Refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator, having a load-driving unit to lower or raise an internal temperature of the refrigerator. The refrigerator includes an external temperature sensor to sense an external temperature, an internal temperature sensor to sense the internal temperature of the refrigerator, and a controller to change at least one of upper and lower limits of a preset temperature range by a preset width and to control the load-driving unit based on the internal temperature sensed by the internal temperature sensor when the external temperature sensed by the external temperature sensor exceeds a predetermined level beyond the upper or lower limits of the preset temperature range and is then maintained in excess of the predetermined level beyond a predetermined period of time.

1 . A refrigerator, having a load-driving unit to lower or raise an internal temperature of the refrigerator, the refrigerator comprising: 
 an external temperature sensor to sense an external temperature;    an internal temperature sensor to sense the internal temperature of the refrigerator; and    a controller to change at least one of upper and lower limits of a preset temperature range by a preset width and to control the load-driving unit based on the internal temperature sensed by the internal temperature sensor when the external temperature sensed by the external temperature sensor exceeds a predetermined level beyond the upper or lower limits of the preset temperature range and is then maintained in excess of the predetermined level beyond a predetermined period of time.    
   
   
       2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller changes both the upper and lower limits of the preset temperature range by the same widths as the predetermined width.  
   
   
       3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller controls the load-driving unit when the external temperature sensed by the external temperature sensor exceeds a predetermined level beyond the upper or lower limits of the preset temperature range and is maintained in excess of the predetermined level beyond the predetermined period of time.  
   
   
       4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 3 , wherein the controller controls the load-driving unit such that a plurality of deviating steps is set according to the extent that the sensed external temperature exceeds the preset temperature range.  
   
   
       5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 4 , wherein the controller respectively sets variable widths of the preset temperature range corresponding to the plurality of deviating steps.  
   
   
       6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 5 , wherein, the limit of the preset temperature range at a predetermined variable width that corresponds to the deviating step is set according to the external temperature that is sensed by the external temperature sensor.  
   
   
       7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 5 , wherein the limit of the preset temperature range is changed in a direction which is reverse to a changing direction of the external temperature that is sensed by the external temperature sensor corresponding to the predetermined temperature.  
   
   
       8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , wherein the load-driving unit comprises a cold air generator to lower the internal temperature of the refrigerator, and a heat generator to raise the internal temperature of the refrigerator.  
   
   
       9 . A refrigerator, having a load-driving unit to regulate an internal temperature of the refrigerator, the refrigerator comprising: 
 a first sensor to sense an external temperature;    a second sensor to sense the internal temperature of the refrigerator; and    a controller to change at least one of first and second limits of a temperature range by a width and to control the load-driving unit based on the internal temperature sensed by the second sensor when the external temperature sensed by the first sensor exceeds a level beyond the first and second limits of the temperature range and is then maintained in excess of the level beyond a period of time.    
   
   
       10 . The refrigerator according to  claim 9 , wherein the first and second limits of the temperature range are upper and lowers limits.  
   
   
       11 . The refrigerator according to  claim 9 , wherein the controller changes both the upper and lower limits of the preset temperature range by the same widths as the predetermined width.  
   
   
       12 . The refrigerator according to  claim 11 , wherein the control controls the load-driving unit when the external temperature sensed by the external temperature sensor exceeds a predetermined level beyond the upper or lower limits of the preset temperature range and is maintained in excess of the predetermined level beyond the predetermined period of time.  
   
   
       13 . The refrigerator according to  claim 12 , wherein the controller controls the load-driving unit such that a plurality of deviating steps is set according to the extent that the sensed external temperature exceeds the preset temperature range.  
   
   
       14 . The refrigerator according to  claim 13 , wherein the controller respectively sets variable widths of the preset temperature range corresponding to the plurality of deviating steps.  
   
   
       15 . The refrigerator according to  claim 14 , wherein, the limit of the preset temperature range at a predetermined variable width that corresponds to the deviating step is set according to the external temperature that is sensed by the external temperature sensor.  
   
   
       16 . The refrigerator according to  claim 15 , wherein the limit of the preset temperature range is changed in a direction which is reverse to a changing direction of the external temperature that is sensed by the external temperature sensor corresponding to the predetermined temperature.  
   
   
       17 . The refrigerator according to  claim 16 , wherein the load-driving unit comprises a cold air generator to lower the internal temperature of the refrigerator, and a heat generator to raise the internal temperature of the refrigerator.