Patent ID: 7090470

Claim:
An apparatus for controlling a linear compressor having a piston and a valve, comprising: a voltage detection unit detecting a voltage supplied to the linear compressor; a current detection unit detecting a current supplied to the linear compressor; a control unit determining whether a collision of the piston with the valve occurs by comparing output signals of the voltage and current detection units and controlling an amplitude of the piston if the collision of the piston with the valve occurs; a compressor drive unit controlling the amplitude of the piston under control of the control unit; a first storage unit storing preset data and a second storage unit storing data reset by the control unit, the second storage unit being a non-volatile memory that allows reading or writing by the control unit to control the amplitude of the piston; a collision detection unit detecting the collision of the piston with the valve in accordance with the output signals of the voltage detection unit and the current detection unit; and an amplitude calculation unit calculating the amplitude of the piston using an output signal of the collision detection unit and providing the control unit with the calculated amplitude of the piston.