Refrigerator and operation method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9410994-B2
Application number	US-201013885648-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2010
Priority date	Nov 15, 2010
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

According to the present invention, a refrigerator that may save power rates is provided. The refrigerator according to the present invention includes a door; a communication unit; a sensing unit; a memory unit; an output unit; and a controller configured to sense an opening state of the door, obtain power consumption information consumed as the door is opened from the memory unit considering at least one of the opening state of the door and an attribute of the door and configured to output through the output unit power rates information corresponding to the power consumption information, considering power information received through the communication unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a freezing chamber door, a refrigerating chamber door and an auxiliary door in the refrigerating chamber door;
a communication unit configured to receive smart grid information including power rate information and power demand information from a power managing server of a power management network, the smart grid information being varied in real time or periodically, the smart grid information provided from a power supplier;
a sensing unit configured to sense an attribute of an opened door and an opening state of the door;
a memory configured to pre-store a power consumption matching table corresponding to at least one of the opening state of the at least one opened door and the attribute of the at least one opened door;
an output unit; and
a controller configured to:
determine that at least one of the doors is opened;
obtain power consumption information consumed by the at least one opened door considering the opening state of the at least one opened door and the attribute of the at least one opened door based on the pre-stored power consumption matching table;
calculate an additional power rate incurred due to the at least one opened door based on the obtained power consumption information and the smart grid information; and
output, through the output unit, power rate information corresponding to the additional power rate,

wherein the attribute of the at least one opened door comprises information about which of the freezing chamber door, the refrigerating chamber door and the auxiliary door is the at least one opened door,
wherein power consumption varies according which of the freezing chamber door, the refrigerating chamber door and the auxiliary door is the at least one opened door, and
wherein an opening state of the at least one opened door includes a time during which the at least one opened door is opened, a temperature difference between an inside and an outside of the refrigerator, and an angle at which the at least one opened door is opened.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the attribute of the at least one opened door further comprises at least one of a section type and a section size of the refrigerator corresponding to the at least one opened door.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the power consumption information includes a power consumed for a refrigerating operation required as the at least one opened door is opened.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the output unit includes at least one of an image displaying unit and a sound output unit.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein the power rate information is selectively output through at least one of the image displaying unit and the sound output unit according to a predetermined condition.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to output the power rate information such that an output attribute of the power rate information is changed depending on a size of the power rate information.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to further output through the output unit a real-time power rates when the at least one opened door is opened, based on the smart grid information.

8. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to output the power rate information one or more times according to a predetermined time interval.

9. The refrigerator of claim 8 , wherein as a count of outputting the power rate information is increased, the predetermined time interval is reduced.

10. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising a memory configured to store an algorithm to obtain the power consumption information consumed as the at least one opened door is opened, considering at least one of the opening state of the at least one opened door and the attribute of the at least one opened door.

Assignees

• Heo Seonggeun
• Ryoo Sungnam
• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Heo Seonggeun
• Ryoo Sungnam

Classifications

• G01R21/00 Primary

  Arrangements for measuring electric power or power factor (G01R7/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F25D29/00 Primary

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• F25D2400/361

  Interactive visual displays · CPC title

• F25D2700/02

  Sensors detecting door opening · CPC title