Refrigerator, refrigerator system, learning device, and inference device

Abstract

This refrigerator has: a refrigerator body that has a storage chamber for accommodating an accommodated item; an in-chamber temperature sensor that detects the storage chamber temperature, which is the temperature of the air in the storage chamber; a cooling device that cools the storage chamber; and a control device that performs normal operation for maintaining the storage chamber temperature at a normal cooling temperature, and rapid cooling operation for temporarily lowering the storage chamber temperature to a lower temperature than at the time of the normal cooling temperature. During the rapid cooling operation, the control device performs first rapid cooling control for setting a first rapid cooling temperature that is lower than the normal cooling temperature, as a set temperature for the storage chamber temperature, and controlling the cooling device, and continues the first rapid cooling control if a first determined time period has elapsed since the start of the first rapid cooling control at the time when the storage chamber temperature has reached the first rapid cooling temperature, and ends the first rapid cooling control if the first determined time period has not elapsed since the start of the first rapid cooling control at the time when the storage chamber temperature has reached the first rapid cooling temperature, whereby a food item is cooled such that a user can easily process the food item.

Description

Refrigerator, Refrigerator System, Learning Device, and Inference Device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator and a refrigerator system that cool stored items, as well as a learning device and an inference device that learn and infer whether a stored item is taken out or not.

[0002] Conventionally, refrigerators that rapidly cool stored items such as food to facilitate processing such as cutting or grinding are known. For example, in Patent Document 1, the temperature of food stored in a storage compartment is approximately measured by a temperature sensor that measures the temperature in the storage compartment, and when a predetermined time has elapsed after the measured temperature of the food reaches a predetermined temperature, it is determined that the food has reached a state suitable for cutting. In the refrigerator of Patent Document 1, a predetermined time is set based on the type and weight of the food.

[0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2024-72267

[0004] Generally, when cooling food, the actual temperature of the food lags behind the temperature in the storage compartment and decreases. Also, the time required to cool the food to a certain temperature varies depending on factors such as the type and weight of the food to be cooled, as well as the total heat load in the refrigerator. Therefore, even if the food is rapidly cooled for a predetermined time based on the measurement result of a temperature sensor that measures the temperature in the storage compartment as in Patent Document 1, the food may not reach a state where it is easy to cut.

[0005] The present disclosure is to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a refrigerator and a refrigerator system that cool food so that a user can easily process the food, as well as a learning device and an inference device.

[0006] The refrigerator according to this disclosure comprises a refrigerator body having a storage compartment for storing items, an internal temperature sensor for detecting the storage compartment temperature, which is the temperature of the air inside the storage compartment, a cooling device for cooling the storage compartment, and a control device that performs normal operation to maintain the storage compartment temperature at the normal cooling temperature and rapid cooling operation to temporarily lower the storage compartment temperature to a temperature lower than the normal cooling temperature. The control device performs first rapid cooling control in rapid cooling operation, setting a first rapid cooling temperature lower than the normal cooling temperature as the set temperature for the storage compartment temperature and controlling the cooling device. If a first determination time has elapsed since the start of the first rapid cooling control when the storage compartment temperature reaches the first rapid cooling temperature, the first rapid cooling control is continued. If a first determination time has not elapsed since the start of the first rapid cooling control when the storage compartment temperature reaches the first rapid cooling temperature, the first rapid cooling control is terminated.

[0007] The refrigerator system according to this disclosure comprises a refrigerator and an alerting device, wherein the control device causes the alerting device to issue a first notification indicating that the first rapid cooling control has been completed when the storage chamber temperature reaches a first rapid cooling temperature or when a first notification time has elapsed after the start of the first rapid cooling control.

[0008] The learning device according to this disclosure includes a learning data acquisition unit that acquires door opening and closing information of a door provided in the storage compartment of a refrigerator, temperature information inside and outside the refrigerator, and a response regarding whether or not the stored items in the storage compartment have been removed when the door is opened or closed; and a learning unit that generates a learning model for inferring whether or not the stored items have been removed, based on the door opening and closing information, temperature information, and response, using the door opening and closing information and temperature information as input.

[0009] The inference device according to this disclosure comprises an inference data acquisition unit that acquires door opening / closing information of a door provided in the storage compartment of a refrigerator and temperature information inside and outside the refrigerator, and an inference unit that uses a learning model for inferring whether or not stored items have been taken out from the door opening / closing information and temperature information, and outputs whether or not stored items have been taken out from the door opening / closing information and temperature information.

[0010] According to the refrigerator and refrigerator system of this disclosure, if the storage chamber temperature reaches the first rapid cooling temperature and the first determination time has elapsed since the start of the first rapid cooling control, the first rapid cooling control is continued even after the first determination time has elapsed, thereby sufficiently cooling the food and allowing the user to easily process the food.

[0011] This is a front view of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1. This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1. This is a control block diagram of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1. This is a diagram for explaining the rapid cooling operation according to Embodiment 1. This is a diagram for explaining the rapid cooling operation according to Embodiment 1. This is a flowchart of the operation of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1. This is a diagram for explaining the rapid cooling operation according to a modified example of Embodiment 1. This is a diagram for explaining the rapid cooling operation according to Embodiment 2. This is a flowchart of the operation of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 2. This is a diagram for explaining the rapid cooling operation according to modified example 1 of Embodiment 2. This is a diagram for explaining the rapid cooling operation according to modified example 2 of Embodiment 2. This is a diagram for explaining the rapid cooling operation according to Embodiment 3. This is a diagram for explaining the rapid cooling operation according to Embodiment 4. This is a control block diagram of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 5. This is a control block diagram of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 6. This is a diagram for explaining the method for determining the internal load according to Embodiment 6. This is a diagram for explaining the method for setting the first determination time according to Embodiment 7. This is a diagram for explaining the method for setting the first rapid cooling time according to Embodiment 7. This is a diagram for explaining the method for setting the cooling capacity according to Embodiment 7. This is a control block diagram of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 8. This is a diagram for explaining the method for determining whether or not food has been removed according to Embodiment 8. This is a diagram illustrating the method for determining whether or not food has been removed according to Embodiment 8. This is a schematic configuration diagram showing a refrigerator system according to Embodiment 9. This is a control block diagram of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 9. This is a diagram illustrating the notification method according to Embodiment 9. This is a diagram illustrating the notification method according to Embodiment 9. This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 9. This is a control block diagram of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 10. This is a flowchart illustrating the method for learning the appropriate notification timing for the second notification according to Embodiment 10. This is a control block diagram of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 11. This is a flowchart illustrating the notification method for the second notification according to Embodiment 11. This is a control block diagram of a refrigerator according to Embodiment 12.

[0012] Embodiments of the refrigerator and refrigerator system described herein will be explained below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, components with the same reference numerals are the same or equivalent components, and this is consistent throughout the entire specification. In addition, other steps that can be performed between each step of the flowchart of this disclosure may be included. Note that the relative dimensions or shapes of the components in each drawing may differ from those of the actual components.

[0013] Embodiment 1. <Configuration of Refrigerator 1> Figure 1 is a front view of Refrigerator 1 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of Refrigerator 1 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 2 is a view of Refrigerator 1 shown in Figure 1 when it is cut along line segment A-A and viewed from the direction of the arrow. In the following description, terms indicating direction, such as "top," "bottom," "right," "left," "front," "front," "back," and "rear," will be used as appropriate to facilitate understanding, but these are for explanatory purposes only and do not limit the embodiments. In the embodiments, "top," "bottom," "right," "left," "front," "front," "back," and "rear" will be used to describe the refrigerator 1 when viewed from the front.

[0014] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the refrigerator 1 comprises a refrigerator body 101 with an open front and a storage space formed inside. The refrigerator body 101 has a steel outer box 102, a resin inner box 103, and an insulating material 104 filled in the space between the outer box 102 and the inner box 103. The storage space formed inside the refrigerator body 101 is divided into multiple storage compartments for storing food and other items by partition members that have an insulating function.

[0015] Refrigerator 1 comprises multiple storage compartments: a refrigerator compartment 11 located at the top; an ice-making compartment 12 and a switching compartment 13 located below the refrigerator compartment 11; a vegetable compartment 14 located below the ice-making compartment 12 and the switching compartment 13; and a freezer compartment 15 located at the bottom. The temperature of the refrigerator compartment 11 is set to, for example, 0°C to 6°C. The temperature of the ice-making compartment 12 is set to, for example, -18°C. The switching compartment 13 can be switched to multiple temperature zones according to user instructions. For example, the switching compartment 13 can be switched to temperature zones such as soft freezing (-10°C to -4°C, for example, -7°C), chilling (-3°C to 0°C, for example, about 0°C), refrigeration (for example, about 3°C), and vegetables (for example, about 6°C). The temperature of the vegetable compartment 14 is set to, for example, 6°C. The temperature of the freezer compartment 15 is set to, for example, -18°C. As will be explained in more detail later, refrigerator 1 can perform normal operation and rapid cooling operation in response to user instructions. The temperatures of each storage compartment described here are the set temperatures in normal operation (which may be referred to as "normal cooling temperatures" below).

[0016] The refrigerator 1 in this embodiment is a bottom-freezer type with a freezer compartment 15 formed at the bottom, but the arrangement of each storage compartment is not limited to the examples in Figures 1 and 2. For example, the refrigerator 1 may be a top-freezer type with a freezer compartment 15 formed at the top.

[0017] An opening formed on the front of the refrigerator compartment 11 is provided with a double-hinged refrigerator compartment door 110 that opens and closes the opening. The refrigerator compartment door 110 is attached to the refrigerator body 101 via a pair of hinges 105 provided on the front side of the ceiling of the refrigerator body 101. The ice maker compartment 12, the switching compartment 13, the vegetable compartment 14, and the freezer compartment 15 are configured to be opened and closed by a pull-out type ice maker compartment door 120, switching compartment door 130, vegetable compartment door 140, and freezer compartment door 150, respectively.

[0018] An operation display unit 106 is provided on the outer surface of the refrigerator door 110. The operation display unit 106 includes an operation unit 106a that receives operations from the user, and a display unit 106b that displays the temperature of each storage compartment, the operating mode of each storage compartment, and notifications to the user. The operation unit 106a has a plurality of operation buttons, and the user can set the temperature of each storage compartment and the operating mode of each storage compartment by operating the operation unit 106a. The display unit 106b is, for example, a liquid crystal display and displays the temperature of each storage compartment, the operating mode of each storage compartment, and notification messages to the user. The operation display unit 106 may also be configured as a touch panel in which the operation unit 106a is integrally formed on the display unit 106b.

[0019] A control device 50 is provided at the top of the refrigerator 1 to control each part of the refrigerator 1 and adjust the temperature of each storage compartment. The control device 50 is located at the top rear of the refrigerator body 101. The control device 50 consists of, for example, a processor such as a CPU, and a memory that stores instructions or data contained in the software executed by the processor and signals from various devices. The control device 50 may also be composed of hardware such as circuit devices that realize its functions.

[0020] Furthermore, on the rear side of each storage compartment of the refrigerator 1, there is a refrigerant circuit including a compressor 31, a condenser (not shown), a depressurizing device (not shown), and a cooler 33, which serves as a cooling device to supply cold air, and a blower 34 that propagates the cold air supplied from the refrigerant circuit to each storage compartment. The compressor 31 draws in low-pressure gaseous refrigerant, compresses it, and discharges it as high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, which is sent from the condenser to the cooler 33. The cooler 33 and the blower 34 are housed in a cooling chamber 16 located on the rear side of the vegetable compartment 14.

[0021] The cooler 33 is, for example, a fin-tube type heat exchanger. The cooler 33 functions as an evaporator, and generates cold air by cooling the air in the cooling chamber 16 with a refrigerant flowing inside. The blower 34 is installed at the outlet of the cooling chamber 16. The blower 34 is, for example, an axial fan, and sends the cold air generated by the cooler 33 to each storage chamber. The rotational speed of the blower 34 is controlled by the control device 50.

[0022] Furthermore, air passages 111, 131, 141, and 151 are provided on the rear side of each storage compartment to propagate the cold air generated by the cooler 33 to each storage compartment. The cold air supplied by the blower 34 is supplied to the refrigerator compartment 11 via air passage 111, to the switching compartment 13 via air passage 131, to the vegetable compartment 14 via air passage 141, and to the freezer compartment 15 via air passage 151. Although not shown in Figure 2, an air passage is also provided on the rear side of the ice-making compartment 12 to propagate the cold air generated by the cooler 33 to the ice-making compartment 12. The cold air supplied to each storage compartment is returned to the cooling compartment 16 via the return air passage. By circulating the cold air in this way, the temperature of each storage compartment is lowered to the target temperature.

[0023] The air passages 111, 131, and 141 are equipped with dampers 112, 132, and 142 to adjust the amount of cold air supplied to each storage compartment. When dampers 112, 132, and 142 are open, cold air is supplied to the refrigerator compartment 11, the switching compartment 13, and the vegetable compartment 14. When dampers 112, 132, and 142 are closed, the supply of cold air to the refrigerator compartment 11, the switching compartment 13, and the vegetable compartment 14 is stopped. The amount of cold air supplied to the refrigerator compartment 11, the switching compartment 13, and the vegetable compartment 14 is adjusted by adjusting the angle of dampers 112, 132, and 142. The opening ratio or angle of dampers 112, 132, and 142 is controlled by the control device 50. Although not shown in Figure 2, the air passage for the ice-making compartment 12 is also equipped with a damper to adjust the amount of cold air supplied to the ice-making compartment 12. No dampers are provided in the air passage 151 of the freezer compartment 15. In the following, when dampers 112, 132, and 142 are not distinguished, they may be referred to as damper 200. Damper 200 is one of the cooling devices that supplies cold air.

[0024] Each storage compartment is equipped with internal temperature sensors 113, 133, 143, and 153, respectively, for measuring the temperature of the air inside the storage compartment (storage compartment temperature). Although not shown in Figure 2, the ice-making compartment 12 is also equipped with an internal temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the ice-making compartment 12. Each temperature sensor is, for example, a thermistor. The temperature measured by each temperature sensor is transmitted to the control device 50. Note that the arrangement of internal temperature sensors 113 is not limited to the example in Figure 2. Hereafter, when internal temperature sensors 113, 133, 143, and 153 are not distinguished, they may be referred to as internal temperature sensor 300.

[0025] Furthermore, each storage compartment door is equipped with open / close sensors 114, 134, 144, and 154 to detect when the door is opened or closed by the user. Although not shown in Figure 2, the ice-making compartment 12 is also equipped with an open / close sensor to detect when the ice-making compartment door 120 is opened or closed. Each open / close sensor consists of an operating unit located on the back side of each door and a detection unit located on the front side of each storage compartment, i.e., near the operating unit. The detection unit is, for example, a reed switch or a magnetic sensor such as a low-voltage Hall IC that operates at 48V or less. The operating unit activates the detection unit when it is brought close to it, and is, for example, a magnet. Each open / close sensor may also be composed of a single unit, such as a push-button switch. Hereinafter, when open / close sensors 114, 134, 144, and 154 are not distinguished, they may be referred to as open / close sensor 400.

[0026] The detection results from each open / close sensor 400 (a signal corresponding to the door being open or a signal corresponding to the door being closed) are output to the control device 50. If the control device 50 detects that a door has been open for a long period of time (e.g., 5 minutes or more) from at least one of the open / close sensors 400, it can notify the user that the door is open via the operation display unit 106 or a speaker (not shown) using a diagram, text, LED illumination, or sound. Note that the open / close sensors 400 do not need to be installed on the doors of all storage rooms; they may be installed only in storage rooms where open / close detection is required.

[0027] <Operation of Refrigerator 1> Next, the operation of Refrigerator 1 will be explained. Refrigerator 1 in Embodiment 1 is capable of performing normal operation and rapid cooling operation as operating modes. Normal operation is the operation that maintains the temperature of the storage compartment at the normal cooling temperature. Normal operation is the default operating mode of Refrigerator 1, and Refrigerator 1 performs normal operation unless instructed to perform rapid cooling operation. Rapid cooling operation is the operation that temporarily lowers the temperature of the storage compartment set as the target at the time of factory shipment to a temperature lower than the normal cooling temperature. The purpose of rapid cooling operation is to rapidly cool food to facilitate processing such as cutting meat and fish, and crushing vegetables. In the following explanation, rapid cooling operation will be described using the freezer compartment 15 as an example, but rapid cooling operation may be performed on storage compartments other than the freezer compartment 15. Furthermore, it may be possible for the user to set the storage compartment to be targeted for rapid cooling operation.

[0028] Figure 3 is a control block diagram of a refrigerator 1 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 3, the control device 50 of the refrigerator 1 has a storage unit 51 and a cooling control unit 52. The cooling control unit 52 is a functional unit realized by the processor of the control device 50 executing a program stored in the storage unit 51. The cooling control unit 52 may be realized by a processing circuit such as an ASIC or FPGA.

[0029] The storage unit 51 is, for example, a non-volatile semiconductor memory such as ROM or flash memory, a volatile semiconductor memory such as RAM, or an HDD. The storage unit 51 stores the program executed by the control device 50 and the information used in the program. For example, the storage unit 51 stores setting information input via the operation display unit 106, as well as a program or threshold for performing rapid cooling operation. The storage unit 51 may be provided separately from the control device 50.

[0030] The cooling control unit 52 controls the temperature of each storage compartment based on the detection results of various sensors in the refrigerator 1 and the setting information input via the operation display unit 106. The cooling control unit 52 controls the compressor 31, the blower 34, and the damper 200 in accordance with normal operation and rapid cooling operation, respectively. Specifically, in normal operation, the cooling control unit 52 controls the rotation speed of the compressor 31, the rotation speed of the blower 34, and the opening and closing of the damper 200 so that the temperature measured by each internal temperature sensor 300 reaches the set temperature set via the operation display unit 106.

[0031] Furthermore, during rapid cooling operation, the cooling control unit 52 controls the rotation speed of the compressor 31 and the rotation speed of the blower 34 so that the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 (an example of the storage compartment temperature) temporarily drops below the normal cooling temperature. In other words, during rapid cooling operation, the cooling control unit 52 controls the rotation speed of the compressor 31 and the rotation speed of the blower 34 so that the temperature measured by the internal temperature sensor 153 of the freezer compartment 15 becomes a set temperature that is lower than the normal cooling temperature. If a damper 200 is provided in the air passage that supplies cold air to the storage compartment that is the target of rapid cooling operation, the cooling control unit 52 also controls the opening and closing of the damper 200. The refrigerator 1 of Embodiment 1 is characterized by its control during rapid cooling operation, while the control during normal operation is the same as that of a conventional refrigerator. For this reason, the rapid cooling operation will be described in detail below.

[0032] The cooling control unit 52 performs a first rapid cooling control and a second rapid cooling control during rapid cooling operation. In the first rapid cooling control, the cooling control unit 52 controls the cooling device with a first rapid cooling temperature set as the set temperature of the freezer chamber 15, which is lower than the normal cooling temperature of the freezer chamber 15. In the second rapid cooling control, the cooling control unit 52 controls the cooling device with a second rapid cooling temperature set as the set temperature of the freezer chamber 15, which is lower than the normal cooling temperature and higher than the first rapid cooling temperature. When the rapid cooling operation starts, the cooling control unit 52 performs the first rapid cooling control.

[0033] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the rapid cooling operation according to Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 4, if the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 does not drop to the first rapid cooling temperature within the time elapsed from the start of the first rapid cooling control to the time elapsed of the first determination time, the cooling control unit 52 continues the first rapid cooling control without performing the second rapid cooling control. The first rapid cooling control continues from the time the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 reaches the first rapid cooling temperature until the first rapid cooling time has elapsed. This is because, as shown in Figure 4, if the time it takes for the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 to drop to the first rapid cooling temperature exceeds the first determination time, the heat load on the freezer compartment 15 is large, and even if the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 reaches the first rapid cooling temperature, the temperature of the food may not have dropped sufficiently. Once the first rapid cooling time has elapsed, the cooling control unit 52 terminates the first rapid cooling control. As a result, the operating mode returns to normal operation.

[0034] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the rapid cooling operation according to Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 5, the cooling control unit 52 performs the second rapid cooling control if the temperature of the freezer chamber 15 drops to the first rapid cooling temperature between the start of the first rapid cooling control and the elapsed time of the first determination period. The second rapid cooling control is performed for the second rapid cooling time after the temperature of the freezer chamber 15 reaches the first rapid cooling temperature (i.e., after transitioning to the second rapid cooling control). After the second rapid cooling time has elapsed, the cooling control unit 52 terminates the second rapid cooling control. As a result, the operating mode returns to normal operation.

[0035] The first judgment time will now be explained. The time required for the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 to drop from the normal cooling temperature during normal operation to the first rapid cooling temperature is affected by the heat load of food and other items placed in the freezer compartment 15. When the operating conditions of the cooling device (rotation speed of the compressor 31 and blower 34, and opening degree of the damper 200) are the same, the greater the heat load of food and other items, the longer the time required to cool the freezer compartment to a certain temperature. The first judgment time is set as a guideline for determining whether or not to continue the first rapid cooling control. If the time it takes for the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 to drop to the first rapid cooling temperature in the first rapid cooling control exceeds the first judgment time, it is determined that the heat load of food and other items in the freezer compartment 15 is large. In this case, the first rapid cooling control is continued in order to cool the food to the target temperature. The first judgment time is determined by testing for each product structure (internal volume) and is stored in the memory unit 51 before the product is shipped. The first judgment time is determined based on at least one combination of the internal volume, temperature, and storage capacity (volume of food stored in the storage compartment) of the storage compartment, as well as the temperature, volume, material, density, and heat capacity of the food stored in the storage compartment. For example, in a test, if food at -15 to -20°C occupies 80 to 100% of the volume of the freezer compartment 15, the time required for the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 to drop from the normal cooling temperature to the first rapid cooling temperature is determined as the first judgment time. As an example, the first judgment time is approximately 15 to 90 minutes. The first judgment time may be a predetermined time as described above, or it may be set by the user after purchasing the product.

[0036] The first rapid cooling time will now be explained. The first rapid cooling time is, for example, the time obtained by subtracting the time taken from the start of the first rapid cooling control until the measurement of the first rapid cooling time begins (the time it takes for the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 to reach the first rapid cooling temperature) from the time deemed appropriate for the entire rapid cooling operation. The time deemed appropriate for the entire rapid cooling operation is determined in advance through testing or by the user's usage, and is stored in the memory unit 51 before the product is shipped. For example, it is desirable that the time required from the time the user instructs the start of the rapid cooling operation until the completion of the rapid cooling operation be a length that is acceptable to the user (for example, 1 to 3 hours). Alternatively, the first rapid cooling time may be determined based on the average cooking time in a typical household, the average travel time from a supermarket or other store, workplace, or school to home, etc. In this case, the first rapid cooling time is set to a length such that the first rapid cooling control is in operation when the user returns home after instructing the start of the rapid cooling operation at home and going out, for example, 1 to 3 hours. The first rapid cooling time may be predetermined in accordance with the above considerations and stored in the memory unit 51 before the product is shipped, or it may be set by the user after purchasing the product. Also, if the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 does not fall below the first rapid cooling temperature even after a predetermined waiting time has elapsed since the start of the first rapid cooling control, the first rapid cooling control may be executed for a predetermined minimum time (for example, 5 minutes to 1 hour) and then terminated without measuring the first rapid cooling time.

[0037] The second rapid cooling time will now be explained. The second rapid cooling time is, for example, the time obtained by subtracting the time taken until the second rapid cooling control starts (the time it takes for the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 to reach the first rapid cooling temperature) from the time deemed appropriate for the entire rapid cooling operation. The second rapid cooling time may also be determined based on the average cooking time in a typical household, the average travel time from a supermarket or other store, workplace, or school to home, etc. In this case, the second rapid cooling time is set to a length such that the second rapid cooling control is in progress when the user leaves home after instructing the rapid cooling operation to start, for example, 1 to 3 hours. The second rapid cooling time may be predetermined in accordance with the above considerations and stored in the memory unit 51 before the product is shipped, or it may be set by the user after purchasing the product. The second rapid cooling time and the first rapid cooling time may also be the same length.

[0038] The first and second rapid cooling temperatures will now be described. The first rapid cooling temperature is set to a temperature several degrees (for example, 1°C to 5°C) lower than the second cooling temperature in order to rapidly cool the freezer chamber 15 to the second rapid cooling temperature. The second rapid cooling temperature is set to the target temperature for cooling the food or a temperature near this target temperature, taking into account the difference that will occur between the temperature of the freezer chamber 15 and the temperature of the food. The target temperature when cooling food by rapid cooling operation can be any temperature between the normal cooling temperature and the first rapid cooling temperature, and may be higher than the second rapid cooling temperature. The target temperature for cooling food is, for example, a temperature suitable for processing such as cutting or crushing the food. The second rapid cooling temperature is set to, for example, -20°C or lower. In this case, the food will be at -20°C or lower, making it easy to portion the food while it is still frozen. The second rapid cooling temperature may also be below the freeze-concentrate glass transition temperature of the food. In this case, the food reaches its freeze-concentrate glass transition temperature, which turns the food into a glassy state, allowing for more stable portioning of the food while it remains frozen. Furthermore, the storage quality of the food is improved. The first and second rapid cooling temperatures are stored in the memory unit 51 before the product is shipped.

[0039] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the refrigerator according to Embodiment 1. The flowchart in Figure 6 is executed by the control device 50 of the refrigerator 1. When rapid cooling operation is started, the cooling control unit 52 performs first rapid cooling control (step S1). After the first rapid cooling control is performed, the cooling control unit 52 determines whether the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 has fallen below the first rapid cooling temperature (step S2). If the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 has not fallen below the first rapid cooling temperature (step S2: NO), the cooling control unit 52 waits until the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 falls below the first rapid cooling temperature. If the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 has fallen below the first rapid cooling temperature (step S2: YES), the cooling control unit 52 determines whether the first determination time has elapsed since the start of the first rapid cooling control at the point when the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 falls below the first rapid cooling temperature (step S3).

[0040] If the first determination time has not elapsed in step S3 (step S3: NO), the cooling control unit 52 terminates the first rapid cooling control (step S4) and starts the second rapid cooling control (step S5). After starting the second rapid cooling control, the cooling control unit 52 determines whether the second rapid cooling time has elapsed since the start of the second rapid cooling control (step S6). If the second rapid cooling time has not elapsed in step S6 (step S6: NO), the cooling control unit 52 continues the second rapid cooling control until the second rapid cooling time has elapsed. If the second rapid cooling time has elapsed in step S6 (step S6: YES), the cooling control unit 52 terminates the second cooling control (rapid cooling operation) and returns to normal operation.

[0041] If the first determination time elapses in step S3 (step S3: YES), the cooling control unit 52 continues the first rapid cooling control (step S7). The cooling control unit 52 determines whether the first rapid cooling time has elapsed since continuing the first rapid cooling control after the first determination time (step S8). If the first rapid cooling time has not elapsed in step S8 (step S8: NO), the cooling control unit 52 continues the first rapid cooling control until the first rapid cooling time has elapsed. If the first rapid cooling time has elapsed in step S8 (step S8: YES), the cooling control unit 52 terminates the first cooling control (rapid cooling operation) and returns to normal operation. Regarding the timing of the termination of the first rapid cooling control (step S4) and the start of the second rapid cooling control (step S5), the second rapid cooling control may be started after the termination of the first rapid cooling control, or the second rapid cooling control may be started simultaneously with the termination of the first rapid cooling control.

[0042] As described above, according to the refrigerator 1 of Embodiment 1, if the storage chamber temperature reaches the first rapid cooling temperature and the first determination time has elapsed since the start of the first rapid cooling control, the first rapid cooling control is continued even after the first determination time has elapsed. Therefore, even when the heat load on the storage chamber is high, the food can be sufficiently cooled, allowing the user to easily process the food.

[0043] In particular, if the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 has not dropped to the first rapid cooling temperature even after the first judgment time has elapsed, it is likely that the storage compartment will not cool down easily, and there will be a large discrepancy between the storage compartment temperature and the food temperature. In this case, even if the storage compartment temperature reaches the first rapid cooling temperature, the food temperature may not have dropped to the target temperature immediately afterward. According to Embodiment 1, the first rapid cooling control is continued from the time the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 reaches the first rapid cooling temperature until the first rapid cooling time has elapsed, so even if there is a temperature difference between the storage compartment temperature and the food temperature, the food can be cooled to the target temperature.

[0044] Moreover, according to the refrigerator 1 of Embodiment 1, control is performed based on the temperature of the storage compartment instead of the surface temperature of the food. Therefore, even when the heat load of the storage compartment is large, an inexpensive in-compartment temperature sensor 300 for measuring the temperature of the storage compartment can achieve the purpose of sufficiently cooling the food and enabling the user to easily process the food without using a temperature sensor for food.

[0045] Moreover, according to the refrigerator 1 of Embodiment 1, when the temperature of the storage compartment reaches the first rapid cooling temperature within the first determination time after the start of the first rapid cooling control, the second rapid cooling control is executed. Therefore, the refrigerator 1 of Embodiment 1 can suppress the food from being excessively cooled and the energy saving performance from deteriorating.

[0046] (Modification Example of Embodiment 1) FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a rapid cooling operation according to a modification example of Embodiment 1. As shown in FIG. 7, the cooling control unit 52 may continue the second rapid cooling control for a second rapid cooling time after the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 reaches the second rapid cooling temperature during the second rapid cooling control. In this case, the measurement of the second rapid cooling time is started after the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 reaches the second rapid cooling temperature. Note that the cooling device may be controlled so that the change in the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 from the start of the second rapid cooling control until the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 reaches the second rapid cooling temperature becomes gentle.

[0047] Generally, when there is less food in the storage compartment, the temperature change is large. Therefore, when there is less food in the storage compartment, in the second rapid cooling control in Embodiment 1, the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 and the temperature of the food hunt around the second rapid cooling temperature and the target temperature for cooling the food, and may not stabilize at the second rapid cooling temperature. According to a modification of Embodiment 1, in the second rapid cooling control, since the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 reaches the second rapid cooling temperature and then continues for the second rapid cooling time, the food can be stored for the second rapid cooling time in a state of being stabilized at the target temperature. Note that in a general household storage compartment, there are many cases where there is a certain amount of food, and the time until the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 reaches the second rapid cooling temperature tends to be relatively long. In the modification of Embodiment 1, since the measurement of the second rapid cooling time is waited until the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 reaches the second rapid cooling temperature, the time required for the second rapid cooling control becomes long. In this regard, in the second rapid cooling control of Embodiment 1, since it is performed only for the second rapid cooling time after transitioning to the second rapid cooling control, the control time does not prolong, and the energy saving property is high.

[0048] Embodiment 2. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the rapid cooling operation according to Embodiment 2. As shown in FIG. 8, according to Embodiment 2, when the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 does not become equal to or lower than the first rapid cooling temperature before the elapse of the first determination time after starting the first rapid cooling control, it is different from Embodiment 1 in that the third rapid cooling control is executed. Other configurations of the refrigerator 1 in Embodiment 2 are the same as those in Embodiment 1.

[0049] When the cooling control unit 52 continues the first rapid cooling control after the elapse of the first determination time, the cooling control unit 52 performs the third rapid cooling control after the elapse of the second determination time after the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 reaches the first rapid cooling temperature. In the third rapid cooling control, the cooling control unit 52 controls the cooling device with a third rapid cooling temperature that is lower than the normal cooling temperature and higher than the first rapid cooling temperature as the set temperature.

[0050] As shown in Figure 8, if the temperature of the freezer chamber 15 does not drop to the first rapid cooling temperature within the time elapsed from the start of the first rapid cooling control, the cooling control unit 52 continues the first rapid cooling control without performing the second rapid cooling control. Then, when the temperature of the freezer chamber 15 reaches the first rapid cooling temperature and the second time elapses, the cooling control unit 52 starts the third rapid cooling control. After the third rapid cooling time has elapsed, the cooling control unit 52 terminates the third rapid cooling control. As a result, the operating mode returns to normal operation.

[0051] The total time of the second determination time and the third rapid cooling time is determined from the same perspective as the first rapid cooling time described in Embodiment 1. In other words, Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 have the same length of time for the rapid cooling operation to be performed after the temperature of the freezer chamber 15 falls below the first rapid cooling temperature. The third rapid cooling time may be stored in the storage unit 51 before the product is shipped, or it may be set by the user after purchasing the product. The third rapid cooling temperature is the same temperature as the second rapid cooling temperature described in Embodiment 1. The third rapid cooling temperature is stored in the storage unit 51 before the product is shipped.

[0052] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the refrigerator 1 according to Embodiment 2. The flowchart in Figure 9 is executed by the control device 50 of the refrigerator 1. The processes from steps S1 to S7 are the same as the flowchart according to Embodiment 1 shown in Figure 6, so their explanation is omitted. If the first rapid cooling control continues after the first determination time (step S7), the cooling control unit 52 determines whether the second determination time has elapsed since the continuation of the first rapid cooling control (step S9). If the second determination time has not elapsed (step S9: NO), the cooling control unit 52 continues the first rapid cooling control until the second determination time has elapsed. If the second determination time has elapsed (step S9: YES), the cooling control unit 52 terminates the first cooling control and starts the third rapid cooling control (step S10).

[0053] The cooling control unit 52 determines whether the third rapid cooling time has elapsed since the start of the third rapid cooling control (step S11). If the third rapid cooling time has not elapsed (step S11: NO), the cooling control unit 52 continues the third rapid cooling control until the third rapid cooling time has elapsed. If the third rapid cooling time has elapsed (step S11: YES), the cooling control unit 52 terminates the third rapid cooling time (rapid cooling operation) and returns to normal operation.

[0054] According to Embodiment 2, even if the first rapid cooling control is continued after the first determination time has elapsed, the third rapid cooling control is performed to sufficiently cool the food while suppressing excessive cooling. Therefore, a decrease in energy-saving performance can be suppressed.

[0055] Furthermore, the criteria for determining whether to proceed to the third rapid cooling period may be set not by the elapsed second determination period, but by the extended cooling time from the elapsed first determination period until the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 falls below the first rapid cooling temperature, which may be set to a predetermined length of time or longer. Alternatively, the criteria for determining whether to proceed to the third rapid cooling period may be a combination of the elapsed second determination period and the extended cooling time being a predetermined length or longer.

[0056] (Modification 1 of Embodiment 2) Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating the rapid cooling operation according to Modification 1 of Embodiment 2. As shown in Figure 10, the cooling control unit 52 may perform the third rapid cooling control so that it continues for the third rapid cooling time after the temperature of the freezer chamber 15 reaches the third rapid cooling temperature during the third rapid cooling control. In this case, the measurement of the third rapid cooling time starts after the temperature of the freezer chamber 15 reaches the third rapid cooling temperature. As explained in the modification of Embodiment 1, when there is little food in the storage chamber, in the third rapid cooling control of Embodiment 2, the temperature of the freezer chamber 15 and the temperature of the food may hunt around the third rapid cooling temperature and the target temperature for cooling the food, and may not stabilize at the second rapid cooling temperature. According to Modification 1 of Embodiment 2, since the third rapid cooling control is performed for the third rapid cooling time after the temperature of the freezer chamber 15 reaches the third rapid cooling temperature during the third rapid cooling control, the food can be stored for the third rapid cooling time in a state where it is stable at the target temperature.

[0057] (Modification 2 of Embodiment 2) Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating the rapid cooling operation according to Modification 2 of Embodiment 2. As shown in Figure 11, the cooling control unit 52 may, in the third rapid cooling control, set a plurality of temperatures lower than the third rapid cooling temperature and higher than the first rapid cooling temperature as set temperatures, and then set the third rapid cooling temperature as the set temperature. In other words, in the third rapid cooling control, the set temperatures may be set in stages. When setting a plurality of temperatures lower than the third rapid cooling temperature and higher than the first rapid cooling temperature as set temperatures in the third rapid cooling control, each set temperature and the time set for each set temperature are set so that the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 and the temperature of the food do not fluctuate rapidly. The time for which the third rapid cooling time is set to the set temperature is the third rapid cooling time.

[0058] According to Modification 2 of Embodiment 2, even if the food temperature is near the second rapid cooling temperature when the first rapid cooling control is completed, the temperature can be gradually increased without exceeding the third rapid cooling temperature. Therefore, abrupt temperature changes between the first and third rapid cooling control can be suppressed, and the quality of the food can be maintained.

[0059] Embodiment 3. Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating the rapid cooling operation according to Embodiment 3. As shown in Figure 12, Embodiment 3 differs from Embodiment 1 in that, when the first rapid cooling control is continued after the first determination time has elapsed, the cooling capacity of the cooling device is increased compared to before the first determination time has elapsed. The other configurations of the refrigerator 1 in Embodiment 3 are the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0060] The cooling capacity of the cooling system can be enhanced by the following control methods, for example, increasing the rotational speed of the blower 34 to send more cold air to the freezer 15, or increasing the rotational speed of the compressor 31 to lower the temperature of the cold air. In addition, if a damper 200 is provided in the air passage that supplies air to the storage room subject to rapid cooling, the cooling capacity of the cooling system can also be enhanced by opening the damper 200 to send more air to the storage room.

[0061] According to Embodiment 3, the freezer compartment 15 is cooled in a shorter time. Therefore, when the first rapid cooling time is set to a constant time, the total time required for the cooling operation can be shortened, improving energy-saving performance. Furthermore, even when the cooling operation time is set to a constant time, the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 can be quickly lowered to the first rapid cooling temperature, and the first rapid cooling time can be extended, thereby more reliably cooling the food to the target temperature.

[0062] Embodiment 4. Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating the rapid cooling operation according to Embodiment 4. As shown in Figure 13, Embodiment 4 differs from Embodiment 1 in that the operation of the cooling device is gradually intensified within the first determination time. The other configurations of the refrigerator 1 in Embodiment 4 are the same as those in Embodiment 1.

[0063] The cooling control unit 52 gradually increases the cooling capacity of the cooling device each time an adjustment time has elapsed until the first determination time has elapsed. In the example shown in Figure 13, the cooling capacity of the cooling device is increased when the first adjustment time has elapsed after the first rapid cooling control has been initiated, when the second adjustment time has elapsed after the first adjustment time, and when the third adjustment time has elapsed after the second adjustment time. The number of stages in which the cooling capacity of the cooling device is increased is not particularly limited. Furthermore, the first adjustment time, the second adjustment time, and the third adjustment time may each be the same length, or the adjustment time may be shortened as the time elapsed since the start of the first rapid cooling control has increased.

[0064] According to Embodiment 4, by gradually increasing the cooling capacity of the cooling device, it is possible to suppress the rapid cooling of the freezer compartment 15 and improve energy-saving performance.

[0065] Embodiment 5. Figure 14 is a control block diagram of the refrigerator 1 according to Embodiment 5. As shown in Figure 14, Embodiment 5 differs from Embodiment 1 in that it has a food information acquisition device 450 that acquires information about the food stored in the freezer compartment 15. The other configurations of the refrigerator 1 in Embodiment 5 are the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0066] Refrigerator 1 has a food information acquisition device 450 that acquires information about food stored in the storage compartment that is subject to rapid cooling operation. The food information acquisition device 450 is either or both of the following: a photographing device equipped with a photographing unit such as a camera that photographs the food in the freezer compartment 15 and an analysis unit such as a processor that analyzes the captured images, and a weighing scale that measures the weight of the food in the freezer compartment 15. Alternatively, the user may directly input information about the food from the operation display unit 106. In this case, the operation display unit 106 functions as the food information acquisition device 450. When the user directly inputs information about the food from the operation display unit 106, the food in question may already be stored in the storage compartment, or it may be stored before the user instructs the start of the rapid cooling operation. The food information acquired by the food information acquisition device 450 is one or more pieces of information such as the type of food, quantity, volume, shelf life, and recipe. If the food is detachable, the size of one piece may be acquired as the volume of the food. Alternatively, the size of the storage bag containing the food (one or more of the width, height, and thickness) may be used to determine the volume of the food.

[0067] The control device 50 has a food information acquisition unit 53. The food information acquisition unit 53 is a functional unit realized by the processor of the control device 50 executing a program stored in the storage unit 51. The food information acquisition unit 53 may be realized by a processing circuit such as an ASIC or FPGA. The food information acquisition unit 53 acquires food information acquired by the food information acquisition device 450 and transmits it to the cooling control unit 52.

[0068] The cooling control unit 52 sets one or more of the following based on the food information acquired by the food information acquisition unit 53: the first determination time, the first rapid cooling time, and the operation details of the cooling device. For example, the storage unit 51 may be pre-stored in association with one or more pieces of information such as the type, quantity, and volume of food, and one or more pieces of information such as the first determination time, the first rapid cooling time, and the operation details of the cooling device, and the first determination time, the first rapid cooling time, and the operation details of the cooling device may be set to correspond to the acquired food information. Alternatively, the storage unit 51 may be stored only representative information, and the cooling control unit 52 may set one or more of the first determination time, the first rapid cooling time, and the operation details of the cooling device based on the information stored in the storage unit 51 that is closest to the acquired information. The food information stored in the storage unit 51 is configured such that the operation details are set so that the longer the time required to cool the food, the shorter the first determination time, the longer the first rapid cooling time, and the stronger the cooling capacity of the cooling device. For example, the larger the quantity of food, the longer the time required to cool the food. Therefore, the first judgment time is set to be short, the first rapid cooling time to be long, and the cooling capacity of the cooling device to be strong. Similarly, the larger the size of a single piece of food or the size of the storage bag, the longer the time required to cool the food. Therefore, the first judgment time is set to be short, the first rapid cooling time to be long, and the cooling capacity of the cooling device to be strong. Furthermore, the timing of when the food will be used for cooking may be estimated from the storage period and recipe, and the first judgment time, the first rapid cooling time, or the operation of the cooling device may be adjusted so that the estimated timing arrives during the rapid cooling operation of the food.

[0069] According to Embodiment 5, by setting the first judgment time, the first cooling time, or the operation of the cooling device based on the information of the food, it is possible to suppress the time required for cooling from becoming excessively long and to proceed with the cooling operation efficiently.

[0070] Furthermore, the second rapid cooling temperature may be set based on information such as the type, quantity, and volume of the acquired food. For example, the storage unit 51 may be pre-stored with information such as the type, quantity, and volume of the food and a second rapid cooling temperature suitable for portioning the food, and the second rapid cooling temperature corresponding to the acquired information such as the type, quantity, and volume of the food may be set. In this way, by setting the second rapid cooling temperature according to the food, it becomes unnecessary to lower the second rapid cooling temperature more than necessary. Therefore, it is possible to maintain the ease of processing the food while suppressing a decrease in energy-saving performance.

[0071] Embodiment 6. Figure 15 is a control block diagram of the refrigerator 1 according to Embodiment 6. As shown in Figure 15, Embodiment 6 differs from Embodiment 1 in that it has a load determination unit 54 that estimates the load amount, and sets the operation of the cooling device based on the estimation result. The other configurations of the refrigerator 1 in Embodiment 6 are the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0072] The control device 50 has a load determination unit 54. The load determination unit 54 is a functional unit realized by the processor of the control device 50 executing a program stored in the storage unit 51. The load determination unit 54 may be realized by a processing circuit such as an ASIC or FPGA. Figure 16 is a diagram illustrating the method for determining the load inside the refrigerator according to Embodiment 6. The load determination unit 54 estimates the load amount of the food inside the refrigerator from the temperature change during the first rapid cooling control. The load determination unit 54 estimates that the larger the slope of the temperature decrease, the smaller the load amount. In Figure 16, since the slope of the temperature decrease shown in (A) is larger than the slope of the temperature decrease shown in (B), it is determined that the load amount in the rapid cooling operation in which the temperature decrease in (A) occurred is smaller than in the rapid cooling operation in which the temperature decrease in (B) occurred. The load determination unit 54 transmits the estimated food load amount to the cooling control unit 52.

[0073] When the cooling control unit 52 receives the estimated food load from the load determination unit 54, it changes the operation of the cooling device during the rapid cooling operation after receiving the load, based on the load estimated by the load determination unit 54. Specifically, the cooling control unit 52 changes the operation of the cooling device so that the cooling capacity becomes weaker as the load is smaller, and so that the cooling capacity becomes stronger as the load is larger.

[0074] According to Embodiment 6, the cooling capacity of the cooling device is adjusted according to the load. Therefore, when the load is large, the cooling capacity is increased to suppress delays in food cooling and improve user convenience. When the load is small, the cooling capacity is reduced to prevent excessive cooling and improve energy saving performance. In addition, by determining the load during the first rapid cooling control, the cooling capacity can be adjusted early.

[0075] The cooling control unit 52 may also set one or more of the first determination time and the first rapid cooling time based on the estimated load. For example, the cooling control unit 52 sets the first determination time shorter and the first rapid cooling time longer as the load increases.

[0076] Embodiment 7. Embodiment 7 differs from Embodiment 1 in that it sets one or more of the following based on the detection result of the opening / closing sensor 400: the first determination time, the first rapid cooling time, and the operation content of the cooling device. The other configurations of the refrigerator 1 in Embodiment 7 are the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0077] The cooling control unit 52 analyzes the detection results of the opening / closing sensor 400 to obtain, for example, the time the door was last open in the freezer compartment 15, and the elapsed time from when the door was last closed until the first rapid cooling control was started.

[0078] If the door was open for a relatively long time, and the time elapsed from when the door was last closed until the first rapid cooling control was started is relatively short, it can be inferred that the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 and the food has risen. Therefore, in such cases, the time from when the first rapid cooling control is started until the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 reaches the first rapid cooling temperature, and the time until the food is cooled, can be said to be relatively long. On the other hand, if the door was open for a relatively short time, and the time elapsed from when the door was last closed until the first rapid cooling control was started is relatively long, the temperature rise of the freezer compartment 15 and the food is small, and it can be inferred that the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 and the food is close to the normal cooling temperature, which is the set temperature during normal operation. Therefore, in such cases, the time from when the first rapid cooling control is started until the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 reaches the first rapid cooling temperature, and the time until the food is cooled, can be said to be relatively short.

[0079] The cooling control unit 52 sets one or more of the following based on the door opening time and elapsed time, in accordance with the above viewpoint: the first determination time, the first rapid cooling time, and the operation content of the cooling device. Figure 17 is a diagram illustrating the method for setting the first determination time according to Embodiment 7. As shown in Figure 17, if the door opening time is longer than the standard, the cooling control unit 52 shifts the first determination time to be shorter than the standard, and if the door opening time is shorter than the standard, it shifts the first determination time to be longer than the standard. Also, if the elapsed time is longer than the standard, it shifts the first determination time to be longer than the standard, and if the elapsed time is shorter than the standard, it shifts the first determination time to be shorter than the standard. The cooling control unit 52 sets a larger amount to shift the first determination time the further the door opening time and elapsed time are from the standard, and sets the final first determination time by combining the shift amount due to the door opening time and the shift amount due to the elapsed time. By shortening the first judgment time compared to the standard, it becomes easier to continue the first rapid cooling control, which controls the freezer compartment 15 to a lower temperature than the second rapid cooling control, thereby lowering the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 to below the first rapid cooling temperature and cooling the food to the target temperature. By lengthening the first judgment time, it becomes easier to transition to the second rapid cooling control, thereby suppressing excessive cooling.

[0080] Figure 18 is a diagram illustrating the method for setting the first rapid cooling time according to Embodiment 7. As shown in Figure 18, the cooling control unit 52 shifts the first rapid cooling time to be longer than the standard if the door open time is longer than the standard, and shifts the first rapid cooling time to be shorter than the standard if the door open time is shorter than the standard. Also, if the elapsed time is longer than the standard, it shifts the first rapid cooling time to be shorter than the standard, and if the elapsed time is shorter than the standard, it shifts the first rapid cooling time to be longer than the standard. The cooling control unit 52 sets a larger amount to shift the first rapid cooling time as the door open time and elapsed time deviate further from the standard, and sets the final first rapid cooling time by combining the shift amount due to the door open time and the shift amount due to the elapsed time. By making the first rapid cooling time longer, the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 can be lowered to below the first rapid cooling temperature, and the temperature of the food can be cooled to the target temperature. By making the first rapid cooling time shorter than the standard, it is possible to return to normal operation earlier and suppress excessive cooling.

[0081] Figure 19 is a diagram illustrating the method for setting the cooling capacity according to Embodiment 7. As shown in Figure 19, the cooling control unit 52 shifts the cooling capacity to be stronger than the standard when the door open time is longer than the standard, and shifts the cooling capacity to be weaker than the standard when the door open time is shorter than the standard. Also, when the elapsed time is longer than the standard, it shifts the cooling capacity to be weaker than the standard, and when the elapsed time is shorter than the standard, it shifts the cooling capacity to be stronger than the standard. The cooling control unit 52 sets the amount by which the cooling capacity is shifted to be larger the further the door open time and elapsed time deviate from the standard, and sets the final cooling capacity by combining the shift amount due to the door open time and the shift amount due to the elapsed time. The cooling control unit 52 then sets the operation content of the cooling device to an operation content that has the set cooling capacity. By increasing the cooling capacity, the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 can be lowered to below the first rapid cooling temperature, and the temperature of the food can be cooled to the target temperature. By decreasing the cooling capacity, excessive cooling can be suppressed.

[0082] Furthermore, the cooling control unit 52 may set only predetermined values ​​among the first determination time, first rapid cooling time, and cooling capacity based on the door open time and elapsed time. In addition, in order to shorten the time required for rapid cooling operation as much as possible, priority may be given to shortening the first rapid cooling time or increasing the cooling capacity.

[0083] According to Embodiment 7, one or more of the first determination time, the first rapid cooling time, and the operation of the cooling device are adjusted based on the door opening time and the elapsed time. Therefore, even if the temperature of the storage chamber and food is high when the rapid cooling operation is started, the temperature of the food can be cooled to the target temperature. In addition, if the temperature of the storage chamber and food is low, excessive cooling can be avoided, thereby improving energy saving performance.

[0084] In addition to the door open time and elapsed time, the number of times the door was opened and closed within a predetermined time (for example, 1 hour) before the start of the first rapid cooling control, and the cumulative open time within a predetermined time (for example, 1 hour) before the start of the first rapid cooling control may also be used. If the number of times the door was opened and closed is greater than the standard, and if the cumulative open time is longer than the standard, it can be inferred that the temperature of the storage room and the food has risen. Therefore, in such cases, the cooling control unit 52 shifts the first determination time to be shorter than the standard, shifts the first rapid cooling time to be longer than the standard, and shifts the cooling capacity to be stronger than the standard. On the other hand, if the number of times the door was opened and closed is less than the standard, and if the cumulative open time is shorter than the standard, it can be inferred that the temperature rise of the storage room and the food has been small. Therefore, in such cases, the cooling control unit 52 shifts the first determination time to be longer than the standard, shifts the first rapid cooling time to be shorter than the standard, and shifts the cooling capacity to be weaker than the standard.

[0085] Furthermore, the cooling control unit 52 may include the temperature of the room in which the refrigerator 1 is installed (outside temperature) as an element for setting the first determination time, the first rapid cooling time, and the operation of the cooling device. The outside temperature is obtained from an outside temperature sensor installed outside the refrigerator 1. If the outside temperature is higher than the standard, the cooling control unit 52 shifts the first determination time to be shorter than the standard, shifts the first rapid cooling time to be longer than the standard, and shifts the cooling capacity to be stronger than the standard.

[0086] The cooling control unit 52 also references the number of times the door is opened and closed, the cumulative total open time, and the outside temperature, in addition to the open time and elapsed time. When these elements deviate significantly from the standard, the unit sets a larger amount to shift the first judgment time, the first rapid cooling time, and the cooling capacity from the standard. The unit then takes these shift amounts from the specified elements together to set the final first judgment time, first rapid cooling time, and cooling capacity. The elements used to set the first judgment time, first rapid cooling time, and cooling capacity may be specified before factory shipment or may be specified by the user.

[0087] Embodiment 8. Figure 20 is a control block diagram of the refrigerator 1 according to Embodiment 8. As shown in Figure 20, Embodiment 8 differs from Embodiment 1 in that it has a removal determination unit 55 that estimates whether or not food has been removed, and controls the operation of the cooling device based on the estimation result. The other configurations of the refrigerator 1 in Embodiment 6 are the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0088] The control device 50 has a removal determination unit 55. The removal determination unit 55 is a functional unit realized by the processor of the control device 50 executing a program stored in the storage unit 51. The removal determination unit 55 may also be realized by a processing circuit such as an ASIC or FPGA. The removal determination unit 55 determines whether or not food has been removed when the door of the storage chamber that is subject to cooling operation is opened and closed.

[0089] Figures 21 and 22 are diagrams illustrating the method for determining whether or not food has been removed according to Embodiment 8. Figure 21 shows the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 when the freezer door 150 is opened and closed but no food has been removed. Figure 22 shows the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 when the freezer door 150 is opened and closed but food has been removed. When no food has been removed, as shown in Figure 21, the slope of temperature decrease in the freezer compartment 15 before and after opening and closing the freezer door 150 is almost the same. On the other hand, when food has been removed, as shown in Figure 22, the slope of temperature decrease in the freezer compartment 15 after opening and closing the freezer door 150 is steeper than the slope of temperature decrease in the freezer compartment 15 before opening and closing the freezer door 150. This is because the heat load inside the freezer compartment 15 decreases when the food is removed.

[0090] In accordance with the above-mentioned perspective, the retrieval determination unit 55 detects that the freezer door 150 has been opened and closed based on the detection results of the opening / closing sensor 400, and determines whether or not food has been retrieved from the change in the temperature drop before and after opening and closing. Specifically, if the change in the temperature drop before and after opening and closing the freezer door 150 is greater than or equal to a predetermined value or percentage, the retrieval determination unit 55 determines that food has been retrieved as a result of opening and closing the freezer door 150. Also, if the change in the temperature drop before and after opening and closing the freezer door 150 is less than a predetermined value or percentage, the retrieval determination unit 55 determines that although the freezer door 150 has been opened and closed, no food has been retrieved. The retrieval determination unit 55 transmits to the cooling control unit 52 the fact that the freezer door 150 has been opened and closed, and the result of the determination of whether or not food has been retrieved.

[0091] If the removal determination unit 55 determines that no food has been removed, the cooling control unit 52 increases the cooling capacity of the cooling device compared to before the freezer door 150 was opened and closed. Alternatively, the first determination time may be extended. This is because opening and closing the freezer door 150 causes the temperature of the freezer 15 to rise, delaying the cooling of the food. If the removal determination unit 55 determines that food has been removed, the cooling control unit 52 terminates the rapid cooling operation because the food has been removed.

[0092] According to Embodiment 8, the rapid cooling operation is terminated when the food is removed, thereby suppressing unnecessary energy consumption.

[0093] Furthermore, to determine whether food has been removed, an infrared sensor that detects the reflection of infrared light irradiated onto the food, a weighing scale that measures the weight of the food, or a camera that photographs the food inside the storage compartment may be used. In this case, it is possible to determine with high accuracy whether food has been removed or not. However, even without these devices, it is possible to determine with sufficient accuracy whether food has been removed or not by observing the change in the slope of temperature decrease before and after opening and closing the freezer door 150, thereby suppressing an increase in the cost of the refrigerator 1.

[0094] Embodiment 9. Figure 23 is a schematic diagram showing a refrigerator system 100 according to Embodiment 9. As shown in Figure 23, the refrigerator system 100 comprises a refrigerator 1 and a terminal device 2. The refrigerator 1 and the terminal device 2 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via a network NW such as the Internet or a home LAN.

[0095] The refrigerator 1 of Embodiment 9 is equipped with a communication device 40. The communication device 40 is, for example, located on the front side inside the refrigerator compartment door 110 and is electrically connected to the operation display unit 106 by wiring. Alternatively, the communication device 40 may be provided on the back side of the ceiling surface of the outer casing 102, or inside the hinge 105, or it may be attached to the outer casing 102 from the outside as a separate part. Alternatively, the communication device 40 may be provided integrally with the control device 50. The communication device 40 communicates wirelessly with the terminal device 2 to receive data from the terminal device 2 and transmits the received data to the control device 50.

[0096] Terminal device 2 is an information processing terminal such as a smartphone or tablet. Although Figure 23 shows one terminal device 2, there may be multiple terminal devices 2. Application software for operating the refrigerator 1 is installed on terminal device 2. By executing the application software, terminal device 2 can operate the refrigerator 1 and display information about the refrigerator 1. For example, terminal device 2 accepts user operations such as starting rapid cooling, reserving the start or end time of rapid cooling, and setting the time required for rapid cooling, and transmits a signal to the refrigerator 1 instructing the operation. In addition, terminal device 2 displays various notifications on the display unit 21 based on signals received from the refrigerator 1.

[0097] Figure 24 is a control block diagram of a refrigerator 1 according to Embodiment 9. As shown in Figure 24, the control device 50 has a notification unit 56. The notification unit 56 is a functional unit realized by the processor of the control device 50 executing a program stored in the storage unit 51. The notification unit 56 may be realized by a processing circuit such as an ASIC or FPGA. The notification unit 56 transmits signals to the terminal device 2 to display a first notification, a second notification, and a third notification.

[0098] Figures 25 and 26 are diagrams illustrating the notification method according to Embodiment 9. First, as shown in Figures 25 and 26, the notification unit 56 displays a first notification on the terminal device 2 when the temperature of the freezer chamber 15 reaches the first rapid cooling temperature after the start of the first rapid cooling control. The first notification is, for example, a message indicating that the first rapid cooling control has been completed. The notification unit 56 may also display a first notification on the terminal device 2 when the first notification time has elapsed after the start of the first rapid cooling control. The length of the first notification time is set to prevent the rapid cooling operation from becoming excessively long, and is set, for example, to be longer than the first judgment time. The first notification time is stored in the storage unit 51 before shipment, for example. The first notification time may be set by the user.

[0099] The notification unit 56 determines, based on the detection result of the opening / closing sensor 400, whether the door was opened and closed within the second notification time after the first notification. As shown in Figure 25, if the door was opened and closed within the second notification time, the notification unit 56 sends a second notification to the terminal device 2. The second notification time is set to be longer than the time required for the user who confirmed the first notification to take food out of the freezer compartment 15, for example, about 15 minutes. The second notification time is stored in the storage unit 51, for example, before shipment. The second notification time may be set by the user. The second notification is, for example, a message requesting the user to respond whether they have taken out food, that is, whether to continue the rapid cooling operation. The terminal device 2 that displayed the second notification receives a response from the user regarding whether to continue the rapid cooling operation. The terminal device 2 receives the response from the user and transmits it to the refrigerator 1.

[0100] The cooling control unit 52 terminates the rapid cooling operation when it receives a response from the terminal device 2 to the second notification stating that the food has been removed, that is, a response indicating that the rapid cooling operation will not be continued. Figure 25 shows an example where the rapid cooling operation is terminated and the system returns to normal operation because a response indicating that the rapid cooling operation will not be continued was given in response to the second notification.

[0101] As shown in Figure 26, if the opening and closing of the freezer door 150 is not detected within the second notification time, the notification unit 56 determines that the user has forgotten to use the food and displays a third notification on the terminal device 2. The third notification is, for example, a message prompting the user to use the food. If the freezer door 150 is not opened or closed even after the third notification time has elapsed since the third notification was displayed, the cooling control unit 52 determines that the user will not take out the food and terminates the rapid cooling operation. The third notification time is set to be longer than the time required for the user who has seen the third notification to take out the food from the freezer 15, for example, about 15 minutes. The third notification time is stored in the storage unit 51, for example, before shipment. The third notification time may also be set by the user. Figure 26 shows an example where the rapid cooling operation is terminated and normal operation is returned because the freezer door 150 was not opened or closed even after the third notification time had elapsed.

[0102] Figure 27 is a flowchart showing the operation of the refrigerator 1 according to Embodiment 9. The floater in Figure 27 is executed by the control device 50. First, when the first rapid cooling control is started (step S1), the notification unit 56 determines whether the temperature of the freezer compartment 15 has fallen below the first rapid cooling temperature or whether the first notification time has elapsed (step S21). If neither of the conditions in step S21 is met (step S21: NO), the notification unit 56 waits until one of the conditions in step S21 is met. If one of the conditions in step S21 is met (step S21: YES), the notification unit 56 causes the terminal device 2 to send a first notification (step S22).

[0103] When the first notification is broadcast, the notification unit 56 determines whether the freezer door 150 was opened and closed within the second notification time (step S23). If the freezer door 150 was opened and closed within the second notification time (step S23: YES), the notification unit 56 broadcasts the second notification (step S24) and determines whether a response has been received from the user indicating that food has been removed (step S25). If a response has been received from the user indicating that food has been removed (step S25: YES), the cooling control unit 52 terminates the rapid cooling operation. If a response has not been received from the user indicating that food has been removed (step S25: NO), the notification unit 56 waits for the freezer door 150 to be opened and closed, and for a response from the user indicating that food has been removed, until the second notification time has elapsed (steps S23 to S25). The notification unit 56 may broadcast the second notification multiple times until the second notification time has elapsed.

[0104] If the freezer door 150 is not opened or closed within the second notification time (step S23: NO), the notification unit 56 issues a third notification (step S26) and determines whether or not the freezer door 150 was opened or closed within the third notification time (step S27). If the freezer door 150 was opened or closed within the third notification time (step S27: YES), the notification unit 56 issues a second notification (step S24) and determines whether or not a response has been received from the user indicating that food has been removed (step S25). If the freezer door 150 was not opened or closed within the third notification time (step S27: NO), the cooling control unit 52 terminates the rapid cooling operation.

[0105] According to Embodiment 9, the first notification promptly informs the user that the food has finished cooling, allowing the user to begin cooking without any time loss. Furthermore, the second notification allows the user to confirm whether or not to continue the rapid cooling operation, thereby preventing unnecessary rapid cooling and improving energy-saving performance. Additionally, the third notification prompts the user to use the food, preventing them from forgetting to use it.

[0106] Furthermore, the refrigerator 1 and the terminal device 2 may communicate directly or via a server. The first notification, the second notification, and the third notification may be displayed on the operation display unit 106. The terminal device 2 and the operation display unit 106 correspond to the "notification device" in this disclosure. In addition, the first notification, the second notification, and the third notification may be notified by voice rather than by message display.

[0107] In response to the second notification, the response may not only require the user to state that they have not removed the food and will continue the rapid cooling operation, but also to request an extension of the rapid cooling operation time. Furthermore, the rapid cooling operation may be extended simply based on the response that the food has not been removed. Similar to the second notification, the user may directly instruct the end of the control, or conversely, they may be prompted to perform an action that extends the control time.

[0108] Embodiment 10. Figure 28 is a control block diagram of the refrigerator 1 according to Embodiment 10. As shown in Figure 28, Embodiment 10 differs from Embodiment 9 in that it has a learning device 61 for learning whether or not food has been removed. The other configurations of the refrigerator system 100 in Embodiment 10 are the same as in Embodiment 9.

[0109] Refrigerator 1 has an external temperature sensor 500. The external temperature sensor 500 measures the temperature of the air in the room where the refrigerator 1 is installed (external temperature). The external temperature sensor 500 is, for example, a thermistor. The temperature measured by the external temperature sensor 500 is transmitted to the control device 50.

[0110] After the first notification described in Embodiment 9 is issued, the storage compartment door may be opened and closed for purposes other than removing food. Therefore, if the second notification is triggered simply by the opening and closing of the door, the user may be forced to frequently answer whether or not food has been removed (whether or not to continue the rapid cooling operation), even though no food has actually been removed. In this case, the user may find the second notification bothersome and may neglect to answer it. If the second notification is ignored, it becomes impossible to control the continuation, termination, and extension of the rapid cooling operation by issuing the second notification. In particular, if the user does not answer to terminate the rapid cooling operation even when food has been removed, the energy-saving performance will decrease. Furthermore, if the number of second notifications is unnecessarily high, there is a higher possibility of errors such as answering that food has been removed when it has not. If errors occur, it may become troublesome to instruct the rapid cooling operation again, or the food may not be sufficiently cooled when it is actually removed.

[0111] Therefore, according to Embodiment 10, the appropriate notification timing for the second notification is learned using the learning device 61. The control device 50 includes a learning device 61 having a learning data acquisition unit 611 and a learning unit 612. The learning data acquisition unit 611 acquires door opening / closing information, temperature information, and the user's response to each second notification as learning data. The learning data is acquired over a predetermined learning period. The door opening / closing information includes, for example, information indicating the time the door was opened and closed, the duration the door was open, and which storage room door was opened and closed for all openings and closings of storage room doors during the learning period. The temperature information includes the temperature of each storage room detected by the internal temperature sensor 300 and the temperature of the room in which the refrigerator 1 is installed (external temperature) detected by the external temperature sensor 500. The user's response to the second notification includes the transmission time of the second notification and the content of the response. Based on this type of learning data, it is possible to understand the trends in door opening / closing information and temperature information when a user responds to the second notification by stating that they have removed food from the storage room that is subject to rapid cooling.

[0112] The learning unit 612 learns and associates the relationship between door opening / closing information and temperature information and the user's response to the second notification. Specifically, based on the door opening / closing information and temperature information and the user's response to the second notification acquired by the learning data acquisition unit 611, the learning unit 612 takes the door opening / closing information and temperature information as input and generates or modifies a learning model LM for outputting whether or not food has been removed from the storage chamber targeted for rapid cooling. Specifically, the learning model LM is a model for estimating whether or not food has been removed from each storage chamber and the outside temperature during a predetermined period spanning before and after the opening and closing of the doors of the storage chambers targeted for rapid cooling, as well as the time and duration of opening, and the temperature of each storage chamber and the outside temperature during a predetermined period spanning before and after the opening and closing of the doors. The learning algorithm used in the learning unit 612 is not particularly limited. For example, when a neural network is applied, during the training of the learning model LM, the weight parameters of the neural network are adjusted so that the output of whether or not food was removed by the learning model LM matches the actual removal of food, given as input the time and duration when the doors of the storage chambers subject to rapid cooling were opened and closed, as well as the temperature of each storage chamber and the outside temperature during the period when the doors were open and closed. Once the adjustment of the weight parameters is complete, the learning unit 612 reflects the weight parameters in the learning model LM. The learning unit 612 stores the learning model LM in the storage unit 51.

[0113] Figure 29 is a flowchart illustrating a method for learning the appropriate notification timing for the second notification according to Embodiment 10. The flowchart in Figure 29 is executed by the learning device 61. First, the learning data acquisition unit 611 acquires door opening / closing information, temperature information, and user responses to each second notification as learning data over the learning period (step S31). The learning unit 612 performs learning processing based on the learning data acquired by the learning data acquisition unit 611 to generate a learning model LM (step S32), and stores the generated learning model LM in the storage unit 51 (step S33).

[0114] According to Embodiment 10, a learning model LM is generated to determine whether or not food has been removed. When the learning model LM determines that food has been removed, a second notification is issued, thereby preventing users from feeling annoyed or making mistakes.

[0115] The learning device 61 may be provided independently of the control device 50 of the refrigerator 1. For example, the learning device 61 may be provided on a server that can communicate with the refrigerator 1. Alternatively, the learning device 61 may store the learning model LM on a server that can communicate with the refrigerator 1, rather than in the storage unit 51 of the refrigerator 1. In this case, a refrigerator other than the refrigerator 1 can use the learning model LM to determine whether or not food has been removed.

[0116] Embodiment 11. Figure 30 is a control block diagram of the refrigerator 1 according to Embodiment 11. Embodiment 11 differs from Embodiment 10 in that it has a notification unit 56 and, instead of a learning device 61, has an inference device 71 for inferring an appropriate notification timing for the second notification.

[0117] The control device 50 includes an inference device 71 having an inference data acquisition unit 711 and an inference unit 712. The inference data acquisition unit 711 acquires door opening / closing information and temperature information as inference data. Specifically, the inference data acquisition unit 711 acquires the time and duration of opening and closing of the doors of the storage chambers subject to rapid cooling operation, as well as the temperature of each storage chamber and the outside temperature during the period when the doors are open and closed.

[0118] The inference unit 712 takes door opening / closing information and temperature information as input and inputs the door opening / closing information and temperature information to a learning model LM that outputs whether or not food has been removed from the storage chamber targeted for rapid cooling operation, thereby determining whether or not food has been removed. The learning model LM is generated, for example, by the method described in Embodiment 10 and stored in the storage unit 51. Specifically, the inference unit 712 inputs the time and duration of opening and closing of the doors of the storage chambers targeted for rapid cooling operation, which have been acquired by the inference data acquisition unit 711, as well as the temperature of each storage chamber and the outside temperature during the door opening / closing period, to the learning model LM to determine whether or not food has been removed.

[0119] The notification unit 56 issues a second notification only when the inference unit 712 determines that food has been removed from the storage chamber that is subject to rapid cooling.

[0120] Figure 31 is a flowchart illustrating the notification method for the second notification according to Embodiment 11. The flowchart in Figure 29 is executed by a control device 50 having an inference device 71. First, when the door is opened and closed, the inference data acquisition unit 711 acquires door opening / closing information and temperature information as inference data (step S41). The inference unit 712 inputs the inference data acquired by the inference data acquisition unit 711 into the learning model LM (step S42) and acquires whether or not food has been removed from the storage room that is the target of the rapid cooling operation (step S43). Then, the notification unit 56 determines whether or not food has been removed (step S44). If food has been removed (step S44: YES), the notification unit 56 notifies the second notification (step S45). If food has not been removed (step S44: NO), the notification unit 56 does not notify the second notification and terminates the process.

[0121] According to Embodiment 11, a learning model LM for determining whether food has been removed is used to send a second notification when it is determined that food has been removed from the storage compartment that is subject to rapid cooling. This helps to prevent users from feeling inconvenienced or making mistakes.

[0122] The inference device 71 may be provided independently of the control device 50 of the refrigerator 1. For example, the inference device 71 may be provided on a server that can communicate with the refrigerator 1. Furthermore, the inference device 71 may use a learning model LM stored on a server that can communicate with the refrigerator 1, rather than a learning model LM stored on the memory unit 51 of the refrigerator 1. In this case, the inference device 71 can determine whether or not food has been removed using a learning model LM learned by a refrigerator other than the refrigerator 1 and stored on a server. Also, the refrigerator 1 may have both a learning device 61 and an inference device 71.

[0123] Embodiment 12. Figure 32 is a control block diagram of the refrigerator 1 according to Embodiment 12. Embodiment 12 differs from Embodiment 9 in that the refrigerator system 100 has a position information acquisition unit 57 that controls the rapid cooling operation based on the position information of the terminal device 2.

[0124] As shown in Figure 23 of Embodiment 9, the refrigerator system 100 is configured such that the refrigerator 1 and the terminal device 2 can communicate with each other. The refrigerator 1 has a communication device 40 for communicating with the terminal device 2.

[0125] The control device 50 has a location information acquisition unit 57. The location information acquisition unit 57 is a functional unit realized by the processor of the control device 50 executing a program stored in the storage unit 51. The location information acquisition unit 57 may be realized by a processing circuit such as an ASIC or FPGA. The location information acquisition unit 57 communicates with the terminal device 2 and acquires location information (for example, GPS information) of the terminal device 2. The location information acquisition unit 57 transmits the acquired location information to the cooling control unit 52.

[0126] The cooling control unit 52 controls the rapid cooling operation based on the acquired location information. For example, consider a case where a user instructs the terminal device 2 to perform rapid cooling for a user-specified time while the user is out. In this case, if the location information determines that the user with the terminal device 2 is within a predetermined range, the cooling control unit 52 cancels the termination of the rapid cooling operation even if the user-specified time has elapsed, and extends the rapid cooling operation. This prevents the rapid cooling operation from ending before cooking begins, even if the user returns home later than expected, thus preventing the food temperature from rising above a temperature suitable for processing.

[0127] Furthermore, the cooling control unit 52 detects, based on changes in location information, that the user has started to return home from their workplace or a registered location such as a supermarket that has been previously registered by the user. When the cooling control unit 52 detects that the user has started to return home from a registered location, it automatically starts rapid cooling. At this time, by obtaining the time it takes to travel from the registered location to home, the cooling control unit 52 may adjust the first rapid cooling time or the start time of the first rapid cooling control so that the rapid cooling operation is completed when the user returns home. The time it takes to travel from the registered location to home may be automatically set based on the distance between the registered location and home, or it may be manually registered by the user in advance.

[0128] According to Embodiment 12, the rapid cooling operation is controlled based on location information. As a result, the user can start cooking smoothly when they return home from going out.

[0129] The above describes the embodiments, but this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below, and can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. Furthermore, this disclosure includes all possible combinations of the configurations shown in the embodiments and their modified examples below. For example, the control device 50 of the refrigerator 1 may combine the various methods described in the embodiments to comprehensively determine the first determination time, the first rapid cooling time, and the operation of the cooling device.

[0130] 1 Refrigerator, 2 Terminal device, 3 External device, 11 Refrigerator compartment, 12 Ice maker compartment, 13 Switching compartment, 14 Vegetable compartment, 15 Freezer compartment, 16 Cooling compartment, 21 Display unit, 31 Compressor, 33 Cooler, 34 Blower, 40 Communication device, 50 Control device, 51 Memory unit, 52 Cooling control unit, 53 Food information acquisition unit, 54 Load determination unit, 55 Removal determination unit, 56 Notification unit, 57 Location information acquisition unit, 61 Learning device, 71 Inference device, 100 Refrigerator system, 101 Refrigerator body, 102 Outer box, 103 Inner box, 104 Insulation material, 105 Hinge, 106 Operation display unit, 106a Operation unit, 106b Display unit, 110 Refrigerator door, 111, 131, 141, 151 Air passage, 112, 132, 142 Damper, 113, 133, 143, 153 Internal temperature sensor, 114, 134, 144, 154 Opening / closing sensor, 120 Ice maker door, 130 Switching compartment door, 140 Vegetable compartment door, 150 Freezer compartment door, 200 Damper, 300 Internal temperature sensor, 400 Opening / closing sensor, 450 Food information acquisition device, 500 External temperature sensor, 611 Learning data acquisition unit, 612 Learning unit, 711 Inference data acquisition unit, 712 Inference unit.

Claims

A refrigerator body having a storage compartment for storing items, A storage room temperature sensor detects the storage room temperature, which is the temperature of the air inside the storage room. A cooling device for cooling the storage chamber, The device includes a control unit that performs a normal operation to maintain the storage chamber temperature at the normal cooling temperature, and a rapid cooling operation to temporarily lower the storage chamber temperature to a temperature lower than the normal cooling temperature. The control device is In the rapid cooling operation, a first rapid cooling control is performed to control the cooling device, setting a first rapid cooling temperature lower than the normal cooling temperature as the set temperature for the storage chamber. If the storage chamber temperature reaches the first rapid cooling temperature and the first determination time has elapsed since the start of the first rapid cooling control, the first rapid cooling control is continued. If the storage chamber temperature reaches the first rapid cooling temperature, and the first determination time has not elapsed since the start of the first rapid cooling control, the first rapid cooling control is terminated. refrigerator. 　 If the storage chamber temperature reaches the first rapid cooling temperature and the first determination time has not elapsed since the start of the first rapid cooling control, the control device performs a second rapid cooling control after the completion of the first rapid cooling control, setting a second rapid cooling temperature, which is lower than the normal cooling temperature and higher than the first rapid cooling temperature, as the set temperature and controlling the cooling device. The refrigerator according to claim 1. 　 The control device performs the second rapid cooling control for the second rapid cooling time after the storage chamber temperature reaches the first rapid cooling temperature. The refrigerator according to claim 2. 　 The control device continues the second rapid cooling control for a second rapid cooling time after the storage chamber temperature reaches the second rapid cooling temperature during the second rapid cooling control. The refrigerator according to claim 2. 　 The second rapid cooling temperature is a temperature of -20°C or lower, or a temperature below the freeze-concentration glass transition temperature of the stored material. The refrigerator according to claim 3 or 4. 　 The device includes a food information acquisition device that acquires information on one or more of the type, quantity, and volume of the stored items, The control device is Based on the information acquired by the food information acquisition device, the second rapid cooling temperature is set. A refrigerator according to any one of claims 2 to 5. 　 If the control device continues the first rapid cooling control after the elapsed first determination time, it continues the first rapid cooling control from the time the storage chamber temperature reaches the first rapid cooling temperature until the first rapid cooling time has elapsed. A refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 6. 　 The device includes a food information acquisition device that acquires information on one or more of the following: the type, quantity, volume, storage period, and recipe of the stored items. The control device is Based on the information acquired by the food information acquisition device, one or more of the following are set: the first determination time, the first rapid cooling time, and the cooling capacity of the cooling device. The refrigerator according to claim 7. 　 The control device estimates the load of the stored items in the storage chamber based on the temperature change in the storage chamber during the first rapid cooling control, and sets one or more of the following based on the estimated load: the first determination time, the first rapid cooling time, and the cooling capacity of the cooling device. The refrigerator according to claim 7 or 8. 　 A door located in front of the aforementioned storage room, The system includes an opening / closing sensor for detecting the opening and closing of the aforementioned door, The control device is Based on the information detected by the opening / closing sensor, one or more of the following are set: the first determination time, the first rapid cooling time, and the cooling capacity of the cooling device. A refrigerator according to any one of claims 7 to 9. 　 If the control device continues the first rapid cooling control after the elapsed first determination time, it performs a third rapid cooling control, which controls the cooling device with a third rapid cooling temperature set as the set temperature, which is lower than the normal cooling temperature but higher than the first rapid cooling temperature, after the storage chamber temperature has reached the first rapid cooling temperature and the second determination time has elapsed. A refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 10. 　 The control device performs the third rapid cooling control from the time the second determination time has elapsed through the third rapid cooling time. The refrigerator according to claim 11. The control device continues the third rapid cooling control for the third rapid cooling time after the storage chamber temperature reaches the third rapid cooling temperature during the third rapid cooling control. The refrigerator according to claim 11. 　 In the third rapid cooling control, the control device sets a plurality of temperatures lower than the third rapid cooling temperature and higher than the first rapid cooling temperature in stages to the set temperature, and then sets the third rapid cooling temperature to the set temperature over the third rapid cooling time. The refrigerator according to claim 11. 　 If the control device continues the first rapid cooling control after the elapsed first determination time, it increases the cooling capacity of the cooling device compared to before the elapsed first determination time. A refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 14. 　 The control device gradually increases the cooling capacity of the cooling device within the first determination time. 　 A refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 15. 　 A door located in front of the aforementioned storage room, The system includes an opening / closing sensor for detecting the opening and closing of the aforementioned door, The control device is Based on the information detected by the opening / closing sensor and the temperature change in the storage room, it is determined whether or not the stored items have been removed. If it is determined that the stored items have been removed, the rapid cooling operation will be terminated. If it is determined that the stored items were not removed and the temperature change in the storage chamber is above a threshold, the cooling capacity of the cooling device is increased or the first determination time is extended. 　 A refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 16. 　 A refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 17, Equipped with a notification device, The control device is When the storage chamber temperature reaches the first rapid cooling temperature or when the first notification time has elapsed after the first rapid cooling control has started, the notification device is to send a first notification indicating that the first rapid cooling control has been completed. Refrigerator system. 　 A door located in front of the aforementioned storage room, The system includes an opening / closing sensor for detecting the opening and closing of the aforementioned door, The control device is Based on the information detected by the opening / closing sensor, it is determined whether or not the opening or closing of the door was detected within the second notification time after the first notification. When the opening or closing of the aforementioned door is detected, a second notification is sent to the notification device requesting a response regarding whether or not the stored items have been removed. If the opening or closing of the aforementioned door is not detected, the notification device will issue a third notification prompting the use of the stored items. The refrigerator system according to claim 18. 　 An external temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the air in the room where the refrigerator is installed, A learning data acquisition unit that acquires door opening / closing information detected by the opening / closing sensor, temperature information detected by the internal temperature sensor and the external temperature sensor, and a response to the second notification. The system includes a learning unit that generates a learning model for inferring whether or not the stored items have been removed, based on the door opening / closing information, the temperature information, and the response to the second notification, using the door opening / closing information and the temperature information as input. The refrigerator system according to claim 19. 　 An external temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the air in the room where the refrigerator is installed, An inference data acquisition unit that acquires door opening / closing information detected by the opening / closing sensor and temperature information detected by the internal temperature sensor and the external temperature sensor, The system includes an inference unit that outputs whether or not the stored items have been removed from the door opening / closing information and the temperature information, using a learning model for inferring whether or not the stored items have been removed from the door opening / closing information and the temperature information. The refrigerator system according to claim 19. 　 A refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 17, The refrigerator and a terminal device that communicates with the refrigerator are included. The control device is The terminal device acquires location information and controls the rapid cooling operation based on the acquired location information. Refrigerator system. 　 A learning data acquisition unit that acquires information on the opening and closing of the door of the storage compartment of the refrigerator, temperature information inside and outside the refrigerator, and a response on whether or not the stored items in the storage compartment were removed when the door was opened or closed. The system includes a learning unit that generates a learning model for inferring whether or not the stored items have been removed, based on the door opening / closing information, the temperature information, and the response, using the door opening / closing information and the temperature information as input. Learning device. 　 An inference data acquisition unit that acquires information on the opening and closing of the door of the storage compartment of the refrigerator and temperature information inside and outside the refrigerator, The system includes an inference unit that outputs whether or not the stored items have been removed from the storage compartment, using a learning model that infers whether or not the stored items have been removed from the storage compartment based on the door opening / closing information and the temperature information. Reasoning device.

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