# US 10,119,753 B2 · Gas sensor module, refrigerator having the same and control method for the refrigerator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,119,753 B2 - Document ID: US10119753B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/909,356 - Filed: 2014-07-28 - Published: 2016-09-01 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-08-01 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Yong Won Jeong; Young Chul Ko; Hyun Joo Jung; Youn Joo Song; Chang Hyun Lee; Ji Yeon Han - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119753B2 ## CPC - F25D 29/006: {Safety devices} - F25D 29/00: Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices - G01N 21/783: {for analysing gases} - G01N 21/80: Indicating pH value - G01N 27/26: by investigating electrochemical variables; by using electrolysis or electrophoresis - G01N 27/4167: {pH (electrodes therefor G01N27/302, G01N27/36)} - G01N 33/0047: {Organic compounds} - G01N 33/0054: {Ammonia} - F25D 17/042: {Air treating means within refrigerated spaces (air conditioning in general F24F)} - F25D 2700/00: Means for sensing or measuring; Sensors therefor - F25D 2700/06: Sensors detecting the presence of a product - G01N 27/4045: {for gases other than oxygen} - G01N 31/221: {for investigating pH value} - Y02A 50/20: Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ## Abstract A gas sensor module, a refrigerator having the same and a control method for the refrigerator. In another aspect, in a gas sensor module, ion pairs are pre-dissolved in an aqueous solution while the amount thereof and pH of an initial aqueous solution may be adjusted to adjust a sensing range and sensitivity with respect to a target gas to be sensed. In another aspect, the gas sensor module senses the amount of target gas includes an aqueous solution in which ion pairs of a substance having the same dissociation constant as the target gas are dissolved, and senses a pH change of the aqueous solution that occurs due to the target gas being dissolved in the aqueous solution. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gas sensor module configured to sense a concentration of a target gas, the gas sensor module comprising: an aqueous solution in which ion pairs of a substance having a substantially same dissociation constant as that of the target gas are dissolved, wherein the gas sensor module is configured to sense a pH change of the aqueous solution that occurs due to the target gas being dissolved in the aqueous solution to indicate the concentration of the target gas, and wherein the aqueous solution is mixed with a pH indicator, which changes in color in accordance with the pH change of the aqueous solution. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gas sensor module according to claim 1, wherein the target gas is a volatile organic acid or ammonia. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The gas sensor module according to claim 1, wherein a resolution of the gas sensor module varies in accordance with a concentration of the ion pairs dissolved in the aqueous solution. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The gas sensor module according to claim 1, wherein a sensing range of the gas sensor module with respect to the concentration of the target gas varies in accordance with an initial pH of the aqueous solution. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The gas sensor module according to claim 1, further comprising an electrochemical sensor configured to sense the pH change, wherein the electrochemical sensor comprises: a working electrode, a potential of which varies in accordance with the pH change within the aqueous solution; and a reference electrode to serve as a reference for the working electrode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The gas sensor module according to claim 1, wherein the target gas is a carboxylic acid, and the pH indicator is at least one selected from 0.001 wt% to 0.1 wt% of bromothymol blue and 0.001 wt% to 0.1 wt% of methyl red. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The gas sensor module according to claim 1, wherein, the target gas is ammonia, and the pH indicator is at least one selected from 0.001 wt% to 0.1 wt% of a thymol blue reagent, 0.001 wt% to 0.1 wt% of cresol red, and 0.001 wt% to 0.1 wt% of a phenolphthalein reagent. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The gas sensor module according to claim 1, further comprising: a housing configured to accommodate the aqueous solution and having an inlet into which the target gas is introduced; and a porous membrane through which the target gas, having introduced into the inlet, permeates to dissolve into the aqueous solution. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An electronic product comprising the gas sensor module of claim 1. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electronic product according to claim 9, wherein to indicate the concentration of the target gas, the gas sensor module generates a signal output based on the pH change, and the electronic product further comprises: a signal reception unit configured to receive the signal output from the gas sensor module; and a control unit configured to determine a state of target food based on the received signal output. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The electronic product according to claim 9, wherein the electronic product is a gas sensor assembly attachable to and detachable from at least one of a storage compartment and a storage container of a refrigerator, and further comprises: a control unit configured to determine a state of target food based on a signal output from the gas sensor module; and a communication unit configured to communicate the determined state of the target food to the refrigerator. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) An electronic product comprising the gas sensor module of claim 6. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The electronic product according to claim 12, further comprising: an optical sensor configured to detect a color of the gas sensor module, and a control unit configured to determine a state of target food based on the color detected by the optical sensor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The electronic product according to claim 13, further comprising the display unit configured to display the determined state of the target food. ### Claim 15 A control method comprising: using an aqueous solution, in which ion pairs of a substance having a substantially same dissociation constant as that of a target gas are dissolved, and a gas sensor module, which is configured to sense a pH change of the aqueous solution that occurs due to the target gas being dissolved in the aqueous solution and indicate the pH change by producing at least one of a signal generated based on the pH change and a color change in accordance with the pH change, to sense the pH change in response to the target gas being dissolved in the aqueous solution; determining the concentration of the target gas based on the at least one of the signal generated based on the pH change and the color change of the gas sensor module in accordance with the pH change; and determining a state of target food based on the determined concentration of the target gas. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The control method according to claim 15, further comprising displaying the determined state of the target food. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The control method according to claim 15, wherein: the electronic product is a refrigerator; and the control method for the electronic product further comprises controlling a temperature of the refrigerator based on the determined state of the target food. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The control method according to claim 17, wherein: the control method further comprises receiving an input of a desired state of target food after determining the state of the target food; and the controlling of the temperature of the refrigerator includes controlling the temperature of the refrigerator based on the determined state of the target food and the input desired state of the target food. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The control method according to claim 17, wherein: the at least one of the signal and the color change is the signal; the control method further comprises receiving an input of a desired state of target food before receiving the signal from the gas sensor module; and the controlling of the temperature of the refrigerator includes controlling the temperature of the refrigerator based on the determined state of the target food and the input desired state of the target food.