Food magnagementregerator utilizing RFID

[0033] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments of the present invention and the drawings. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments and drawings. The scope of the present invention is limited only by the claims.

[0034] Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a food management refrigerator using RFID according to the present invention. Fig. 3 is a front view and a partially enlarged schematic diagram of a food management refrigerator using RFID of the present invention.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2, the food management refrigerator 100 includes an RFID reading device 21 that obtains container information from a dedicated RFID container (not shown) containing food that will be stored in the refrigerator; an input device 22 for the user to input some commands ; Calculate the year, month, day, and time of the day, hour and timer device 23; store various screens (frame: user interface, etc.) for food management services and storage device 24 for food management information, etc.; display each of the food management services A display device 25 for various screens (user interface, etc.) and food management information; controls the above-mentioned components, obtains and stores the container information of the food RFID-specific container stored in the box, and displays it to the user’s microprocessor器30. The refrigerator 100 may also have a main microprocessor (not shown in the figure) that performs freezing and refrigeration control operations. The main microprocessor and the microprocessor 30 are connected by a communication line to perform data communication. Alternatively, the refrigerator 100 may perform freezing and refrigerating control actions through a microprocessor. In addition, the refrigerator 100 has a power supply device (not shown in the figure) to supply power to each structural member.

[0036] In more detail, the RFID reading device 21 includes a specific frequency generating device, a sending device, and a receiving device in order to obtain information about the food RFID-specific container that will be stored in the refrigerator from the outside of the refrigerator under the operation of the user. . The RFID reading device 21 reads the RFID special container when the user approaches it within a certain distance. In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, the RFID reading device 21 is installed at a height where the user can easily move the container (for example, the height of a human chest) in order to allow the user to easily perform the scanning operation of the RFID dedicated container. The RFID special container is equipped with an RFID patch on the outside of the container. The container information stored in the RFID patch includes inherent information for identifying the RFID special container, such as a series of numbers, such as '1', '2', etc. Digital composition. Here, in order to easily identify the RFID dedicated container, an identification symbol (such as characters, numbers, colors, etc.) corresponding to or the same as the above-mentioned container information is formed on the outside of the RFID dedicated container.

[0037] The input device 22 is a device for the user to input commands (for example, reading of the RFID dedicated container, inputting the expiration date, adding and deleting food management information, etc.). It is related to the screen displayed by the display device 25 and is determined by an appropriate number. The buttons and other components. However, since there is no need to enter the name of the stored food, as shown in Figure 3, the number can be about six.

[0038]Next, the time-of-day device 23 is a device for calculating the year, month, day, and time when the RFID reading device 21 obtains the container information of the RFID dedicated container. The year, month, day and time are provided to the microprocessor 30.

[0039] Next, the storage device 24 stores at least various screens displayed to the user in order to provide a food management service for the use and management of the refrigerator, and food management information formed by the microprocessor 30. These screens are provided to allow users to easily carry out food management. In addition, the food management information includes at least container information, and may also include the storage start date and time, the number of storage days, or the storage period. Here, the storage days is the date when the actual food and RFID special containers are stored in the box. The shelf life is the period during which the stored food can be stored in the box, which is the expiration date. The above-mentioned storage period is the validity period of the stored food input by the user or the period arbitrarily set and input.

[0040] Next, the display device 25 is used to display the above-mentioned screens (user interface) and food management information. As shown in FIG. 3, it is formed on the front of the refrigerator 100 and is located at substantially the same height as the RFID reading device 21. As shown in FIG. 3, an input device 22 is formed in the vicinity of the display device 25 to improve convenience in use.

[0041] The microprocessor 30 controls the entire freezing/refrigeration process and also provides the above-mentioned food management services. The above-mentioned microprocessor 30 includes more than one central processing device (the figure is omitted), and may also be a device including the above-mentioned storage device 24, or may be a device including only a processor such as a central processing device. However, in order to describe the stored data in more detail in the present invention, the microprocessor 30 and the storage device 24 are described as independent structural components.

[0042] First, in order to compose food management information and manage the stored food, the microprocessor 30 displays a screen related to the food management service stored in the storage device via the display device 25. When the user selects the food management service, the microprocessor 30 receives its command through the input device 22, and allows the RFID reading device 21 to read the container information from the RFID dedicated container. At this time, the user places the RFID special container containing the food to be stored in the refrigerator within a certain distance from the RFID reading device 21, and obtains the container information stored in the RFID patch of the RFID special container. Next, the microprocessor 30 stores the acquired container information in the storage device 24 as food management information. At this time, the microprocessor 30 may store it in the storage device 24 after receiving a command issued by the user regarding whether to store the read RFID dedicated container information.

[0043] Here, the microprocessor 30 requests the time-of-day device 23 to provide the time when the RFID reading device 21 reads the container information or stores the container information in the storage device 24 o'clock, and the time provided by the time-of-day device 23 (ie, year and month) Day and/or time) and the container information are stored in the storage device 24 as food management information. The time provided is the storage start time of the stored food.

[0044] In addition, when the stored food has a shelf life (or expiration date), especially when the user wants to use the shelf life as food management information, the microprocessor 30 displays a screen for inputting the expiration date through the display device 25. This display can adopt the method of automatically displaying the information of the storage container and/or the storage start time, or the method of displaying after the user selects it. The shelf life at this time may be a time set by the manufacturer outside of the stored food in the RFID dedicated container, or a time set arbitrarily by the user.

[0045] After the microprocessor 30 displays the screen through the display device 25 and enters the retention period, it receives the command input by the user through the input device 22, includes it in the food management information, and stores it in the storage device 24.

[0046] Through the above process, the refrigerator 100 obtains food management information to be stored in the box, and stores it in the storage device 24 for management. After that, when the user wants to confirm the current food list stored in the refrigerator 100 (the list of the RFID dedicated container), the user inputs the service selection for confirming the current stored food through the input device 22. At this time, the microprocessor 30 reads the food management information stored in the storage device 24 and displays it on the display device 25.

[0047] At this time, after reading the food management information, the microprocessor 30 obtains the current time (year, month, day and/or time) from the time-of-day device 23, calculates the storage days of the stored food, and displays it on the display device 25. The number of saving days is calculated by the method of "current time-saving start time".

[0048] In addition, in order for the user to easily confirm the stored food, the microprocessor 30 may display the food preservation information based on the storage start time, or display the food storage information based on the remaining date. In particular, the microprocessor 30 can display the stored food storage information that does not include the expiration date based on the storage start time.

[0049] In addition, the microprocessor 30 utilizes the stored storage period and the calculated storage date to provide the storage period notification service of the stored food at the user's choice or automatically. The notification service may be that after the microprocessor 30 calculates the current remaining storage period, if it is less than a certain period of time, in order to notify the situation, a warning message is displayed on the display device 25 (display on the text, using the display of the icon, and The alarm sound of the horn (not shown)) to inform the user. For example, when the remaining storage period is 3 days, the microprocessor 30 may start to display the alarm message. In addition, the displayed warning message can be displayed in different warning messages as the remaining storage period decreases, so that the user can more easily detect it. Here, the alert message is stored in the storage device 24. In addition, the microprocessor 30 can also display expired stored food warning messages through the display device 25. Here, the above-mentioned alarm message service is limited to inputting stored foods with a shelf life.

[0050] As described above, the user obtains the management service of the stored food through the container information of the RFID dedicated container stored in the refrigerator 100, and then, when the user cancels the storage of the stored food, the information corresponding to the stored food needs to be deleted from the food management information. At this time, the microprocessor 30 displays the currently stored food management information of the stored food through the display device 25, receives the stored food information selected by the user to be deleted through the input device 22, and deletes the information related to the stored food from the storage device 23 (container Information, storage start date, storage days, storage period, and alert SMS service selection or not, etc.). Alternatively, the microprocessor 30 reads the container information of the RFID dedicated container for foods that need to be released from the storage state through the RFID reading device 21, and allows the user to input the storage state release command through the input device 22. At this time, after the microprocessor 30 receives the save release command, it deletes the food management information corresponding to the container information of the RFID dedicated container. After the deletion, the microprocessor 30 displays the food management information of the remaining RFID special containers containing stored food on the display device 25.

[0051] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of RFID special containers and preserved food.

[0052] As shown in the figure, the RFID dedicated container 40 has an internal space 40a in which food such as milk cartons 50 can be placed, and an RFID tag 41 is pasted on its outer surface. The RFID tag 41 can be uncovered and can be used on other storage containers.

[0053] In particular, the RFID dedicated container 40 has a structure with an open top surface so that the stored food can be loaded from the upper side, and is composed of two or more plate-shaped fixing portions 40b surrounding the surrounding portion of the stored food.

[0054] Here, each fixing portion 40b is formed of a material such as a general plastic material.

[0055] Of course, the RFID tag 41 is affixed to one of the fixing parts 40b of the RFID dedicated container 40 and exposed to the outside, allowing the user to easily bring the RFID tag 41 attached to the dedicated container 40 close to the RFID reading device 21.

[0056] In addition, in order for the user to recognize the dedicated container 40 corresponding to the container information, an identification mark (for example, number, color, text, etc.) 42 is formed on one of the fixing portions 40b of the RFID dedicated container 40.

[0057] Here, the preserved food may be a food whose taste or quality is closely related to the shelf life such as oil products, or may be a certain stored food selected by the user.

[0058] Fig. 5 is an example of food management information.

[0059] As shown in the figure, the food management information displayed by the display device 25 includes container information (for example, identification number) of the RFID dedicated container in which the stored food is placed, the storage start date, the number of storage days, and the storage period. Here, you can add a display about the stored food that needs to be provided with an alarm message. In addition, as shown in the figure, if there is an expired food, the microprocessor 30 can display its expiration time together.