Refrigerator Temperature Control Using User Food Preferences

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Solution Overview

Problem

The intelligence degree of temperature regulation in refrigerators is low, requiring manual user input and resulting in poor user experience.

Innovation Solution

A refrigerator that can automatically determine the target user and acquire their preference information, either from historic data or through a local network, to dynamically regulate temperatures and ensure food is in the desired state at the desired time, also sending notifications if food quantities are insufficient.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If manual user input is required for temperature setting, then the refrigerator can regulate temperature according to user preferences, but the intelligence degree is low and user experience is poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature regulation automationVSAvoiduser input requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The refrigerator automatically determines the target user through user determination modules (camera recognition, login status detection, or proximity sensing) and autonomously acquires preference information from stored user profiles or network searches, then automatically regulates temperature without requiring manual user input, making the system serve itself

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-stores preference information for multiple users in the refrigerator memory and pre-determines user identities before temperature regulation is needed, so that when temperature control is required, the system can immediately retrieve and apply the appropriate preferences without delay or manual intervention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Extent of automation

If the refrigerator automatically determines user and regulates temperature, then the intelligence degree improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature regulation automationVSAvoidsystem structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The refrigerator integrates multiple functions into a single system: user determination (through camera, login detection, or proximity sensing), preference information acquisition (from stored data or network search), food state monitoring, and temperature regulation all work together as one unified intelligent temperature regulation device, allowing one system to perform multiple tasks

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses an intermediary information processing layer that includes user determination modules and preference acquisition modules, which mediate between the physical user and the temperature control system, translating user identity and preferences into automated temperature regulation parameters without requiring direct user-device interaction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3124901B1Temperature regulating method and refrigerator including a temperature regulating device
Publication Date: 2018.09.19 XIAOMI INC
  • EP3124901B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3124901B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3124901B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a temperature regulating method and a temperature regulating device. The method includes: determining (101) a target user who intends to use the refrigerator; acquiring (102) target preference information of the target user on food, wherein the target preference information contains at least a target food type, a target dining time and a target food state; determining (103) target food from food currently stored in the refrigerator based on the target food type; and regulating (104) a temperature of a region where the target food is stored, such that the target food reaches the target food state by the target dining time.