Method for controlling refrigerator operation and refrigerator

Abstract

Method (100) for controlling the operation of a refrigerator (1) comprising: a cabinet (2) defining a refrigeration and/or freezing area; an isolating door (3) that opens and closes the refrigeration and/or freezing area of the cabinet (2); a door opening sensor (31); and a cooling system (5) configured to modify the temperature of the refrigeration and/or freezing area; the method (100) comprising the steps of: monitoring the opening and closing of the door (31) by means of the door opening sensor (31) during a determined period; generating (206) a door opening probability distribution (206a) at the time monitored in the previous step; and maintaining or modifying the operation of the cooling system (5) according to the door opening probability distribution (206a).

1 . METHOD ( 100 ) FOR CONTROLLING REFRIGERATOR OPERATION ( 1 ), the refrigerator comprising:
 a cabinet ( 2 ) that determines a refrigeration and/or freezing area;   an isolating door ( 3 ) that opens and closes the refrigeration and/or freezing area of the cabinet ( 2 );   a door opening sensor ( 31 ); and   a cooling system ( 5 ) configured so as to modify the temperature of the refrigeration and/or freezing area;   the method ( 100 ) characterized by the fact that it comprises the steps of:
 monitoring the opening and closing of the door ( 31 ) by means of the door opening sensor ( 31 ) during a determined period; 
 generating ( 206 ) a door opening probability distribution ( 206   a ) at the time monitored in the previous step; and 
 maintaining or modifying the operation of the cooling system ( 5 ) according to a door opening probability distribution ( 206   a ). 
   
     
     
         2 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that the monitoring step comprises:
 counting ( 203 ) a number of doors opening in the period of 1 hour in a door opening counter ( 203   a ) for each hour of a day;   continuously storing ( 204 ) a number of doors opening counted throughout the day in a local vector ( 204   a ) with relative positions respectively to each period of 1 hour of the day;   continuously counting and storing ( 205 ) moving average numbers of door opening events in a global vector ( 205   a ) with relative positions respectively to each period of 1 hour of the days.   
     
     
         3 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 2 , characterized by the fact that the generating step comprises:
 generating ( 206 ) a door opening probability distribution vector ( 206   a ) corresponding to the moving average numbers of door opening events of the global vector ( 205   a ) with relative positions respectively to each period of 1 hour of the days.   
     
     
         4 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 3 , characterized by the fact that the accounting ( 205 ) of the moving average of door opening events in a global vector ( 205   a ) from a smoothing factor ( 205   b ) generates a result comprising an exponentially weighted average by the equation:
   Global vector (205 a )=Smoothing factor (205 b )×Global vector (205 a )+(1−Smoothing factor (205 b ))×Local vector (204 a ) Global vector (205 a )=Smoothing factor (205 b )×Global vector (205 a )+(1−Smoothing factor (205 b ))×Local vector (204 a ),
   
       wherein the smoothing factor ( 205   b ) varies between 0 and 1, preferably being 0. 
     
     
         5 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that it comprises the steps of:
 monitoring an internal temperature sensor ( 41 ) of the refrigerator ( 1 ) and reading ( 301 ) a value corresponding to the measured internal temperature ( 301   a );   calculating ( 302 ) an exponentially weighted average of smoothed temperature ( 302   c );   calculating ( 303 ) a current temperature difference ( 303   a ,  303   b ) between the measured internal temperature ( 301   a ) and the calculated exponentially weighted average of smoothed temperature ( 302   c ); and   determining ( 304 ) a value relative to a heat exchange rate ( 304   a ,  304   b ) inside a cabinet ( 2 ) of the refrigerator ( 1 ).   
     
     
         6 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 5 , characterized by the fact that it additionally comprises:
 counting ( 306 ) a single door opening ( 3 ); and   
       at each calculation ( 303 ) of the current temperature difference ( 303   a ,  303   b ),
 determining and updating ( 308 ) a maximum value of current temperature difference ( 303   c ) among the current temperature difference values ( 303   a ,  303   b ) calculated over time after the opening of the door ( 3 ); and 
 calculating ( 309 ) an average of temperature derivative ( 305   b ) with respect to the temperature derivative values ( 305   a ) calculated over time after the opening of the door ( 3 ). 
 
     
     
         7 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 6 , characterized by the fact that it comprises the additional steps of:
 apply ( 310 ) the support vector machine technique ( 310   a ) SVM to the values of maximum value of current temperature difference ( 303   c ) and average of temperature derivative ( 305   b ); and   
       for a support vector machine result ( 310   a ) SVM greater than or equal to zero,
 determining ( 311 ) an occurrence of a thermal load insertion ( 311   a ) in the refrigerator ( 1 ) in a door opening ( 3 ). 
 
     
     
         8 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 7 , characterized by the fact that the result of the support vector machine ( 310   a ) comprises the equation:
   result=α×maximum value of current temperature difference (303 c )+β×average of temperature derivative (305 b )+γ,
   
       wherein a result greater than or equal to 0 identifies a thermal load insertion ( 31  la), and a result of less than 0 does not identify a thermal load insertion ( 311   a ). 
     
     
         9 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 7 , characterized by the fact that it additionally comprises:
 during the occurrence of a thermal load insertion ( 311   a ) in the refrigerator ( 1 ) in a door opening ( 3 ),   configuring ( 312 ) the cooling system ( 5 ) to operate in a high cooling regime in relation to a cooling regime of a period prior to the door opening ( 3 ).   
     
     
         10 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that when the moving average and door opening probability stored in the global vector ( 205   a ) at a given start time ( 207   a ) increases in a next first hour ( 207   b ), but decreases in an adjacent next second hour ( 207   c ):
 generating ( 207 ) a corrected door opening probability distribution vector ( 206   b ), by substituting the moving average number and door opening probability for the first hour ( 207   b ) as constant and equal to the moving average and door opening probability of the given start time ( 207   a ).   
     
     
         11 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that it additionally comprises:
 returning ( 210 ), continuously, at an index, an initial time of a decreasing door opening probability period and storing in a reduced door opening probability pattern start vector ( 210   a ) with a certain number of positions, relative to each starting time of the decreasing door opening probability of each one of a certain number of sampling days; and   returning ( 211 ), in the index, a duration of a constant and reduced door opening probability period of hours in a reduced door opening probability pattern period duration vector ( 211   a ) corresponding to each start time of the decreasing door opening probability period of each of the sampling days,   
       the returned index corresponding to at least one region ( 210   a ,  211   a ) in the door opening probability distribution vector ( 206   a ,  206   b ) that defines a period with a reduced door opening pattern ( 211   b ). 
     
     
         12 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 11 , characterized by the fact that it comprises a predetermined maximum duration for the duration of the reduced door opening probability period of hours, in which case the duration of the reduced door opening probability period of hours is longer than the predetermined maximum duration, the method further comprises the steps of:
 determining a period adjustment value by subtracting the maximum duration from the duration of the reduced door opening probability period of hours; and   add the period adjustment value to the start time of the door opening probability period or subtract the maximum duration period adjustment value from the duration of the reduced door opening probability period of hours.   
     
     
         13 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that it additionally comprises:
 reading ( 212 ) a number of occurrences of a given starting time number of the decreasing door opening probability period in the positions of the reduced door opening probability pattern start vector ( 210   a ) of each of the sampling days;   selecting ( 213 ) a starting time number of the decreasing door opening probability period with the highest number of occurrences; and   generating ( 214 ) a starting time number of the most frequent decreasing door opening probability period ( 214   a ) over the sampling days, corresponding to the starting time number of the decreasing door opening probability period with the highest number of occurrences,   
       the returned index being a corrected index corresponding to a period with a most frequent reduced door opening pattern ( 214   b ). 
     
     
         14 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 1 , characterized by the reduced door opening probability pattern start vector ( 210   a ,  214   a ) comprises 14 positions, relative to each starting time of the decreasing door opening probability for each of the 14 sampling days. 
     
     
         15 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 1 , characterized by additionally comprising:
 during the period with a reduced door opening pattern ( 211   b ,  214   b ),
 configuring ( 215 ) the cooling system ( 5 ) to operate in a reduced cooling regime in relation to a regular cooling regime of a regular doors opening period. 
   
     
     
         16 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 1 , characterized by comprising the additional steps of:
 defining a pre-programmed time limit ( 208   b ) for a defrost of the refrigerator ( 1 ) by a heating element ( 6 ); and   defining a value from a time before ( 208   a ) to the pre-programmed time limit and a value from a time after ( 208   c ) to the pre-programmed time limit;   reading ( 208 ) a smallest of the moving average numbers of door opening events corresponding to each of the time before ( 208   a ) the pre-programmed time limit, the pre-programmed time limit ( 208   b ) and the time after ( 208   c ) to the pre-programmed time limit stored in the door opening probability distribution vector ( 206   a ,  206   b ) corresponding to the moving average numbers of door opening events of the global vector ( 205   a ) with 24 positions relative to each period of 1 hour of the days; and   returning ( 209 ) a corrected reprogrammed time limit ( 209   d ) from the refrigerator ( 1 ) defrost start time, defined by one of the time before ( 208   a ) to the pre-programmed time limit, the pre-programmed time limit ( 208   b ) and the time after ( 208   c ) the pre-programmed time limit, which comprises the smallest of the moving average numbers of door opening events, and trigger the refrigerator defrost ( 1 ) according to the corrected reprogrammed time limit ( 209   d ).   
     
     
         17 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 1 , characterized by comprising the additional steps of:
 set a downtime evaluation time number;   monitoring the door opening sensor ( 31 ) and counting ( 215 ) a number of doors opening over the period defined by the downtime evaluation time number in the door opening counter ( 203   a ); and   
       for a null returning on the number of doors opening over the period defined by the downtime evaluation time number of the door opening counter ( 203   a ) defining a period of inactivity,
 setting ( 216 ) a default operating temperature to a maximum operating temperature ( 216   a ) during the period of inactivity. 
 
     
     
         18 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 17 , characterized by the standard operating temperature for a maximum operating temperature ( 216   a ) is set between 4° C. and 10° C. 
     
     
         19 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 18 , characterized by additionally comprising:
 during the period of inactivity,
 configuring ( 217 ) the cooling system ( 5 ) to operate in a reduced cooling regime in relation to a regular cooling regime of a regular doors opening period. 
   
     
     
         20 . METHOD ( 100 ) FOR CONTROLLING REFRIGERATOR OPERATION, according to  claim 1 , characterized by comprising the steps of:
 monitoring an external ambient temperature sensor ( 42 ) of the refrigerator ( 1 ) and reading ( 101 ) a value corresponding to the measured external ambient temperature ( 101   a );   
       for an external ambient temperature value ( 101   a ) as it exceeds an ambient temperature rise limit value ( 101   b ) with respect to a reference ambient temperature of 25° C.,
 calculating and storing ( 102 ) an operating temperature set point ( 102   a ) according to a temperature compensation value ( 102   b ,  102   c ) aggregated at a standard operating temperature defined by an average operating temperature ( 102   d ). 
 
     
     
         21 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 20 , characterized by:
 the ambient temperature limit value ( 101   b ) is set between 1° C. and 10° C. with respect to a reference ambient temperature of 25° C.,   the temperature compensation value ( 102   b ,  102   c ) is set between 0.1° C. and 1° C., and   the standard operating temperature is defined by an average operating temperature ( 102   d ) defined between −4° C. and 10° C.   
     
     
         22 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 20 , characterized by:
 the ambient temperature limit value ( 101   b ) is set at 5° C. with respect to a reference ambient temperature of 25° C.,   the temperature compensation value ( 102   b ,  102   c ) is set to 0.5° C., and   the standard operating temperature is defined by an average operating temperature ( 102   d ) set at 3° C.   
     
     
         23 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 20 , characterized by additionally comprising
 for a temperature compensation value ( 102   b ) with positive module,
 configuring ( 103 ) the cooling system ( 5 ) to operate in a high cooling regime in relation to a cooling regime of a period prior to the reading of the external ambient temperature sensor ( 42 ) of the refrigerator ( 1 ); and 
   for a temperature compensation value ( 102   c ) with negative module,
 configuring ( 103 ) the cooling system ( 5 ) to operate in a reduced cooling regime in relation to a cooling regime of a period prior to the reading of the external ambient temperature sensor ( 42 ) of the refrigerator ( 1 ). 
   
     
     
         24 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 5 , characterized by the calculation ( 302 ) of the exponentially weighted average of smoothed temperature ( 302   c ) comprising the equation:
     S ( t )=Smoothing factor (302 a )×Measured internal temperature (301 a )+(1−Smoothing factor (302 a ))× S ( t− 1).
   
     
     
         25 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 5 , characterized by the calculation ( 303 ) of the current temperature difference ( 303   a ,  303   b ) between the measured internal temperature ( 301   a ) and the exponentially weighted average of smoothed temperature ( 302   c ) calculated comprises the equation:
   current temperature difference (303 a, 303 b )( t )=Measured internal temperature (301 a )( t )− S ( t )
   
     
     
         26 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 5 , characterized by:
 for a positive current temperature difference value ( 303   a ),
 determine ( 304 ) the value relative to the speed of heat exchange ( 304   a ) inside the cabinet ( 2 ) of the refrigerator ( 1 ) as above a value of the speed of heat exchange inside the cabinet ( 2 ) before the reading of the internal temperature sensor ( 41 ) of the refrigerator ( 1 ), setting a detection of heating inside the cabinet ( 2 ). 
   
     
     
         27 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 5 , characterized by:
 for a negative current temperature difference value ( 303   b ),
 determine ( 304 ) the value relative to the speed of heat exchange ( 304   b ) inside the cabinet ( 2 ) of the refrigerator ( 1 ) as equal to or below a value of the speed of heat exchange inside the cabinet ( 2 ) before the reading of the internal temperature sensor ( 41 ) of the refrigerator ( 1 ). 
   
     
     
         28 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 5 , characterized by additionally comprising:
 at each calculation ( 302 ) of the exponentially weighted average of smoothed temperature ( 302   c );
 calculating ( 305 ) a temperature derivative ( 305   a ) as a function of the measured internal temperature value ( 301   a ) defined by a last measured temperature value ( 301   b ). 
   
     
     
         29 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 7 , characterized by the fact that it additionally comprises a step of automatic detection of the operating mode of the cooling system ( 5 ) comprising:
 counting the number of doors opening in a first time window and a second time window;   if there is a predetermined minimum number of doors opening for the shopping function in the first time window, activate the shopping mode by modifying the operation of the cooling system ( 5 ) to operate in an increased cooling regime in relation to a regular cooling regime for a predetermined period of time from the shopping function;   if there is a predetermined minimum number of doors opening for the party function in the second time window, activate the party mode by modifying the functioning of the cooling system ( 5 ) to operate in an increased cooling regime in relation to a regular cooling regime for a predetermined period of time of the party function;   if there are no doors opening in the second time window, activate the vacation mode by modifying the operation of the cooling system ( 5 ) to operate in a lower cooling regime in relation to a regular cooling regime;   otherwise determine ( 311 ) an occurrence of a thermal load insertion ( 311   a ) in the refrigerator ( 1 ) in a door opening ( 3 ).   
     
     
         30 . METHOD ( 100 ), according to  claim 29 , characterized by the fact that the first time window is between 3 and 5 minutes; the second time window is between 5 and 45 minutes; the predetermined minimum number of doors opening for the shopping function is between 8 and 14; the predetermined minimum number of doors opening for the party function is between 15 and 25; the predetermined period of time of the shopping function is between 30 and 90 minutes; the predetermined period of time of the party function is between 90 and 300 minutes; and the determination ( 311 ) of occurrence of a thermal load insertion ( 311   a ) in the refrigerator ( 1 ) in a door opening ( 3 ) is carried out via the equation: result=α×maximum value of current temperature difference ( 303   c )+β×average of temperature derivative ( 305   b )+γ. 
     
     
         31 . REFRIGERATOR ( 1 ), comprising at least:
 a cabinet ( 2 ) that determines a refrigeration and/or freezing area;   an isolating door ( 3 ) that opens and closes the cooling and/or freezing area of the cabinet;   a door opening sensor ( 31 ); and   a cooling system ( 5 ) configured so as to modify the temperature of the refrigeration and/or freezing area; and   at least one controller ( 8 ) configured to act on the cooling system ( 5 );   the controller ( 8 ) characterized by being configured to perform a method of controlling the refrigerator ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 1 .   
     
     
         32 . REFRIGERATOR ( 1 ), according to claim  32 , characterized by the cooling system ( 5 ) comprising a heating element ( 6 ) configured to defrost the refrigerator ( 1 ). 
     
     
         33 . REFRIGERATOR ( 1 ), according to  claim 32 , characterized by the cooling system ( 5 ) comprising a heating element ( 6 ) configured to defrost the refrigerator ( 1 );
 an operating mode activation element ( 7 );   an internal temperature sensor ( 41 ) of the refrigerator storage cabinet, an external ambient temperature sensor ( 42 ) of the refrigerator; and   the controller ( 8 ) configured to receive readings from the sensors ( 31 ,  41 ,  42 ) and from the operating mode activation element ( 7 ) and configured to act at least on the cooling system ( 5 ) and/or on the heating element ( 6 ).