Refrigerator, and apparatus and method for refrigerator diagnosis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9772136-B2
Application number	US-201213884425-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2012
Priority date	Mar 15, 2011
Publication date	Sep 26, 2017
Grant date	Sep 26, 2017

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and to an apparatus and method for refrigerator diagnosis. More particularly, the refrigerator converts product information and outputs a tone when a command for storing data and performing a diagnosis is inputted during operation. The refrigerator diagnosis apparatus receives the tone and diagnoses the state of or presence of defects in the refrigerator based on the data contained in the product information so as to analyze the cause of the defect and propose countermeasures to repair the refrigerator. Thus, the diagnosis of defects may be accurately and easily performed upon the occurrence of defect in the refrigerator.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a memory configured to store program instructions and various information that are generated according to an operation state of the refrigerator;
a compressor configured to compress a coolant;
a plurality of temperature sensors configured to sense a temperature of a refrigerating compartment, a freezing compartment, or external air;
a door switch configured to operate when the door is opened or closed;
a selecting unit having at least one button configured to receive a diagnosis execution command;
a controller to execute the program instructions, the program instructions when executed configured to: accumulatively store the various information generated according to the operation state of the refrigerator in the memory for a predetermined time period and when the diagnosis execution command is entered through the selecting unit to generate operation information based on the information stored in the memory; and
a sound output unit configured to output a signal sound according to product information including the operation information,
wherein the controller updates the information stored in the memory at a predetermined period, updates the memory by deleting information of an oldest section among the accumulated information stored in the memory for the predetermined period when a set time is passed after power is on, and when the diagnosis execution command is entered through the selecting unit before the memory is first updated, generates operation information based on the information stored in the memory until before diagnosis is performed after the power is on, and
wherein the set time is times of the predetermined period and is set a maximum time being the time it takes to store data in the memory.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the controller senses whether a door is opened according to a signal applied from the door switch, and
wherein the memory stores the accumulated number of times of opening of a refrigerating compartment door or a freezing compartment door during the predetermined period, and wherein the controller generates operation information including the accumulated number of times of opening of the refrigerating compartment door or the freezing compartment door stored in the memory.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the controller senses whether a door is opened according to a signal applied from the door switch, and
wherein the memory stores an accumulated time of opening of a refrigerating compartment door or a freezing compartment door during the predetermined period, and wherein the controller generates operation information including the accumulated time of opening of the refrigerating compartment door or the freezing compartment door stored in the memory.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the memory stores an accumulated time of operation of a compressor during the predetermined time period, and wherein the controller generates operation information including the accumulated time of the compressor stored in the memory.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the controller calculates per-period average values for temperature values sensed by the temperature sensor and stores the per-period average values in the memory, calculates an average temperature value for the entire predetermined time period based on the per-period average values stored in the memory, and generates operation information including the average temperature value.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein the per-period average values stored in the memory is updated whenever each period is passed, wherein the memory further stores temperature values sensed by the temperature sensor until the diagnosis is performed after the latest memory update before the diagnosis is performed, and wherein the controller calculates the average temperature value for the entire predetermined time period based on temperature values sensed by the temperature sensor until the diagnosis is performed after the latest memory update before the diagnosis is performed and the per-period average values stored in the memory and generates operation information including the average temperature value.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the controller calculates per-period maximum values for temperature values sensed by the temperature sensor and stores the per-period maximum values in the memory, calculates a maximum value of the temperature values sensed by the temperature sensor for the predetermined time period based on the per-period maximum values stored in the memory, and generates operation information including the maximum value.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein the memory further stores temperature values sensed by the temperature sensor until the diagnosis is performed after the latest memory update before the diagnosis is performed, and wherein the controller calculates the maximum value of the temperature values sensed by the temperature sensor until the diagnosis is performed after the latest memory update before the diagnosis is performed and the per-period maximum temperature values stored in the memory and generates operation information including the maximum value.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the controller calculates per-period minimum values for temperature values sensed by the temperature sensor and stores the per-period minimum values in the memory, calculates a minimum value of the temperature values sensed by the temperature sensor for the predetermined time period based on the per-period minimum values stored in the memory, and generates operation information including the minimum value.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9 , wherein the temperature values stored in the memory are updated whenever each period is passed, wherein the memory further stores temperature values sensed by the temperature sensor until the diagnosis is performed after the latest memory update before the diagnosis is performed, and wherein the controller calculates the minimum value of the temperature values sensed by the temperature sensor until the diagnosis is performed after the latest memory update before the diagnosis is performed and the per-period minimum temperature values stored in the memory and generates operation information including the minimum value.

11. A refrigerator comprising:
a memory configured to store program instructions and various information that are generated according to an operation state of the refrigerator;
a compressor configured to compress a coolant;
a selecting unit having at least one button, configured to receive a diagnosis execution command;
a controller to execute the program instructions, the program instructions when executed configured to: accumulatively store the various information generated according to the operation state of the refrigerator in the memory for a predetermined time period and when the diagnosis execution command is entered through the selecting unit to generate operation information based on the information stored in the memory; and
a sound output unit configured to output a signal sound according to product information including the operation information,
wherein the controller deletes the information stored in the memory when a predetermined reset set time is passed after the diagnosis execution command is entered through the selecting unit and the signal sound is output through the sound output unit and performs control so that the sound output unit outputs the signal sound according to product information including operation information generated when previous diagnosis is performed when the diagnosis execution command is re-entered through the selecting unit before t

Assignees

• Shim Jai Hwan
• Jung Jin Hoon
• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Shim Jai Hwan
• Jung Jin Hoon

Classifications

• F25D23/02

  Doors; Covers (F25D23/08 takes precedence {locks or fastenings E05B65/0042}) · CPC title

• H04L2012/285

  Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators · CPC title

• F25D25/00

  Charging, supporting, and discharging the articles to be cooled · CPC title

• F25B49/005

  of safety devices (F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence) · CPC title

• F25C2700/04

  Level of water · CPC title