JP2023127299A - refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator which can reduce power consumption.SOLUTION: A refrigerator of an embodiment comprises a box body, a cooler, a compressor and a control part. The box body includes a storage part. The cooler cools air which is supplied to the storage part. The compressor compresses a refrigerant supplied to the cooler. The control part controls the compressor so that a temperature of the storage part is accommodated between an upper limit value and a lower limit value of a set temperature band which is set to the storage part. The control part can control the compressor by first cooling control being control which is performed in an initial state of the refrigerator, and second cooling control by which at least the upper limit value is set high compared with the first cooling control, and decides a rotational speed of the compressor by the second cooling control on the basis of an environmental temperature of the outside of the box body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a refrigerator.

Refrigerators that can be operated in a power-saving mode to reduce power consumption are known. By the way, refrigerators are expected to further reduce power consumption.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-003867

An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator that can reduce power consumption.

The refrigerator of the embodiment includes a housing, a cooler, a compressor, a first sensor, a second sensor, and a control unit. The housing includes a storage section. The cooler cools the air supplied to the storage section. The compressor compresses refrigerant supplied to the cooler. The first sensor detects the temperature of the storage section. The second sensor detects an environmental temperature outside the housing. The control unit controls the compressor so that the temperature of the storage unit detected by the first sensor falls between an upper limit value and a lower limit value of a set temperature range set for the storage unit. . The control unit controls the compressor by a first cooling control that is a control executed in an initial state of the refrigerator, and a second cooling control in which at least the upper limit value is set higher than the first cooling control. The rotation speed of the compressor in the second cooling control is determined based on the environmental temperature detected by the second sensor.

The figure which shows the whole structure of the refrigerator system of 1st Embodiment. FIG. 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a refrigerator according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the refrigerator according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a server according to the first embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the driving plan created by the driving plan generation part of 1st Embodiment. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a terminal device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of basic control in the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the rotation speed of the compressor of the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the upper limit value of the compressor rotation speed in eco-driving according to the first embodiment. 1 is a flowchart showing the flow of eco-driving processing according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the upper limit value of the compressor rotation speed in eco-driving according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an operation example of second cooling control according to the second embodiment.

Hereinafter, a refrigerator according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, components having the same or similar functions are denoted by the same reference numerals. Further, redundant explanations of these configurations may be omitted. "Based on XX" means "based on at least XX" and may include cases where it is based on another element in addition to XX. "Based on XX" is not limited to cases in which XX is used directly, but may also include cases in which calculations and processing have been performed on XX. "XX or YY" is not limited to either XX or YY, but may include both XX and YY. This also applies when there are three or more selective elements. "XX" and "YY" are arbitrary elements (for example, arbitrary information).

In this application, "number of rotations" means the number of rotations per unit time. That is, "rotational speed" is used in a meaning equivalent to "rotational speed." In this application, "obtaining" is not limited to actively obtaining information by transmitting a transmission request, but may also include obtaining information by passively receiving information transmitted from another device. In the present application, "suppressing" means at least partially suppressing, and may include, for example, suppressing only at a predetermined time or a predetermined temperature range.

(First embodiment)
<1. Overall configuration of refrigerator system>
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a refrigerator system 1 according to an embodiment. Refrigerator system 1 includes, for example, refrigerator 100 and server 200. The refrigerator system 1 may include a terminal device 300 (or a home appliance management application APP of the terminal device 300), which will be described later. The refrigerator system 1 is an example of an "information processing system." The network NW described later may be, for example, the Internet, a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, an LPWA (Low Power Wide Area), a WAN (Wide Area Network), a LAN (Local Area Network), or other public lines or private lines. You can use it depending on the situation.

Refrigerator 100 is installed in user U's residence. Refrigerator 100 is connected to network NW via wireless router WR and modem M installed in user U's residence, for example. Refrigerator 100 can communicate with server 200 or terminal device 300 via network NW.

Server 200 is a management server that manages refrigerator 100. The server 200 is configured by one or more server devices (for example, a cloud server). Server 200 may be referred to as a "server system." Server 200 can communicate with refrigerator 100 or terminal device 300 via network NW. The server 200 may include an information processing unit that performs edge computing or fog computing, such as an information processing unit included in a router in the network NW. The server 200 is not limited to a cloud server, and may be a computer located at user U's residence, a home router, or the like.

Terminal device 300 is a terminal device used by user U of refrigerator 100. The terminal device 300 is, for example, a mobile terminal device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal device. However, the terminal device 300 is not limited to a mobile terminal device, and may be a personal computer or a voice dialogue device such as a smart speaker. The terminal device 300 includes, for example, a display device 301 including a display screen 301a that can display various information, and an input device 302 that can receive input from the user U. The input device 302 is, for example, a touch panel provided overlapping the display screen 301a of the display device 301. The input device 302 may include a camera, a microphone, etc. provided in the terminal device 300.

An application program P is installed on the terminal device 300, and the functions described below are supported. Application program P is an application program for managing refrigerator 100. Hereinafter, the application software that is started by executing the application program P will be referred to as a "home appliance management application APP."

<2. Refrigerator>
First, the refrigerator 100 will be explained in detail.
FIG. 2 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of refrigerator 100. Refrigerator 100 includes, for example, a housing 10 and a plurality of doors 20.

The housing 10 has heat insulation properties and is formed into a rectangular box shape. A plurality of storage chambers 30 are provided inside the housing 10. The plurality of storage compartments 30 include, for example, a refrigerator compartment 31, a chilled compartment 31A, a vegetable compartment 32, an ice making compartment 33, a small freezing compartment 34, and a main freezing compartment 35. The refrigerator compartment 31 and the vegetable compartment 32 are storage compartments in a refrigeration temperature range (for example, a temperature range of 1 to 6°C). The chilled chamber 31A is a storage chamber in a chilled temperature range (for example, a temperature range of -1° C. to 3° C.). The ice making compartment 33, the small freezing compartment 34, and the main freezing compartment 35 are storage compartments in a freezing temperature range (for example, a temperature range of -10 to -20°C). Below, when the refrigerator compartment 31, the chilled compartment 31A, and the vegetable compartment 32 are not distinguished, they may be referred to as "storage compartment 30R." Below, for convenience of explanation, the refrigerated temperature zone and the chilled temperature zone may be collectively referred to as the "refrigerated temperature zone." Below, when the ice making compartment 33, the small freezing compartment 34, and the main freezing compartment 35 are not distinguished, they may be referred to as "storage compartment 30F."

Each of the above-mentioned refrigerator compartment 31, chilled compartment 31A, vegetable compartment 32, ice making compartment 33, small freezer compartment 34, and main freezer compartment 35 is an example of a "storage unit". Note that the "storage section" in this application is not limited to the above example, and may include a partial room cooled to a partial temperature range (approximately -4°C to -2°C), or a partial room that is cooled to a partial temperature range (approximately -4°C to -2°C), It may also be a temperature switching room where the temperature can be changed depending on the temperature range (temperature range).

The openings of the plurality of storage chambers 30 are opened and closed by the plurality of doors 20. The plurality of doors 20 include left and right refrigerator doors 21A and 21B that close the opening of the refrigerator compartment 31, a vegetable compartment door 22 that closes the opening of the vegetable compartment 32, an ice-making compartment door 23 that closes the opening of the ice-making compartment 33, and a small freezer compartment 34. The main freezer compartment door 25 includes a small freezer compartment door 24 that closes the opening of the main freezer compartment 35 , and a main freezer compartment door 25 that closes the opening of the main freezer compartment 35 . Below, when the left and right refrigerator compartment doors 21A and 21B are not distinguished, they will be referred to as "refrigerator compartment doors 21."

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of refrigerator 100. Refrigerator 100 includes, for example, a door opening/closing detection sensor 110, a temperature sensor 120, a cooling section 130, an operation section 140, a communication section 150, a control device 160, and a storage section 190.

<2.1 Door opening/closing detection sensor>
The door opening/closing detection sensor 110 is a sensor that detects opening/closing of the door 20. The door opening/closing detection sensor 110 includes, for example, a refrigerator door sensor 111 that detects the opening and closing of the refrigerator compartment door 21, a vegetable compartment door sensor 112 that detects the opening and closing of the vegetable compartment door 22, and an ice making compartment door sensor 112 that detects the opening and closing of the ice making compartment door 23. It includes a door sensor 113, a small freezer door sensor 114 that detects the opening and closing of the small freezer door 24, and a main freezer door sensor 115 that detects the opening and closing of the main freezer door 25. The detection result of the door opening/closing detection sensor 110 is output to the control device 160.

<2.2 Temperature sensor>
The temperature sensor 120 is a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the storage room 30 (for example, the air temperature inside the storage room 30) or the environmental temperature outside the housing 10. The temperature sensor 120 includes, for example, a refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 121 that detects the temperature of the refrigerator compartment 31 (refrigerating compartment temperature), a chilled compartment temperature sensor 122 that detects the temperature of the chilled compartment 31A (chilled compartment temperature), and the main freezer compartment 35. It includes a main freezing compartment temperature sensor 123 that detects the temperature (freezing compartment temperature). Furthermore, the temperature sensor 120 includes an environmental temperature sensor 124 that detects the environmental temperature outside the housing 10 . The detection result of temperature sensor 120 is output to control device 160. Each of the refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 121, the chilled compartment temperature sensor 122, and the main freezer compartment temperature sensor 123 is an example of a "first sensor." Furthermore, the environmental temperature sensor 124 is an example of a "second sensor".

<2.3 Cooling section>
The cooling unit 130 is a device that cools the plurality of storage chambers 30. The cooling unit 130 includes, for example, a first cooler 131, a second cooler 132, a compressor 133, a three-way valve 134, a first blower 135, and a second blower 136.

The first cooler 131 is arranged corresponding to the storage compartment 30R (refrigeration compartment 31, chilled compartment 31A, and vegetable compartment 32) in the refrigeration temperature range. The second cooler 132 is arranged corresponding to the storage compartment 30F (ice making compartment 33, small freezing compartment 34, and main freezing compartment 35) in the freezing temperature range. Compressor 133 supplies refrigerant to first cooler 131 and second cooler 132 .

The three-way valve 134 has a first state in which the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 133 is supplied to the first cooler 131 and a second state in which the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 133 is supplied to the second cooler 132. can be switched to The first blower 135 supplies the cold air cooled by the first cooler 131 to the storage compartment 30R (refrigeration compartment 31, chilled compartment 31A, and vegetable compartment 32) in the refrigeration temperature range. The second blower 136 supplies the cold air cooled by the second cooler 132 to the storage compartment 30F (ice making compartment 33, small freezing compartment 34, and main freezing compartment 35) in the freezing temperature range.

<2.4 Operation section>
The operation unit 140 is an operation unit that can accept user U's operations on the refrigerator 100. The operation unit 140 includes, for example, one or more buttons provided on the surface of the door 20 or the inner surface of the casing 10. User U can set the control mode of refrigerator 100 by operating operation unit 140 . In place of/in addition to the terminal device 300, the operation unit 140 can accept an operation by the user U who sets a learning control mode (that is, turns on the learning control mode), which will be described later.

<2.5 Communication Department>
The communication unit 150 is, for example, a wireless communication module. The communication unit 150 is capable of communicating with the server 200 via a wireless router WR and a modem M placed in the user U's residence.

<2.6 Control device>
Control device 160 centrally controls refrigerator 100 as a whole. The control device 160 includes a control command acquisition section 161, a control section 162, a state management section 163, and a transmission section 164. These functional units are realized by one or more hardware processors such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) installed in the refrigerator 100 executing programs. However, some or all of these functional units may be realized by hardware such as ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), PLD (Programmable Logic Device), or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or may be implemented by software and hardware. It may also be realized by cooperation with software.

Control command acquisition unit 161 acquires control commands related to cooling control of refrigerator 100 from server 200 . In this embodiment, the control command acquisition unit 161 acquires from the server 200 a control command related to cooling control of the refrigerator 100 that is generated by the server 200 when the learning control mode is set. The control command is, for example, a special operation instruction for reducing power consumption of the refrigerator 100. In this embodiment, the operation of refrigerator 100 includes a plurality of operation modes (cooling modes). The plurality of operation modes include, for example, normal operation, eco-operation (first special operation), and pre-cooling operation (second special operation). Details of each of these operation modes will be described in the description regarding the server 200. The control command acquisition unit 161 is an example of an “acquisition unit”.

The control unit 162 controls the cooling unit 130 so that the cooling unit 130 cools each storage chamber 30 . For example, the control unit 162 controls the cooling unit 130 based on the lower limit value (target temperature) of the set temperature range of each storage room 30 and the detection result of the temperature sensor 120. For example, the control unit 162 performs feedback control such as PID (Proportional-Integral-Differential) control based on the difference between the lower limit value (target temperature) of the set temperature range of each storage room 30 and the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 120. The compressor 133, the first blower 135, and the second blower 136 included in the cooling unit 130 are controlled by the control.

In this embodiment, the control unit 162 controls the cooling unit 130 based on a control command acquired by the control command acquisition unit 161 (control command from the server 200) when a learning control mode, which will be described later, is set. That is, the control unit 162 executes normal operation, eco-operation, or pre-cooling operation instructed by the control command. However, if a predetermined condition is satisfied while performing the eco-driving or pre-cooling operation, the control unit 162 may interrupt the eco-driving or pre-cooling operation and perform normal operation. The predetermined condition is, for example, that conditions used for setting eco-operation or pre-cooling operation (the number of times the door is opened/closed and the temperature rise in the storage room 30), which will be described later, are not met.

The state management section 163 causes the storage section 190 to store information indicating the state of the refrigerator 100 (hereinafter referred to as "state information"). The status information includes, for example, learning status information 191 used by server 200 to generate a control command for refrigerator 100 and execution result information 192 indicating the execution result of the operation of refrigerator 100.

The learning state information 191 includes door opening/closing information 191a indicating the detection result of the door opening/closing detection sensor 110 and temperature information 191b indicating the detection result of the temperature sensor 120. The door opening/closing information 191a includes information regarding door opening/closing every predetermined unit time (for example, one hour). For example, the door opening/closing information 191a includes information indicating the number of times the door is opened/closing per predetermined unit time or the door opening time. "Door open time" is the total time the door remains open. The temperature information 191b includes information regarding the temperature of the storage room 30 for each predetermined unit time (for example, one hour). For example, the temperature information 191b includes information indicating the average value of the degree of deviation of the temperature sensor 120 from the lower limit value (target temperature) of the set temperature range of the storage room 30.

Execution result information 192 is information indicating the type of operation mode that refrigerator 100 actually executed during the time period in which the operation mode was instructed by the control command from server 200. Execution result information 192 is information indicating the type of operation mode actually executed by refrigerator 100 for each predetermined unit time.

The transmitting unit 164 communicates with the server 200 via the communication unit 150 and transmits learning state information 191 and execution result information 192 to the server 200. For example, the transmitter 164 transmits the learning state information 191 and the execution result information 192 to the server 200 at a predetermined period.

<2.8 Storage section>
The storage unit 190 is a functional unit that stores various information. The storage unit 190 is realized by a combination of RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM), SSD (Solid State Drive), or the like. The storage unit 190 stores learning state information 191, execution result information 192, and upper limit information 193. The upper limit information 193 will be described in detail later.

<3. Server＞
Next, the server 200 will be explained in detail.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the server 200. The server 200 includes, for example, an information acquisition section 210, an operation plan generation section 220, a control command transmission section 230, a display information transmission section 240, and a storage section 290.

The information acquisition unit 210, the operation plan generation unit 220, the control command transmission unit 230, and the display information transmission unit 240 are realized by one or more hardware processors such as a CPU installed in the server 200 executing programs. be done. However, some or all of these functional units may be realized by hardware such as ASIC, PLD, or FPGA, or may be realized by cooperation between software and hardware. Note that these functional units may be provided separately in a plurality of server devices. Further, one or more of these functional units may be provided in refrigerator 100 or terminal device 300 instead of server 200.

<3.1 Information acquisition section>
Information acquisition unit 210 acquires learning status information 191 and execution result information 192 transmitted from refrigerator 100. The information acquisition unit 210 accumulates the acquired learning state information 191 as part of the learning accumulation information 291 and accumulates the acquired execution result information 192 as part of the execution result accumulation information 292.

<3.2 Operation plan generation section>
The operation plan generation unit 220 analyzes the lifestyle pattern of the user U (the usage pattern of the refrigerator 100) based on the usage status of the refrigerator 100 for a predetermined period (for example, the past two weeks) obtained based on the learning storage information 291, and An operation plan for the refrigerator 100 is generated according to U's lifestyle pattern. In other words, the driving plan generation unit 220 is a learning function unit that learns the lifestyle pattern of the user U. In this application, "learning" is not limited to machine learning using neural networks or the like, but broadly means updating past decisions based on new information.

In this embodiment, the driving plan generation unit 220 generates a driving plan for the next time on the same day of the week based on the learning state information 191 on the same day of the week in the past two weeks included in the learning storage information 291. For example, the driving plan generation unit 220 generates a driving plan for the next Monday based on the learning state information 191 for the previous Monday and the Monday before the previous. The same applies to Tuesday to Sunday.

In this embodiment, the operation plan for refrigerator 100 is a plan that defines a time period in which refrigerator 100 performs normal operation and a time period in which refrigerator 100 performs special operation. The special operation is an operation that reduces the power consumption of refrigerator 100. In this embodiment, the special operation includes eco-operation (first special operation) and precooling operation (second special operation). Note that an example in which eco-driving is performed based on the number of times the door is opened and closed will be described below. Alternatively/in addition to this, eco-driving may be performed based on the door opening time.

(Normal operation)
The normal operation is the basic operation of the refrigerator 100. For example, the normal operation is an operation that is set when learning is not performed by the operation plan generation unit 220. For example, the normal operation is an operation based on the assumption that the refrigerator 100 is used by the user U (for example, the door 20 is opened and closed). That is, the normal operation is an operation in which a relatively low temperature range is set so that the temperature of the storage room 30 can be kept below a certain level even when the door 20 is opened or closed.

(eco driving)
In eco-driving, the refrigerator 100 is operated by raising at least the upper limit of the set temperature range of the storage room 30 and suppressing the operation of the cooling unit 130 compared to normal driving during a time period when the number of openings and closings of the door 20 is estimated to be small. This is an operation that reduces power consumption. For example, in eco-driving, the upper and lower limits of the set temperature range of the storage room 30 are raised by 1°C or 2°C compared to normal driving, thereby increasing the operating frequency of the compressor 133, the rotation speed of the first blower 135, or The rotation speed of the second blower 136 is reduced.

In the present embodiment, the operation plan generation unit 220 determines that the number of times the door 20 has been opened and closed in a predetermined unit time (for example, one hour) is equal to or less than a predetermined number of times (for example, five times or less) during the same time period on the same day of the week in the past two weeks. In certain cases, eco-driving is performed at the same time on the same day of the week next time. On the other hand, if there is a day in which the number of openings and closings of the door 20 in the predetermined unit time exceeds the predetermined number of times in the same time slot on the same day of the week in the past two weeks, the operation plan generation unit 220 generates a schedule for the same day of the same week next time. During this time, eco-driving is not performed, and normal driving is performed.

Note that the number of times the door 20 is opened and closed refers to, for example, all the doors 20 included in the refrigerator 100 (refrigerator compartment door 21, vegetable compartment door 22, ice making compartment door 23, small freezer compartment door 24, and main freezer compartment door 25). ) is the total value of the number of times the door is opened and closed. Alternatively, the number of times the door 20 is opened and closed may be the total number of times that typical specific doors (for example, the refrigerator compartment door 21, the vegetable compartment door 22, and the main freezer compartment door 25) are opened and closed.

(Pre-cooling operation)
In the pre-cooling operation, when a large temperature rise (temperature rise exceeding a threshold value) is expected in the storage room 30, the temperature of the storage room 30 is lowered in advance (so-called cooling is performed). This is an operation that reduces the power consumption of the refrigerator 100 by cutting the peak temperature rise of the refrigerator 100 and suppressing a decrease in cooling efficiency (COP: Coefficient Of Performance). Below, for convenience of explanation, the temperature rise in the storage chamber 30 that is the target of the precooling operation will be referred to as a "temperature rise exceeding a threshold value." For example, the pre-cooling operation is performed for a pre-cooling operation of the specific storage compartment 30 in the predetermined unit time and the predetermined unit time immediately before the pre-cooling operation for a predetermined unit time in which it is estimated that the temperature rise in the specific storage compartment 30 exceeds the threshold value. The upper limit and lower limit of the set temperature range are set lower than in normal operation, and the temperature of the specific storage chamber 30 is lowered in advance. For example, the precooling operation lowers the set temperature range of the storage room 30 by 1°C or 2°C compared to normal operation, thereby increasing the operating frequency of the compressor 133, the rotation speed of the first blower 135, or the rotation speed of the second blower 136. Increase rotation speed.

In this embodiment, when a temperature rise exceeding a threshold is detected in the storage room 30 during the same time period on the same day of the week in the past two weeks, the operation plan generation unit 220 generates Execute pre-cooling operation during the last hour. On the other hand, if there is a day in which a temperature rise exceeding the threshold is not detected in the storage room 30 during the same time on the same day of the week in the past two weeks, the operation plan generation unit 220 will not perform the precooling operation on the same day of the week next time. , perform normal driving or eco-driving.

In the present embodiment, the operation plan for the refrigerator 100 is a plan that specifies whether to perform normal operation, eco-operation, or pre-cooling operation every predetermined unit time (for example, every hour). In addition, in the same time zone, when the execution schedule of eco-driving and the execution schedule of pre-cooling operation overlap, the driving plan generation part 220 prioritizes and sets the pre-cooling operation.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a driving plan created by the driving plan generation unit 220. The example shown in FIG. 5 shows a case where a driving plan for the next Monday is generated based on the learning state information 191 for the previous Monday and the Monday before the previous one.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, (A) for each time period from 0:00 to 6:00, the number of times the door was opened and closed on the previous Monday and the day before the previous Monday was less than a predetermined number of times, and a temperature rise exceeding a predetermined threshold was also detected. Therefore, the time slot for eco-driving will be assigned as part of the next Monday's driving plan. (B) For each time period from 6:00 to 8:00, a temperature rise exceeding a predetermined threshold was detected between 7:00 and 8:00 on the previous Monday and the day before the previous Monday, so pre-cooling operation will be performed as the operation plan for the next Monday. will be allocated as the implementation time period. (C) During the period from 8:00 to 9:00, no temperature rise exceeding the predetermined threshold was detected on the previous Monday and the Monday before the previous Monday, but there are days when the door was opened and closed more than the predetermined number of times, so the next Monday As part of Monday's driving plan, this will be assigned as the time slot for normal driving. (D) For each time period from 9:00 to 11:00, the number of times the door was opened and closed on the previous and two previous Mondays was less than the predetermined number of times, and no temperature rise exceeding the predetermined threshold was detected, so the next Monday As part of the driving plan, the eco-driving period will be allocated as the time slot for eco-driving.

<3.3 Control command transmitter>
Control command transmitting section 230 transmits to refrigerator 100 a control command according to the driving plan generated by driving plan generating section 220. For example, the control command transmitter 230 transmits a control command regarding the next predetermined unit time to the refrigerator 100 every predetermined unit time (for example, every hour). In this embodiment, the control command includes any one of a normal operation execution command, an eco-driving execution command, and a precooling operation execution command.

<3.4 Display information transmitter>
The display information transmitting unit 240 generates information to be displayed on the display screen 301a of the terminal device 300 (hereinafter referred to as “display information”), and transmits the generated display information to the terminal device 300. The display information includes information that is generated based on the execution result information 192 and indicates the execution result of the operation of the refrigerator 100.

<3.5 Storage section>
The storage unit 290 is realized by a combination of RAM, ROM, EEPROM, SSD, or the like. The storage unit 290 stores learning storage information 291 and execution result storage information 292.

<4. Terminal device>
Next, the terminal device 300 will be explained in detail.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the terminal device 300. The terminal device 300 includes, for example, an information acquisition section 310, an operation reception section 320, a display control section 330, and a storage section 390.

The information acquisition unit 310, the operation reception unit 320, and the display control unit 330 are realized by one or more hardware processors such as a CPU installed in the terminal device 300 executing the application program P. In other words, the information acquisition section 310, the operation reception section 320, and the display control section 330 are software functional sections included in the home appliance management application APP.

The information acquisition unit 310 acquires information received from the server 200 in relation to the home appliance management application APP. For example, the information acquisition unit 310 acquires display information generated by the server 200 from the server 200.

The operation reception unit 320 receives an operation performed by the user U on the input device 302 in connection with the home appliance management application APP. For example, the operation reception unit 320 accepts an operation by the user U on the operation unit displayed on the display screen 301a. For example, the operation reception unit 320 receives setting of the learning control mode (that is, turning on the learning control mode) based on the operation of the user U. The operation reception unit 320 transmits a signal indicating the received operation content of the user U to the server 200. As a result, processing corresponding to the received operation details of user U is performed on server 200.

The display control unit 330 controls the content displayed on the display screen 301a of the display device 301 by controlling the display device 301 of the terminal device 300. For example, the display control unit 330 causes the display information acquired by the information acquisition unit 310 to be displayed on the display screen 301a.

The storage unit 390 is realized by a combination of RAM, ROM, EEPROM, SSD, or the like. Storage unit 390 stores application program P.

<5. Refrigerator operation mode>
<5.1 Basic operation>
Next, the basic operation of refrigerator 100 will be explained. Control unit 162 of refrigerator 100 executes "refrigerating operation" and "freezing operation" as basic operations of refrigerator 100. “Refrigerating operation” means an operation in which the three-way valve 134 is switched and refrigerant is supplied from the compressor 133 to the first cooler 131. On the other hand, "refrigeration operation" means an operation in which the three-way valve 134 is switched and refrigerant is supplied from the compressor 133 to the second cooler 132.

For example, the control unit 162 alternately performs refrigeration operation and freezing operation so that the storage room 30R in the refrigeration temperature range and the storage room 30F in the freezing temperature range fall within their respective predetermined temperature ranges. Controls the cooling unit 130. For example, the control unit 162 alternately performs the refrigeration operation for a first predetermined period of time (for example, 20 minutes) and the freezing operation for a second predetermined period of time (for example, 40 minutes).

Note that, during the refrigeration operation, if the refrigerator compartment temperature detected by the temperature sensor 120 reaches the lower limit of the set temperature range of the refrigerator compartment 31 (or if the chilled compartment temperature reaches the set temperature of the chilled compartment 31A in the middle of the first predetermined time period, such as when the temperature of the freezer compartment reaches the lower limit of the temperature range of the main freezer compartment 35 or when the temperature of the freezer compartment detected by the temperature sensor 120 reaches the upper limit of the set temperature range of the main freezer compartment 35. Even if there is, the refrigeration operation may be ended and the freezing operation may be started. In addition, during the freezing operation, if the freezer compartment temperature detected by the temperature sensor 120 reaches the lower limit of the set temperature range of the main freezer compartment 35, or if the refrigerator compartment temperature detected by the temperature sensor 120 reaches the upper limit of the set temperature range of the refrigerator compartment 31 (or when the chilled room temperature reaches the upper limit of the set temperature range of the chilled room 31A), even during the second predetermined time. The refrigeration operation may be started after freezing/transferring is completed.

Here, while the refrigeration operation is performed, the air temperature in the storage room 30R in the refrigerating temperature range decreases, but the air temperature in the storage room 30F in the freezing temperature range increases. On the other hand, while the freezing operation is performed, the air temperature in the storage compartment 30F in the freezing temperature range decreases, but the air temperature in the storage compartment 30R in the refrigeration temperature range increases. Therefore, the air temperature in the storage room 30R in the refrigeration temperature range and the air temperature in the storage room 30F in the freezing temperature range repeatedly rise and fall in a sawtooth pattern.

<5.2 Set temperature range>
Next, the "set temperature range" will be explained. The "set temperature range" is the air temperature in the storage compartment 30 (for example, the refrigerator compartment 31, the chilled compartment 31A, or the main freezing compartment 35) that is the main target of temperature management in each of the refrigeration operation and freezing operation. Means temperature range. "Set temperature range" means a temperature range defined by an upper limit value and a lower limit value. The control unit 162 sets the air temperature in the storage compartment 30, which is the main target of temperature management, to the upper limit of the set temperature range by, for example, performing PID control based on the refrigerating compartment temperature (or chilled compartment temperature) or freezing compartment temperature. The operating frequency of the compressor 133, the rotation speed of the first blower 135, and the rotation speed of the second blower 136 are determined so as to be within the lower limit value, and the rotation speed of the compressor 133, the first blower 135, and the second blower 136 is determined. control.

<6. Basic control flow>
Next, the flow of basic control will be explained.
FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of basic control. FIG. 7 assumes that the learning storage information 291 for the past two weeks of the refrigerator 100 is stored in the storage unit 290 of the server 200.

First, the operation plan generation unit 220 of the server 200 analyzes the lifestyle pattern of the user U (the usage pattern of the refrigerator 100) based on the learning storage information 291 for the past two weeks of the refrigerator 100 stored in the storage unit 280, An operation plan for the refrigerator 100 is generated according to the lifestyle pattern of the user U (S101). Next, the control command transmitter 230 of the server 200 transmits a control command regarding the next predetermined unit time according to the operation plan to the refrigerator 100 every predetermined unit time (for example, every hour) (S102). When control command acquisition unit 161 receives a control command from server 200, control unit 162 of refrigerator 100 controls cooling unit 130 of refrigerator 100 based on the received control command (S103).

The transmitter 164 of the refrigerator 100 transmits, for each predetermined unit time, learning state information 191 indicating the usage state of the refrigerator 100 detected during the predetermined unit time, and the operation details of the refrigerator 100 during the predetermined unit time. The execution result information 192 indicating the execution result information is transmitted to the server 200 (S104). The server 200 accumulates the learning status information 191 received from the refrigerator 100 as part of the learning accumulation information 291, and also accumulates the execution result information 192 received from the refrigerator 100 as a part of the execution result accumulation information 292 ( S105).

<7. Control that promotes reduction of power consumption>
Next, control for promoting reduction in power consumption will be explained.

<7.1 About types of control>
First, the first cooling control and the second cooling control that can be executed by the control unit 162 will be described. The first cooling control and the second cooling control are, for example, controls regarding the compressor 133.

(First cooling control)
The first cooling control is control of the compressor 133 during normal operation of the refrigerator 100. That is, the first cooling control is control executed in the initial state of the refrigerator (control executed immediately after the power supply of refrigerator 100 is started). Viewed from another perspective, the first cooling control is control executed during normal operation in the learning control mode. The first cooling control is control that is executed during a time period in which the number of times the door 20 is opened/closed per unit time or the opening time exceeds a predetermined value (predetermined threshold value).

In the first cooling control, the control unit 162 controls the temperature detected by the refrigerator compartment temperature sensor 121 (or the temperature detected by the chilled compartment temperature sensor 122) and the lower limit value of the set temperature range of the refrigerator compartment 31 (or the temperature detected by the chilled compartment temperature sensor 122). The rotation speed of the compressor 133 is determined based on the difference between the temperature and the lower limit of the set temperature range. Further, the control unit 162 determines the rotation speed of the compressor 133 based on the difference between the temperature detected by the main freezing compartment temperature sensor 123 and the lower limit value of the set temperature range of the main freezing compartment 35. In the first cooling control, the control unit 162 determines a large rotation speed as the rotation speed of the compressor 133 when the difference is large, and determines a small rotation speed as the rotation speed of the compressor 133 when the difference is small. . Below, these differences will be collectively referred to as "the difference between the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 120 and the lower limit value of the set temperature range of the storage chamber 30."

(Second cooling control)
The second cooling control is a control that reduces power consumption of the refrigerator 100 compared to the first cooling control. For example, the second cooling control is a control in which at least the upper limit of the set temperature range is set higher than that of the first cooling control. For example, the second cooling control is a control that is executed during a time period in which the number of times the door 20 is opened/closed per unit time or the opening time is equal to or less than the predetermined value (predetermined threshold value or less). For example, the second cooling control is control executed during a predetermined time period based on past operating information or usage status of refrigerator 100. For example, the second cooling control is control executed during a predetermined time period based on a control command from the external server 200. In this embodiment, the second cooling control is control executed in eco-driving in the learning control mode. The second cooling control is a control that promotes reduction in power consumption.

<7.2 Determination of compressor rotation speed in second cooling control>
In this embodiment, when the second cooling control is executed, the control unit 162 determines the rotation speed of the compressor 133 in the second cooling control based on the environmental temperature detected by the environmental temperature sensor 124.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the rotation speed of the compressor 133.
(a) in FIG. 8 shows the rotation speed of the compressor 133 in the first cooling control (ie, normal operation). The compressor 133 has a plurality of rotational speed settings. When starting the compressor 133 from a stopped state, the control unit 162 starts the compressor 133 at a large rotation speed R1a based on the difference between the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 120 and the lower limit of the set temperature range of the storage chamber 30. drive (see time Sa).

Thereafter, as the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 120 decreases, the rotation speed of the compressor 133 is lowered from the rotation speed R1a to the rotation speed R1b. Thereafter, as the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 120 further decreases, the rotation speed of the compressor 133 is lowered from the rotation speed R1b to the rotation speed R1c. That is, the control unit 162 gradually reduces the rotation speed of the compressor 133 based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 120 and the lower limit of the set temperature range of the storage chamber 30. Then, when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 120 reaches the lower limit of the set temperature range of the storage chamber 30, the compressor 133 is stopped (see time point Sb). Thereby, the compressor 133 is stopped after being operated for the operating time T1. In this case, the time integral value regarding cooling (rotational speed of the compressor 133 x time) is S1 [rpm·min].

(b) in FIG. 8 is a temperature at which the environmental temperature detected by the environmental temperature sensor 124 is within the first temperature range (hereinafter referred to as "first temperature") when the second cooling control is executed. The rotation speed of the compressor 133 in a certain case is shown. When starting the compressor 133 from a stopped state, the control unit 162 controls the rotation speed R2, which is a fixed value, regardless of the difference between the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 120 and the lower limit of the set temperature range of the storage chamber 30. The compressor 133 is rotated. The rotation speed R2 is a value lower than the average rotation speed of the compressor 133 in the first cooling control. For example, the rotation speed R2 is a value lower than the overall average of the rotation speeds of the compressor 133, which are gradually lowered in the first cooling control. Here, the "overall average" is an average over the entire first cooling control. The rotation speed R2 is an example of a "first rotation speed."

From another perspective, when the second cooling control is executed, when there is a predetermined temperature difference between the temperature of the storage room 30 and the lower limit of the set temperature range in the first cooling control, the control unit 162 Compared to the rotation speed of the compressor 133 set to Set low.

Furthermore, the control unit 162 sets the operating time T2 of the compressor 133 per cycle in the second cooling control to a longer time than the operating time T1 of the compressor 133 per cycle in the first cooling control. "Once" means from when the compressor 133 is started until it is stopped. That is, the control unit 162 continues to drive the compressor 133 at the rotation speed R2 for the operating time T2. The driving time T2 is an example of the "first time". For example, the control unit 162 sets the time integral value S2 [rpm/min], which is the time integral value (rotational speed of the compressor 133 x time) regarding the second cooling control, to be the same as the time integral value S1 regarding the first cooling control. Determine the length of driving time T2. That is, the length of the operating time T2 is determined so that the areas of the shaded area S1 and the area of the shaded area S2 in FIG. 8 are the same.

(c) in FIG. 8 indicates a temperature at which the environmental temperature detected by the environmental temperature sensor 124 is within the second temperature range (hereinafter referred to as "second temperature") when the second cooling control is executed. The rotation speed of the compressor 133 in a certain case is shown. The second temperature range is a lower (ie cooler) temperature range than the first temperature range. When starting the compressor 133 from a stopped state, the control unit 162 operates based on the rotation speed R3, which is a fixed value, regardless of the difference between the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 120 and the lower limit of the set temperature range of the storage chamber 30. The compressor 133 is rotated. The rotation speed R3 is a value lower than the rotation speed R2. The rotation speed R3 is an example of a "second rotation speed."

In this case, the control unit 162 sets the operating time T3 per operation of the compressor 133 when the environmental temperature is in the second temperature range in the second cooling control. That is, the control unit 162 continues to drive the compressor 133 at the rotation speed R3 for the operating time T3. The driving time T3 is an example of a "second time". The operating time T3 is longer than the operating time T2 per operation of the compressor 133 when the environmental temperature is within the first temperature range in the second cooling control. For example, the control unit 162 controls the time integral value S3 [rpm/min], which is the time integral value (rotational speed of the compressor 133 x time) when the environmental temperature is in the second temperature range, to be the above-mentioned time integral value. The length of the driving time T3 is determined so that it is the same as S1 or the time integral value S2.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the upper limit value of the rotation speed of the compressor 133 set in the second cooling control. In this embodiment, as the rotation speed of the compressor 133, a first upper limit value corresponding to the first temperature range and a second upper limit value corresponding to the second temperature range are set in advance. Information indicating the first upper limit value and the second upper limit value is stored in the storage unit 190 of the refrigerator 100 as upper limit information 193.

When the environmental temperature is in the first temperature range in the second cooling control, the control unit 162 sets the first upper limit value as the upper limit value of the rotation speed of the compressor 133 and determines the rotation speed of the compressor 133. In addition, in the above-mentioned example, when the environmental temperature is in the first temperature range in the second cooling control, the fixed value R2 is used, but if the rotation speed is equal to or less than the first upper limit, The rotation speed may be controlled in stages.

Similarly, when the environmental temperature is in the second temperature range in the second cooling control, the control unit 162 sets the second upper limit value as the upper limit value of the rotation speed of the compressor 133 and determines the rotation speed of the compressor 133. do. In addition, in the above-mentioned example, when the environmental temperature is in the second temperature range in the second cooling control, the fixed value R3 is used. However, if the rotation speed is equal to or less than the second upper limit value, The rotation speed may be controlled in stages.

Note that "the cooling unit 130 can be controlled by the first cooling control and the second cooling control in which at least the upper limit of the set temperature range is set higher than the first cooling control" means that the first cooling control and the second cooling control are This does not mean that it is controllable using only two cooling controls, but rather that it is controllable using at least the first cooling control and the second cooling control. For example, there may be third cooling control such as pre-cooling operation. Furthermore, "determining the rotation speed of the compressor 133 in the second cooling control based on the environmental temperature" includes, for example, not reducing the rotation speed of the compressor 133 if the environmental temperature is the first temperature. But that's fine. In this case, for example, in the eco-driving, the driving is performed based on the temperature difference between the temperature of the storage chamber 30 and the lower limit of the set temperature range, as in the normal driving. On the other hand, when the environmental temperature is a second temperature lower than the first temperature, the rotation speed of the compressor 133 may be lowered.

<7.3 Control flow regarding second cooling control>
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the process flow of eco-driving according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the upper limit value of the compressor rotation speed in eco-driving.

The process shown in FIG. 10 is executed when eco-driving is performed. In the process shown in FIG. 10, the control unit 162 waits until a predetermined temperature rise occurs (step S11: NO). When a temperature rise occurs (step S11: YES), the control unit 162 acquires the environmental temperature detected by the environmental temperature sensor 124 (step S12). Next, the control unit 162 determines whether the environmental temperature is a low room temperature (whether or not it is in the second temperature range) (step S13).

When the environmental temperature is a low room temperature (step S13: YES), the control unit 162 sets the compressor rotation speed upper limit to the low room temperature upper limit (second upper limit) (step S14). On the other hand, if the environmental temperature is not a low room temperature (step S13: NO), the control unit 162 sets the compressor rotation speed upper limit value to the upper limit value for high room temperature (first upper limit value) (step S15). ). In steps S13 to S15, the control unit 162 sets the compressor rotational speed upper limit to the high room temperature upper limit when the environmental temperature is higher than the predetermined threshold Ts, for example as shown in FIG. In the following cases, set the compressor rotation speed upper limit to the upper limit for low room temperature.

Next, the control unit 162 sets a cooling time according to the refrigerating capacity based on the compressor rotational speed upper limit set in step S14 or S15 (step S16). Next, the control unit 162 operates the refrigerator in the eco-operation mode for the set cooling time (step S17). For example, in the first cooling control during normal operation, when a temperature rise occurs, the compressor rotation speed increases, for example, from the minimum rotation speed to a predetermined rotation speed, and then decreases in stages, for example, as the temperature inside the refrigerator decreases. (See (a) in FIG. 8). On the other hand, in the second cooling control during, for example, eco-driving, when a temperature rise occurs, the compressor rotation speed increases to the rotation speed upper limit value, and the cooling time is controlled to be constant, for example, the rotation speed upper limit value (in Figure 8). (See (b) and (c)).

<8. Advantages>
According to the present embodiment, the rotational speed of the compressor 133 in the second cooling control such as eco-driving is determined based on the environmental temperature, so it is possible to reduce power consumption. That is, in this embodiment, the rotation speed of the compressor 133 in the second cooling control is determined based on the environmental temperature detected by the environmental temperature sensor 124. According to such a configuration, in the second cooling control such as eco-driving, in addition to raising at least the upper limit of the set temperature range compared to the first cooling control, the compressor 133 is increased compared to the first cooling control. The rotation speed can be kept low. Thereby, the power consumption of compressor 133 can be reduced, and the power consumption of refrigerator 100 can be reduced.

In this embodiment, the control unit 162 determines the rotation speed of the compressor 133 in the second cooling control to a value lower than the average rotation speed of the compressor 133 in the first cooling control, and also determines the rotation speed of the compressor 133 in the first cooling control. The operating time of the compressor 133 per operation in the second cooling control is determined to be longer than the operating time of the compressor 133 per operation. According to such a configuration, by increasing the operating time in accordance with decreasing the rotation speed of compressor 133, it is possible to suppress a decrease in cooling performance of refrigerator 100. Moreover, if the operating time of the compressor 133 becomes longer per operation, the number of times the compressor 133 is started per the same time can be reduced. As a result, it is possible to reduce the chances of consuming a large amount of current required when starting up the compressor 133, and it is possible to further reduce the power consumption of the compressor 133.

In the present embodiment, in the first cooling control, the control unit 162 determines the rotation speed of the compressor 133 based on the temperature difference between the temperature of the storage chamber 30 and the lower limit of the set temperature range. Furthermore, in the second cooling control, the control unit 162 determines the rotation speed of the compressor 133 at a level lower than the average rotation speed of the compressor 133 in the first cooling control. According to this configuration, the rotation speed of the compressor 133 in the second cooling control can be determined to be lower than the average rotation speed of the compressor 133 in the first cooling control, and the power consumption of the compressor 133 can be reduced. Further reduction can be achieved.

In the present embodiment, in the first cooling control, the control unit 162 controls the compressor so that the rotation speed of the compressor 133 is gradually reduced based on the temperature difference between the temperature of the storage chamber 30 and the lower limit of the set temperature range. 133 rotation speed is determined. Further, in the second cooling control, the control unit 162 determines the rotation speed of the compressor 133 at a level lower than the overall average of the rotation speed of the compressor 133, which is lowered stepwise in the first cooling control. According to this configuration, the rotation speed of the compressor 133 in the second cooling control can be determined to a level lower than the overall average of the rotation speed of the compressor 133 that decreases in stages in the first cooling control, and The power consumption of the machine 133 can be further reduced.

In the present embodiment, in the second cooling control, when the environmental temperature is the first temperature, the control unit 162 determines the rotation speed of the compressor 133 to be the first rotation speed, and the environmental temperature is lower than the first temperature. If the temperature is the second temperature, the rotation speed of the compressor 133 is determined to be a second rotation speed lower than the first rotation speed. According to this configuration, the rotation speed of the compressor 133 can be appropriately determined according to the environmental temperature, and the power consumption of the compressor 133 can be further reduced.

In the present embodiment, in the second cooling control, when the environmental temperature is the first temperature, the control unit 162 continues to drive the compressor 133 at the first rotation speed for a first time, so that the environmental temperature increases. When the second temperature is lower than the first temperature, driving the compressor 133 at a second rotation speed lower than the first rotation speed is continued for a second time longer than the first time. According to this configuration, the rotation speed of the compressor 133 can be appropriately set according to the environmental temperature, and furthermore, the operating time can be appropriately set according to the environmental temperature. That is, by increasing the operating time in accordance with decreasing the rotational speed of compressor 133, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the cooling performance of refrigerator 100. Moreover, if the operating time of the compressor 133 becomes longer per operation, the number of times the compressor 133 is started per the same time can be reduced. As a result, it is possible to reduce the chances of consuming a large amount of current required when starting up the compressor 133, and it is possible to further reduce the power consumption of the compressor 133.

In the present embodiment, in the first cooling control, the control unit 162 determines the rotation speed of the compressor 133 based on the temperature difference between the temperature of the storage chamber 30 and the lower limit of the set temperature range. Further, in the second cooling control, the control unit 162 determines the rotation speed of the compressor 133 based on the upper limit value of the rotation speed of the compressor 133 set in relation to the second cooling control. According to this configuration, the rotation speed of the compressor 133 can be easily limited to below the upper limit value without introducing complicated control.

In the present embodiment, in the second cooling control, when the environmental temperature is the first temperature, the control unit 162 determines the rotation speed of the compressor 133 based on the first upper limit value regarding the rotation speed of the compressor 133, and When the temperature is a second temperature lower than the first temperature, the rotation speed of the compressor 133 is determined based on a second upper limit value that is lower than the first upper limit value. According to this configuration, the upper limit value can be appropriately set according to the environmental temperature.

(Second embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment will be described. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the control unit 162 widens the temperature range of the set temperature range in the second cooling control compared to the first cooling control. Note that the configuration other than those described below is the same as the first embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining an operation example of the second cooling control of the second embodiment. FIG. 12 shows the relationship between the set temperature band TSB1 and the time change in the rotation speed of the compressor 133 in the first cooling control, and the relationship between the set temperature band TSB2 and the time change in the rotation speed of the compressor 133 in the second cooling control. A comparison is shown below. In the example shown in FIG. 12, the temperature width of the set temperature zone TSB2 is larger than that of the set temperature zone TSB1. Note that the upper limit value TSB1U of TSB1 in the set temperature range and the upper limit value TSB2U of TSB2 in the set temperature range can be, for example, the same. In this case, the lower limit TSB2L of TSB2 in the set temperature range is set lower than the lower limit TSB1L of TSB1 in the set temperature range.

In the example shown in FIG. 11, the period of change in the rotation speed of the compressor 133 tends to be larger in the second cooling control than in the first cooling control. Therefore, in the second cooling control, compared to the first cooling control, the number of times the compressor 133 is activated during the same time can be reduced. As a result, it is possible to reduce the chances of consuming a large amount of current required when starting up the compressor 133, and it is possible to further reduce the power consumption of the compressor 133.

In the second embodiment, for example, when the environmental temperature is the first temperature, the temperature range between the upper limit and the lower limit of the set temperature range is set as the first temperature range, and the environmental temperature is set to the first temperature. When the second temperature is lower than , the temperature range between the upper limit and the lower limit of the set temperature range may be set to be a second temperature range larger than the first temperature range.

As described above, in the second cooling control, the control unit 162 of the second embodiment increases the temperature range between the upper limit and the lower limit of the set temperature range, compared to the first cooling control. According to this configuration, the upper limit of the operating temperature can be changed in accordance with changes in the environmental temperature, the operating time can be extended, and the number of rotational increases of the compressor 133 can be kept low. Therefore, it is possible to reduce power consumption.

(Modified example)
Although the embodiment has been described above, the embodiment is not limited to the above example. For example, the server-instructed cooling mode is not limited to the learning control mode, and may be a control mode set based on the operation of the terminal device 300 on the home appliance management application APP (for example, a cooling mode dedicated to the home appliance management application APP). Furthermore, when performing PID control based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 120 and the set temperature lower limit value, in the second cooling control, the contents of the PID control (for example, the contents of the function) are changed based on the environmental temperature. The rotation speed of the compressor 133 may also be determined.

According to at least one embodiment described above, the rotation speed of the compressor in the second cooling control such as eco-driving is determined based on the environmental temperature, thereby providing a refrigerator that can reduce power consumption. can do.

Although several embodiments of the invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and gist of the invention as well as within the scope of the invention described in the claims and its equivalents.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Refrigerator system, 100... Refrigerator, 120... Temperature sensor, 121... Refrigerator room temperature sensor, 122... Chilled room temperature sensor, 123... Main freezing room temperature sensor, 124... Environmental temperature sensor, 130... Cooling part, 133... Compression machine, 140...operation unit, 160...control device, 161...control command acquisition unit, 162...control unit, 200...server.

Claims (12)

a housing including a storage section;
a cooler that cools the air supplied to the storage section;
a compressor that compresses refrigerant supplied to the cooler;
a first sensor that detects the temperature of the storage section;
a second sensor that detects an environmental temperature outside the housing;
a control unit that controls the compressor so that the temperature of the storage unit detected by the first sensor falls between an upper limit value and a lower limit value of a set temperature range set for the storage unit;
Equipped with
The control unit controls the compressor by a first cooling control that is a control executed in an initial state of the refrigerator, and a second cooling control in which at least the upper limit value is set higher than the first cooling control. determining the rotational speed of the compressor in the second cooling control based on the environmental temperature detected by the second sensor;
refrigerator. The storage unit includes a door that can be opened and closed,
The first cooling control is a control that is executed during a time period in which the number of times the door is opened/closed per unit time or the opening time exceeds a threshold value,
The second cooling control is a control that is executed during a time period in which the number of times the door is opened/closed per unit time or the opening time is equal to or less than the threshold value.
The refrigerator according to claim 1. The second cooling control is control executed at a predetermined time period based on past operating information or usage status of the refrigerator.
The refrigerator according to claim 1 or claim 2. The second cooling control is control executed in a predetermined time period based on a control command from an external server.
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The control unit determines the rotational speed of the compressor in the second cooling control to a value lower than the average rotational speed of the compressor in the first cooling control, and determining the operating time per operation of the compressor in the second cooling control to be longer than the operating time per operation of the compressor in the second cooling control;
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The control unit includes:
In the first cooling control, the rotation speed of the compressor is determined to reduce the rotation speed of the compressor in stages based on the temperature difference between the temperature of the storage section and the lower limit value,
In the second cooling control, the rotation speed of the compressor is determined to be a value lower than the overall average rotation speed of the compressor, which is lowered in stages in the first cooling control.
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 5. In the second cooling control, when the environmental temperature is a first temperature, the control unit determines the rotational speed of the compressor to be a first rotational speed, and when the environmental temperature is lower than the first temperature, 2 temperature, determining the rotational speed of the compressor to a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed;
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 6. In the second cooling control, when the environmental temperature is the first temperature, the control unit continues to drive the compressor at the first rotational speed for a first time, and when the environmental temperature is the first temperature. When the temperature is the second temperature, driving the compressor at the second rotational speed continues for a second time period that is longer than the first time period.
The refrigerator according to claim 7. The control unit includes:
In the first cooling control, the rotation speed of the compressor is determined based on the temperature of the storage section and the lower limit value,
In the second cooling control, the rotation speed of the compressor is determined based on an upper limit value of the rotation speed of the compressor that is set in connection with the second cooling control.
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 8. In the second cooling control, when the environmental temperature is a first temperature, the control unit determines the rotational speed of the compressor based on a first upper limit value regarding the rotational speed of the compressor, and when the environmental temperature is If the second temperature is lower than the first temperature, determining the rotation speed of the compressor based on a second upper limit lower than the first upper limit;
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 9. The control unit increases a temperature range between an upper limit value and a lower limit value of the set temperature range in the second cooling control compared to the first cooling control.
The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 10. a housing including a storage section;
a cooler that cools the air supplied to the storage section;
a compressor that compresses refrigerant supplied to the cooler;
a sensor that detects an environmental temperature outside the housing;
a control unit that controls the compressor so that the temperature of the storage unit falls between an upper limit value and a lower limit value of a set temperature range set for the storage unit;
Equipped with
The control unit can control the compressor by first cooling control and second cooling control in which at least the upper limit value is set higher than in the first cooling control, and the first cooling control Compared to the rotation speed of the compressor that is set when there is a predetermined temperature difference between the temperature of the storage section and the lower limit value, the rotation speed of the compressor is set between the temperature of the storage section and the lower limit value in the second cooling control. setting the rotational speed of the compressor low when there is the predetermined temperature difference between
refrigerator.

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