KR20000073572A - Refrigerator having a display apparatus and controlling method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A refrigerator with a display device and a control method thereof are provided to save power by having a display device lighted on simply when it is needed. CONSTITUTION: While a back light(51) is lighted off, a back light control unit(61) receives a data about the operation of a selecting button(13) as an input unit from a display control unit(12). If the selecting button is operated, the back light is lighted on while a sleeping operation is not canceled by a load control unit(14). The back light control unit is lighted off after certain time from the final operation of the selecting button. If the intensity of illumination sensed by an illumination sensor(40) is over a certain degree, the back light is lighted on and the load control unit returns to normal operation by the back light control unit.

Description

REFRIGERATOR HAVING A DISPLAY APPARATUS AND CONTROLLING METHOD THEREOF}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator having a display device and a control method thereof, and to a refrigerator having a display device for controlling on / off of a backlight for illuminating an LCD display unit.

In general, a refrigerator is provided with a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment in a cabinet, and the refrigerator compartment and the freezer compartment are cooled to an appropriate temperature by a refrigeration system using a refrigerant. In order to maintain the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment at an appropriate temperature or a temperature desired by the user, an operation panel having a plurality of buttons for selecting the refrigerating and freezing strength is formed on the door attached to the front of the cabinet.

The operation panel has a casing housed in the door and a PCB board housed in the casing to set the temperature in the refrigerating compartment and the freezer compartment according to a signal from the outside. It is arranged to penetrate, and is formed in the center area | region of a casing by the display window which shows the temperature setting state of a refrigerator by selection of an operation button. The display window displays a number of user-selectable functions such as power refrigeration, power refrigeration, refrigerator compartment temperature level, freezer compartment temperature level, door lock, and deodorization. Each function is equipped with an indicator light to turn on and off the lights. Will be.

By the way, in the conventional operation panel, a plurality of indicator lights are provided on the display window, and power is continuously applied to the selected indicator lights while power is applied to the refrigerator. In practice, however, the indicator of the display window does not need to be turned on except when the user wants to grasp the displayed contents or when resetting the respective functions.

Therefore, as the display window of such a conventional operation panel is always lit, there is a problem that the life of the indicator is shortened and power is wasted.

On the other hand, since the refrigerator is not used for a long time at night, it is necessary to convert the operating state into a medicine. Accordingly, the refrigerator has a bedtime driving function, and the bedtime function is not detected when the door is opened for a predetermined time or the user selects a separate bedtime function button, and when the bedtime driving function is performed, the control unit of the refrigerator compartment The compressor is stopped until the temperature reaches the notch temperature. When the door is opened or the temperature of the refrigerating chamber reaches the notch temperature during the sleep operation, the sleep function is released.

Accordingly, the bedtime driving function is not continuously performed during the late night hours, but only for a predetermined time depending on the temperature of the refrigerating chamber or the state of opening or closing the door. Noise is generated by the operation of the load. Accordingly, there is a problem that the user's face is disturbed.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator having a display device capable of reducing power consumption by providing an indicator light which is lit only when necessary, and a control method thereof.

Still another object of the present invention is to reduce the power consumption and to not disturb the user's face by making the bedtime operation continuously during the late night time.

1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator having a display device according to the present invention;

2 is an enlarged plan view of a display unit according to an exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1;

3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the backlight area of the display unit of FIG. 2;

4 is a control block diagram of the backlight is controlled by the flashing time storage;

5 is a control flow chart of the backlight by the control block diagram of FIG.

6 is a control block diagram of the backlight is controlled by the illuminance sensor,

FIG. 7 is a control flowchart of a backlight according to the control block diagram of FIG. 6.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

10 display device 11 display unit

12: display control unit 13: selection button

14: load control unit 20: flashing off time storage unit

40: illuminance sensor 50: backlight device

51: backlight 61: backlight control unit

According to the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator having a cabinet for forming at least one cooling chamber, and a door installed in the cabinet, the refrigerator comprising: an LCD display unit installed in front of the door; A backlight installed in one area of the display unit to illuminate the display unit; An input unit for operating the display unit; An on / off time storing unit in which lighting and lighting time of the backlight are stored in advance; It is achieved by the refrigerator characterized in that it comprises a backlight control unit for turning on and off the backlight according to the lighting time stored in the lighting time storage.

Here, the off time of the backlight may be set to a predetermined late night time, thereby preventing facial disturbance at bedtime.

The backlight control unit turns on the backlight when there is an operation from the input unit during the extinction time, and turns off the backlight after a predetermined time after the backlight is turned on, so that the backlight is turned on during the user's use. do.

The apparatus may further include a lighting time setting unit for setting the lighting and lighting time, and the backlight controller may turn on and off the backlight according to the lighting time set by the lighting time setting unit.

The refrigerator further includes a load control unit for controlling a predetermined load driving, wherein the load control unit controls a predetermined load driving in conjunction with turning on and off the backlight according to the lighting time, thereby providing an accurate sleep operation function. Can be done.

On the other hand, according to another embodiment of the present invention, a refrigerator having a cabinet to form at least one cooling chamber, and a door in which the cabinet is installed, comprising: an LCD display unit installed on the front of the door; A backlight installed in one area of the display unit to illuminate the display unit; An input unit for operating the display unit; An illuminance sensor detecting an illuminance of the cabinet area; If the illuminance sensed by the illuminance sensor is less than or equal to a certain level, the illuminance may be achieved by a refrigerator comprising a backlight control unit for turning off the backlight.

Here, the backlight control unit turns on the backlight when there is an operation from the input unit while the backlight is turned off, and turns off the backlight when a predetermined time elapses after the backlight is turned on. Make it light.

The refrigerator further includes a load control unit for controlling a predetermined load driving, wherein the load control unit controls the predetermined load driving in conjunction with turning on and off the backlight according to the lighting time.

On the other hand, the above object, according to another field of the present invention, in the control method of the refrigerator having a cabinet to form at least one cooling chamber, the door is installed in the cabinet, the LCD display unit on the front of the door, Providing an input unit for operating the display unit and a backlight for illuminating the display unit; Presetting an off time and a lighting time of the backlight; It can also be achieved by a control method of a refrigerator, comprising the step of turning off the backlight at a set off time.

In this case, in response to the backlight off, the driving of the compressor and the blower fan may be further included. Thus, an accurate sleep operation function may be performed.

The method may further include turning on the backlight when there is an operation of the input unit while the backlight is turned off, and turning off the backlight after a predetermined time elapses without manipulation of the input unit after the backlight is turned on. Thus, the backlight is turned on only when the user uses it.

On the other hand, according to another embodiment of the present invention, in the control method of the refrigerator having a cabinet to form at least one cooling chamber, the door is installed in the cabinet, the LCD display unit on the front of the door, Providing an input unit for operating the display unit and a backlight for illuminating the display unit; Detecting illuminance of the cabinet area; When the illuminance is less than a predetermined, it may be achieved by a control method of a refrigerator, comprising the step of turning off the backlight.

Here, by interlocking with the light of the backlight, the step of stopping the driving of the compressor and the blowing fan, it is possible to perform the accurate sleep operation.

The method may further include turning on the backlight when the input unit is operated after the backlight is turned off, and turning off the backlight after a predetermined time elapses without the manipulation of the input unit after the backlight is turned on. Can be.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the SIDE BY SIDE type super-large refrigerator, a pair of refrigerator compartments and a freezer compartment partitioned left and right are formed in a rectangular cylindrical cabinet 1 having a front opening. In the front, a refrigerating chamber door 5 and a freezing chamber door 3 are attached. In the cabinet (1) of the refrigerator, a refrigeration system using a refrigerant is installed to refrigerate and freeze food.

The refrigeration system includes a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, a condenser for condensing refrigerant from the compressor, and an evaporator for evaporating the refrigerant, wherein the evaporator is installed at the rear of the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment to exchange heat with air in the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment. . In addition, a blower fan is installed in an area adjacent to the evaporator to circulate the air in the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber to help heat exchange between the high air and the evaporator.

The refrigerator may control the operation of the compressor and the blower fan to adjust the temperature of the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment. In one region of the freezer door 3, the display apparatus 10 may display and set the freezing and refrigerating states of the refrigerator. It is installed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the display apparatus 10 includes a display unit 11 formed of an LCD and a lower portion of the display unit 11 to select or set information displayed on the display unit 11 as desired. It includes a plurality of selection buttons 13 which is an input unit for.

In addition, the display apparatus 10 may be formed of a display unit 11 formed of an LCD and a touch screen stacked on the surface of the display unit 11 to form an input unit. In this case, a separate selection button 13 may be used. Is not necessary.

As shown in FIG. 2, the initial screen of the display unit 11 includes a refrigerator function capable of identifying and adjusting the refrigeration and freezing conditions of the refrigerator, a calendar function for inputting and displaying a date, and a specific day. The company's logo is displayed along with a menu showing functions such as a schedule function for displaying the time on the calendar and a time function for setting and displaying the time.

On the other hand, since the display unit 11 formed of the LCD does not emit light by itself, the backlight unit 50 is installed to grasp the contents displayed on the display unit 11. As shown in FIG. 3, the backlight device 50 accommodates a backlight 51, a light guide plate 52 for transmitting light from the backlight 51 to the display panel 60, and a backlight 51. And a frame 55 mounted on the edge of the display unit 11. The backlight 51 is enclosed by the reflector plate 54 so as to reflect light from the backlight 51 and accommodated in the frame 55, and the lower part of the light guide plate 52 receives light from the backlight 51. A reflecting sheet 53 for reflecting inward is attached.

The operation of the display apparatus 10 is controlled as in the control block diagram shown in FIG. The display unit 11 is controlled by the display control unit 12 in which information about the refrigerator is programmed in advance, and the display control unit 12 is displayed on the display unit 11 according to the selection of the touch screen or the selection button 13. Change the information. In addition, the display control unit 12 exchanges information with a load control unit 14 for driving a load such as a compressor 8 and a blower fan 9 installed in the refrigerator, and the load control unit 14 is provided with a selection button 13 or the like. The driving of the compressor 8 and the blowing fan 9 is controlled according to the value set by the touch screen and the detected values from the plurality of temperature sensors 16 installed in the cabinet 1.

On the other hand, the backlight 51 is turned on and off by the backlight control unit 61, the backlight control unit 61 is turned on and off from the lighting time saving section 20, which stores the lighting time and the off time. In response to the time, the backlight 51 is turned on and off. The lighting time and the lighting time stored in the lighting time saving unit 20 are input in advance, but may be reset by the user. The lighting time may be a midnight time, for example, using a refrigerator at about 12 pm to 6 am It is preferable to set it to little bedtime.

In addition, according to another embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the backlight control unit 61 controls the turning on and off of the backlight 51 by the illuminance sensed by the illuminance sensor 40 detecting the illuminance around the refrigerator. The control part 61 inputs the illuminance which the backlight 51 turns on or off previously. Accordingly, the backlight controller 61 turns off the backlight 51 when the illuminance sensed by the illuminance sensor 40 is lower than or equal to a predetermined level, and turns on the backlight 51 when the illuminance is higher than or equal to the predetermined level. Similarly to the case of using the light-emitting time storage unit 20 is a night time zone.

On the other hand, the backlight control unit 61 is connected to the load control unit 14 to exchange information, and when the light-off time zone, that is, the midnight time zone of the backlight 51 from the backlight control unit 61 is transferred to the load control unit 14, the load The controller 14 allows the sleep operation to be started. During bedtime operation, the load control unit 14 sets the temperature of the refrigerating chamber to about 0.5 to 1 ° C. higher than the notch temperature, and minimizes the driving time of the blower fan 9 and the compressor 8.

By this configuration, when the initial power is supplied to the refrigerator, as shown in FIG. 5, the backlight 51 of the display apparatus 10 is turned on, and the compressor 8 and the blower fan 9 are driven ( S10). At this time, when the unlit time of the backlight 51 is not input in advance or when the user wants to set the unlit time of the backlight 51 again, the unlit time storage unit 20 is controlled through the time function of the display unit 11. (S20, S30). When the lighting and extinguishing time is set in this way, the backlight controller 61 compares the lighting time and the extinguishing time stored in the lighting time saving part 20 with the time from the clock of the time function (S40). If it is not reached, the backlight 51 is kept lit (S45), and when the unlit time is reached, the backlight 51 is turned off (S40). Then, in conjunction with the light of the backlight 51, the load control unit 14 enters the sleep operation (S40).

While the backlight 51 is turned off, the backlight control unit 61 receives information from the display control unit 12 whether there is an operation of the selection button 13 as an input unit (S60), and the selection button 13 as an input unit. If there is operation, the backlight 51 is turned on (S70). At this time, the load control unit 14 does not cancel the sleep operation. Then, the backlight control unit 61 detects again whether there is an operation of the input unit from the display control unit 12 (S80), and turns off the backlight 51 when a predetermined time has passed after the final operation of the input unit (S90). S100). On the other hand, when the extinguishing time of the backlight 51 ends (S110), the backlight controller 61 turns on the backlight 51, and the load controller 14 returns to normal operation (S120).

On the other hand, in the case of controlling the lighting and turning off of the backlight 51 by the illuminance sensor 40, as shown in FIG. 7, when the initial power is supplied, the backlight 51 is turned on and the blowing fan 9 and The compressor 8 is driven (P10). In addition, the backlight controller 61 receives illuminance around the refrigerator detected by the illuminance sensor 40 (P20), and maintains lighting of the backlight 51 when the illuminance is greater than or equal to a predetermined level (P30), and illuminates the surrounding illuminance. Below, the backlight 51 is turned off. At this time, the load control unit 14 is to enter the sleep operation (P40).

While the backlight 51 is turned off, the backlight controller 61 receives information from the display controller 12 whether there is an operation of the selection button 13 as an input unit (P50), and the operation from the selection button 13 is stopped. If any, the backlight 51 is turned on (P60). At this time, the load control unit 14 does not cancel the sleep operation. Then, the backlight control unit 61 detects again whether there is an operation of the selection button 13 from the display control unit 12 (P70), and when the predetermined time has passed after the final operation of the selection button 13, the backlight 51 ) Is turned off (P80, P90). Meanwhile, when the illuminance sensed by the illuminance sensor 40 is greater than or equal to a predetermined level (P100), the backlight controller 61 turns on the backlight 51, and the load control unit 14 returns to normal operation (P110).

As described above, in the present invention, the backlight 51 is turned off in the late-night time zone by using the lighting time saving unit 20 and the illuminance sensor 40. In the late-night time zone, the backlight 51 is turned off. To go to bed.

As a result, the life of the backlight 51 can be extended, and power waste due to the lighting of the backlight 51 and the unnecessary compressor 8 or the blower fan 9 during bedtime can be prevented. In addition, since the noise caused by the light emission of the backlight 51 and the driving of the compressor 8 or the blowing fan 9 can be prevented, it is possible to prevent the user's face from being disturbed.

As described above, according to the present invention, the backlight is turned off at a predetermined time, especially at midnight hours, and the sleep operation is performed to minimize the driving of the compressor or the blower fan, thereby extending the life of the backlight, and It is possible to prevent waste and prevent user's facial interference.

Claims (18)

A refrigerator having a cabinet forming at least one cooling chamber and a door provided in the cabinet, An LCD display unit installed at the front of the door; A backlight installed in one area of the display unit to illuminate the display unit; An input unit for operating the display unit; An on / off time storing unit in which lighting and lighting time of the backlight are stored in advance; And a backlight control unit which turns on and off the backlight according to the lighting time stored in the lighting time storing unit. The method of claim 1, The off time of the backlight is a refrigerator, characterized in that a predetermined night time zone. The method of claim 2, And the backlight control unit turns on the backlight when there is an operation from the input unit during the extinction time. The method of claim 3, wherein And the backlight controller turns off the backlight when a predetermined time elapses after the backlight is turned on. The method according to claim 1, wherein And a turn-on time setting unit for setting the turn-on and turn-off time, wherein the backlight control unit turns on and turn off the backlight according to the turn-on time set from the turn-on time setting unit. The method of claim 5, And a load control unit configured to control a predetermined load driving, wherein the load control unit controls the predetermined load driving in conjunction with the lighting and turning off of the backlight according to the lighting time. A refrigerator having a cabinet forming at least one cooling chamber and a door provided in the cabinet, An LCD display unit installed at the front of the door; A backlight installed in one area of the display unit to illuminate the display unit; An input unit for operating the display unit; An illuminance sensor detecting an illuminance of the cabinet area; And a backlight control unit for extinguishing the backlight when the illuminance sensed by the illuminance sensor is less than or equal to a predetermined level. The method of claim 7, wherein And the backlight control unit turns on the backlight when there is an operation from an input unit while the backlight is turned off. The method of claim 8, And the backlight controller turns off the backlight when a predetermined time elapses after the backlight is turned on. The method of claim 9, And a load control unit configured to control a predetermined load driving, wherein the load control unit controls the predetermined load driving in conjunction with the lighting and turning off of the backlight according to the lighting time. In the control method of the refrigerator having a cabinet forming at least one cooling chamber, and a door installed in the cabinet, Providing an LCD display unit, an input unit for operating the display unit, and a backlight for illuminating the display unit in front of the door; Presetting an off time and a lighting time of the backlight; And extinguishing the backlight at a set extinguishing time. The method of claim 11, The control method of the refrigerator further comprising the step of stopping the driving of the compressor and the blowing fan in conjunction with the light off. The method of claim 12, And turning on the backlight when there is an operation of the input unit while the backlight is turned off. The method of claim 13, And turning off the backlight after a predetermined time elapses without manipulation of an input unit after the backlight is turned on. In the control method of the refrigerator having a cabinet which forms at least one cooling chamber, and the door provided in the cabinet, Providing an LCD display unit, an input unit for operating the display unit, and a backlight for illuminating the display unit in front of the door; Detecting illuminance of the cabinet area; And if the illuminance is less than a predetermined level, turning off the backlight. The method of claim 15, The control method of the refrigerator further comprising the step of stopping the driving of the compressor and the blowing fan in conjunction with the light off. The method of claim 16, And after the backlight is turned off, turning on the backlight when there is manipulation of the input unit. The method of claim 17, And after the backlight is turned on, turning off the backlight when a predetermined time elapses without manipulation of the input unit.