A defrost or thaw measuring device has a dumbbell or hourglass-shaped rotatable compartment with a cavity, the cavity being partly filled with at least two phase change materials having different melting points. The measuring device may determine the time period of thawing at two or more temperature intervals in the refrigeration space.

A refrigerator provides visual information indicating a map of the refrigerator and technical operations of the corresponding regions. The refrigerator includes a voice recognition function using a proximity sensor. The refrigerator has input/output (I/O) management functions for foods stored therein. The refrigerator communicates with a peripheral device over a network.

A refrigerator provides visual information indicating a map of the refrigerator and technical operations of the corresponding regions. The refrigerator includes a voice recognition function using a proximity sensor. The refrigerator has input/output (I/O) management functions for foods stored therein. The refrigerator communicates with a peripheral device over a network.

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and, more specifically, a refrigerator which enables a user to easily open a door thereof. The present invention relates to a refrigerator and method for controlling the same, which can prevent a door thereof from opening by itself due to a malfunction. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a refrigerator may comprise: a cabinet having a storage chamber; a door for closing or opening the storage chamber; a sensor provided to sense whether a user is within or out of a sensing distance, to enable discrimination between sensing-on and sensing-off; a door opening device provided to automatically open the door; and a control unit for determining an operation condition of the door opening device on the basis of a time interval from the sensing-on to the sensing-off and a duration for which the sensing-on continues in the sensor, so as to control the operation of the door opening device.

A method for controlling a refrigerator comprises: as a first refrigeration cycle for refrigeration of a first storage chamber is operated, operating a compressor and operating a first cold air supply; when the first refrigeration cycle has been operated for a first run time, converting to a second refrigeration cycle for refrigeration of a second storage chamber, and operating a second cold air supply; and if the second refrigeration cycle has been operated for a second run time, stopping the second refrigeration cycle. A first reference time is determined using a representative value obtained based on the temperature of the first storage chamber during a single run cycle, which includes a previous first refrigeration cycle and a previous second refrigeration cycle. A second reference time period is determined using a representative value obtained on the basis of the temperature of the second storage chamber during the single run cycle.

A defrost or thaw measuring device has a dumbbell or hourglass-shaped rotatable compartment with a cavity, the cavity being partly filled with at least two phase change materials having different melting points. The measuring device may determine the time period of thawing at two or more temperature intervals in the refrigeration space.

An artificial intelligence device includes a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of a product to be frozen, and a processor configured to acquire, via the temperature sensor, temperature distribution information about at least a part of the product, acquire frozen state information including at least one of freezing progress information, surface temperature information, or ambient temperature information about the product, based on the temperature distribution information about the product, and acquire a remaining freezing time until the product is frozen to a target frozen state, based on the frozen state information about the product.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator including a cabinet in which a storage compartment is formed; a refrigerator door for opening and closing the storage compartment; a door opening device having a push rod which may move from an initial position to a door opening position for opening the refrigerator door and a motor for providing power to the push rod; and a controller controlling the motor, wherein the controller controls the push rod to move to the door opening position while in close contact with the cabinet or the refrigerator door in order to open the refrigerator door, and controls voltage supply to the motor so that a time period when the push rod is moved to the door opening position is maintained for a certain time.

A refrigerator includes a thermoelectric element module, and a defrosting temperature sensor, and a controller configured to control operation of the thermoelectric element module. The thermoelectric element module includes a thermoelectric element including a heat absorption portion and a heat dissipation portion, a first heat sink in contact with the heat absorption portion, a first fan facing the first heat sink, a second heat sink in contact with the heat dissipation portion, and a second fan facing the second heat sink. The controller is configured to initiate a natural defrosting operation for removing frost on the thermoelectric element module at every preset period, and terminate the natural defrosting operation based on a temperature measured by the defrosting temperature sensor corresponding to a reference temperature. The controller is configured to control operation of the thermoelectric element and rotation of the first and second fans in the natural defrosting operation.

A refrigerator includes a main body that defines a storage chamber; a door coupled to the main body and configured to open and close the storage chamber, a first sensor disposed at the main body and configured to sense a user in a vicinity of the refrigerator, and a second sensor configured to sense a user input for selecting at least one function related to the door, and a control unit configured to, based on a sensing result from the first sensor, switch the second sensor to an active state to sense the user input, and execute the at least one function related to the door based on a sensing result from the second sensor.