Food material recognition system and refrigerator provided with the same
By installing a supplementary light unit and an illuminance sensor on the refrigerator camera and controlling the supplementary light with a control unit, the problem of camera recognition under poor lighting conditions is solved, achieving automatic and reliable food recognition.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- PANASONIC HOME APPLIANCES REFRIGERATOR (WUXI) CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-05-29
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-26
AI Technical Summary
In poor lighting conditions, refrigerator cameras struggle to reliably identify and manage food items.
By installing a supplementary light unit and an illuminance sensor on the camera, the control unit controls the opening and closing of the supplementary light unit according to the ambient light intensity, ensuring effective shooting and recognition under different lighting conditions.
It enables automatic and reliable camera shooting and recognition even in poor lighting conditions, thus improving the reliability of the food identification system.
Smart Images
Figure CN224415517U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to a food identification system and a refrigerator equipped with the same. Background Technology
[0002] There has long been a proposed technology to install cameras in refrigerators to identify and manage the food stored inside. However, in poor lighting conditions, it is difficult to ensure the effectiveness of the camera's capture / recognition. Utility Model Content
[0003] This utility model was made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a food identification system and a refrigerator equipped with the system that can reliably and automatically ensure the shooting / recognition effect of the camera.
[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the food identification system of this utility model is a system for identifying food stored in a refrigerator. It includes a plate-shaped main body, a camera unit mounted on the main body, a supplementary lighting unit mounted on the main body and selectively activated to provide supplementary lighting to the camera unit when it is recording, an illuminance sensor mounted on the main body and detecting the intensity of ambient light around the camera unit, and a control unit mounted on the main body and controlling the operation of the supplementary lighting unit and the camera unit. The control unit controls the activation and deactivation of the supplementary lighting unit based on the recording status of the camera unit and the intensity of ambient light detected by the illuminance sensor. Thus, by controlling the activation and deactivation of the supplementary lighting unit based on the recording status of the camera unit and the intensity of ambient light detected by the illuminance sensor, the supplementary lighting unit can be automatically and reliably activated even in poor lighting conditions, thereby reliably and automatically ensuring the shooting / recognition effect of the camera.
[0005] Alternatively, in the food identification system described above, the control unit may activate the supplementary lighting unit when the camera unit is taking pictures and the intensity of the ambient light detected by the illuminance sensor is a first illuminance of low illuminance and a second illuminance of medium illuminance, and deactivate the supplementary lighting unit when the camera unit is taking pictures and the intensity of the ambient light detected by the illuminance sensor is a third illuminance of high illuminance.
[0006] Alternatively, in the food identification system of the present invention described above, the first illuminance may be less than 100 lx, the second illuminance may be 100 lx to 500 lx, and the third illuminance may be greater than 500 lx.
[0007] Alternatively, in the food identification system described above, the control unit may be a circuit board embedded in the main body, and the supplementary lighting unit, the camera unit, and the illuminance sensor may be connected to the circuit board via cables.
[0008] Alternatively, in the food identification system described above, the camera unit can also be a high-pixel wide-angle camera.
[0009] The refrigerator of this utility model includes: a cabinet; and the above-mentioned food identification system, which is detachably installed on the top of the cabinet. The main body has a protrusion protruding from the front surface of the cabinet. The supplementary lighting unit, the camera unit, and the illuminance sensor are arranged side by side in the width direction of the refrigerator, and the camera unit, the supplementary lighting unit, and the illuminance sensor are installed on the protrusion.
[0010] Alternatively, in the refrigerator described above, the camera unit may be located at the center of the refrigerator in the width direction of the protruding part.
[0011] Alternatively, in the refrigerator described above, the camera unit may be located at a position offset from the center of the refrigerator in the width direction from the protrusion.
[0012] Alternatively, in the refrigerator described above, the camera's shooting range may cover the entire width of the refrigerator.
[0013] Alternatively, in the refrigerator described above, the main body can be detachably mounted to the top of the cabinet using adhesive, screws, or snap-fit structures.
[0014] According to this utility model, a food identification system and a refrigerator equipped with the system can be provided that can reliably and automatically ensure the shooting / recognition effect of the camera. Attached Figure Description
[0015] The above and other objects, features and advantages of this utility model will become clearer from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0016] Figure 1 This is a front view showing the general structure of the refrigerator according to this embodiment.
[0017] Figure 2 This is a side view showing the general structure of the refrigerator according to this embodiment.
[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the general structure of the food identification system involved in this embodiment.
[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the supplementary lighting unit in the food identification system according to this embodiment.
[0020] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the supplementary lighting unit in the food identification system according to this embodiment. Detailed Implementation
[0021] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, identical or equivalent elements are marked with the same symbols, and repeated descriptions are omitted. Furthermore, positional relationships such as up, down, left, and right are not specifically described, but are based on the positional relationships shown in the drawings. Moreover, the scale of the drawings is not limited to the scale shown in the illustrations, except as used in the actual drawings.
[0022] Furthermore, it should be understood that the embodiments listed in this specification are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the present invention to these embodiments. Rather, as those skilled in the art will understand, the present invention includes various alternatives, modifications, and equivalents.
[0023] In this specification, it should be understood that terms such as “comprising,” “including,” and “having” mean the presence of features, quantities, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof, but do not exclude the presence of one or more other features, quantities, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.
[0024] In addition, for ease of explanation, in this specification, Figures 1-3 The system is configured with a rectangular coordinate system in which the width direction of the refrigerator 1 is taken as the X direction, the depth direction of the refrigerator 1 is taken as the Y direction, and the height direction of the refrigerator 1 is taken as the Z direction.
[0025] Figure 1 This is a front view showing the general structure of the refrigerator according to this embodiment. Figure 2 This is a side view showing the general structure of the refrigerator according to this embodiment. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the general structure of the food identification system involved in this embodiment. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the supplementary lighting unit in the food identification system according to this embodiment. Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the supplementary lighting unit in the food identification system according to this embodiment.
[0026] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment includes a cabinet 11 and a food identification system 12 detachably installed on the top of the cabinet 11.
[0027] In this embodiment, the main body 121 of the food identification system 12 is detachably mounted to the top of the housing 11 by means of adhesive, screws, or snap-fit structures. However, it is not limited to this, and any known mounting method can be used as long as the food identification system 12 can be reliably detachably mounted to the top of the housing 11.
[0028] Furthermore, the main body 121 has a protrusion 1211 that protrudes from the front surface S of the cabinet 11. The supplementary lighting unit 123, the camera unit 122, and the illuminance sensor 124 described below in the food recognition system 12 are mounted on the protrusion 1211. As a result, it can be ensured that the camera unit can capture images of the entry and exit of food in all compartments of the refrigerator from top to bottom.
[0029] Specifically, the camera unit 122 can be located at the center of the refrigerator 10 in the width direction X of the protrusion 1211, or it can be located at a position offset from the center of the refrigerator 10 in the width direction X of the protrusion 1211. In the former case, it is suitable for photographing food in a single-door refrigerator or a refrigerator in which multiple compartments (e.g., refrigerator compartment, freezer compartment, middle compartment, variable temperature compartment, etc.) are respectively distributed on both sides of the central axis in the width direction of the refrigerator. In the latter case, it is suitable for photographing food in a refrigerator in which multiple compartments are not respectively distributed on both sides of the central axis in the width direction of the refrigerator (e.g., the boundary lines of the left and right compartments are offset relative to the central axis in the width direction of the refrigerator).
[0030] In addition, the supplementary lighting unit 123, the camera unit 122, and the illuminance sensor 124, as well as... Figure 1 As shown, the supplementary lighting unit 123 is arranged side by side in the width direction X of the refrigerator 10. In this way, the supplementary lighting unit 123 can reliably provide supplementary lighting to the camera unit 122, and the illuminance sensor 124 can accurately detect the intensity of the ambient light around the camera unit 122.
[0031] The specific structure of the food ingredient recognition system 12 according to this embodiment will be described below. Figures 1-3 As shown, the food identification system 12 of this embodiment is a system for identifying food stored in the refrigerator 10. It includes a plate-shaped main body 121, a camera unit 122 installed on the main body 121, a supplementary lighting unit 123 installed on the main body 121 and selectively turned on to provide supplementary lighting to the camera unit 122 when the camera unit 122 is taking pictures, an illuminance sensor 124 installed on the main body 121 and detecting the intensity of ambient light around the camera unit 122, and a control unit 125 installed on the main body 121 and controlling the operation of the supplementary lighting unit 123 and the camera unit 122.
[0032] As an example of selectively activating the supplementary lighting unit 123 to provide supplementary lighting for the camera unit 122 during image capture, the control unit 125 can control the activation and deactivation of the supplementary lighting unit 123 based on the image capture status of the camera unit 122 and the intensity of ambient light detected by the illuminance sensor 124. In this way, by controlling the activation and deactivation of the supplementary lighting unit based on the image capture status of the camera unit and the intensity of ambient light detected by the illuminance sensor, the supplementary lighting unit can be automatically and reliably activated even in poor lighting conditions, thereby reliably and automatically ensuring the shooting / recognition effect of the camera.
[0033] Specifically, for example, when the camera unit 122 is capturing an image and the ambient light intensity detected by the illuminance sensor 124 is a first illuminance (low illuminance) and a second illuminance (medium illuminance) (i.e., in poor lighting conditions), the control unit 125 activates the supplementary lighting unit 123 to provide supplementary lighting for the camera unit 122. On the other hand, when the camera unit 122 is capturing an image and the ambient light intensity detected by the illuminance sensor 124 is a third illuminance (high illuminance) (i.e., in good lighting conditions), the control unit 125 deactivates the supplementary lighting unit and does not provide supplementary lighting for the camera unit 122. Here, as an example, the first illuminance could be less than 100 lx, the second illuminance could be between 100 lx and 500 lx, and the third illuminance could be greater than 500 lx.
[0034] In addition, the control unit 125 is a circuit board embedded in the main body 121. Furthermore, the supplementary lighting unit 123, the camera unit 122, and the illuminance sensor 124 are respectively connected to the circuit board via cables.
[0035] In this embodiment, the camera unit 122 is preferably a high-resolution wide-angle camera. Furthermore, the shooting range of the camera unit 122 is preferably to cover the entire width direction X of the refrigerator 10. This allows for more reliable coverage of all compartments of the refrigerator by the camera unit.
[0036] In this embodiment, the supplementary lighting unit 123 can be a lighting device, such as a known lighting device like an LED or halogen lamp. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, when the refrigerator door 10 is opened for food storage and retrieval, the control unit 125 receives the door opening information and activates the camera unit 122 to capture images of the stored food and identify it. Next, the control unit 125 obtains the ambient light intensity information around the camera unit 122 detected by the illuminance sensor 124 and performs an illuminance threshold determination. If the illuminance is determined to be low or medium, the lighting device adjusts its brightness and then turns on. Finally, after the food storage and retrieval are completed, the lighting device turns off.
[0037] According to this utility model, a food identification system and a refrigerator equipped with the system can be provided that can reliably and automatically ensure the shooting / recognition effect of the camera.
[0038] The embodiments of this utility model have been described above; however, this utility model is not limited to the embodiments described above. Those skilled in the art can make modifications and variations to this utility model as needed without departing from its essential spirit and scope. All such modifications and variations fall within the scope of this utility model.
[0039] For example, the food recognition system described above can also include a human body sensor to detect people and activate the camera in a timely manner. Additionally, the circuit board can also incorporate a Wi-Fi module and / or Bluetooth module for communication with the refrigerator's main controller.
[0040] Furthermore, while the above embodiments exemplify a high-resolution wide-angle camera as the imaging unit, the imaging unit can also be at least one of a depth camera and a color camera. The color camera can be a standard color camera or a wide-angle color camera, and the depth camera can be a stereo camera, a structured light camera, or a time-of-flight camera, etc.
Claims
1. A food ingredient recognition system, characterized in that, The food identification system is a system for identifying food stored in a refrigerator. It includes a plate-shaped main body, a camera unit installed on the main body, a supplementary lighting unit installed on the main body that selectively activates to provide supplementary lighting to the camera unit when it is taking pictures, an illuminance sensor installed on the main body that detects the intensity of ambient light around the camera unit, and a control unit installed on the main body that controls the operation of the supplementary lighting unit and the camera unit. The control unit controls the opening and closing of the supplementary lighting unit based on the camera's recording status and the intensity of the ambient light detected by the illuminance sensor.
2. The food ingredient recognition system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When the camera unit is taking pictures and the intensity of the ambient light detected by the illuminance sensor is a first illuminance of low illuminance and a second illuminance of medium illuminance, the control unit turns on the supplementary light unit; when the camera unit is taking pictures and the intensity of the ambient light detected by the illuminance sensor is a third illuminance of high illuminance, the supplementary light unit turns off.
3. The food ingredient recognition system as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The first illuminance is less than 100 lx. The second illuminance is 100 lx to 500 lx. The third illuminance is greater than 500 lx.
4. The food ingredient recognition system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit is a circuit board embedded in the main body. The supplementary lighting unit, the camera unit, and the illuminance sensor are connected to the circuit board via cables.
5. The food ingredient recognition system as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The camera unit is a high-resolution wide-angle camera.
6. A refrigerator, characterized in that, The refrigerator includes: Box; and The food identification system according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is detachably mounted on the top of the housing. The main body has a protrusion that extends from the front surface of the housing. The supplementary lighting unit, the camera unit, and the illuminance sensor are arranged side by side along the width of the refrigerator. The camera unit, the supplementary lighting unit, and the illuminance sensor are mounted on the protruding part.
7. The refrigerator as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The camera unit is located at the center of the refrigerator in the width direction of the protrusion.
8. The refrigerator as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The camera unit is located at a position offset from the center of the refrigerator in the width direction from the protrusion.
9. The refrigerator as described in any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that, The camera's field of view covers the entire width of the refrigerator.
10. The refrigerator as described in any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that, The main body is detachably mounted to the top of the housing by means of adhesive, screws or snap-fit structures.