Refrigerator, and refrigerator system

Abstract

To provide a refrigerator capable of exerting a function for acquiring an image inside the refrigerator by a simple configuration, and a system for acquiring an image inside the refrigerator.SOLUTION: A refrigerator 10 includes a refrigeration chamber 26, a door 32a for opening and closing the refrigeration chamber 26, a photographing unit 60 for photographing the inside of the refrigeration chamber 26, and a power feeding part 80 for feeding power to the photographing unit 60. The photographing unit 60 includes a photographing device 62 for photographing the inside of the refrigeration chamber 26 to generate data obtained by photographing the inside of the refrigerator, and a communication device 64 capable of transmitting the data obtained by photographing the inside of the refrigeration chamber toward an external device 120. The photographing unit 60 receives power feeding by the power feeding part 80 to operate. The refrigerator 10 receives power feeding from the power feeding part 80 on condition that the door 32a undergoes opening operation or closing operation, and cooperatively generates and transmits the data obtained by photographing the inside of the refrigerator.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a refrigerator and a refrigerator system. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, there has been provided a refrigerator that is equipped with a camera that takes pictures of the interior of the refrigerator and can store the images of the interior taken by the camera. The refrigerator in Patent Document 1 is equipped with an image capture and communication module. This enables the refrigerator in Patent Document 1 to activate the camera for capturing images of the interior and capture images of the interior at set intervals, as well as transmit the captured images, videos, etc. to other devices via wireless communication. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-40425 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The refrigerator disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured such that a communication interface, processor, memory, etc. are provided in the refrigerator body and communicate with a camera installed inside the refrigerator. In the refrigerator disclosed in Patent Document 1, components that enable images of the interior of the refrigerator to be acquired externally are distributed. Therefore, if the refrigerator is configured as disclosed in Patent Document 1, there is a problem in that the degree of freedom in designing the refrigerator is significantly limited.

[0005] Furthermore, the configuration as in Patent Document 1 requires the coordination of components that implement a function of transmitting photographed images of the interior of the refrigerator so that the images can be acquired and viewed in an environment away from the refrigerator (hereinafter also referred to as the "photography and transmission function"). Therefore, the configuration as in Patent Document 1 requires a large-scale software development to implement the photography and transmission function. As such, the configuration as in Patent Document 1 imposes significant restrictions on the structure and control. Therefore, there is a problem in that it is difficult to install the photography and transmission function in, for example, existing refrigerators.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator and an interior image acquisition system that can realize operations such as an image capturing and transmitting function while supplying the power required for image capturing and the like with a simple configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] (1) The refrigerator of the present invention, which is provided to solve the above-mentioned problems, comprises an item storage section capable of storing items, a door for opening and closing the item storage section, a photography unit for photographing the inside of the item storage section, and a power supply section for supplying power to the photography unit, wherein the photography unit comprises an imaging device for photographing the inside of the item storage section and generating interior photography data, and a communication device for transmitting the interior photography data to an external device, and operates by receiving power from the power supply section, and when the door is opened or closed, power is supplied from the power supply section to the photography unit, and the interior photography data is generated and transmitted in a coordinated manner.

[0008] The refrigerator of the present invention includes a photography unit that photographs the inside of the storage compartment and a power supply unit that supplies power to the photography unit. The photography unit is a unit that includes a photography device and a communication device. Therefore, the refrigerator of the present invention can consolidate and arrange components for realizing a function of photographing the inside of the storage compartment and transmitting image data to the outside (photography and transmission function). Therefore, the refrigerator of the present invention has a simple configuration and a high degree of design freedom.

[0009] In the refrigerator of the present invention, the photography unit is equipped with a photography device and a communication device, so complicated control is not required for the coordination process from generating interior photography data to transmitting it. Therefore, in the refrigerator of the present invention, if the power supply unit controls power supply to the photography unit, the photography unit can be operated while supplying power necessary for photography, etc. Therefore, the refrigerator of the present invention can achieve the photography and transmission function with simple operation control.

[0010] In the refrigerator of the present invention, when the door is opened or closed, there is a possibility that items may be placed in or removed from the storage compartment. Therefore, if the interior of the storage compartment is photographed and interior image data is generated on the condition that the door is opened or closed, the storage status of the items in the storage compartment can be accurately determined. Based on this knowledge, the refrigerator of the present invention supplies power from the power supply unit to the photography unit on the condition that either or both of the door is opened and closed. This makes it possible to accurately generate interior image data after the door is opened or closed. Therefore, the refrigerator of the present invention can transmit the interior image data generated at an appropriate timing to an external device to determine the storage status of the items in the storage compartment.

[0011] (2) The refrigerator of the present invention may be characterized in that the operation of the photographing unit is started on the condition that a predetermined timing is reached, which is determined based on the timing when either or both of the door opening and closing operations are performed, and the operation of the photographing unit is ended on the condition that the predetermined timing is reached after the start of the operation of the photographing unit.

[0012] With this configuration, the photographing unit is not normally powered, but is powered and photographed only when the door is opened or closed. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the communication device is constantly operating, power consumption by the photographing unit can be reduced while still accurately generating interior photographed data after items are placed in or removed from the item storage compartment by opening or closing the door. This reduces power consumption and heat generation associated with photographing and transmission. Specifically, with the above configuration, the interior photographed data is not generated or transmitted until a predetermined timing is reached after power supply to the photographing unit begins. This prevents the photographing unit from operating in situations where, for example, the door is frequently opened and closed, or where the operating environment may not be adequate for the photographing device to take photographs after the door is opened or closed, or for transmitting the interior photographed data generated by the photographing. Therefore, the above configuration provides a refrigerator that can generate and transmit interior photographed data in an optimal state. Furthermore, compared to a configuration in which the photographing unit is constantly powered, power is not supplied unless the door is opened or closed, so the photographing unit does not generate heat, and operations to suppress the rise in temperature inside the refrigerator due to heat generation are not required. This makes it possible to photograph the interior of the fridge while suppressing increases in power consumption.

[0013] (3) The refrigerator of the present invention may be characterized in that it issues a warning on the condition that the door is not closed within a predetermined allowable opening time after the door is opened, and photographing by the photographing device and transmitting the interior photographed data generated by the photographing are performed on the condition that a predetermined waiting time longer than the allowable opening time has elapsed after the door is opened.

[0014] As described above, if the imaging device captures images and transmits imaged data of the fridge interior only after a standby time longer than the allowable opening time has elapsed after the door is closed, imaging and transmission of imaged data of the fridge interior can be performed in a sufficiently suitable operating environment. Specifically, as described above, if a warning is issued only if the door is opened and then not closed within a predetermined allowable opening time, there is a high probability that the door will be in a closed state when a standby time longer than the allowable opening time has elapsed. Therefore, with the above-described configuration, it is highly likely that the imaging device will be able to capture an image of the interior of the item storage section when the door is closed. Furthermore, if imaging is performed immediately after the allowable opening time has elapsed, there is a concern that the imaging device may not be able to capture a good image due to condensation, etc. However, if the imaging device captures images after a standby time longer than the allowable opening time has elapsed as described above, it is highly likely that imaging can be performed while suppressing the effects of condensation, etc. Therefore, with the above-described configuration, imaging and transmission of imaged data of the fridge interior can be performed in a sufficiently suitable operating environment.

[0015] (4) The refrigerator of the present invention may be characterized in that a wireless access point can be set as the external device, and the communication device can transmit interior image data to the wireless access point.

[0016] According to this configuration, it is possible to transmit the interior image capture data to the Internet, a LAN (Local Area Network), or a WAN (Wide Area Network) via the wireless access point.

[0017] (5) The refrigerator system of the present invention is characterized in that the interior photographed data transmitted from the refrigerator of the present invention described above can be recorded on a server in an unprocessed or processed state as photographed record data associated with the transmitting refrigerator, and the photographed record data recorded on the server can be acquired or viewed by accessing the server from a client terminal.

[0018] According to this configuration, a refrigerator system can be provided that allows a user to access the server from a client terminal such as a smartphone, mobile phone, PDA, or computer owned by the user, and obtain or view the photographed data recorded on the server, thereby remotely checking the inside of the item storage section.

[0019] (6) The refrigerator system of the present invention may be characterized in that the interior photography data is generated by photographing the interior of the item storage section over time, and the server processes the interior photography data received from the refrigerator to generate and record photography record data relating to a still image showing the interior of the item storage section.

[0020] With this configuration, the server can generate and record still image data from the interior image data, eliminating the need to install a configuration or control program for image processing in the refrigerator. While the interior image data is data of images of the inside of the item storage section captured over time, the image data is still image data and has a smaller capacity than the interior image data. Therefore, with the above-described configuration, the storage capacity required by the server for recording the image data and the communication capacity from the server to the client terminal can be reduced compared to a configuration in which image data recorded over time is stored as is.

[0021] (7) The refrigerator of the present invention has an article storage section capable of storing articles, a door for opening and closing the article storage section, and a power supply section disposed inside the article storage section and capable of supplying power to other devices that operate while consuming power, wherein the power supply section starts supplying power when the door is opened or closed, and stops supplying power after a certain time has elapsed since the start of power supply.

[0022] With this configuration, power consumption can be reduced, for example, during periods when the door is not opened, except for the period until a certain time has elapsed after power supply is started on the condition that the door is opened or closed. Therefore, with a simple configuration, the present invention makes it possible to operate other devices that consume power while reducing their power consumption. [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a refrigerator and an interior image acquisition system that can perform an interior image acquisition function with a simple configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front side. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the refrigerator of FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a refrigerator system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 4 is a timing chart showing the flow of operation of the refrigerator system of FIG. 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] A refrigerator 10 and a refrigerator system 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the configuration of the refrigerator 10 will first be outlined, and then the characteristic parts of the refrigerator 10 and the refrigerator system 100 will be described in detail. In the following description, the positional relationships such as up, down, left, right, front, and back will be described based on the refrigerator 10 being normally installed, unless otherwise specified.

[0026] <<General configuration of refrigerator 10>> 1 and 2, refrigerator 10 includes refrigerator main body 20, cooling device 40, main body control device 50, etc., as well as a photographing unit 60 and a power supply unit 80. Refrigerator main body 20 has two storage compartments, consisting of a refrigerator compartment 26 and a freezer compartment 28, which are formed as item storage sections for storing items such as food, by dividing the interior of the refrigerator by a partition 24 provided in housing 22. Refrigerator 10 adjusts the internal temperature (internal temperature) of refrigerator main body 20 to a predetermined low temperature state by cooling device 40, which will be described in detail later, and can store items such as food stored in refrigerator main body 20 in a low-temperature atmosphere.

[0027] The housing 22 has a housing body 30 formed to open forward, and a door 32 provided on the front side of the housing body 30. The housing body 30 is configured such that a heat insulating material 38 is filled between an exterior part 34 and an inner box (interior part) 36.

[0028] The exterior part 34 is a box-shaped member that forms the exterior of the housing main body 30 and is open to the front. The exterior part 34 is made of metal such as an iron plate. The inner box 36 forms the interior of the housing main body 30 and is disposed inside the exterior part 34. The inner box 36 is made of resin such as ABS.

[0029] There may be only one inner box 36, but multiple inner boxes 36 may be provided depending on the number of storage compartments formed inside the refrigerator. In this embodiment, two inner boxes 36 are provided: a refrigerator inner box 36a that constitutes the refrigerator compartment 26, and a freezer inner box 36b that constitutes the freezer compartment 28. The refrigerator inner box 36a and the freezer inner box 36b are each positioned a predetermined distance away from the outer circumferential surface of the exterior part 34. The refrigerator inner box 36a and the freezer inner box 36b are also positioned a predetermined distance apart in the vertical direction.

[0030] The heat insulating material 38 is a member having heat insulating properties that is filled between the exterior part 34 and the inner box 36 to suppress heat transfer between them. The heat insulating material 38 may be, for example, a foam resin such as hard urethane. The heat insulating material 38 is filled between the exterior part 34 and the inner box 36. Specifically, the heat insulating material 38 is filled between the exterior part 34 and the refrigerator inner box 36a, between the exterior part 34 and the freezer inner box 36b, and between the refrigerator inner box 36a and the freezer inner box 36b, etc.

[0031] The partition 24 is used to separate the multiple storage compartments formed inside the housing body 30. In this embodiment, the partition 24 is provided between the refrigerator compartment 26 and the freezer compartment 28, which are arranged above and below each other. The partition 24 is made up of a wall surface (bottom surface in this embodiment) of the refrigerator compartment inner box 36a that constitutes the refrigerator compartment 26, a wall surface (top surface in this embodiment) of the freezer compartment inner box 36b that constitutes the freezer compartment 28, and a heat insulating material 38 filled between them.

[0032] The refrigeration compartment 26 is a storage compartment formed by the above-mentioned refrigeration compartment box 36a and the door 32 (door 32a) described below. The refrigeration compartment 26 is a space for storing items such as food. The temperature inside the refrigeration compartment 26 can be adjusted to a predetermined low temperature suitable for refrigeration by operating the cooling device 40 described in detail below.

[0033] The freezer compartment 28 is a storage compartment formed by the above-described freezer compartment box 36b and the door 32 (door 32a) described below. The freezer compartment 28 is a space for storing items such as food in a lower temperature atmosphere than the above-described refrigerator compartment 26. The temperature inside the freezer compartment 28 can be adjusted to a predetermined low temperature atmosphere suitable for freezing by operating a cooling device 40 described in detail later. That is, the freezer compartment 28 can be adjusted to a low temperature atmosphere of 0 degrees Celsius or below by operating the cooling device 40.

[0034] Door 32 closes an opening provided on the front side of housing body 30 and is used to open and close storage compartments (refrigeration compartment 26 and freezer compartment 28 in this embodiment). In this embodiment, two doors 32a, 32b are provided corresponding to the two storage compartments (item storage sections) consisting of refrigerator compartment 26 and freezer compartment 28. Door 32 may be of any suitable type, such as a single-wing door that can be opened and closed by a hinge or the like provided on one side in the width direction of housing body 30, a double-door door that can be opened and closed by hinges or the like provided on both sides in the width direction, or a sliding door that can be opened and closed via a rail or the like.

[0035] Components such as drawer-type or pocket-type storage containers, shelves, etc. can be placed in refrigerator compartment 26, freezer compartment 28, and door 32. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, drawer-type storage containers 28a, 28b are provided in freezer compartment 28. Also, pocket-type storage container 26b is provided on the surface of door 32a for opening and closing refrigerator compartment 26 that faces the inside of refrigerator compartment 26. Storage container 26b provided in door 32a is capable of holding, for example, seasonings, beverages, etc.

[0036] The door 32 is provided with a detectable element 35a that constitutes the door open / close detection device 35. Specifically, the door open / close detection device 35 is a detection device that detects whether the door 32 is open or closed. The door open / close detection device 35 is configured with a general magnet-type switch. Specifically, the door open / close detection device 35 can be configured, for example, to include a magnet as the detectable element 35a and a reed switch that can detect the proximity of the magnet as the detectable element 35b. In this embodiment, the door 32 is provided with a magnet that functions as the detectable element 35a, and the housing main body 30 is configured with a reed switch that functions as the detectable element 35b at a position corresponding to the detectable element 35a when the door 32 is in the closed state.

[0037] The cooling device 40 is configured to maintain the temperature (internal temperature) of a storage compartment provided in the refrigerator body 20 at a predetermined low temperature. The cooling device 40 can be disposed in an appropriate location, such as the back, top, or bottom side of the refrigerator body 20. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2 , the cooling device 40 is disposed in a space provided on the back side of the refrigerator body 20 behind the freezer compartment 28. Similar to conventional cooling devices, the cooling device 40 includes a refrigeration cycle in which a compressor, a condenser, a heat dissipation pipe, a capillary tube, and a cooler are connected in a circular arrangement and a refrigerant is sealed in the refrigerant. The cooling device 40 is connected to the refrigerator compartment 26 and the freezer compartment 28 so that airflow can circulate between the refrigerator compartment 26 and the freezer compartment 28. The cooling device 40 also includes a blower fan. Therefore, the cooling device 40 supplies cold air generated in the cooler to the storage compartments, such as the refrigerator compartment 26 and the freezer compartment 28, to maintain a predetermined low-temperature atmosphere in each storage compartment.

[0038] The operation of cooling device 40 is controlled by a main body control device 50 provided in refrigerator main body 20. Main body control device 50 can control refrigerator compartment 26 and freezer compartment 28 to be at predetermined set temperatures by operating each component of the refrigeration cycle and the blower fan in accordance with the temperatures inside refrigerator compartment 26 and freezer compartment 28.

[0039] The main body control device 50 controls the operation of each component of the refrigerator 10, such as the cooling device 40. As shown in FIG. 3, the main body control device 50 is connected to each component of the refrigerator 10 so as to be able to communicate with them. Specifically, the main body control device 50 controls the operation of the cooling device 40 as described above, thereby adjusting the temperatures of the refrigerator compartment 26 and the freezer compartment 28. The main body control device 50 can also warn the user to close the door 32 if the door 32 has been left open for a predetermined allowable opening time. More specifically, the main body control device 50 can determine whether the door 32 is open or closed based on a detection signal from the door open / close detection device 35. The main body control device 50 is also electrically connected to an alarm device 52 (see FIG. 3) provided in the refrigerator main body 20. The alarm device 52 is, for example, a buzzer. Based on the detection signal from the door open / close detection device 35, the main body control device 50 activates the alarm device 52 to warn the user that the door 32 is open, provided that the door 32 is not closed within the allowed open time after the door 32 has been opened. In addition to these operational controls, the main body control device 50 also controls the operation of each part of the refrigerator 10. For example, based on the detection signal from the door open / close detection device 35, the main body control device 50 controls the interior light 26a, which illuminates the inside of the refrigerator compartment 26, to turn on when the door 32a is open, and to turn off when the door 32a is open.

[0040] In addition to the components of the refrigerator main body 20, cooling device 40, main body control device 50, etc. described above, the refrigerator 10 also includes a photographing unit 60 and a power supply unit 80. The photographing unit 60 is a unit that includes devices necessary for photographing the interior of the refrigeration compartment 26, which is provided in the refrigerator main body 20 as an item storage section for storing items such as food. The power supply unit 80 is used to supply power necessary for the operation of the photographing unit 60. These components will be described in further detail below.

[0041] <About Photo Unit 60> The photographing unit 60 photographs the interior of the refrigerator compartment 26 formed by the above-described refrigerator compartment box 36a and door 32a, generates interior photographed data, and transmits the data. As shown in Fig. 3, the photographing unit 60 includes a photographing device 62, a communication device 64, a lighting device 66, a power receiving unit 68, a photographing control device 70, etc. The photographing unit 60 is configured so that the components such as the photographing device 62, the communication device 64, and the lighting device 66 can operate in coordination with each other. The photographing unit 60 is provided in the refrigerator 10 at a position where it can photograph the interior of the refrigerator compartment 26. In this embodiment, the photographing unit 60 is provided on the door 32a.

[0042] The image capturing device 62 is configured with a camera that receives power, captures images, and generates and outputs image capture data. The image capturing device 62 is positioned so that it can capture images from the door 32a toward the refrigerator compartment box 36a. Therefore, the image capturing device 62 can generate and output image capture data (interior image capture data) of the interior of the refrigerator compartment 26. The image capturing device 62 is positioned so that the angle of view of the desired area to be captured, such as substantially the entire space (interior) defined by the refrigerator compartment box 36a or a particular area of ​​the space defined by the refrigerator compartment box 36a, is captured. The image capturing device 62 can capture either still images or videos, or both. The image capturing device 62 employed in this embodiment can generate and output streaming images in a format such as MOTION JPG as interior image capture data.

[0043] The communication device 64 is electrically connected to the image capturing device 62. The communication device 64 is also capable of acquiring image capturing data of the fridge interior generated by the image capturing device 62 and transmitting the image capturing data to an external device 120 provided outside the refrigerator 10. In this embodiment, the communication device 64 is capable of transmitting the image capturing data of the fridge interior to an external device 120a by selecting and setting any wireless access point 120a provided outside the refrigerator 10 as the external device 120.

[0044] The lighting device 66 includes a light emitter 66a that emits light when energized. The light emitter 66a may be a conventional light bulb, LED, or the like. In this embodiment, an LED is used as the light emitter 66a in consideration of suppressing heat generation due to operation of the lighting device 66, the resulting rise in temperature inside the refrigerator, and the resulting decrease in energy efficiency. The lighting device 66 may be selected to emit light of an appropriate color to assist photography by the photographing device 62. In this embodiment, a lighting device that emits white light is selected for the lighting device 66. The lighting device 66 is capable of illuminating the inside of the refrigerator compartment 26, and the direction of its optical axis, etc., is adjusted so as not to adversely affect photography by the photographing device 62. The lighting device 66 operates at least throughout the period during which photography is performed by the photographing device 62.

[0045] The power receiving unit 68 is a part that receives power from the power supply unit 80. The above-mentioned photographing device 62, communication device 64, lighting device 66, and photographing control device 70 are electrically connected to the power receiving unit 68. This makes it possible to supply power supplied from an external source to the photographing device 62, communication device 64, lighting device 66, and photographing control device 70. The power receiving unit 68 has a power receiving connection unit 68a that can be electrically connected to the power supply unit 80, which will be described in detail later. In this embodiment, the power receiving connection unit 68a is formed by a USB (Universal Serial Bus) type terminal.

[0046] The photography control device 70 controls the operation of the photography device 62, the communication device 64, and the lighting device 66. The photography control device 70 can control the photography device 62, the communication device 64, and the lighting device 66 so that they operate in a coordinated manner. Specifically, the photography control device 70 can turn the lighting device 66 on and off at a predetermined timing in conjunction with the start and end of photography by coordinating the photography device 62 and the lighting device 66, and can perform processing to transmit interior photography data to the outside after photography is completed by coordinating the photography device 62 and the communication device 64.

[0047] The photography control device 70 can also perform control (power supply control) to supply the power received by the power receiving unit 68 to the photography device 62, communication device 64, and lighting device 66. Specifically, the photography control device 70 performs power supply control such that the operations of the photography device 62, communication device 64, and lighting device 66 start when a predetermined timing is reached, which is defined based on the timing when either or both of the door 32a is opened and closed, and then the operations of the photography device 62, communication device 64, and lighting device 66 end when the predetermined timing is reached. Specifically, in the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment, a warning is issued when the door 32a is not closed within a predetermined allowable opening time after the door 32a is opened. Therefore, the photography control device 70 controls the operation of each part so that, after the door 32a is opened, the photography device 62 takes an image in a state where the lighting device 66 is turned on, on the condition that a predetermined waiting time longer than the allowable opening time has elapsed, and the photography control device 70 also performs a process of transmitting the interior photography data generated by the photography to the external device 120 via the communication device 64.

[0048] <About Power Supply Unit 80> The power supply unit 80 is for supplying power to the photographing unit 60 described above. The power supply unit 80 is electrically connected to the main power supply of the refrigerator 10. The power supply unit 80 includes a power supply connection unit 80a (see FIG. 3). The power supply connection unit 80a corresponds to the power receiving connection unit 68a of the photographing unit 60 described above and is formed by a USB (Universal Serial Bus) type terminal. Therefore, by connecting the power receiving connection unit 68a to the power supply connection unit 80a, it is possible to supply power from the power supply unit 80 to the photographing unit 60.

[0049] About the Refrigerator System 100 Next, a refrigerator system 100 of this embodiment will be described. The refrigerator system 100 utilizes the fact that the refrigerator 10 is equipped with a photography unit 60, allowing the interior of the refrigeration compartment 26 to be checked without opening the door 32a. The refrigerator system 100 sends interior image data transmitted from the refrigerator 10 to a server 110, and is capable of recording the interior image data in an unprocessed or processed state on the server 110 as photographed record data associated with the refrigerator that transmitted the image data. In addition, the refrigerator system 100 is capable of acquiring or viewing photographed record data that the user has access rights to, among the photographed record data recorded on the server 110, in response to access from a client terminal 130 that is permitted to connect to the server 110. The client terminal 130 can be, for example, a smartphone, mobile phone, PDA, computer, or the like owned by the user.

[0050] In the refrigerator system 100 of this embodiment, streaming images generated by the photographing device 62 in the photographing unit 60 are output as fridge interior photographed data. The fridge interior photographed data is sent unprocessed by the communication device 64 to the server 110 via an external device 120 (wireless access point 120a) and the Internet network connected thereto. By installing a program on the server 110, functional components such as an image processing unit 112 that processes the fridge interior photographed data, a recording unit 114 that records image data, and a communication unit 116 that processes information related to data communication are constructed. The server 110 processes the fridge interior photographed data received via the Internet network in the image processing unit 112 to generate image data for a still image. Specifically, the image processing unit 112 selects image data for one of the multiple images constituting the streaming images (fridge interior photographed data) as image data to be recorded on the server 110 (image data for recording). The server 110 generates photographed recording data that associates the image data for recording with the refrigerator 10 that sent the data, and records the data in the recording unit 114. In response to access from a client terminal that is permitted to connect to the server 110, the refrigerator system 100 outputs, so that the connected client terminal 130 can acquire or view, the captured recording data recorded in the recording unit 114 that the connected client terminal 130 has access authority to. This allows the user to check the state of the inside of the refrigeration compartment 26 of the refrigerator 10 via the client terminal 130.

[0051] <<Operation of Refrigerator System 100>> The operation of the refrigerator system 100 will be described in detail below with reference to the timing chart of FIG.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 4, in the refrigerator system 100, when the door 32a of the refrigerator 10 is opened, this triggers the start of power supply to the photographing unit 60. After the door 32a is opened, the refrigerator 10 starts the main body control device 52 to warn the user that the door 32 is open after a predetermined allowable open time (three minutes in this embodiment) has elapsed. Therefore, after the door 32a is opened, there is a high probability that the door 32a will be closed. Furthermore, it is assumed that after a certain amount of time has elapsed after the door 32a is closed, the photographing device 62 of the photographing unit 60 will be able to photograph without being affected by condensation or the like. Therefore, in the refrigerator system 100, after the door 32a is opened, a predetermined time (standby time) set longer than the allowable open time has elapsed, and the photographing unit 60 starts operations for photographing and communication.

[0053] Specifically, in this embodiment, the standby time is set to 8 minutes. Therefore, in the refrigerator system 100, after the door 32a is opened, power supply from the power supply unit 80 to the photographing unit 60 is started. When the power supply is started, the communication device 64 outputs a communication request to the wireless access point 120a, which is the external device 120. This establishes communication between the communication device 64 and the wireless access point 120a. Note that FIG. 4 shows a typical example in which communication between the communication device 64 and the wireless access point 120a is established between the door 32a being opened and the door 32a being closed. However, depending on the timing at which the door 32a is closed, communication between the communication device 64 and the wireless access point 120a may also be established after the door 32a is closed. Thereafter, when a predetermined standby time (8 minutes) has elapsed since the door 32a was opened, the photographing control device 70 of the photographing unit 60 activates the photographing device 62 and the lighting device 66 and starts photographing while illuminating. While the image capturing device 62 is capturing images, the fridge interior image capturing data (streaming image data) generated by the image capturing is transmitted to the wireless access point 120a via the communication device 64. The wireless access point 120a sequentially transmits the fridge interior image capturing data (streaming image data) received from the communication device 64 to the server 110 via the Internet.

[0054] In the refrigerator system 100, when a predetermined time (hereinafter also referred to as "photographing unit operation time") has elapsed since it was confirmed that the door 32a was in the closed state, the photography control device 70 stops the photography device 62 and the lighting device 66 and also terminates communication by the communication device 64. This causes the photography unit 60 to enter a stopped state. Power supply from the power supply unit 80 to the photography unit 60 is stopped a predetermined time after it started, and this predetermined time is set longer than the estimated time required for establishing communication with the wireless access point 120, photographing, transmitting the photographed data, stopping the photography device 62 and the lighting device 66, and stopping communication by the communication device 64.

[0055] When the photographing device 62 and lighting device 66 are stopped and communication by the communication device 64 is terminated as described above, power supply to the photographing unit 60 is stopped at a predetermined timing (in this embodiment, 10 minutes after the door 32a is opened). Meanwhile, the server 110 processes the fridge interior photographed data (streaming image data) sent while the photographing unit 60 is running. Specifically, the image processing unit 112 of the server 110 selects image data for one of the multiple images constituting the fridge interior photographed data as recording image data to be recorded on the server 110. The server 110 generates photographed recording data that associates the recording image data with the refrigerator 10 that sent the data, and records the data in the recording unit 114. For example, the server 110 associates information for identifying the refrigerator 10, such as the serial number of the refrigerator 10 that sent the data, with the recording image data, and records the data in the recording unit 114.

[0056] When the photographed and recorded data is recorded in recording unit 114 of server 110 as described above, in response to access from client terminal 130 such as a smartphone, the photographed and recorded data is acquired (e.g., downloaded) or output so as to be viewable at client terminal 130. This allows the user to check the state of the inside of refrigeration compartment 26 of refrigerator 10 via client terminal 130.

[0057] As described above, refrigerator 10 of this embodiment includes photographing unit 60 and power supply unit 80. Photographing unit 60 also includes components for capturing and transmitting images, such as photographing device 62 and communication device 64, all integrated into one unit. Therefore, refrigerator 10 described above can integrate components for implementing a photographing and transmission function for capturing images of the interior of refrigerator compartment 26 and transmitting image data to the outside. Therefore, refrigerator 10 described above has a simple configuration and a high degree of freedom in design.

[0058] As described above, the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment is configured to operate the photography device 62 and communication device 64 in a coordinated manner under the control of the photography control device 70 provided in the photography unit 60. Therefore, the refrigerator 10 does not need to perform complex control in the main body control device 50 or the like for the coordinated processing up to the generation and transmission of interior photography data. Therefore, the refrigerator 10 described above can operate the photography unit 60 appropriately under simple control.

[0059] In the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment, the photographing unit 60 is positioned so as to photograph the inside of the refrigerator compartment 26 from the door 32a side. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the photographing unit 60 may be positioned in an appropriate location, such as the top of the refrigerator compartment 26, so that pockets, etc., provided in the door 32a are included in the field of view. This allows the contents of the pockets, etc., attached to the door 32a to be checked from a remote location. Furthermore, the photographing unit 60 may be positioned so as to photograph the inside of the freezer compartment 28 instead of or in addition to the refrigerator compartment 26. This allows the inventory status of frozen foods, ice, etc., inside the freezer compartment 28 to be checked from a remote location. Note that, when the photographing unit 60 is positioned in the freezer compartment 28, it is preferable to take measures to prevent operational malfunctions and poor visibility due to icing. Specifically, as in the above embodiment, it is preferable to take measures such as starting photographing and communication after a predetermined waiting time has elapsed since the door 32b of the freezer compartment 28 is opened.

[0060] As described above, in the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment, the operation of the photographing unit 60 is started on the condition that a predetermined standby time has elapsed from the timing when either or both of the door 32a is opened and closed (in this embodiment, the timing when the door 32a is opened). Furthermore, in the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment, the operation of the photographing unit 60 is ended on the condition that a predetermined timing has elapsed after the start of the operation of the photographing unit 60 (in this embodiment, the timing a predetermined time after the door 32a is closed). By starting and ending the operation of the photographing unit 60 at such timing, it is possible to accurately generate photographed data of the interior of the refrigerator compartment 26 after items are placed in or removed from the refrigerator compartment 26 by opening or closing the door 32a, while reducing power consumption by the photographing unit 60. This reduces power consumption and heat generation resulting from the photographing and transmission function.

[0061] In the present embodiment, the timing at which the operation of the photographing unit 60 starts is the timing at which a predetermined waiting time has elapsed, based on the timing at which the door 32a is opened, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the timing at which the operation of the photographing unit 60 starts may be determined based on the timing at which the door 32a is closed. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the example is shown in which the reaching of a predetermined timing is determined as the start condition for starting the operation of the photographing unit 60, but the present invention is not limited to this. Instead of or in addition to the start condition related to this timing, other conditions may be determined as the start condition for starting the operation of the photographing unit 60.

[0062] In this embodiment, prior to the start of photographing or data transmission by the photographing unit 60, power supply to the photographing unit 60 is initiated using the door 32a being opened as a trigger, and communication between the communication device 64 and the external device 120 (wireless access point 120a) is established. Establishing communication when the door 32a is opened in this manner allows communication to be established in a better communication environment than when communication is established after the door 32a is closed. Specifically, because the door 32a is made of metal or the like, when the door 32a is closed, communication is performed via a rubber seal (not shown) or the like provided to seal between the door 32a and the housing main body 30. Although communication between the communication device 64 and the external device 120 can be established even in such a communication environment, it is desirable to ensure good communication conditions when communication is established. From this perspective, in this embodiment, power supply to the photographing unit 60 is initiated using the door 32a being opened as a trigger, and communication between the communication device 64 and the external device 120 is established. It should be noted that this embodiment is merely an example of the present invention, and communication between the communication device 64 and the external device 120 may be established in an environment where the door 32a is in a closed state.

[0063] In this embodiment, power supply to the photographing unit 60 is initiated when the door 32a is opened, and then photographing is performed after a predetermined waiting time (8 minutes in this embodiment) has elapsed. During the waiting time, the photographing unit 60 is not performing photographing or lighting, and therefore generates less heat than when photographing is being performed. However, the temperature of the photographing unit 60 rises somewhat due to heat generated by power supply. In this embodiment, photographing is performed by the photographing unit 60 after a predetermined waiting time has elapsed with power supply initiated. This temperature increase in the photographing unit 60 can be utilized to prevent photographing problems due to condensation, etc. Note that in this embodiment, an example has been shown in which power is supplied to the photographing unit 60 for a predetermined waiting time before photographing is started, triggered by the door 32a being opened. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Specifically, a configuration may be adopted in which power is not supplied to the photographing unit 60 during a predetermined waiting time after the door 32a is opened until photographing is started.

[0064] Similarly, in the present embodiment, an example has been shown in which the timing for terminating the operation of the photographing unit 60 and stopping the supply of power to the photographing unit 60 is the timing when a predetermined time (10 minutes in the present embodiment) has elapsed, based on the timing when the door 32a is closed, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the timing for terminating the operation of the photographing unit 60 and stopping the supply of power to the photographing unit 60 may be defined based on the timing when the door 32a is opened, for example. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, an example has been shown in which reaching a predetermined timing is defined as the termination condition for terminating the supply of power to the photographing unit 60, but the present invention is not limited to this. Instead of or in addition to the termination condition related to this timing, another condition may be defined as the termination condition for terminating the supply of power to the photographing unit 60.

[0065] As described above, the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment is configured to capture images using the image capture device 62 and transmit the interior image data generated by the image capture, provided that a predetermined standby time longer than the allowable opening time has elapsed after the door 32a is opened. In this embodiment, a warning is issued to notify the user that the door 32a has been left open after the allowable opening time has elapsed. Therefore, when the image capture device 62 captures images and transmits the interior image data generated by the image capture, it is highly likely that the door 32a is closed and an appropriate operating environment for image capture is in place. Therefore, the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment is highly likely to be able to capture an image of the interior of the refrigeration compartment 26 with the door 32a closed. While this embodiment has been described as an example in which image capture and communication are performed after a standby time longer than the allowable opening time has elapsed, utilizing the function of providing a warning that the door 32a remains open even after the allowable opening time has elapsed, the present invention is not limited to this, and image capture and communication may be performed at other appropriate times.

[0066] As described above, the refrigerator 10 of this embodiment is configured to set the wireless access point 120a as the external device 120 and transmit interior image data to the wireless access point 120a using the communication device 64. Therefore, the refrigerator 10 can transmit interior image data to the Internet, a LAN (Local Area Network), or a WAN (Wide Area Network) via the wireless access point 120a without the need for a separate communication terminal or the like. While this embodiment illustrates an example in which the wireless access point 120a is the external device 120, the present invention is not limited to this. Specifically, the refrigerator 10 may be configured to be able to select and connect to a wired access point as the external device 120 instead of or in addition to the wireless access point 120a.

[0067] As described above, the refrigerator system 100 of this embodiment is capable of recording the interior image data transmitted from the refrigerator 10 in the server 110 as image recording data associated with the refrigerator 10 that transmitted the image data, and is also capable of acquiring or viewing the image recording data recorded in the server 110 by accessing the server 110 from the client terminal 130. Therefore, by accessing the server 110 from the client terminal 130 such as a smartphone, mobile phone, PDA, or computer owned by the user, the image recording data recorded in the server 110 can be acquired or viewed, and the inside of the refrigerator compartment 26 can be remotely checked.

[0068] In the above-described refrigerator system 100, the interior image data is in a streaming format generated by capturing images of the interior of the refrigerator compartment 26 over time. The server 110 processes the interior image data received from the refrigerator 10 in the image processing unit 112 to create still images showing the interior of the refrigerator compartment 26, and records the still images as image recording data. Therefore, in the refrigerator system 100, there is no need to provide the refrigerator 10 with a configuration or control program for image processing. Furthermore, because the image recording data is data related to still images, it has a smaller capacity than the interior image data and does not consume memory capacity in the recording unit 114. Therefore, with the above-described configuration, it is possible to reduce the recording capacity required in the server 110 for recording the image recording data and the communication capacity from the server 110 to the client terminal 130.

[0069] The present invention is not limited to the configurations described in the above-described embodiments, and appropriate design modifications and the like are possible within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention. The components of the above-described embodiments and variations may be arbitrarily selected and combined. Furthermore, any component of each embodiment or variation may be arbitrarily combined with any component described in the Summary of the Invention, the Detailed Description, etc., or any component embodying any component described in the Summary of the Invention, the Detailed Description, etc. The present invention also intends to obtain rights to these in this application or in divisional applications based on this application. [Industrial Applicability]

[0070] The present invention can be suitably used in refrigerators in general. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 10: Refrigerator 26: Refrigerator 32a: Door 60: Photography unit 62: Imaging device 64: Communication equipment 80: Power supply unit 100: Refrigerator system 110: Server 120: External equipment 120a: Wireless access point 130: Client terminal

Claims

1. an article storage section capable of storing articles; a door for opening and closing the article storage section; an imaging device that captures an image of the inside of the item storage unit and generates interior imaging data; a communication device capable of transmitting the interior photography data to an external device; a power supply unit that supplies power to the photographing device and the communication device, the photographing device and the communication device operate by receiving power from the power supply unit, the power supply unit does not normally supply power to the photographing device and the communication device, On the condition that the door is opened or closed, power is supplied from the power supply unit to the photography device and the communication device, and the interior photography data is generated and transmitted in a coordinated manner. The refrigerator is characterized in that after the photographing device and the communication device start operating, the operations of the photographing device and the communication device end when a predetermined timing is reached.

2. The predetermined timing at which the operations of the photographing device and the communication device are completed is 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the timer is set to be longer than the time expected to be required for establishing communication by the communication device, generating the fridge interior image data by the image capture device, transmitting the fridge interior image data by the communication device, stopping the image capture device, and stopping communication by the communication device.

3. an article storage section capable of storing articles; a door for opening and closing the article storage section; An imaging device that captures an image of the inside of the item storage unit and generates interior imaging data; and a communication device that can transmit the interior imaging data to an external device. a power supply unit that supplies power to the photographing device and the communication device, the photographing device and the communication device operate by receiving power from the power supply unit, On the condition that the door is opened or closed, power is supplied from the power supply unit to the photography device and the communication device, and the interior photography data is generated and transmitted in a coordinated manner. a warning is issued on the condition that the door is not closed within a predetermined allowable opening time after the door is opened, and an image is taken by the photographing device and the interior photographed data generated by the photographing is transmitted on the condition that a predetermined waiting time longer than the allowable opening time has elapsed after the door is opened.

4. A wireless access point can be set as the external device, The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the communication device is capable of transmitting interior image data to the wireless access point.

5. The interior photographed data transmitted from the refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 4 can be recorded in a server in an unprocessed or processed state as photographed record data associated with the refrigerator that transmitted the data, and A refrigerator system characterized in that photographic record data recorded on a server can be acquired or viewed by accessing the server from a client terminal.

6. The interior photography data is generated by photographing the inside of the item storage unit over time, 6. The refrigerator system according to claim 5, wherein the server processes the interior image data received from the refrigerator to generate and record image data related to a still image showing the interior of the item storage section.

Images