Air conditioner

Abstract

The present invention provides an air conditioner comprising an outdoor unit. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner includes an electronic expansion valve for controlling the amount of a refrigerant and a control circuit for controlling the electronic expansion valve. The control circuit includes: an AC-DC converter configured to use an AC input voltage to generate a first voltage which is a DC output voltage; a regulator configured to use a second voltage to generate a third voltage which is a driving voltage of a processor; an element disposed between the AC-DC converter and the regulator in order to separate the first voltage and the second voltage; an energy storage for storing electrical energy; a charging circuit connected to the AC-DC converter and configured to charge the energy storage using the first voltage; a DC-DC converter configured to generate a fifth voltage when enabled, the fifth voltage being generated using a fourth voltage applied by the energy storage; a comparator configured to generate a first control signal for enabling or disabling the DC-DC converter according to a comparison result based on the first voltage and a reference comparison voltage; and a processor configured to generate a second control signal for controlling the electronic expansion valve.

Description

air conditioner

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an air conditioner.

[0002] Typically, home appliances operate by receiving external alternating current (AC) power. Therefore, when an abnormal condition, such as an AC power outage, occurs, home appliances cannot function properly.

[0003] When these abnormal conditions prevent a home appliance from operating properly, various problems can arise. For example, in home appliances such as air conditioners containing refrigerant, an electronic expansion valve may be used to prevent refrigerant leakage due to an abnormal condition. However, if the circuit controlling this electronic expansion valve malfunctions, refrigerant leakage can occur.

[0004] Therefore, even if an abnormal condition is detected, a method needs to be considered to ensure that the circuit performing the necessary functions of the home appliance (e.g., controlling an electronic expansion valve) operates normally.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a method for generating a voltage that is normally supplied to a control circuit even in an abnormal state by using an auxiliary power source and a direct current (DC)-DC converter.

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an air conditioner including an outdoor unit comprises: an electric expansion valve for controlling an amount of refrigerant; and a control circuit for controlling the electric expansion valve, wherein the control circuit comprises: an AC-DC converter configured to generate a first voltage, which is a DC output voltage, using an AC input voltage; a regulator configured to generate a third voltage, which is a driving voltage of a processor, using a second voltage; an element disposed between the AC-DC converter and the regulator for separating the first voltage and the second voltage; an energy storage for storing electrical energy; a charging circuit connected to the AC-DC converter and configured to charge the energy storage using the first voltage; a DC-DC converter configured to generate a fifth voltage using a fourth voltage applied by the energy storage when enabled; a comparator configured to generate a first control signal for enabling or disabling the DC-DC converter according to a comparison result based on the first voltage and a reference comparison voltage; and a processor configured to generate a second control signal for controlling the electronic expansion valve.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a refrigerator comprises: an electronic expansion valve for controlling an amount of refrigerant; and a control circuit for controlling the electronic expansion valve, wherein the control circuit comprises: an AC-DC converter configured to generate a first voltage, which is a DC output voltage, using an AC input voltage; a regulator configured to generate a third voltage, which is a driving voltage of a processor, using a second voltage; an element disposed between the AC-DC converter and the regulator for separating the first voltage and the second voltage; an energy storage for storing electrical energy; a charging circuit connected to the AC-DC converter and configured to charge the energy storage using the first voltage; a DC-DC converter configured to generate a fifth voltage using a fourth voltage applied by the energy storage when enabled; a comparator configured to generate a first control signal for enabling or disabling the DC-DC converter according to a comparison result based on the first voltage and a reference comparison voltage; and a processor configured to generate a second control signal for controlling the electronic expansion valve.

[0008] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a configuration related to a refrigerant cycle of an air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of an air conditioner from the viewpoint of function and control according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a control circuit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating a control circuit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] FIG. 4b is a drawing for explaining the operation of a control circuit in a normal state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 4c is a drawing for explaining the operation of a control circuit in an abnormal state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a control circuit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 6 illustrates an energy storage device including a supercapacitor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 7 illustrates an AC-DC converter, a regulator, and a first diode according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 8 illustrates a circuit of a DC-DC converter according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a control circuit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 10 illustrates a circuit of a comparator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling an electronic expansion valve according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 12 is a schematic drawing showing the internal and external appearance of a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] FIG. 13 is a functional block diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a refrigerator from the viewpoint of function and control according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 14 is a drawing illustrating a configuration of a home appliance according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] The terms used in this document are used solely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the technical features of this document. For example, a component expressed in the singular should be understood to include both singular and plural components, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0025] In this document, the phrases "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" each can include any one of the items listed with the phrase, or all possible combinations thereof. The term "and / or" as used herein should be understood to encompass any and all possible combinations of one or more of the items listed with the term. The terms "first", "second", "first", or "second" as used herein may be used merely to distinguish the corresponding element from other elements and do not limit the corresponding elements in any other respect (e.g., importance or order).

[0026] When a component (e.g., a first component) is referred to as being "coupled," "connected," "connected," "joined," "supported," "connected," or "in contact with" another component (e.g., a second component), with or without the terms "functionally" or "communicatively," it includes instances where the component is directly coupled, connected, joined, supported, or in contact with the other component, as well as instances where the component is indirectly coupled, connected, joined, supported, or in contact with the other component through a third component.

[0027] The terms "include" or "have" are intended to indicate the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described herein, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof. When it is said that a component is located "on" another component, this includes not only cases where the component is in contact with the other component, but also cases where another component is present between the two components.

[0028] The expression "configured to" as used herein can be used interchangeably with, for example, "suitable for," "capable of," "designed to," "modified to," "made to," or "capable of." The term "configured to" does not necessarily mean something that is "specially designed" in terms of hardware. Instead, in some contexts, the expression "a device configured to" can mean that the device is "capable of" doing something together with other devices or components. For example, the phrase "a device configured (or set) to perform A, B, and C" can mean a dedicated device for performing the actions in question, or a general-purpose device that can perform various actions including the actions in question.

[0029] The terms “upper side,” “lower side,” and “front-rear direction” used in this document are defined based on the drawings, and the shape and position of each component are not limited by these terms.

[0030] While the description herein focuses on specific embodiments, it should be understood that this document is not limited to such specific embodiments, but rather encompasses various modifications, equivalents, and / or alternatives of the various embodiments described herein. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used to refer to similar or related components.

[0031] An air conditioner according to various examples in this document may be a device that maintains the air in a space to be air-conditioned (hereinafter referred to as an "indoor space") in a condition suitable for its purpose and use. For example, when operating in cooling mode, the air conditioner may cool the indoor space by drawing in hot air from the indoor space, exchanging heat with a low-temperature refrigerant, and then discharging the cooled air into the room. For example, when operating in heating mode, the air conditioner may heat the indoor space by drawing in cold air from the indoor space, exchanging heat with a high-temperature refrigerant, and then discharging the heated air into the room.

[0032] Hereinafter, various exemplary air conditioners will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0033] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a configuration related to a refrigerant cycle of an air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] In one example, an air conditioner (10) may include a compressor (101) that compresses a refrigerant to change it into a high-temperature, high-pressure state, an outdoor heat exchanger (102) that allows heat exchange between outdoor air and the refrigerant, an expansion device (103) that expands the refrigerant to change it into a low-temperature, low-pressure state, and an indoor heat exchanger (104) that allows heat exchange between indoor air and the refrigerant. The air conditioner (10) may include a refrigerant pipe (105) that connects the compressor (101), the outdoor heat exchanger (102), the expansion device (103), and the indoor heat exchanger (104). In one example, the refrigerant may circulate in the order of the compressor (101), the outdoor heat exchanger (102), the expansion device (103), and the indoor heat exchanger (104) through the refrigerant pipe (105). In one example, the refrigerant may circulate in the following order: compressor (101), indoor heat exchanger (104), expansion device (103), and outdoor heat exchanger (102).

[0035] The air conditioner (10) may include a flow switching valve (106) that switches the circulation path of the refrigerant through the refrigerant pipe (105). The flow switching valve (106) may include, for example, a 4-way valve. The flow switching valve (106) may be connected to the suction side (101a) of the compressor (101). The flow switching valve (106) may be connected to the discharge side (101b) of the compressor (101). The flow switching valve (106) may be connected to the outdoor heat exchanger (102). The flow switching valve (106) may be connected to the indoor heat exchanger (104). The flow switching valve (106) may switch the circulation path of the refrigerant depending on the operating mode of the air conditioner (10) (e.g., cooling operation or heating operation mode). The flow switching valve (106) can cause the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor (101) through the discharge port (101b) to flow to the outdoor heat exchanger (101) or the indoor heat exchanger (104), depending on the operating mode of the air conditioner (10). The flow switching valve (106) can cause the refrigerant from the indoor heat exchanger (104) or the outdoor heat exchanger (102) to flow to the suction port (101a) of the compressor (101), depending on the operating mode of the air conditioner (10).

[0036] In one example, the air conditioner (10) may include an accumulator (107). One end of the accumulator (107) may be connected to a suction port (101a) of a compressor (101). The other end of the accumulator (107) may be connected to a flow switching valve (106). Through the flow switching valve (106), low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant from an indoor heat exchanger (104) or an outdoor heat exchanger (102) may be introduced into the accumulator (107). When a refrigerant mixed with refrigerant liquid and refrigerant gas is introduced, the accumulator (107) may separate the refrigerant gas and the refrigerant liquid, and provide the refrigerant gas from which the refrigerant liquid is separated to the suction port (101a) of the compressor (101).

[0037] The compressor (101) can suck in refrigerant gas through the suction portion (101a) and compress the sucked refrigerant gas to change it into a high temperature and high pressure state. The compressor (101) can discharge the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant gas through the discharge portion (101b). The compressor (101) is a variable capacity compressor, and the capacity can be varied by changing the frequency according to a driving control command.

[0038] The outdoor heat exchanger (102) can typically be placed outdoors. In the outdoor heat exchanger (102), heat exchange can occur between the refrigerant and the outdoor air by a phase change (e.g., condensation or evaporation) of the refrigerant passing through the outdoor heat exchanger (102). For example, during cooling mode operation, the outdoor heat exchanger (102) can condense the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant introduced from the compressor (101). During cooling mode operation, latent heat can be released to the outdoor air while the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant is condensed while passing through the outdoor heat exchanger (102). During heating mode operation, the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant can evaporate in the outdoor heat exchanger (102), and latent heat can be absorbed from the outdoor air while the refrigerant is evaporating. Although not shown in FIG. 1, in one example, one or more temperature sensors for detecting the temperature of the outdoor air can be placed adjacent to the outdoor heat exchanger (102).

[0039] The air conditioner (10) may include an outdoor blower (108) that generates forced circulation of outdoor air to ensure smooth heat exchange in the outdoor heat exchanger (102). The outdoor blower (108) may be positioned adjacent to the outdoor heat exchanger (102). Although not specifically shown, the outdoor blower (108) may include one or more blower fans and fan motors. The fan motor of the outdoor blower (108) may provide driving force to the blower fan through a shaft.

[0040] The expansion device (103) can lower the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant condensed in the outdoor heat exchanger (102) when operating in cooling mode. The expansion device (103) can lower the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant introduced from the indoor heat exchanger (104) when operating in heating mode. In one example, the expansion device (103) can lower the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant by using a throttling effect. The expansion device (103) can include an orifice that can reduce the cross-sectional area of ​​the passage. The refrigerant passing through the orifice can have its temperature and pressure lowered. In one example, the expansion device (103) can be implemented as an electronic expansion valve capable of controlling the opening ratio (an electronic expansion valve capable of controlling the ratio of the cross-sectional area of ​​the passage of the valve in a partially opened state to the cross-sectional area of ​​the passage of the valve in a fully opened state). In such a case, the amount of refrigerant passing through the expansion device (103) can be controlled depending on the opening ratio of the electronic expansion valve. In one example, the expansion device (103) may be implemented as a capillary device.

[0041] An indoor heat exchanger (104) may be placed indoors. In the indoor heat exchanger (104), heat exchange may occur between the refrigerant and indoor air through a phase change (e.g., evaporation or condensation) of the refrigerant passing through the indoor heat exchanger (104). For example, during cooling mode operation, the refrigerant passing through the expansion device (103) may flow into the indoor heat exchanger (104) and evaporate in the indoor heat exchanger (104). While the refrigerant evaporates in the indoor heat exchanger (104), latent heat may be absorbed from the surrounding air, thereby cooling the surrounding air. During heating mode operation, high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant from the compressor (101) may flow into the indoor heat exchanger (104) and condense, releasing latent heat to the indoor air. Although not shown in FIG. 1, the indoor heat exchanger (104) may include a refrigerant passage through which refrigerant flows and a plurality of heat exchange fins arranged to increase the heat exchange area.

[0042] During cooling mode operation, due to heat exchange between the surrounding indoor air and the refrigerant in the indoor heat exchanger (104), water vapor contained in the air may condense and liquefy to form droplets on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger (130). The condensate formed on the surface of the indoor heat exchanger (104) may fall downward. Although not illustrated in FIG. 1, the air conditioner (10) may include a drain tray disposed below the indoor heat exchanger (104) to collect the condensate falling from the indoor heat exchanger (104). The condensate collected in the drain tray may be drained to the outside through a drain hose. The drain tray may be provided to support the indoor heat exchanger (104) from below, but is not limited thereto.

[0043] The air conditioner (10) may include an indoor blower (109) that generates forced circulation of indoor air so that heat exchange in the indoor heat exchanger (104) can be smoothly performed. The indoor blower (109) may be arranged adjacent to the indoor heat exchanger (104). Although not specifically illustrated, in one example, the indoor blower (109) may be arranged downstream of the indoor heat exchanger (104) based on the air flow direction in the space where the indoor blower (109) is installed, but this document is not limited thereto. The indoor blower (109) may include one or more blower fans and fan motors. The fan motor of the indoor blower (109) may provide driving force to the blower fan through a shaft. In one example, the blower fan may include one of an axial fan that draws air in the direction of the rotation axis of the fan motor and discharges the air in the direction of the rotation axis, a diagonal fan that draws air in the direction of the rotation axis of the fan motor and discharges the air between the axial and radial directions, a centrifugal fan that draws air in the direction of the rotation axis of the fan motor and discharges the air in the circumferential direction, and a crossflow fan, but this document is not limited thereto.

[0044] This document focuses on the case where an air conditioner (10) is equipped with refrigeration cycle-related components, but the scope of this document is not limited thereto. In one example, the air conditioner may be configured using a thermoelectric element. A thermoelectric element can cool or heat the surrounding air through heat generation and cooling through the Peltier effect.

[0045] The air conditioner (10) may include one or more outdoor units installed outdoors, one or more indoor units installed indoors, and one or more indoor units. In one example, the compressor (101), the outdoor heat exchanger (102), and the expansion device (103) described above may be arranged in the outdoor unit. In one example, the indoor heat exchanger (104) described above may be arranged in the indoor unit. However, the arrangement positions of each of the aforementioned components are not limited. For example, the position of the expansion device (103) is not limited to the outdoor unit, and may be arranged in the indoor unit as needed.

[0046] In this document, the air conditioner (10) is described mainly as a separate type having an outdoor unit installed separately outdoors and an indoor unit installed indoors, but this document is not limited thereto. In one example, the air conditioner (10) may be configured as an integrated type in which a compressor (101), an outdoor heat exchanger (102), an expansion device (103), and an indoor heat exchanger (104) are placed in a single case placed indoors.

[0047] In the case of a separate type air conditioner (10), the outdoor unit may be connected to the indoor unit through a refrigerant pipe so as to enable fluid communication. The outdoor unit may be communicatively connected to the indoor unit. In one example, control information (or commands) of the air conditioner (10) input by a user or received from the outside may be transmitted from the indoor unit to the outdoor unit.

[0048] In air conditioners with multiple indoor units, some of the indoor units can be operated simultaneously and individually in cooling mode, while others can be operated in heating mode. To effectively address the cooling or heating loads associated with the number of indoor units in operation, air conditioners can use multiple compressors or multiple outdoor units connected in parallel.

[0049] Air conditioners (10) can be classified according to the installation type / location of the indoor unit. For example, air conditioners can be classified into a stand-alone type in which the indoor unit is placed upright in an indoor space, a wall-mounted type in which the indoor unit is installed to be attached to a wall, and a ceiling-mounted type in which the indoor unit is installed on the ceiling. In one example, the air conditioner (10) may include multiple indoor units, some of which may be stand-alone types, and some of which may be wall-mounted types. This document is not limited to a specific type.

[0050] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of an air conditioner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure from the viewpoint of function and control. In FIG. 2, the air conditioner (10) is illustrated as including one indoor unit (20) and one outdoor unit (30), but the present document is not limited thereto. In FIG. 2, among the configurations related to the refrigerant cycle described above with reference to FIG. 1, the indoor heat exchanger (104) and the indoor blower (109) are illustrated as being included in the indoor unit (20), and the compressor (101), the outdoor heat exchanger (102), the outdoor blower (108), the expansion device (103), and the flow path switching valve (106) are illustrated as being included in the outdoor unit (30), but this is merely an example and the present document is not limited thereto.

[0051] Although not explicitly shown in FIG. 2, the indoor unit (20) may include a housing. The indoor unit (20) may include one or more air intakes (211) formed in the housing. Indoor air may be introduced into the interior of the housing through the air intakes (211).

[0052] In one example, the indoor unit (20) may include a filtration filter (212) that filters foreign substances in air flowing into the interior of the housing through the air intake port (211). Although not specifically illustrated, the filtration filter (212) may include a plurality of filter modules, and the present document is not limited thereto. For example, various types of filters, including an electrostatic precipitator filter, a sea wave filter, an antibacterial filter, and a deodorizing filter, may be provided on the inside of the air intake port (211) in the housing, and the type and number of specific filters are not limited thereto.

[0053] In one example, the indoor unit (20) may include one or more air outlets (213) formed in the housing. In one example, the air outlets (213) may have an opening shape configured to open and close depending on the operating state of the air conditioner (10). In one example, the air outlets (213) may be configured to include a plurality of microscopic air penetration holes distributed over the entire or a portion of one surface of the housing, but the present document is not limited thereto. In one example, the air outlets (213) of the indoor unit (20) may be arranged in any area of ​​the front, side, top, and / or rear of the housing, and are not limited to a specific shape. Air that is introduced into the interior of the housing through the air intake port (211) and flows inside the housing may be discharged to the outside of the housing through the air outlets (213). When the indoor unit (20) includes a plurality of air outlets (213), air can be selectively discharged to the outside of the housing through one or more of the plurality of air outlets (213).

[0054] The indoor unit (20) may include an airflow guide (214) that controls whether air is discharged through the air outlet (213) and guides the direction of the air discharge. For example, the airflow guide (214) may include a door blade that is located near each air outlet (213) to open and close the corresponding air outlet (213) and guide the direction of air discharge through the corresponding air outlet (213). For example, the airflow guide (214) may include one or more blower fans for controlling the discharge airflow, but is not limited thereto. In an example, the airflow guide may be omitted.

[0055] In one example, the indoor unit (20) may include a communication unit (215) that supports signal transmission and reception with the outside. In one example, the communication unit (215) may receive and / or transmit wired / wireless signals between an external wired / wireless communication system, an external server, and / or other devices according to a predetermined wired / wireless communication protocol. In one example, the communication unit (215) may include one or more modules that connect the air conditioner (10) to one or more networks. In one example, the communication unit (215) may include at least one of a mobile communication module, a wireless Internet module, a short-range communication module, and / or a location information module.

[0056] In one example, the mobile communication module may transmit and receive wireless signals with at least one of an external base station, an external terminal, and an external server through a mobile communication network according to any of various communication protocols for mobile communication. The wireless signals may include various types of data signals. In one example, the wireless signals may include voice call signals, video call call signals, and text / multimedia message signals, but this document is not limited thereto.

[0057] In one example, the wired / wireless Internet module may support, but is not limited to, 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). In one example, the wired / wireless Internet module of the communication unit (215) may transmit and receive data according to at least one wired / wireless Internet technology among the Internet technologies not listed above.

[0058] The short-range communication module is for short-range communication, and can support short-range communication using at least one of Bluetooth, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), UWB (Ultra-Wide Band), ZigBee, NFC (Near Field Communication), Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, and Wireless USB (Universal Serial Bus) technologies, for example. The short-range communication module can support wireless communication between the air conditioner (10) and a wireless communication system, between the air conditioner (10) and another device, or between the air conditioner (10) and a network in which another device is located, for example, through a short-range wireless communication network.

[0059] The location information module is, for example, a module for obtaining the location of the air conditioner (10), and may be a GPS (Global Positioning System) module or a Wi-Fi module. When the air conditioner (10) utilizes a GPS module, information regarding the location of the air conditioner (10) can be received using signals transmitted from GPS satellites. When the air conditioner (10) utilizes a Wi-Fi module, information regarding the location of the air conditioner (10) can be received based on information from a wireless AP (Wireless Access Point) that transmits and receives wireless signals with the Wi-Fi module.

[0060] In one example, the communication unit (215) may receive a setting data signal input by a user from the user's mobile terminal in the form of a wireless signal according to a predetermined wireless communication protocol. In one example, the communication unit (215) may receive information and / or commands for controlling the operation of the air conditioner (10) from an external server in the form of signals according to a predetermined wired / wireless communication protocol. The communication unit (215) may transmit various received signals to the first control unit (220) described below. In one example, the communication unit (215) may transmit various data generated or acquired on the air conditioner (10) in the form of wired / wireless signals according to a predetermined wired / wireless communication protocol, for example, to the user's mobile terminal or an external server.

[0061] In one example, the indoor unit (20) may include an input unit (216). The input unit (216) may include any type of user input means, including buttons, switches, or touchpads. The user may directly input setting data (e.g., desired indoor temperature, operation mode settings for cooling / heating / dehumidification / air purification, outlet selection settings, and / or wind speed settings) through the input unit (216). In one example, the input unit (216) may include an infrared sensor. The user may input setting data remotely through a remote control, and the input setting data may be received by the input unit (216) as an infrared signal. In one example, the input unit (216) may include a microphone. Setting data by the user's voice may be acquired through the microphone. Setting data from a user obtained through the input unit (216) (e.g., desired indoor temperature, operation mode setting for cooling / heating / dehumidification / air purification, outlet selection setting, and / or wind volume setting) can be transmitted to the first control unit (220) described below. In one example, setting data from a user obtained through the input unit (216) can be transmitted externally through the communication unit (215).

[0062] In one example, the indoor unit (20) may include a camera (217). The camera (217) may acquire image information of the surrounding space surrounding the indoor unit (20). The camera (217) may be disposed, for example, on the upper front side of the housing of the indoor unit (20), but is not limited thereto. The image information of the surrounding space acquired by the camera (217) may be transmitted to the first control unit (220) described below. In one example, the image information of the surrounding space acquired by the camera (217) may be transmitted to the outside via the communication unit (215).

[0063] In one example, the indoor unit (20) may include one or more indoor unit environment detection sensors (218) arranged in a space inside or outside the housing. For example, the indoor unit environment detection sensor (218) may include one or more temperature sensors and / or humidity sensors arranged in a predetermined space inside or outside the housing of the indoor unit (20) (for example, but not limited to, a location above the air intake (211)). In one example, the indoor unit environment detection sensor (218) may include a refrigerant temperature detection sensor for detecting a refrigerant temperature of a refrigerant pipe passing through the indoor unit (20) (for example, a refrigerant temperature of a refrigerant pipe (105) passing through an indoor heat exchanger (104), etc.). For example, the indoor unit environment detection sensor (218) may include a respective refrigerant temperature detection sensor that detects the inlet, middle, and / or outlet temperatures of the refrigerant pipe (105) passing through the indoor heat exchanger (104), and this document is not limited thereto. In one example, each environmental information detected by the indoor unit environment detection sensor (218) may be transmitted to the first control unit (220) described below. In one example, the environmental information detected by the indoor unit environment detection sensor (218) may be transmitted to the outside through the communication unit (215).

[0064] The indoor unit (20) may include a display unit (219). In one example, the display unit (219) may display various setting data obtained from a user or the outside through a communication unit (215) and / or an input unit (216). The display unit (218) may display various sensing information obtained from an indoor unit environment detection sensor (218) and / or an outdoor unit environment detection sensor (311) described below (e.g., current indoor temperature measured by a temperature sensor, current indoor humidity measured by a humidity sensor, etc.), the current operating status of the air conditioner (10), and / or various warning / error messages. The display unit (218) may be one of various visual display means capable of displaying images, characters, numbers, etc., including an LED panel, an LCD panel, an OLED panel, and a Micro LED panel, and is not limited to a specific type of display means. In one example, the display unit (218) may include any form of audio display means, including a speaker, and may display each of the above-described information as an auditory signal through such audio display means.

[0065] The indoor unit (20) may include a first control unit (220). The first control unit (220) may include a processor (221) and a memory (222). In one example, the memory (222) may store a control algorithm and related data for operating the air conditioner (10). In one example, the processor (221) may generate an operation control command for one or more components of the air conditioner (10) based on information stored in the memory (222) and information acquired from other components.

[0066] In one example, the processor (221) of the first control unit (218) can receive various input / setting information from the communication unit (215) and / or the input unit (216) described above. The processor (221) can receive image information acquired from the camera (217) and, from the received image information, can acquire information on the environmental conditions of the space in which the indoor unit (20) is installed, such as the size of the indoor space, the number of occupants, or the location of occupants. The processor (221) can receive various sensing information acquired from each environmental detection sensor provided in the air conditioner (10), such as the indoor unit environmental detection sensor (218) and / or the outdoor unit environmental detection sensor (311) described below.

[0067] In one example, the processor (221) of the first control unit (220) may generate an operation control command for each component of the indoor unit (20) based on various pieces of information received from the communication unit (215), the input unit (216), the camera (217), and / or each environmental detection sensor. For example, the processor (221) may generate a command to control whether to drive and the rotation speed of the indoor blower (109). For example, the processor (221) may generate a command to control the operation status of the airflow guide (214). For example, the processor (221) may generate a command to control whether and how information is displayed through the display unit (219). For example, the processor (221) may generate a command to control the operation status of each of the aforementioned communication unit (215), the input unit (216), the camera (217), and / or the indoor unit environmental detection sensor (218).

[0068] In one example, the processor (221) of the first control unit (220) can transmit data to be used for controlling the operation of each component of the outdoor unit (30) to the second control unit (320) of the outdoor unit (30) described below. The data transmitted to the second control unit (320) can include, for example, at least a portion of input / setting information or environmental detection information acquired by the first control unit (220). In one example, the processor (221) of the first control unit (220) can generate a control command for each component of the outdoor unit (30) and transmit the generated control command to the second control unit (320).

[0069] The outdoor unit (30) may include one or more outdoor unit environment detection sensors (311). The outdoor unit environment detection sensors (311) may be placed at any location inside or outside the outdoor unit (30). The outdoor unit environment detection sensors (311) may include, but are not limited to, a temperature detection sensor for detecting air temperature around the outdoor unit (30), a humidity detection sensor for detecting air humidity around the outdoor unit (30), and / or a refrigerant temperature detection sensor for detecting refrigerant temperature of a refrigerant pipe (105) passing through the outdoor unit (30). In one example, the outdoor unit environment detection sensor (311) may include, but is not limited to, a refrigerant temperature detection sensor for detecting refrigerant temperature of a refrigerant pipe (105) at a discharge portion (101b) of the compressor (101). In one example, each environmental information detected by the outdoor unit environmental detection sensor (311) can be transmitted to the second control unit (320).

[0070] The outdoor unit (30) may include the second control unit (320) described above. The second control unit (320) may be communicatively coupled with the first control unit (220) of the indoor unit (20). Like the first control unit (220), the second control unit (320) may include a processor (321) and a memory (322). In one example, the memory (322) may store a control algorithm and related data for operating the air conditioner (10). In one example, the processor (321) may generate an operation control command for one or more of the components of the outdoor unit (30), such as the compressor (101), the outdoor blower (108), the expansion device (103), and / or the flow switching valve (106), based on information stored in the memory (322), information received from the first control unit (220), and / or information received from the outdoor unit environment detection sensor (311).

[0071] The outdoor unit (30) may include a compressor (101). The compressor (101) may receive a driving control command from the second control unit (320). The compressor (101) may be operated or stopped based on the received driving control command. The compressor (101) may be operated at a predetermined capacity based on the received driving control command. The compressor (101) may suck in a low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas through the suction portion (101a) at a predetermined capacity based on the received driving control command, and may compress the sucked refrigerant gas. As described above, the compressor (101) may discharge the compressed high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas through the discharge portion (101b).

[0072] The outdoor unit (30) may include an outdoor heat exchanger (102). In the outdoor heat exchanger (102), heat exchange may occur between a refrigerant passing through the outdoor heat exchanger (102) and outdoor air. In one example, as described above, the outdoor unit (30) may include an outdoor blower (108) that generates forced air for heat exchange between the outdoor heat exchanger (102) and the outdoor air. In one example, the outdoor blower (108) may receive a driving control command from the second control unit (320). The outdoor blower (108) may include one or more blower fans and fan motors. The fan motor of the outdoor blower (108) may rotate at a predetermined speed based on the driving control command received from the second control unit (320) and may transmit a rotational driving force to the blower fan through a shaft. By the rotation of the blower fan of the outdoor blower (108), air flow and heat exchange around the outdoor heat exchanger (102) of the air conditioner (10) can be smoothly achieved.

[0073] The outdoor unit (30) may include an expansion device (103). The expansion device (103) may receive a control command from the second control unit (320). As described above, the expansion device (103) may lower the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant introduced from the outdoor heat exchanger (102) or the indoor heat exchanger (104). In one example, the expansion device (103) may be implemented as an electronic expansion valve. In one example, the electronic expansion valve constituting the expansion device (103) may adjust the opening degree based on a control command from the second control unit (320).

[0074] The outdoor unit (20) may include a flow switching valve (106). The flow switching valve (106) may receive a control command from the second control unit (320). The flow switching valve (106) may switch the circulation path of the refrigerant through the refrigerant pipe (105) based on the received control command. For example, the flow switching valve (106) may be controlled to open / close and the opening degree may be adjusted according to the control command from the second control unit (320). In one example, the flow switching valve (106) may allow the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas discharged from the compressor (101) (for example, during cooling mode operation) to be transferred to the outdoor heat exchanger (102) according to the control command from the second control unit (320). For example, the euro switching valve (106) can allow high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas discharged from the compressor (101) (e.g., when operating in heating mode) to be transferred to the indoor heat exchanger (104) according to a control command from the second control unit (320).

[0075] In FIG. 2 and the related description, the air conditioner (10) is illustrated and described as including a first control unit (220) disposed separately in the indoor unit (20) and a second control unit (320) disposed separately in the outdoor unit (30), but the present document is not limited thereto. In one example, the operation control units disposed in the indoor unit (20) and / or the outdoor unit (30) may collectively control the operation of each component of the air conditioner (10).

[0076] Hereinafter, various embodiments of a control circuit (e.g., control circuit (310) of FIG. 3, control circuit (410) of FIG. 4a, control circuit (510) of FIG. 5, control circuit (910) of FIG. 9) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

[0077] According to one embodiment, the control circuit may be a circuit including a function for detecting an abnormal state, a function for supplying voltage normally when an abnormal state is detected, and / or a function for controlling an electric expansion valve (EEV). The abnormal state may be, but is not limited to, a state in which a voltage (e.g., AC voltage) for driving the control circuit is not normally supplied (or applied) to the control circuit (e.g., AC power / voltage cut-off state), or a state in which other control circuits (310) perform abnormal operations. In the present disclosure, the abnormal state may be referred to as an abnormal state.

[0078] According to one embodiment, the function for controlling the EEV may include, for example, a function for generating a control signal for controlling the EEV (hereinafter, referred to as an EEV control signal) and / or a function for transmitting the generated EEV control signal to the EEV. The EEV control signal may include a control signal for opening the EEV and / or a control signal for closing the EEV. According to one embodiment, the EEV may include at least one valve. The at least one valve may include, for example, a high-pressure valve and / or a low-pressure valve. The EEV may open or close one or more of the at least one valve based on the received EEV control signal. In the present disclosure, an operation for opening or closing the EEV may be understood as an operation for opening or closing at least one valve included in the EEV.

[0079] In one embodiment, the control signal for opening the EEV may include information about the valve to be opened and / or information about the EEV opening ratio. In this case, the EEV may open the corresponding valve according to the opening ratio based on the information about the valve to be opened and the information about the EEV opening ratio included in the received EEV opening control signal. The amount of refrigerant may be adjusted (or controlled) according to the control of the EEV by such a control circuit.

[0080] In one embodiment, the control circuit may be included in a home appliance or an electronic device. For example, the control circuit may be included in an air conditioner (e.g., an air conditioner (10) of FIGS. 1 and 2), a refrigerator (e.g., a refrigerator (121) of FIGS. 12 and 13), or other home appliances (e.g., a washing machine, a dryer, a vacuum cleaner, etc.) or electronic devices (e.g., a smartphone, etc.). As an example, if the home appliance including the control circuit is an air conditioner (e.g., an air conditioner (10) of FIGS. 1 and 2), the EEV may be, for example, an expansion device (103) of FIGS. 1 and 2 or an EEV included in the expansion device (103), and the control circuit may be included in an outdoor unit of the air conditioner including the EEV (e.g., an outdoor unit (30) of FIGS. 1 and 2). As an example, if the home appliance including the control circuit is a refrigerator (e.g., a refrigerator (121) of FIGS. 12 and 13), the EEV may be, for example, an expander (1273) of FIG. 13 or an EEV included in the expander (1273).

[0081] In one embodiment, the control circuit may be placed (or mounted) on a printed circuit board (PCB). For example, components constituting the control circuit may be mounted on the PCB to form a printed circuit assembly (PBA). The PBA including the control circuit may be connected to another component (e.g., a PBA including a main processor (e.g., processor (221) of FIG. 2, processor (321), processor (12101) of FIG. 13, processor (1420) of FIG. 14)) and may communicate with each other. The PBA including the control circuit may be connected to an EEV.

[0082] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a control circuit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0083] In the embodiment of FIG. 3, a zero crossing circuit (311) is required to detect an abnormal state, and an operation of detecting an abnormal state and an operation of controlling the operation of a DC-DC converter (316) according to the detection result can be performed in software by a processor (317) based on a signal transmitted from the zero crossing circuit (311).

[0084] Referring to FIG. 3, the control circuit (310) may include a zero crossing circuit (311), an alternating current (AC)-direct current (DC) converter (312), a charging circuit (313), an energy storage (314), a regulator (315), a DC-DC converter (316), and / or a processor (317). The control circuit (310) may include a zero crossing circuit (311) used to detect an abnormal condition.

[0085] According to one embodiment, an AC input (301) for driving a control circuit (310) may be provided (or supplied) to the control circuit (310). For example, an AC voltage (e.g., 220 V voltage) corresponding to the AC input (301) may be applied (or input) to the zero crossing circuit (311) and the AC-DC converter (312). The AC input (301) may be provided from an AC power source external or internal to the home appliance including the control circuit (310).

[0086] In one embodiment, the AC-DC converter (312) can convert AC voltage into DC voltage. For example, the AC-DC converter (312) can convert AC 220 V voltage into DC 12 V voltage.

[0087] According to one embodiment, the AC-DC converter (312) may be connected to the charging circuit (313), the EEV (302), and / or the regulator (315). In this case, the DC voltage (hereinafter, the first voltage) converted by the AC-DC converter (312) may be provided (or supplied) to the charging circuit (313), the EEV (302), and / or the regulator (315). For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a DC 12 V voltage may be applied (or input) to the charging circuit (313), the EEV (302), and / or the regulator (315). The first voltage applied in this way may be used as a driving voltage for driving the corresponding configuration in the charging circuit (313), the EEV (302), and / or the regulator (315).

[0088] According to one embodiment, the AC-DC converter (312) may be a switching mode power supply (SMPS).

[0089] According to one embodiment, the zero crossing circuit (311) is connected to the processor (317), and can obtain zero crossing value(s) of the AC voltage and transmit a zero crossing signal including the zero crossing value(s) to the processor (317). For example, the zero crossing circuit (311) can transmit a zero crossing circuit including the zero crossing value to the processor (317) whenever a zero crossing of the AC voltage occurs. This zero crossing signal can be used by the processor (317) to detect an abnormal state.

[0090] According to one embodiment, the charging circuit (313) can charge the energy storage (314) using a first voltage (e.g., 12 V voltage) applied by the AC-DC converter (312).

[0091] In one embodiment, the energy storage (314) can store electrical energy. The energy storage (314) can be used as an auxiliary power source to normally supply power to the control circuit (310), for example, in an abnormal state where AC power is not normally supplied.

[0092] According to one embodiment, the energy storage (314) may include at least one super capacitor. The at least one super capacitor may be connected in series and / or in parallel and included in the energy storage (314). The number and / or connection structure of the at least one super capacitor included in the energy storage (314) may be variously set according to the required voltage and / or capacity. When the energy storage (314) includes at least one super capacitor, the charging circuit (313) may be used as a super capacitor charging circuit for charging the at least one super capacitor.

[0093] According to one embodiment, the regulator (315) can convert an input DC voltage into an output DC voltage. For example, the regulator (315) is connected to the processor (317) and can generate a second voltage (e.g., a 5 V voltage) as a driving voltage for driving the processor (315) using a first voltage (e.g., a 12 V voltage) applied by the AC-DC converter (312). For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the regulator (317) can convert (or step down) a DC 12 V voltage into a DC 5 V voltage. The second voltage generated (or converted) by the regulator (315) can be provided to the processor (317) and used to normally drive the processor (317).

[0094] In one embodiment, the regulator (315) may be a linear regulator. For example, the regulator (315) may be a fixed linear regulator that generates a fixed output voltage. The fixed linear regulator may be, but is not limited to, a low dropdown regulator (LDO), which is a linear stable regulator.

[0095] According to one embodiment, the processor (317) may be connected to components included in the control circuit (310) (e.g., zero crossing circuit (311), charging circuit (313), DC-DC converter (316)) and components external to the control circuit (310) (e.g., EEV (302)) to control the components. For example, the processor (317) may control the EEV (302), charging circuit (313), and / or DC-DC converter (316) through control signals generated by the processor (317).

[0096] According to one embodiment, the processor (317) can detect an abnormal condition (e.g., an AC power cut-off condition) based on a zero crossing signal transmitted from the zero crossing circuit (311). For example, the processor (317) can identify that an abnormal condition has occurred if a zero crossing signal is not received for a specified period of time (e.g., 200 ms).

[0097] According to one embodiment, when an abnormal condition is detected, the processor (317) may perform at least one operation to normally supply voltage. For example, when an abnormal condition is detected, the processor (317) may generate a control signal to enable the DC-DC converter (316) and transmit the control signal to the DC-DC converter (316).

[0098] According to one embodiment, the DC-DC converter (316) is connected to the processor (317) and the energy storage (314), and when enabled, can convert an input DC voltage (hereinafter, a third voltage) into an output DC voltage (hereinafter, a fourth voltage). For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, when the DC-DC converter (316) receives a control signal for enabling the DC-DC converter (316) from the processor (317), the DC-DC converter (316) is enabled based on the received control signal, and can boost the third voltage (e.g., a voltage of up to 6 V) applied by the energy storage (314) to a fourth voltage (e.g., a voltage of 12.5 V).

[0099] According to one embodiment, the DC-DC converter (316) may include a switching regulator. The switching regulator may include, but is not limited to, a boost regulator, a buck-boost regulator, a flyback regulator, or a forward regulator.

[0100] In one embodiment, the DC-DC converter (316) may be connected to a diode. The fourth voltage generated by the DC-DC converter (316) may be applied to the regulator (315) and the EEV (302) via the diode connected to the DC-DC converter (316). In this case, the fourth voltage (e.g., 12.5 V) may be forward-voltage-dropped (e.g., voltage reduced by 0.5 V) by the diode, so that a voltage identical to the first voltage (e.g., 12 V) in a normal state may be applied to the regulator (315) and the EEV (302). Through this, the same voltage as in a normal state may be applied to the regulator (315) and the EEV (302) in an abnormal state. In this case, the regulator (315) and the EEV (302) may operate in the same manner as in a normal state even in an abnormal state. For example, the regulator (315) can generate the same driving voltage (e.g., 5 V) of the processor (317) as in the normal state even in an abnormal state and supply it to the processor (317).

[0101] According to one embodiment, the processor (317) may generate an EEV control signal and transmit the generated EEV control signal to the EEV (302). For example, the processor (317) may generate an EEV control signal based on a signal transmitted from a main processor (e.g., the processor (221) of FIG. 2, the processor (321), the processor (12101) of FIG. 13, the processor (1420) of FIG. 14) and transmit the generated EEV control signal to the EEV (302). For example, when an abnormal condition persists for a preset period of time, the processor may generate an EEV control signal to close the EEV (302) and transmit the generated EEV control signal to the EEV (302). The EEV (302) may close the EEV (302) based on the transmitted EEV control signal. Through this, even when an abnormal condition occurs, leakage of refrigerant may be prevented.

[0102] Below, the operation of the control circuit (310) in a normal state (e.g., a state in which the AC input (301) is normally provided to the control circuit (310)) is exemplarily described.

[0103] In a normal state, the driving voltage (e.g., 5 V) of the processor (317) based on the AC input (301) is normally applied, so the processor (317) can be driven normally. Accordingly, the processor (317) can control the EEV normally.

[0104] In a normal state, the driving voltage (e.g., 5 V) of the processor (317) based on the AC input and the driving voltage (e.g., 12 V) of the charging circuit (313) are normally applied, so that the charging circuit (313) can be normally driven under the control of the processor. Accordingly, the charging circuit (313) can normally charge the energy storage (314).

[0105] Below, the operation of the control circuit (310) in an abnormal state (e.g., a state in which the AC input (301) is not normally supplied to the control circuit (310)) is exemplarily described.

[0106] When an abnormal state is detected, the processor (310) can transmit a control signal to the DC-DC converter (316) to enable the DC-DC converter (316). In the abnormal state, since the driving voltage (e.g., 12 V) of the charging circuit (313) is not normally provided, the charging circuit (313) cannot normally perform the operation of charging the energy storage (314). In this case, the electric energy stored in the energy storage (314) is discharged, and based on this, a third voltage (e.g., a voltage of up to 6 V) can be applied to the DC-DC converter (316). When a control signal for enabling the DC-DC converter is received, the DC-DC converter (316) can boost the third voltage to a fourth voltage (e.g., 12.5 V) in response to the control signal. The fourth voltage can be input to the regulator (315) as a voltage identical to the first voltage (12 V) applied to the regulator (315) in a normal state via a diode connected to the DC-DC converter, and the regulator (315) can normally generate a driving voltage (e.g., 5 V) of the processor (317) using the applied voltage (e.g., 12 V) and apply the voltage to the processor (317). In this case, the processor (317) can be normally operated even in an abnormal state. For example, the processor (317) can generate an EEV control signal and transmit the generated EEV control signal to the EEV (302), thereby controlling the EEV (302) normally even when an abnormal state is detected.

[0107] As described above, in the embodiment of FIG. 3, the control circuit (310) requires a zero crossing circuit (311) to detect an abnormal state, and the operation of detecting the abnormal state and the operation of controlling the operation of the DC-DC converter (316) according to the detection result can be performed in software by the processor (317) based on the signal transmitted from the zero crossing circuit (311). Such software implementation incurs high implementation costs, requires a lot of time for testing to determine whether the corresponding operation is functioning normally, and complicates the overall operation flow. Therefore, it is necessary to consider a method for simplifying the cost, time, and operation flow through hardware implementation.

[0108] FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating a control circuit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0109] In the embodiment of FIG. 4a, unlike the embodiment of FIG. 3, a zero-crossing circuit (e.g., the zero-crossing circuit (311) of FIG. 3) is not required to detect an abnormal state, and an operation of detecting an abnormal state and an operation of controlling the operation of the DC-DC converter (415) according to the detection result can be performed in hardware through a comparator (416). Referring to FIG. 4a, the control circuit (410) may include an AC-DC converter (411), a charging circuit (412), an energy storage (413), a regulator (414), a DC-DC converter (415), a comparator (416), and / or a processor (417). In the embodiment of FIG. 4a, the control circuit (410) may include a comparator (416) used to detect an abnormal state. Unlike the embodiment of FIG. 3, in the embodiment of FIG. 4a, the control circuit (410) does not include a zero-crossing circuit.

[0110] According to one embodiment, the control circuit (410) may be included in a home appliance or electronic device. For example, the control circuit (410) may be included in an air conditioner (e.g., the air conditioner (10) of FIGS. 1 and 2), a refrigerator (e.g., the refrigerator (121) of FIGS. 12 and 13), or other home appliances (e.g., a washing machine, a dryer, a vacuum cleaner, etc.) or electronic devices (e.g., a smartphone, etc.). As an example, if the home appliance including the control circuit (410) is an air conditioner (e.g., the air conditioner (10) of FIGS. 1 and 2), the EEV (302) may be, for example, the expansion device (103) of FIGS. 1 and 2 or an EEV included in the expansion device (103), and the control circuit (410) may be included in an outdoor unit (e.g., the outdoor unit (30) of FIGS. 1 and 2) of the air conditioner including the EEV (302). As an example, if the home appliance including the control circuit (410) is a refrigerator (e.g., the refrigerator (121) of FIGS. 12 and 13), the EEV (302) may be, for example, the expander (1273) of FIG. 13 or an EEV included in the expander (1273).

[0111] According to one embodiment, the control circuit (410) may further include a first diode (D1) disposed between the AC-DC converter (411) and the regulator (414) and / or a second diode (D2) connected to the DC-DC converter (415). According to one embodiment, an anode terminal (first terminal) of the first diode (D1) may be connected to an output terminal of the AC-DC converter (411), and a cathode terminal (second terminal) of the first diode (D1) may be connected to a power input terminal of the regulator (414) and / or the EEV (302). The first diode (D1) may be a device used to separate an output voltage (V1) of the AC-DC converter (411) and an input voltage (V2) of the regulator (414).

[0112] According to one embodiment, the anode terminal (first terminal) of the second diode (D2) may be connected to an output terminal of the DC-DC converter (415), and the cathode terminal (second terminal) of the second diode (D2) may be connected to a power input terminal of the regulator (414) and / or the EEV (302). According to one embodiment, the second diode (D2) is an optional configuration and may not be included in the control circuit (410). According to one embodiment, an AC input (301) for driving the control circuit (410) may be provided (or supplied) to the control circuit (410). For example, an AC voltage (e.g., 220 V voltage) corresponding to the AC input (301) may be input to the AC-DC converter (411). The AC input (301) may be provided from an AC power source external or internal to the home appliance including the control circuit (410).

[0113] In one embodiment, the AC-DC converter (411) can convert an AC voltage into a DC voltage. For example, the AC-DC converter (411) can generate a first voltage (V1) (e.g., a 12V_C voltage) as a DC output voltage using an AC input voltage (e.g., a 220V voltage).

[0114] According to one embodiment, the AC-DC converter (411) may be connected to a charging circuit (412). A first voltage (V1) generated (or converted) by the AC-DC converter may be provided (or supplied) to the charging circuit (412). For example, a first voltage (V1) of 12 V_C may be applied (or input) to the charging circuit.

[0115] According to one embodiment, the AC-DC converter (411) may be connected to the first diode (D1). For example, the output terminal of the AC-DC converter (411) may be connected to the anode terminal (first terminal) of the first diode (D1). The first voltage (V1) generated (or output) by the AC-DC converter may be provided (or supplied) to the regulator (414) and / or the EEV (302) via the first diode (D1). In this case, the first voltage (V1) may be forward-voltage-dropped (e.g., voltage-dropped by 0.5 V) by the first diode (D1), and the second voltage (V2) with the forward-voltage-dropped voltage may be applied (or input) to the regulator (414) and the EEV (302). For example, a first voltage (V1) of 12V_C and a second voltage (V2) of 12V with a forward voltage drop can be applied to the regulator (414) and the EEV (302). Through this first diode (D1), the first voltage (V1) generated by the AC-DC converter (411) and the second voltage (V2) applied to the regulator (414) can be separated. Through this, the voltage generated when the DC-DC converter (415) operates according to an abnormal state and applied to the regulator (414) does not affect the first voltage (V1), so that the circuit implementation of the comparator (416) using the first voltage (V1) can be facilitated.

[0116] According to one embodiment, the AC-DC converter (312) may be a switching mode power supply (SMPS). For example, the AC-DC converter (312) may include, but is not limited to, a converter using a circuit structure of an isolated topology including a transformer (hereinafter, referred to as an isolated converter), and a converter using a circuit structure of a non-isolated topology (hereinafter, referred to as a non-isolated converter) may be included in the AC-DC converter (312). The isolated converter may include, but is not limited to, a flyback converter, a forward converter, a push-pull converter, a half-bridge converter, a full-bridge converter, and / or an LLC resonant converter. Non-isolated converters may include, but are not limited to, buck converters, boost converters, buck-boost converters, and / or single ended primary inductor converters (SEPIC) converters.

[0117] According to one embodiment, the charging circuit (412) may be connected to an AC-DC converter (411) and an energy storage (413), and may charge the energy storage (413) using a first voltage (V1) (e.g., a 12V_C voltage) applied by the AC-DC converter (411).

[0118] In one embodiment, the energy storage (413) can be connected to the charging circuit (412) and can store electrical energy. The energy storage (413) can be used as an auxiliary power source to normally supply power to the control circuit (410), for example, in an abnormal state where AC power is not normally supplied.

[0119] According to one embodiment, the energy storage (413) may include at least one super capacitor. The at least one super capacitor may be connected in series and / or in parallel and included in the energy storage (413). The number and / or connection structure of the at least one super capacitor included in the energy storage (413) may be variously set according to the required voltage and / or capacity. An example of the energy storage (413) including the super capacitor is described below with reference to FIG. 6. When the energy storage (413) includes at least one super capacitor, the charging circuit (412) may be used as a super capacitor charging circuit for charging the at least one super capacitor.

[0120] In one embodiment, the energy storage (413) may include a battery (e.g., a lithium ion battery). If the energy storage (413) includes a battery, the charging circuit (412) may be used as a battery charging circuit for charging the battery.

[0121] According to one embodiment, the regulator (414) can convert an input DC voltage into an output DC voltage. For example, the regulator (414) is connected to the processor (417) and can generate a third voltage (V3) (e.g., a 5 V voltage) as a driving voltage for driving the processor (417) using a second voltage (V2) (e.g., a 12 V voltage). For example, the regulator (414) can convert (or step down) a DC 12 V voltage into a DC 5 V voltage. The third voltage (V3) generated (or converted) by the regulator (414) can be provided to the processor (417) and used to normally drive the processor (317).

[0122] In one embodiment, the regulator (414) may be a linear regulator. For example, the regulator (414) may be a fixed linear regulator that generates a fixed output voltage. The fixed linear regulator may be, for example, an LDO, a linear stable regulator, but is not limited thereto. An example of the regulator (414) is described below with reference to FIG. 7.

[0123] In one embodiment, the regulator (414) may be a DC-DC converter.

[0124] According to one embodiment, the processor (417) may be electrically or operatively connected to components included in the control circuit (410) and components included external to the control circuit (410) (e.g., EEV (302), main processor (e.g., processor (221) of FIG. 2, processor (321), processor (12101) of FIG. 13, processor (1420) of FIG. 14). The processor (417) may include a processing circuit that executes at least one instruction stored in a memory.

[0125] In one embodiment, the processor (417) may include various processing circuits and / or multiple processors. When there is more than one processor (417), one or more of the processors (417) may be individually and / or collectively configured to perform various functions described herein. In this disclosure, when "a processor," "at least one processor," and "one or more processors" are described as being configured to perform numerous functions, these terms encompass, for example, but are not limited to, a situation where one processor performs some of the recited functions and other processor(s) perform other parts of the recited functions, and also encompass a situation where a single processor can perform all of the recited functions. Additionally, the at least one processor (417) may include a combination of processors that perform the various recited / disclosed functions, for example, in a distributed manner. At least one processor (417) can execute program instructions to accomplish or perform various functions.

[0126] According to one embodiment, at least one processor (417) may include at least one of a central processing unit (CPU), a neural processing unit (NPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a microprocessor, a microprocessing unit (MPU), a microcontroller unit (MCU), an application processor (AP), a communication processor (CP), a system on chip (SoC), or an integrated circuit (IC), a sensor hub, a supplementary processor, a communication processor, an application processor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and may have multiple cores. In the present disclosure, a microprocessor may also be referred to as a microcomputer or a microcomputer.

[0127] According to one embodiment, the processor (417) may be connected to components included in the control circuit (410) (e.g., charging circuit (412), etc.) and components external to the control circuit (410) (e.g., EEV (302), main processor (e.g., processor (221), processor (321) of FIG. 2, processor (12101) of FIG. 13, processor (1420) of FIG. 14)) and control the components. For example, the processor (417) may control the EEV (302) and / or the charging circuit (412) through a control signal generated by the processor (417).

[0128] According to one embodiment, the processor (417) may generate an EEV control signal and transmit the generated EEV control signal to the EEV (302). For example, the processor (417) may generate an EEV control signal based on a signal transmitted from a main processor (e.g., the processor (221) of FIG. 2, the processor (321) of FIG. 13, the processor (12101) of FIG. 14, the processor (1420) of FIG. 14) and transmit the generated EEV control signal to the EEV (302). For example, the processor (417) may generate an EEV control signal for closing the EEV (302) when an abnormal condition persists for a specified period of time and transmit the generated EEV control signal to the EEV (302). The EEV (302) may close the valve (or EEV) based on the transmitted EEV control signal. Through this, even when an abnormal condition occurs, leakage of the refrigerant may be prevented.

[0129] According to one embodiment, the processor (417) may receive a signal through communication or contact with an external processor (e.g., processor (221), processor (321) of FIG. 2, processor (12101) of FIG. 13, processor (1420) of FIG. 14) and generate an EEV control signal based on the received signal.

[0130] According to one embodiment, the processor (417) may transmit EEV motion trajectory information to an external processor (e.g., processor (221) of FIG. 2, processor (321), processor (12101) of FIG. 13, processor (1420) of FIG. 14) via communication or contact.

[0131] In one embodiment, the processor (417) may detect the first voltage (V1). For example, the processor (417) may detect the first voltage (V1) periodically (e.g., every second). The processor (417) may determine whether the first voltage (V1) is lower than a threshold voltage (e.g., 7 V) for a specified period of time (e.g., 10 seconds). If the processor (417) determines that the first voltage (V1) is lower than the threshold voltage for a specified period of time, the processor (417) may identify that the AC power source (e.g., the AC input (301)) is in an abnormal state, generate a control signal to close the EEV (302), and transmit the control signal to the EEV (302). The EEV (302) may close the EEV (302) based on the EEV control signal. Through this, if the abnormal condition persists, the EEV (302) can be completely closed, thereby preventing leakage of refrigerant.

[0132] According to one embodiment, the comparator (416) may be connected to the AC-DC converter (411) and may generate a control signal for enabling or disabling the DC-DC converter (415) based on a comparison result based on the first voltage (V1) and a reference comparison voltage (e.g., a supply voltage of the comparator (e.g., a 5 V voltage)). For example, the comparator (416) may compare a voltage associated with the first voltage (V1) with a voltage associated with the reference comparison voltage, and may generate a control signal for controlling (e.g., for enabling or disabling) the DC-DC converter (415) based on the comparison result. For example, the comparator (416) may compare the first voltage (V1) with the reference comparison voltage, and may generate a control signal for controlling (e.g., for enabling or disabling) the DC-DC converter (415) based on the comparison result. An example of a comparator (416) is described below with reference to FIG. 10.

[0133] According to one embodiment, the control signal for controlling the DC-DC converter (415) may include, for example, a first control signal for enabling the DC-DC converter, or a second control signal for disabling the DC-DC converter. The comparator (416) may transmit the generated control signal to the DC-DC converter (415). According to one embodiment, the control signal for controlling the DC-DC converter (415) may correspond to an output value (e.g., an output voltage) according to a comparison result of the comparator (416). For example, the control signal for controlling the DC-DC converter (415) may be set to an output voltage (e.g., an output voltage of a first internal comparator within the comparator IC (1010) within the comparator (416) of FIG. 10) according to a comparison result of the comparator (416).

[0134] In one embodiment, a first control signal for enabling the DC-DC converter (415) may correspond to a first output voltage of the comparator (416) (e.g., set to the first output voltage), and a second control signal for disabling the DC-DC converter (415) may correspond to a second output voltage of the comparator (416) (e.g., set to the first output voltage). In one embodiment, the first output voltage may be a higher voltage than the second output voltage, but the opposite may also be true.

[0135] In one embodiment, the voltage associated with the first voltage (V1) may be a first divided voltage (or, a first divided voltage) obtained based on the first voltage (V1). For example, the voltage associated with the first voltage (V1) may be a first divided voltage obtained by dividing the first voltage using a first resistor divider including a plurality of resistors.

[0136] In one embodiment, the voltage associated with the reference comparison voltage may be a second divided voltage (or second divided voltage) obtained based on a reference comparison voltage (e.g., a supply voltage of the comparator (416) (e.g., a 5 V voltage)). For example, the reference voltage may be a second divided voltage obtained by dividing the reference comparison voltage using a second resistor divider including a plurality of resistors.

[0137] According to one embodiment, the DC-DC converter (415) may be connected to a comparator (416) and an energy storage (413), and when enabled, may convert an input DC voltage (hereinafter, a fourth voltage (V4)) into an output DC voltage (hereinafter, a fifth voltage (V5)). For example, when the DC-DC converter (415) receives a first control signal for enabling the DC-DC converter (415) from the comparator (416), the DC-DC converter (415) may be enabled based on the received first control signal, and may boost the fourth voltage (V4) (e.g., a voltage of up to 6 V) applied by the energy storage (413) to a fifth voltage (V5) (e.g., a voltage of 12.5 V). For example, the DC-DC converter (415) may be disabled based on the received second control signal when a second control signal for disabling the DC-DC converter (415) is received from the comparator (416).

[0138] According to one embodiment, the DC-DC converter (415) may include a switching regulator. The switching regulator may include, but is not limited to, a boost regulator, a buck-boost regulator, a flyback regulator, or a forward regulator. An example of the DC-DC converter (415) is described below with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9 .

[0139] According to one embodiment, the DC-DC converter (415) may be connected to the second diode (D2). The fifth voltage (V5) generated by the DC-DC converter (415) may be applied to the regulator (414) and the EEV (302) via the second diode (D2) connected to the DC-DC converter (415). In this case, the fifth voltage (V5) (e.g., 12.5 V) may be forward-voltage-dropped (e.g., voltage reduced by 0.5 V) by the second diode (D2), so that a voltage identical to the second voltage (V2) (e.g., 12 V), which is a voltage in a normal state, may be applied to the regulator (414) and the EEV (302) in an abnormal state. Through this, the same voltage as in a normal state may be applied to the regulator (414) and the EEV (302) in an abnormal state. In this case, the regulator (414) and EEV (302) can operate in the same manner as in the normal state even in the abnormal state. For example, the regulator (414) can generate the driving voltage (e.g., 5 V) of the processor (417) in the same manner as in the normal state and supply it to the processor (417) even in the abnormal state.

[0140] As described above, in the embodiment of FIG. 4a, unlike the embodiment of FIG. 3, the control circuit (410) includes a comparator, which is a hardware configuration, to detect an abnormal state, and through the control of the comparator (416), the DC-DC converter (415) can be normally operated in the abnormal state to generate a voltage. Through a hardware implementation using the comparator (416), compared to a software implementation, the implementation cost can be reduced, the time consumed for testing can be reduced, and the overall operation flow can be simplified.

[0141] Meanwhile, depending on the embodiment, a switch (or a switch element) may be used instead of the first diode (D1). The switch may be, for example, a field effect transistor (FET), an insulated gate bipolar mode transistor (IGBT), or a relay switch, but is not limited thereto. When a switch is used instead of the first diode (D1), the output voltage of the AC-DC converter (411) (e.g., the first voltage (V1)) may be used as an operating voltage for operating the switch, and the switch may be turned ON or OFF using the output voltage of the AC-DC converter (411) at that point in time. For example, in a normal state, the output voltage of the AC-DC converter (411) may be turned ON (e.g., 12 V_C is normally provided) so that the switch may be turned ON (e.g., closed). For example, in the case of an abnormal state, the output voltage of the AC-DC converter (411) may be turned OFF (e.g., reduced or eliminated) so that the switch may be turned OFF (e.g., opened). In this way, the switch may provide the same function / effect as the first diode (D1) in the abnormal state and the normal state. An example of a control circuit including a switch instead of the first diode (D1) is described below with reference to FIG. 5.

[0142] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 4b and 4c, the operation of the control circuit (410) in a normal state (e.g., a state in which the AC input (301) is normally provided to the control circuit (410)) and an abnormal state (e.g., a state in which the AC input (301) is not normally provided to the control circuit (410)) will be exemplarily described.

[0143] FIG. 4b is a drawing for explaining the operation of a control circuit in a normal state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0144] Referring to FIG. 4B, in a normal state, an AC input (301) can be normally applied to an AC-DC converter (411). The AC-DC converter (411) can generate a first voltage (V1) (e.g., 12 V_C voltage) as a DC output voltage using the AC input voltage. The 12 V_C voltage can be applied to a charging circuit (412) and a first diode (D1) (e.g., an anode terminal of the first diode (D1)). The 12 V_C voltage applied to the first diode is forward-voltage-dropped by the first diode (D1), and a second voltage (V2) (e.g., 12 V voltage) with a forward-voltage-dropped voltage can be applied to the EEV (302) and the regulator (414). The regulator (414) can generate a third voltage (V3) (e.g., 5 V voltage) as a driving voltage of the processor (417) using the 12 V voltage. The 5 V voltage can be applied to the processor (417).

[0145] In the normal state, as described above, since the 5 V voltage, which is the driving voltage of the processor (417) generated by the regulator (414) based on the AC input (301), is normally applied to the processor (417), the processor (417) can be normally operated. Accordingly, the processor (417) can normally control the EEV (302). For example, the processor (417) can generate an EEV control signal based on a signal transmitted from a main processor (e.g., the processor (221) of FIG. 2, the processor (321), the processor (12101) of FIG. 13, the processor (1420) of FIG. 14) and transmit the generated EEV control signal to the EEV (302).

[0146] In a normal state, as described above, since the driving voltage of the processor (417) based on the AC input (301), 5 V, and the driving voltage of the charging circuit, 12 V_C, are normally applied, the charging circuit (412) can be normally operated under the control of the processor (417). Accordingly, the charging circuit (412) can normally charge the energy storage (413).

[0147] In a normal state, the comparator (416) can transmit a control signal to the DC-DC converter (415) to disable the DC-DC converter (415). The DC-DC converter (415) can not drive the DC-DC converter (415) based on the received control signal.

[0148] FIG. 4c is a drawing for explaining the operation of a control circuit in an abnormal state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0149] Referring to FIG. 4C, in the case of an abnormal state, the AC input (301) cannot be normally provided to the AC-DC converter (411). Since the AC input is not normally provided, the first voltage (V1) (e.g., 12 V_C voltage) output (or generated) from the AC-DC converter (411) may gradually decrease. In this case, the driving voltage required for the charging circuit (412) is not normally applied, so the charging circuit (412) cannot normally perform the operation of charging the energy storage (413). In this case, the energy storage (413) can transfer the electric energy stored in the energy storage (413) to the DC-DC converter (415). Through this, the fourth voltage (V1) (e.g., a voltage of up to 6 V), which is an output voltage of the energy storage (413), can be applied to the DC-DC converter (415).

[0150] In the above state, since 12V_C decreases, an inversion of the output value (e.g., output voltage) of the comparator (416) may occur. For example, when 12V_C falls below a specified voltage, the output voltage of the comparator (416) may change from a second output voltage to a first output voltage. In this case, the comparator (416) may transmit a control signal for enabling a DC-DC converter corresponding to the first output voltage of the comparator (416), for example, to the DC-DC converter (415). When the control signal for enabling the DC-DC converter (415) is received, the DC-DC converter (415) may boost the fourth voltage (V1) (e.g., 6V) applied from the energy storage (413) to a fifth voltage (V5) (e.g., 12.5V). The 12.5 V voltage can be input to the regulator (414) as the same voltage as the second voltage (V2) (e.g., 12 V voltage) applied to the regulator (414) in a normal state through the second diode (D2) connected to the DC-DC converter (415), and the regulator (414) can normally generate a third voltage (V3) (e.g., 5 V voltage) which is the driving voltage of the processor (317) using the applied 12 V voltage and apply the voltage to the processor (317). In this case, the processor (417) can be normally operated even if an abnormal state is detected. For example, the processor (417) can generate an EEV control signal and transmit the generated EEV control signal to the EEV, thereby controlling the EEV normally even if an abnormal state is detected.

[0151] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a control circuit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0152] In the embodiment of FIG. 5, instead of the first diode (D1) of FIG. 4a, a switch (501) may be used to separate the output voltage (V1) of the AC-DC converter (411) and the input voltage (V2) of the regulator (414). In FIG. 5, any description that overlaps with the description described above in FIG. 4a is omitted.

[0153] Referring to FIG. 5, the control circuit (510) may include an AC-DC converter (411), a charging circuit (412), an energy storage (413), a regulator (414), a DC-DC converter (415), a comparator (416), and / or a processor (417). A description of the AC-DC converter (411), the charging circuit (412), the energy storage (413), the regulator (414), the DC-DC converter (415), the comparator (416), and / or the processor (417) may refer to the description of FIG. 4A. Therefore, a duplicate description is omitted.

[0154] According to one embodiment, the control circuit (510) may be included in a home appliance or electronic device. For example, the control circuit (510) may be included in an air conditioner (e.g., an air conditioner (10) of FIGS. 1 and 2), a refrigerator (e.g., a refrigerator (121) of FIGS. 12 and 13), or other home appliances (e.g., a washing machine, a dryer, a vacuum cleaner, etc.) or electronic devices (e.g., a smartphone, etc.). As an example, if the home appliance including the control circuit (510) is an air conditioner (e.g., an air conditioner (10) of FIGS. 1 and 2), the EEV (302) may be, for example, an expansion device (103) of FIGS. 1 and 2 or an EEV included in the expansion device (103), and the control circuit (510) may be included in an outdoor unit (e.g., an outdoor unit (30) of FIGS. 1 and 2) of the air conditioner including the EEV (302). As an example, if the home appliance including the control circuit (510) is a refrigerator (e.g., the refrigerator (121) of FIGS. 12 and 13), the EEV (302) may be, for example, the expander (1273) of FIG. 13 or an EEV included in the expander (1273).

[0155] According to one embodiment, a switch (501) may be positioned between an AC-DC converter (411) and a regulator (414). The switch (501) may be, for example, but is not limited to, a field effect transistor (FET), an insulated gate bipolar mode transistor (IGBT), or a relay switch.

[0156] According to one embodiment, the output voltage (e.g., the first voltage (V1)) of the AC-DC converter (411) can be used as an operating voltage for operating the switch (501), and the switch (501) can be turned on or off depending on the value of the output voltage of the AC-DC converter (411).

[0157] According to one embodiment, in a normal state, the output voltage (V1) of the AC-DC converter (411) may be normally applied to the switch (501) (e.g., 12 V_C is normally provided) so that the switch (501) may be turned ON (e.g., closed). Through this, a second voltage (V2) based on the output voltage (V1) of the AC-DC converter (411) may be normally provided to the regulator (414). The second voltage (V2) may be, for example, the same voltage as the first voltage (V1).

[0158] In one embodiment, in the case of an abnormal state, the output voltage (V1) of the AC-DC converter (411) may not be normally applied to the switch (501) (e.g., reduced or removed), causing the switch (501) to turn off (e.g., open). For example, when the output voltage (V1) of the AC-DC converter (411) falls below the driving voltage of the switch (501), the switch (501) may turn off. When the switch (501) is turned off, the second voltage (V2) based on the output voltage (V1) of the AC-DC converter (411) is not applied to the regulator (414). In this case, as described above, the second voltage (V2) based on the fifth voltage (V5) generated by the DC-DC converter (415) may be applied to the regulator (414).

[0159] Through this switch (501), the same function / effect as that of the first diode (D1) in an abnormal state and a normal state can be provided by the switch (501).

[0160] FIG. 6 illustrates an energy storage device including a supercapacitor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0161] The energy storage (414) of the embodiment of FIG. 6 may be an example of the energy storage (414) of FIGS. 4a, 4b, 4c and 5.

[0162] In general, supercapacitors have more robust characteristics in outdoor environments (e.g., low temperatures) than batteries. Therefore, when a control circuit (410) is included in a device exposed to an outdoor environment, such as an outdoor unit of an air conditioner (e.g., the outdoor unit (30) of the air conditioner (10) of FIGS. 1 and 2), if the auxiliary power source is implemented as an energy storage unit (414) including a supercapacitor, the control circuit (410) can operate more stably and efficiently in the outdoor environment than if the auxiliary power source is implemented as an energy storage unit (414) including a battery (e.g., a lithium ion battery). Therefore, when the control circuit (410) is included in an outdoor unit, it may be more advantageous to use an energy storage unit (414) including a supercapacitor.

[0163] Referring to FIG. 6, the energy storage (414) can be connected to a charging circuit (412) and a DC-DC converter (415).

[0164] According to one embodiment, the energy storage (414) may include a plurality of super capacitors. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the energy storage (414) may include six super capacitors (SP1, SP2, SP3, SP4, SP5, and SP6) connected in series and in parallel. For example, the energy storage (414) may have a structure in which a first super capacitor group including a first super capacitor (SP1) and a second super capacitor (SP2) connected in parallel, a second super capacitor group including a third super capacitor (SP3) and a fourth super capacitor (SP4) connected in parallel, and a third super capacitor group including a fifth super capacitor (SP5) and a sixth super capacitor (SP6) connected in parallel are connected in series.

[0165] However, the embodiment is not limited thereto, and the number and / or series / parallel connection structure of super capacitors in the energy storage (413) can be set in various ways according to the required voltage and / or capacity.

[0166] FIG. 7 illustrates an AC-DC converter, a regulator, and a first diode according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0167] The AC-DC converter (411), the regulator (414), and the first diode (D1) of the embodiment of FIG. 7 may be an example of the AC-DC converter (411), the regulator (414), and the first diode (D1) of the embodiment of FIG. 4a.

[0168] Referring to FIG. 7, the first diode (D1) may be placed between the AC-DC converter (411) and the regulator (414). For example, the anode terminal of the first diode (D1) may be connected to the output terminal of the AC-DC converter (411), and the cathode terminal of the first diode (D1) may be connected to the input terminal of the regulator (414).

[0169] In a normal state, a first voltage (V1) (e.g., 12 V_C voltage) generated by an AC-DC converter (411) is applied to the anode terminal of the first diode (D1), so that current can flow in the direction (forward bias) from the anode terminal to the cathode terminal. In a normal state, the first voltage (V1) is forward-voltage-dropped by the first diode (D1), so that a second voltage (V2) (e.g., 12 V), which is a voltage with a reduced forward voltage, can be applied to the regulator (414).

[0170] In this ideal state, the first voltage (V1) (e.g., 12V_C) is reduced, the output voltage of the comparator (416) using the first voltage (V1) is inverted, and the fifth voltage (V5) (e.g., 12.5V voltage) generated by the DC-DC converter (415) according to the control signal of the comparator (416) generated based on this is applied to the regulator (414) as the second voltage (V2) (e.g., 12V) through the second diode (D2), but the second voltage (V2) does not affect the first voltage (V1) due to the first diode (D1). However, if the first diode (D1) does not exist, the second voltage (V2) applied through the DC-DC converter (415) in an abnormal state affects the first voltage (V1) (e.g., the first voltage (V1) changes to 12 V), so that the output voltage of the comparator (416) is immediately reversed again, and as a result, the DC-DC converter (415) is immediately disabled, so that the fifth voltage (V5) cannot be provided.

[0171] In this way, the first voltage (V1) (e.g., 12V_C) generated by the AC-DC converter (411) and the second voltage (V2) (e.g., 12V) applied to the regulator (414) can be separated through the first diode (D1). Through this, the second voltage (V2) generated by the DC-DC converter (415) according to an abnormal state and applied to the regulator (414) does not affect the first voltage (V1), so that the circuit implementation of the comparator (416) using the first voltage (V1) can be facilitated.

[0172] In one embodiment, the regulator (414) may be a linear regulator. For example, the regulator (414) may be a fixed linear regulator that takes a second voltage (V2) as an input voltage and generates an output voltage of a fixed third voltage (V3) (e.g., 5 V). The third voltage (V3) may be applied to the processor (417) and used as a driving voltage for driving the processor (417).

[0173] According to one embodiment, the regulator (414) may be an IC-based linear regulator, such as that illustrated in FIG. 7. For example, the regulator (414) may include a regulator IC (REG100) having a first pin (input voltage pin), a second pin (ground pin) and a third terminal (output voltage pin), an input capacitor connected to the first pin, an output capacitor connected to the third pin, and / or a diode (D100) disposed between the first pin and the second pin.

[0174] According to one embodiment, the regulator IC (REG100) can process an input voltage (e.g., a second voltage (V2) of 12 V) of a first range (e.g., 7 V to 35 V) applied to a first pin and generate a fixed output voltage (e.g., a fixed third voltage (V3) of 5 V) outputted through a third pin.

[0175] According to one embodiment, the regulator IC (REG100) can be used with at least one external component (e.g., an input capacitor and / or an output capacitor) for adjustable voltage and current.

[0176] According to one embodiment, the input capacitor connected to the first pin may include at least one electrolytic capacitor and / or at least one ceramic capacitor. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the input capacitor connected to the first pin may have a structure in which one electrolytic capacitor (CE1) is connected in series and two ceramic capacitors (C1, C2) are connected in parallel. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto, and various numbers / types of capacitors may be connected to the first pin in various connection structures depending on the required voltage and capacity.

[0177] According to one embodiment, the output capacitor connected to the third pin may include at least one electrolytic capacitor and / or at least one ceramic capacitor. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the output capacitor connected to the third pin may have a structure in which one electrolytic capacitor (CE2) is connected in series and two ceramic capacitors (C3, C4) are connected in parallel. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto, and various numbers / types of capacitors may be connected to the third pin in various connection structures depending on the required voltage and capacity.

[0178] In one embodiment, the anode terminal of the diode (D100) may be connected to a third pin of the regulator IC (REG100), and the cathode terminal of the diode (D100) may be connected to a first pin of the regulator IC (REG100). The diode (D100) may be, for example, a series input breakdown diode. In this case, the diode (D100) may be used for voltage stabilization, reverse voltage protection, and / or spike protection.

[0179] FIG. 8 illustrates a circuit of a DC-DC converter according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0180] In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the DC-DC converter (415) may be an example of the DC-DC converter (415) of FIGS. 4a and 5.

[0181] In the embodiment of Fig. 8, the DC-DC converter (415) is described as including a separate IC (e.g., a boost IC (801)). However, the embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, the DC-DC converter (415) may be configured discretely using separate elements such as a FET, an inductor, a transistor (TR), a gate driver, a resonator, a regulator, a comparator, and / or an OP-AMP. In this case, elements such as FETs may be directly controlled by a processor, or may use dedicated components (e.g., ICs) that generate separate pulses.

[0182] According to one embodiment, the DC-DC converter (415) can be connected to an energy storage (414) and a comparator (416).

[0183] According to one embodiment, the DC-DC converter (415) can generate an output DC voltage (e.g., the fifth voltage (V5) of FIGS. 4A and 5) using an input DC voltage (e.g., the fourth voltage (V4) of FIGS. 4A and 5) applied by the energy storage (413) when enabled. The output DC voltage can be a higher voltage than the input DC voltage.

[0184] According to one embodiment, the DC-DC converter (415) may include a switching regulator. For example, the DC-DC converter (413) may include a boost regulator.

[0185] According to one embodiment, the DC-DC converter (415) may include a boost IC (801). The boost IC (801) may correspond to a switching regulator or a boost regulator.

[0186] According to one embodiment, the DC-DC converter (415) or boost IC (801) can regulate the output voltage using pulse width modulation (PWM) control (e.g., current mode PWM control).

[0187] According to one embodiment, the boost IC (801) may include an internal oscillator.

[0188] According to one embodiment, the boost IC (801) may include a plurality of pins (e.g., 14 pins).

[0189] Table 1 below illustrates the settings of each pin of the boost IC (801).

[0190] PIN Description Name Number AGND7 Signal ground of the IC COMP8 Output of the error amplifier. An external RC network connected to this pin compensates the regulator feedback loop. EN4 Enable pin FB9 Error amplifier input and feedback pin for positive voltage regulation. Connected to the center tap of a resistor divider to program the output voltage FREQ10 Switching frequency program pin. An external resistor connected between the FREQ pin and AGND sets the switching frequency NC11 Reserved pin that must be connected to ground PGDN12,13,14 Power ground of the IC. Connected to the source of the internal power MOSFET switch of the ID SS5 Soft-start programming pin. A capacitor between the SS and AGND pins programs the soft-start timing SW1,2 Drain of the internal power MOSFET SW1,2 Switching frequency synchronization pin SYNC6 An external clock signal can be used to set the switching frequency. If not used, this pin is tied to AGND. VIN3 is the input supply pin of the IC. Connect VIN to a supply voltage within the first range (e.g., 2.9 V to 32 V).

[0191] Referring to FIG. 8, the DC-DC converter (415) may include a boost IC (801), an input capacitor (810), an inductor (820), a diode (830), an output capacitor (840), and / or a resistor divider (850) for the output voltage. The DC-DC converter (415) may further include a snubber circuit (860).

[0192] According to one embodiment, the input capacitor (810) may include at least one capacitor. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the input capacitor (810) may include a plurality of capacitors (C1, C2) connected in parallel. The size of the capacitors (C1, C2) may be, for example, 50 nF. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto, and the number / capacity and / or arrangement structure of the capacitors included in the input capacitor (810) may be variously set in consideration of the power requirements, switching frequency, voltage fluctuation range, and / or environmental factors of the DC-DC converter (415).

[0193] According to one embodiment, the output capacitor (840) may include at least one capacitor. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the output capacitor (840) may include a plurality of capacitors (C11, C12, C13) connected in parallel. The size of the capacitors (C11, C12, C13) may be, for example, 16 μF. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto, and the number / capacity and / or arrangement structure of the capacitors included in the output capacitor (840) may be variously set in consideration of the power requirements, switching frequency, voltage fluctuation range, and / or environmental factors of the DC-DC converter (415).

[0194] According to one embodiment, the resistor divider (850) may include a plurality of divider resistors. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the resistor divider (850) may include two resistors (R6, R7) connected in series and positioned between the output voltage (Vout) and a center tap connected to the FB pin (e.g., pin 9), and two resistors (R8, R9) connected in series and positioned between the center tap and the signal ground. The sizes of the resistors (R6, R7, R8, R9) may be, for example, 30K ohms. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto, and the number, size, location of the center tap, and / or arrangement structure of the resistors included in the resistor divider (850) may be variously set in consideration of the power requirements, switching frequency, voltage fluctuation range, and / or environmental factors of the DC-DC converter (415).

[0195] According to one embodiment, the snubber circuit (860) may include at least one resistor and at least one capacitor. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the snubber circuit (860) may include two resistors (R10, R11) connected in parallel to SW pins (e.g., pins 1 and 2) and PGND pins (e.g., pins 12, 13, and 14) and four capacitors (C14, C15, C16, and C17) connected in series. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto, and the number and size of the resistors and / or the number and size of the capacitors included in the snubber circuit (860) may be variously set in consideration of the power requirements, switching frequency, voltage fluctuation range, and / or environmental factors of the DC-DC converter (415).

[0196] According to one embodiment, the boost IC (801) may include an error amplifier having input terminals connected to the FB pin and the EN pin and an output terminal connected to the COPM pin, an oscillator connected to the PWM control circuit, a PWM control circuit connected to the gate driver, a gate driver and / or a switch connected to the PWM control circuit and the switch. The switch in the boost IC (801) may be, for example, a power MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor). When the switch is a power MOSFET, a source of the power MOSFET may be connected to the PGND, a drain of the power MOSFET may be connected to the SW terminal, and a gate of the power MOSFET may be connected to the gate driver.

[0197] According to one embodiment, an input voltage (Vin) may be input as a supply voltage of the boost IC (801) via a VIN pin (e.g., pin 3). The input voltage (Vin) may be a fourth voltage (V4) (e.g., a voltage of up to 6 V) applied by an energy storage (413).

[0198] In one embodiment, the input of the error amplifier can be connected to the FB pin (e.g., pin 9) and the EN pin (e.g., pin 4), and the output of the error amplifier can be connected to the COMP pin. An external RC compensation network (e.g., the RC network consisting of R5, C7, C8, C9, and C10 of FIG. 8) connected to the COMP is used to compensate the regulator feedback loop and can be selected for feedback loop stability and optimal transient response.

[0199] In one embodiment, the switching frequency of the switch can be set by a resistor (e.g., R4) connected to the FREQ pin (e.g., pin 9). The switching frequency can be synchronized to an external clock signal applied to the SYNC pin (e.g., pin 7).

[0200] According to one embodiment, the DC-DC converter (415) (or boost IC (801)) can enable (or turn on) or disable (or turn off) the DC-DC converter (415) (or boost IC (801)) based on a control signal (ON_OFF_CONTROL) input through an enable pin (e.g., pin 4) of the boost IC (801). The control signal (ON_OFF_CONTROL) can correspond to a control signal for enabling or disabling the DC-DC converter (415), which is generated by, for example, a comparator (416) and transmitted to the DC-DC converter (415).

[0201] According to one embodiment, the DC-DC converter (415) (or boost IC (801)) may determine whether to enable (or turn on) the DC-DC converter (415) (or boost IC (801)) based on a voltage corresponding to a control signal (ON_OFF_CONTROL). For example, the DC-DC converter (415) may enable the DC-DC converter (415) when the voltage corresponding to the control signal (ON_OFF_CONTROL) exceeds an enable threshold (e.g., 1.229 V). In this case, a switching operation may be performed according to a duty cycle of a switch of the boost IC (801). For example, the boost IC (801) may disable the DC-DC converter (415) when the voltage corresponding to the control signal (ON_OFF_CONTROL) falls below the enable threshold (e.g., falls below the enable threshold for a preset time (e.g., 1 ms) or longer). In this case, the switching operation of the switch of the boost IC (801) may be prohibited.

[0202] Hereinafter, the operation of the DC-DC converter (415) when the DC-DC converter (415) is enabled will be described. As described above, when the DC-DC converter (415) is enabled, a switching operation of the switch of the boost IC (801) may be performed. The switching operation may include, for example, an operation of turning the switch on / off according to a duty cycle for each switching cycle.

[0203] In one embodiment, the PWM control circuit can turn on the switch at the beginning of a clock cycle of the oscillator. When the switch is turned on, an input voltage (Vin (e.g., the fourth voltage (V4) of FIGS. 4A and 5)) provided by the energy storage (413) is applied to the inductor (820), and energy can be stored in the inductor (820) as the inductor current ramps up. During this portion of the switching cycle of the switch (the ON period of the duty cycle), the load current can be provided by the output capacitor (840). When the inductor current reaches a threshold set by the error amplifier output of the error amplifier, the switch is turned off, and the diode (830) can be forward biased to allow the inductor current to flow. During this portion of the switching cycle of the switch (the OFF period of the duty cycle), the inductor (820) can transfer stored energy to charge the output capacitor (840) and supply the load current. This on / off operation of the switch can be repeated for each switching cycle. Through this, a Vout voltage (e.g., the fifth voltage (V5) (e.g., 12.5 V) of FIGS. 4A and 5) can be generated and applied to the regulator (414) via the second diode (D2).

[0204] According to one embodiment, the duty cycle of the DC-DC converter (415) may be determined by a comparator in the PWM control circuit that compares the error amplifier output generated by the error amplifier with the current signal generated by the ramp generator.

[0205] Meanwhile, in the embodiment of FIG. 8, a DC-DC converter (415) is implemented using a separate boost IC (801), and a circuit that receives a separate signal and operates can be implemented inside the boost IC (801). In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the boost IC (801) (or, DC-DC converter (415)) can receive an enable signal and operate separately. The enable signal can be, for example, the above-described control signal (ON_OFF_CONTROL) provided from the comparator (416) and applied to the EN pin of the DC-DC converter (415), but another type of enable signal can be used to operate the boost IC (801) (or, DC-DC converter (415)). For example, a separate switch (e.g., FET, IGBT, RELAY, thyristor, etc.) may be placed between the energy storage (413) and the DC-DC converter (415), and an enable signal applied to this switch and the operation of the switch may be synchronized to enable / disable (or turn on / off) the DC-DC converter (415). An embodiment for enabling / disabling the DC-DC converter (415) using such a switch will be described below with reference to FIG. 9.

[0206] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a control circuit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0207] In the embodiment of FIG. 9, unlike the control circuit (410) of FIG. 4A and the control circuit (510) of FIG. 5, a switch (901) disposed between the energy storage (413) and the DC-DC converter (415) can be used to enable or disable the DC-DC converter (415). In FIG. 9, any description that overlaps with the descriptions given above in FIGS. 4A and 5 is omitted.

[0208] Referring to FIG. 9, the control circuit (910) may include an AC-DC converter (411), a charging circuit (412), an energy storage (413), a regulator (414), a DC-DC converter (415), a comparator (416), and / or a processor (417). The description of the AC-DC converter (411), the charging circuit (412), the energy storage (413), the regulator (414), the DC-DC converter (415), the comparator (416), and / or the processor (417) may refer to the descriptions of FIGS. 4A and 5. Therefore, duplicate descriptions are omitted. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the first diode (D1) may be replaced with the switch (501) of FIG. 5, and the description thereof may refer to FIG. 5.

[0209] According to one embodiment, the control circuit (910) may be included in a home appliance or an electronic device. For example, the control circuit (910) may be included in an air conditioner (e.g., the air conditioner (10) of FIGS. 1 and 2), a refrigerator (e.g., the refrigerator (121) of FIGS. 12 and 13), or other home appliances (e.g., a washing machine, a dryer, a vacuum cleaner, etc.) or electronic devices (e.g., a smartphone, etc.). As an example, if the home appliance including the control circuit (910) is an air conditioner (e.g., the air conditioner (10) of FIGS. 1 and 2), the EEV (302) may be, for example, the expansion device (103) of FIGS. 1 and 2 or an EEV included in the expansion device (103), and the control circuit (910) may be included in an outdoor unit (e.g., the outdoor unit (30) of FIGS. 1 and 2) of the air conditioner including the EEV (302). As an example, if the home appliance including the control circuit (910) is a refrigerator (e.g., the refrigerator (121) of FIGS. 12 and 13), the EEV (302) may be, for example, the expander (1273) of FIG. 13 or an EEV included in the expander (1273).

[0210] According to one embodiment, the control circuit (910) may further include a switch (901).

[0211] According to one embodiment, the switch (901) may be positioned between the energy storage (413) and the DC-DC converter (415). The switch (501) may be, for example, but is not limited to, a field effect transistor (FET), an insulated gate bipolar mode transistor (IGBT), a relay, or a thyristor switch.

[0212] According to one embodiment, the switch (901) can be connected to a comparator (416). The switch (901) can receive a control signal (e.g., an output voltage of the comparator (416)) from the comparator (416).

[0213] According to one embodiment, a control signal of a comparator (416) (e.g., an output voltage of the comparator (416)) can be used as an operating voltage to operate the switch (901), and the switch (416) can be turned ON or OFF depending on the value of the control signal of the comparator (416) (e.g., a value of the output voltage of the comparator (416)).

[0214] According to one embodiment, in a normal state, a first control signal (e.g., a first output voltage) for enabling the DC-DC converter (415) of the comparator (416) may be applied to the switch (501) to turn the switch (501) ON (e.g., close). Through this, the fourth voltage (V4) of the energy storage (413) may be normally applied to the DC-DC converter (415), thereby enabling the DC-DC converter (415).

[0215] According to one embodiment, in the case of an abnormal state, a second control signal (e.g., a second output voltage) for enabling the DC-DC converter (415) of the comparator (416) may be normally applied to the switch (501) so that the switch (501) may be turned OFF (e.g., opened). Through this, the fourth voltage (V4) of the energy storage (413) may not be normally applied to the DC-DC converter (415), so that the DC-DC converter (415) may be disabled.

[0216] According to one embodiment, the first output voltage corresponding to the first control signal may be higher than the second output voltage corresponding to the second control signal.

[0217] FIG. 10 illustrates a circuit of a comparator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0218] In the embodiment of FIG. 10, the comparator (416) may be an example of the comparator (416) of FIG. 4a, FIG. 5, and FIG. 9.

[0219] According to one embodiment, the comparator (416) may be connected to the DC-DC converter (415).

[0220] Referring to FIG. 10, the comparator (416) may include a comparator IC (1010).

[0221] According to one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 10, a division voltage (V101) of a 12V_C voltage corresponding to an output voltage of an AC-DC converter (411) (e.g., the first voltage (V1) of FIGS. 4A, 5, and 9) may be input to a -IN1 pin (e.g., pin 2) of a comparator IC (1010), and a division voltage (V102) of a reference comparison voltage (e.g., a 5V voltage) may be input to a +IN2 pin (e.g., pin 3) of the comparator IC (1010). According to one embodiment, the reference comparison voltage may be equal to 5V, which is a driving voltage of the comparator IC (1010) and is input to a VCC pin (e.g., pin 8) of the comparator IC (1010).

[0222] According to one embodiment, a divided voltage (V101) of a first voltage (V1) (e.g., a 12V_C voltage) can be obtained by dividing the first voltage (V1) using a first resistor divider (1001) composed of R105, R106, R107, and R108, as illustrated in FIG. 10 . R105, R106, R107, and R108 can have a size of, for example, 30K ohms. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto, and the number, size, tap position, and / or arrangement structure of resistors included in the first resistor divider can be variously set in consideration of the power requirement of the comparator (416), voltage fluctuation range, and / or environmental factors.

[0223] According to one embodiment, a division voltage (V102) of a reference comparison voltage (e.g., a 5 V voltage) can be obtained by dividing the reference comparison voltage using a second resistor divider (1002) composed of R109, R110, and R111, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 10. R109 and R111 can have a size of, for example, 30K ohms, and R109 can have a size of, for example, 4.7K ohms. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto, and the number, size, tap position, and / or arrangement structure of resistors included in the second resistor divider can be variously set in consideration of the power requirement, voltage fluctuation range, and / or environmental factors of the comparator (416).

[0224] According to one embodiment, the -IN pin and the +IN pin of the comparator IC (1010) may be connected to the - terminal and the + terminal of the first internal comparator within the comparator IC (1010), and the OUT1 pin (e.g., pin 1) of the comparator IC (1010) may be connected to the output terminal of the first internal comparator of the comparator IC (1010). A signal (or voltage) output through the OUT1 pin according to the comparison result of the first internal comparator may correspond to a control signal (ON_OFF_CONTROL) input to the EN pin of the boost IC (801) of the DC-DC converter (415). For a description of the control signal (ON_OFF_CONTROL), refer to the descriptions of FIGS. 8 and 9. Therefore, a duplicate description will be omitted.

[0225] According to one embodiment, the comparator (416) may include a resistor (R112) connected between the OUT1 pin and the VCC pin of the comparator IC (1010) to stabilize the output of the comparator (416).

[0226] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling an electronic expansion valve according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0227] In the embodiment of FIG. 11, the method of controlling the EEV can be performed by a processor (e.g., a processor (417) of a control circuit (410) of FIGS. 4a, 5, and 9) included in a home appliance (e.g., an air conditioner (10) of FIG. 1, or a refrigerator (121) of FIG. 12).

[0228] Referring to FIG. 11, in operation 1010, the home appliance may detect an output voltage of the AC-DC converter (e.g., the first voltage (V1) of FIGS. 4A, 5, and 9). According to one embodiment, the home appliance may detect the output voltage of the AC-DC converter at a preset cycle (e.g., 1 second).

[0229] At operation 1120, the appliance may determine whether the output voltage of the AC-DC converter remains below a reference voltage (e.g., 7 V) for a specified period of time (e.g., 10 seconds). If it is determined that the output voltage of the AC-DC converter remains below the reference voltage for the specified period of time, operation 1130 may be performed. If it is determined that the output voltage of the AC-DC converter does not remain below the reference voltage for the specified period of time, operation 1140 may be performed.

[0230] In operation 1130, the home appliance can identify that the AC power is in an abnormal state, generate a control signal to close the EEV, and transmit the generated control signal to the EEV when it is determined that the output voltage of the AC-DC converter remains below the reference voltage for a specified period of time.

[0231] In operation 1140, if it is determined that the output voltage of the AC-DC converter does not remain below a reference voltage for a specified period of time, the home appliance can identify that the AC power is in a normal state, generate a control signal to open or close the EEV, and transmit the generated control signal to the EEV.

[0232] FIG. 12 is a schematic drawing showing the internal and external appearance of a refrigerator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0233] FIG. 13 is a functional block diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a refrigerator from the viewpoint of function and control according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0234] The refrigerators according to the various examples in this document can be classified into types according to the shape of the storage compartment and the door. For example, the refrigerator may be one of various types of refrigerators, including but not limited to, a TMF (Top Mounted Freezer) type refrigerator in which the storage compartment is divided vertically by horizontal bulkheads to form a freezer compartment on the top and a refrigerator compartment on the bottom, a BMF (Bottom Mounted Freezer) type refrigerator in which the refrigerator compartment is formed on the top and a freezer compartment on the bottom, a SBS (Side By Side) type refrigerator in which the storage compartment is divided left and right by vertical bulkheads to form a freezer compartment on one side and a refrigerator compartment on the other, and an FDR (French Door Refrigerator) type refrigerator in which the storage compartment is divided vertically by horizontal bulkheads to form a refrigerator compartment on the top and a freezer compartment on the bottom, but the upper refrigerator compartment is opened and closed by a pair of doors.

[0235] Referring to FIG. 12, a refrigerator (121) may include a main body (1210). The main body (1210) may include an outer case (1211) and an inner case (1212) disposed inside the outer case (1211). The outer case (1211) may be provided to form at least a portion of the outer appearance of the main body (1210). In one example, the outer case (1211) may be configured to include a metal material having excellent durability and aesthetics. The inner case (1212) may be provided to define a space of a storage compartment (1220). The inner case (1212) may include a case, a plate, a panel, and / or a liner forming the storage compartment (1220). The inner case (1212) may be formed as a single body or may be formed by assembling a plurality of plates. In one example, the inner casing (1212) may be integrally injection molded using a plastic material, and this document is not limited thereto.

[0236] Although not shown, a receiving space may be formed between the outer case (1211) and the inner case (1212). At least a portion of the receiving space may be provided with insulation to insulate the storage room (1220). The insulation may insulate the inside and the outside of the storage room (1220) so that the temperature inside the storage room (1220) can be maintained at a set appropriate temperature without being affected by the external environment of the storage room (1220).

[0237] In one example, the insulation may include foam insulation. In one example, the foam insulation may be formed by fixing the inner case (1212) and the outer case (1211) with a jig or the like, and then injecting and foaming a urethane foam mixed with polyurethane and a foaming agent into the space between the inner case (1212) and the outer case (1211). In one example, the insulation may include a vacuum insulation in addition to or instead of the foam insulation. The vacuum insulation may include a core and an outer case that accommodates the core and seals the interior at a vacuum or near-vacuum pressure. The vacuum insulation may further include an adsorbent that adsorbs gas and moisture to stably maintain a vacuum state. The insulation of the refrigerator (121) is not limited to the foam insulation or vacuum insulation described above, and may be formed using various materials that can be used for insulation.

[0238] For example, a refrigerator (121) may include a storage compartment (1220). The storage compartment (1220) may store food. Food may include edible or drinkable food, and specifically, may include meat, fish, seafood, fruits, vegetables, water, ice, beverages, kimchi, or alcoholic beverages such as wine. In addition to food, the storage compartment (1220) may also store medicines or cosmetics, and there is no limitation on the items that may be stored in the storage compartment (1220).

[0239] In one example, a refrigerator (121) may include one or more storage compartments (1220). When two or more storage compartments (1220) are formed in the refrigerator (121), each storage compartment may have a different purpose and may be maintained at a different temperature. To this end, each storage compartment (1220) may be partitioned from each other by a partition wall (1214) including an insulating material. In one example, the storage compartments may be referred to as a "refrigerator compartment," a "freezer compartment," or a "variable temperature compartment" depending on the purpose and / or temperature range. For example, a refrigerator compartment may refer to a storage compartment maintained at a temperature appropriate for refrigerating food, and a freezer compartment may refer to a storage compartment maintained at a temperature appropriate for freezing food. "Refrigeration" can mean cooling food to a temperature that does not freeze it, and for example, a refrigerator can be maintained in a range of 0 degrees Celsius to +7 degrees Celsius. "Freezing" can mean cooling food to freeze it or keep it frozen, and for example, a freezer can be maintained in a range of -20 degrees Celsius to -1 degree Celsius. A variable temperature room can refer to a storage room that can be maintained at a predetermined variable temperature, either by user selection or not. In one example, a storage room can be configured so that part of it is used as a refrigerator and the other part is used as a freezer. In addition to the names "refrigerator room," "freezer room," and "variable temperature room" mentioned above, the storage room can also be called by various names such as "vegetable room," "fresh room," "cooling room," and "ice room."

[0240] In one example, the number, size, and / or shape of the storage compartment (1220) may vary depending on the shape or position of the bulkhead (1214). In one example, the bulkhead (1214) may be formed integrally with the main body (1210). In one example, the bulkhead (1214) may be a separate partition that is provided separately from the main body (1210) and assembled to the main body (1210).

[0241] According to an example, the storage room (1220) may be partitioned left and right by vertical bulkheads (1214v) (bulkheads extending vertically). The sizes of the storage rooms (1220) partitioned left and right may vary depending on the position of the vertical bulkheads (1214v). For example, the vertical bulkhead (1214v) may be provided in the center so that the storage rooms (1220) partitioned left and right may be provided in a mirror symmetry manner. According to an example, there may be a plurality of vertical bulkheads. When there are a plurality of vertical bulkheads, the storage room may be partitioned into three or more partitions in the left and right directions.

[0242] In one example, the storage room (1220) may be partitioned vertically by horizontal bulkheads (1214h) (bulges extending horizontally). The size of the vertically partitioned storage room (1220) may vary depending on the position of the horizontal bulkheads (1214h). In one example, there may be multiple horizontal bulkheads. In the case where there are multiple horizontal bulkheads, the storage room may be partitioned into three or more vertical sections.

[0243] The refrigerator may be configured to include a plurality of storage compartments of various sizes and shapes depending on various combinations of vertical and horizontal bulkheads.

[0244] According to one example, a plurality of shelves (1224) and / or a plurality of storage containers (1225) may be provided inside the storage room (1220). Each of the plurality of shelves (1224) and the plurality of storage containers (1225) may be separable from the space inside the storage room (1220).

[0245] In one example, each storage compartment (1220) may be formed to have at least one side openable for putting food in and taking out. In one example, the refrigerator (121) may include a respective door (1230) for opening and closing each storage compartment (1220). In one example, the door (1230) may be arranged at the front of the main body (1210) and the storage compartment (1220) to open and close the storage compartment (1220). The door (1230) may be configured to seal the storage compartment (1220) while the door is closed. The door (1230) may include an insulating material, like the main body (1210), to insulate the storage compartment (1220) from the external environment while the door (1230) is closed.

[0246] In one example, the door (1230) may be configured to be opened and closed by rotating around a hinge (1216), but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In one example, the door may be configured to be opened and closed in a sliding manner.

[0247] According to one example, the door (1230) may include a door panel (1230a) and / or a door body (1230b). The door panel (1230a) and the door body (1230b) may be detachably coupled. The door body (1230b) may, for example, have one side fixed to the main body (1210) by a hinge (1216). The door panel (1230a) may form a part of the front exterior appearance of the refrigerator (121). Therefore, the door panel (1230a) may be an important element of the appearance when the refrigerator (121) is placed indoors. The door panel (1230a) may be configured to have various colors and / or various designs and to be replaceable so that a user can decorate the front exterior appearance of the refrigerator (121) according to his / her taste. According to an example, the door panel (1230a) and the door body (1230b) may be formed as one piece.

[0248] According to an example, the door (1230) may include a door handle (not shown), a door shelf (12313), a shelf support (12314), and / or a gasket (12315). A user may open and close the door (1230) using the door handle. The door handle may be recessed into the bottom or top surface of the door (1230) or may be protruded from the front surface of the door (1230), and is not limited to a specific shape.

[0249] A door shelf (12313) may be provided to store food. Shelf supports (12314) may be provided on both left and right sides of the door shelf (12313) to support the door shelf (12313). The shelf supports (12314) may, for example, be formed to extend vertically from the door (1230). For example, the shelf supports (12314) may be provided to protrude from the rear surface of the door (1230) (the inner surface facing the storage compartment (1220)) toward the storage compartment (1220) and extend vertically. The shelf supports (12314) may be provided as a separate component detachable from the door (1230), or alternatively, may be formed integrally with the door (1230).

[0250] The gasket (12315) may be arranged to surround the edge of the door body (1230b). The gasket (12315) may be arranged to seal the gap between the body (1210) and the door (1230) when the door (1230) is closed.

[0251] In one example, the refrigerator (121) may include a cold air supply device. The cold air supply device may include a machine, mechanism, electronic device, and / or a system combining these that can generate cold air and guide the generated cold air to a storage compartment to cool the storage compartment. In one example, the cold air supply device may be provided inside the main body (1210) to supply cold air to each storage compartment (1220), for example.

[0252] Referring to FIG. 13, according to an example, the refrigerator (121) may include an input unit (1240). The input unit (1240) may be configured to obtain user input for controlling the refrigerator (121).

[0253] In one example, the input unit (1240) may be installed on a door (e.g., door (1230) of FIG. 1) for the convenience of the user. The input unit (1240) may include any type of user input means, including one or more buttons or switches. User-set data (e.g., desired storage temperature, etc.) may be input through the input unit (1240). For example, the input unit (1240) may include a touch panel that receives a user's touch input and generates an electrical signal corresponding to the received touch input, and the present document is not limited to a specific type of input unit. In one example, the touch panel constituting the input unit (1240) may be positioned on the front of a separate display panel provided in the refrigerator (121) and may be formed of a transparent material that does not distort an image displayed on the display panel. In one example, the input unit (1240) may include an infrared signal receiving unit. A user can input setting data remotely via a remote control, and the input setting data can be received by the input unit (1240) as an infrared signal. In one example, the input unit (1240) can include a microphone, and setting data by the user's voice can be acquired through the microphone.

[0254] Setting data (e.g., desired storage temperature, etc.) acquired through the input unit (1240) may be transmitted to the control unit (12100) described later. In one example, the setting data acquired through the input unit (1240) may be transmitted externally through the communication unit (1250) described later, but this document is not limited thereto.

[0255] In one example, the refrigerator (121) may include a communication unit (1250) that supports signal transmission and reception with the outside. In one example, the communication unit (1250) may receive and / or transmit wired / wireless signals between an external wired / wireless communication system, an external server, and / or other devices according to a predetermined wired / wireless communication protocol. In one example, the communication unit (1250) may include one or more modules that connect the refrigerator (121) to one or more networks. In one example, the communication unit (1250) 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.

[0256] In one example, the mobile communication module may transmit and receive wireless signals with at least one of an external base station, an external terminal, and an external server through a mobile communication network according to any of various communication protocols for mobile communication. The wireless signals may include various types of data signals. In one example, the wireless signals may include voice call signals, video call call signals, and text / multimedia message signals, but this document is not limited thereto.

[0257] In one example, the wired / wireless Internet module may support, but is not limited to, 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). In one example, the wired / wireless Internet module of the communication unit (1250) may transmit and receive data according to at least one wired / wireless Internet technology among the Internet technologies not listed above.

[0258] The short-range communication module is for short-range communication, and can support short-range communication using at least one of Bluetooth, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), UWB (Ultra-Wide Band), ZigBee, NFC (Near Field Communication), Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, and Wireless USB (Universal Serial Bus) technologies, for example. The short-range communication module can support wireless communication between the refrigerator (121) and a wireless communication system, between the refrigerator (121) and another device, or between the refrigerator (121) and a network in which another device is located, for example, through a short-range wireless communication network.

[0259] The location information module may be, for example, a module for obtaining the location of the refrigerator (121), and may be a GPS (Global Positioning System) module or a Wi-Fi module. If the refrigerator (121) utilizes a GPS module, information regarding the location of the refrigerator (121) may be received using signals transmitted from GPS satellites. If the refrigerator (121) utilizes a Wi-Fi module, information regarding the location of the refrigerator (121) may be received based on information from a wireless access point (AP) that transmits and receives wireless signals with the Wi-Fi module.

[0260] In one example, the communication unit (1250) may receive a setting data signal input by a user from the user's mobile terminal in the form of a wireless signal according to a predetermined wireless communication protocol. In one example, the communication unit (1250) may receive information and / or commands for controlling the operation of the refrigerator (121) from an external server in the form of signals according to a predetermined wired / wireless communication protocol. The communication unit (1250) may transmit various received signals to the control unit (12100) described below. In one example, the communication unit (1250) may transmit various data generated or acquired on the refrigerator (121) in the form of wired / wireless signals according to a predetermined wired / wireless communication protocol, for example, to the user's mobile terminal or an external server.

[0261] In one example, the refrigerator (121) may include a sensor unit (1260). In one example, the sensor unit (1260) may include a temperature sensor (1261), a distance sensor (1262), a proximity sensor (1263), and / or a camera (1264). However, the types of sensors listed herein are merely exemplary and this document is not limited thereto.

[0262] In one example, the temperature sensor (1261) may include a plurality of temperature sensors installed inside each storage compartment (1220) to detect the temperature inside the storage compartment (e.g., the storage compartment (1220) of FIG. 12). The plurality of temperature sensors may be installed in each of the plurality of storage compartments (1220) to detect the temperature of each storage compartment (1220). An electrical signal corresponding to the detected temperature may be transmitted to the control unit (12100). Each of the plurality of temperature sensors may include a thermistor whose electrical resistance changes depending on the temperature. In one example, the temperature sensor (1261) may include an external temperature sensor installed outside the refrigerator (121) (e.g., at a location of the outer case (1211) of FIG. 12) to detect the external temperature around the refrigerator (121).

[0263] In one example, the distance sensor (1262) can measure the distance to an object located around the refrigerator (121), for example, a user. The distance sensor (1262) can be, for example, an ultrasonic sensor or an infrared sensor, but is not limited thereto. The distance sensor (1262) can detect an object or a user around the refrigerator (121) and transmit a detected electrical signal to the control unit (12100).

[0264] In one example, a proximity sensor (1263) may be provided to detect the opening and closing of a door (1230). The proximity sensor (1263) may detect whether the door (1230) is in contact with a main body (e.g., main body (1210) of FIG. 12) and is closing the storage compartment (1220). A plurality of proximity sensors (1263) may be installed in each of the plurality of doors (1230). The proximity sensor (1263) may transmit an electrical signal regarding the detected opening and closing state of the door (1230) to the control unit (12100).

[0265] In one example, a camera (1264) may be installed inside each storage compartment (1220) to obtain an internal image of each storage compartment (1220). In one example, the camera (64) may be installed on the outside of the refrigerator (121) (e.g., at a location of the outer case (1211) of FIG. 12) to obtain an external image of the surroundings of the refrigerator (12). The camera (1264) may include image sensors that capture images and convert them into electrical signals. The image sensors may include, for example, a charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensor or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. An electrical signal regarding an image captured by the camera (1264) may be transmitted to the control unit (12100).

[0266] In one example, the refrigerator (121) may include a cold air supply device (1270). In one example, the cold air supply device (1270) may include a compressor (1271), a condenser (1272), an expander (1273), and an evaporator (1274). Although not shown, the cold air supply device (1270) may include refrigerant lines connecting the compressor (1271), the condenser (1272), the expander (1273), and the evaporator (1274). The refrigerant may circulate between the compressor (1271), the condenser (1272), the expander (1273), and the evaporator (1274) through the refrigerant lines.

[0267] The compressor (1271) can compress the refrigerant to a high temperature and high pressure state. For example, the compressor (1271) can receive electric energy from the outside and compress the gaseous refrigerant to a high temperature and high pressure state by using the rotational power of an electric motor or the like. The compressor (1271) is a variable capacity compressor, and the capacity can be varied by changing the frequency according to a driving control command. The compressed refrigerant can be moved to the condenser (1272) by the refrigerant pipe. The condenser (1272) can condense the compressed refrigerant transferred from the compressor (1271). The condenser (1272) can radiate the heat generated while condensing the refrigerant to the outside of the condenser (1272). The condensed refrigerant passing through the condenser (1272) can be moved to the expander (1273). The condensed refrigerant can be converted into a low temperature and low pressure liquid state while passing through the expander (1273). In one example, the expander (1273) may be implemented as an electronic expansion valve capable of controlling the opening ratio (an electronic expansion valve capable of controlling the ratio of the cross-sectional area of ​​the valve's flow path in a partially opened state to the cross-sectional area of ​​the valve's flow path in a fully opened state). In such a case, the amount of refrigerant passing through the expander (1273) may be controlled depending on the opening ratio of the electronic expansion valve. In one example, the expander (1273) may be implemented as a capillary device. The liquid refrigerant may pass through the expander (1273) and move to the evaporator (1274). The evaporator (1274) may exchange heat with the surrounding gas as the liquid refrigerant evaporates. As the liquid refrigerant evaporates by the evaporator (1274), it absorbs latent heat from the surroundings, thereby cooling the gas surrounding the evaporator (1274), thereby generating cold air. The generated cold air can be moved to the storage chamber (1220) through a passage provided between the outer case (e.g., the outer case (1212) of FIG. 12) and the inner case (e.g., the inner case (1211) of FIG. 12). The refrigerant vaporized in the evaporator (1274) can be moved back to the compressor (1271) and circulated.

[0268] In one example, the cooling supply device (1270) may include a thermoelectric element. The thermoelectric element may cool the storage compartment (1220) by generating heat and cooling through the Peltier effect.

[0269] In one example, although not specifically illustrated, the refrigerator (121) may include a machine room in which at least some components of a cold air supply device (1270) are arranged. The machine room may be configured to be partitioned and insulated from the storage room (1220) to prevent heat generated from the components arranged in the machine room from being transferred to the storage room (1220). The interior of the machine room may be configured to communicate with the exterior of the main body (1210) to dissipate heat from the components arranged inside the machine room.

[0270] According to one example, the refrigerator (121) may include a display unit (1280). In one example, the display unit (1280) may be installed on the door (1230). In one example, the display unit (1280) may display various setting data (e.g., desired storage compartment temperature, etc.) obtained from a user or an external source through the input unit (1240) and / or the communication unit (1250) or operation control information of the refrigerator (121). In one example, the display unit (1280) may display various sensing information obtained from the sensor unit (1260) (e.g., one or more temperature information measured by the temperature sensor (1261), the current operation status of the refrigerator (121), and / or various warning / error messages. The display unit (1280) may be one of various visual display means capable of displaying images, characters, numbers, etc., 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, and a plasma display panel (PDP), and is not limited to a specific type of display unit. In one example, the display unit (1280) may include a speaker and may provide each of the above-described information in the form of sound through the speaker.

[0271] According to an example, the refrigerator (121) may include a lighting unit (1290). The lighting unit (1290) may be installed in each storage compartment (1220) to illuminate the interior of the storage compartment (1220).

[0272] In one example, the refrigerator (121) may include a control unit (12100) that controls the overall operation of the refrigerator (121). The control unit (12100) may include a memory (12102) that stores programs and / or data for controlling each component of the refrigerator (121), and a processor (12101) that generates a control signal for controlling each component of the refrigerator (121), including a cold air supply device (1270), based on the programs and / or data stored in the memory (12102) and information obtained from each of the other components.

[0273] In one example, the processor (12101) of the control unit (12100) can receive various input / setting information, such as desired storage compartment temperature information, from the input unit (1240) and / or the communication unit (1250) described above. The processor (12101) can obtain detection information from the sensor unit (1260), such as one or more temperature information detected by the temperature sensor (1262), a detection signal detected by the distance sensor (1262), door open / close information detected by the proximity sensor (1263), and / or image information detected by the camera (1264). In one example, the control unit (12100) can receive image information obtained by the camera (1264) and obtain information about the state of the inside or outside of the storage compartment (1220) of the refrigerator (121) by analyzing the received image information.

[0274] In one example, the processor (12101) of the control unit (12100) may generate an operation control command for each component of the refrigerator (121) based on various information received from the input unit (1240), the communication unit (1250), and / or the sensor unit (1260). In one example, the processor (12101) may control the operation of the cold air supply device (1270), for example, the compressor (1271) and / or the expander (1273), to control the temperature inside the storage compartment (1220). In one example, the control unit (12100) may control the operation of each component of the cold air supply device (1270) using information about the temperature of each storage compartment (1220) received from the temperature sensor (1261). For example, when the temperature inside the storage room (1220) is higher than the preset temperature, the control unit (12100) can operate the compressor (1271) of the cold air supply device (1270) to lower the temperature of the storage room (1220). In one example, the processor (12101) can generate a command to control whether and how information is displayed through the display unit (1280). In one example, the processor (12101) can generate a command to control turning on the lighting unit (1290) of the opened storage room (1220) based on information about the opening of the door (1230) from the proximity sensor (1263). For example, the processor (12101) can generate a command to control the operating state of each of the input unit (1240), the communication unit (1250), the sensor unit (1260), and / or the lighting unit (1290) described above.

[0275] In this drawing, the control unit (12100) is disclosed as a single comprehensive configuration that controls all components included in the refrigerator (121), but this document is not limited thereto. In one example, the refrigerator (121) may be configured to include multiple control unit configurations that individually control some of the components of the refrigerator (121). In one example, the refrigerator (121) may include a separate control unit having a processor and a memory for controlling the operation of the cold air supply device (1270) according to the output of the temperature sensor (1261). In one example, the refrigerator (121) may include a separate control unit having a processor and a memory for controlling the operation of a user interface according to a user input. The processor (12101) of the control unit (12100) may include multiple processors, and the memory (12102) may include multiple memory devices.

[0276] FIG. 14 is a drawing illustrating a configuration of a home appliance according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0277] The home appliance (1400) of the embodiment of FIG. 14 may be, for example, an air conditioner (e.g., the air conditioner (10) of FIG. 1), a refrigerator (e.g., the refrigerator (121) of FIG. 12), or other home appliance (e.g., a washing machine, a dryer, a vacuum cleaner, etc.).

[0278] Referring to FIG. 14, the home appliance (1400) may include a memory (1410), at least one processor (1420), a power supply (1430), and / or a power protection circuit (1440). In one example, the home appliance (1400) may include additional components (e.g., an indoor heat exchanger, an indoor blower, etc.) other than the illustrated components, or may omit at least one of the illustrated components.

[0279] According to one embodiment, depending on the type of the home appliance (1400), at least some of the components disclosed in FIG. 14 may be omitted, or additional components may be included. For example, if the home appliance (1400) is an air conditioner, in addition to the components of FIG. 14, all or some of the components of FIGS. 1 and 2 (e.g., an indoor heat exchanger, an indoor blower, an air inlet, an air outlet, etc.) may be added. For example, if the home appliance (1400) is a refrigerator, in addition to the components of FIG. 14, all or some of the components of FIGS. 12 and 13 (e.g., an indoor heat exchanger, an indoor blower, an air inlet, an air outlet, etc.) may be added.

[0280] According to one embodiment, the memory (1410) may store various information or data related to the operation of the home appliance (1400). For example, the memory (1410) may include one or more storage media storing at least one instruction. For example, the memory (1410) may include instructions that, when individually or collectively executed by at least one processor (1420), cause the home appliance (1400) to perform at least one operation. According to one example, the memory (1410) may include instructions that, when individually or collectively executed by at least one processor (1430), cause the home appliance (1400) to perform at least one of the operations described in FIGS. 1 to 13.

[0281] According to one embodiment, at least one processor (1420) may be electrically or operatively connected to memory (1410), a power supply (1430), and / or a power protection circuit (1440). At least one processor (1420) may include processing circuitry that executes at least one instruction stored in the memory (1410).

[0282] According to one embodiment, 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 individually and / or collectively configured to perform various functions described in the present disclosure. In the present disclosure, when "a processor," "at least one processor," and "one or more processors" are described as being configured to perform numerous functions, these terms encompass, for example, but are not limited to, a situation where one processor performs some of the recited functions and other processor(s) perform other parts of the recited functions, and also encompass a situation where a single processor can perform all of the recited functions. Additionally, the at least one processor (1420) may include a combination of processors that perform the various recited / disclosed functions, for example, in a distributed manner. At least one processor (1420) can execute program instructions to accomplish or perform various functions.

[0283] According to one embodiment, at least one processor (1420) may include at least one of a central processing unit (CPU), a neural processing unit (NPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a micro processing unit (MPU), a micro controller unit (MCU), an application processor (AP), a communication processor (CP), a system on chip (SoC), or an integrated circuit (IC), a sensor hub, a supplementary processor, a communication processor, an application processor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and may have multiple cores.

[0284] According to one embodiment, the power supply (1430) may supply power or voltage to the components of the home appliance (1400). For example, the power supply (1430) may include an AC input (e.g., AC input (301) of FIGS. 4A, 5, and 9) that inputs AC voltage to the power protection circuit (1440).

[0285] According to one embodiment, the power protection circuit (1440) may be a circuit for supplying voltage normally using an auxiliary power supply in the event of a power failure. The power protection circuit (1440) may correspond to the control circuit (410) illustrated in FIGS. 4A, 5, and 9, include the control circuit (410), or be a circuit included in the control circuit (410). For example, the power protection circuit (1440) may include all or part of the components included in the control circuits (410, 510, and 910) illustrated in FIGS. 4A, 5, and 9.

[0286] According to one embodiment, in an air conditioner including an outdoor unit, the outdoor unit may include an electric expansion valve for controlling an amount of refrigerant and a control circuit for controlling the electric expansion valve.

[0287] According to one embodiment, the refrigerator may include an electronic expansion valve for controlling the amount of refrigerant and a control circuit for controlling the electronic expansion valve.

[0288] According to one embodiment, the control circuit may include: an AC-DC converter configured to generate a first voltage, which is a DC output voltage, using an AC input voltage; a regulator configured to generate a third voltage, which is a driving voltage of a processor, using a second voltage; an element disposed between the AC-DC converter and the regulator to separate the first voltage and the second voltage; an energy storage for storing electrical energy; a charging circuit connected to the AC-DC converter and configured to charge the energy storage using the first voltage; a DC-DC converter configured to generate a fifth voltage using a fourth voltage applied by the energy storage when enabled; a comparator configured to generate a first control signal for enabling or disabling the DC-DC converter according to a comparison result based on the first voltage and a reference comparison voltage; and the processor configured to generate a second control signal for controlling the electronic expansion valve.

[0289] According to one embodiment, the element disposed between the AC-DC converter and the regulator may be a first diode.

[0290] According to one embodiment, the comparator may compare a first distribution voltage obtained based on the first voltage with a second distribution voltage obtained based on the reference comparison voltage, generate a first control signal including a control signal for enabling the DC-DC converter when the first distribution voltage is lower than or equal to the second distribution voltage, and generate the first control signal including a control signal for disabling the DC-DC converter when the first distribution voltage exceeds the second distribution voltage, and transmit the first control signal to the electronic expansion valve.

[0291] According to one embodiment, the comparator may compare the first voltage with the reference comparison voltage, generate a first control signal including a control signal for enabling the DC-DC converter when the first voltage is less than or equal to the reference comparison voltage, and generate the first control signal including a control signal for disabling the DC-DC converter when the first voltage exceeds the reference comparison voltage, and transmit the first control signal to the electronic expansion valve.

[0292] According to one embodiment, when the first control signal including a control signal for enabling the DC-DC converter is received, the DC-DC converter is enabled and generates the fifth voltage higher than the fourth voltage based on the fourth voltage, and the fifth voltage can be applied to the regulator as the second voltage via a second diode connected to the DC-DC converter.

[0293] According to one embodiment, when the first control signal including a control signal for disabling the DC-DC converter is received, the DC-DC converter is disabled, and the first voltage can be applied to the regulator as the second voltage via the first diode.

[0294] According to one embodiment, the first control signal may correspond to an output voltage according to the comparison result of the comparator.

[0295] According to one embodiment, the DC-DC converter includes an integrated circuit including a plurality of pins and a switch, wherein the first control signal is applied to the integrated circuit through an enable pin among the plurality of pins, and the DC-DC converter can be enabled or disabled based on a voltage corresponding to the first control signal.

[0296] In one embodiment, the switch may be a power MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor).

[0297] According to one embodiment, the integrated circuit can be configured to regulate the output voltage using current mode and pulse width modulation (PWM) control.

[0298] According to one embodiment, the first divided voltage can be obtained by dividing the first voltage using a first resistor divider including a plurality of resistors, and the second divided voltage can be obtained by dividing the reference comparison voltage using a second resistor divider including a plurality of resistors.

[0299] According to one embodiment, the processor may detect the first voltage, determine whether the first voltage is lower than a threshold voltage for a specified period of time, identify that an AC power supplying the AC input voltage is in an abnormal state based on the determination that the first voltage is lower than the threshold voltage for the specified period of time, generate the second control signal including a control signal for closing the electric expansion valve, and transmit the second control signal to the electric expansion valve.

[0300] According to one embodiment, the anode terminal of the first diode may be connected to an output terminal of the AC-DC converter, and the cathode terminal of the first diode may be connected to an input terminal of the regulator.

[0301] In one embodiment, the energy storage device may include at least one supercapacitor.

[0302] In one embodiment, the regulator may be a fixed linear regulator that generates a fixed output voltage.

[0303] In one embodiment, the AC-DC converter may be a switching mode power supply.

[0304] The term "module" used in various embodiments of this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit. A module may be an integral component, or a minimum unit or part of such a component that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0305] According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., a module or a program) of the above-described components may include one or more entities, and some of the entities may be separated and placed in other components. According to various embodiments, one or more components or operations of the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (e.g., a module or a program) may be integrated into a single component. In such a case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component among the plurality of components prior to the integration. According to various embodiments, the operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

Claims

1. In an air conditioner including an outdoor unit, The above outdoor unit: An electric expansion valve for controlling the amount of refrigerant; and A control circuit for controlling the above electronic expansion valve is included, The above control circuit: An AC-DC converter configured to generate a first voltage, which is a direct current (DC) output voltage, using an AC (alternating current) input voltage; A regulator configured to generate a third voltage, which is a driving voltage of the processor, using the second voltage; An element disposed between the AC-DC converter and the regulator to separate the first voltage and the second voltage; Energy storage for storing electrical energy; A charging circuit connected to the AC-DC converter and configured to charge the energy storage using the first voltage; A DC-DC converter configured to generate a fifth voltage using a fourth voltage applied by the energy storage when enabled; A comparator configured to generate a first control signal for enabling or disabling the DC-DC converter based on a comparison result based on the first voltage and the reference comparison voltage; and An air conditioner comprising the processor configured to generate a second control signal for controlling the electronic expansion valve.

2. In paragraph 1, the comparator: Comparing a first distribution voltage obtained based on the first voltage and a second distribution voltage obtained based on the reference comparison voltage, When the first distribution voltage is lower than or equal to the second distribution voltage, the first control signal is generated, which includes a control signal for enabling the DC-DC converter; When the first distribution voltage exceeds the second distribution voltage, the first control signal is generated, which includes a control signal for disabling the DC-DC converter; An air conditioner that transmits the first control signal to the electronic expansion valve.

3. In paragraph 1 or 2, When the first control signal including a control signal for enabling the DC-DC converter is received, the DC-DC converter is enabled and generates the fifth voltage higher than the fourth voltage based on the fourth voltage, An air conditioner, wherein the fifth voltage is applied to the regulator as the second voltage through a second diode connected to the DC-DC converter.

4. In the third paragraph, the element disposed between the AC-DC converter and the regulator is a first diode, When the first control signal including a control signal for disabling the DC-DC converter is received, the DC-DC converter is disabled, An air conditioner, wherein the first voltage is applied to the regulator as the second voltage through the first diode.

5. In paragraph 4, An air conditioner, wherein the first control signal corresponds to an output voltage according to the comparison result of the comparator.

6. In paragraph 4, An air conditioner, wherein the DC-DC converter comprises an integrated circuit including a plurality of pins and a switch, the first control signal is applied to the integrated circuit through an enable pin among the plurality of pins, and the DC-DC converter is enabled or disabled based on a voltage corresponding to the first control signal.

7. In paragraph 6, The above switch is an air conditioner, which is a power MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor).

8. In paragraph 6, An air conditioner, wherein the above integrated circuit is configured to regulate the output voltage using current mode and pulse width modulation (PWM) control.

9. In paragraph 2, An air conditioner, wherein the first divided voltage is obtained by dividing the first voltage using a first resistor divider including a plurality of resistors, and the second divided voltage is obtained by dividing the reference comparison voltage using a second resistor divider including a plurality of resistors.

10. In paragraph 1, The above processor detects the first voltage, Determine whether the first voltage is lower than a threshold voltage for a specified period of time, An air conditioner, wherein the AC power supplying the AC input voltage is identified as being in an abnormal state based on determining that the first voltage is lower than a threshold voltage for a specified period of time, the air conditioner generates the second control signal including a control signal for closing the electric expansion valve, and transmits the second control signal to the electric expansion valve.

11. In the first paragraph, the element disposed between the AC-DC converter and the regulator is a first diode, An air conditioner, wherein the anode terminal of the first diode is connected to the output terminal of the AC-DC converter, and the cathode terminal of the first diode is connected to the input terminal of the regulator.

12. In paragraph 1, An air conditioner, wherein the energy storage device comprises at least one super capacitor.

13. In paragraph 1, An air conditioner, wherein the above regulator is a fixed linear regulator that generates a fixed output voltage.

14. In paragraph 1, The above AC-DC converter is a switching mode power supply, air conditioner.

15. In home appliances, An electronic expansion valve for controlling the amount of refrigerant; and A control circuit for controlling the above electronic expansion valve is included, The above control circuit: An AC-DC converter configured to generate a first voltage, which is a DC output voltage, using an AC input voltage; A regulator configured to generate a third voltage, which is a driving voltage of the processor, using the second voltage; A device disposed between the AC-DC converter and the regulator to separate the first voltage and the second voltage; Energy storage for storing electrical energy; A charging circuit connected to the AC-DC converter and configured to charge the energy storage using the first voltage; A DC-DC converter configured to generate a fifth voltage using the fourth voltage applied by the energy storage when enabled; A comparator configured to generate a first control signal for enabling or disabling the DC-DC converter based on a comparison result based on the first voltage and the reference comparison voltage; and A home appliance comprising a processor configured to generate a second control signal for controlling the electronic expansion valve.

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