Refrigerator Camera System with Automatic Periodic Image Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional refrigerator systems with cameras require user intervention for capturing images of the fridge interior, making the process cumbersome and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
An image capturing system integrated with a refrigerator, featuring a communicable image capturing device with a communication unit, operating unit for settings, and display unit, allowing periodic image capture and transmission of data to external devices via Bluetooth communication, enabling remote access and user-friendly operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a camera is provided with an image capturing portion, then image data can be obtained, but user operation is required which makes the process troublesome
Solution Approach 1:
The camera unit automatically captures images based on signals from the control unit without requiring user intervention. The system serves itself by having the control unit trigger image capture at appropriate times (when the door is opened), eliminating the need for manual operation while ensuring reliable image capture.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera unit is pre-configured to capture images when triggered, and the control unit is set up in advance to send capture signals when the door opening is detected. This preliminary setup allows the system to automatically execute image capture without requiring user action at the moment of capture.
2Extent of automation
If images are captured periodically based on operating unit settings, then automation is improved, but device complexity increases due to communication and control units
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit serves multiple functions: it controls the cooling mechanism, detects door opening, and triggers the camera unit for image capture. By making the control unit multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate dedicated components for each function, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving high automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera unit and control unit are integrated into a unified system where the control unit manages both cooling operations and image capture timing. This merging of functions into existing components rather than adding separate independent systems helps manage device complexity while maintaining automation.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, an image capturing system is configured so that a device for capturing images is communicable with an external device through a communication unit. The image capturing system is provided with an operating unit configured to make settings pertaining to image capturing, an image capturing device serving as the device for capturing images and being configured to produce image data by periodically capturing images based on the settings made to the operating unit and a display unit configured to produce a display output based on the image data.