IoT Refrigerator Food Tracking Without RFID Tagging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerators face challenges in food storage management due to the lack of RFID tags on commodities sold in supermarkets, making it a tedious and costly process to implement RFID technology for intelligent food storage.
Innovation Solution
An intelligent refrigerator system utilizing a central processing module with a touch display and network communications, allowing users to visually manage food storage and automatically prompt for replenishments through a supermarket shopping network platform, leveraging an ARM core processor and Android 4.0 operating system, and WIFI connectivity for remote access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If RFID technology is used for food identification in the refrigerator, then food management capability is improved, but implementation cost and complexity increase due to the need for RFID tags on all food items
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses image copying and recognition technology to create a visual representation of food items in the refrigerator. Instead of requiring RFID tags on each food item, the system captures images of food and creates digital copies that can be identified and managed through image recognition algorithms, thereby eliminating the need for physical tags while maintaining food management capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical RFID tagging system with an optical imaging and recognition system. The mechanical process of attaching RFID tags to each food item is substituted with an automated image capture and processing system that uses cameras and computer vision algorithms to identify food items, significantly reducing implementation complexity
2Measurement precision
If RFID tags are attached to all food items for identification, then food tracking accuracy is improved, but cost increases as tags may cost more than the food itself
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates digital image copies of food items and uses recognition algorithms to extract identification information. This digital copying approach eliminates the need for expensive physical RFID tags while maintaining the ability to accurately track and identify food items through their visual characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs inexpensive image capture methods and processing algorithms that can be implemented without requiring expensive reusable RFID tags. The system uses disposable or reusable camera sensors and software-based recognition that is significantly cheaper than RFID tag infrastructure
3Reliability
If manual food tagging is performed for RFID implementation, then food identification capability is improved, but time consumption and labor requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic food identification through self-service imaging and recognition. When food items are placed in the refrigerator, the system automatically captures images and identifies the food items without requiring user intervention for tagging, thereby eliminating the time-consuming manual RFID tag attachment process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary image capture and processing capabilities that are ready to automatically identify food items as they are placed in the refrigerator. The system pre-processes images and maintains a database of food characteristics, enabling rapid identification without requiring time-consuming manual tagging operations
Data Source
AI summary
An intelligent refrigerator based on the Internet of Things and an application system thereof, relating to the technical field of the Internet of Things, and in particular, to the aspect of intelligent refrigerator system module improvement based on the Internet of Things. The intelligent refrigerator comprises a refrigerator main body and a refrigerator control module which is arranged in the refrigerator main body and used for controlling the operation of the refrigerator main body. The refrigerator main body also comprises a central processing system module, the refrigerator control module being in communication connection with the central processing system module through a UART interface. A touch display module for man-machine interaction, and a network communication module for connecting the Internet network are also connected to the central processing system module. The intelligent refrigerator can realize managing the storage information of foods in a refrigerator in a graphical manner.