Refrigerator and method for controlling the refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator and method for controlling the refrigerator including a plurality of storage chambers, in which a defrosting operation is executed based upon operation conditions of the storage chambers, to minimize a degradation in cooling efficiency which may occur when a defrosting operation is carried out in an independent manner for each storage chamber. When the refrigerator control method is applied to a refrigerator including a plurality of storage chambers, and a plurality of heaters to defrost the storage chambers, respectively, the refrigerator control method includes determining whether defrosting is required, for each of the plurality of the storage chambers, and selecting, from the plurality of the storage chambers, storage chambers having similar temperature ranges, when if is determined that defrosting is required, and controlling the plurality of the heaters to collectively defrost the selected storage chambers.

1 . A method for controlling a refrigerator including a storage space divided into a first storage chamber, a second storage chamber, a third storage chamber, and a fourth storage chamber, the method comprising: 
 executing a simultaneous defrosting operation of all the storage chambers when at least one of the first storage chamber and the third storage chamber is in an overload condition;    executing the simultaneous defrosting operation of all the storage chambers when neither the first storage chamber nor the third storage chamber is in the overload condition, and a set temperature of the second storage chamber is not higher than 0° C.;    simultaneously executing defrosting operations of the first, second and fourth storage chambers when neither the first storage chamber nor the third storage chamber is in the overload condition, and a set temperature of the fourth storage chamber is higher than 0° C.;    alternately executing a defrosting operation of the first and second storage chambers and a defrosting operation for the third and fourth storage chambers when neither the first storage chamber nor the third storage chamber is in the overload condition, and a set temperature of the fourth storage chamber is not higher than 0° C.; and    alternately executing the defrosting operation of the third and fourth storage chambers and the defrosting operation for the first and second storage chambers when neither the first storage chamber nor the third storage chamber is in the overload condition, and a set temperature of the second storage chamber is higher than 0° C.    
   
   
       2 . A method for controlling a refrigerator including a storage space divided into a refrigerating chamber, an auxiliary refrigerating chamber, a freezing chamber, and an auxiliary freezing chamber, the method comprising: 
 executing a simultaneous defrosting operation of all the storage chambers when at least one of the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber is in an overload condition;    alternately executing a defrosting operation of the refrigerating chamber and the auxiliary refrigerating chamber and a defrosting operation for the freezing chamber and the auxiliary freezing chamber when neither the refrigerating chamber nor the freezing chamber is in the overload condition, and a set temperature of the auxiliary freezing chamber is not higher than 0° C.; and    alternately executing the defrosting operation of the freezing chamber and the auxiliary freezing chamber and the defrosting operation for the refrigerating chamber and the auxiliary refrigerating chamber when neither the refrigerating chamber nor the freezing chamber is in the overload condition, and a set temperature of the auxiliary refrigerating chamber is higher than 0° C.    
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 executing the simultaneous defrosting operation of all the storage chambers when neither the refrigerating chamber nor the freezing chamber is in the overload condition, and a set temperature of the auxiliary refrigerating chamber is not higher than 0° C.    
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 simultaneously executing defrosting operations of the refrigerating chamber, the auxiliary refrigerating chamber, and the auxiliary freezing chamber when neither the refrigerating chamber nor the freezing chamber is in the overload condition, and a set temperature of the auxiliary freezing chamber is higher than 0° C.    
   
   
       5 . A method for controlling a refrigerator including a plurality of storage chambers, and a plurality of heaters to defrost the plurality of storage chambers, respectively, the method comprising: 
 determining whether defrosting is required, for each of the plurality of the storage chambers; and    selecting, from the plurality of the storage chambers, storage chambers having similar temperature ranges, when it is determined that defrosting is required, and controlling the plurality of the heaters to collectively defrost the selected storage chambers.    
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the determination of whether defrosting is required for each of the plurality of the storage chambers is based on at least one of a previous defrosting operation for the storage chamber, an overload condition of the storage chamber, and an operation condition of the storage chamber.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of the storage chambers comprise: 
 a first storage chamber to provide storage in a refrigerating state;    a second storage chamber to selectively provide storage in a refrigerating state or storage in a freezing state;    a third storage chamber to provide storage in a refrigerating state; and    a fourth storage chamber to selectively provide storage in a refrigerating state or storage in a freezing state.    
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising 
 alternatively executing a defrosting operation for the first and second storage chambers and a defrosting operation for the third and fourth storage chambers when in an alternate defrosting mode; and    simultaneously executing a simultaneous defrosting operation for all the first through fourth storage chambers when in a simultaneous defrosting mode.    
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 selectively executing one of the simultaneous defrosting mode and the alternate defrosting mode based upon a set temperature of the fourth storage chamber when the defrosting operation for the third and fourth storage chambers was executed in a latest one of previous alternate defrosting modes; and    selectively executing one of the simultaneous defrosting mode and the alternate defrosting mode based upon a set temperature of the second storage chamber when the defrosting operation for the first and second storage chambers was executed in the latest previous alternate defrosting mode.    
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the alternate defrosting mode is to alternately execute the defrosting operation for the third and fourth storage chambers and the defrosting operation for the first and second storage chambers when the fourth storage chamber is used to provide storage in a freezing state, or when the second storage chamber is used to provide storage in a refrigerating state.  
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 executing the defrosting operation for the third and fourth storage chambers in the alternate defrosting mode next to the latest previous defrosting mode when the defrosting operation for the first and second storage chambers was executed in the latest previous defrosting mode; and    executing the defrosting operation for the first and second storage chambers in the alternate defrosting mode next to the latest previous defrosting mode when the defrosting operation for the third and fourth storage chambers was executed in the latest previous defrosting mode.    
   
   
       12 . A refrigerator comprising: 
 a plurality of storage chambers to store food therein;    a plurality of heaters to defrost the plurality of storage chambers, respectively; and    a controller to determine whether defrosting is required for each of the plurality of storage chambers, to selectively group storage chambers together which have a same temperature range and to control the heaters to collectively defrost the grouped storage chambers when it is determined that defrosting is required.    
   
   
       13 . The refrigerator according to  claim 12 , wherein the controller enables a defrosting operation to be simultaneously performed for all of the storage chambers, to thereby minimize a degradation in a cooling efficiency of the refrigerator.  
   
   
       14 . The refrigerator according to  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of storage chambers comprises: 
 a first storage chamber to provide storage in a refrigerating state;    a second storage chamber to selectively provide storage in a refrigerating state or storage in a freezing state;    a third storage chamber to provide storage in a refrigerating state; and    a fourth storage chamber to selectively provide storage in a refrigerating state or storage in a freezing state.    
   
   
       15 . The refrigerator according to  claim 14 , wherein a defrosting operation of the first and second storage chambers and a defrosting operation of the third and fourth storage chambers are alternatively executed.  
   
   
       16 . The refrigerator according to  claim 14 , wherein a defrosting operation of all of the first through fourth storage chambers are simultaneously executed.  
   
   
       17 . The refrigerator according to  claim 12 , wherein the determination as to whether defrosting is required for each of the plurality of storage chambers is based upon at least one of a previous defrosting operation for the storage chambers, an overload condition of the storage chambers, and an operation condition of the storage chambers.