Refrigerator having a camera and method of operating the same based on position of a door

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9860491-B2
Application number	US-201414255174-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 17, 2014
Priority date	Apr 18, 2013
Publication date	Jan 2, 2018
Grant date	Jan 2, 2018

Abstract

A refrigerator may include a detection device that detects at least one of a position or movement of a door of the refrigerator, a camera to capture an image of an area inside the refrigerator, and a controller to control the camera to capture the image based on the detected position or movement of the door. A start of a door opening operation and a door closing operation may be detected based on the detected position or movement of the door. When the door opening operation is detected, the camera is controlled to operate in a standby mode, and when the door closing operation is detected, an angle of the door is compared with a reference angle. When the angle of the door is less than the reference angle, the camera is controlled to operate in a photographing mode to capture the image of the area inside refrigerator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a detection device that detects at least one of a position or movement of a door of the refrigerator;
a camera to capture an image of an area to store food inside the refrigerator;
a controller to control the camera to capture the image based on the detected position or movement of the door, and
a communication interface, wherein when a request for an image from an external terminal is received at the communication interface, the controller controls to transmit the captured image or a stored image of the area inside the refrigerator captured by the camera to the external terminal in response to the request from the external terminal such that a user can see the image, wherein
a start of a door opening operation and a door closing operation is detected based on the detected position or movement of the door,
when the door opening operation is detected, the camera is controlled to operate in a standby mode,
when the door closing operation is detected, an angle of the door is compared with a reference angle,
when the angle of the door is less than the reference angle, the camera is controlled to operate in a photographing mode to capture the image of the area inside refrigerator, and
wherein the standby mode is an operational mode of the camera in which the camera is powered on and stands by ready to photograph and the photographing mode is an operational mode of the camera in which the camera is powered on and controlled to capture an image.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising a storage device that stores the image of the refrigerator captured by the camera.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising a display that displays the captured image or the stored image according to a user input.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the external terminal is at least one of a mobile phone, PDA, tablet, laptop computer or a desktop computer.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein when a request for an image from an external server is received at the communication interface, the controller controls to transmit the captured image or the stored image to the external server in response to the request from the external server, and receive information related to contents of the refrigerator according to an analysis of the image from the external server.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein the information related to contents of the refrigerator includes at least one of a list of goods lacking in the refrigerator or information for recipes using goods stored in the refrigerator.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6 , further including a display, wherein at least one of the list of goods or information for recipes received from the external server are displayed on the display.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein, prior to determining whether the position or movement of the door corresponds to the door closing operation, detecting a door opening operation based on the detected position or movement of the door, and the controller controlling the camera to operate in a standby mode when the door opening operation is detected.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the reference angle corresponds to a minimum angle of the door at which the area inside the refrigerator to be photographed is not obstructed by the door.

10. A method of operating a refrigerator having a camera, the method comprising:
detecting, at a sensor, a position and movement of a door of the refrigerator;
determining whether the position and movement of the door corresponds to a door opening operation;
controlling the camera to operate in a standby mode when the door opening operation is detected;
determining, at a controller, whether the position and movement of the door corresponds to a door closing operation;
comparing an angle of the door with a reference angle during the door closing operation; and
capturing, at a camera mounted inside the refrigerator, an image of an area to store food inside the refrigerator in a photographing mode when the angle of the door is less than the reference angle; and
receiving a request for an image from an external terminal; and
transmitting the captured image or a stored image of the area inside the refrigerator captured by the camera to the external terminal in response to the request from the external terminal such that a user can see the image.

11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising storing the image of the refrigerator.

12. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving a user input for displaying the image of the area inside the refrigerator; and
displaying the captured image or the stored image according to the received user input.

13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the external terminal is at least one of a mobile phone, PDA, tablet, laptop computer or a desktop computer.

14. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving a request for an image from an external server;
transmitting the captured image or the stored image to the external server in response to the request from the external server; and
receiving information related to contents of the refrigerator according to an analysis of the image from the external server.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the information related to contents of the refrigerator includes at least one of a list of goods lacking in the refrigerator or information for recipes using goods stored in the refrigerator.

16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising displaying at least one of the list of goods or information for recipes received from the external server.

17. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the reference angle corresponds to a minimum angle of the door at which the area inside the refrigerator to be photographed is not obstructed by the door.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Park Sehwan
• Hong Samnyol
• Kwon Sungdu

Classifications

• F25D2700/02

  Sensors detecting door opening · CPC title

• F25D29/00 Primary

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• F25D2500/06

  Stock management · CPC title

• F25D2400/361

  Interactive visual displays · CPC title

• H04N7/183 Primary

  for receiving images from a single remote source · CPC title