Refrigerator and diagnostic system for the same

• US 9,644,886 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2011
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Shim, Jai Hwan
• Primary Examiner(s): CRENSHAW, HENRY T
• Application Number:
  US13/522,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20130067940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,307 Days
• Field of Search: 62125, 62150, 62389, 701 36, 702 39
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/005 of safety devices F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/361 Interactive visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/02 Sensors detecting door opening
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/12 Sensors measuring the inside temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/008 Alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/284 characterised by the type of medium used
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators

Abstract

Provided are a refrigerator and a diagnostic system for the same. The refrigerator includes a selection unit, a control unit, a modulator, and a sound output unit. The selection unit receives a diagnosis performance command. The control unit generates a control signal including product information when the selection unit receives the diagnosis performance command. The modulator generates a frequency signal according to the control signal generated by the control unit. The sound output unit outputs a sound including the product information according to the frequency signal generated by the modulating unit.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, comprising:

a selector configured to receive a command;

a controller that, upon receipt of the command through the selector, generates a control signal including product information;

a modulator that generates a frequency signal according to the control signal;

a sound output that outputs a sound including the product information according to the frequency signal;

a case that forms a refrigeration compartment and a freezer compartment;

a hinge provided at an upper side of the case; and

a door that opens and closes at least one of the refrigeration compartment or the freezer compartment, the door rotatably supported by the hinge, wherein the hinge includes a hinge housing that defines a space over the upper side of the case, wherein the sound output is provided in the space of the hinge housing, and wherein a sound output hole, through which the sound output from the sound output passes, is formed at a front surface of the hinge housing wherein the hinge includes an upper surface that extends from the front surface and is spaced apart from the upper side of the case, and wherein the sound output is suspended from the upper surface.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the selector is provided at the hinge housing.

5. A refrigerator diagnostic system comprising:

a refrigerator according to claim 1;

a portable terminal that receives the sound output from the sound output of the refrigerator by the medium of air, and transmits the received sound through a communication network; and

a diagnostic server that receives the sound transmitted from the portable terminal and extracts the product information from the received sound to perform a diagnosis of the refrigerator.

6. The refrigerator diagnostic system of claim 5, wherein the diagnostic server includes a server output that outputs at least one of user setting information of the refrigerator, operation state information of the refrigerator, diagnosis result information of the refrigerator based on the user setting information and the operation state information, or solution information according to the diagnosis result information of the refrigerator.

7. The refrigerator diagnostic system of claim 6, wherein the user setting information includes at least one of a freezer compartment temperature set by a user, a refrigeration compartment temperature set by a user, setting of a quick-freezing function, or setting of a key-lock function.

8. The refrigerator diagnostic system of claim 6, wherein the operation state information includes at least one of sensing information of a freezer compartment temperature sensor, sensing information of a refrigeration compartment temperature sensor, operation setting information of a freezer compartment fan, response information of the freezer compartment fan, operation setting information of a refrigeration compartment fan, response information of the refrigeration compartment fan, operation setting information of an ice maker fan, response information of the ice maker fan, operation setting information of a compressor, or operation setting information of a defrost heater.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the sound output includes a buzzer having a cylindrical shape that extends in a vertical direction, the buzzer having an output terminal that outputs the sound in a radial direction.

10. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the sound output hole is formed by cutting an edge of the front surface at a point at which the front surface meets the upper side of the case.

11. The refrigerator of claim 1, further including a printed circuit board on which the sound output is mounted, wherein the hinge housing includes:

a support that extends from the upper surface in a downward direction and is in a contact with an upper side of the printed circuit board; and

a fixing member that extends from the upper surface in a downward direction and secures the printed circuit board on the support member.

3. A refrigerator, comprising:

a selector configured to receive a command;

a controller that, upon receipt of the command through the selector, generates a control signal including product information;

a modulator that generates a frequency signal according to the control signal;

a sound output that outputs a sound including the product information according to the frequency signal;

a case that forms a refrigeration compartment and a freezer compartment;

a first door and a second door that open and close the refrigeration compartment or the freezer compartment;

a first hinge that supports the first door rotating thereon; and

a second hinge that supports the second door rotating thereon, wherein the selector is provided on a front side of the first door, wherein the first hinge is behind the first door when the first door is at a closed position, wherein the sound output is provided in the second hinge, and wherein a sound output hole, through which the sound output from the sound output passes, is formed at the second hinge and opened in a frontward direction.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the second hinge is exposed from a front view, when the second door is at an opened position.

12. A refrigerator diagnostic system comprising:

a refrigerator according to claim 3;

a portable terminal that receives the sound output from the sound output of the refrigerator by the medium of air, and transmits the received sound through a communication network; and

a diagnostic server that receives the sound transmitted from the portable terminal and extracts the product information from the received sound to perform a diagnosis of the refrigerator.

13. A refrigerator comprising:

a selector configured to receive a command;

a controller that, upon receipt of the command through the selector, generates a control signal including product information;

a modulator that generates a frequency signal according to the control signal;

a sound output that outputs a sound including the product information according to the frequency signal;

a case that forms a refrigeration compartment and a freezer compartment;

a first door and second door that open and close the refrigeration compartment or the freezer compartment;

a plurality of manipulation keys provided on the first door, wherein one of the plurality of manipulation keys is for locking the others of the plurality of manipulation keys, wherein the receipt of the command through the selector is implemented as the manipulation key for locking is pushed while the second door is opened and a predetermined manipulation key among the others of the plurality of manipulation keys is maintained being pushed for a predetermined duration.