Refrigerator and control method therefor

Abstract

A control method for a refrigerator includes supplying water to an ice making unit, determining if the water supply is normal, if the water supply is normal, entering an ice making mode, and if the water supply is abnormal, entering a hold mode. The determination as to whether or not the water supply is normal is carried out by determining if the water supply is normal according to a temperature change value of an ice making unit before and after the water supply. A refrigerator carrying out the method is also provided.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A control method for a refrigerator, the control method comprising the following steps:
 supplying water to an ice making unit;   determining if the water supply is normal by determining a temperature change value of the ice making unit before and after the water supply;   if the water supply is normal, entering an ice making mode; and   if the water supply is abnormal, entering a hold mode.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , which further comprises carrying out the step of determining the temperature change value of the ice making unit before and after the water supply by:
 measuring a temperature of the ice making unit before the water supply to obtain a measurement result being used as a first temperature;   measuring a temperature of the ice making unit at a set period of time after the water supply is completed to obtain a measurement result being used as a second temperature; and   determining the temperature change value as a difference between the second temperature and the first temperature.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the set period of time has a range of from 1 minute to 5 minutes. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the set period of time is 3 minutes. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15 , which further comprises comparing the temperature change value of the ice making unit before and after the water supply with a preset temperature difference reference value, to determine if the water supply is normal. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , which further comprises:
 determining that the water supply is normal when the temperature change value is greater than or equal to the preset reference value; and   determining that the water supply is abnormal when the temperature change value is smaller than the reference value.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 15 , which further comprises:
 dividing the temperature change value of the ice making unit before and after the water supply by a period of time in which the temperature changes, to obtain a temperature change rate; and   then comparing the temperature change rate with a preset temperature change rate reference value, to determine if the water supply is normal.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 15 , which further comprises measuring the temperature of the ice making unit by using a temperature sensor located at a bottom of an ice making tray of the ice making unit. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 16 , which further comprises after entering the ice making mode, starting a cooling fan to provide cold air to the ice making unit. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , which further comprises controlling an ice making speed of the ice making unit by controlling a wind speed and a running frequency of the cooling fan. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 16 , which further comprises storing a current operation in a memory unit of the refrigerator after entering the hold mode. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , which further comprises displaying data stored in the memory unit on a display unit of the refrigerator. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 16 , which further comprises outputting an alarm signal after entering the hold mode. 
     
     
         28 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a control unit controlling the refrigerator by:
 supplying water to an ice making unit; 
 determining if the water supply is normal by determining a temperature change value of the ice making unit before and after the water supply; 
 if the water supply is normal, entering an ice making mode; and 
 if the water supply is abnormal, entering a hold mode.