Camera system and refrigerator

• US 10,389,980 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2016
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Lifestyle Products & Services Corporation (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Lifestyle Products & Services Corporation (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Inventors: Izawa, Hirokazu, Furuta, Kazuhiro, Marutani, Yuuki, Watanabe, Kota, Takahashi, Yuki, Kawada, Ryo
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sathyanaraya V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Philip P.
• Application Number:
  US15/053,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20160182864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/02 Sensors detecting door opening
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0075 by a user operated remote control device, e.g. receiving instructions from a user via a computer terminal or mobile telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0096 Portable devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

One embodiment of a camera system is provided with a camera device serving as an image capturing unit; a communication unit configured to transmit image information captured by the camera device to an external device; and a display terminal configured to display image information captured by the camera device, the display terminal being configured to display at least either of image information captured by the camera device according to prescribed conditions and image information captured according to user instructions.

Claims

1. A camera system comprising:

a camera provided in a storage chamber of a refrigerator and configured to capture an entire image of the storage chamber, the storage chamber comprising one or more shelves or containers;

a communication adapter configured to transmit image information captured by the camera to an external device provided outside the refrigerator;

a display terminal provided outside the refrigerator and configured to display the image information, the display terminal being configured to display at least either of first image information captured by the camera according to prescribed conditions and second image information captured by the camera according to user instructions;

a weight sensor configured to detect a weight of a stored item disposed on a placement portion in the storage chamber; and

a controller configured to detect a storage amount of the stored item based on the weight detected by the weight sensor for each shelf or each container and to cause the camera to capture an image of the storage chamber in response to a change in the detected storage amount for each shelf or each container.

2. The camera system according to claim 1, wherein at least one image capturing setting for the camera is specifiable from the display terminal.

3. The camera system according to claim 2, wherein the display terminal is configured to display conditions applied to captured image information in addition to the captured image information.

4. The camera system according to claim 1, wherein the display terminal displays conditions applied to captured image information in addition to the captured image information.

5. The camera system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of the cameras, wherein the display terminal is configured to display image information captured by one or more of the cameras selected by a user.

6. The camera system according to claim 1, wherein the display terminal is configured to display a location where the camera is installed.

7. The camera system according to claim 1, wherein the display terminal is configured to display a selection screen for selecting one of a plurality of image capturing methods registered to the camera.

8. The camera system according to claim 7, wherein the image capturing methods include capturing the image at a preset time or capturing the image in response to receiving image capturing instructions from the display terminal.

9. The camera system according to claim 1, wherein a view of the camera is configured as one of longitudinally elongate or horizontally elongate depending upon how the camera device is installed, wherein the display terminal is configured to display image information in a longitudinally elongate view and in a horizontally elongate view.

10. The camera system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of the cameras, wherein the image is captured by a camera of the plurality of the cameras located in a position corresponding to where the change in storage amount has been detected by the controller.

11. The camera system according to claim 1, further comprising a light source configured to irradiate light to the storage chamber and a light receiver unit configured to receive light inside the storage chamber, wherein the controller also detects storage amount based on an amount of light received by the light receiver.

12. The camera system according to claim 11, wherein the camera and the light receiver are covered by a cover member, and wherein the cover member is provided with a light receiving hole configured to allow the light receiver to receive light and an image capturing hole configured to allow image capturing by the camera being independent of one another.

13. The camera system according to claim 1, further comprising a light source configured to be illuminated during image capturing, and wherein the controller also detects the storage amount by receiving light produced by the light source by the light receiver during image capturing.

14. The camera system according to claim 1, further comprising a non-white first light emitting unit or a second light emitting unit located in a position different from left side, right side, upper side, and lower side walls of the storage chamber as well as from a door of the storage chamber, wherein the first light emitting unit or the second light emitting unit are inactivated when capturing image with the camera.

15. A refrigerator comprising:

a camera provided in a storage chamber of the refrigerator and configured to capture an entire image of the storage chamber, the storage chamber comprising one or more shelves or containers;

a communication adapter configured to transmit image information captured by the camera according to prescribed conditions to an external device provided outside the refrigerator;

a weight sensor configured to detect a weight of a stored item disposed on a placement portion in the storage chamber; and

a controller configured to detect a storage amount of the stored item based on the weight detected by the weight sensor for each shelf or each container and to cause the camera to capture an image of the storage chamber in response to a change in the detected storage amount for each shelf or each container.