Refrigerator for preventing and/or reducing condensation and method for controlling same

Abstract

A method for controlling a refrigerator includes measuring temperature or humidity around the refrigerator using a temperature sensor and/or humidity sensor. Further, the method includes controlling a cooling fan to continuously operate or controlling the cooling fan or a heater to turn on for a fraction of a preset period and then turn off for the remainder of the preset period in accordance with the temperature measured by the temperature sensor and/or the humidity measured by the humidity sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling a refrigerator, the method comprising:
 measuring temperature around the refrigerator using a temperature sensor measuring humidity around the refrigerator using a humidity sensor; and   controlling a cooling fan to continuously operate, controlling the cooling fan to turn on for a first fraction of a preset period and then turn off for a first remainder of the preset period, or controlling a heater to turn on for a second fraction of the preset period and then turn off for a second remainder of the preset period based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and/or the humidity detected by the humidity sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling fan continuously operates when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a preset temperature. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heater operates for more than a preset time period when the measured humidity is above a preset humidity. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heater operates for less than the preset time period when the measured temperature is below the preset temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising turning on a heater in the refrigerator when the measured humidity is equal to or higher than a preset humidity. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising turning on a heater in the refrigerator when the measured humidity is lower than a first preset humidity and equal to or higher than a second preset humidity. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising turning on a heater in the refrigerator when the measured temperature is lower than a first preset temperature, the measured temperature is equal to or higher than a second preset temperature, and the measured humidity is equal to or higher than a first preset humidity. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising turning on a cooling fan in the refrigerator when the measured temperature is lower than a first preset temperature, the measured temperature is equal to or higher than a second preset temperature, and the measured humidity is equal to or higher than a first preset humidity. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preset period is about 60 minutes. 
     
     
         10 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a heater;   a temperature sensor configured to measure temperature around the refrigerator;   a humidity sensor configured to measure humidity around the refrigerator;   a cooling fan configured to radiate the heat in the refrigerator; and   a controller configured to control a cooling fan to continuously operate, control a cooling fan to turn on for a first fraction of a preset period and then turn off for a first remainder of the preset period, or control a heater to turn on for a second fraction of the preset period and then turn off for a second remainder of the preset period, based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor and/or the humidity measured by the humidity sensor.   
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , wherein the controller continuously operates the cooling fan when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a preset temperature. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , wherein the controller operates the heater for more than a preset time period when the measured humidity is above a preset humidity. 
     
     
         13 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , wherein the controller operates the heater for more than a preset time period when the measured temperature is below a preset temperature. 
     
     
         14 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to turn on the heater when the measured humidity is equal to or higher than a first preset humidity, or when the measured humidity is lower than a second preset humidity and equal to or higher than a third preset humidity. 
     
     
         15 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to turn on a heater in the refrigerator when the measured humidity is lower than a first present humidity and equal to or higher than a second preset humidity 
     
     
         16 . The refrigerator of  claim 10 , further comprising a tangible computer-readable medium containing a set of instructions embodied therein, comprising:
 measuring the temperature around the refrigerator using the temperature sensor and measuring the humidity around the refrigerator using the humidity sensor; and   based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and/or the humidity detected by the humidity sensor, controlling the cooling fan to continuously operate, or to turn on for a first fraction of a preset period and then turn off for a first remainder of the preset period, and/or controlling a heater to turn on for a second fraction of the preset period and then turn off for a second remainder of the preset period.   
     
     
         17 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to turn on the heater when the measured temperature is lower than a first preset temperature, the measured temperature is equal to or higher than a second preset temperature, and the measured humidity is equal to or higher than a first preset humidity. 
     
     
         18 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to turn on the cooling fan when the measured temperature is lower than a first preset temperature, the measured temperature is equal to or higher than a second preset temperature, and the measured humidity is equal to or higher than a first preset humidity. 
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to cause the cooling fan and/or the heater to maintain a temperature of a location on the refrigerator where water may condense above a dew point. 
     
     
         20 . A tangible computer-readable medium containing a set of instructions embodied therein, configured to execute the method of  claim 1 .