Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11614276-B2
Application number	US-202117234093-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2021
Priority date	Mar 27, 2013
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator may include a main body having a storage compartment, a first door rotatably installed at a first side of the main body to open and close a first portion of the storage compartment, and a second door rotatably installed at a second side of the main body to open and close a second portion of the storage compartment. A first camera may be installed at the first door to take a picture of an interior of the first storage compartment during rotation of the first door, and a second camera may be installed at the second door to take a picture of the interior of the first storage compartment during rotation of the second door. A controller may combine plural pictures taken by the first camera and the second camera into a single corrected image of a region of the first compartment spanning from the first door to the second door.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator, comprising:
a body having a storage compartment;
a door coupled to the body and configured to open and close the storage compartment;
a light source provided at the storage compartment;
a door sensor;
a camera provided at the storage compartment;
a decorative portion that is arranged with respect to the camera; and
wherein the decorative portion is formed of an opaque material,
wherein the decorative portion has a transparent window,
wherein the camera is arranged behind the transparent window, and the camera is configured to take a picture through the transparent window, and
wherein the transparent window is configured to prevent cold air in the storage compartment from contacting the camera, and the transparent window is disposed between the storage compartment and the camera such that the camera is not exposed to the cold air in the storage compartment.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the camera is provided on the door.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the camera has a plurality of cameras that is arranged in a row to the door.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of cameras are arranged on same positions in a width direction and have different heights.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the decorative portion is provided on the door.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein a first thickness, in a vertical direction, of a middle portion of the decorative portion is greater than a second thickness, in the vertical direction of a first edge portion of the decorative portion, and the first thickness is greater than a third thickness, in the vertical direction, of a second edge portion of the decorative portion.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to actuate the light source and to control the camera to take at least one picture of the storage compartment when the door sensor detects that the storage compartment is closed.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the storage compartment has a first storage compartment and a second storage compartment, and the door has a first door and a second door, and
wherein the first door is rotatably coupled to a first end portion of the body, and configured to open and close an open front face of the first storage compartment, and
the second door is rotatably coupled to a second end portion of the body, and configured to open and close an open front face of the second storage compartment.

9. A refrigerator, comprising:
a body having a storage compartment;
a door coupled to the body and configured to open and close the storage compartment;
a Light source provided at the storage compartment;
a door sensor;
a camera provided at the storage compartment; and
a controller configured to communicate with the light source and with the camera, and
wherein the controller is configured to:
in response to the door sensor sensing that the door closes the storage compartment and transmitting information relating to closing of the door, receive the information to closing of the door,
actuate the light source to provide light, and
control the camera to take at least one picture of the storage compartment.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 9 , wherein the camera is provided on the door or is provided in the storage compartment.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 9 , further comprising a storage device configured to store the at least one picture taken by the camera.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 9 , further comprising a communication device configured to transmit the at least one picture to an external device.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 9 , further comprising a display configured to provide various information related to food stored in the refrigerator, the display being provided on the door.

14. A refrigerator, comprising:
a body having a storage compartment;
a door coupled to the body and configured to open and close the storage compartment;
a light source provided at the storage compartment;
a door sensor;
at least one camera provided at the storage compartment; and
a controller configured to combine a plurality of pictures taken by the at least one camera, and to provide the combined pictures into a single image,
wherein the controller is configured to communicate with the camera such that the camera is to take a picture when the door is provided at a predetermined rotation position.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one camera is provided on the door or is provided in the storage compartment.

16. The refrigerator according to claim 14 , wherein the plurality of pictures comprise a picture of an interior of the storage compartment.

17. The refrigerator according to claim 14 , wherein the plurality of pictures comprise a picture of an interior of the door.

18. The refrigerator according to claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to communicate with the camera such that the camera is to take a picture during rotation of the door.

19. The refrigerator according to claim 14 , comprising a door rotation position sensor configured to sense a rotation position of the door.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Ryu Inhwan
• Cha Minjoo
• Yang Hyein

Classifications

• F25D2700/06

  Sensors detecting the presence of a product · CPC title

• F25D2700/02

  Sensors detecting door opening · CPC title

• F25D23/02 Primary

  Doors; Covers (F25D23/08 takes precedence {locks or fastenings E05B65/0042}) · CPC title

• F25D23/04

  with special compartments, e.g. butter conditioners · CPC title

• G06Q10/087

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title