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Refrigerator and control method thereof

  • US 9,534,821 B2
  • Filed: 07/27/2012
  • Issued: 01/03/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A refrigerator comprising:

  • an evaporator to cool a storage compartment;

    a compressor to supply a refrigerant to the evaporator;

    a valve to adjust flow of the refrigerant supplied from the compressor to the evaporator;

    a fan to blow air heat-exchanged by the evaporator;

    a heater to remove frost from the evaporator; and

    a control device to perform communication with a server of utility company and to control an operation of at least one selected from among the compressor, the valve, the fan, and the heater so that a power-saving mode is executed upon receiving a power-saving signal from the server,wherein the power-saving signal comprises a first power-saving mode based on a concentration degree of power consumption, the first power-saving mode comprising a first power-saving level and a second power-saving level divided based on a reduction amount of power,when the power-saving signal is the first power-saving level of the first power-saving mode, the control device controls an operation of at least one selected from among the compressor, the valve, the fan, and the heater for a first execution time so that a temperature of the storage compartment rises, andwhen the power-saving signal is the second power-saving level of the first power-saving mode, the control device controls the same operation as the operation performed in the first power-saving level, determines whether it is an ice-making operation time and, upon determining that it is the ice-making operation time, lowers an operation rate of the compressor, as compared with the operation rate of the compressor prior to receiving the power-saving signal in sequence.

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