Refrigerator Spectral Sensing for Food Freshness Inventory
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Solution Overview
Problem
Household users face challenges in tracking the shelf life and spoilage of food items stored in large appliances like refrigerators, leading to food waste due to lack of effective inventory management solutions.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerating appliance equipped with a scanning apparatus that captures data during multiple phases to create a current inventory manifest, compares it with predetermined parameters, and provides outputs to users about the status of stored items, including shelf life and spoilage, using cameras, scales, and sensors to monitor temperature, gas, and spectral values.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a scanning apparatus is added to the refrigerating appliance to track inventory, then the ability to monitor shelf life and spoilage is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple scanning technologies (optical cameras, weight sensors, gas sensors) into a single integrated scanning apparatus within the refrigerating appliance. This merging approach enables comprehensive inventory tracking through one unified system rather than separate devices, resolving the contradiction by achieving high measurement precision while managing device complexity through integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The scanning apparatus is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: visual identification of food items, weight measurement, freshness monitoring via gas analysis, and shelf life tracking. This multi-functionality allows the single device to provide comprehensive inventory management capabilities, improving measurement precision across multiple parameters without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
2Measurement precision
If multiple scanning phases are conducted to create accurate inventory manifest, then the measurement precision is improved, but the loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary scanning when the refrigerating appliance door is opened, capturing inventory data before the door closes. This preliminary action ensures that inventory manifests are updated in advance, providing accurate information without requiring extended scanning periods that would delay door closure and increase time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The scanning apparatus operates periodically based on door opening events rather than continuously. Each door opening triggers a scanning phase, creating periodic updates to the inventory manifest. This periodic action maintains measurement precision by regularly updating data while minimizing time loss by only scanning when necessary, rather than operating continuously.
3Reliability
If real-time monitoring of food freshness is implemented, then the reliability of spoilage detection is improved, but the use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic monitoring triggered by door opening events rather than continuous real-time monitoring. The scanning apparatus activates during door openings to update inventory status and detect spoilage, providing reliable spoilage detection at critical moments while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous operation. This periodic action maintains reliability by checking freshness at regular intervals when the user accesses the appliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from door opening events to trigger scanning operations. When the door is opened, the system receives feedback that user interaction is occurring, prompting an inventory update. This feedback mechanism ensures reliable spoilage detection is performed when most relevant (during user access) while avoiding unnecessary energy consumption during periods when the appliance is closed and no monitoring is strictly needed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables users to maintain an accurate household inventory of consumables, reducing food waste by providing real-time information on item freshness and suggesting shopping lists based on consumption patterns and expiration dates.
Implementation Method 1
The spectrometer works in conjunction with the light source to obtain a measured value of a foodstuff. The measured value is at least one of an absorbance value, a transmittance value, and a reflectance value.
Implementation Method 2
The spectrometer works in conjunction with the light source to obtain a measured value of a foodstuff. The measured value is at least one of an absorbance value, a transmittance value, and a reflectance value.
Implementation Method 3
The spectrometer works in conjunction with the light source to obtain a measured value of a foodstuff. The measured value is at least one of an absorbance value, a transmittance value, and a reflectance value.
Data Source
AI summary
An appliance includes a temperature control system, a light source, and a spectrometer. The spectrometer works in conjunction with the light source to obtain a measured value of a foodstuff. The measured value is at least one of an absorbance value, a transmittance value, and a reflectance value. The measured value from the foodstuff is compared to a reference value for the foodstuff.