Refrigerator Camera Control for Drawer Imaging Without Door Opening

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional refrigerators require opening the door to check the interior, leading to inefficiencies in food storage management, such as redundant purchases and inadequate information about stored food, due to limited camera range and issues with dew condensation, power consumption, and picture quality.

Innovation Solution

A refrigerator with a camera fixed to the ceiling that captures images of both external and internal food storage regions within the same picture, using a controller to separate and display these regions individually, while optimizing camera operation to prevent dew condensation and reduce power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If multiple cameras are installed to photograph various storage regions, then the photographing coverage is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvephotographing coverageVSAvoidnumber of cameras

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a rotatable camera module that can dynamically change its photographing angle to capture different storage regions including the refrigerating compartment, freezing compartment, and drawer interiors sequentially, replacing the need for multiple fixed cameras with a single dynamic camera system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

A single camera module is designed to serve multiple functions by photographing various storage regions at different angles and positions, making one device perform the work of multiple cameras through its ability to capture the refrigerating compartment, freezing compartment, and drawer interiors

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Loss of information

If the camera operates continuously to capture food storage information, then the information availability is improved, but the power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation availabilityVSAvoidcamera power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The camera is controlled to operate periodically based on door opening/closing events rather than continuously, capturing images at relevant moments when the door is opened or closed, which provides sufficient information while significantly reducing overall power consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses door opening/closing detection as feedback to trigger camera operation, creating an event-driven photography mechanism that activates the camera only when necessary based on actual usage patterns, optimizing both information capture and energy efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of energy

If the door remains closed to maintain refrigeration efficiency, then energy efficiency is improved, but the user cannot check stored food

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverefrigeration efficiencyVSAvoidfood storage information

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates visual copies (photographs) of the food storage contents and transmits them to mobile terminals, allowing users to view replicated images of stored food without physically opening the refrigerator door, thus preserving refrigeration efficiency while providing information access

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The camera and mobile terminal system acts as an intermediary between the user and the stored food, enabling users to obtain information about food storage through transmitted images rather than direct visual inspection, eliminating the need to open the door for checking contents

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Loss of information

If the camera is positioned to photograph drawer interior, then the drawer region visibility is improved, but dew condensation degrades picture quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrawer region visibilityVSAvoiddew condensation

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The camera module is extracted from the direct cold storage environment where dew condensation occurs, positioning it in a location that allows photographing the drawer interior through optical paths that avoid the harmful condensation zones, thus maintaining picture quality while preserving drawer visibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS10215483B2Refrigerator with camera and control method for the same

Publication Date: 2019.02.26 LG ELECTRONICS INC

AI summary

A refrigerator includes a storage compartment formed in a cabinet of the refrigerator by a fixed insulation wall, the storage compartment being provided with an access opening. The refrigerator also includes a door rotatably provided to the cabinet to open and close the access opening, a drawer provided in the storage compartment, a camera fixed to a ceiling of the storage compartment to photograph both a first region for storing of food arranged in an external space of the drawer and a second region for storing of food arranged in an internal space of the drawer, and a controller configured to separate, through a capturing time of a picture containing both the first region and the second region, a first region picture and a second region picture from the picture to individually divide and store the first region picture and the second region picture.