Adaptive defrost controller for a refrigeration device
First Claim
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1. An adaptive defrost controller, comprising:
- a processor configured to;
define a plurality of data bins representing a cyclically recurring pre-defined time period of operation of a compressor, each bin associated with a portion of the cyclically recurring pre-defined time period;
monitor compressor run times over the cyclically recurring pre-defined time period;
log, over time, data of the detected compressor run times into bins associated with the particular portions of the cyclically recurring pre-defined time period in which the compressor run times were detected;
analyze the data logged into the bins to detect bins recording less compressor activity during the cyclically recurring pre-defined time period than other bins of the cyclically recurring pre-defined time period; and
schedule a defrost cycle based on the results of the analyzed data.
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Abstract
A system and method for controlling automatic defrost of a refrigerator device adaptively moves the defrost cycle to a time period of comparatively low compressor activity based on an evaluation of compressor usage over a cyclically recurring time interval. An adaptive defrost controller (ADC) analyzes stored data to develop a profile for compressor activity vs. time. From this profile, high compressor activity times of the time interval are distinguished from low compressor activity times in the time interval and a defrost cycle is scheduled based on the results of the analyzed data.
32 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An adaptive defrost controller, comprising:
a processor configured to; define a plurality of data bins representing a cyclically recurring pre-defined time period of operation of a compressor, each bin associated with a portion of the cyclically recurring pre-defined time period; monitor compressor run times over the cyclically recurring pre-defined time period; log, over time, data of the detected compressor run times into bins associated with the particular portions of the cyclically recurring pre-defined time period in which the compressor run times were detected; analyze the data logged into the bins to detect bins recording less compressor activity during the cyclically recurring pre-defined time period than other bins of the cyclically recurring pre-defined time period; and schedule a defrost cycle based on the results of the analyzed data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of performing a defrost cycle in a refrigeration device including an adaptive defrost controller, comprising the steps of:
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defining a plurality of data bins representing a cyclically recurring pre-defined time period of operation of a compressor, each bin associated with a portion of the cyclically recurring pre-defined time period; monitoring compressor run times over the cyclically recurring pre-defined time period; over time, logging data of the detected compressor run times into bins associated with the particular portions of the cyclically recurring pre-defined time period in which the compressor run times were detected; analyzing the bins to detect bins recording less compressor activity during the cyclically recurring pre-defined time period than other bins of the cyclically recurring pre-defined time period; scheduling a defrost cycle based on the results of the analyzing step; and performing a defrost operation. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer program stored on a computer readable memory device, and executable by a processor, execution of the computer program causing the processor to perform the steps of:
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monitoring compressor run times over a cyclically recurring pre-defined time period; defining a plurality of data bins representing the cyclically recurring pre-defined time period of operation of a compressor, each bin associated with a portion of the cyclically recurring pre-defined time period; over time, logging data of the detected compressor run times into bins associated with the particular portions of the cyclically recurring pre-defined time period in which the compressor run times were detected; analyzing the bins to detect bins recording less compressor activity during the cyclically recurring pre-defined time period than other bins of the cyclically recurring pre-defined time period; and scheduling a defrost cycle based on the results of the analyzing step. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification