Method and apparatus for controlling initial operation of refrigerator
First Claim
1. A method of automatically setting a refrigerator temperature in response to the application of power thereto, comprising the steps of:
- A) sensing a temperature in the refrigerator;
B) sensing an external atmosphere temperature, and supplying a reference temperature based thereon;
C) comparing the sensed refrigerator temperature of step A with the reference temperature of step B;
D) determining that power is being supplied after a temporary power outage, if the sensed refrigerator temperature is less than the reference temperature, or that power is not being supplied after a temporary power outage if the sensed refrigerator temperature is not less than the reference temperature; and
E) performing one of two different automatic refrigerator temperature setting operations, depending on whether it is determined that power is or is not being supplied after a temporary power outage.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
When power is supplied to a refrigerator, the refrigerator control system performs one of two different automatic refrigerator temperature setting operations, depending upon whether it is determined that the power is or is not being supplied following a temporary power failure. That determination is made by sensing an internal refrigerator temperature (i.e., a temperature of the cooling compartment and/or the freezing compartment), and providing a reference temperature based upon a sensed external atmosphere temperature. If the refrigerator temperature is less than the reference temperature, then it is assumed that the power is being supplied following a temporary power failure and an appropriate refrigerator temperature setting operation is performed.
161 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method of automatically setting a refrigerator temperature in response to the application of power thereto, comprising the steps of:
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A) sensing a temperature in the refrigerator; B) sensing an external atmosphere temperature, and supplying a reference temperature based thereon; C) comparing the sensed refrigerator temperature of step A with the reference temperature of step B; D) determining that power is being supplied after a temporary power outage, if the sensed refrigerator temperature is less than the reference temperature, or that power is not being supplied after a temporary power outage if the sensed refrigerator temperature is not less than the reference temperature; and E) performing one of two different automatic refrigerator temperature setting operations, depending on whether it is determined that power is or is not being supplied after a temporary power outage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A refrigerator including a refrigerator compartment, a compressor, an evaporator for performing a heat exchange between air and a coolant compressed by the compressor, a fan for blowing heat-exchanged air from the evaporator to the refrigerator compartment, and a control mechanism for automatically setting a refrigerator temperature in response to the application of power thereto, the control mechanism comprising:
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first temperature sensing means for measuring a temperature in the food compartment; second temperature sensing means for sensing an external atmosphere temperature and supplying a reference temperature based thereon; means for comparing the sensed refrigerator temperature to the sensed external atmosphere temperature; and means for determining that power is being supplied after a temporary power outage if the sensed refrigerator temperature is less than the reference temperature, or that power is not being supplied after a temporary power outage, if the sensed refrigerator temperature is not less than the reference temperature, and means for performing one of two different automatic refrigerator temperature setting operations, depending on whether it is determined that power is or is not being supplied after a temporary power outage. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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Specification