic wave), but this term does not differentiate between where data is semi-permanently stored in the storage medium and where the data is temporarily stored in the storage medium.

[0377] According to an embodiment, a method according to various embodiments of the disclosure may be included and provided in a computer program product. The computer program products may be traded as commodities between sellers and buyers. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium, or may be distributed online, directly between two user devices or through an application store. If distributed online, at least part of the computer program product may be temporarily generated or at least temporarily stored in the machine-readable storage medium, such as memory of the manufacturer's server, a server of the application store, or a relay server.

[0378] According to an embodiment, each component (e.g., a module or a program) of the above-described components may include a single entity or multiple entities. Some of the plurality of entities may be separately disposed in different components. According to an embodiment, one or more of the above-described components may be omitted, or one or more other components may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (e.g., modules or programs) may be integrated into a single component. In such a case, according to various embodiments, the integrated component may still perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components in the same or similar manner as they are performed by a corresponding one of the plurality of components before the integration. According to various embodiments, operations performed by the module, the program, or another component may be carried out sequentially, in parallel, repeatedly, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order or omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0048]Hereinafter, embodiments of the disclosure are described in detail with reference to the drawings so that those skilled in the art to which the disclosure pertains may easily practice the disclosure. However, the disclosure may be implemented in other various forms and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The same or similar reference denotations may be used to refer to the same or similar elements throughout the specification and the drawings. Further, for clarity and brevity, no description is made of well-known functions and configurations in the drawings and relevant descriptions.

[0049]Refrigerators according to an embodiment of the disclosure may be classified according to the shape of the storage compartment and the door. For example, refrigerators may include ‘top mounted freezer’ (TMF) refrigerators in which storage compartments are partitioned vertically by a horizontal partition wall so that a freezing compartment is formed on the upper side, and a ref...

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation application of International Application No. PCT / KR2025 / 007911, designating the United States, filed on Jun. 10, 2025, in the Korean Intellectual Property Receiving Office, which claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0095767, filed on Jul. 19, 2024, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.BACKGROUND1. Field

[0002] The disclosure relates to a refrigerator and a home appliance.2. Description of Related Art

[0003] A home appliance may include components that perform various functions and are disposed at various positions and may include a plurality of modules (e.g., hardware circuits such as processors, software codes, or combinations of those hardware circuits and software codes) for controlling the components. The plurality of modules sometimes need to communicate with each other to ensure smooth operation and control of the home appliance.

[0004] However, communication between internal modules of the home appliance may be affected by noise (e.g., noise generated by the operation of the home appliance). The noise may cause errors in communication between the internal modules. Therefore, it may be necessary to consider a method to appropriately reduce or eliminate noise affecting the communication circuit to ensure smooth communication between internal modules of the home appliance.

[0005] The above-described information may be provided as related art to help understanding of the disclosure. The foregoing cannot be claimed as, or used to determine, the prior art related to the present disclosure.SUMMARY

[0006] According to an aspect of the disclosure, a refrigerator includes: a storage compartment; a motor; a door configured to open and close the storage compartment; a compressor configured to supply cold air to the storage compartment, and configured to compress a refrigerant using rotation of the motor; a first printed board assembly (PBA) including: a first communication circuit including a first low pass filter that comprises a first variable resistor and a first variable capacitor, and a first processor connected to the first communication circuit; and a second PBA including: a second communication circuit including a second low pass filter that comprises a second variable resistor and a second variable capacitor, and a second processor connected to the second communication circuit, wherein the first processor is configured to: set a resistance value of the first variable resistor and a capacitance value of the first variable capacitor based on rotational speed information of the motor; and perform communication with the second processor using a asynchronous communication scheme (or communication scheme) through the first communication circuit.

[0007] The asynchronous communication scheme (or the communication scheme) may be a universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) communication scheme.

[0008] The first processor may be further configured to transmit, to the compressor or a control circuit of the compressor, a control signal corresponding to the rotational speed information of the motor.

[0009] The first processor may be further configured to: identify a change in the rotational speed information of the motor; and change the resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor, based on the change in the rotational speed information of the motor.

[0010] The first processor may be further configured to, based on a specified condition being met, update obtained setting value information based on a communication success rate, and wherein the setting value information includes a resistance setting value of the first variable resistor and a capacitance setting value of the first variable capacitor respectively corresponding to each of a plurality of rotational speeds that are within a rotational speed setting range of the motor.

[0011] The first processor may be further configured to, in a state in which the motor does not rotate, obtain a basic communication success rate for the communication performed with the second processor through the first communication circuit using the communication scheme, and determine a basic communication speed of the communication scheme based on the basic communication success rate.

[0012] The first processor may be further configured to: obtain, based on the rotational speed information about the motor, a combination of a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value to give a highest communication success rate to the communication with the second processor among combinations of settable resistance values and settable capacitance values; and change the obtained resistance setting value and the obtained capacitance setting value to the resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor, respectively.

[0013] The first communication circuit may further include a first field-effect transistor (FET), wherein a source of the first FET is connected to the first processor, wherein a drain of the first FET is connected to one end of the first low pass filter, and wherein another end of the first low pass filter is connected to an output end of the first communication circuit.

[0014] The resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor may be respectively set to a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value corresponding to the rotational speed information obtained based on a communication success rate for the communication performed with the second processor.

[0015] The first processor may be further configured to: set a rotational speed of the motor to a first rotational speed; set the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor to a first resistance value and a first capacitance value, respectively; obtain a first communication success rate which is the communication success rate for the communication performed with the second processor through the first communication circuit using the asynchronous communication scheme (or communication scheme) while the motor rotates according to the first rotational speed; determine whether the first communication success rate is greater than or equal to a previous communication success rate; and based on identifying that the first communication success rate is greater than or equal to the previous communication success rate, determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as a first resistance setting value and a first capacitance setting value, respectively, corresponding to the first rotational speed, and wherein the previous communication success rate is a communication success rate obtained at a previous time instance.

[0016] The first processor may be further configured to: based on identifying that the first communication success rate is greater than or equal to the previous communication success rate, determine whether the communication success rate is greater than or equal to a reference communication success rate; and based on identifying that the first communication success rate is greater than or equal to the reference communication success rate, determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as the first resistance setting value and the first capacitance setting value, respectively, corresponding to the first rotational speed.

[0017] The first processor may be further configured to, based on identifying that that the first communication success rate is lower than the reference communication success rate, determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as a temporary resistance setting value and a temporary capacitance setting value, respectively, corresponding to the first rotational speed.

[0018] The first processor may be further configured to reduce a communication speed of the asynchronous communication scheme (or communication scheme) based on identifying that none of communication success rates obtained for each of combinations of settable resistance values of the first variable resistor and settable capacitance values of the first variable capacitor exceed the reference communication success rate.

[0019] The first processor may be further configured to, based on identifying that that the first communication success rate is lower than the previous communication success rate, determine a second resistance value and a second capacitance value corresponding to the previous communication success rate as a temporary resistance setting value and a temporary capacitance setting value, respectively, corresponding to the first rotational speed.

[0020] The first processor may be further configured to, based on determining the temporary resistance setting value and the temporary capacitance setting value, set the first variable resistor to a third resistance value different from the first resistance value and the second resistance value, and set the first variable capacitor to a third capacitance value different from the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value.

[0021] The first processor may be further configured to: transmit a plurality of test packets to the second processor through the first communication circuit using the asynchronous communication scheme (or communication scheme) while the motor rotates according to the first rotational speed; receive a plurality of response packets for the plurality of test packets through the first communication circuit from the second processor; and obtain the first communication success rate, based on a first number of the plurality of test packets and a second number of the plurality of response packets.

[0022] According to an aspect of the disclosure, an electronic device includes: an internal noise source including a motor or a coil; a first printed board assembly (PBA) including: a first communication circuit comprises a first low pass filter that comprises a first variable resistor and a first variable capacitor, and a first processor connected to the first communication circuit; and a second PBA including: a second communication circuit including a second low pass filter that comprises a second variable resistor and a second variable capacitor, and a second processor connected to the second communication circuit, wherein the first processor is configured to: set a resistance value of the first variable resistor and a capacitance value of the first variable capacitor, based on information about a rotational speed of the motor or a current of the coil; and perform communication with the second processor using a asynchronous communication scheme (or communication scheme) through the first communication circuit.

[0023] The asynchronous communication scheme (or communication scheme) may be a universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) communication scheme.

[0024] The first processor may be further configured to: identify a change in the rotational speed information about the motor; and change the resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor, based on the change in the information.

[0025] The resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor may be respectively set to a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value corresponding to the information obtained based on a communication success rate for the communication performed with the second processor.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certain embodiments of the disclosure will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0027] FIG. 1A is a view illustrating an inner / outer appearance of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0028] FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the disclosure in terms of functions and controls;

[0029] FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C are views illustrating an arrangement of a plurality of processors performing communication between processors in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0030] FIG. 3 illustrates an example configuration for performing communication between processors in a home appliance according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0031] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of noise applied to a home appliance according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0032] FIG. 5 illustrates an example operation in which a home appliance performs communication between processors using a communication circuit including a fixed resistor and a fixed capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0033] FIG. 6 illustrates an example operation in which a home appliance performs communication between processors using a communication circuit including a variable resistor and a variable capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0034] FIG. 7 illustrates an example configuration of a communication circuit including a fixed resistor and a fixed capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0035] FIG. 8 illustrates an example configuration of a communication circuit including a variable resistor and a variable capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0036] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation in which a home appliance sets values of a variable resistor and a variable capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0037] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation in which a home appliance determines setting values of a variable resistor and a variable capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0038] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation in which a home appliance obtains a communication success rate using a test packet according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0039] FIG. 12 illustrates an example operation in which a home appliance obtains a communication success rate using an artificial intelligence model according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0040] FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of a home appliance according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0041] FIG. 14 illustrates a configuration of a home appliance according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0042] FIG. 15A is an exploded perspective view illustrating a cooking device according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0043] FIG. 15B illustrates a state in which a door of the cooking device is opened according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0044] FIG. 15C is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the cooking device according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0045] FIG. 16 illustrates an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

[0046] FIG. 17A is a perspective view illustrating an outer appearance of a washer according to an embodiment of the disclosure; and

[0047] FIG. 17B is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the washer according to an embodiment of the disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] Hereinafter, embodiments of the disclosure are described in detail with reference to the drawings so that those skilled in the art to which the disclosure pertains may easily practice the disclosure. However, the disclosure may be implemented in other various forms and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The same or similar reference denotations may be used to refer to the same or similar elements throughout the specification and the drawings. Further, for clarity and brevity, no description is made of well-known functions and configurations in the drawings and relevant descriptions.

[0049] Refrigerators according to an embodiment of the disclosure may be classified according to the shape of the storage compartment and the door. For example, refrigerators may include ‘top mounted freezer’ (TMF) refrigerators in which storage compartments are partitioned vertically by a horizontal partition wall so that a freezing compartment is formed on the upper side, and a refrigerating compartment is formed on the lower side, ‘bottom mounted freezer’ (BMF) refrigerators in which a refrigerating compartment is formed on the upper side, and a freezing compartment is formed on the lower side, ‘side-by-side’ (SBS) refrigerators in which storage compartments are partitioned left and right by a vertical partition wall so that a freezing compartment is formed on one side, and a refrigerating compartment is formed on the other side, and ‘French door refrigerator’ (FDR) refrigerators in which storage compartments are partitioned vertically by a horizontal partition wall, so that a refrigerating compartment is formed on the upper side and opened / closed by a pair of doors, and a freezing compartment is formed on the lower side.

[0050] Hereinafter, various example refrigerators are described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0051] FIG. 1A is a view illustrating an inner / outer appearance of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0052] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include a main body 10. The main body 10 may include an outer case 11 and an inner case 12 disposed inside the outer case 11. The outer case 11 may be provided to form at least a portion of the outer appearance of the main body 10. In an example, the outer case 11 may be configured to include a metal material having excellent durability and aesthetics. The inner case 12 may be provided to define a space of the storage compartment 20. The inner case 12 may include a case, a plate, a panel, and / or a liner forming the storage compartment 20. The inner case 12 may be formed as a single body or may be formed by assembling a plurality of plates. In an example, the inner case 12 may be integrally injection-molded using a plastic material, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0053] According to an embodiment, an accommodation space may be formed between the outer case 11 and the inner case 12. An insulator for insulating the storage compartment 20 may be disposed in at least a portion of the accommodation space. The insulation material may insulate the inside of the storage compartment 20 and the outside of the storage compartment 20 so that the temperature inside the storage compartment 20 may be maintained at a set appropriate temperature without being affected by the external environment of the storage compartment 20.

[0054] According to an embodiment, the insulation material may include a foam insulation material. In an example, after fixing the inner case 12 and the outer case 11 with a jig or the like, the foam insulation material may be formed by injecting and foaming a urethane foam mixed with polyurethane and a foaming agent into an accommodation space between the inner case 12 and the outer case 11. According to an embodiment, the insulation material may include a vacuum insulation material in addition to the foam insulation material or in place of the foam insulation material. The vacuum insulation material may include a core material and an outer cover material that accommodates the core material and seals the inside at a pressure close to vacuum or vacuum. The vacuum insulation material may further include an adsorbent that adsorbs gas and moisture to maintain a stable vacuum state. The insulation material of the refrigerator 1 is not limited to the foam insulation material or vacuum insulation material described above, but may be configured using various materials that may be used for insulation.

[0055] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include a storage compartment 20. The storage compartment 20 may store food. Food includes things that may be eaten or drunk, and specifically, may include meat, fish, seafood, fruits, vegetables, water, ice, beverages, kimchi, or alcoholic beverages such as wine. Drugs and cosmetics may be stored in the storage compartment 20 in addition to food, but there is no limitation on items that may be stored in the storage compartment 20.

[0056] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include one or more storage compartments 20. When two or more storage compartments 20 are formed in the refrigerator 1, each storage compartment may have a different use and may be maintained at a different temperature. To that end, the storage compartments 20 may be partitioned from each other by a partition wall 14 including an insulation material. In an example, the storage compartment may be referred to as a “refrigerating compartment”, a “freezing compartment”, or a “variable temperature compartment” according to the use and / or the temperature range. For example, the refrigerating compartment may refer to a storage chamber when food is maintained at an appropriate temperature for refrigerating and storing, and the freezing compartment may refer to a storage chamber when food is maintained at an appropriate temperature for freezing and storing. Refrigerating may refer to cooling food to the extent that the food is not frozen, and for example, the refrigerating compartment may be maintained in the range of 0 degrees Celsius to 7 degrees Celsius. Freezing may mean freezing food or cooling food to remain frozen, and for example, the freezing compartment may be maintained in the range of minus 20 degrees Celsius to minus 1 degree Celsius. The variable temperature compartment may refer to a storage compartment that may be maintained at a predetermined variable temperature by the user's selection or regardless of the user's selection. According to an embodiment, one storage compartment may be provided so that a portion thereof is used as a refrigerating compartment and the remaining portion thereof is used as a freezing compartment. Storage compartments may be referred to by various names such as “vegetable compartment”, “fresh compartment”, “cooling compartment”, and “ice making compartment” in addition to the above-described names such as “refrigeration compartment”, “freezing compartment”, and “variable temperature compartment”.

[0057] According to an embodiment, the number, size, and / or shape of the storage compartment 20 may vary depending on the shape or position of the partition wall 14. According to an embodiment, the partition wall 14 may be integrally formed with the main body 10. According to an embodiment, the partition wall 14 may be a separate partition provided separately from the main body 10 and assembled to the main body 10.

[0058] According to an embodiment, the storage compartment 20 may be partitioned left and right by a vertical partition wall 14v (a partition wall extending in the vertical direction). The size of the storage compartment 20 partitioned left and right may vary depending on the position of the vertical partition wall 14v. For example, the storage compartment 20 in which the vertical partition wall 14v is provided in the middle and partitioned left and right may be provided in mirror symmetry. According to an embodiment, there may be a plurality of vertical partition walls. When there are a plurality of vertical partition walls, the storage compartment may be divided into three or more storage compartments along the left and right directions.

[0059] According to an embodiment, the storage compartment 20 may be vertically partitioned by a horizontal partition wall 14h (a partition wall extending in the horizontal direction). The size of the storage compartment 20 divided vertically may vary depending on the position of the horizontal partition wall 14h. According to an embodiment, there may be a plurality of horizontal partition walls. When there are a plurality of horizontal partition walls, the storage compartment may be divided into three or more storage compartments in the vertical direction.

[0060] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator may be configured to include a plurality of storage compartments having various sizes and shapes according to various combinations of the vertical partition wall and the horizontal partition wall.

[0061] According to an embodiment, a plurality of shelves 24 and / or a plurality of storage containers 25 may be provided inside the storage compartment 20. Each of the plurality of shelves 24 and the plurality of storage containers 25 may be separable from an inner space of the storage compartment 20.

[0062] According to an embodiment, each storage compartment 20 may be formed so that at least one side thereof is open for receiving and receiving food. According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include each door 30 for opening and closing each storage compartment 20. In an example, the door 30 may be disposed on the front surface of the main body 10 and the storage compartment 20 to open and close the storage compartment 20. The door 30 may be configured to seal the storage compartment 20 while the door is closed. Like the main body 10, the door 30 may include an insulation material to insulate the storage compartment 20 from the external environment while the door 30 is closed.

[0063] According to an embodiment, the door 30 may be configured to be opened and closed by rotating about the hinge 16, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. In an example, the door may be configured to be opened and closed in a sliding manner.

[0064] According to an embodiment, the door 30 may include a door panel 30a and / or a door body 30b. The door panel 30a and the door body 30b may be detachably coupled to each other. For example, one side of the door body 30b may be fixed to the main body 10 by the hinge 16. The door panel 30a may form a portion of the front outer appearance of the refrigerator 1. Accordingly, the door panel 30a may serve as an important element of aesthetics when the refrigerator 1 is disposed indoors. The door panel 30a may have various colors and / or various designs and may be configured to be replaceable so that the user may decorate the front exterior of the refrigerator 1 according to his / her taste. According to an embodiment, the door panel 30a and the door body 30b may be integrally formed with each other.

[0065] According to an embodiment, the door 30 may include a door handle, a door shelf 313, a shelf support 314, and / or a gasket 315. The user may open and close the door 30 using the door handle. The door handle may be recessed on the bottom surface or the top surface of the door 30, or may protrude from the front surface of the door 30, but is not limited to a specific shape.

[0066] According to an embodiment, the door shelf 313 may be provided to receive food. Shelf supports 314 may be provided on both left and right sides of the door shelf 313 to support the door shelf 313. The shelf support 314 may extend vertically from, e.g., the door 30. For example, the shelf support 314 may protrude from the rear surface (the inner surface facing the storage compartment 20) of the door 30 toward the storage compartment 20 and may be provided to extend in the vertical direction. The shelf support 314 may be provided as a separate component separable from the door 30, or may be integrally formed with the door 30.

[0067] According to an embodiment, the gasket 315 may be provided to surround an edge of the door body 30b. The gasket 315 may be provided to seal a gap between the main body 10 and the door 30 in a state in which the door 30 is closed.

[0068] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include a cold air supply device. The cold air supply device may include a machine, an instrument, an electronic device, and / or a system combining the machine, the instrument, and the electronic device capable of generating cold air and guiding the generated cold air to the storage compartment to cool the storage compartment. For example, the cold air supply device may be provided inside the main body 10 to supply cold air to each of the storage compartments 20.

[0069] FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the disclosure in terms of functions and controls.

[0070] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include at least one input / output device 40, at least one communication device 50, at least one sensor device 60, a cold air supply device 70, at least one display 80, at least one processor 100, and / or at least one memory 101.

[0071] According to an embodiment, the input / output device 40 may include any type of user input means for obtaining setting information from the user for controlling the operation of the refrigerator 1. Various user inputs obtained through the input / output device 40 may be transferred to the processor 100 to be described below. In an example, various user inputs obtained through the input / output device 40 may be transmitted to the outside through the communication device 50 to be described below, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0072] According to an embodiment, the input device of the input / output device 40 may be installed on a door (e.g., the door 30 of FIG. 1A). The input device may include any type of user input means including one or more buttons or switches. Setting data (e.g., a desired storage chamber temperature) by the user may be input through the input device. For example, the input device may include a touch panel that receives the user's touch input and generates an electrical signal corresponding to the received touch input, but the disclosure is not limited to a specific type of input device. In an example, the touch panel constituting the input device may be formed of a transparent material that is positioned on the front surface of a separate display panel provided in the refrigerator 1 and does not distort an image displayed on the display panel. In an example, the input device may include an infrared signal reception unit. The user may remotely input configuration data through a remote controller, and the input configuration data may be received by the input device as an infrared signal. In an example, the input device may include a microphone, and configuration data by the user's voice may be obtained through the microphone.

[0073] According to an embodiment, the configuration data (e.g., a desired temperature of the storage compartment) obtained through the input device may be transferred to the processor 100 described below. In an example, the configuration data obtained through the input device may be transmitted to the outside through the communication device described below, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0074] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include a communication device 50 that supports signal transmission / reception to / from the inside or outside. In an example, the communication device 50 may include a communication circuit and may receive and / or transmit a wired / wireless signal to / from an external wired / wireless communication system, an external server, and / or other devices according to a predetermined wired / wireless communication protocol. In an example, the communication device 50 may include one or more modules to connect the refrigerator 1 to one or more networks. In an example, the communication device 50 may include at least one of a mobile communication module, a wired / wireless Internet module, a short-range communication module, and / or a location information module. Here, the term ‘module’ refers to a hardware component such as a processor or a circuit, a software component executed by a hardware component such as a processor, or combinations of the hardware components and the software components.

[0075] According to an embodiment, the mobile communication module may transmit / receive wireless signals with at least one of an external bracket structure, an external UE, and an external server through the mobile communication network according to any communication protocol among various communication protocols for mobile communication. The wireless signals may include various types of data signals. In an example, the wireless signals may include voice call signals, video call signals, and text / multimedia message signals, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0076] According to an embodiment, the wired / wireless Internet module may support wireless LAN (WLAN), wireless-fidelity (Wi-Fi), Wi-Fi direct, digital living network alliance (DLNA), wireless broadband (WiBro), world interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), high speed downlink packet access (HSDPA), high speed uplink packet access (HSUPA), long term evolution (LTE), or long term evolution-advanced (LTE-A), but embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. In an example, the wired / wireless Internet module of the communication device 50 may transmit / receive data according to at least one wired / wireless Internet technology among Internet technologies not listed above.

[0077] According to an embodiment, the short-range communication module may be intended for, e.g., short-range communication and may support short-range communication using at least one of Bluetooth, radio frequency identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), ultra-wideband (UWB), ZigBee, near-field communication (NFC), Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, or wireless universal serial bus (USB) technology. The short-range communication module may support, e.g., wireless communication between the refrigerator 1 and a wireless communication system, between the refrigerator 1 and another device, or between the refrigerator 1 and a network in which the other device is positioned through a short-range wireless communication network.

[0078] According to an embodiment, the location information module may be, e.g., a global positioning system (GPS) module or a Wi-Fi module as a module for obtaining the location of the refrigerator 1. When the refrigerator 1 utilizes the GPS module, the refrigerator 1 may receive information about the location of the refrigerator 1 using the signal transmitted from the GPS satellite. When the refrigerator 1 utilizes the Wi-Fi module, the refrigerator 1 may receive information about the location of the refrigerator 1 based on information about a wireless access point (AP) that transmits and receives a wireless signal to and from the Wi-Fi module.

[0079] According to an embodiment, the communication device 50 may receive the configuration data signal input by the user on the mobile terminal of the user in the form of a wireless signal according to a predetermined wireless communication protocol. In an example, the communication device 50 may receive information and / or a command for controlling the operation of the refrigerator 1 from an external server in the form of a signal according to a predetermined wired / wireless communication protocol. The communication device 50 may transfer various received signals to the processor 100 to be described below. In an example, the communication device 50 may transmit various data generated or obtained on the refrigerator 1 in the form of a wired / wireless signal according to a predetermined wired / wireless communication protocol, e.g., to a mobile terminal of the user or an external server.

[0080] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include a sensor device 60. In an example, the sensor device 60 may include a temperature sensor, a distance sensor, a proximity sensor, and / or a camera. However, the types of sensors listed here are merely illustrative and the disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0081] According to an embodiment, the temperature sensor may include a plurality of temperature sensors provided inside each storage compartment 10 to sense the temperature inside the storage compartment (e.g., the storage compartment 20 of FIG. 1A). A plurality of temperature sensors may be installed in each of the plurality of storage compartments 20 to detect the temperature of each of the storage compartments 20. The electrical signal corresponding to the detected temperature may be transferred to the processor 100. Each of the plurality of temperature sensors may include a thermistor whose electrical resistance changes according to temperature. In an example, the temperature sensor may include an external temperature sensor that is provided outside the refrigerator 1 (e.g., at one position of the outer case 11 of FIG. 1A) to detect the external temperature around the refrigerator 1.

[0082] According to an embodiment, the distance sensor may measure the distance to an object, e.g., the user, positioned around the refrigerator 1. The distance sensor may be, e.g., an ultrasonic sensor or an infrared sensor, but is not limited thereto. The distance sensor may detect an object or user around the refrigerator 1 and transfer the detected electrical signal to the processor 100.

[0083] According to an embodiment, the proximity sensor may be provided to detect the opening and closing of the door 30. The proximity sensor may detect whether the door 30 is in a state of contacting the main body (e.g., the main body 10 of FIG. 1A) to close the storage compartment 20. The plurality of proximity sensors respectively may be installed on the plurality of doors 30. The proximity sensor may transfer an electrical signal for the detected opening / closing state of the door 30 to the processor 100.

[0084] According to an embodiment, the camera is installed inside each storage room 20 to obtain an internal image of each storage compartment 20. In an example, the camera may be provided outside the refrigerator 1 (e.g., at one position of the outer case 11 of FIG. 1A) to obtain an external image around the refrigerator 1. The camera may include image sensors that capture an image and convert the image into an electrical signal. The image sensor may include, e.g., a charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensor or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. The electrical signal related to the image captured by the camera may be transferred to the processor 100.

[0085] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include a cold air supply device 70. In an example, the cold air supply device 70 may include a compressor 71, a condenser 72, an expander 73, and an evaporator 74. In an embodiment, the cold air supply device 70 may include a refrigerant pipe connecting the compressor 71, the condenser 72, the expander 73, and the evaporator 74. The refrigerant may circulate between the compressor 71, the condenser 72, the expander 73, and the evaporator 74 through the refrigerant pipe.

[0086] According to an embodiment, the compressor 71 may compress the refrigerant to a high temperature and high pressure state. For example, the compressor 71 may receive electrical energy from the outside and compress the gaseous refrigerant at high temperature and high pressure using a rotational force such as from an electric motor. The compressor 71 is a capacitive variable compressor, and may vary the capacitance by changing the frequency according to a driving control command. The compressed refrigerant may be moved to the condenser 72 by the refrigerant pipe. The condenser 72 may condense the compressed refrigerant received from the compressor 71. The condenser 72 may radiate heat generated while condensing the refrigerant to the outside of the condenser 72. The refrigerant condensed while passing through the condenser 72 may be transferred to the expander 73. The condensed refrigerant may be converted into a low-temperature and low-pressure liquid state while passing through the expander 73. In an example, the expander 73 may be implemented as an electronic expansion valve that may adjust the opening ratio (an electronic expansion valve that may adjust the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the valve's flow path to the cross-sectional area of the valve's flow path while fully open). In such a case, the amount of refrigerant passing through the expander 73 may be controlled depending on the opening ratio of the electronic expansion valve. In an example, the expander 73 may be implemented as a capillary device. The liquid refrigerant may pass through the expander 73 and move to the evaporator 74. The evaporator 74 may exchange heat with surrounding gas while the liquid refrigerant is evaporated. The liquid refrigerant is evaporated by the evaporator 74 to absorb the surrounding latent heat and, if the gas around the evaporator 74 is cooled accordingly, cold air may be generated. The generated cold air may be moved to the storage compartment 20 through a flow path provided between the outer case (e.g., the outer case 11 of FIG. 1A) and the inner case (e.g., the inner case 12 of FIG. 1A). The refrigerant evaporated in the evaporator 74 may be moved back to the compressor 71 and circulated.

[0087] According to an embodiment, the cold air supply device 70 may include a thermoelectric element. The thermoelectric element may cool the storage compartment 20 by heating and cooling through the Peltier effect.

[0088] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include a machine room in which at least some components of the cold air supply device 70 are disposed. The machine room may be configured to be partitioned and insulated from the storage compartment 20 so as to prevent heat generated from the components disposed in the machine room from being transferred to the storage compartment 20. The inside of the machine room may be configured to communicate with the outside of the main body 10 to dissipate heat from components disposed inside the machine room.

[0089] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include a display 80. In an example, the display 80 may be installed on the door 30. In an example, the display 80 may display various setting data (e.g., a desired storage compartment temperature) obtained through the input / output device 40 and / or the communication device 50 from the user or the outside or operation control information about the refrigerator 1. In an example, the display 80 may display various sensing information (e.g., one or more pieces of temperature information measured by the temperature sensor) obtained from the sensor device 60, the current operating state of the refrigerator 1, and / or various warning / error messages. The display 80 may be one of various visual display means capable of displaying images, characters, numbers, or the like, including a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, a light emitting diode (LED) panel, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel, a micro light emitting diode (uLED) panel, a plasma display panel, or the like, but is not limited to a specific type of display unit. In an example, the display 80 may include a speaker, and may provide each of the above-described information in the form of a voice through the speaker.

[0090] According to an embodiment, the refrigerator 1 may include a memory 101 for storing or recording a program and / or data for controlling each component of the refrigerator 1, and a processor 100 for generating a control signal for controlling each component of the refrigerator 1 according to the program and / or data stored in the memory 101 and information obtained from each of the other components.

[0091] According to an embodiment, the processor 100 may include a processing circuit and execute commands (or instructions) included in a program (or application) stored in the memory 101. The processor 110 may include, e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphic processing unit (GPU), a neural processing unit (NPU), a tensor processing unit (TPU), a micro processing unit (MPU), a micro controller unit (MCU), an application processor (AP), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and / or a programmable logic device, but may include a program (or an instruction or Instructions) are not limited as long as they may be executed.

[0092] According to an embodiment, the memory 101 may include a volatile memory and / or a non-volatile memory, and may include, e.g., a hard disk storage device, RAM, ROM, and / or flash memory, but embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto.

[0093] According to an embodiment, the memory 101 may include one or more storage media and store various data that may be used to control the operation of each component of the refrigerator 1. The memory 101 may store, e.g., a plurality of application programs used in the refrigerator 1, data for controlling the operation of the refrigerator 1, and instructions. At least some of the application programs stored in the memory 101 may be downloaded from an external server through wireless communication. At least some of the application programs stored in the memory 101 may be stored in the memory 101 from the time of shipment for the basic functions of the refrigerator 1.

[0094] According to an embodiment, the processor 100 may receive various input / setting information, e.g., desired storage compartment temperature information, from the input / output device 40 and / or the communication device 50 described above. The processor 100 may obtain sensing information from the sensor device 60, such as one or more pieces of temperature information detected by the temperature sensor, a detection signal detected by the distance sensor, door opening / closing information detected by the proximity sensor, and / or image information detected by the camera. In an example, the processor 100 may obtain information about the state of the inside or outside of the storage compartment 20 of the refrigerator 1 by receiving image information obtained by the camera and analyzing the received image information.

[0095] According to an embodiment, the processor 100 may generate an operation control command for each component of the refrigerator 1, based on various information received from the input / output device 40, the communication device 50, and / or the sensor device 60. In an example, the processor 100 may control the operation of the cold air supply device 70, such as the compressor 71 and / or the expander 73, to adjust the temperature inside the storage compartment 20. In an example, the processor 100 may control the operation of each component of the cold air supply device 70 using information about the temperature of each storage compartment 20 received from the temperature sensor. For example, when the temperature inside the storage compartment 20 is higher than a preset temperature, the processor 100 may lower the temperature of the storage compartment 20 by operating the compressor 71 of the cold air supply device 70. In an example, the processor 100 may generate a command for controlling whether or how to display information through the display 80. In an example, the processor 100 may generate a command to control to turn on the lighting unit of the opened storage compartment 20 based on information about the door 30 opening from the proximity sensor. For example, the processor 100 may generate commands that control the respective operation states of each of the input / output device 40, the communication device 50, the sensor device 60, and / or the lighting device.

[0096] In the disclosure, the processor 100 is a comprehensive component for controlling all the components included in the refrigerator 1, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. In an example, the refrigerator 1 may be configured to include a plurality of processors components that individually control some of the components of the refrigerator 1. In an example, the refrigerator 1 may separately include a processor and a memory for controlling the operation of the cold air supply device 70 according to the output of the temperature sensor. In an example, the refrigerator 1 may separately include a processor and a memory for controlling the operation of the user interface according to a user input. The processor 100 may include a plurality of processors, and the memory 101 may include a plurality of memory devices.

[0097] Below, various embodiments related to performing communication between internal modules in a home appliance are described. An example in which a processor performs communication between modules is described, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the description of the embodiments below may be applied identically or similarly to other types of modules capable of performing communication other than the processor.

[0098] FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C illustrate an arrangement of a plurality of processors performing communication between processors in a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0099] FIG. 3 illustrates an example configuration for performing communication between processors in a home appliance according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0100] In FIG. 3, according to an embodiment, the home appliance 300 may include a plurality of processors. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the home appliance 300 may include a first processor 311 and a second processor 312. When the home appliance 300 is a refrigerator (e.g., the refrigerator 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B), the first processor 311 and the second processor 312 may be any one of at least one processor included in the processor 100 of FIG. 1B.

[0101] According to an embodiment, each processor of the home appliance 300 may perform different operations or functions.

[0102] For example, the first processor 311 may be configured to process and / or control a unique function (a specific function) of the home appliance 300. For example, the first processor 311 may set a driving setting for driving a unique function of the home appliance 300. In the disclosure, the driving setting for driving the unique function of the home appliance 300 may be abbreviated as a “driving setting”.

[0103] According to an embodiment, when the home appliance 300 is a refrigerator, e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the unique functions of the home appliance 300 may include various functions (e.g., refrigerating function, freezing function, cooling function, temperature control function, dehumidifying / sterilizing function, and / or anti-frost function), but are not limited thereto. The first processor 311 may be configured to control at least one component configured to perform a unique function of the refrigerator, e.g., when the home appliance 300 is a refrigerator. At least one component configured to perform the unique functions of the refrigerator includes, e.g., a cold air supply device (e.g., the cold air supply device 70 including the compressor 71, the condenser 72, the expander 73, and / or the evaporator 74 of FIG. 1B), a fan, and / or a sensor device (e.g., the sensor device 60 of FIG. 1B), but is not limited thereto.

[0104] According to an embodiment, when the home appliance 300 is a cooking device, e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 15A to 15C, the unique functions of the home appliance 300 may include various functions (e.g., heating function, oven function, cooking function, etc.) for heating and cooking food, but are not limited thereto. For example, when the home appliance 300 is a cooking device, the first processor 311 may be configured to control at least one component configured to perform the unique function of the cooking device. At least one component configured to perform the unique function of the cooking appliance includes, e.g., a heating configuration (e.g., the heating unit 1531 of FIG. 15A or the induction coil of the heating unit 1531), but is not limited thereto.

[0105] For example, the second processor 312 may be configured to process and / or control additional functions of the home appliance 300. The additional functions of the home appliance 300 may be functions other than the unique functions of the home appliance 300.

[0106] According to an embodiment, when the home appliance 300 is a refrigerator, for example, as illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the additional functions of the home appliance 300 may include, but are not limited to, an overall system management function (e.g., a function of overall adjusting and operating the home appliance's unique function based on a user input), a convenience function (e.g., a display function, a control panel function), a notification function (e.g., a door open notification function), a safety function (e.g., a child protection function), and / or a smart function (e.g., a communication function such as Wi-Fi / BT, a voice control function). For example, when the home appliance 300 is a refrigerator, the second processor 312 may be configured to control at least one component configured to perform the additional functions of the refrigerator. At least one component configured to perform the additional function of the refrigerator includes, e.g., a communication device (e.g., the communication device 50 of FIG. 1B), an input / output device (e.g., the input / output device 40 of FIG. 1B), and / or a display (e.g., the display 80 of FIG. 1B), but is not limited thereto.

[0107] According to an embodiment, when the home appliance 300 is a cooking device, e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 15A to 15C, the additional functions of the home appliance 300 may include an overall system management function, a display function, a notification function, and / or a smart function, but are not limited thereto. For example, when the home appliance 300 is a cooking device, the second processor 312 may be configured to control at least one component configured to perform the additional functions of the cooking device. At least one component configured to perform the additional functions of the cooking device includes, e.g., a communication module (e.g., a Wi-Fi / BT communication module), a speaker, a microphone, a camera, a display, a control panel, and / or a touch panel, but is not limited thereto. According to an embodiment, each processor of the home appliance 300 may be disposed at a different position.

[0108] For example, the first processor 311 may be disposed adjacent to the corresponding component to control at least one component configured to perform the unique functions of the home appliance 300, and the second processor 312 may be disposed adjacent to the corresponding component to control at least one component configured to perform the additional functions of the home appliance 300. For example, the first processor 311 for controlling the unique functions of the home appliance 300 may be disposed closer to the component performing the unique functions of the home appliance 300 than the second processor 312, and the second processor 312 for controlling the additional functions of the home appliance 300 may be disposed closer to the component performing the additional functions of the home appliance 300 than the first processor 311. Through this arrangement, the processor may more reliably control the component at a position adjacent to the component controlled by the processor.

[0109] Hereinafter, the arrangement of the first processor 311 and the second processor 312 when the home appliance 300 is the refrigerator 1 is described as an example with reference to FIGS. 2A to 2C.

[0110] According to an embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2A, the first processor 311 may be disposed at a position adjacent to the compressor 71 (e.g., the compressor 71 of FIG. 1B), and the second processor 312 may be disposed at a position adjacent to the display 80 (e.g., the display 80 of FIG. 1B). For example, the first processor 311 may be disposed closer to the compressor 71 than the second processor 312 to control the driving of the compressor 71 (e.g., the driving of the motor of the compressor 71), and the second processor 312 may be disposed closer to the display 80 than the first processor 311 to control the display 80.

[0111] According to an embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2B, the second processor 312 may be disposed adjacent to the front surface of the refrigerator 1 where the display 80 displaying visual information is disposed, and as illustrated in FIG. 2C, the first processor 311 may be disposed adjacent to the rear surface of the refrigerator 1. For example, the first processor 311 and / or the first communication circuit 321 may be included in a printed board assembly (PBA) (e.g., an inverter PBA) positioned adjacent to the compressor, and the second processor 312 and / or the second communication circuit 322 may be included in a PBA (e.g., a main control PBA, a display PBA, or a network PBA) adjacent to the display. The inverter PBA (or the first processor 311 included in the inverter PBA) may perform, e.g., a function of controlling the motor of the compressor 71. The main control PBA may, e.g., perform functions of managing and / or controlling the overall operation of the refrigerator (e.g., overall system control, user interface management function, display control function, network and connection functions, diagnosis and notification functions). The display PBA may perform a function of controlling an interface with the display 80 of the refrigerator. The network PBA may support the smart functions of the refrigerator (e.g., the function of connecting the refrigerator to a smartphone or a smart home system through Wi-Fi / BT to remotely control the same). Some of the above-described PBAs may be configured as one PBA. For example, the main control PBA and the display PBA may be configured as one PBA. For example, the main control PBA and the network PBA may be configured as one PBA. Through the arrangement as illustrated in FIGS. 2A to 2C, the processor may more stably control the corresponding component at a position adjacent to the component controlled by the processor. In the disclosure, a PBA including the first processor 311 and / or the first communication circuit 321 may be referred to as a first PBA, and a PBA including the second processor 312 and / or the second communication circuit 322 may be referred to as a second PBA.

[0112] According to an embodiment, the home appliance 300 may include a plurality of communication circuits. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the home appliance 300 may include a first communication circuit 321 connected to the first processor 311 and a second communication circuit 322 connected to the second processor 312.

[0113] According to an embodiment, each processor of the home appliance 300 may communicate with another processor through a communication circuit. For example, the first processor 311 may transmit data (or signals) generated by the first processor 311 to the second processor 312 through the first communication circuit 321, and the second processor 312 may receive data (or signals) transmitted from the first processor 311 through the second communication circuit 322. The signal generated by the first processor 311 and transferred to the second processor 312 may include, e.g., a signal including state information about the home appliance 300 (e.g., temperature information about the refrigerator 1). For example, the second processor 312 may transmit data (or signals) generated by the second processor 312 to the first processor 311 through the second communication circuit 322, and the first processor 311 may receive data (or signals) transmitted from the second processor 312 through the first communication circuit 321. The signal generated by the second processor 312 and transferred to the first processor 311 may include, e.g., a signal generated based on a user input (e.g., a control signal for adjusting the temperature of the refrigerator 1 to a temperature corresponding to the user input).

[0114] According to an embodiment, the first communication circuit 321 may be connected to the first processor 311 through at least one cable (e.g., a line or a wire). For example, the first communication circuit 321 may be connected to the first processor 311 through a first line configured to transfer data from the first processor 311 to the first communication circuit 321 and a second line configured to transfer data from the first communication circuit 321 to the first processor 311, but is not limited thereto. For example, the first processor 311 may transmit data to the first communication circuit 321 and receive data from the first communication circuit 321 through one line.

[0115] According to an embodiment, the second communication circuit 322 may be connected to the second processor 312 through at least one cable (e.g., a line or a wire). For example, the second communication circuit 322 may be connected to the second processor 312 through the first line configured to transfer data from the second processor 312 to the second communication circuit 322 and the second line configured to transfer data from the second processor 312 to the second processor 312, but is not limited thereto. For example, the second processor 312 may transmit data to the second communication circuit 322 and receive data from the second communication circuit 322 through one line.

[0116] According to an embodiment, the first communication circuit 321 may be connected to the second communication circuit 322 through at least one cable (e.g., a line or a wire). For example, the first communication circuit 321 may be connected to the second communication circuit 322 through the first line configured to transfer data from the second communication circuit 322 to the first communication circuit 321 and the second line configured to transfer data from the first communication circuit 321 to the second communication circuit 322, but is not limited thereto. For example, the first communication circuit 321 may transmit data to the second communication circuit 322 and receive data from the second communication circuit 322 through one line.

[0117] According to an embodiment, each processor of the home appliance 300 may communicate with another processor through a communication circuit using a specified communication scheme (e.g., an asynchronous communication scheme). The asynchronous communication scheme may include, but is not limited to, a universal synchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) communication scheme and / or a recommended standard (RS)-485 communication scheme.

[0118] According to an embodiment, the UART communication scheme corresponds to a type of serial communication scheme, and when the UART communication scheme is used, the transmission device (e.g., the first processor 311) may transmit one bit of data to the reception device (e.g., the second processor 312) at a time. The transmission device transmits a data packet constituted of consecutive bits, and the reception device may identify that the data packet has been received through detection of a start bit and a stop bit. Since the UART communication scheme uses a high signal as a default value, it may be recognized that there is no transmission of a data packet when a high signal is continuously received by the reception device. On the other hand, when a low signal is received from the reception device, it may be recognized as a start bit to recognize that data packet transmission starts. For example, when the UART communication scheme is used, the first communication circuit 321 and the second communication circuit 322 may be designed to transmit and receive a high signal by default even when there is no data transmission. In this case, the operations of the first communication circuit 321 and the second communication circuit 322 may vary depending on whether the input signal input by the processor is a high signal or a low signal. The UART communication scheme is an asynchronous communication scheme and is capable of communication without synchronous signals (e.g., clock signals) using asynchronous data frames, may support various communication speeds or baud rates (e.g., 9600, 14400, 19200, 38400, 57600, and 115200 bps), and may have characteristics suitable for one-to-one communication and long-range communication between two devices. The UART communication scheme may be suitable for use in communication between two devices inside the home appliance 300 (e.g., communication between the first processor 311 and the second processor 312) due to a simple wiring structure and low costs.

[0119] According to an embodiment, each processor of the home appliance 300 may have the same driving voltage or different driving voltages. For example, the first processor 311 may have the same driving voltage (e.g., a driving voltage having a voltage level of 0 to 3.3 V or a driving voltage having a voltage level of 0 to 5 V) as the second processor 312. A description of communication between processors having the same driving voltage is described below with reference to FIG. 7. For example, the first processor 311 may have a driving voltage different from the driving voltage of the second processor 312. The first processor 311 may have a first driving voltage (e.g., a driving voltage having a voltage level of 0 to 5V), and the second processor 312 may have a second driving voltage (e.g., a driving voltage having a voltage level of 0 to 3.3V) different from the first driving voltage. When the driving voltages of the first processor 311 and the second processor312 are different, the first communication circuit 321 or the second communication circuit 322 may be configured to perform a voltage level shift in order to perform communication between the first processor 311 and the second processor 312. A description of communication between processors having different driving voltages is described below with reference to FIG. 8.

[0120] As described above, the processors of the home appliance 300 are not included in the same PBA but may be spaced apart from each other at different positions. In this case, communication between the processors may be affected by noise inside and / or outside the home appliance 300. Hereinafter, an example of noise affecting communication between processors is described with reference to FIG. 4.

[0121] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of noise applied to a home appliance according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0122] In FIG. 4, the home appliance 300 may include a first processor 311, a second processor 312, a first communication circuit 321, a second communication circuit 322, and / or an internal noise source 330. The first processor 311, the second processor 312, the first communication circuit 321, and the second communication circuit 322 are described above with respect to FIG. 3.

[0123] According to an embodiment, various noises may be applied to the home appliance 300. For example, the various noises may include electrical noise, mechanical noise, noise due to environmental factors (e.g., temperature, humidity, etc.), and subsequent noise due to noise, but the various noises are not limited to these examples.

[0124] The electrical noise may include, e.g., power noise generated by an AC power source 400 (or a device supplying the AC power source 400), and electromagnetic interference noise caused by electromagnetic waves generated from an electronic device inside or outside the home appliance 300, but is not limited thereto. The electromagnetic interference noise caused by the electronic device inside the home appliance 300 may include, e.g., noise generated by a coil (e.g., the induction coil of the heating unit 1531 of the cooking device 1500 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C). The mechanical noise may include, e.g., noise generated by rotation of a motor (e.g., the motor of the compressor 71 of the refrigerator 1 of FIG. 1B or the motor 1761 of the washer 1700 of FIG. 17B).

[0125] According to an embodiment, the internal noise source 330 may include at least one component that generates noise inside the home appliance. For example, when the home appliance 300 is a refrigerator (e.g., the refrigerator 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B), the internal noise source 330 may include a compressor (e.g., the compressor 71 of FIG. 1B) (or the motor of the compressor) that generates mechanical noise. For example, when the home appliance 300 is a cooking device (e.g., the cooking device 1500 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C), the internal noise source 330 may include a coil (e.g., the induction coil of the heating unit 1531 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C) generating electromagnetic noise.

[0126] According to an embodiment, the internal noise source 330 may generate various noise environments. Each noise environment may be associated with a different noise variable or driving setting (e.g., revolutions per minute (RPM) of the motor of the compressor, RPM of the motor of the washer, or current or alternating current supplied to the coil), different noise intensity, or different noise strength. For example, each noise environment may be associated with a different value of a different driving setting (e.g., the RPM value of the motor of the compressor, the RPM value of the motor of the washer, or the current value or alternating current value supplied to the coil). For example, each noise environment may include noise generated by driving the motor with the RPM value of the motor of the compressor corresponding to the noise environment, noise generated by driving the motor with the RPM value of the motor of the washer corresponding to the noise environment, or noise generated by supplying the alternating current of the coil corresponding to the noise environment to the coil. Each noise environment (or driving setting) may be set by a processor (e.g., the first processor 311) associated with the internal noise source 330 of the home appliance 300. In the disclosure, the noise environment may also be referred to as at least one of: noise intensity, noise strength, noise situation, noise condition, noise setting, noise environment setting, and noise state.

[0127] According to an embodiment, noise may have a noise path from the noise generation source 330 to a component of the home appliance 300. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the power noise path 401 by the AC power source 400 may have a noise path from the AC power source 400 through the first processor 311, the first communication circuit 321 to the second communication circuit 322. For example, the noise path 402 by the internal noise source 330 may have a noise path from the internal noise source 330 through the first processor 311, the first communication circuit 321 to the second communication circuit 322. However, the embodiments are not limited thereto, and may have a noise path in a different direction.

[0128] According to an embodiment, noise applied to the home appliance 300 may affect communication between processors. For example, power noise by the AC power source 400 and mechanical noise and / or electrical noise by the internal noise source 330 may affect the communication between the first processor 311 and the second processor 312, resulting in a communication error. At this time, communication between the first processor 311 and the first communication circuit 321 and communication between the second processor 312 and the second communication circuit 322 are relatively less affected by noise because the two components in which communication is performed are positioned adjacent to each other (e.g., included in the same PBA), but communication between the first communication circuit 321 and the second communication circuit 322 is relatively less affected by noise because of the long communication path, e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 2A to 2C. Thus, to reduce communication errors, the first communication circuit 321 and / or the second communication circuit 322 may be configured to perform processing (e.g., filtering processing) to reduce noise. For example, the first communication circuit 321 and / or the second communication circuit 322 may include components for the corresponding processing (e.g., resistors and capacitors, or filters composed of resistors and capacitors).

[0129] FIG. 5 illustrates an example operation in which a home appliance performs communication between processors using a communication circuit including a fixed resistor and a fixed capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0130] In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the home appliance 300 is a home appliance (e.g., the refrigerator 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B) that includes a compressor 530 (e.g., the compressor 71 of FIG. 1B) as an internal noise source (e.g., the internal noise source 330 of FIG. 4). However, the embodiments are not limited thereto, and the description of the embodiment of FIG. 5 may be applied to home appliances that include another noise source (e.g., the induction coil of the cooking device 1500 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C) as an internal noise source.

[0131] In FIG. 5, the home appliance 300 may include a first processor 311, a second processor 312, a first communication circuit 321, a second communication circuit 322, a compressor 530, and / or a compressor control circuit 531. For a description of the first processor 311, the second processor 312, the first communication circuit 321, and the second communication circuit 322, the description of FIG. 3 may be referred to. The overlapping description is omitted.

[0132] According to an embodiment, the compressor control circuit 531 may be included in the same PBA (e.g., the first PBA) or a different PBA as / from the first processor 311. For example, the compressor control circuit 531 may be a control circuit or a processing circuit included in a third processor included in the first PBA including the first processor 311 and the first communication circuit 321. According to an embodiment, the compressor control circuit 531 may be a control circuit included in the compressor 530. For example, the compressor control circuit 531 may be included in the compressor 530 together with the motor of the compressor 530.

[0133] According to an embodiment, power noise caused by the AC power source 400 may be applied to the home appliance 300 along the power noise path 501.

[0134] According to an embodiment, compressor noise by the compressor 530 may be applied to the home appliance 300 along the compressor noise path 502. For example, the compressor noise path 502 may have a noise path from the compressor 530 through the first processor 311, the first communication circuit 321 to the second communication circuit 322.

[0135] According to an embodiment, the intensity (or strength) of compressor noise may be associated with the rotational speed (e.g., revolutions per minute (RPM)) of the motor of the compressor 530. For example, as the rotational speed (or RPM) of the motor increases, the intensity of the compressor noise may increase.

[0136] Table 1 below shows an example of the RPM of the motor of the compressor 530 for each type of refrigerator. In the disclosure, the RPM of the motor of the compressor 530 may be referred to as a compressor RPM.TABLE 1itemsT TypeFDRSBSMAX RPM360040003600MIN RPM120012001200

[0137] In Table 1, a T-type refrigerator may have a setting range between a minimum RPM of 1200 and a maximum RPM of 3600, an FDR refrigerator may have a setting range between a minimum RPM of 1200 and a maximum RPM of 4000, and an SBS refrigerator may have a setting range between a minimum RPM of 1200 and a maximum RPM of 3600.

[0138] According to an embodiment, the first processor 311 may set the compressor RPM. For example, the first processor 311 may set a compressor RPM, transmit a control signal corresponding to the set compressor RPM to the compressor control circuit 531, and the compressor control circuit 531 may drive the motor of the compressor 530 at the RPM set by the first processor 311 based on the received control signal.

[0139] According to an embodiment, the first processor 311 may set the compressor RPM in a specified unit. For example, the first processor 311 may set the compressor RPM in units of 10 RPM within a setting range between the maximum RPM to the minimum RPM.

[0140] According to an embodiment, the first processor 311 may set various noise environments through the setting of the compressor RPM. For example, the first processor 311 may set the noise environment corresponding to each compressor RPM by setting the compressor RPM in units of 10 RPM within the range between the maximum RPM to the minimum RPM.

[0141] According to an embodiment, the first communication circuit 321 may include a first transmission circuit 521a and a first reception circuit 521b connected to the first processor 311, and the second communication circuit 322 may include a second reception circuit 522a and a second transmission circuit 522b connected to the second processor 312. The first processor 311 may transmit data through the first transmission circuit 521a, and the second processor 312 may receive data transmitted from the first processor 311 through the second reception circuit 522a. The second processor 312 may transmit data through the second transmission circuit 522b, and the first processor 311 may receive data transmitted from the second processor 312 through the first reception circuit 521b. In the disclosure, the path through which data (or signal) is transmitted from the first processor 311 to the second processor 312 may be referred to as a first path 541, and the path through which data (or signal) is transmitted from the second processor 312 to the first processor 311 may be referred to as a second path 542. In an embodiment of FIG. 5, the first path 541 may include the first transmission circuit 521a and the second reception circuit 522a, and the second path 542 may include the second transmission circuit 522b and the first reception circuit 521b.

[0142] According to an embodiment, the transmission circuit and the reception circuit may have a symmetrical structure with respect to a cable (e.g., a line or a wire) connecting the transmission circuit and the reception circuit. Accordingly, it may be possible to reduce the possibility of error when designing the communication device. For example, the first transmission circuit 521a of the first communication circuit 321 and the second reception circuit 522a of the second communication circuit 322 may have a symmetrical structure with respect to the connection line. For example, the second transmission circuit 522b of the second communication circuit 322 and the first reception circuit 521b of the first communication circuit 321 may have a symmetrical structure with respect to the connection line.

[0143] According to an embodiment, each communication circuit may include a fixed resistor and a fixed capacitor. For example, the first transmission circuit 521a may include a fixed resistor FR11 and a fixed capacitor FC11, the first reception circuit 521b may include a fixed resistor FR12 and a fixed capacitor FC12, the second transmission circuit 522b may include a fixed resistor FR21 and a fixed capacitor FC21, and the second reception circuit 522a may include a fixed resistor FR22 and a fixed capacitor FC22.

[0144] According to an embodiment, the fixed resistor included in each communication circuit and the fixed capacitor associated (or connected) with the fixed resistor may be used to remove or reduce noise when performing communication between processors. For example, the fixed resistor and the fixed capacitor connected to the fixed resistor may be used to construct a filter (e.g., a low pass filter (LPF) to filter high-frequency noise). For example, the fixed resistor FR11 and the fixed capacitor FC11 of the first transmission circuit 521a may constitute a first LPF, the fixed resistor FR12 and the fixed capacitor FC12 of the first reception circuit 521b may constitute a second LPF, the fixed resistor FR21 and the fixed capacitor FC21 of the second transmission circuit 522b may constitute a third LPF, and the fixed resistor FR22 and the fixed capacitor FC22 of the second reception circuit 522a may constitute a fourth LPF.

[0145] According to an embodiment, when a fixed resistor and a fixed capacitor associated with the fixed resistor constitute an LPF, the resistance value of the fixed resistor and the capacitance value (or the time constant (τ=R*C) value of the corresponding LPF) may be set in advance as one optimized value for minimizing noise in the noise environment of the home appliance 300. However, since the value is set to one fixed value, it may be impossible to flexibly change according to changes in the noise environment applied to the home appliance 300 during actual use. In a general noise environment, noise is reduced by one fixed optimal time value, allowing normal communication between processors, but in an environment where the noise environment deteriorates beyond the expected range or changes in various ways, noise may not be removed normally. This may cause an error in communication between processors, making normal communication impossible.

[0146] FIG. 6 illustrates an example operation in which a home appliance performs communication between processors using a communication circuit including a variable resistor and a variable capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0147] In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the home appliance 300 is a home appliance (e.g., the refrigerator 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B) that includes a compressor 530 (e.g., the compressor 71 of FIG. 1B) as an internal noise source (e.g., the internal noise source 330 of FIG. 4). However, the embodiments are not limited thereto, and the description of the embodiment of FIG. 6 may be applied to home appliances that include another noise source (e.g., the induction coil of the cooking device 1500 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C) as an internal noise source.

[0148] In FIG. 6, a home appliance 300 may include a first processor 311, a second processor 312, a first communication circuit 321, a second communication circuit 322, a compressor 530, and / or a compressor control circuit 531. For a description of the first processor 311, the second processor 312, the first communication circuit 321, and the second communication circuit 322, the description of FIG. 3 may be referred to. The overlapping description is omitted.

[0149] According to an embodiment, the compressor control circuit 531 may be included in the same PBA (e.g., the first PBA) or a different PBA as / from the first processor 311. For example, the compressor control circuit 531 may be a control circuit or a processing circuit included in a third processor included in the first PBA including the first processor 311 and the first communication circuit 321. According to an embodiment, the compressor control circuit 531 may be a control circuit included in the compressor 530. For example, the compressor control circuit 531 may be included in the compressor 530 together with the motor of the compressor 530.

[0150] According to an embodiment, power noise caused by the AC power source 400 may be applied to the home appliance 300 along the power noise path 501.

[0151] According to an embodiment, compressor noise by the compressor 530 may be applied to the home appliance 300 along the compressor noise path 502. For example, the compressor noise path 502 may have a noise path from the compressor 530 through the first processor 311, the first communication circuit 321 to the second communication circuit 322.

[0152] According to an embodiment, the intensity (or strength) of compressor noise may be associated with the rotational speed (e.g., RPM) of the motor of the compressor 530. For example, as the rotational speed of the motor increases, the intensity of the compressor noise may increase.

[0153] According to an embodiment, the first processor 311 may set the compressor RPM. For example, the first processor 311 may set a compressor RPM, transmit a control signal corresponding to the set compressor RPM to the compressor control circuit 531, and the compressor control circuit 531 may drive the motor of the compressor 530 at the RPM set by the first processor 311 based on the received control signal.

[0154] According to an embodiment, the first processor 311 may set the compressor RPM in a specified unit. For example, the first processor 311 may set the compressor RPM in units of 10 RPM within, e.g., a setting range between the maximum RPM to the minimum RPM in Table 1.

[0155] According to an embodiment, the first processor 311 may set various noise environments through the setting of the compressor RPM. For example, the first processor 311 may set the noise environment corresponding to each compressor RPM by setting the compressor RPM in units of 10 RPM within the range between the maximum RPM to the minimum RPM of the table 1.

[0156] According to an embodiment, the first communication circuit 321 may include a first transmission circuit 621a and a first reception circuit 621b connected to the first processor 311, and the second communication circuit 322 may include a second reception circuit 622a and a second transmission circuit 622b connected to the second processor 312. The first processor 311 may transmit data through the first transmission circuit 621a, and the second processor 312 may receive data transmitted from the first processor 311 through the second reception circuit 622a. The second processor 312 may transmit data through the second transmission circuit 622b, and the first processor 311 may receive data transmitted from the second processor 312 through the first reception circuit 621b. In the disclosure, the path through which data (or signal) is transmitted from the first processor 311 to the second processor 312 may be referred to as a first path 641, and the path through which data (or signal) is transmitted from the second processor 312 to the first processor 311 may be referred to as a second path 642. In an embodiment of FIG. 6, the first path 641 may include the first transmission circuit 621a and the second reception circuit 622a, and the second path 642 may include the second transmission circuit 622b and the first reception circuit 621b.

[0157] According to an embodiment, the transmission circuit and the reception circuit may have a symmetrical structure with respect to a cable (e.g., a line or a wire) connecting the transmission circuit and the reception circuit. Accordingly, it may be possible to reduce the possibility of error when designing the communication device. For example, the first transmission circuit 621a of the first communication circuit 321 and the second reception circuit 622a of the second communication circuit 322 may have a symmetrical structure with respect to the connection line. For example, the second transmission circuit 622b of the second communication circuit 322 and the first reception circuit 621b of the first communication circuit 321 may have a symmetrical structure with respect to the connection line.

[0158] According to an embodiment, each communication circuit may include a variable resistor and a variable capacitor. For example, the first transmission circuit 621a may include a variable resistor VR11 and a variable capacitor VC11, the first reception circuit 621b may include a variable resistor VR12 and a variable capacitor VC12, the second reception circuit 622a may include a variable resistor VR21 and a variable capacitor VC21, and the second transmission circuit 622b may include a variable resistor VR22 and a variable capacitor VC22.

[0159] In an embodiment, the variable resistor may be a digital resistor whose resistance value may be set within a specified range, and the variable capacitor may be a digital capacitor whose capacitance value may be set within a specified range.

[0160] Table 2 illustrates example settable ranges and setting units for the variable resistor and the variable capacitor.TABLE 2variablevariableTyperesistor (Ohm)capacitor (nF)setting unitset in units of 10set in units of 10setting range10 to 10001 to 1000

[0161] In Table 2, the variable resistor may be set in units of 10 (Ohm) within a range of 0 to 1000 (Ohm), and the variable capacitor may be set in units of 10 (nF) within a range of 1 to 1000 (nF).

[0162] According to an embodiment, the variable resistor included in each communication circuit and the variable capacitor associated (or connected) with the variable resistor may be used to remove or reduce noise when performing communication between processors. For example, the variable resistor and the variable capacitor connected to the variable resistor may be used to constitute a filter (e.g., an LPF for filtering high-frequency noise). For example, the variable resistor VR11 and the variable capacitor VC11 of the first transmission circuit 621a may constitute a first LPF, the variable resistor VR12 and the variable capacitor VC12 of the first reception circuit 621b may constitute a second LPF, the variable resistor VR21 and the variable capacitor VC21 of the second reception circuit 622a may constitute a third LPF, and the variable resistor VR22 and the variable capacitor VC22 of the second transmission circuit 622b may constitute a fourth LPF.

[0163] According to an embodiment, when the variable resistor and the variable capacitor associated with the variable resistor constitute LPF, the resistance value of the variable resistor and the capacitance value of the variable capacitor (or the time constant (τ=R*C) value of the corresponding LPF) may be set and updated (or adjusted) to a setting value for reducing (e.g., minimizing) noise in the corresponding driving setting (or noise environment) of the home appliance 300 not to cause an error in communication between processors.

[0164] According to an embodiment, the first processor 311 may set and adjust the resistance value of the variable resistor and the capacitance value of the variable capacitor included in the first communication circuit 321. For example, in operation 601, the first processor 311 may set the values of the variable resistor VR11 and the variable capacitor VC11 of the first transmission circuit 621a to values (e.g., optimized values) suitable for the corresponding driving setting (or noise environment) considering the driving setting (e.g., the rotational speed setting of the motor or the current setting of the coil) (or, noise environment) associated with noise. For example, in operation 602, the first processor 311 may set the values of the variable resistor VR12 and the variable capacitor VC12 of the first reception circuit 621b to values (e.g., optimized values) suitable for the corresponding driving setting (or noise environment) considering the driving setting (e.g., the rotational speed setting of the motor or the current setting of the coil) (or, noise environment) associated with noise.

[0165] According to an embodiment, the second processor 312 may set and adjust the resistance value of the variable resistor included in the second communication circuit 322 and the capacitance value of the variable capacitor. For example, in operation 611, the second processor 312 may set the values of the variable resistor VR21 and the variable capacitor VC21 of the second reception circuit 622a to values (e.g., optimized values) suitable for the corresponding driving setting (or noise environment) considering the driving setting (e.g., the rotational speed setting of the motor of the compressor) (or, noise environment) associated with noise. For example, in operation 612, the second processor 312 may set the values of the variable resistor VR22 and the variable capacitor VC22 of the second transmission circuit 622b to values (e.g., optimized values) suitable for the corresponding driving setting (or noise environment) considering the driving setting (e.g., the rotational speed setting of the motor or the current setting of the coil) (or, noise environment) associated with noise.

[0166] According to an embodiment, when a plurality of driving settings (e.g., the rotational speed setting of the motor of the compressor or the current setting of the coil) (or noise environment) associated with noise are set, each processor may preset (e.g., optimize) the resistance value of the variable resistor and the capacitance value of the variable capacitor included in the connected communication circuit for each driving setting (or noise environment). For example, the first processor 311 may preset the values of the variable resistor VR11 and the variable capacitor VC11 of the first transmission circuit 621a to values optimized for each driving setting (or noise environment). For example, the first processor 311 may preset the values of the variable resistor VR12 and the variable capacitor VC12 of the first reception circuit 621b to values optimized for each driving setting (or noise environment). For example, the second processor 312 may preset the values of the variable resistor VR21 and the variable capacitor VC21 of the second reception circuit 622a to values optimized for each driving setting (or noise environment). For example, the second processor 312 may preset the values of the variable resistor VR22 and the variable capacitor VC22 of the second transmission circuit 622b to values optimized for each driving setting (or noise environment).

[0167] By configuring the resistor and capacitor included in the communication circuit as a variable resistor and a variable capacitor and setting the resistance value of the variable resistor and the capacitance value of the variable capacitor considering the driving setting (e.g., the rotational speed setting of the motor of the compressor) (or the noise environment) associated with noise, the time constant value of the filter may be preset to a value suitable for the current driving setting (or the noise environment). In this case, even in situations where the noise environment deteriorates beyond the expected range or changes in various ways during actual use, the noise may be normally reduced through adjusted setting values or time constant. This prevents errors in communication between processors due to noise, enabling normal communication.

[0168] FIG. 7 illustrates an example configuration of a communication circuit including a fixed resistor and a fixed capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0169] In an embodiment of FIG. 7, the transmission circuit 721 may be, e.g., an example of the first transmission circuit 521a of FIG. 5 or the second transmission circuit 522b of FIG. 5. The reception circuit 722 may be, e.g., an example of the first reception circuit 521b or the second reception circuit 522a of FIG. 5. For example, when the signal is transferred from the first processor 311 to the second processor 312 of FIG. 5 along the first path (e.g., the first path 541 of FIG. 5), the first processor 711 may correspond to the first processor 311 of FIG. 5, the second processor 712 may correspond to the second processor 312 of FIG. 5, the transmission circuit 721 may correspond to the first transmission circuit 521a of FIG. 5, and the reception circuit 722 may correspond to the second reception circuit 522a of FIG. 5. For example, when the signal is transferred from the second processor 312 of FIG. 5 to the first processor 311 along the second path (e.g., the second path 542 of FIG. 5), the first processor 711 may correspond to the second processor 312 of FIG. 5, the second processor 712 may correspond to the first processor 311 of FIG. 5, the transmission circuit 721 may correspond to the second transmission circuit 522b of FIG. 5, and the reception circuit 722 may correspond to the first reception circuit 521b of FIG. 5.

[0170] In FIG. 7, the transmission circuit 721 may be connected to the first processor 711, and the reception circuit 722 may be connected to the second processor 712.

[0171] According to an embodiment, the transmission circuit 721 may include a first field effect transistor (FET) Q1, pull-up resistors R1 and R2, and / or a first LPF 701. The first LPF 701 may include a fixed resistor R3 (e.g., FR11 or FR22 of FIG. 5) and a fixed capacitor C1 (e.g., FC11 or FC22 of FIG. 5).

[0172] According to an embodiment, in the first FET Q1, a gate may be connected to the driving power source VCC, a source may be connected to the input end of the transmission circuit 721, the drain may be connected to one end of the first LPF 701, and the other end of the first LPF 701 may be disposed to be connected to the output end of the transmission circuit 721. The first FET Q1 may be, e.g., an N-channel metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor, but is not limited thereto. For example, the first FET Q1 may be a P-channel MOSFET.

[0173] According to an embodiment, when the first FET Q1 is an N-channel MOSFET, the first FET Q1 may be turned on when the difference VGS between the gate voltage VG and the source voltage VS is larger than a threshold voltage and may be turned off when the difference VGS is smaller than the threshold voltage according to the characteristics of the N-channel MOSFET. For example, when the levels of the gate voltage VG and the source voltage VS are the same, the difference between the gate voltage and the source voltage is 0 and thus has a value smaller than the threshold voltage so that the first FET Q1 may be turned off. According to this characteristic, the first FET Q1 may be turned on / off according to the level of the voltage of the signal input to the input end and the level of the voltage applied through the gate.

[0174] According to an embodiment, the reception circuit 722 may include a second FET Q2, pull-up resistors R5 and R6, and a second LPF 702. The second LPF 702 may include a fixed resistor R4 (e.g., FR12 or FR21 of FIG. 5) and a fixed capacitor C2 (e.g., FC12 or FC21 of FIG. 5).

[0175] According to an embodiment, the second FET Q2 may be disposed so that the gate is connected to the driving power source VCC, the source is connected to the output end of the reception circuit 722, the drain is connected to one end of the second LPF 702, and the other end of the second LPF 702 is connected to the input end of the reception circuit 722. The second FET Q2 may be, e.g., an N-channel MOSFET, but is not limited thereto. For example, the second FET Q2 may be a P-channel MOSFET. When the second FET Q2 is an N-channel MOSFET, the second FET Q2 may have the same N-channel MOSFET characteristics as the first FET Q1.

[0176] According to an embodiment, the pull-up resistors R1, R2, R5, and R6 may be used to reduce power consumption due to generation of standby power by reducing leakage current. The resistances of the pull-up resistors R1, R2, R5, and R6 may be set to various values according to design. The pull-up resistors R1, R2, R5, and R6 may be set to, e.g., a value of 4.7Ω to 47Ω.

[0177] According to an embodiment, the first processor 711 and the second processor 712 may have the same driving voltage. For example, the driving voltages of the first processor 711 and the second processor 712 may be the same as the driving voltage of the first voltage level (e.g., the driving voltage of the voltage level of 0V to 3.3V or the driving voltage of the voltage level of 0V to 5V). When the driving voltages of the first processor 711 and the second processor 712 are the same, a shift in the voltage level for the signal in the transmission circuit 721 and the reception circuit 722 is not required for communication between the processors.

[0178] Hereinafter, the operations of the transmission circuit 721 and the reception circuit 722 when the input signal input by the first processor 711 is a high signal (e.g., logic high) in a state in which the driving voltages of the first processor 711 and the second processor 712 are the same is described first.

[0179] For example, when the voltage level of the input signal is in the range of 0V to 3.3V, the level of the voltage applied from the driving power source VCC may be set to 3.3V, which is the level of the voltage corresponding to the high signal of the input signal. In this case, if the input signal is 3.3V, which is a high signal, since both the gate voltage VG and the source voltage VS are the same as 3.3V, the first FET Q1 may be turned off. On the other hand, if the input signal is 0V which is a low signal, the difference VGS between the gate voltage VG and the source voltage VS is 3.3V, and exceeds the level of the threshold voltage, so that the first FET Q1 may be turned on. On the other hand, even when the voltage level of the input signal is in the range of 0V to 5V, the first FET Q1 may be operated in the same manner as described above by setting the voltage applied to the driving power source VCC to 5V.

[0180] If a high signal is input, the first FET Q1 may be turned off. The floated signal generated as the first FET Q1 is turned off may be pulled up through the driving power source VCC and the pull-up resistor R2. For example, when the input signal is a high signal and the voltage applied from the driving power source VCC also has a voltage level corresponding to the high signal, the first FET Q1 is turned off so that no signal is output from the first FET Q1. In this case, a signal pulled up to have a value corresponding to a high signal due to the pull-up resistor R2 connected to the driving power source VCC and the voltage applied from the driving power source VCC may be generated. The pulled-up signal may be output from the transmission circuit 721 through the first LPF 701 and transferred to the reception circuit 722 through a cable (e.g., a line or a wire) connecting the transmission circuit 721 and the reception circuit 722. Since the signal output from the transmission circuit 721 corresponds to the high signal, it may be the same as the input signal of the transmission circuit 721, providing an effect of transferring a non-inverted signal to the reception circuit 722.

[0181] The signal transferred to the reception circuit 722 may pass through the second LPF 702, and the voltage level may be increased again by the driving power source VCC. For example, the voltage level may decrease as the voltage level is transferred to the reception circuit 722 through a signal cable output from the transmission circuit 721, but the voltage level may rise again by the driving power source VCC of the reception circuit 722. The signal whose voltage level is increased again by the driving power source VCC may have a voltage level corresponding to the high signal of the signal input to the transmission circuit 721. Accordingly, the voltage of the signal applied to the drain of the second FET Q2 may have a level corresponding to the high signal. Further, due to the internal diode characteristics of the FET, the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 may also have a level corresponding to the high signal. Further, a voltage having a level corresponding to the high signal may be applied to the gate of the second FET Q2 from the driving power source VCC. And, since the gate voltage VG of the second FET Q2 and the source voltage VS of the second FET Q2 are the same, the second FET Q2 may be turned off. Accordingly, the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 may maintain the voltage level corresponding to the high signal. The generated high signal may be output through the output end of the reception circuit 722 and transferred to the second processor 712.

[0182] Hereinafter, the operations of the transmission circuit 721 and the reception circuit 722 when the input signal input by the first processor 711 is a low signal (e.g., logical low) in a state in which the driving voltages of the first processor 711 and the second processor 712 are the same are described.

[0183] If a low signal is input, the first FET Q1 may be turned on. As the first FET Q1 is turned on, the low signal may be output through the drain of the first FET Q1, and may be output through the output end of the transmission circuit 721 through the first LPF Q1. In this case, since the signal output from the transmission circuit 721 corresponds to the low signal, the signal output is the same as the input signal from the transmission circuit 721, providing an effect of transferring the non-inverted signal to the reception circuit 722. The output signal may be applied to the drain of the second FET Q2 via the second LPF 702. Since the low signal is close to 0V, the voltage applied to the drain of the second FET Q2 may also be 0V, and a voltage drop may occur in which the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 also decreases to 0V according to characteristics by the internal diode of the FET. In this case, since the driving power source VCC applies a voltage corresponding to the high signal to the gate of the second FET Q2, the second FET Q2 may be turned on. Accordingly, pull-up due to the driving power source VCC and the pull-up resistor R6 does not occur, and the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 may be maintained as a value of 0V. The generated low signal may be output through the output end of the reception circuit 722 and transferred to the second processor 712.

[0184] Although the transmission circuit and the reception circuit transmit and receive signals using FETs in the embodiment of FIG. 7, it may be implemented that only at least one of the transmission circuit and the reception circuit transmits and receives signals using FETs, or that signals are transmitted and received using transistors (e.g., NPN transistors or PNP transistors) without using FETs.

[0185] FIG. 8 illustrates an example configuration of a communication circuit including a variable resistor and a variable capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0186] In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the transmission circuit 821 may be, e.g., an example of the first transmission circuit 621a of FIG. 6 or an example of the second transmission circuit 622b of FIG. 6. The reception circuit 822 may be, e.g., an example of the first reception circuit 621b and the second reception circuit 622a of FIG. 6. For example, when the signal is transferred from the first processor 311 to the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 along the first path (e.g., the first path 641 of FIG. 6), the first processor 811 may correspond to the first processor 311 of FIG. 6, the second processor 812 may correspond to the second processor 312 of FIG. 6, the transmission circuit 821 may correspond to the first transmission circuit 621a of FIG. 6, and the reception circuit 822 may correspond to the second reception circuit 622a of FIG. 6. For example, when the signal is transferred from the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 to the first processor 311 along the second path (e.g., the second path 642 of FIG. 6), the first processor 811 may correspond to the second processor 312 of FIG. 6, the second processor 812 may correspond to the first processor 311 of FIG. 6, the transmission circuit 821 may correspond to the second transmission circuit 622b of FIG. 6, and the reception circuit 822 may correspond to the first reception circuit 621b of FIG. 6.

[0187] In FIG. 8, the transmission circuit 821 may be connected to the first processor 811, and the reception circuit 822 may be connected to the second processor 812.

[0188] According to an embodiment, the transmission circuit 821 may include a first FET Q1, pull-up resistors R1 and R2, and a first LPF 801. The first LPF 801 may include a variable resistor R3 (e.g., VR11 or VR22 of FIG. 6) and a variable capacitor C1 (e.g., VC11 or VC22 of FIG. 6).

[0189] According to an embodiment, in the first FET Q1, a gate may be connected to the driving power source VCC, a source may be connected to the input end of the transmission circuit 821, the drain may be connected to one end of the first LPF 801, and the other end of the first LPF 801 may be disposed to be connected to the output end of the transmission circuit 821. The first FET Q1 may be, e.g., an N-channel MOSFET, but is not limited thereto. For example, the first FET Q1 may be a P-channel MOSFET. When a communication circuit is configured using an FET, the transmission circuit and the reception circuit may be configured symmetrically, thereby preventing errors in circuit design.

[0190] According to an embodiment, when the first FET Q1 is an N-channel MOSFET, the first FET Q1 may be turned on when the difference VGS between the gate voltage VG and the source voltage VS is larger than a threshold voltage and may be turned off when the difference VGS is smaller than the threshold voltage according to the characteristics of the N-channel MOSFET. For example, when the levels of the gate voltage VG and the source voltage VS are the same, the difference between the gate voltage and the source voltage is 0 and thus has a value smaller than the threshold voltage so that the first FET Q1 may be turned off. According to this characteristic, the first FET Q1 may be turned on / off according to the level of the voltage of the signal input to the input end and the level of the voltage applied through the gate.

[0191] According to an embodiment, the reception circuit 822 may include a second FET Q2, pull-up resistors R5 and R6, and a second LPF 802. The second LPF 802 may include a variable resistor R4 (e.g., VR12 or VR21 of FIG. 6) and a variable capacitor C2 (e.g., VC12 or VC21 of FIG. 6).

[0192] According to an embodiment, the second FET Q2 may be disposed so that the gate is connected to the driving power source VCC, the source is connected to the output end of the reception circuit 822, the drain is connected to one end of the second LPF 802, and the other end of the second LPF 802 is connected to the input end of the reception circuit 822. The second FET Q2 may be, e.g., an N-channel MOSFET, but is not limited thereto. For example, the second FET Q2 may be a P-channel MOSFET. When the second FET Q2 is an N-channel MOSFET, the second FET Q2 may have the same N-channel MOSFET characteristics as the first FET Q1.

[0193] According to an embodiment, the pull-up resistors R1, R2, R5, and R6 may be used to reduce power consumption due to generation of standby power by reducing leakage current. The resistances of the pull-up resistors R1, R2, R5, and R6 may be set to various values according to design. The pull-up resistors R1, R2, R5, and R6 may be set to, e.g., a value of 4.7Ω to 47Ω.

[0194] According to an embodiment, the first processor 811 and the second processor 812 may have the same driving voltage. For example, the driving voltages of the first processor 811 and the second processor 812 may be the same as the driving voltage of the first voltage level (e.g., the driving voltage of the voltage level of 0V to 3.3V or the driving voltage of the voltage level of 0V to 5V). When the driving voltages of the first processor 811 and the second processor 812 are the same, a shift in the voltage level for the signal in the transmission circuit 821 and the reception circuit 822 is not required for communication between the processors. When the driving voltages of the first processor 811 and the second processor 812 are the same, the driving voltages applied by the first driving power source Vcc1, the second driving power source Vcc2, the third driving power source Vcc3, and the fourth driving power source Vcc4 of FIG. 8 may all be set to the same value (e.g., 3.3V or 5V). For the operations of the transmission circuit 821 and the reception circuit 822 when the input signal input by the first processor 811 is a high signal and a low signal in a state in which the driving voltages of the first processor 811 and the second processor 812, the description of FIG. 7 may be referred to. For example, the description of the transmission circuit 721 and the reception circuit 722 when the driving voltages are the same in the embodiment of FIG. 7 may be likewise applied to the embodiment of FIG. 8, except that the LPF included in each circuit is changed to an LPF including a variable resistor and a variable capacitor.

[0195] According to an embodiment, the first processor 811 and the second processor 812 may have different driving voltages. For example, a driving voltage (e.g., a driving voltage having a voltage level of 0V to 5V) of the first processor 811 may be higher than a driving voltage having a voltage level of 0V to 3.3V of the second processor 812. For example, a driving voltage (e.g., a driving voltage having a voltage level of 0V to 3.3V) of the first processor 811 may be lower than a driving voltage having a voltage level of 0V to 5V of the second processor 812. When the driving voltages of the first processor 811 and the second processor 812 are different, if there is no shift in the voltage level in the transmission circuit 821 or the reception circuit 822, the second processor 812 may not clearly recognize whether the signal transmitted by the first processor 811 is a high signal or a low signal.

[0196] Therefore, when the driving voltages of the first processor 811 and the second processor 812 are different, a shift in the voltage level for the signal in the transmission circuit 821 or the reception circuit 822 is required for communication between the processors.

[0197] For example, when the driving voltage of the first processor 811 is higher than the driving voltage of the second processor 812, the first driving power source Vcc1, the second driving power source Vcc2, and the third driving power source Vcc3 of FIG. 8 may be set to the same first driving voltage (e.g., 5V), and the fourth driving power source Vcc4 of FIG. 8 may be set to a second driving voltage (e.g., 3.3V) lower than the first driving voltage for a shift in the voltage level for the signal generated by the first processor 811. In this case, the reception circuit 822 may perform a power level shift using a plurality of driving power sources that apply different voltage values.

[0198] For example, when the driving voltage of the first processor 811 is lower than the driving voltage of the second processor 812, the first driving power source Vcc1 of FIG. 8 may be set to the first driving voltage (e.g., 3.3V), and the second driving power source Vcc2, the third driving power source Vcc3, and the fourth driving power source Vcc4 may be set to a second driving voltage (e.g., 5V) higher than the first driving voltage. In this case, the transmission circuit 821 may perform a power level shift using a plurality of driving power sources that apply different voltage values.

[0199] Hereinafter, the operations of the transmission circuit 821 and the reception circuit 822 when the second processor 812 operates at a driving voltage (or voltage level) smaller than that of the first processor 811 are described.

[0200] In an embodiment, the first processor 811 is driven at a voltage level of 0V to 5V, and the second processor 812 is driven at a voltage level of 0V to 3.3V.

[0201] First, the operations of the transmission circuit 821 and the reception circuit 822 when the input signal input by the first processor 811 is a high signal are described first.

[0202] A voltage (5V) corresponding to a high signal of a signal input from the first driving power source Vcc1 may be applied to the gate of the first FET Q1. If a high signal is input to the input end, the first FET Q1 is turned off, and the floated signal generated accordingly may be pulled up through the second driving power source Vcc2 having the same driving voltage as the first driving power source Vcc1 and the pull-up resistor R2. Accordingly, the floated signal may be pulled up to a voltage (5V) corresponding to the high signal input to the transmission circuit 821. The pulled-up signal may be output through the output end of the transmission circuit 821 through the first LPF 801 including the variable resistor R3 and the variable capacitor C1, and may be transferred to the reception circuit 822 through a cable (e.g., a line or a wire) connecting the transmission circuit 821 and the reception circuit 822.

[0203] The signal transferred to the reception circuit 822 may pass through the second LPF 802, and the voltage level may rise again by the third driving power source Vcc3. For example, the voltage level may decrease as the voltage level is transferred to the reception circuit 822 through a signal cable output from the transmission circuit 821, but the voltage level may rise again by the third driving power source Vcc3 of the reception circuit 822. The signal whose voltage level is increased again by the third driving power source Vcc3 may have a voltage level (5V) corresponding to the high signal of the signal input to the transmission circuit 821. Accordingly, the voltage of the signal applied to the drain of the second FET Q2 may also have a voltage level (5V) corresponding to the high signal of the signal input to the transmission circuit 821. Further, a voltage (3.3V) corresponding to the high signal of the voltage level used by the second processor 812 may be applied to the gate of the second FET Q2 from the fourth driving power source Vcc4. Further, since the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 may also have the same level, and the voltage of the drain of the second FET Q2 has a value larger than the voltage (3.3V) of the source of the second FET Q2, a voltage drop may not occur. And, since the gate voltage VG of the second FET Q2 and the source voltage VS of the second FET Q2 are the same, the second FET Q2 may be turned off. Further, the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 may maintain the voltage level (3.3V) corresponding to the high signal of the voltage level used by the second processor 812. The high signal generated through such an operation may be output through the output end of the reception circuit 822 and transferred to the second processor 812.

[0204] Next, the operations of the transmission circuit 821 and the reception circuit 822 when the input signal input by the first processor 811 is a low signal are described.

[0205] If a low signal is input to the input end, the first FET Q1 may be turned on. As the first FET Q1 is turned on, the low signal may be output through the drain of the first FET Q1, and may be output through the output end of the transmission circuit 821 through the first LPF 801. The output signal may be applied to the drain of the second FET Q2 via the second LPF 802. Since the low signal is close to 0V, the voltage applied to the drain of the second FET Q2 may also be 0V, and a voltage drop may occur in which the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 also decreases to 0V according to characteristics by the internal diode of the FET. In this case, since the fourth driving power source Vcc4 applies a voltage corresponding to the high signal to the gate of the second FET Q2, the second FET Q2 may be turned on. Accordingly, pull-up due to the fourth driving power source Vcc4 and the pull-up resistor R6 does not occur, and the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 may be maintained as a value of 0V. The low signal generated through such an operation may be output through the output end of the reception circuit 822 and transferred to the second processor 812.

[0206] Hereinafter, the operations of the transmission circuit 821 and the reception circuit 822 when the second processor 812 operates at a driving voltage (or voltage level) larger than that of the first processor 811 are described.

[0207] In an embodiment, the first processor 811 is driven at a voltage level of 0V to 3.3V, and the second processor 812 is driven at a voltage level of 0V to 5V.

[0208] First, the operations of the transmission circuit 821 and the reception circuit 822 when the input signal input by the first processor 811 is a high signal are described.

[0209] A voltage (3.3V) corresponding to a high signal of a signal input from the first driving power source Vcc1 may be applied to the gate of the first FET Q1. If a high signal (3.3V) is input to the input end, the first FET Q1 is turned off, and the floated signal generated accordingly may be pulled up through the second driving power source Vcc2 and the pull-up resistor R2. In this case, the second driving power source Vcc2 may apply a voltage (5V) corresponding to a high signal of the voltage level used by the second processor 812. Accordingly, the floated signal may be pulled up to 5V. The pulled-up signal may be output through the output end of the transmission circuit 821 through the first LPF 801 including the variable resistor R3 and the variable capacitor C1, and may be transferred to the reception circuit 822 through a cable (e.g., a line or a wire) connecting the transmission circuit 821 and the reception circuit 822.

[0210] The signal transferred to the reception circuit 822 may pass through the second LPF 802, and the voltage level may rise again by the third driving power source Vcc3. For example, the voltage level may decrease as the voltage level is transferred to the reception circuit 822 through a signal cable output from the transmission circuit 821, but the voltage level may rise again by the third driving power source Vcc3 of the reception circuit 822. The signal whose voltage level is increased again by the third driving power source Vcc3 may have a voltage (5V) corresponding to a high signal of a voltage level used by the second processor 812. Accordingly, the voltage of the signal applied to the drain of the second FET Q2 may also have a voltage (5V) corresponding to the high signal of the voltage level used by the second processor 812. Further, a voltage (5V) may be applied to the gate of the second FET Q2 from the third driving power source Vcc3. Further, since the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 may also have the same level, and the voltage of the drain of the second FET Q2 and the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 are the same, a voltage drop may not occur. And, since the gate voltage of the second FET Q2 and the source voltage of the second FET Q2 are the same, the second FET Q2 may be turned off. Accordingly, the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 may maintain the voltage level corresponding to the high signal of the voltage level used by the second processor 812. The high signal generated through such an operation may be output through the output end of the reception circuit 822 and transferred to the second processor 812.

[0211] Next, the operations of the transmission circuit 821 and the reception circuit 822 when the input signal input by the first processor 811 is a low signal are described.

[0212] If a low signal is input to the input end, the first FET Q1 may be turned on. As the first FET Q1 is turned on, the low signal may be output through the drain of the first FET Q1, and may be output through the output end of the transmission circuit 821 through the first LPF 801. The output signal may be applied to the drain of the second FET Q2 via the second LPF 802. Since the low signal is close to 0V, the voltage applied to the drain of the second FET Q2 may also be 0V, and a voltage drop may occur in which the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 also decreases to 0V according to characteristics by the internal diode of the FET. In this case, since the fourth driving power source Vcc4 applies a voltage corresponding to the high signal to the gate of the second FET Q2, the second FET Q2 may be turned on. Accordingly, pull-up due to the fourth driving power source Vcc4 and the pull-up resistor R6 does not occur, and the voltage of the source of the second FET Q2 may be maintained as a value of 0V. The low signal generated through such an operation may be output through the output end of the reception circuit 822 and transferred to the second processor 812.

[0213] The driving power source is illustrated as applying a voltage of 5V or 3V in the embodiment of FIG. 8, but it may be implemented to have a voltage other than the above-described voltages.

[0214] Although the transmission circuit and the reception circuit transmit and receive signals using FETs in the embodiment of FIG. 8, it may be implemented that only at least one of the transmission circuit and the reception circuit transmits and receives signals using FETs, or that signals are transmitted and received using transistors (e.g., NPN transistors or PNP transistors) without using FETs.

[0215] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation in which a home appliance sets values of a variable resistor and a variable capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0216] In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the home appliance is a refrigerator (e.g., the refrigerator 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B). However, the embodiments are not limited thereto, and the same description may be applied to various types of home appliances (e.g., the cooking device 1500 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C, the air conditioner 2000 of FIG. 16, or the washer 1700 of FIGS. 17A and 17B) that generate noise affecting communication between processors.

[0217] In FIG. 9, in operation 910, the home appliance may generate setting value information about a variable resistor (e.g., VR11, VR12, VR21, or VR22 of FIG. 6 or R3 or R4 of FIG. 8) and a variable capacitor (e.g., VC11, VC12, VC21, or VC22 of FIG. 6 or C1 or C2 of FIG. 8).

[0218] According to an embodiment, the setting value information may include a resistance setting value of the variable resistor and a capacitance setting value of the variable capacitor corresponding to each driving setting. The driving setting may include, e.g., a rotational speed setting of the motor (e.g., the rotational speed setting of the motor of the compressor 71 of FIG. 1B or the rotational speed setting of the motor 1761 of FIG. 17B) or a current setting of the coil (e.g., the current setting of the coil of the heating unit 1531 of FIG. 15A). For example, the setting value information may include the resistance setting value of the variable resistor and the capacitance setting value of the variable capacitor corresponding to each of the plurality of rotational speeds in the rotational speed setting range of the motor (e.g., the plurality of compressor RPMs set in units of 10 RPM in the compressor RPM setting range of Table 1). For example, the setting value information may include the resistance setting value of the variable resistor and the capacitance setting value of the variable capacitor corresponding to each of the plurality of currents in the current setting range of the coil.

[0219] According to an embodiment, the setting value information may include a resistance setting value of the variable resistor and a capacitance setting value of the variable capacitor corresponding to each noise environment.

[0220] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may determine the resistance setting values of all variable resistors and the capacitance setting values included in the first communication circuit (e.g., the first communication circuit 321 of FIG. 6 or the transmission circuit 821 of FIG. 8) and the second communication circuit (e.g., the second communication circuit 322 of FIG. 6 or the reception circuit 822 of FIG. 8) for each driving setting (or for each noise environment) to generate the setting value information. For example, the first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 6 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) may determine the resistance setting value of each variable resistor and the capacitance setting value of each variable capacitor included in the first communication circuit (e.g., the first communication circuit 321 of FIG. 6 or the transmission circuit 821 of FIG. 8) connected to the first processor. For example, the second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8) may determine the resistance setting value of each variable resistor and the capacitance setting value of each variable capacitor included in the second communication circuit (e.g., the second communication circuit 322 of FIG. 6 or the reception circuit 822 of FIG. 8) connected to the second processor.

[0221] According to an embodiment, the variable resistor and the variable capacitor may constitute a low pass filter LPF (e.g., the first LPF 801 and the second LPF 802 of FIG. 8).

[0222] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may set a predetermined number of driving settings (or noise environments). For example, the home appliance may set N driving settings (or noise environments).

[0223] According to an embodiment, each driving setting (or noise environment) may be associated with a different noise level or intensity. For example, the home appliance may set N driving settings (or noise environments) corresponding to N different noise levels.

[0224] According to an embodiment, each driving setting (or noise environment) may be associated with a different rotational speed (e.g., RPM) of the motor (e.g., the motor of the compressor 71 of the refrigerator of FIG. 1B). For example, each driving setting (or noise environment) may correspond to a different compressor RPM value. For example, the home appliance may set N driving settings (or noise environments) by driving the motor of the compressor at N different compressor RPMs. The N driving settings (or noise environments) may include, e.g., a first driving setting (or first noise environment) corresponding to a first compressor RPM, a second driving setting (or second noise environment) corresponding to a second compressor RPM, . . . , an Nth driving setting (or Nth noise environment) corresponding to an Nth compressor RPM. Each driving setting (or noise environment) may be associated with each noise generated by rotating the motor of the compressor at the corresponding compressor RPM. Each compressor RPM used to set the driving setting (or noise environment) may be included, e.g., in the range of the compressor RPMs of Table 1. For example, each compressor RPM used to set the driving setting (or noise environment) may be set in a specified unit (e.g., 10 RPM) in the setting range of the compressor RPMs in Table 1.

[0225] According to an embodiment, each driving setting (or noise environment) may be associated with a different current value of the coil (e.g., the coil of the heating unit 1531 of FIG. 15A). For example, each driving setting (or noise environment) may correspond to a different coil current value. For example, the home appliance may set N driving settings (or noise environments) by supplying N different coil current values to the coils, respectively. The N driving settings (or noise environments) may include, e.g., a first driving setting (or a first noise environment) corresponding to the first coil current, a second driving setting (or a second noise environment) corresponding to the second coil current, and an Nth driving setting (or an Nth noise environment) corresponding to the second coil current. Each driving setting (or noise environment) may be associated with each noise generated by supplying a corresponding coil current to the coil. Each coil current used to set the driving setting (or noise environment) may be included in a specified current range, for example. For example, each coil current used to set the driving setting (or noise environment) may be set in a specified unit (e.g., 1A) in a specified current range.

[0226] According to an embodiment, in a state in which each driving setting (or noise environment) is set, the home appliance may determine a resistance setting value of each variable resistor and a capacitance setting value of each variable capacitor. For example, when N driving settings (or noise environments) are set, the home appliance may determine the first resistance setting value of each variable resistor and the first capacitance setting value of each variable capacitor corresponding to the first driving setting (or first noise environment), the second resistance setting value of each variable resistor and the second capacitance setting value of each variable capacitor corresponding to the second driving setting (or second noise environment), and the Nth resistance setting value of each variable resistor and the Nth capacitance setting value of each variable capacitor corresponding to the Nth driving setting (or Nth noise environment).

[0227] When the resistance setting value of each variable resistor and the capacitance setting value of each variable capacitor are determined for each driving setting (or noise environment), although the noise generated while the home appliance is actually driven is varied over time, it may be possible to set a resistance value and a capacitance value (e.g., optimal resistance value and optimal capacitance value) suitable for the driving setting (or noise environment) at the current time. Accordingly, noise generated in the current noise situation may be normally reduced, thereby preventing an error in communication between processors.

[0228] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may determine a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value corresponding to each driving setting (or noise environment) based on a communication success rate for communication performed between the processors using an asynchronous communication scheme (e.g., a UART communication scheme) in a state in which each driving setting (or noise environment) is set. For example, the first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 3 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) of the home appliance may determine the respective resistance setting value and capacitance setting value of each variable resistor and each variable capacitor included in the first communication circuit corresponding to the corresponding driving setting (or noise environment) based on the communication success rate for communication performed with the second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 3 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8) through the first communication circuit (e.g., the first communication circuit 321 of FIG. 3 or the transmission circuit 821 of FIG. 8) connected to the first processor. For example, the second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 3 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8) of the home appliance may determine the respective resistance setting value and capacitance setting value of each variable resistor and each variable capacitor included in the second communication circuit corresponding to the corresponding driving setting (or noise environment) based on the communication success rate for communication performed with the first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 3 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) through the second communication circuit (e.g., the second communication circuit 322 of FIG. 3 or the reception circuit 822 of FIG. 8) connected to the second processor. An embodiment of determining a resistance setting value (e.g., an optimal resistance value) and a capacitance setting value (e.g., an optimal capacitance value) based on a communication success rate is described below with reference to FIGS. 10, 11, and 12.

[0229] According to an embodiment, setting value information about the resistance setting value of each variable resistor and the capacitance setting value of each variable capacitor for each driving setting (or noise environment) may be stored in the home appliance (or the memory 101 of FIG. 1B).

[0230] In operation 920, the home appliance may perform communication between processors through the communication circuit including the variable resistor and the variable capacitor set to the resistance setting value and the capacitance setting value corresponding to the current driving setting (e.g., the current rotational speed setting of the motor of the compressor 71 of FIG. 1B or a present current setting of the coil of the heating unit 1531 of FIG. 15A) (or noise environment). For example, the home appliance may identify the current rotational speed (e.g., current compressor RPM) (or current noise environment corresponding to the current rotational speed) of the motor of the compressor, obtain the resistance setting value and the capacitance setting value corresponding to the current rotational speed (or current noise environment) from setting value information previously obtained through operation 910, and perform communication between processors through the communication circuit including the variable resistor and the variable capacitor set to the obtained resistance setting value and the obtained capacitance setting value. For example, the home appliance may identify the present current (e.g., current coil current) (or current noise environment corresponding to the current coil current) of the coil, obtain the resistance setting value and the capacitance setting value corresponding to the current coil current (or current noise environment) from setting value information previously obtained through operation 910, and perform communication between processors through the communication circuit including the variable resistor and the variable capacitor set to the obtained resistance setting value and the obtained capacitance setting value.

[0231] The home appliance may prevent communication errors caused by noise associated with the current driving setting (or noise environment) by obtaining and setting the setting values of each variable resistor and each variable capacitor corresponding to the current driving setting (or noise environment) from the setting value information generated in advance through operation 910.

[0232] In operation 930, the home appliance may re-determine (or update) setting value information about the variable resistor and the variable capacitor based on identifying that a specified condition is met. For example, when specified cycles (e.g., two cycles a day (e.g., morning and afternoon) are met, the home appliance may identify that the specified condition is met. For example, if specified cycles (e.g., two cycles a day (e.g., morning and afternoon) are met, the home appliance may obtain a communication success rate between processors (e.g., a communication success rate for the current noise environment) and, if the communication success rate is identified to be lower than a reference communication success rate, identify that the specified condition is met. For example, when the communication success rate between processors is identified as being a specified value or less, the home appliance may identify that the specified condition is met.

[0233] The resistance setting value of each variable resistor and the capacitance setting value of each variable capacitor, which are determined for each driving setting or noise environment, may, rather than continuously maintained, be re-determined or updated as the specified condition is met, making it possible to flexibly adapt to changes in noise.

[0234] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may re-determine the resistance setting value of each variable resistor and the capacitance setting value of each variable capacitor for all or some of the set driving settings (or noise environments) based on identifying that the specified condition is met. In an embodiment, the home appliance may update the setting value for all of the set driving settings (or noise environments), or, if it may be unnecessary to update the setting values for all of the driving settings (or noise environments), may update the setting values only for some necessary driving settings (or noise environments).

[0235] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation in which a home appliance determines setting values of a variable resistor and a variable capacitor according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0236] In the embodiment of FIG. 10, the home appliance is a refrigerator (e.g., the refrigerator 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B). However, the embodiments are not limited thereto, and the same description may be applied to various types of home appliances (e.g., the cooking device 1500 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C, the air conditioner 2000 of FIG. 16, or the washer 1700 of FIGS. 17A and 17B) that generate noise affecting communication between processors.

[0237] In FIG. 10, in operation 1010, the home appliance may set the driving setting (or noise environment) to a first driving setting (or a first noise environment). The first driving setting (or the first noise environment) may be any one of driving settings (or noise environments) that may be set by the home appliance. The driving setting may be, e.g., a rotational speed setting of the motor (e.g., the motor of the compressor 71 of FIG. 1B or the motor 1761 of FIG. 17B) or a current setting of the coil (e.g., the coil of the heating unit 1531 of FIG. 15A).

[0238] For example, the first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 6 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) may set the first driving setting by setting the compressor RPM to the first compressor RPM (or the coil current to the first coil current). For example, the first processor may set the first noise environment associated with the first compressor RPM by driving the motor of the compressor at the first compressor RPM. In this case, the first driving setting (or the first noise environment) may be associated with noise generated by driving the motor of the compressor at the first compressor RPM. For example, the first processor may set the first noise environment associated with the first coil current by supplying the first coil current to the coil. In this case, the first driving setting (or the first noise environment) may be associated with noise generated by supplying the first coil current to the coil.

[0239] For example, the first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 6 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) may set the basic driving setting to the first driving setting by setting the compressor RPM (or coil current) to 0. For example, the first processor may set the basic noise environment to the first noise environment without driving the motor of the compressor at the compressor RPM. For example, the first processor may set the basic noise environment to the first noise environment without supplying the coil current to the coil. The basic driving setting (or basic noise environment) may be a driving setting (or noise environment) associated with power noise and noise generated by an external user environment without the influence of the internal noise source (e.g., the compressor RPM, coil current) of the home appliance. According to an embodiment, the home appliance may determine a basic communication speed for communication between processors based on the communication success rate obtained in a state in which the basic driving setting (or the basic noise environment) is set. For example, when the communication success rate in the basic driving setting (or the basic noise environment) is higher than a specified success rate, the home appliance may set the basic communication speed to be higher (e.g., 115,200 bps) than the reference communication speed (e.g., 9,600 bps). For example, when the communication success rate in the basic driving setting (or the basic noise environment) is lower than a specified success rate, the home appliance may set the basic communication speed to be lower than the reference communication speed (e.g., 9,600 bps). The home appliance may obtain a communication success rate using a communication circuit set to a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value of a variable resistor and a variable capacitor determined in a basic driving setting (or a basic noise environment).

[0240] In operation 1020, the home appliance may set a first variable resistor (e.g., VR11 or VR12 of FIG. 6 or R3 of FIG. 8) and a first variable capacitor (e.g., VC11 or VC12 of FIG. 6 or C1 of FIG. 8) included in the first communication circuit (e.g., the first communication circuit 321 of FIG. 6 or the transmission circuit 821 of FIG. 8) as a first resistance value and a first capacitance value, respectively. For example, the first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 6 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) may set the first variable resistor (e.g., VR11 of FIG. 6 or R3 of FIG. 8) and the first variable capacitor (e.g., VC11 of FIG. 6 or C1 of FIG. 8) included in the first transmission circuit (e.g., VC11 of FIG. 8 or C1 of FIG. 8) as the first resistance value and the first capacitance value, respectively.

[0241] In operation 1030, the home appliance may obtain a first communication success rate, which is the communication success rate for communication between processors performed through the first communication circuit, using an asynchronous communication scheme (e.g., UART communication scheme) in a state in which the first driving setting (or the first noise environment) is set. For example, the first processor may obtain the first communication success rate for communication performed with the second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8) through the first communication circuit using a specified communication scheme in a state in which the first driving setting (or the first noise environment) is set.

[0242] According to an embodiment, communication between processors may be performed at a specified communication speed (e.g., a first baud rate value (e.g., 19,200) of UART communication). The specified communication speed may be associated with, e.g., a driving setting (or a noise environment). For example, when the driving setting (or noise environment) corresponds to a higher noise intensity or strength, the communication speed for the driving setting (or noise environment) may have a lower communication speed.

[0243] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may obtain a communication success rate for communication between processors using a test packet. A method using the test packet is described below with reference to FIG. 11.

[0244] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may obtain a communication success rate for communication between processors using a trained AI model. A method using the AI model is described below with reference to FIG. 12.

[0245] In operation 1040, the home appliance may determine whether the first communication success rate is equal to or higher than a previous communication success rate. The previous communication success rate is a communication success rate obtained at a previous time instance.

[0246] For example, the first processor may determine whether the first communication success rate is the previous communication success rate or more (or higher). In other words, the first processor may determine whether the first communication success rate is equal to or higher than the previous communication success rate. When the first communication success rate is the previous communication success rate or more, operation 1050 may be performed. When the first communication success rate is smaller than the previous communication success rate, operation 1080 may be performed. In other words, when the first communication success rate is lower than the previous communication success rate, operation 1080 may be performed.

[0247] In operation 1050, when the first communication success rate is the previous communication success rate or more, the home appliance may determine whether the communication success rate is the reference communication success rate (e.g., 95%) or more. For example, the first processor may determine whether the first communication success rate is the reference communication success rate or more. When the first communication success rate is the reference communication success rate or more, operation 1060 may be performed. When the first communication success rate is smaller than the reference communication success rate, operation 1070 may be performed.

[0248] In operation 1060, when the first communication success rate is the reference communication success rate or more, the home appliance may determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value, respectively, of the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor corresponding to the first driving setting (or the first noise environment). For example, when the first communication success rate is the reference communication success rate or more, the first processor may determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as the resistance setting value and the capacitance setting value of the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor, respectively, corresponding to the first driving setting (or the first noise environment). When the communication success rate is the reference communication success rate or more, the success rate is large enough to disregard communication errors. Thus, the home appliance may finally determine the resistance value and the capacitance value corresponding to the communication success rate as the resistance setting value of the variable resistor and the capacitance setting value of the variable capacitor without performing an additional operation to determine the resistance setting value and the capacitance setting value.

[0249] In operation 1070, when the first communication success rate is smaller than the reference communication success rate, the home appliance may determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as a temporary resistance setting value and a temporary capacitance setting value of the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor, respectively, corresponding to the first driving setting (or the first noise environment). For example, when the first communication success rate is smaller than the reference communication success rate, the first processor may determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as the temporary resistance setting value and the temporary capacitance setting value of the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor, respectively, corresponding to the first driving setting (or the first noise environment). When the communication success rate is the previous communication success rate or more, but is smaller than the reference communication success rate, an additional operation need to be performed to determine the resistance setting value and capacitance setting value corresponding to a communication success rate higher than the reference communication success rate. When the additional operation is performed, the first resistance value and the first capacitance value corresponding to the current communication success rate may be used as the temporary resistance setting value and the temporary capacitance setting value.

[0250] In operation 1080, when the first communication success rate is smaller than the previous communication success rate, the home appliance may determine the second resistance value and the second capacitance value corresponding to the previous communication success rate as the temporary resistance setting value and the temporary capacitance setting value of the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor, respectively, corresponding to the first driving setting (or the first noise environment). For example, when the first communication success rate is smaller than the previous communication success rate, the first processor may determine the second resistance value and the second capacitance value corresponding to the previous communication success rate as the temporary resistance setting value and the temporary capacitance setting value, respectively, of the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor corresponding to the first driving setting (or the first noise environment). It may be necessary to further perform an additional operation to determine a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value corresponding to a communication success rate higher than the reference communication success rate, where the communication success rate is smaller than the previous communication success rate. When performing the additional operation, the first resistance value and the first capacitance value corresponding to the previous communication success rate, not the current communication success rate, may be used as the temporary resistance setting value and the temporary capacitance setting value.

[0251] In operation 1090, the home appliance may set the first variable resistor to a third resistance value different from the first resistance value and the second resistance value, and set the first variable capacitor to a third capacitance value different from the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value. For example, after operation 1070 or 1080 is performed, the first processor may set the first variable resistor to a third resistance value different from the first resistance value (current resistance value) and the second resistance value (previous resistance value), and set the first variable capacitor to a third capacitance value different from the first capacitance value (current capacitance value) and the second capacitance value (previous capacitance value).

[0252] After operation 1090 is performed, the home appliance may perform operations 1030 to 1090 again based on the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor set as the third resistance value and the third capacitance value. Operations 1030 to 1090 may be repeatedly performed until a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value corresponding to a communication success rate larger than or equal to the reference communication success rate for the first driving setting (or a first noise environment) are determined.

[0253] According to an embodiment, when the resistance setting value and the capacitance setting value of the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor corresponding to the first driving setting (or first noise environment) are determined, the home appliance may repeatedly perform operations 1010 to 1090 to determine the resistance setting value and the capacitance setting value of the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor for the second driving setting (or second noise environment) after the first driving setting (or first noise environment). For the descriptions of operations 1010 to 1090 for the second driving setting (or the second noise environment), the above descriptions of operations 1010 to 1090 for the first driving setting (or the first noise environment) may be referred to. In such a manner, the home appliance may obtain the setting values of the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor for each of all settable driving settings (or noise environments) by repeatedly performing operations 1010 to 1090 for all settable driving settings (or noise environments). Further, the home appliance may determine the respective resistance setting value and the capacitance setting value of each variable resistor and each variable capacitor included in all of the communication circuits included in the home appliance by repeatedly performing operations 1020 to 1090, and the determined resistance setting value and capacitance setting value of each variable resistor and each variable capacitor may be stored in the home appliance.

[0254] According to an embodiment, when the resistance setting value and the capacitance setting value for the first driving setting (or the first noise environment) are not determined, the home appliance may change the communication speed. For example, when none of the communication success rates for the first driving setting (or the first noise environment) obtained for all combinations of settable resistance values and settable capacitance values are the reference communication success rate or more, the first processor may decrease the communication speed (e.g., decrease the baud rate value of the UART communication scheme from a first value (e.g., 19,200) to a second value (e.g., 9,600). Thereafter, the home appliance may repeatedly perform operations 1010 to 1090 based on the adjusted (e.g., decreased) communication speed. Accordingly, a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value that meet a required communication success rate (e.g., a reference communication success rate of 95%) may be determined.

[0255] All or some of operations 1010 to 1090 of FIG. 10 described above may be performed by the first processor and / or the second processor of the home appliance. For example, operation 1010 for setting a driving setting (or noise environment) may be performed by the first processor that controls functions (e.g., the control of the motor of the compressor or the control of the current of the coil) associated with the driving setting (or noise environment), and operations 1020 to 1090 may be performed by each of the first processor and the second processor to determine the setting values of each variable resistor and each variable capacitor included in their communication circuit on their own.

[0256] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation in which a home appliance obtains a communication success rate using a test packet according to an embodiment of the disclosure

[0257] In the embodiment of FIG. 11, the home appliance is a refrigerator (e.g., the refrigerator 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B). However, the embodiments are not limited thereto, and the same description may be applied to various types of home appliances (e.g., the cooking device 1500 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C, the air conditioner 2000 of FIG. 16, or the washer 1700 of FIGS. 17A and 17B) that generate noise affecting communication between processors.

[0258] The operations of FIG. 11 may be an example of operation 1030 of FIG. 10.

[0259] In FIG. 11, the home appliance may transmit a plurality of test packets to the second processor through the first communication circuit using an asynchronous communication scheme (e.g., a UART communication scheme).

[0260] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may transmit a plurality of test packets to the second processor through the first communication circuit using an asynchronous communication scheme (e.g., a UART communication scheme) in a state in which the first driving setting (e.g., the rotational speed setting of the compressor 71 of FIG. 1B or the current setting of the coil of the heating unit 1531 of FIG. 15A) (or the first noise environment) is set. For example, the first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 6 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) may transmit a plurality of test packets to the second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8) through the first communication circuit (e.g., the first transmission circuit 621a of FIG. 6 or the transmission circuit 821 of FIG. 8) using a specified communication scheme in a state in which the first driving setting (or the first noise environment) is set. The second processor may receive the plurality of test packets transmitted by the first processor through the second communication circuit (e.g., the second reception circuit 622a of FIG. 6 or the reception circuit 822 of FIG. 8).

[0261] According to an embodiment, the test packet is a packet exchanged between processors to calculate a communication success rate, and may be a packet known in advance by each processor or a packet including information known in advance.

[0262] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may receive a plurality of response packets for the plurality of test packets from the second processor through the first communication circuit. For example, the second processor may transmit the plurality of response packets to the plurality of test packets through the second communication circuit, and the first processor may receive the plurality of response packets through the first communication circuit.

[0263] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may obtain a communication success rate based on the number of the plurality of test packets and the number of the plurality of response packets. For example, the first processor may obtain a communication success rate based on the number of the plurality of test packets and the number of the plurality of response packets. The communication success rate (%) may correspond to, e.g., (the number of the plurality of response packets / the number of the plurality of test packets)*100.

[0264] In the example of FIG. 11, the example in which the test packet is transmitted by the first processor is described as an example, but embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, the test packet may be transmitted by the second processor.

[0265] In the example of FIG. 11, an example in which the communication success rate is obtained or calculated by the first processor is described, but embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, the communication success rate may be calculated by both the first processor and the second processor, or may be calculated by the second processor. When the communication success rate is calculated by only one processor, the corresponding processor may transmit information about the communication success rate to the other processor. This is because the communication success rate is used by each processor to determine the setting values of each variable resistor and each variable capacitor included in the communication circuit. For a method in which each processor determines the setting values of each variable resistor and each variable capacitor for each noise environment based on the communication success rate, e.g., the description of FIG. 10 described above may be referred to.

[0266] FIG. 12 illustrates an example operation in which a home appliance obtains a communication success rate using an AI model according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0267] In the embodiment of FIG. 12, the home appliance is a refrigerator (e.g., the refrigerator 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B). However, the embodiments are not limited thereto, and the same description may be applied to various types of home appliances (e.g., the cooking device 1500 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C, the air conditioner 2000 of FIG. 16, or the washer 1700 of FIGS. 17A and 17B) that generate noise affecting communication between processors.

[0268] The operations of FIG. 12 may be an example of operation 1030 of FIG. 10.

[0269] In FIG. 12, the home appliance may obtain a communication success rate for communication between processors using a trained AI model. The trained AI model may be an on-device AI model stored in the home appliance or an AI model stored in a server. The AI model may be trained by the home appliance or trained by the server.

[0270] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may input data to the AI model and obtain output data associated with the communication success rate for communication between processors from the AI model. The input data may include, e.g., a communication speed (e.g., the baud rate of UART communication), a rotational speed of the motor of the compressor (e.g., the compressor RPM) (or current of a coil), a resistance value of a variable resistor (e.g., the first variable resistor), and / or a capacitance value of a variable capacitor (e.g., the first variable capacitor). The output data may include, e.g., the communication success rate corresponding to the resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor for the driving setting (e.g., the rotational speed setting of the motor of the compressor 71 of FIG. 1B or the coil current setting of the coil of the heating unit 1531 of FIG. 15A) or the noise environment corresponding to the driving setting. The first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor may be included in the same communication circuit (e.g., the transmission circuit 821 or the reception circuit 822 of FIG. 8) and used to configure the first LFP. Instead of using the test packet in this way, when the communication success rate is obtained using the AI model, the communication success rate may be obtained at a faster speed.

[0271] FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of a home appliance according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0272] In the embodiment of FIG. 13, the home appliance is a refrigerator (e.g., the refrigerator 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B). However, the embodiments are not limited thereto, and the same description may be applied to various types of home appliances (e.g., the cooking device 1500 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C, the air conditioner 2000 of FIG. 16, and the washer 1700 of FIGS. 17A and 17B) that generate noise affecting communication between processors.

[0273] In the embodiment of FIG. 13, the operations of the home appliance may be performed by the first processor of the home appliance (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 6 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8).

[0274] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may include a compressor (e.g., the compressor 71 of FIG. 1B) configured to compress a refrigerant using the rotation of a motor, a first communication circuit including a first low pass filter including a first variable resistor and a first variable capacitor, and a first processor connected to the first communication circuit. For example, the home appliance may include a storage compartment (e.g., the storage compartment 20 of FIG. 1A), a door (e.g., the door 30 of FIG. 1A) used to open / close the storage compartment, a compressor used to supply cold air to the storage compartment and configured to compress the refrigerant using rotation of the motor, a first PBA including a first communication circuit including a first low pass filter (e.g., the first LPF 801 of FIG. 8) including a first variable resistor and a first variable capacitor and a first processor connected to the first communication circuit, and a second PBA including a second communication circuit including a second low pass filter (e.g., the second LPF 802 of FIG. 8) including a second variable resistor and a second variable capacitor and a second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8) connected to the second communication circuit.

[0275] According to an embodiment, the first processor may be a processor configured to transmit a control signal corresponding to the rotational speed information of the motor to the compressor or the control circuit (e.g., the compressor control circuit 531 of FIG. 5 or 6) of the compressor for control of the motor.

[0276] In FIG. 13, in operation 1310, the home appliance may set a resistance value of a first variable resistor (e.g., VR11 of FIG. 6 or R3 of FIG. 8) and a capacitance value of a first variable capacitor (e.g., VC11 of FIG. 6 or R3 of FIG. 8) based on rotational speed information (e.g., the compressor RPM) of the motor.

[0277] In operation 1320, the home appliance may perform communication with a second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8) included in the refrigerator using an asynchronous communication scheme through the first communication circuit (e.g., the first transmission circuit 621a of FIG. 6 or the transmission circuit 821 of FIG. 8).

[0278] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may identify a change in rotational speed information of the motor and change the resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor based on the change in rotational speed information of the motor.

[0279] According to an embodiment, the resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor may be set to a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value corresponding to the rotational speed information obtained based on a communication success rate for communication performed with the second processor.

[0280] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may generate setting value information for a plurality of rotational speeds (e.g., a plurality of compressors RPMs set in units of 10 RPM in the compressor RPM setting range of the motor based on the communication success rate for communication performed with the second processor through the first communication circuit using an asynchronous communication scheme. The setting value information may include a resistance setting value of the first variable resistor and a capacitance setting value of the first variable capacitor corresponding to each of the plurality of rotational speeds. For a description of the operation of generating setting value information based on the communication success rate, the descriptions of FIGS. 10 to 12 may be referred to. The overlapping description is omitted.

[0281] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may obtain a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value corresponding to the rotational speed of the rotational speed information from the setting value information.

[0282] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may set the obtained resistance setting value and the obtained capacitance setting value as the resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor, respectively.

[0283] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may set a rotational speed of the motor to a first rotational speed, set the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor to a first resistance value and a first capacitance value, obtain a first communication success rate which is the communication success rate for the communication performed with the second processor through the first communication circuit using the asynchronous communication scheme while the motor rotates according to the first rotational speed, determine whether the first communication success rate is a previous communication success rate or more and, based on identifying that the first communication success rate is the previous communication success rate or more, determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as a first resistance setting value and a first capacitance setting value, respectively, corresponding to the first rotational speed.

[0284] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may, when the first communication success rate is the previous communication success rate or more, determine whether the communication success rate is a reference communication success rate or more and, when the first communication success rate is the reference communication success rate or more, determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as the first resistance setting value and the first capacitance setting value, respectively, corresponding to the first rotational speed.

[0285] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may, when the first communication success rate is less than the reference communication success rate, determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as a temporary resistance setting value and a temporary capacitance setting value, respectively, corresponding to the first rotational speed.

[0286] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may reduce a communication speed of the asynchronous communication scheme when identifying that none of communication success rates obtained for each of combinations of settable resistance values of the first variable resistor and settable capacitance values of the first variable capacitor exceed the reference communication success rate.

[0287] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may, when the first communication success rate is less than the previous communication success rate, determine a second resistance value and a second capacitance value corresponding as the previous communication success rate to a temporary resistance setting value and a temporary capacitance setting value, respectively, corresponding to the first rotational speed.

[0288] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may, in response to determining the temporary resistance setting value and the temporary capacitance setting value, set the first variable resistor to a third resistance value different from the first resistance value and the second resistance value and set the first variable capacitor to a third capacitance value different from the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value.

[0289] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may transmit a plurality of test packets to the second processor through the first communication circuit using the asynchronous communication scheme while the motor rotates according to the first rotational speed, receive a plurality of response packets for the plurality of test packets through the first communication circuit from the second processor, and obtain the first communication success rate based on a number of the plurality of test packets and a number of the plurality of response packets.

[0290] According to an embodiment, the asynchronous communication scheme may be a UART communication scheme.

[0291] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may update setting value information for at least some of the plurality of rotational speeds based on meeting a specified condition.

[0292] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may, in a state in which the motor does not rotate, obtain a basic communication success rate for communication performed with the second processor through the first communication circuit using the asynchronous communication scheme and determine a basic communication speed of the asynchronous communication scheme based on the basic communication success rate.

[0293] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may, based on the rotational speed information of the motor, obtain a combination of a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value to give a highest communication success rate to the communication with the second processor among combinations of settable resistance values and settable capacitance values and change the obtained resistance setting value and the obtained capacitance setting value to the resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor, respectively.

[0294] According to an embodiment, the first communication circuit may further include a first FET. A source of the first FET may be connected to the first processor. A drain of the first FET may be connected to one end of the first low pass filter, and another end of the first low pass filter may be connected to an output end of the first communication circuit.

[0295] According to an embodiment, the first low pass filter may have a first end connected to the drain of the first FET included in the first communication circuit, and a second end connected to the input end or the output end of the first communication circuit.

[0296] According to an embodiment, the home appliance may generate setting value information for a plurality of rotational speeds using a trained AI model. The AI model may be configured to receive input data generated based on a communication speed of an asynchronous communication scheme, a rotational speed of a motor, a resistance value of a first variable resistor, and a capacitance value of a first variable capacitor, and obtain output data including information about a communication success rate for communication performed with a second processor through the first communication circuit.

[0297] FIG. 14 illustrates a configuration of a home appliance according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0298] The home appliance of the embodiment of FIG. 14 may include, e.g., the refrigerator 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B, the cooking device 1500 of FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C, the air conditioner 2000 of FIG. 16, or the washer 1700 of FIGS. 17A and 17B.

[0299] In FIG. 14, the home appliance may include at least one communication circuit 1410, at least one processor 1420, and / or at least one memory 1430. According to an example, the home appliance may include additional components (e.g., an indoor heat exchanger, an indoor blower, etc.) in addition to the illustrated components, or at least one of the illustrated components may be omitted.

[0300] According to an embodiment, for each type of home appliance, at least some of the components disclosed in FIG. 14 may be omitted or an additional component may be further included. For example, when the home appliance is an air conditioner, all or some of additional components (e.g., an indoor heat exchanger, an indoor blower, an air inlet, an air outlet, etc.) may be added in addition to the components of FIG. 14.

[0301] According to an embodiment, the memory 1430 may store various pieces of information or data associated with the operation of the home appliance. For example, the memory 1430 may include one or more storage media storing at least one instruction. For example, the memory 1430 may include instructions that, when individually or collectively executed by at least one processor 1420, enable the home appliance to perform at least one operation. For example, the memory 1430 may include instructions that, when individually or collectively executed by at least one processor 1420, enable the electronic device to perform at least one of the operations described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 13.

[0302] According to an embodiment, the communication circuit 1410 may support wired or wireless communication with the inside of the electronic device and / or the electronic device and an external electronic device. The wired communication scheme may include, but is not limited to, UART, RS-485, and I2C. The wireless communication scheme may include, but is not limited to, e.g., an LTE scheme, a 5G NR scheme, a Wi-Fi scheme, Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy, infrared data association (IrDA), ultra-wideband (UWB), and near-field communication (NFC).

[0303] According to an embodiment, the communication circuit 1410 may include a first communication circuit (e.g., the first communication circuit 321 of FIG. 6 or the transmission circuit 821 of FIG. 8) and / or a second communication circuit (e.g., the second communication circuit 322 of FIG. 6 or the reception circuit 822 of FIG. 8).

[0304] According to an embodiment, the at least one processor 1420 may be electrically or operatively connected to the communication circuit 1410 and the memory 1430. The at least one processor 1420 may include a processing circuit for executing at least one instruction stored in the memory 1430.

[0305] According to an embodiment, the at least one processor 1420 may include a first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 6 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) and a second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8).

[0306] According to an embodiment, the at least one processor 1420 may include various processing circuits and / or multiple processors. One or more of the at least one processor 1420 may be configured to individually and / or collectively perform various functions described in the disclosure. In the disclosure, when it is described that “processor”, “at least one processor”, and “one or more processors” are configured to perform numerous functions, these terms may cover, e.g., a situation in which one processor performs some of the cited functions and another processor(s) performs other some of the cited functions, and may also cover a situation in which a single processor may perform all of the cited functions, but embodiments of the disclosure are not limited thereto. Additionally, the at least one processor 1420 may include, e.g., a combination of processors performing various functions cited / initiated in a distributed manner. The at least one processor 1420 may execute program instructions to achieve or perform various functions.

[0307] According to an embodiment, the at least one processor 1420 may include at least one of a CPU, an NPU, a GPU, an MPU, an MCU, an AP, a CP, a system on chip (SoC), or an integrated circuit (IC) sensor hub, a supplementary processor, a communication processor, an ASIC, or an FPGA, and may have a plurality of cores.

[0308] FIG. 15A is an exploded perspective view illustrating a cooking device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0309] FIG. 15B illustrates a state in which a door of a cooking device is opened according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0310] FIG. 15C is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a cooking device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0311] In FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C, the cooking device 1500 may be an oven or a device in which a cooktop 1530 positioned above the oven is coupled or integrally formed.

[0312] According to an embodiment, the cooking device 1500 may include at least one PBA including a processor (e.g., the processor 1420 of FIG. 14) and a communication circuit (e.g., the communication circuit 1410 of FIG. 14). For example, the cooking device 1500 may include a main control PBA, a display PBA, a network PBA, and an inverter PBA. The main control PBA may, e.g., perform functions of managing and / or controlling the overall operation of the cooking device 1500 (e.g., overall system control, user interface management function, display control function, network and connection functions, diagnosis and notification functions). The display PBA may perform a function of controlling an interface with the display of the cooking device 1500. The network PBA may support the smart functions of the cooking device 1500 (e.g., the function of connecting the cooking device 1500 to a smartphone or a smart home system through Wi-Fi / BT to remotely control the same). The inverter PBA may generate a high-frequency current and supply it to the coil (e.g., an induction coil) of the heating unit 1531. According to an embodiment, the heating unit 1531 may include a coil (e.g., an induction coil). The cooking device 1500 may generate a high-frequency magnetic field around the coil by allowing a high-frequency alternating current to flow through the coil, and the generated magnetic field may induce an eddy current (or Foucault's current) in the magnetic cooking device placed on the cooktop 1530 to heat the cooking device.

[0313] According to an embodiment, the first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 6 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) may be included in the inverter PBA of the cooking device 1500, and the second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8) may be included in the main control PBA or the display PBA of the cooking device 1500.

[0314] According to an embodiment, in the cooking device 1500 in which the cooktop 1530 and the oven are vertically coupled, the cooktop 1530 and the oven may have various types of heating source combinations. For example, the cooktop 1530 may include an electric or gas heating source. For example, the oven may be an electric or gas oven. For example, the heating methods of the cooktop 1530 and the oven may be different from each other.

[0315] According to an embodiment, the cooking device 1500 may include a main body 1510 including an inner case 1511 in which a cooking chamber 1520 is formed and an outer case 1512 coupled to the outside of the inner case 1511 to form the exterior of the cooking device 1500. Each of the inner case 1511 and the outer case 1512 may be formed to open the front surface thereof.

[0316] According to an embodiment, the cooking device 1500 may include a cooktop 1530 provided at the upper end of the cooking device 1500 and capable of placing and heating a container containing food. At least one heating unit 1531 may be provided in the cooktop 1530. The container containing the food may be positioned on the heating unit 1531 to be heated.

[0317] According to an embodiment, the cooking device 1500 may include a door 1550 provided on the front surface of the main body 1510 to open and close the cooking chamber 1520.

[0318] According to an embodiment, the outer case 1512 may include a front panel 1513 forming the front surface of the main body 1510, a side panel 1514 forming the side surface of the main body 1510, and a rear panel 1515 forming the rear surface of the main body 1510.

[0319] According to an embodiment, an opening is provided in the front panel 1513, and the front surface of the cooking chamber 1520 provided inside the main body 1510 may be opened by the opening. A control panel 1541 covering the front surface of the machine room 1540 may be provided at an upper portion of the front panel 1513.

[0320] According to an embodiment, the display module 1560 may be mounted on the control panel 1541. The display module 1560 may include a front plate 1561 provided on the front surface of the display unit. The front plate 1561 may be mounted to protect the display unit of the display module 1560, but is not limited thereto, and may be mounted as a touch panel capable of receiving the user's touch command.

[0321] According to an embodiment, the display module 1560 of the cooking device 1500 may include a display panel and a circuit board electrically connected to the display panel.

[0322] According to an embodiment, the control panel 1541 may be disposed on at least a portion of the main body 1510. For example, the control panel 1541 may be disposed at an upper side of the main body 1510. For example, the control panel 1541 may be disposed on the upper side of the front surface of the main body 1510.

[0323] According to an embodiment, an inlet 1515a may be provided in the rear panel 1515 so that air is sucked into the machine room 1540. Air sucked into the machine room 1540 through the inlet 1515a may flow inside the machine room 1540, cooling the electric components disposed in the machine room 1540. The air flowing inside the machine room 1540 may be discharged to the front of the cooking device 1500 through the outlet 1580 along the discharge flow path 1572. The outlet 1580 may include a space between the front panel 1513 and the control panel 1541. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the outlet 1580 may be provided at various positions to discharge the flowing air inside the machine room 1540. The inlet 1515a may be formed at various positions for introducing air into the machine room 1540 as well as the rear panel 1515.

[0324] According to an embodiment, the cooking chamber 1520 may be formed by a top plate 1521, a bottom plate 1522, two opposite side plates 1523 disposed to face each other, and a rear plate 1524. The cooking chamber 1520 is a cooking space, and has the front surface open through the opening of the front panel 1513 to allow food to be taken in and out.

[0325] According to an embodiment, a plurality of supports 1525 may be provided on inner surfaces of the two opposite side plates 1523. The plurality of supports may be provided to protrude in the inner direction of the two opposite side plates 1523. At least one detachable rack 1526 capable of placing food thereon may be mounted on the plurality of supports 1525. For example, the plurality of supports 1525 may extend in a horizontal direction to horizontally mount the rack 1526.

[0326] According to an embodiment, a rail capable of dividing the cooking chamber 1520 into a plurality of sections may be installed on the plurality of supports 1525. The user may move the rack 1526 through the rail. A divider capable of dividing the cooking chamber 1520 into a plurality sections may be detachably mounted on the plurality of supports 1525. The user may use the space of the cooking chamber 1520 divided into a plurality of sections in various manners according to intentions. The divider may be formed of an insulating material to insulate each of the divided spaces.

[0327] According to an embodiment, a heater 1527 for heating food may be provided in the cooking chamber 1520. The heater 1527 may be an electric heater including an electric resistor. However, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto, and the heater 1527 may be a gas heater that generates heat by burning a gas.

[0328] According to an embodiment, a circulation fan 1528 for circulating air in the cooking chamber 1520 to heat the food evenly and a circulation motor 1529 for driving the circulation fan 1528 may be provided on the rear plate 1524 of the cooking chamber 1520.

[0329] According to an embodiment, a fan cover 1528a covering the circulation fan 1528 may be provided on the front surface of the circulation fan 1528, and an outlet hole 1528b provided to allow air to flow may be formed in the fan cover 1528a.

[0330] According to an embodiment, the open front surface of the cooking chamber 1520 is opened and closed by the door 1550, and the door 1550 may be coupled to the main body 1510 to be rotatable with respect to the main body 1510. For example, the door 1550 may be coupled to the main body 1510 by a hinge 1551 provided at a lower portion of the main body 1510.

[0331] According to an embodiment, a handle gripped by the user to open and close the cooking chamber 1520 may be provided at an upper portion of the front surface of the door 1550.

[0332] According to an embodiment, a knob assembly 1590 capable of operating the cooking device 1500 may be provided on the control panel 1541. A plurality of knob assemblies 1590 may be provided according to the number of heating units 1531 to be operated. For example, four knob assemblies 1590 may be provided as shown. According to an example, the knob assembly 1590 may operate in a push-to-turn manner.

[0333] According to an embodiment, an insulator 1520a may be provided between the machine room 1540 and the cooking chamber 1520 to prevent heat from the cooking chamber 1520 from being transferred to the machine room 1540. The insulator 1520a may insulate the machine room 1540 and the cooking chamber 1520. The insulator 1520a may overall cover the outside of the cooking chamber 1520 to prevent heat of the cooking chamber 1520 from being transferred to the outside of the cooking device 1500, as well as the space between the machine room 1540 and the cooking chamber 1520.

[0334] According to an embodiment, since the temperature inside the machine room 1540 may be increased by the heat of various electrical components, the cooking device 1500 may be provided with a blower 1570 capable of cooling the machine room 1540 by circulating air around the machine room 1540. The blower 1570 may include a blower fan 1571 for flowing air and a discharge flow path 1572 provided to discharge air sucked by the blower fan 1571 to the front of the cooking device 1500.

[0335] According to an embodiment, the blower fan 1571 may suck air in an axial direction and then discharge air in a radial direction. The blower fan 1571 may be a centrifugal fan. Alternatively, the blower fan 1571 may include an axial fan.

[0336] According to an embodiment, part of the air inside the cooking chamber 1520 may be sucked toward the discharge flow path 1572 through the cooking chamber flow path 1573, and then discharged to the outside of the cooking device 1500. For example, the air inside the cooking chamber 1520 may be discharged to the front surface of the cooking device 1500.

[0337] According to an embodiment, the discharge flow path 1572 may include a bypass hole 1574 for introducing part of the air flowing through the outlet 1580 into the cooking chamber flow path 1573. The bypass hole 1574 may be opened or closed by an opening / closing device 1575. As the bypass hole 1574 is opened / closed by the opening / closing device 1575, the amount of the part of the air flowing from the discharge flow path 1572 to the outlet 1580 and introduced into the cooking chamber flow path 1573 may be adjusted. The amount of air exhausted from the cooking chamber 1520 to the cooking chamber flow path 1573 may be adjusted using the air flow adjustment.

[0338] According to an embodiment, the cooking device is not limited to the oven illustrated in FIGS. 15A to 15C, and any cooking device requiring high-temperature operation may be included in the scope of the disclosure.

[0339] FIG. 16 illustrates an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0340] In FIG. 16, an air conditioner 2000 according to an embodiment may include an indoor unit 2100 and an outdoor unit 2200.

[0341] According to an embodiment, the air conditioner 2000 may include at least one PBA including a processor (e.g., the processor 1420 of FIG. 14) and a communication circuit (e.g., the communication circuit 1410 of FIG. 14). For example, the air conditioner 2000 may include a main control PBA, a display PBA, a network PBA, and an inverter PBA. The main control PBA may, e.g., perform functions of managing and / or controlling the overall operation of the air conditioner 2000 (e.g., overall system control, user interface management function, display control function, network and connection functions, diagnosis and notification functions). The display PBA may perform a function of controlling an interface with the display of the air conditioner 2000. The network PBA may support the smart functions of the air conditioner 2000 (e.g., the function of connecting the air conditioner 2000 to a smartphone or a smart home system through Wi-Fi / BT to remotely control the same). The inverter PBA may generate a high frequency current to drive the motors of the compressor and the fan.

[0342] According to an embodiment, the first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 6 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) may be included in the inverter PBA of the air conditioner 2000, and the second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8) may be included in the main control PBA or the display PBA of the air conditioner 2000.

[0343] According to an embodiment, the indoor unit 2100 of the air conditioner 2000 may include a housing 2110 and internal components (e.g., an indoor heat exchanger and an indoor blower fan) disposed in the housing 2110.

[0344] According to an embodiment, the indoor unit 2100 of the air conditioner 2000 may include a housing 2110 forming the outer appearance. The housing 2110 may include a front housing 2112 covering the front of the housing 2110, a rear housing 2111 covering the rear, and a center housing 2116 disposed between the front housing 2112 and the rear housing 2111. According to an embodiment, each of the front housing 2112 and the rear housing 21114 may be detachable from the center housing 216 but the disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0345] According to an embodiment, a front panel 2118 may be disposed on the front housing 2112.

[0346] According to an embodiment, the front panel 2118 may include an input unit 2120. According to an embodiment, the input unit 2120 includes any type of user input means including a button, a switch, and a touch pad, and setting data (e.g., desired temperature, cooling / dehumidifying / air purifying operation mode settings, and air volume settings) may be input by the user through the input unit 2120.

[0347] According to an embodiment, the front panel 2118 may include a display module 2122. The display module 2122 may display information (e.g., desired temperature, air volume setting, and / or driving mode setting) inputted from the user through the input unit 2120. According to an embodiment, the display module 2122 may display various pieces of sensing information (e.g., current indoor temperature measured by a temperature sensor), the current air volume or operation state of the air conditioner 2000, and / or various warning messages on the air conditioner 2000.

[0348] According to an embodiment, the display module 2122 may be provided at various positions of the air conditioner 2000. According to the embodiment of FIG. 16, the display module 2122 is illustrated as being provided on the front panel 2118, but is not limited thereto.

[0349] According to an embodiment, the outdoor unit 2200 may include a housing 2210, internal components (e.g., the compressor, outdoor heat exchanger, and / or flow path switching valve) disposed in the housing 2210, and an outdoor blower that generates forced air blowing for heat exchange between the outdoor heat exchanger and outdoor air. The outdoor blower may include one or more outdoor blower fans 2250 and a fan motor, and the fan motor of the outdoor blower may provide a driving force to the outdoor blower fan 2250 through a shaft.

[0350] According to an embodiment, the housing 2210 may form the outer appearance of the outdoor unit 2200 and accommodate various components therein. The housing 2210 may have an overall hexahedral shape. The housing 2210 may include an upper housing 2215, a lower housing 2216, and center housings 2211, 2212, 2213, and 2214 disposed between the upper housing 2215 and the lower housing 2216.

[0351] The upper housing 2215 may be disposed to substantially cover the upper side (e.g., the +Z axis direction), for example. The lower housing 2216 may be disposed to substantially cover the lower side (e.g., the −Z axis direction), for example.

[0352] The center housings 2211, 2212, 2213, and 2214 may include, e.g., a front housing 2211 that substantially covers the front surface (e.g., +X-axis direction), a rear housing 2212 that substantially covers the rear surface (e.g., −X-axis direction), and side housings 2213 and 2214 that substantially cover the side surfaces (e.g., +Y-axis and / or −Y-axis direction). Unlike that illustrated, the center housings 2211, 2212, 2213, and 2214 may be integrally formed or may be formed by combining two or more housings.

[0353] A housing facing two or more surfaces among the housings (e.g., front, rear, side, upper, and lower housings) of the housing 2210 may be integrally formed. For example, the front housing 2211 may include a front portion overall facing the front (e.g., +X-axis direction), and partially an extension extending from the front portion toward the side surface (e.g., +Y-axis and / or −Y-axis direction) or upper or lower side (e.g., +Z-axis and / or −Z-axis direction). Each housing of the housing 2210 may be separately manufactured and assembled. The housing 2210 may be, e.g., press-molded with an iron plate material or injection-molded with a resin material.

[0354] According to an embodiment, a suction port (through which outside air is sucked) may be formed in one area of the side housing 213 and / or the rear housing 2212, and a discharge port 2211c through which the sucked outside air is discharged may be formed in one area of the front housing 2211. As the outdoor blower fan 2250 is disposed adjacent to the discharge port 2211c and is rotated by the fan motor rotating based on a control command, the outdoor blower fan 2250 may forcibly suck outside air. By rotation of the outer blower fan 2250, air flow and heat exchange around the outdoor heat exchanger of the air conditioner 2000 may be smoothly performed.

[0355] According to an embodiment, the indoor unit 2100 and the outdoor unit 2200 may be connected to each other by a pipe P. A gaseous or liquid refrigerant may move through the pipe P. The refrigerant of the air conditioner 2000 may circulate between the indoor unit 2100 and the outdoor unit 2200 through the pipe P.

[0356] FIG. 17A is a perspective view illustrating an outer appearance of a washer according to an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 17B is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a washer according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0357] According to an embodiment, the washer 1700 may include at least one PBA including a processor (e.g., the processor 1420 of FIG. 14) and a communication circuit (e.g., the communication circuit 1410 of FIG. 14). For example, the washer 1700 may include a main control PBA, a display PBA, a network PBA, and a motor control PBA. The main control PBA may, e.g., perform functions of managing and / or controlling the overall operation of the washer 1700 (e.g., overall system control, user interface management function, display control function, network and connection functions, diagnosis and notification functions). The display PBA may perform a function of controlling an interface with the display of the washer 1700. The network PBA may support the smart functions of the washer 1700 (e.g., the function of connecting the washer 1700 to a smartphone or a smart home system through Wi-Fi / BT to remotely control the same). The motor control PBA may control the speed and direction of the motor of the drum 1740 of the washer 1700.

[0358] According to an embodiment, the first processor (e.g., the first processor 311 of FIG. 6 or the first processor 811 of FIG. 8) may be included in the motor control PBA of the washer 1700, and the second processor (e.g., the second processor 312 of FIG. 6 or the second processor 812 of FIG. 8) may be included in the main control PBA or the display PBA of the washer 1700.

[0359] In an example, the washer 1700 may include a housing 1710 for receiving various components therein. The housing 1710 may have an overall hexahedral shape. The housing 1710 may include an opening formed in one surface thereof. Two or more of the surfaces of the housing 1710 may be integrally formed. Each surface of the housing 1710 may be separately manufactured and assembled. The housing 1710 may be, e.g., press-molded with an iron plate material or injection-molded with a resin material.

[0360] In an example, a door 1720 for opening and closing the corresponding opening may be provided in a portion corresponding to the opening of the housing 1710. The door 1720 may be rotatably coupled to a hinge fixed to one surface of the housing 1710. For example, at least a portion of the door 1720 may be provided to be transparent or translucent so as to be visible inside. The user may open and close the door 1720 to put the laundry into the drum 1740 positioned inside the housing 1710 or withdraw the laundry from the drum 1740. For example, the door 1720 may be locked by a locking device so as not to be opened while the washer 1700 is running. In an example, the door 1720 may include a door frame 1721 and a glass member 1722. The glass member 1722 may be formed of, e.g., a transparent tempered glass material to see through the inside of the housing 1710, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0361] In an example, the washer 1700 may include a tub 1730 fixedly disposed inside the housing 1710. The tub 1730 may have a substantially cylindrical shape with one side open. A tub opening 1731 may be provided in the front surface of the tub 1730 at a position corresponding to the opening of the housing 1710. The tub 1730 may store washing water. A drain port 1732 for draining washing water may be provided under the tub 1730. The drain port 1732 may be connected to, e.g., the drain device 1780.

[0362] In an example, the washer 1700 may include a damper 1712. The damper 1712 may be provided to connect the housing 1710 and the tub 1730. One side of the damper 1712 may be fixed to the inner surface of the housing 1710 and the other side of the damper 1712 may be fixed to the tub 1730. The damper 1712 may be provided to attenuate vibration by absorbing vibration energy transferred to the tub 1730 and / or the housing 1710 when the drum 1740 rotates.

[0363] In an example, the washer 1700 may include a drum 1740 provided inside the tub 1730. The drum 1740 may have a substantially cylindrical shape with one side open. A front plate 1743 and a rear plate 1744 may be disposed on the front surface and the rear surface, respectively, of the drum 1740. The front plate 1743 may be provided with a drum opening at a position corresponding to the opening of the housing 1710 and the tub opening 1731 of the tub 1730. The drum 1740 may receive laundry. The drum 1740 may receive rotational power from the driving device 1760 and rotate inside the tub 1730. The drum 1740 may perform washing, rinsing, and / or spinning while rotating inside the tub 1730.

[0364] In an example, the drum 1740 may include a lifter 1741 and / or a plurality of through holes 1742. For example, the lifter 1741 may lift the laundry while the drum 1740 rotates so that the laundry repeatedly rises and falls, thereby evenly washing laundry on several surfaces thereof. The through hole 1742 may be, e.g., a passage formed so that the washing water received in the tub 1730 flows into the drum 1740 or the washing water inside the drum 1740 is discharged to the outside. In an example, the lifter 1741 or the through hole 1742 may be omitted.

[0365] In an example, the washer 1700 may include a control panel 1750 that supports interaction between the user and the washer 1700. In an example, the control panel 1750 may be disposed at an upper end of the front surface of the housing 1710 as illustrated in FIG. 1, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. In an example, the control panel 1750 may include an input unit 1751 and a display unit 1752.

[0366] The input unit 1751 may include, e.g., any type of user input means for obtaining a user input for controlling the washer 1700. The user may input power on / off, washing setting information (e.g., operation start / stop, course selection, time selection, etc.) of the washer 1700 through the input unit 1751. For example, the input unit 1751 may be a tact switch, a push switch, a slide switch, a toggle switch, a micro switch, or a touch switch, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the input unit 1751 may be in the form of a jog shuttle that the user may grip and rotate. In an example, the input unit 1751 may include an infrared sensor. The user may remotely input the setting information through the remote control, and the input setting information may be received by the input unit 1751 as an infrared signal. In an example, the input unit 1751 may include a microphone. Setting information by the user's voice may be obtained through a microphone.

[0367] The display unit 1752 may display various washing setting information and / or operation state information about the washer 1700 input from the user. The display unit 1752 may include various types of display panels such as an LCD, an LED, an OLED, a QLED, and a micro LED. For example, the display unit 1752 may be implemented as a touch screen with a touch pad provided on the front surface thereof, but the disclosure is not limited to a specific type of display means. In an example, the display unit 1752 may include any type of audio display means including a speaker, and may display each of the above-described information as an auditory signal through the audio display means. In an example, the display unit 1752 may operate to audibly provide the user with information for guiding the user's input and / or information related to the ongoing process.

[0368] In an example, the washer 1700 may include a driving device 1760 for rotating the drum 1740. The driving device 1760 may include a motor 1761 and a driving shaft 1762 for transferring the driving force generated by the motor 1761 to the drum 1740. The motor 1761 may include a fixed stator 17611 and a rotor 17612 that rotates by electromagnetically interacting with the stator 17611 to convert an electric force into a mechanical rotational force. The rotational force generated by the motor 1761 may be transferred to the drum 1740 through the driving shaft 1762. The driving shaft 1762 may be press-fitted into the rotor 17612 of the motor 1761 to rotate together with the rotor 17612. The driving shaft 1762 may, e.g., partially penetrate the rear wall of the tub 1730 to connect the drum 1740 and the motor 1761. The driving device 1760 may rotate the drum 1740 forward or backward to perform washing, rinsing, and / or spinning operations.

[0369] In an example, the washer 1700 may include a water supply device 1770 for supplying washing water to the drum 1740 and / or the tub 1730. The water supply device 1770 may include at least one water supply pipe 1771 and at least one water supply valve 1772. The at least one water supply pipe 1771 may be provided to supply washing water into the tub 1730 using an external water supply source. One of the at least one water supply pipe 1771 may be connected to a detergent supply device 1713 provided in the housing 1710. Here, the detergent supply device 1713 may be divided into a plurality of spaces, and each space may be provided with a detergent, a rinsing agent, or the like. The washing water passing through the detergent supply device 1713 may be supplied to the tub 1730 together with the detergent (or rinsing agent) through the detergent supply pipe 17131. Another one of the at least one water supply pipe 1771 may be directly connected to the tub 1730. For example, the washing water supplied through the water supply pipe 1771 directly connected to the tub 1730 may be directly supplied to the tub 1730 without going through an intermediate component such as the detergent supply device 1713.

[0370] In an example, the washer 171 may include a drain device 1780 for draining the washing water received in the drum 1740 and / or the tub 1730. The drain device 1780 may include a drain valve 1781, a first drain pipe 1782, a second drain pipe 1783, or a pump chamber 1784. The drain device 1780 may be disposed, e.g., under the tub 1730 to discharge the washing water discharged from the tub 1730 to the outside of the washer 1700.

[0371] In an example, the drain valve 1781 may be provided to open and close the drain port 1732. When the drain valve 1781 is opened, the washing water received in the tub 1730 may flow through the drain port 1732 to the drain device 1780.

[0372] In an example, the first drain pipe 1782 and the second drain pipe 1783 may form a flow path that guides washing water to be discharged to the outside. The upper stream of the pump chamber 1784 is referred to as the first drain pipe 1782 and the lower stream is referred to as the second drain pipe 1783. The first drain pipe 1782 and the second drain pipe 1783 may be integrally formed. The first drain pipe 1782 may have, e.g., one end connected to the drain port 1732 and the other end connected to the pump chamber 1784. The washing water may move into the pump chamber 1784 along the first drain pipe 1782. The second drain pipe 1783 may have, e.g., one end connected to the pump chamber 84 and the other end connected to the outside of the washer 1700. Accordingly, the washing water passing through the pump chamber 1784 may be discharged to the outside of the washer 1700 along the second drain pipe 1783.

[0373] In an example, the pump chamber 1784 may be provided under the tub 1730 to store washing water drained from the tub 1730. Inside the pump chamber 1784, e.g., a drain pump 17841 for discharging the stored washing water to the outside may be provided. The washing water pumped by the drain pump 17841 may be guided to the outside of the housing 1710 through the second drain pipe 1783.

[0374] An embodiment of the disclosure and terms used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described in the disclosure to specific embodiments, and should include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of the embodiment. With regard to the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used to refer to similar or related elements. A singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the things, unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, each of such phrases as “A or B,”“at least one of A and B,”“at least one of A or B,”“A, B, or C,”“at least one of A, B, and C,” and “at least one of A, B, or C,” may include all possible combinations of the items enumerated together in a corresponding one of the phrases. As used herein, such terms as “1st” and “2nd,” or “first” and “second” may be used to simply distinguish a corresponding component from another, and does not limit the components in other aspect (e.g., importance or order). If an element (e.g., a first element) is referred to, with or without the term “operatively” or “communicatively”, as “coupled with,”“coupled to,”“connected with,” or “connected to” another element (e.g., a second element), it means that the element may be coupled with the other element directly (e.g., through a wire or wires), wirelessly, or via a third element.

[0375] As used herein, the term “module” may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may interchangeably be used with other terms, for example, “logic,”“logic block,”“part,” or “circuitry”. A module may be a single integral component, or a minimum unit or part thereof, adapted to perform one or more functions. For example, according to an embodiment, the module may be implemented in a form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0376] An embodiment of the disclosure may be implemented as software including one or more instructions that are stored in a storage medium readable by a machine. For example, a processor of the machine may invoke at least one of the one or more instructions stored in the storage medium, and execute it, with or without using one or more other components under the control of the processor. This allows the machine to be operated to perform at least one function according to the at least one instruction invoked. The one or more instructions may include a code generated by a complier or a code executable by an interpreter. The storage medium readable by the machine may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Wherein, the term “non-transitory” simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device, and does not include a signal (e.g., an electromagnetic wave), but this term does not differentiate between where data is semi-permanently stored in the storage medium and where the data is temporarily stored in the storage medium.

[0377] According to an embodiment, a method according to various embodiments of the disclosure may be included and provided in a computer program product. The computer program products may be traded as commodities between sellers and buyers. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium, or may be distributed online, directly between two user devices or through an application store. If distributed online, at least part of the computer program product may be temporarily generated or at least temporarily stored in the machine-readable storage medium, such as memory of the manufacturer's server, a server of the application store, or a relay server.

[0378] According to an embodiment, each component (e.g., a module or a program) of the above-described components may include a single entity or multiple entities. Some of the plurality of entities may be separately disposed in different components. According to an embodiment, one or more of the above-described components may be omitted, or one or more other components may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (e.g., modules or programs) may be integrated into a single component. In such a case, according to various embodiments, the integrated component may still perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components in the same or similar manner as they are performed by a corresponding one of the plurality of components before the integration. According to various embodiments, operations performed by the module, the program, or another component may be carried out sequentially, in parallel, repeatedly, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order or omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0048]Hereinafter, embodiments of the disclosure are described in detail with reference to the drawings so that those skilled in the art to which the disclosure pertains may easily practice the disclosure. However, the disclosure may be implemented in other various forms and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The same or similar reference denotations may be used to refer to the same or similar elements throughout the specification and the drawings. Further, for clarity and brevity, no description is made of well-known functions and configurations in the drawings and relevant descriptions.

[0049]Refrigerators according to an embodiment of the disclosure may be classified according to the shape of the storage compartment and the door. For example, refrigerators may include ‘top mounted freezer’ (TMF) refrigerators in which storage compartments are partitioned vertically by a horizontal partition wall so that a freezing compartment is formed on the upper side, and a ref...

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising:a storage compartment;a motor;a door configured to open and close the storage compartment;a compressor configured to supply cold air to the storage compartment, and configured to compress a refrigerant using rotation of the motor;a first printed board assembly (PBA) including:a first communication circuit comprising a first low pass filter that comprises a first variable resistor and a first variable capacitor, anda first processor connected to the first communication circuit; anda second PBA including:a second communication circuit comprising a second low pass filter that comprises a second variable resistor and a second variable capacitor, anda second processor connected to the second communication circuit,wherein the first processor is configured to:set a resistance value of the first variable resistor and a capacitance value of the first variable capacitor based on rotational speed information of the motor; andperform communication with the second processor using an asynchronous communication scheme through the first communication circuit.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the asynchronous communication scheme is a universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) communication scheme.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the first processor is further configured to transmit, to the compressor or a control circuit of the compressor, a control signal corresponding to the rotational speed information of the motor.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the first processor is further configured to:identify a change in the rotational speed information of the motor; andchange the resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor, based on the change in the rotational speed information of the motor.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the first processor is further configured to, based on a specified condition being met, update obtained setting value information based on a communication success rate, andwherein the setting value information includes a resistance setting value of the first variable resistor and a capacitance setting value of the first variable capacitor respectively corresponding to each of a plurality of rotational speeds that are within a rotational speed setting range of the motor.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the first processor is further configured to, in a state in which the motor does not rotate,obtain a basic communication success rate for the communication performed with the second processor through the first communication circuit using the asynchronous communication scheme, anddetermine a basic communication speed of the asynchronous communication scheme based on the basic communication success rate.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the first processor is further configured to:obtain, based on the rotational speed information about the motor, a combination of a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value to give a highest communication success rate to the communication with the second processor among combinations of settable resistance values and settable capacitance values; andchange the obtained resistance setting value and the obtained capacitance setting value to the resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor, respectively.

8. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the first communication circuit further comprises a first field-effect transistor (FET),wherein a source of the first FET is connected to the first processor,wherein a drain of the first FET is connected to one end of the first low pass filter, andwherein another end of the first low pass filter is connected to an output end of the first communication circuit.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor are respectively set to a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value corresponding to the rotational speed information obtained based on a communication success rate for the communication performed with the second processor.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein the first processor is further configured to:set a rotational speed of the motor to a first rotational speed;set the first variable resistor and the first variable capacitor to a first resistance value and a first capacitance value, respectively;obtain a first communication success rate which is the communication success rate for the communication performed with the second processor through the first communication circuit using the asynchronous communication scheme while the motor rotates according to the first rotational speed;determine whether the first communication success rate is greater than or equal to a previous communication success rate; andbased on identifying that the first communication success rate is greater than or equal to the previous communication success rate, determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as a first resistance setting value and a first capacitance setting value, respectively, corresponding to the first rotational speed, andwherein the previous communication success rate is a communication success rate obtained at a previous time instance.

11. The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the first processor is further configured to:based on identifying that the first communication success rate is greater than or equal to the previous communication success rate, determine whether the communication success rate is greater than or equal to a reference communication success rate; andbased on identifying that the first communication success rate is greater than or equal to the reference communication success rate, determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as the first resistance setting value and the first capacitance setting value, respectively, corresponding to the first rotational speed.

12. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the first processor is further configured to, based on identifying that that the first communication success rate is lower than the reference communication success rate, determine the first resistance value and the first capacitance value as a temporary resistance setting value and a temporary capacitance setting value, respectively, corresponding to the first rotational speed.

13. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the first processor is further configured to reduce a communication speed of the asynchronous communication scheme based on identifying that none of communication success rates obtained for each of combinations of settable resistance values of the first variable resistor and settable capacitance values of the first variable capacitor exceed the reference communication success rate.

14. The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the first processor is further configured to, based on identifying that that the first communication success rate is lower than the previous communication success rate, determine a second resistance value and a second capacitance value corresponding to the previous communication success rate as a temporary resistance setting value and a temporary capacitance setting value, respectively, corresponding to the first rotational speed.

15. The refrigerator of claim 14, wherein the first processor is further configured to, based on determining the temporary resistance setting value and the temporary capacitance setting value,set the first variable resistor to a third resistance value different from the first resistance value and the second resistance value, andset the first variable capacitor to a third capacitance value different from the first capacitance value and the second capacitance value.

16. The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the first processor is further configured to:transmit a plurality of test packets to the second processor through the first communication circuit using the asynchronous communication scheme while the motor rotates according to the first rotational speed;receive a plurality of response packets for the plurality of test packets through the first communication circuit from the second processor; andobtain the first communication success rate, based on a first number of the plurality of test packets and a second number of the plurality of response packets.

17. A home appliance, comprising:an internal noise source comprising a motor or a coil;a first printed board assembly (PBA) comprising:a first communication circuit comprises a first low pass filter that comprises a first variable resistor and a first variable capacitor, anda first processor connected to the first communication circuit; anda second PBA comprising:a second communication circuit comprising a second low pass filter that comprises a second variable resistor and a second variable capacitor, anda second processor connected to the second communication circuit,wherein the first processor is configured to:set a resistance value of the first variable resistor and a capacitance value of the first variable capacitor, based on information about a rotational speed of the motor or a current of the coil; andperform communication with the second processor using an asynchronous communication scheme through the first communication circuit.

18. The home appliance of claim 17, wherein the asynchronous communication scheme is a universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) communication scheme.

19. The home appliance of claim 17, wherein the first processor is further configured to:identify a change in the rotational speed information about the motor; andchange the resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor, based on the change in the information.

20. The home appliance of claim 17, wherein the resistance value of the first variable resistor and the capacitance value of the first variable capacitor are respectively set to a resistance setting value and a capacitance setting value corresponding to the information obtained based on a communication success rate for the communication performed with the second processor.

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