Refrigerator with temperature control

Abstract

A refrigerator having a main body including a refrigerating compartment, a cool air duct supplying cool air to the refrigerating compartment, and a sub storage compartment provided in the main body independently maintaining a temperature thereof with respect to the refrigerating compartment and being indirectly cooled or indirectly heated by radiation.

1 . An operating method for a refrigerator having a main body including a refrigerating compartment and a sub storage compartment provided inside the refrigerating compartment, the refrigerator having a cool air supplying part and a heat supplying part, comprising:
 receiving a set temperature for the sub storage compartment;   determining a maximum temperature, an upper limit temperature, a minimum temperature and a lower limit temperature of the sub storage compartment based on the set temperature;   sensing a temperature of the sub storage compartment;   forcedly heating the sub storage compartment through the heat supplying part if the sensed temperature of the sub storage compartment is equal to or lower than the lower limit temperature; and   stopping the forcedly heating of the sub storage compartment if the temperature of the sub storage compartment reaches the maximum temperature.   
     
     
         2 . The operating method for the refrigerator according to  claim 1 , further comprising forcedly heating the sub storage compartment through the heat supplying part if the temperature of the sub storage compartment reaches the minimum temperature after the stopping the forcedly heating of the sub storage compartment. 
     
     
         3 . The operating method for the refrigerator according to  claim 1 , further comprising forcedly cooling the sub storage compartment through the cool air supplying part if the temperature of the sub storage compartment reaches the upper limit temperature after the stopping the forcedly heating of the sub storage compartment. 
     
     
         4 . The operating method for the refrigerator according to  claim 3 , further comprising stopping forcedly cooling the sub storage compartment if the temperature of the sub storage compartment reaches the minimum temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The operating method for the refrigerator according to  claim 4 , further comprising forcedly heating the sub storage compartment through the heat supplying part if the temperature of the sub storage compartment reaches the lower limit temperature after stopping the forcedly cooling of the sub storage compartment. 
     
     
         6 . The operating method for the refrigerator according to  claim 4 , further comprising forcedly cooling the sub storage compartment through the cool air supplying part if the temperature of the sub storage compartment reaches the upper limit temperature after the stopping the forcedly cooling of the sub storage compartment. 
     
     
         7 . The operating method for the refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein forcedly heating the sub storage compartment comprises:
 determining whether the refrigerating compartment is supplied with cool air if the sensed temperature of the sub storage compartment is equal to or lower than the lower limit temperature, and   forcedly heating the sub storage compartment through the heat supplying part only if the refrigerating compartment is not supplied with cool air.   
     
     
         8 . The operating method for the refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the forcedly heating the sub storage compartment comprises:
 determining whether the refrigerating compartment is supplied with cool air if the sensed temperature of the sub storage compartment is equal to or lower than the minimum temperature, and   forcedly heating the sub storage compartment through the heat supplying part if the refrigerating compartment is not supplied with cool air.   
     
     
         9 . The operating method for the refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein the forcedly heating the sub storage compartment comprises:
 determining whether the refrigerating compartment is supplied with cool air if the sensed temperature of the sub storage compartment is equal to or lower than the lower limit temperature, and   forcedly heating the sub storage compartment through the heat supplying part if the refrigerating compartment is not supplied with cool air.   
     
     
         10 . An operating method for a refrigerator having a main body including a refrigerating compartment and a sub storage compartment provided inside the refrigerating compartment, the refrigerator having a cool air supplying part and a heat supplying part, comprising:
 receiving a set temperature for the sub storage compartment;   determining a maximum temperature, an upper limit temperature, a minimum temperature and a lower limit temperature of the sub storage compartment based on the set temperature;   sensing a temperature of the sub storage compartment;   forcedly cooling the sub storage compartment through the cool air supplying part if the sensed temperature of the sub storage compartment is equal to or higher than the upper limit temperature; and   stopping the forcedly cooling of the sub storage compartment if the temperature of the sub storage compartment reaches the minimum temperature.   
     
     
         11 . The operating method for the refrigerator according to  claim 10 , further comprising forcedly heating the sub storage compartment through the heat supplying part if the sensed temperature of the sub storage compartment reaches the lower limit temperature after the stopping the forcedly cooling of the sub storage compartment. 
     
     
         12 . The operating method for the refrigerator according to  claim 10 , further comprising forcedly cooling the sub storage compartment through the cool air supplying part if the sensed temperature of the sub storage compartment reaches the upper limit temperature after the stopping the forcedly cooling of the sub storage compartment. 
     
     
         13 . The operating method for the refrigerator according to  claim 11 , wherein forcedly heating the sub storage compartment comprises:
 determining whether the refrigerating compartment is supplied with cool air if the sensed temperature of the sub storage compartment is equal to or lower than the lower limit temperature, and   forcedly heating the sub storage compartment through the heat supplying part if the refrigerating compartment is not supplied with cool air.   
     
     
         14 . An operating method for a refrigerator having a main body including a refrigerating compartment and a sub storage compartment provided inside the refrigerating compartment, the refrigerator further having a cool air supplying part and a heat supplying part, comprising:
 receiving a set temperature for the sub storage compartment;   determining a maximum temperature, an upper limit temperature, a minimum temperature and a lower limit temperature of the sub storage compartment based on the set temperature;   sensing a temperature of the sub storage compartment;   determining whether the refrigerating compartment is supplied with cool air if the sensed temperature of the sub storage compartment is equal to or lower than the lower limit temperature; and   forcedly heating the sub storage compartment through the heat supplying part only if the refrigerating compartment is not supplied with cool air.   
     
     
         15 . The operating method for the refrigerator according to  claim 14 , wherein the determining whether the refrigerating compartment is supplied with cool air comprises determining whether at least one of a compressor and a fan of the refrigerating compartment is operated.