Refrigerator Camera Object Recognition with Direction-Change Filtering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Refrigerators with cameras face unnecessary resource costs due to frequent object recognition triggered by slight changes in camera direction caused by door opening and closing, leading to false detection of changes in stored items.

Innovation Solution

A method to identify changes in camera direction by comparing captured images with prestored original images, determining whether to perform object recognition based on the stability of the camera direction, thereby reducing unnecessary operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If object recognition is performed every time the camera captures an image, then changes in stored items can be detected, but unnecessary resource costs increase due to false detections caused by camera direction changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection accuracyVSAvoidresource cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary comparison of the captured image with the reference image to detect image direction changes before performing object recognition. This preliminary action filters out false detections caused by camera movement, allowing object recognition to be performed only when necessary, thus reducing resource consumption while maintaining detection accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary comparison mechanism that acts as a mediator between image capture and object recognition. This intermediary step analyzes whether the captured image differs from the reference image in terms of direction or content, and only triggers object recognition when actual changes are detected, thereby reducing unnecessary processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If the camera is attached to the door front surface for easy installation, then the refrigerator structure is simplified, but the camera direction changes due to door opening and closing impacts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation easeVSAvoidcamera direction stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary comparison of the captured image with the reference image to detect whether the image direction has changed. This preliminary detection allows the system to identify when camera direction instability occurs due to door movement, and adjust or filter out these changes before they affect object recognition accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter being monitored from absolute image content to relative image direction comparison. By comparing the captured image with the reference image and detecting directional changes, the system adapts to the unstable camera mounting condition while maintaining reliable object detection capabilities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3806033B1Refrigerator, server, and object recognition method of refrigerator
Publication Date: 2024.05.01 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3806033B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3806033B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3806033B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An object recognition method of a refrigerator is disclosed. The disclosed object recognition method of a refrigerator comprises the steps of: obtaining a captured image of a storage compartment of a refrigerator; checking the change in the imaging direction of an image capturing device which has captured the image of the storage compartment, when a change in the captured image is confirmed compared to a previously stored image; and performing an object recognition operation of the captured image when the imaging direction is maintained.