Control unit for refrigerator and method controlling the same

• US 8,250,489 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Sung-Ae, Lee, Ik-Kyu, Jeon, Ji-Won
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHANTANA ANGKOOL, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US12/097,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20080295033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,079 Days
• Field of Search: 715/840, 715/747
• US Class Current: 715/840
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2400/10 Refrigerator units
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/126 Water cooler
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/30 Quick freezing
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/361 Interactive visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2500/06 Stock management
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/14 Sensors measuring the temperature outside the refrigerator or freezer
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices

Abstract

The present invention relates to a control unit for a refrigerator and a method of controlling the same. A control unit for a refrigerator according to the present invention comprises an input means for receiving an operation signal for setting a service mode of a dispenser provided at the refrigerator; a storage means for storing a plurality of mode image data corresponding to the service mode of the dispenser; a display means for displaying mode images of the mode image data; and a control means for performing control such that mode image data corresponding to the service mode of the dispenser are read from the storage means according to an operation signal received by the input means and a mode image corresponding to the service mode of the dispenser is displayed on the display means. According to the present invention, there are advantages in that more various menus can be displayed in different manners, and the configuration of the input unit is simplified and thus can be more conveniently used.

Claims

1. A control unit for a refrigerator, comprising:

an input means having a temperature setting button for receiving an operation signal for selecting a temperature setting menu for a storage space of the refrigerator, and a detail setting button for receiving an operation signal for setting a temperature of the storage space or setting an independent function; and

a control means for performing control such that the setting of the temperature of the storage space or the setting of the independent function is carried out according to a sequence of manipulating the temperature setting button and the detail setting button,

wherein the detail button includes;

a pair of buttons for sequentially highlighting a menu in order to select any one of a refrigerating chamber temperature setting menu, a freezing chamber temperature setting menu, and an express freezing chamber temperature setting menu displayed on the display means;

a pair of buttons for increasing or decreasing any one of a set temperature of the refrigerating chamber, a set temperature of the freezing chamber, and a set temperature of the express freezing chamber displayed on the display means; and

a button for selecting any one of the refrigerating chamber temperature setting menu, the freezing chamber temperature setting menu, and the express freezing chamber temperature setting menu, or for confirming an increase or decrease in any one of the refrigerating chamber set temperature, the freezing chamber set temperature, and the express freezing chamber set temperature.

2. The control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control means performs control such that the temperature setting for the storage space is carried out if the temperature setting button is manipulated prior to manipulation of the detail setting button, and the independent function setting is carried out if the detail setting button is manipulated prior to manipulation of the temperature setting button.

3. A control unit for a refrigerator, comprising:

an input means having a temperature setting button for receiving an operation signal for selecting a temperature setting menu for a storage space of the refrigerator, and a detail setting button for receiving an operation signal for setting a temperature of the storage space or setting an independent function;

a storage means for storing a temperature setting screen for setting a temperature of the storage space and an independent function setting screen for setting an independent function;

a display means for displaying the temperature setting screen and the independent function setting screen; and

a control means for performing control such that the temperature setting screen or the independent function setting screen is displayed on the display means according to a sequence of manipulating the temperature setting button and the detail setting button,

wherein the storage spaces includes at least one of a refrigerating chamber, a freezing chamber, and an express freezing chamber, and the temperature setting menu includes at least one of a refrigerating chamber temperature setting menu, a freezing chamber temperature setting menu and an express freezing chamber temperature setting menu, and

wherein the detail button includes;

a pair of buttons for sequentially highlighting a menu in order to select any one of the refrigerating chamber temperature setting menu, the freezing chamber temperature setting menu, and the express freezing chamber temperature setting menu displayed on the display means;

a pair of buttons for increasing or decreasing any one of a set temperature of the refrigerating chamber, a set temperature of the freezing chamber, and a set temperature of the express freezing chamber displayed on the display means; and

a button for selecting any one of the refrigerating chamber temperature setting menu, the freezing chamber temperature setting menu, and the express freezing chamber temperature setting menu, or for confirming an increase or decrease in any one of the refrigerating chamber set temperature, the freezing chamber set temperature, and the express freezing chamber set temperature.

4. The control unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control means performs control such that the temperature setting screen is displayed on the display means if the temperature setting button is manipulated prior to manipulation of the detail setting button, and the independent function setting screen is displayed on the display means if the detail setting button is manipulated prior to manipulation of the temperature setting button.

5. The control unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the temperature setting screen and the independent function setting screen include function display bars for displaying the functions of the temperature setting button and the detail setting button for temperature setting or independent function setting, respectively, and

the control means performs control such that if any one of the temperature setting screen and the independent function setting screen is displayed on the display means, the function display bar for temperature setting or independent function setting is displayed at one side of the display means in the vicinity of the temperature setting button or the detail setting button.

6. A control unit for a refrigerator, comprising:

an input means having a menu setting button for receiving an operation signal for selecting a menu of the refrigerator to be set, and a detail setting button for receiving an operation signal for detail setting of a selected menu or separate independent function setting; and

a control means for performing control such that either the menu setting and detail setting thereof or the independent function setting is carried out according to a sequence of manipulating the menu setting button and the detail setting button,

wherein the detail button includes;

a pair of buttons for sequentially highlighting a menu in order to select any one of a refrigerating chamber temperature setting menu, a freezing chamber temperature setting menu, and an express freezing chamber temperature setting menu displayed on the display means;

a pair of buttons for increasing or decreasing any one of a set temperature of the refrigerating chamber, a set temperature of the freezing chamber, and a set temperature of the express freezing chamber displayed on the display means; and

a button for selecting any one of the refrigerating chamber temperature setting menu, the freezing chamber temperature setting menu, and the express freezing chamber temperature setting menu, or for confirming an increase or decrease in any one of the refrigerating chamber set temperature, the freezing chamber set temperature, and the express freezing chamber set temperature.

7. The control unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the control means performs control such that the menu setting and detail setting thereof are carried out if the menu setting button is manipulated prior to manipulation of the detail setting button, and the independent function setting is carried out if the detail setting button is manipulated prior to manipulation of the menu setting button.

8. A control unit for a refrigerator, comprising:

an input means having a menu setting button for receiving an operation signal for menu setting or information display for the refrigerator and a detail setting button for receiving an operation signal for detail setting of a selected menu or separate independent function setting;

a storage means for storing a menu setting screen for the menu setting, a detail setting screen for the detail setting of the selected menu, and an independent function setting screen for the independent function setting;

a display means for displaying the menu setting screen, the detail setting screen, and the independent function setting screen; and

a control means for performing control such that any one of sequential display of the menu setting screen and the detail setting screen, display of information, and display of the independent function setting screen is carried out on the display means according to a sequence of manipulating the menu setting button and the detail setting button,

wherein the detail button includes;

a pair of buttons for sequentially highlighting a menu in order to select any one of a refrigerating chamber temperature setting menu, a freezing chamber temperature setting menu, and an express freezing chamber temperature setting menu displayed on the display means;

a pair of buttons for increasing or decreasing any one of a set temperature of the refrigerating chamber, a set temperature of the freezing chamber, and a set temperature of the express freezing chamber displayed on the display means; and

a button for selecting any one of the refrigerating chamber temperature setting menu, the freezing chamber temperature setting menu, and the express freezing chamber temperature setting menu, or for confirming an increase or decrease in any one of the refrigerating chamber set temperature, the freezing chamber set temperature, and the express freezing chamber set temperature.

9. The control unit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the control means performs control such that the sequential display of the menu setting screen and the detail setting screen or the display of information is carried out on the display means if the menu setting button is manipulated prior to manipulation of the detail setting button, and the display of the independent function setting screen is carried out on the display means if the detail setting button is manipulated prior to manipulation of the menu setting button.

10. The control unit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the menu setting screen, the detail setting screen, and the independent function setting screen include function display bars for displaying functions of the menu setting button and detail setting button for the menu setting and detail setting and the independent function setting, respectively, and

the control means performs control such that the function display bar for the menu setting and detail setting or the independent function setting is displayed at one side of the display means in the vicinity of the menu setting button and the detail setting button if any one of the temperature setting screen, the detail setting screen, and the independent function setting screen is displayed on the display means.